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Bridesmaid
Philip Wardman had more than just the ordinary squeamishness where death was concerned. Yet he could hardly avoid the suspicious disappearance of his sister's friend Rebecca Neave, especially when everyone was ascribing the cause to murder. Philip's feminine ideal is the statue of the Roman goddess Flora in his mother's garden. His marble Flora doesn't fade, doesn't alter, doesn't die . But then he meets Senta Pelham, a beautiful, sensual, childlike actress who flagrantly disdains the morals of society and passionately desires the elusive Philip. But what is the real reason for her obsessive devotion? Most important, will their flesh-and-blood relationship require a murder to prove it is the real thing?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1989
287 people are currently reading
1134 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Rendell
473 books1,634 followersA.K.A. Barbara Vine
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 224 reviews
May 24, 2018
This might be perverse logic, but having twice read The Bridesmaid I felt it was a safe bet for my introduction to audiobooks. This intuition proved correct – a rough knowledge of the plot helped me to pick up wherever I had left off – and it is such a good yarn that it didn’t spoil my enjoyment.
Mention Ruth Rendell and it’s tempting to think of Inspector Wexford, bucolic scenes and cosy cottages. Think again. The Bridesmaid is everything that isn’t in its title – a gripping concoction of urban grit and gothic horror – a relentless rollercoaster of suspense, its locus a basement beneath London’s mean streets, where between soiled sheets sanity meets madness, and the onlooker must endure the agony and ecstasy to discover which will prevail.
It’s a great read and – now – a great listen. I’m sold on audiobooks – so much more uplifting than the radio. But next month I must try something new!
Mention Ruth Rendell and it’s tempting to think of Inspector Wexford, bucolic scenes and cosy cottages. Think again. The Bridesmaid is everything that isn’t in its title – a gripping concoction of urban grit and gothic horror – a relentless rollercoaster of suspense, its locus a basement beneath London’s mean streets, where between soiled sheets sanity meets madness, and the onlooker must endure the agony and ecstasy to discover which will prevail.
It’s a great read and – now – a great listen. I’m sold on audiobooks – so much more uplifting than the radio. But next month I must try something new!
April 7, 2017
I read THE BRIDESMAID because I recently saw the French movie from Claude Chabrol and I loved it. I just had to read the original thriller. It’s not bad, although I miss the Chabrol style.
The story is not really a mystery at all, but seems more like a very dark character study. A young man, living at home with his mother and two sisters, becomes fascinated with one of the bridesmaids at his older sister’s wedding. He is not only intrigued by her exotic appearance, but she has an insatiable appetite for all things sensuous. Of course, this IS a thriller, so her tastes run to the bizarre, dangerous and criminal. However, she is so drawn to him and so sexually obsessed that he cannot pull himself away from her despite his misgivings.
The characters are memorable, especially the bridesmaid and her lover. The young man’s mother is delightfully drawn. I truly felt that if I didn’t know her, then I knew someone very much like her. The other characters are not as strongly developed, but they are also not stereotypical, either.
As a psychological thriller, the writer does a good job of tightening the net without making it obvious, and providing subplots that do interconnect with the story rather than being a diversion from it. A curious device is a stone statue that has varying amounts of meaning and influence depending on when a character thinks about it. In an odd way, it could almost be a central character since so much action and perception emanates from it.
I’d mentioned that I missed the Chabrol style, and that is what holds me back from giving this a glowing recommendation. There were sections that weren’t dull, but they kept going over familiar ground. I realize that the purpose was to show the young man becoming obsessed with a thought and being unable to put it into perspective or make a decision to take action. Still, there were times that I was thinking, “Ah, this again.” That detracted from the psychological fear build-up. The same doubts were in the film, but the visual style added a layer that is absent here.
It is a diverting thriller, though not enough to cause me to race to pick up another of the writer’s books.
