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The Death of Ruth
When her neighbor Ruth vanishes, suburban housewife Molly Blake, driven by powerful feelings of guilt, tries to cover up the hideous truth about Ruth's disappearance and becomes engulfed in a nightmare of deception and madness
128 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1982
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Kata
9 books6 followersElizabeth Katayama (1912 – 4 September 1998) was an Australian writer under the pseudonym Elizabeth Kata, best known for Be Ready with Bells and Drums (1961), which was made into the award-winning film A Patch of Blue (1965).
She was born of Scottish parents in Sydney in 1912. After marrying a Japanese man named Katayama in 1937, she lived for ten years in Japan. During the last years of World War II she was interned at the mountain resort village of Karuizawa, Nagano. She returned to Australia in 1947 with her baby son, battling the Australian Government for permission.
As well as writing novels, she also wrote for television and several Hollywood scripts. Her first novel, Be Ready with Bells and Drums (written in 1959, first published in 1961), was produced as the film A Patch of Blue (1965). Shelley Winters playing the role of Rose-Ann D'Arcey won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Guy Green, who directed, also adapted Kata's book and his screenplay was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award. After the success of the film, the novel was re-released as A Patch of Blue. The book was for many years included in the "school book list" both in the US and Australia. The book Mrs Katayama and Her Splash of Blue (2010, Independence Jones), covers how Elizabeth Kata's first book became the film A Patch of Blue.
Elizabeth Katayama died in Sydney in 1998.
She was born of Scottish parents in Sydney in 1912. After marrying a Japanese man named Katayama in 1937, she lived for ten years in Japan. During the last years of World War II she was interned at the mountain resort village of Karuizawa, Nagano. She returned to Australia in 1947 with her baby son, battling the Australian Government for permission.
As well as writing novels, she also wrote for television and several Hollywood scripts. Her first novel, Be Ready with Bells and Drums (written in 1959, first published in 1961), was produced as the film A Patch of Blue (1965). Shelley Winters playing the role of Rose-Ann D'Arcey won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Guy Green, who directed, also adapted Kata's book and his screenplay was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award. After the success of the film, the novel was re-released as A Patch of Blue. The book was for many years included in the "school book list" both in the US and Australia. The book Mrs Katayama and Her Splash of Blue (2010, Independence Jones), covers how Elizabeth Kata's first book became the film A Patch of Blue.
Elizabeth Katayama died in Sydney in 1998.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 28, 2016
3.5★
A short, peculiar study of a woman haunted into madness. As the title says, there’s a death. Ruth is a violent, abusive mother who lives with her two kids and husband, Ralph, next door to Molly and John, who have no kids. They’ve been reasonably friendly neighbours for eleven years, but Molly is being driven to distraction by the shouts and noise when Ruth gets going.
John is often away on business trips, and thus has at least some respite. Ruth is also pretty careful not to go overboard in front of Ralph, but Molly knows how bad it gets and has even spoken to a doctor about the kids’ bruises, asking what she can do.
Finally, fed up one morning while John’s away and after Ralph and their kids have left for the day, she goes next door to “warn” Ruth about her concerns. Molly has to shout over the noise of the radio to be heard, Ruth turns around quickly, and suddenly … everything changes.
There is an investigation, time passes, and Molly becomes a grey, withdrawn, compulsive gardener who talks to herself. John is a tender, concerned, solicitous carer for Molly, letting her take over his beloved garden and doing everything possible to bring her back to the perfect little wife she'd been before.
“If he knew the truth he would realize how mistaken his opinion of me is, for I am bent only on preservation, and I am not powerful. I resemble a mouse crouching between the claws of a well-fed cat, awaiting the moment that the cat will feel the pangs of hunger. Last night it was as though the claws of the cat pressed in on me and pricked my skin, drew a little blood.”
This began as straight-forward suspense, became a character study, a good one, but for me it would have been better with either more story or less of the time-passing middle section. I’m a great fan of short stories and novellas of any length, and I think this story and writing style would be perfect for either.
I did like the ending when I got there. I’d have been ready for it a bit earlier, but it was satisfying.
Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury Reader, for allowing me copy for review.
