The Monster in the Box
Encyclopedia
The Monster in the Box is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell
, published in 2009. The novel is the 22nd in the Inspector Wexford
series.
. Decades later, he finally admits this to DI Mike Burden, his longtime colleague and friend. In an apparently unrelated matter, DS Hannah Goldsmith and Burden's second wife Jenny both approach Wexford with concerns about Tamima, one of Jenny Burden's students.
As a young detective constable he investigated the murder of Elsie Carroll. Wexford suspects that while her husband purported to be a whist
club, he was actually with his mistress when his wife was killed. George Carroll was acquitted of his wife's murder on a technicality, but was still shunned by Kingsmarkham residents; Wexford believes him innocent. In the weeks of and following the investigation into Elsie Carroll's death, Targo, a scarf covering his prominent birthmark
, walks his dog past the young Wexford's rooming house to taunt him, or so it appears to Wexford.
By the 1970s Targo has become a prosperous, businessman, several times married and divorced, living in the north of England. Targo reappears in Kingsmarkam. Wexford suspects that Targo has murdered the autistic son of a Myringham widow who wishes her son dead so she can marry her longtime partner.
In the book's present Targo reappears again, still with his dogs, without the naevus, but with a private menagerie
.
Ruth Rendell
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, , who also writes under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, is an English crime writer, author of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries....
, published in 2009. The novel is the 22nd in the Inspector Wexford
Inspector Wexford
Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut From Doon With Death, and has since been the protagonist of 20 more stories; his latest outing was the 2009...
series.
Plot summary
Wexford has long suspected Eric Targo of being a serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
. Decades later, he finally admits this to DI Mike Burden, his longtime colleague and friend. In an apparently unrelated matter, DS Hannah Goldsmith and Burden's second wife Jenny both approach Wexford with concerns about Tamima, one of Jenny Burden's students.
As a young detective constable he investigated the murder of Elsie Carroll. Wexford suspects that while her husband purported to be a whist
Whist
Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was played widely in the 18th and 19th centuries. It derives from the 16th century game of Trump or Ruff, via Ruff and Honours...
club, he was actually with his mistress when his wife was killed. George Carroll was acquitted of his wife's murder on a technicality, but was still shunned by Kingsmarkham residents; Wexford believes him innocent. In the weeks of and following the investigation into Elsie Carroll's death, Targo, a scarf covering his prominent birthmark
Nevus
Nevus is the medical term for sharply-circumscribed and chronic lesions of the skin. These lesions are commonly named birthmarks and moles. Nevi are benign by definition...
, walks his dog past the young Wexford's rooming house to taunt him, or so it appears to Wexford.
By the 1970s Targo has become a prosperous, businessman, several times married and divorced, living in the north of England. Targo reappears in Kingsmarkam. Wexford suspects that Targo has murdered the autistic son of a Myringham widow who wishes her son dead so she can marry her longtime partner.
In the book's present Targo reappears again, still with his dogs, without the naevus, but with a private menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
.
External links
- The Monster in the Box Rendell, Ruth (Book - 2009) - review from Ottawa Public Library/Bibliothèque publique d'OttawaOttawa Public LibraryThe Ottawa Public Library is the library system of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is the largest bilingual library in North America...
- The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel - review of e-bookE-bookAn electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
at ReaderStoreSony ReaderThe Sony Reader is a line of e-book readers manufactured by Sony. It uses an electronic paper display developed by E Ink Corporation, is viewable in direct sunlight, requires no power to maintain a static image, and is usable in portrait or landscape orientation.Sony sells e-books for the Reader... - Is this policeman prescient – or paranoid? The Monster in the Box, by Ruth Rendell - review at WordPress.comWordPress.comWordPress.com is a weblog hosting provider owned by Automattic which opened to beta testers on August 8, 2005 and opened to the public on November 21, 2005. It is powered by the open source WordPress software...