The story is not really a mystery at all, but seems more like a very dark character study. A young man, living at home with his mother and two sisters, becomes fascinated with one of the bridesmaids at his older sister’s wedding. He is not only intrigued by her exotic appearance, but she has an insatiable appetite for all things sensuous. Of course, this IS a thriller, so her tastes run to the bizarre, dangerous and criminal. However, she is so drawn to him and so sexually obsessed that he cannot pull himself away from her despite his misgivings.
The characters are memorable, especially the bridesmaid and her lover. The young man’s mother is delightfully drawn. I truly felt that if I didn’t know her, then I knew someone very much like her. The other characters are not as strongly developed, but they are also not stereotypical, either.
As a psychological thriller, the writer does a good job of tightening the net without making it obvious, and providing subplots that do interconnect with the story rather than being a diversion from it. A curious device is a stone statue that has varying amounts of meaning and influence depending on when a character thinks about it. In an odd way, it could almost be a central character since so much action and perception emanates from it.
I’d mentioned that I missed the Chabrol style, and that is what holds me back from giving this a glowing recommendation. There were sections that weren’t dull, but they kept going over familiar ground. I realize that the purpose was to show the young man becoming obsessed with a thought and being unable to put it into perspective or make a decision to take action. Still, there were times that I was thinking, “Ah, this again.” That detracted from the psychological fear build-up. The same doubts were in the film, but the visual style added a layer that is absent here.
It is a diverting thriller, though not enough to cause me to race to pick up another of the writer’s books.
December 18, 2021
Once again Ruth Rendell delivers a psychological twisted page turner. Philip Wardman abhors violence. He begins a tumultuous relationship with Sentra an actress who is insane. Philip’s family is complicated with his sister Cheryl who is hiding something, his mother in a relationship which breaks down and a job which he does well but is unappreciated.
Rebecca Neaves a friend of Cheryl’s has disappeared. Philip steals back a statue his mother gave to her admirer which will lead to murder. Flora the statue becomes an obsession with Philip as does Sentra.
Sentra embellishes the truth and the problem is Philip cannot tell what is truth and fantasy. The ending does become predictable but still is horrible and comes as a surprise. The link between his job as a bathroom surveyor, the statue of Flora and the slum house where Sentra lives is well plotted. A worthwhile read.
Rebecca Neaves a friend of Cheryl’s has disappeared. Philip steals back a statue his mother gave to her admirer which will lead to murder. Flora the statue becomes an obsession with Philip as does Sentra.
Sentra embellishes the truth and the problem is Philip cannot tell what is truth and fantasy. The ending does become predictable but still is horrible and comes as a surprise. The link between his job as a bathroom surveyor, the statue of Flora and the slum house where Sentra lives is well plotted. A worthwhile read.
May 1, 2022
Definitely one of my favorite mysteries and authors!!!
January 28, 2021
My overall take on this dark novel is that people are capable of just about anything.
Great narration from the sublime Barbara Rosenblat.
Great narration from the sublime Barbara Rosenblat.
August 13, 2010
Ruth Rendell (aka Barbara Vine), that’s Baroness Rendell of Babergh CBE to you, has long been my favorite mystery writer. It all started the day I picked up a copy of the Bridesmaid twenty years ago. The Bridesmaid changed the way I view mysteries. I would even go so far as to say The Bridesmaid is the book that initially inspired me to write mysteries.
Although Rendell writes the fine Chief Inspector Wexford Police procedurals, it is her psychological crime novels that set her apart—at least for me—and the The Bridesmaid is a brilliant example. There is some sexual content in the book, but this is rare for Lady Rendell, who has written more than fifty novels.
What’s it about?
Warning: this is not a cozy! The story centers around Philip, a mild-mannered young man with an extreme aversion to violence. Philip becomes wildly obsessed with one of the bridesmaids he meets at his sister’s wedding. He and the young woman, an actress named Senta, become lovers. Senta, though, is a little left of center, and she asks the peace loving Philip to prove his undying love (pardon the pun) by killing.
Why read it?
Read it because of Rendell’s gift for making the everyday creepy. I don’t know how she does it, but I'd love to.
