The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel [Hardcover]

Ruth Rendell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2009 | Series: Inspector Wexford

'He had never told anyone. The strange relationship, if it could be called that, had gone on for years, decades, and he had never breathed a word about it. He had kept silent because he knew no one would believe him. None of it could be proved, not the stalking, not the stares or the conspiratorial smiles, not the killings, not any of the signs Targo had made because he knew Wexford knew and could do nothing about it'. Wexford had almost made up his mind that he would never again set eyes on Eric Targo's short, muscular figure. And yet there he was, back in Kingsmarkham, still with that cocky, strutting walk. Years earlier, when Wexford was a young police officer, a woman called Elsie Carroll had been found strangled in her bedroom. Although many still had their suspicions that her husband was guilty, no one was convicted. Another woman was strangled shortly afterwards, and every personal and professional instinct told Wexford that the killer was still at large. And it was Eric Targo. A psychopath who would kill again...As the Chief Inspector investigates a new case, Ruth Rendell looks back to the beginning of Wexford's career, even to his courtship of the woman who would become his wife. The past is a haunted place, with clues and passions that leave an indelible imprint on the here and now.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Edgar-winner Rendell's 22nd Inspector Wexford novel (after 2007's Not in the Flesh), the British police detective confronts a man from his past, Eric Targo, who he suspects is guilty of multiple murders. Years earlier, Targo stalked and taunted Wexford, daring him to press charges. A squat, creepy bully with a purple birthmark disfiguring his neck, Targo has graduated from smalltime thug to prosperous businessman, ensconced in a nouveau-riche spread complete with private zoo and lion in Kingsmarkham. When Targo apparently commits a murder affecting Wexford's own family, the inspector must re-examine how Targo consistently outsmarts the law. The meeting and mating of Wexford and his wife, Dora, also figure in the backward-looking action. While the reminiscing dilutes some of the suspense, Rendell easily outdistances most mystery writers with her complex characters and her poetic yet astringent style. (Oct.)
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From Bookmarks Magazine

Although acknowledging Wexford's fascinating foray back in time, critics expressed mixed opinions about Rendell's latest—perhaps last—Inspector Wexford mystery. The most enthusiastic reviews, adopting a nostalgic tone, reminisced about Wexford's years as a young policeman, his personal growth, and the earlier period's cultural milieu. But more critics felt mixed about Rendell's retelling of Wexford's life 30 years before; others criticized the forced, distracting subplot featuring the Muslim girl and Rendell's strained political correctness. The Monster in the Box seems minor compared to previous efforts, and, though interesting, novices may wish to start with one of the earlier books in the series.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439150338
• ISBN-13: 978-1439150337
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out Of The Past, October 13, 2009

By 

Tom S. "filmfan3" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel (Hardcover)

Eric Targo is a creep, but is he a serial killer? That's the question for Inspector Reginald Wexford in THE MONSTER IN THE BOX. Many years ago, when he was a young cop on the beat, Wexford suspected the strange little man of committing several random murders in Kingsmarkham, Wexford's town in southern England. Wexford never had any evidence or proof, so he never mentioned his suspicions to anyone. Targo knew the young cop suspected him, and he took to taunting him in a weird way--following him around and staring at him. Then he disappeared. Over the years, Wexford's suspicions became a secret obsession.

Now, after many years, Mr. Targo is back in Kingsmarkham, and Wexford's old obsession has resurfaced. He's even begun to stalk Targo, just as he, himself, was once stalked. But is Targo really a monster? Was he ever? Or is it all in Wexford's imagination? Wexford finally breaks his long silence, telling his police partner, Mike Burden, everything he knows and suspects about the man. Mike doesn't believe him at first, but then there's a new murder very much like the old ones....

Ruth Rendell is my favorite mystery writer, and this new book is a real treat for fans. In telling Wexford's history with Eric Targo, Rendell gives us unusual glimpses into his past--including his bachelor days and how he met, courted, and married his wife, Dora, and the eventual births of their daughters, Sylvia and Sheila. These flashbacks arrive throughout the new story, providing a detailed portrait of the inspector. I've been reading his adventures for 30 years now, but I never learned as much about him as I did here. Another bonus for longtime readers is the mentioning of several earlier Wexford cases, including From Doon with Death: The First Inspector Wexford Novel (Mortalis), Murder Being Once Done, and Road Rage (A Chief Inspector Wexford Mystery). A great new mystery plus a great trip down Memory Lane--what could be better than that? Highly recommended.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars My first Wexford and Rendell's last*, October 26, 2009

By 

Sharon Isch (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Longtime fans of this series seem to be particularly keen on this novel because it reveals so much of the inspector's personal past. I can't really speak to that as this is my first Inspector Wexford novel and, according to the review in today's Washington Post, Ruth Rendell has said this 22nd in the series will be her last, as she has "other interests now."

