- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Canada (Feb 26 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0141035102
- ISBN-13: 978-0141035109
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 381 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,201,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Writing as Ruth Rendell, Barbara Vine has earned the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. In The Chimney Sweeper's Boy, Vine proves herself the equal of her alter ego and a master of the psychological thriller--as well as the police procedural--in this riveting novel. Why bestselling novelist Gerald Candless assumed a new identity years before his marriage and the birth of his two daughters isn't revealed until the penultimate chapter of the book, but the effect of his deception on his family drives Vine's deft character studies. In Gerald's wife, Ursula, and his daughters, Hope and Sarah, Vine has created three complex women in the thrall of an equally complicated and compelling man. As Sarah unravels the mystery of her father's deception, Gerald gradually becomes a more sympathetic figure. But Ursula, whose strange marital bargain with Gerald and whose distant relationship with her daughters tug at the heart, stays with the reader long after this distinguished, literary mystery is finished. --Jane Adams
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Library Journal
Michael Williams reads popular author Vine's (No Night Is Too Long, Audio Reviews, LJ 4/15/95) compelling tale in a gently affecting manner. Gerald Candless played only two roles in life: best-selling author and doting father. Or did he? Commissioned to write a personal biography of her famous father, Sarah Candless discovers that the real Gerald died at age seven. Who was the man she called Father and how did he turn into a cold, emotional isolate who cared only for his daughters? A few incidental characters and episodes seem out of place, probably due to abridgment, but this is a minor quibble. Overall, this is an entertaining listening experience in the low-violence mystery/suspense genre. Recommended for all libraries.?I. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A terrific novel,
By
This review is from: The Chimney Sweeper's Boy (Paperback)
It is evident that people have strong reactions to this book. I liked it more than any other Rendell/Vine book, with the possible exception of "Dark Adapted Eye." One of the most fascinating features of the book is the way in which forms of sexual pathology get repeated, with variations, through three generations of a family. Gerald's mother's relationship with her second husband gets echoed in Gerald's relationship with his wife, and Gerald's two daughters act it out in their own peculiar ways, until the very end, when one of them wakes up. There's great insight into what might be called the erotic lives of families, and the writing is first rate.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
More than a mystery,
By
This review is from: The Chimney Sweeper's Boy (Paperback)
I have a very high opinion of Rendell/Vine and enjoyed every single book I read. This one was one of the best with fully developed characters, a strong story and the spicy unexpected turns.What distinguishes this author's mysteries from the rest out there is a depth in exploring what motivates people's behavior and acts, no matter whether these are acts of love and loyalty or hatered and shalowness.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
MY FIRST BARBARA VINE!,
By MOVIE MAVEN (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Chimney Sweeper's Boy (Paperback)
A friend gave me her copy of "The Chimney Sweeper's Boy" and I was hooked from page 1. The numerous characters are all complex and fascinating--even the minor ones; the plot, although I guessed the "mystery-surprise," unfolds beautifully--I certainly do not want to tell you any of the twists and turns (& there are plenty)of this "psychological mystery;" the writing is graceful, but never calls attention to itself. This is a truly terrific story told wonderfully. I have already purchased my second Barbara Vine book and cannot wait to start it.
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