Many writers allow you to spend time in a character’s skin, Rendell takes you into the mind, a close clinical exploration of the psyche that is not always easy or comfortable. Read The Bridesmaid to analyze how the Baroness plants a seed: a single human foible, an insignificant event, a tiny family secret and grows it into something sinister without the reader knowing when or how it happened.
I was surprised by the The Bridesmaid's denouement. Many of Lady Rendell’s books have a 'twist’ at the the end. The mystery is always solved, but there is seldom absolution or a 'happily ever after.'
Novelist Patrick Gale said it best:
"Ruth Rendell writes about people as coolly as a behaviourist observing the effects of fear or pain on laboratory rats. Because she does not care, the reader does not have to, and the effect is oddly liberating. Rendell's works pitch the reader into an amoral universe where there is no salvation, spiritual or aesthetic. Rather than rout evil, she merely has it eat itself... and the tidiness of her endings unsettles even as it satisfies, because it carries no consolation in its wake."
Although Rendell writes the fine Chief Inspector Wexford Police procedurals, it is her psychological crime novels that set her apart—at least for me—and the The Bridesmaid is a brilliant example. There is some sexual content in the book, but this is rare for Lady Rendell, who has written more than fifty novels.
What’s it about?
Warning: this is not a cozy! The story centers around Philip, a mild-mannered young man with an extreme aversion to violence. Philip becomes wildly obsessed with one of the bridesmaids he meets at his sister’s wedding. He and the young woman, an actress named Senta, become lovers. Senta, though, is a little left of center, and she asks the peace loving Philip to prove his undying love (pardon the pun) by killing.
Why read it?
Read it because of Rendell’s gift for making the everyday creepy. I don’t know how she does it, but I'd love to.
Many writers allow you to spend time in a character’s skin, Rendell takes you into the mind, a close clinical exploration of the psyche that is not always easy or comfortable. Read The Bridesmaid to analyze how the Baroness plants a seed: a single human foible, an insignificant event, a tiny family secret and grows it into something sinister without the reader knowing when or how it happened.
I was surprised by the The Bridesmaid's denouement. Many of Lady Rendell’s books have a 'twist’ at the the end. The mystery is always solved, but there is seldom absolution or a 'happily ever after.'
Novelist Patrick Gale said it best:
"Ruth Rendell writes about people as coolly as a behaviourist observing the effects of fear or pain on laboratory rats. Because she does not care, the reader does not have to, and the effect is oddly liberating. Rendell's works pitch the reader into an amoral universe where there is no salvation, spiritual or aesthetic. Rather than rout evil, she merely has it eat itself... and the tidiness of her endings unsettles even as it satisfies, because it carries no consolation in its wake."
April 29, 2012
The idea explored had potential - that two lovers would kill to prove their love - but I don't think it was really successful in Ruth Rendell's "The Bridesmaid". For a start, it just didn't seem likely that Phillip and Senta (the lovers) would be attracted to each other. Senta, the creepy, somewhat slovenly, yet beautiful and passionate girl with silver hair, and Phillip - gentle, particular, mother's boy, trainee interior decorator. There's no doubt that the novel had atmosphere, but it seemed as if Senta was in the wrong story - it's as if she wandered in from a gothic horror story. Phillip and his ordinary family consisting of mother Christine, sisters Fee and Cheryl, and brother in-law Darren, belonged more to the "kitchen sink" genre. It was even harder to believe that Senta shared any genes at all with Darren (she was his cousin, and her meeting with Phillip occurred when she was one of several bridesmaids at the wedding of Fee and Darren). Phillip was obviously way out of his league with Senta, and should have run in the other direction when she proposed they each murder a stranger. Partially this is why I didn't enjoy this as much as other Rendell novels - it seemed way too unreal, and contrived. There was also a strange sub-plot involving Cheryl and her addictions - which didn't really go anywhere. This is definitely engaging reading, but just a bit too ridiculous.
October 13, 2011
There ought to be a two-tiered rating system, because this book was stylistically wonderful--atmospheric, evocative, kept me reading to the end. On the other hand, it had no plot and it didn't make a bit of sense. But, if you want to enjoy a really well-written exercise in style, and want to close the book and do something realfast before you have a chance to think about what you just read, this book will engage you, entertain you and haunt you. Once.