A short, peculiar study of a woman haunted into madness. As the title says, there’s a death. Ruth is a violent, abusive mother who lives with her two kids and husband, Ralph, next door to Molly and John, who have no kids. They’ve been reasonably friendly neighbours for eleven years, but Molly is being driven to distraction by the shouts and noise when Ruth gets going.
John is often away on business trips, and thus has at least some respite. Ruth is also pretty careful not to go overboard in front of Ralph, but Molly knows how bad it gets and has even spoken to a doctor about the kids’ bruises, asking what she can do.
Finally, fed up one morning while John’s away and after Ralph and their kids have left for the day, she goes next door to “warn” Ruth about her concerns. Molly has to shout over the noise of the radio to be heard, Ruth turns around quickly, and suddenly … everything changes.
There is an investigation, time passes, and Molly becomes a grey, withdrawn, compulsive gardener who talks to herself. John is a tender, concerned, solicitous carer for Molly, letting her take over his beloved garden and doing everything possible to bring her back to the perfect little wife she'd been before.
“If he knew the truth he would realize how mistaken his opinion of me is, for I am bent only on preservation, and I am not powerful. I resemble a mouse crouching between the claws of a well-fed cat, awaiting the moment that the cat will feel the pangs of hunger. Last night it was as though the claws of the cat pressed in on me and pricked my skin, drew a little blood.”
This began as straight-forward suspense, became a character study, a good one, but for me it would have been better with either more story or less of the time-passing middle section. I’m a great fan of short stories and novellas of any length, and I think this story and writing style would be perfect for either.
I did like the ending when I got there. I’d have been ready for it a bit earlier, but it was satisfying.
Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury Reader, for allowing me copy for review.
October 2, 2019
*SPOILERS*
Ruth is this bitch of a mother who beats on her kids and well, shes dead.
i didn't spoil that for you because its says so right at the beginning. ..and its the tittle of the book.
Molly is her neighbor who is tired of hearing the abuse so she goes over to once and for all confront her. when she sees Ruth, shes facing the sink so when she finally turns around, she think shes about to choke her out and as self defense, pushes her.
she falls, boom, she's dead.
or so she thiiiiinks!....
she's dead.
so then her husband (Ruth's) comes home and finds out what happened (this is where i am currently having an AHA! moment. i realize what just did as a matter of fact happened.) and sees whats going on and his instinct is finish what Molly has started (i didn't tell you cause I'm not that mean!)
so basically, for 4 years, Molly drives herself crazy. shes super paranoid with getting caught with what happened. she lets herself go, she lets her marriage go, she decides to tend to the garden and only she can. her husband John used to be in charge of that but hes no longer allowed. and she goes nuts. she goes insane.
finally she decides ef this shiz I'm going to tell the truth, I'm going to clear an innocent mans name and the day before she decides to be honest, she gets caught.
she hauled off to jail but because shes basically insane shes in the hospital.
she goes to court finally and BOOM! plot twist.
wanna know?
***SPOILER FOR REALS!!!!***
turns out that Ruth's husband, Ralph, had mixed her stomach pills with potassium cyanide and killed her but poor Molly was in the wrong place at the wrong time, so her life went to shits while Ralph got to walk free.
*SPOILERS OVER*
did you read that!!!??
i was like whattt!!!?
i finished it last night but i was like ? and then it just hit me right now. (kinda slow on that one but i got it.
i liked this book. i like it for the plot twist that it gave you at the end. legit the very, very, very end. i cant recall the last time i read a book that gave it all to you in the beginning to twist it under you at the end like this one did.
very good Job E. Kata.
VERY good job.
with that being said, i HATED reading all of their drama. sometimes i felt like telling Molly to shut the f*ck up (sorry for my outburst)
you know shes going crazy but daaaamn! and John, her husband, ahhhh!!! like i felt bad for him because he had to care for her and he resented her but sometimes i wanted him to act like a man. grow a pair.
and Grey (no, not Christian) !!!!!!!!!!!!! poor dude. hes going to be haunted by this one.
who is Grey you ask, haha! i never completely spoil it! as always, there's a lot i left out.
overall, i do recommend this quick read.
pick it up and let me know.
