The Monster in the Box, by Ruth Rendell

Another great Inspector Wexford novel by Ruth Rendell, le grande dame of UK psychological suspense. So good. I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I actually cried in parts of this. I think a great deal of the strength of some of the series fiction, as opposed to stand alone titles, is that growing with a character over years and years makes them so familiar, and you have an existing emotional relationship with them. As with Martha Grimes' Richard Jury, I feel that Wexford is (ok, an imaginary) friend, and to see him so vulnerable and looking back through the years made me kind of achy. The Wexford series has been going since 1964, I think I found them in about 1997 or so, and I've read all 22, so I feel like I've seen Wexford grow up faster than I did. It's a funny feeling. Anyone who cried reading Curtain by Agatha Christie will know what I mean. (no, not that!!! Just, you know, hard to read.)