February 18, 2010
What He Did For Love
(or something like it...)
Suffice to say that THE BRIDESMAID is one of Rendell's darkest, most relentless novels of obsession . . . The revelations of the final two pages should evoke an audible gasp from even the most hardened suspense reader. Several re-readings have not diminished the sense of surprise and horror.
Suffice to say that THE BRIDESMAID is one of Rendell's darkest, most relentless novels of obsession . . . The revelations of the final two pages should evoke an audible gasp from even the most hardened suspense reader. Several re-readings have not diminished the sense of surprise and horror.
December 30, 2017
Philip lives a rather ordinary life with his family and he abhors violence of any kind. When accounts of murder appear in the news, he changes the channel or closes the newspaper.
At his sister's wedding, he meets his sister's bridesmaid, Senta, a beautiful and enigmatic girl with long silvery hair, and the two start a hot and heavy romance almost immediately. Senta does not live like a normal person. She lives in the basement of a filthy, seemingly abandoned house, and doesn't view the world in the way that others do. She tells Philip that in order to prove their love for one another, that they each have to kill someone.
Philip is sure that she is just playing a game of pretend, and plays along, even with his aversion to violence, until he starts to realise that maybe Senta doesn't play pretend, and is who she says she is.
This was a very strange story, with very weird characters and a lot of descriptions of the filth that Senta lived in, which made me feel dirty. Despite this, it did keep me interested and reading to the very end.
At his sister's wedding, he meets his sister's bridesmaid, Senta, a beautiful and enigmatic girl with long silvery hair, and the two start a hot and heavy romance almost immediately. Senta does not live like a normal person. She lives in the basement of a filthy, seemingly abandoned house, and doesn't view the world in the way that others do. She tells Philip that in order to prove their love for one another, that they each have to kill someone.
Philip is sure that she is just playing a game of pretend, and plays along, even with his aversion to violence, until he starts to realise that maybe Senta doesn't play pretend, and is who she says she is.
This was a very strange story, with very weird characters and a lot of descriptions of the filth that Senta lived in, which made me feel dirty. Despite this, it did keep me interested and reading to the very end.
August 20, 2014
I read this story once before and forgot. It was worth re-reading again.
September 25, 2019
From BBC radio 4:
Philip loved Flora, the statue that used to stand in the garden.
Later Philip meets Senta, his sister's bridesmaid, who looks just like Flora … but does horror lie behind beauty?
Starring Jamie Glover and Rachel Lewis, Peter Wingfield and Oona Beeson.
Dramatised By: Betty Davies
Director: Tracey Neale
Philip:: Jamie Glover
Senta: Rachel Lewis
Christine: Frances Jeater
Fee: Rachel Atkins
Darren: Michael Onslow
Clieryl: Oona Beeson
Gerard: James Taylor
Roy: Lyndam Gregory
Mrs Ripple: Margaret John
Pearl: Tina Gray
The Tramp: John Evitts
https://archive.org/details/TheBrides...
4* Going Wrong
4* The Keys to the Street
3* The Fever Tree and Other Stories
4* A Judgement in Stone
3* Fall of the Coin
4* People Don't Do Such Things
3* The Girl Next Door
2* To Fear a Painted Devil
3* Dark Corners
3* Live Flesh
4* The St. Zita Society
4* The Bridesmaid
Inspector Wexford series:
3* From Doon With Death (Inspector Wexford, #1)
3* A New Lease of Death (Inspector Wexford, #2)
3* Murder Being Once Done (Inspector Wexford, #7)
3* Some Lie and Some Die (Inspector Wexford, #8)
3* Shake Hands Forever (Inspector Wexford, #9)
3* A Sleeping Life (Inspector Wexford, #10)
3* The Veiled One (Inspector Wexford, #14)
4* Kissing the Gunner's Daughter (Inspector Wexford, #15)
3* Harm Done (Inspector Wexford, #18)
3* The Babes in the Wood (Inspector Wexford, #19)
3* End in Tears (Inspector Wexford, #20)
TR Wolf to the Slaughter (Inspector Wexford, #3)
TR The Best Man to Die (Inspector Wexford, #4)
TR A Guilty Thing Surprised (Inspector Wexford, #5)
TR No More Dying Then (Inspector Wexford, #6)
TR Death Notes (Inspector Wexford, #11)
TR Speaker of Mandarin (Inspector Wexford, #12)
TR An Unkindness of Ravens (Inspector Wexford, #13)
TR Simisola (Inspector Wexford, #16)
TR Road Rage (Inspector Wexford, #17)
TR Not in the Flesh (Inspector Wexford, #21)
TR The Monster in the Box (Inspector Wexford, #22)
TR The Vault (Inspector Wexford, #23)
TR No Man's Nightingale (Inspector Wexford #24)
Philip loved Flora, the statue that used to stand in the garden.