---------
http://lovewhatyouread14.blogspot.com...
Ruth is this bitch of a mother who beats on her kids and well, shes dead.
i didn't spoil that for you because its says so right at the beginning. ..and its the tittle of the book.
Molly is her neighbor who is tired of hearing the abuse so she goes over to once and for all confront her. when she sees Ruth, shes facing the sink so when she finally turns around, she think shes about to choke her out and as self defense, pushes her.
she falls, boom, she's dead.
or so she thiiiiinks!....
she's dead.
so then her husband (Ruth's) comes home and finds out what happened (this is where i am currently having an AHA! moment. i realize what just did as a matter of fact happened.) and sees whats going on and his instinct is finish what Molly has started (i didn't tell you cause I'm not that mean!)
so basically, for 4 years, Molly drives herself crazy. shes super paranoid with getting caught with what happened. she lets herself go, she lets her marriage go, she decides to tend to the garden and only she can. her husband John used to be in charge of that but hes no longer allowed. and she goes nuts. she goes insane.
finally she decides ef this shiz I'm going to tell the truth, I'm going to clear an innocent mans name and the day before she decides to be honest, she gets caught.
she hauled off to jail but because shes basically insane shes in the hospital.
she goes to court finally and BOOM! plot twist.
wanna know?
***SPOILER FOR REALS!!!!***
turns out that Ruth's husband, Ralph, had mixed her stomach pills with potassium cyanide and killed her but poor Molly was in the wrong place at the wrong time, so her life went to shits while Ralph got to walk free.
*SPOILERS OVER*
did you read that!!!??
i was like whattt!!!?
i finished it last night but i was like ? and then it just hit me right now. (kinda slow on that one but i got it.
i liked this book. i like it for the plot twist that it gave you at the end. legit the very, very, very end. i cant recall the last time i read a book that gave it all to you in the beginning to twist it under you at the end like this one did.
very good Job E. Kata.
VERY good job.
with that being said, i HATED reading all of their drama. sometimes i felt like telling Molly to shut the f*ck up (sorry for my outburst)
you know shes going crazy but daaaamn! and John, her husband, ahhhh!!! like i felt bad for him because he had to care for her and he resented her but sometimes i wanted him to act like a man. grow a pair.
and Grey (no, not Christian) !!!!!!!!!!!!! poor dude. hes going to be haunted by this one.
who is Grey you ask, haha! i never completely spoil it! as always, there's a lot i left out.
overall, i do recommend this quick read.
pick it up and let me know.
---------
http://lovewhatyouread14.blogspot.com...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley
3.5 stars
This was a really quick read that took you for a ride. I really like that the main event isn't left hidden and you know in the beginning what has happened...or so you think. I thought this was a really great exploration of guilt and as a main character, Molly's psyche was really interesting to read about.
3.5 stars
This was a really quick read that took you for a ride. I really like that the main event isn't left hidden and you know in the beginning what has happened...or so you think. I thought this was a really great exploration of guilt and as a main character, Molly's psyche was really interesting to read about.
July 28, 2017
The surprise ending will amaze you.
January 9, 2016
This short novel, first published in 1981, is well worth this re-release. It’s a compelling psychological thriller set in suburbia, where Molly Blake and her husband lead a quiet and peaceful existence until their world is turned upside down when something happens to their neighbour Ruth. I found it compelling and engaging and not at all predictable. Hardly a literary masterpiece but a good fun read.
May 2, 2020
A fantastic psychological thriller written in a very simple but effective prose. I never saw the ending coming.
January 25, 2021
just as good as the first time.
And the ending took me by surprise because I could've sworn it ended a bit differently but I still really liked it this time around.
And the ending took me by surprise because I could've sworn it ended a bit differently but I still really liked it this time around.
December 12, 2021
The pace of this novel was slow and almost methodical. I knew something was coming at the end but it still surprised me. Very well done.
May 19, 2023
Remarkable story. I read it in one day in 10th grade, and the next day I wondered why I was depressed.
I still sometimes recall the story, decades later.
I still sometimes recall the story, decades later.
