The Secret House of Death

By Ruth Rendell

I cannot say this is a bad novel, because there is simply no such thing as a bad Ruth Rendell novel. However, it falls into the average category. It is an uninteresting plot and the story goes nowhere. The good thing, though, is that this is one of Ruth Rendell’s first novels and fortunately they have evolved a lot from then. Another positive thing is that the ending is, as always, surprising and well worth waiting for.

The plot is fairly simple and straightforward. Louise North has an affair. She tells everyone the man who has been coming to her house is a central heating salesman, though he is, of course, her lover. Susan Townsend is Louise’s next door neighbour. One day she discovers the dead bodies of Susan and her lover. From that day on Susan helps Louise’s husband, Bob, get back on his feet again. But is Bob ‘only’ her neighbour or has he also got something to do with the murder??