Later Philip meets Senta, his sister's bridesmaid, who looks just like Flora … but does horror lie behind beauty?
Starring Jamie Glover and Rachel Lewis, Peter Wingfield and Oona Beeson.
Dramatised By: Betty Davies
Director: Tracey Neale
Philip:: Jamie Glover
Senta: Rachel Lewis
Christine: Frances Jeater
Fee: Rachel Atkins
Darren: Michael Onslow
Clieryl: Oona Beeson
Gerard: James Taylor
Roy: Lyndam Gregory
Mrs Ripple: Margaret John
Pearl: Tina Gray
The Tramp: John Evitts
https://archive.org/details/TheBrides...
4* Going Wrong
4* The Keys to the Street
3* The Fever Tree and Other Stories
4* A Judgement in Stone
3* Fall of the Coin
4* People Don't Do Such Things
3* The Girl Next Door
2* To Fear a Painted Devil
3* Dark Corners
3* Live Flesh
4* The St. Zita Society
4* The Bridesmaid
Inspector Wexford series:
3* From Doon With Death (Inspector Wexford, #1)
3* A New Lease of Death (Inspector Wexford, #2)
3* Murder Being Once Done (Inspector Wexford, #7)
3* Some Lie and Some Die (Inspector Wexford, #8)
3* Shake Hands Forever (Inspector Wexford, #9)
3* A Sleeping Life (Inspector Wexford, #10)
3* The Veiled One (Inspector Wexford, #14)
4* Kissing the Gunner's Daughter (Inspector Wexford, #15)
3* Harm Done (Inspector Wexford, #18)
3* The Babes in the Wood (Inspector Wexford, #19)
3* End in Tears (Inspector Wexford, #20)
TR Wolf to the Slaughter (Inspector Wexford, #3)
TR The Best Man to Die (Inspector Wexford, #4)
TR A Guilty Thing Surprised (Inspector Wexford, #5)
TR No More Dying Then (Inspector Wexford, #6)
TR Death Notes (Inspector Wexford, #11)
TR Speaker of Mandarin (Inspector Wexford, #12)
TR An Unkindness of Ravens (Inspector Wexford, #13)
TR Simisola (Inspector Wexford, #16)
TR Road Rage (Inspector Wexford, #17)
TR Not in the Flesh (Inspector Wexford, #21)
TR The Monster in the Box (Inspector Wexford, #22)
TR The Vault (Inspector Wexford, #23)
TR No Man's Nightingale (Inspector Wexford #24)
October 3, 2013
A suspense book that is completely predictable with a little too much romance novel thrown in. Generally I like Ruth Rendell quite well, and she's still a good writer so I give this two stars rather than one, and I suppose everyone is allowed a bad day.
General plot: Man meets clearly bonkers but attractive woman who is willing to have sex. The sex is good,(for him, not the reader--that part gets very tedious and repetitive). Relationship is obviously only about her beauty and sex. Surprise! Things go badly.
Bonkers woman: "Honey, to prove your love to me, you have to kill someone."
Clueless man: "She's so funny. What a kidder. I want to have sex."
Bonkers woman: "It isn't the first time I've killed."