July 10, 2018
The Death of Ruth by Elizabeth Kata takes on an interesting psychological view of a woman tortured by her own wrongdoings. Molly Blake’s life is set up as perfect compared to that of her neighbour Ruth Malston. When Molly confronts Ruth for her abusive actions towards her children, the confrontation will change the course of Molly’s life. Molly finds an unlikely partnership with Ruth’s husband who helps hide her secret. We see her completely deteriorate and find comfort in talking to spirits that haunt her mind. Meanwhile, the world around is moving onwards and upwards, while Molly is stuck with her guilt. The novel also exposes the consequential tension that uncovers while a husband and wife find themselves changing and sinking into a life of complete monotony. Molly spends her life carefully calculating what will free her shattered mind. The unfolding narration shows to prove that her entire identity buried with her secret in the camellias.
The novel starts off with an eerie narration right from the start. The action is instant, and the novel continues to be fast-paced. The writing is skillfully reflected as disjointed thoughts, and I found myself wondering from the start whether Molly was the crazy one to begin with. The barely formed sentences show completely irrational thoughts and incite a sense of panic. The novel is set up as Molly’s perspective alongside her husband, John’s perspective. John’s perspective presents an outside view as to what is going on and acts as an address to the readers rather than digging inside his mind as Molly’s perspective does. John's outside perspective is a great way to show readers how Molly’s actions are perceived. He gives us a peek into their past and gives readers an idea of exactly how their relationship has changed over the years. Overall, the narration works well for the type of novel.
The duo-perspective is not my favourite. It works well for certain novels as I have found in other books, but I think this novel would have been more interesting if it focused more on Molly’s perspective. There were times when the narration switched in the middle of the chapter which was really irritating. I found the detective too cliché, and the time moves too quickly for my liking. There was also an affair in the plot, and I’m not sure if that was to add extra scandal, but I’m never a fan of a love story in the middle of action. I expected this story to be more mysterious. There were certainly some exciting moments, but I was disappointed. The last bit is a piece of a novel that the detective is writing, and I am not sure what the purpose of that was. It does provide a good inner and outer view, but I did not think it was necessary to the story. I found a lack of a “chilling twist” that is stated in the description of the book. It starts and ends on an eerie note, but by the end, it was too late for me. This novel was an easy read, and I would suggest it for someone who likes secrecy and instant actions.
The novel starts off with an eerie narration right from the start. The action is instant, and the novel continues to be fast-paced. The writing is skillfully reflected as disjointed thoughts, and I found myself wondering from the start whether Molly was the crazy one to begin with. The barely formed sentences show completely irrational thoughts and incite a sense of panic. The novel is set up as Molly’s perspective alongside her husband, John’s perspective. John’s perspective presents an outside view as to what is going on and acts as an address to the readers rather than digging inside his mind as Molly’s perspective does. John's outside perspective is a great way to show readers how Molly’s actions are perceived. He gives us a peek into their past and gives readers an idea of exactly how their relationship has changed over the years. Overall, the narration works well for the type of novel.
The duo-perspective is not my favourite. It works well for certain novels as I have found in other books, but I think this novel would have been more interesting if it focused more on Molly’s perspective. There were times when the narration switched in the middle of the chapter which was really irritating. I found the detective too cliché, and the time moves too quickly for my liking. There was also an affair in the plot, and I’m not sure if that was to add extra scandal, but I’m never a fan of a love story in the middle of action. I expected this story to be more mysterious. There were certainly some exciting moments, but I was disappointed. The last bit is a piece of a novel that the detective is writing, and I am not sure what the purpose of that was. It does provide a good inner and outer view, but I did not think it was necessary to the story. I found a lack of a “chilling twist” that is stated in the description of the book. It starts and ends on an eerie note, but by the end, it was too late for me. This novel was an easy read, and I would suggest it for someone who likes secrecy and instant actions.
January 27, 2016
A pleasurable read about murder, guilt and the subsequent mental breakdown of an accidental killer. The plot twists were surprising & a good book to read while having a beach day. I'll always think of Ruth when I see camellias. I received this as a free ebook via Net Galley.
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May 31, 2016This one didn't take. By agreement with Bloomsbury Reader, I won't be reviewing since it didn't gel for me.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews