Ruth Rendell was born in 1930 in England to two teachers. Her mother developed multiple sclerosis shortly after her birth and resulted in a tumultuous childhood which she declines to discuss. She is a strict vegetarian and has developed numerous fears and phobias. She has obsessions with psychopaths, routine, and punctuality. "If it weren't for a ridiculous literary snobbery about 'crime writing', Ruth Rendell would be acclaimed as one of our most important novelists." John Mortimer once remarked.
She has written many stories and novels which fall into three general categories: Inspector Wexford detective thrillers, murder mystery novels, and dark psychological tales written under the pseudonym of Barbara Vine. She has won many awards, including four Gold Daggers and 3 Edgar Alllan Poe's. Her latest work, called The Vault, is an Inspector Wexford mystery and will be available in hardcover in mid-September. She is now widowed and lives in London.
I should emphasize here that Ruth Rendell is British, and writes in a British manner which can be difficult at first for American readers to get used to. I suggest starting with one of her short story compilations to get used to the language before embarking on one of her stunning novels.
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