The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine

Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. It is not a Ruth Rendell story, so we know what to expect, something more dark.
The stroy is told in two narratives, one of Ivor Tesham’s brother-in-law some Delgado and Hebe Furnal’s friend Jane Atherton. The stroy is umm.. is the fall of Ivor Tesham conservative MP in the early nineties. Ivor Tesham is the handsome dashing politician who does not want to settle down in life. He wants to have fun. He embarks on an clandestine affair with married Hebe Furnal . Their simillar natures brings them together for sexual adventures. Tesham plans a “birthday Present” for Hebe, that goes wrong. While what Tesham had planned is not actually criminal, it could ruin his career and the press will have a field day at his expense. Jane Atherton, the not so good looking friend of the gorgeous Hebe tells her part of the story.
Ruth Rendell has always written about issues in contemporay soicety. Set in the early nineties this novel talks of the loneliness of modern life and how the scoiety plunges into depth those who are already in the edge. Like in many of her novels, we have a single girl who tries to find love and security unsuccessfully and slowly loses her sanity.
Ruth Rendell throws hint of things to come. So there is a constant sense of expectation of things to come that keeps one glued to the book. A very interesting read.

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