Clueless man: "She's so funny. What a kidder. I want to have sex."
This seems to be only a suspense novel to the clueless male protagonist. The plot is pretty blatantly obvious to the reader.
General plot: Man meets clearly bonkers but attractive woman who is willing to have sex. The sex is good,(for him, not the reader--that part gets very tedious and repetitive). Relationship is obviously only about her beauty and sex. Surprise! Things go badly.
Bonkers woman: "Honey, to prove your love to me, you have to kill someone."
Clueless man: "She's so funny. What a kidder. I want to have sex."
Bonkers woman: "It isn't the first time I've killed."
Clueless man: "She's so funny. What a kidder. I want to have sex."
This seems to be only a suspense novel to the clueless male protagonist. The plot is pretty blatantly obvious to the reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2010
i usually LOVE ruth rendell's murder mysteries. this one was just weird. it spent too much tme in psychological buildup and motivation that didn't make sense to me. i don't recommend this book to anyone. (although from a critical standpoint i can appreciate the range of ruth's writing and am glad that it is not always the same predictable story every time and for that i will keep reading books by this author.)
June 27, 2020
As is my usual practice, I have returned to my old friend, Ruth Rendell. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but her books are numerous and have become an enduring and valuable source for me. This is one of her earlier books,which had her familiar earmarks. I would tend to rate this around 3.5 - 4
When I analyze Rendell's literary output I continue to be impressed by the depth and the variability of psychological attributes she had assigned to her characters. The Bridesmaid is no exception. Initially , when the reader is introduced to Philip, he appears to be a conscientious, well-mannered young man. His obsession with his beloved Senta becomes all-consuming. This relationship grows increasingly complex and this treasured young lady's already eccentric behaviors become impervious to most acceptable norms. Some would say that there are people who make demands in the name of Love. There are those who are willing to do anything to continue in their romance. This novel traces these trends.
Rendell successfully increased the tension throughout this book. I spent much time while reading trying to assume the conclusion of this tale. Feelings of suspense continued to the very last pages with surprising moments of truth!
When I analyze Rendell's literary output I continue to be impressed by the depth and the variability of psychological attributes she had assigned to her characters. The Bridesmaid is no exception. Initially , when the reader is introduced to Philip, he appears to be a conscientious, well-mannered young man. His obsession with his beloved Senta becomes all-consuming. This relationship grows increasingly complex and this treasured young lady's already eccentric behaviors become impervious to most acceptable norms. Some would say that there are people who make demands in the name of Love. There are those who are willing to do anything to continue in their romance. This novel traces these trends.
Rendell successfully increased the tension throughout this book. I spent much time while reading trying to assume the conclusion of this tale. Feelings of suspense continued to the very last pages with surprising moments of truth!
October 4, 2016
What I loved.
I was drawn into this book by the very first line -- Violent death fascinates people. By the end of the first page, it's revealed that the main character has a phobia of violent death and he tries to hide it. The perfect setup for the kind of story I love, where characters try to hide their weaknesses and make themselves someone they're not.
The introduction of The Bridesmaid, Senta Pelham, and Philip's immediate attraction that grows to obsession starts the long, slow descent into the darker corners of Philip's mind.
I loved the growing unease, his effort to pin down a woman who was determined to remain aloof, and the way he's drawn into her disturbing behavior.
What I didn't love.
Nothing! I loved every word, was gripped by every character. I listened to this as an audiobook and when I arrived at work, I longed to stay inside my car, unable to leave the story and all of its sharply drawn characters.
If you like crime fiction, if you like psychological suspense that delivers a growing sense of unease and a satisfying conclusion, I highly recommend this book.
I was drawn into this book by the very first line -- Violent death fascinates people. By the end of the first page, it's revealed that the main character has a phobia of violent death and he tries to hide it. The perfect setup for the kind of story I love, where characters try to hide their weaknesses and make themselves someone they're not.
The introduction of The Bridesmaid, Senta Pelham, and Philip's immediate attraction that grows to obsession starts the long, slow descent into the darker corners of Philip's mind.
