I am greatly saddened by the death of the brilliant novelist Ruth Rendell. Although she was dubbed a “crime” writer she was much more. Her work probed deeply into the psychological aspects of the human condition. She wrote a masterful series, The Inspector Wexford novels, about the inner workings of a moral man who is one of the most truly three dimensional figures in the mystery genre. Her psychological novels were brilliant commentaries on the nature of evil and the dark forces that spread their poison among the innocent and unsuspecting.

She did not always follow the rules of genre and often broke through the boundaries that restrict creativity. Although she was greatly celebrated and rewarded for her talents during her lifetime, I hope her work will survive in a climate that quickly consumes great talent and relegates their work to the trash bin of anonymity. Ruth Rendell deserves not only our respect, but the better reward of authorial durability for future generations to understand and enjoy.