The Vault by Ruth Rendell

I absolutely love Ruth Rendell. This is one book I was dying to read. I was lucky to find it my local library. Wexford is retired and enjoying(?) his leisure in London in a 'coachhouse' his famous actress daughter Sheila has given for his use. He spends time between his house in Kingsmarkham and London. He is taking long walks enjoying all that London has to offer and spending time with his grandchildren. But he is not fully happy, how can he be! He misses being a policeman and wants to investigate and when his old friend gives him a chance to work as an adviser, he leaps at it.

In a cellar, in a patio of Orcadia Cottage are found four dead bodies. Three buried at least 12 years before -a young man, an older man and an older woman -and another buried 2 years before- a young woman. Who are these people and how did they end up in 'the vault'?

At the domestic front, there is as usual some trouble with one of Wexford's daughters. This time it is Sylvia. And Sylvia is not a teen but a mother of a teen that doesn't mean her troubles are any smaller.

If you had read The Sight for the Sore Eyes, you already know who the first three in the Vault are. But Wexford doesn't. How does Wexford go about finding who these people are? The real mystery is about who the fourth body that of the young woman is, who was dumped there ten years after the initial crime. Who killed her and used the Vault as her grave?

I read The Sight for Sore Eyes some years ago and the only thing I remember about it is why the manhole in the patio was not closed. I don't remember who these people are. The mystery about the younger woman makes it reading worthwhile. Overall an interesting read.

This counts towards various challenges. For the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge I would rank this as a whodunit. For the European Reading Challenge the action takes place in London. This counts as the crime novel whose protagonist is the opposite gender of the author for the Criminal Plots II challenge.

Challenges: Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2012, A-Z Challenge 2012, Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Merely Mystery Reading Challenge, British Book Challenge, Bucket List Book Reading Challenge, European Reading Challenge, AZRC, Eclectic Reader Challenge, Criminal Plots II Challenge

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

I had been dying to read this book ever since I knew it was published. Just got hold of it end of December 2011 and it is my first read for 2012.

Kinsey Millhone, twice-divorced 37 year old, childless Private Investigator is one of my favourite detectives, next only to Poirot and Marple. Michael Sutton approaches Kinsey on advice of police. He thinks twenty one years ago as a six year old he saw two people burying a bundle. He believes the bundle is four year old Marie Clarie who was kidnapped around that time. He is not clear about the whereabouts. He is not very helpful. He wants Kinsey to do all the work but he is willing to pay Kinsey's charges for a day. Will Kinsey find out the truth about Marie Claire? Is Sutton reliable? What will Kinsey unearth in her investigation? Oh yes! The investigation takes place in 1988, so Kinsey had no access to cell phones, computers, Internet and had to run to library for any information.

There are two narratives in the book. One the usual first person Kinsey Millhone narrative and other the third person narrative giving background into the crime, that moves to and fro between 60's and 80's. There is less humour in this Kinsey Millhone story than usual. It reminded me of Ruth Rendell's style especially one of her books. This book is not a whodunit but a whydunit. Grafton once again delivers. Now I am dying to read V is for Vengeance.

For the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge I would categorise this book as Inverted Detective Story. It can also belong to other categories.