Back on form!

I nearly didn't buy this book, as the previous three have been very disappointing. But this is Ruth Rendell back on form with Wexford and Burden in their new relationship now Wexford's retired - interesting new interplay between them -; the Wexford family background, a good plot and some nice literary allusions. As ever, Rendell is very topical and clearly notices all the trends, particularly in the young. All very well read by Nigel Anthony. I raced through it at speed and shall listen again to savour it.

9 people found this helpful

Ambles along

Good performance. Always think men doing female voices works better than other way around, and Nigel Anthony is very good at maintaining the voice of all his characters, the annoying cleaning lady was simply brilliant. One couldn't help admiring Wexford's patience with her, I would have thrown Gibbon at her.

Mr Anthony's Wexford so resembles the voice of the late George Baker, who used to play him in the TV series, that one 'sees' the TV Wexford as he is reading.

Story has a nice steady pace to it, the deaths seem to just slot in. Oddly there is no big drama even though the deaths are of a violent nature, they are presented as facts as they would be to hardened old copper like Wexford. The story just ambles along until the killer has been found, just as you would expect Wexford would.

Enjoyed it very much.

6 people found this helpful

A slight return to form

Well, this is definitely better than the last Wexford- it is a slight return to form for the once great Ruth Rendell and it did hold my attention until about two thirds through. Ruth Rendell still writes so well and I love her characterisation and the familiar characters. However, the Wexford novels really do not work now that Wexford is retired. I also felt that the plot was very weak - very little suspense or motivation to carry on listening. On a more positive note Nigel Anthony is a fantastic narrator, very easy to listen to and portrays Wexford superbly.

4 people found this helpful

A joy - not to be missed.

What made the experience of listening to No Man's Nightingale the most enjoyable?

As Inspector Wexford gets older (along with his creator) he becomes a commentator on the modern world. The mystery is not all that important to the story but I laughed out loud often because of the brilliance of the narration and the exactness of the comments on contemporary life and as a kind of side issue on fiction. There are some interesting comments on modern dining as well

Who was your favorite character and why?

Inspector Wexford - of course! But Maxime is fun too and poor old Burden - never up to the mark even when he's the boss.

What about Nigel Anthony’s performance did you like?

Anthony relates with great sympathy for the hero but also with great humour. One feels about the books that they have moved beyond the traditional murder story to the more refined realm of the modern comedy and Anthony's wry reading is quite brilliant.

Any additional comments?

Not to be missed as brilliant entertainment.

3 people found this helpful

Even a retired Wexford is great!

Where does No Man's Nightingale rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As always anything by Ruth Rendell ranks high on my list of listens

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think Reg Wexford is a great in detective fiction, not always nice to everyone, but persistent and thorough. I liked the character of Maxine, who I could picture and feel I know some people just like her!

Have you listened to any of Nigel Anthony’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Nigel is always the best reader of Wexford stories

Any additional comments?

As always you start on one story and diverge into many others, never sure where it's leading! But never disappointed at the end...

2 people found this helpful

Entertaining and a good listen

What did you like most about No Man's Nightingale?

I loved the way the reader managed to carry Wexford off as the character George Baker brought to us, it added to a nostalgic feel of the Ruth Rendell books of old!

What did you like best about this story?

The story line was pretty good, better than the last couple and the reader was excellent

Have you listened to any of Nigel Anthony’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Haven't heard his others but look forward to doing so. He is certainly able to make you distinguish one character from another.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No not really, just reminded me of 20 years ago when Wexford appeared on our screens - can't understand why it's so hard to get hold of the series now

2 people found this helpful

Very Dated.

Listened to a few of these, because they were free. Rather creaking and rambling storylines, full of grumbling about the past being better etc.
The author is consistent in all of the books I've read in this series in her droning obsession with race, particularly Asian people. It's a depressing and rather ghoulish fixation, bordering on the pathological. There's a running theme too in her obvious sneering hatred of working class people.

1 person found this helpful

Brilliant

I am so pleased that I have had the privilege to read this series of books by Ruth Rendell. Great characters as usual and narrated with faultless attention to detail. Perhaps nowadays rather an old fashioned style but such brilliant penmanship is well worthy of its place amongst the mystery/thriller stories of our times.

1 person found this helpful

Solid Rendell but

Like many, I have read Ruth Rendell for decades. Wexford is different here but the story telling remains interesting and the plot better than most modern writers.

My only objection is the hysterical reaction of one of the characters to news not taken so hysterically by most under 30 these days. It jarred and annoyed me but then again, I have to remember that the changes seen by Rendell in a lifetime of writing will mean a range of understanding and acceptance.

Still, it is worth listening to and the narrator was very very good indeed.

1 person found this helpful

BEAUTIFULLY read, but very silly story

My first Wexford, and almost certainly my last. Nigel Anthony was superb and his voice characterisations all perfect, but there were far far too many characters, too many red herrings, too many glasses of wine/sherry, too many allusions to 'literary' words/phrases. It all smacked of affected suburbia, which perhaps was the intention but it just didn't work for me.

1 person found this helpful