"Monster in the Box" is the story of two detectives' extreme obsessions: 1) Wexford's with a character out of his past who, without a grain of proof, he deeply believes has committed at least two murders and may also be a serial killer; and (2) his "politically correct" colleague Hannah's to save a 16-year old Pakistani girl, who's dropped out of school, from the threat of either a forced arranged marriage or an honor killing. Eventually the two storylines will merge and all will be revealed. A pretty good read with an exceedingly creepy prime suspect, but after all the buildup, I found the wrapup somewhat weak and flat.

*Update October 2011:
OOPS! Seems the author changed her mind and is revisiting yet another of Wexford's old cases:
Following is from the New York Times mystery review column of 10/16/11:
"The most disturbing moment in Ruth Rendell's latest Inspector Wexford mystery, THE VAULT (Scribner, $26), is when her retired London detective realizes that he isn't 'entitled' to enter the new police headquarters in Cricklewood. That sense of disorientation hovers over Wexford as he goes about his vaguely defined business as an "expert adviser" on a bizarre case in St. John's Wood.

"Three skeletons have turned up in the long-forgotten coal cellar of Orcadia Cottage, along with a fresher corpse that adds an extra frisson of horror to the fiendish plot, which picks up the threads of 'A Sight for Sore Eyes,' published more than a decade ago. Wexford hasn't lost his touch, but he must watch his step around the real cops, who find his methods rather 'eccentric.' One promising note: Although Wexford doesn't seem very keen on his new role of amateur detective, once the case is well behind him he finds that 'having not enough to do was beginning to make him fidgety.'"

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "I will get him for what he's done.", October 13, 2009

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Monster in the Box: An Inspector Wexford Novel (Hardcover)

In Ruth Rendell's "The Monster in the Box," Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford takes center stage. In his mind's eye, he relives his early days as a policeman and even recalls his youthful romances. Why this sudden attack of nostalgia? Wexford's obsession with the past results from a renewed sighting of his nemesis, Eric Targo, whom Wexford believes has killed before and may kill again. The problem is that Wexford does not have a scintilla of proof that Targo has committed murder, and for many years, Wexford "had kept silent because he knew no one would believe him." Targo has stalked, smirked at, and mocked Wexford, knowing that the chief inspector cannot touch him. Has Wexford's intense dislike of this man colored his thinking? Is it possible that Targo is guilty of nothing more than being an obnoxious bully? Finally, desperate to confide in someone, Reg reveals his suspicions to his long-time partner, Mike Burden.

Eric Targo, who is short and muscular, was born with a disfiguring purple-brown birthmark on his neck. Over the years, he has married repeatedly, embarked on a number of business ventures, and traveled from place to place. The first Mrs. Targo said of her husband, "He likes animals better than people. Well, he doesn't like people at all." After a decade of having no contact with Targo, the chief inspector still bitterly regrets his inability to bring this fiend to justice. Now that Targo is back in Kingsmarkham, Wexford has another chance to complete his mission. Another subplot involves Moslem parents named Mohammed and Yasmin Rahman, whose sixteen-year old daughter, Tamima, is an excellent student. However, Tamima is a bit too interested in boys and her family might want to arrange a "safe" marriage for her before she strays too far afield. Rendell demonstrates how the huge wave of immigration from Asia is changing the face of England and setting the stage for ugly religious and cultural conflicts.

"The Monster in the Box" is a well-constructed novel in which Rendell gives us a fascinating peek at the young Wexford as he tries to make his mark in his chosen profession. Reggie is a richly developed and appealing character whose compassion, good judgment, insight, love of learning, and willingness to admit his mistakes are thoroughly refreshing. Rendell's literate writing flows effortlessly, the dialogue is sharp and often amusingly sardonic, and her descriptive writing is vivid and concise. This book would be worthwhile solely for the back story of how Reggie met and married and his wife after a series of unproductive relationships.

The Targo plot is chilling. Wexford is convinced that this individual has ruthlessly killed a number of men and women whom he barely knew. However, what is his motive (if indeed he has one)? Furthermore, unless Targo strikes again and is caught in the act, there is nothing that Wexford can do. He recalls old murder cases that may have been Targo's handiwork and investigates a new one that hits much too close to home. Gradually, Wexford closes in on a brute who may be the epitome of evil or simply an unpleasant person who, for some reason, has become the focus of Reggie's intense dislike. Ruth Rendell plays with our minds and keeps us guessing in this multi-faceted and engrossing novel of psychological suspense.