Ruth Rendell


The Baroness Rendell of Babergh

Rendell in 1985
BornRuth Barbara Grasemann
(1930-02-17)17 February 1930
Woodford, Essex, England
Died2 May 2015(2015-05-02) (aged 85)
London, England
Pen nameRuth Rendell
Barbara Vine
OccupationNovelist
Genre

Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE (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.

She has sold an estimated 20 million copies.