I loved the growing unease, his effort to pin down a woman who was determined to remain aloof, and the way he's drawn into her disturbing behavior.
What I didn't love.
Nothing! I loved every word, was gripped by every character. I listened to this as an audiobook and when I arrived at work, I longed to stay inside my car, unable to leave the story and all of its sharply drawn characters.
If you like crime fiction, if you like psychological suspense that delivers a growing sense of unease and a satisfying conclusion, I highly recommend this book.
September 8, 2017
3.5 stars
Not as exciting as many other Rendell novels, but has all her signature marks - lower middle class British existence, gentle men, psychotic individuals who pass of as normal, quirks of human characters.
Bridesmaid - the term refers to a statue Philip's dead father gifted his mother when in Venice, which is now languishing in their small garden, which has exquisite features that attract Philip who thinks that any human figure such endowed would be irresistible.
And soon such a girl enters his life, in the form of Centa, who is his sister Faye's brisesmaid cum cousin in law. Philip and Centa are drawn together unknown to Philip's eccentric family comprising of a meek mother and a mysterious younger sister.
Slowly but surely the story gets darker and we get to see the murky depths of human psyche and madness.
This is one book where the significance of the title has permeated the story.
Not as exciting as many other Rendell novels, but has all her signature marks - lower middle class British existence, gentle men, psychotic individuals who pass of as normal, quirks of human characters.
Bridesmaid - the term refers to a statue Philip's dead father gifted his mother when in Venice, which is now languishing in their small garden, which has exquisite features that attract Philip who thinks that any human figure such endowed would be irresistible.
And soon such a girl enters his life, in the form of Centa, who is his sister Faye's brisesmaid cum cousin in law. Philip and Centa are drawn together unknown to Philip's eccentric family comprising of a meek mother and a mysterious younger sister.
Slowly but surely the story gets darker and we get to see the murky depths of human psyche and madness.
This is one book where the significance of the title has permeated the story.
April 27, 2015
I should have liked this, but something just didn't click with me. Interior designer falls in love with the enigmatic Senta. While he doesn't believe half of what she tells him, he is compelled by her, and when she says they should kill someone to prove their love for each other, he goes along with her story, believing it to be a fantasy. When she actually does kill someone, he tries to untangle himself. Really difficult to finish, and I can't put my finger on why. I just kept waiting for it to get better but it didn't for me.
November 17, 2017
I have read a lot of Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine (though I don't read the Inspector Wexford series). I like all of them, but some are absolutely amazing. This is my favorite - watching this obsessive love take over the main characters so slowly and believably, the reader can almost totally sympathize with the horrific crime that it leads to!
April 28, 2018
Horrible book with an even worse ending. I am surprised I was able to finish it, but I suppose it’s a bit like watching a train wreck, you want to look away but you can’t. I kept thinking, it has to get better and then the ending. So disappointed I wasted my time reading this.😡
March 22, 2009
This was the first Rendell book I read. She has become one of my favorite authors.
July 9, 2012
Rather dark view of human nature. But rather predictable.
Have to say, just be careful who you date.
Have to say, just be careful who you date.
April 2, 2013
This book is not about bridesmaids in case you were wondering.
September 20, 2021
At first I thought this was reading like a Hitchcock movie. But the more I got into it: Twilight Zone. Nope. Just no. Not believable on any level. Unless of course he was just as nut bar as she was.
July 27, 2012
This is a terrifically creepy psychological thriller. Rendell layers the doubt, lies, and truth so well that only bits of each show through at very specific gaps. The narrator, Philip, is a fairly likable character, and when he goes wrong we are sympathetic, if not patronizing because we see more truth than he does. Rendell makes him just naive enough (it's his youth, really, and that youthful hope is believable) so that the reader is just a bit up on him most of the time, although we don't get the whole story until the very end.
Christine, Philip's mother, turns out to be a much more complex character than I initially took her for, but what's nice is that her complexity and resilience surprises Philip, too. The rest of the cast is well drawn, though it is Senta who steals the show. She is captivating and terrifying, and it is very easy to see why Philip is drawn to her.
