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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding Wexford mystery, August 21, 2000
Back in the days before Ruth Rendell acquired those irritating literary pretensions, she wrote mysteries like this one--ingeniously plotted, quickly paced, and best of all, under 200 pages. SHAKE HANDS FOREVER is a perfect example of the author at her effortless best, and of all the Wexford novels I've read, it's both the most absorbing and the most rewarding. Everything about Rendell's work that readers like myself have come to cherish--her terrific, often hilarious prose, her sharp dialogue, her firmly drawn characters, her deference to human psychology--can be found in this novel. Angela Hathall is found murdered in a house utterly devoid of clues, except for a single scarred fingerprint on the side of a bathtub. Chief Inspector Wexford's instinct tells him that the murderer is the victim's shifty-eyed husband, and as usual, his instinct is half-right--but there is much more to this case than meets the eye, for both Wexford and the reader. From first page to last, this beautifully written story is a delight. Rendell seldom takes a traditional approach to storytelling, and this particular case manages to both uphold and flout the conventions of the classic English detective story, leading to one of the author's most genuinely surprising denouements. As the best mysteries do, this one literally caused me to fall out of my seat, so clever (and yet so logical) is the resolution. If you love mysteries (and if you love Rendell), SHAKE HANDS FOREVER is one pleasure you owe yourself.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable, but I was not as impressed as the other reviewers, November 8, 2001
Ruth Rendell's writing has changed over the years, her older novels being more concerned with plot and her more recent work focussing more on social issues and the psychology of her characters. This book was first published in 1975 and has a clever and convoluted plot. That is not to say she neglects the characters; we are privy to Wexford's thoughts and feelings (and she does an admirable job of conveying his personality and his internal struggles this way) and the personalities of some of the other characters play a pivotal role in the story. One thing I especially enjoyed was that the story stretched over more than a year, with the official police investigation over long before the mystery is solved. And it's only solved through Wexford's stubborn refusal to accept his superior's analysis of the situation. One reviewer described the book as "unguessable and brilliant" but in fact a significant clue is shared with the reader - unfortunately it doesn't look significant at the time and I had forgotten all about it by the time I reached the end of the book. So I was certainly surprised by the twist in the tail. I found that Rendell's story-telling was not up to its usual high standard and the wrap-up at the end seemed a bit clumsy. But perhaps this is a reflection of how clumsy, untidy and frustrating a real-life murder investigation would be, rather than the neat, tidy, no-loose-ends packages authors often present to us. Although not her best work, this is nonetheless an enjoyable read, great for a rainy day or a long trip.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The wise Inspector Wexford has his suspicions..., November 30, 2002
Through the years Ruth Rendell has proved her mastery of the "who done it" genre and this Inspector Wexford mystery, first published in 1975, is certainly true to form. It's set in England, of course, amidst places whose names roll of the tongue with a British accent. There's an unsolved murder in the first chapter, with a richly developed cast of characters surrounding the mystery. There's a dead woman and her seemingly grief-stricken husband. There's her mother-in-law who hates her and her husband's ex-wife who's known for making ugly scenes. There are few clues also, as the house has been immaculately cleaned. There's only one handprint, little to go on. But then there is the wise Inspector Wexford. He understands people well and has his suspicions. The story unfolds quickly, as one clue after another comes to light and some new characters are introduced. I was intrigued as I easily followed the plot. The author is very clear in her intentions and I found myself identifying with the detective as he investigated the case, which wound up taking more than a year to solve. It only took me a few hours to read the book, waking up in the middle of the night to finish what I had started that afternoon. It was all one big puzzle, but the end put all the puzzle pieces together. As I drifted off to sleep however, I was troubled. The puzzle pieces fit, but the motivation just didn't seem strong enough for murder. And so I woke early and re-read the last few pages, which included a surprise ending. It was explained completely. Problem is, I didn't believe it. This is a good read and mystery fans will love it. I did enjoy it as a few hours of entertainment. I recommend it. I'm just not a mystery fan though.
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