Synopsis:
A con man, an obsessive-compulsive, and a closeted Member of Parliament become locked together by circumstance and lies.
Review:
It’s hard for me to review favorite authors like Rendell because I feel like I just want to say the same things: “deft characterization,” “intricate plotting,” and “perfect structure.” Rendell is so good at what she does that if you like crime stories that focus on psychology over procedure, then you have to check her out. Start anywhere; you might as well start here. In this book, Rendell crafts a spiderweb of lies that climaxes at the midpoint of the novel, with the second half a free fall as everything comes unraveled. It’s a lot of fun, if you don’t mind spending time with the darker half of human nature. I especially liked this one because I enjoy stories about the kind of con man featured here. It’s not giving anything away to call him a lonely hearts con man, but where Rendell takes it is the delicious surprise.