And Rendell didn't end with a summary, which I am so happy for. Both The Rottweiler and The Water's Lovely ended with disappointing and unnecessary summaries of the characters' lives (e.g. "X and Y went on to get married...," "R was arrested..."). This book, however, didn't over explain and as a result the ending was hopeless and revealing just where and when it needed to be.
Christine, Philip's mother, turns out to be a much more complex character than I initially took her for, but what's nice is that her complexity and resilience surprises Philip, too. The rest of the cast is well drawn, though it is Senta who steals the show. She is captivating and terrifying, and it is very easy to see why Philip is drawn to her.
And Rendell didn't end with a summary, which I am so happy for. Both The Rottweiler and The Water's Lovely ended with disappointing and unnecessary summaries of the characters' lives (e.g. "X and Y went on to get married...," "R was arrested..."). This book, however, didn't over explain and as a result the ending was hopeless and revealing just where and when it needed to be.
March 14, 2011
Ruth Rendell........the woman knows how to write books that keep your attention! Her Wexford series is one of my favorites, as are her books written under the nom de plume Barbara Vine.
This book, which belongs in neither category, borders on the surreal, as a naive young man falls in love with a bridesmaid at his sister's wedding who resembles a much-loved statue in his garden. The object of his affection lives in a fantasy world, or does she? Although the stories she tells him of her life seem to be nothing more than wishful thinking, he soon discovers that they may be true and the trouble begins when she asks him to do the unthinkable "to prove his love". Rendell's descriptive language is unparalleled as she leads the reader through the world of this disturbed and very dangerous girl and the boy who is trapped by obsessive love. A disturbing book which adds to the author's reputation as one of the leading mystery/thriller writers of the present day.
This book, which belongs in neither category, borders on the surreal, as a naive young man falls in love with a bridesmaid at his sister's wedding who resembles a much-loved statue in his garden. The object of his affection lives in a fantasy world, or does she? Although the stories she tells him of her life seem to be nothing more than wishful thinking, he soon discovers that they may be true and the trouble begins when she asks him to do the unthinkable "to prove his love". Rendell's descriptive language is unparalleled as she leads the reader through the world of this disturbed and very dangerous girl and the boy who is trapped by obsessive love. A disturbing book which adds to the author's reputation as one of the leading mystery/thriller writers of the present day.
December 23, 2015
My enthusiasm for Ruth Rendell novels is always rewarded, and The Bridesmaid is no exception. The familiar tropes are all in place – an awkward young man with an unhealthy interest in an inanimate object, an unhinged young woman, a dysfunctional family, an inept police force and reports of a killer on the loose in the background.
The fact that I could sort of guess what to expect does the novel no harm at all – Rendell has a real talent for wrong-footing the reader and showing that they don’t actually know as much as they think they do. Because this is a mystery novel, I’m not going to give too much away. What I will say is that this is a very strong work which stands up with the best of her output.
The fact that I could sort of guess what to expect does the novel no harm at all – Rendell has a real talent for wrong-footing the reader and showing that they don’t actually know as much as they think they do. Because this is a mystery novel, I’m not going to give too much away. What I will say is that this is a very strong work which stands up with the best of her output.
November 1, 2016
Like all RR books, this is a really focused character-study. We're always in the pov of Philip, the protagonist, as his family changes around him. Philip himself isn't so focused on that as he falls obsessively in love with one of the bridesmaids from his sister's wedding, a strange girl named Senta. Philip's never quite sure when Senta is telling the truth or lying, and whatever he guesses he's usually wrong...to his great regret.
As the book nears the end the feeling of dread just grows and grows. You know things are going to end terribly but you're not sure what form it will take. And of course RR knows that sometimes the anticipation is even worse than the actual horror.
As the book nears the end the feeling of dread just grows and grows. You know things are going to end terribly but you're not sure what form it will take. And of course RR knows that sometimes the anticipation is even worse than the actual horror.
August 27, 2022
What a creepy read! Never a dull moment! Ruth Randell sure can write psychological thrillers! I highly recommend this book!
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