Ruth Rendell

1930 - 2015

Pseudonym: Barbara Vine

Country of citizenship: United Kingdom

Native language: English

Languages spoken, written or signed: English

Occupation: politician, novelist, screenwriter, writer, author

Award received: Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel, Best Crime Novel in Swedish Translation, Cartier Diamond Dagger, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Gumshoe Awards, Gold Dagger, Anthony Award, The Grand Master, Prix du Roman d’Aventures

Position held: member of the House of Lords, Booker Prize judge

Influenced by: Dorothy L. Sayers, Patricia Highsmith, Sheridan Le Fanu, Agatha Christie, M. R. James

Official website: literature.britishcouncil.org/ruth-rendell

Bibliographic databases:

Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (née Grasemann; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford. A second string of works was a series of unrelated crime novels that explored the psychological background of criminals and their victims. This theme was developed further in a third series of novels, published under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. Rendell has sold an estimated 20 million copies of her novels. Source: Wikipedia (en)