Anyone ever read Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine? - Page 2

blueroses47 · ‎03-09-2010

@songbird wrote:
@blueroses47 I don't know why, but the film adaptations of many of Rendell books are French. No I did not. I would have loved to see it! That book was scary with that woman who couldn't read or write! Is it still under the title a Judgement in Stone? I saw this in Amazon. 17 films set from Ruth Rendell (not the Inspector Wexford) I don't see it. It could be under a different title. They are probably in French with English titles. Strange that they are French. These are very English stories! There's even a film adaptation of May & June (one of Rendell's short stores) You should read her short stories! Very memorial.

Ok I found it. a French film the title: La Cérémonie is a 1995 crime drama film by Claude Chabrol, adapted from the 1977 novel A Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell. The film echoes the case of Christine and Lea Papin, two French maids who brutally murdered their employer's wife and daughter in 1933, as well as the 1947 play they inspired, The Maids by Jean Genet.

I see where Rendell got her idea! I didn't know it was based on an actual fact!

I was going to look up the name on Imdb, but I see you beat me to it. Yes, La Ceremonie was the title. As I said, I did enjoy it, but I think I read the book first, and thought it was better. But, the books usually are. This is worth watching though.

I'm going to track down the one you said was your favorite. I don't think I've read that. Oh, and another I really liked had a crossword puzzle as a key element, and the title was something about a crossword, like "one down, two across", but not that exactly. You'll probably know which one I mean.

Oh, to just have my old memory back when I could remember proper names, and titles of things without always having to look them up.

laluzdelmundo · ‎12-11-2014

@songbird There are authors I enjoy for the way they write as much as for their characters and stories they tell. Ruth Rendell is one of them. When she died, I remember being kind of mad because now that's the end of her books. Since you mentioned her, I believe I need to re-read The House of Stairs, which may be my favorite of the Barbara Vine titles.

Robert B. Parker and Joyce Carol Oates are two more whose writing style I've always found extra appealing although they couldn't be more different.

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

@laluzdelmundo wrote:
@songbird There are authors I enjoy for the way they write as much as for their characters and stories they tell. Ruth Rendell is one of them. When she died, I remember being kind of mad because now that's the end of her books. Since you mentioned her, I believe I need to re-read The House of Stairs, which may be my favorite of the Barbara Vine titles.

Robert B. Parker and Joyce Carol Oates are two more whose writing style I've always found extra appealing although they couldn't be more different.

I like her so much, I began to collect her books. I have most of them. Ony 2 of the Inspector Wexford. I do have House of Stairs. Haven't read it in years. I'll have a read now, as I forgotten about it. LOL. When she died I was so sad. But then I thought....no more books! Like Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels. The end of the line.

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

@blueroses47 Yes! A Sight for Sore Eyes. It has a disturbed main villain that you actually root for. I won't go in to the plot, except to say there are two of them that collide. The ending is one that is both shocking and so sad... It cried out for a sequel. But this time, it's inspector Wexford. How he realizes what happened is uncanny. As the circumstances of A Sight for Sore Eyes's ending has no witness other then the reader. It's called "The Vault" You can read both independently, but it really packs a wallop reading both in order. Another of my favorite is Talking to Strange Men. Couple of plots. A man pining away for his old girl friend, with a a vivid imagination & loves spy novels. And a group of middle school kids from a exclusive "public" schools playing spy games. The games & codes made from the opening lines of books. Throw in a molester who preys on children. The end results a great plot.