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The Rottweiler
The first victim had bite marks on her neck so the London papers nicknamed her killer, “the Rottweiler.” He has been stalking the small and diverse London community of Lisson Grove, where Inez Ferry runs an antique shop frequented by a motley collection of eccentric individuals. When the Rottweiler’s trinkets start showing up in the shop, suddenly, everyone Inez knows is a suspect, and the killer feels all too close. Enthralling and deeply unsettling, The Rottweiler alternates expertly between the mind of a psychopath and the daily affairs of those living in his shadow. It is a transfixing mystery that only Ruth Rendell could write.
339 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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1061 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Rendell
457 books1,626 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 - 30 of 270 reviews
November 22, 2023
famed entomologist Ruth Rendell delivers another cold-eyed treatise on how human bugs will stubbornly cling to the unhealthy trajectories they have set for themselves. she has some sympathy for her collection of insects - especially the protagonist bug Inez and even the serial killer bug dubbed by the press as "The Rottweiler" - but bugs they were born and bugs they usually remain. I've always admired the formidable Dr. Rendell's scientific rigor when it comes to the study of these creatures, and the depth of characterization on display is, as usual, very well done. but are these sad little beasts truly the sum of their patterns and limitations, and no more? this uncharitable researcher appears to think so.
January 1, 2015
This novel of Ruth Rendell's is one of her funnier reads; in fact, I think it'd make a great popular film, which, if you've read some of her other books, you wouldn't necessarily think of her as that kind of author. I love the, sometimes sick, sense of irony shared by all her novels, but "The Rottweiler" had me laughing aloud in places with its subtle, VERY English, humor. The killer is introduced and known to us early on, which disappointed me at first, but "who" done it, we find out soon, is not the mystery as much as the "why." You begin to feel sorry for this poor, misunderstood garroter of women, and his fury of the press' sobriquet, "The Rottweiler", because, he insists, he's never really bitten anybody. This hapless serial killer soon finds himself blackmailed by equally hapless, accidental hoodlums who find themselves in way over their heads, and, unwittingly, laughs abound. Or at least giggles. Added to these characters are the back stories of all the other wonderful, hardly supporting, cast; including a mother of two happily co-habitating with their father, who gaily finds herself engaged to two separate sugar daddies who have been unknowingly supporting her little family. Think "A Fish Called Wanda" British dark humor with criminals that are really bad at being criminals. That's "The Rottweiler." I'd be so surprised NOT to see someone in Hollywood recognize the potential success of a film.
February 24, 2020
My very first Ruth Rendell! A murdered woman his found with savage bite marks, so the press christen her killer 'The Rottweiler'. From the viewpoints of a diverse group of tenants and the killer himself, Rendell weaves quite a compelling tale in a London that I fond both real and interesting. I suppose I had some perceptions of what Ruth Rendell would write about, and was surprised with the secondary theme of the changing face of London and it's growing diversiy; however she didn't appear to capture the diverse voices that these characters should have had. Her swipe at the press though, was enjoyable. 5 out of 12.
August 25, 2007
THE ROTTWEILER (Mystery-London-Cont) – Okay
Rendell, Ruth - Standalone
Arrow Books, 2004 – Paperback
Antique storeowner Inez Ferry, is a young widow who takes in tenants. However, one of them is not as they seem. A serial killer is on the loose.
*** There were too many characters, and none of them really stood out. Once I knew the killer, it was hard for me to care about the rest of the book.. It was well plotted, although the ending was anti-climatic. It was okay, but I just wasn't that impressed.
Rendell, Ruth - Standalone
Arrow Books, 2004 – Paperback
Antique storeowner Inez Ferry, is a young widow who takes in tenants. However, one of them is not as they seem. A serial killer is on the loose.
*** There were too many characters, and none of them really stood out. Once I knew the killer, it was hard for me to care about the rest of the book.. It was well plotted, although the ending was anti-climatic. It was okay, but I just wasn't that impressed.
November 22, 2023
I almost gave this book two stars because it's below par for the brilliant Ruth Rendell, but for the sake of objectivity, I've bumped it up to three. Consider that the 2.5 Goodreads won't let us give.
The Rottweiler doesn't live up to Rendell's talent by a long shot. The premise is intriguing with young women being killed by a serial killer dubbed (much to his displeasure) The Rottweiler; after all, he doesn't even bite. We meet a whole host of characters, most of whom aren't particularly interesting, and the story trudges along with a couple of chapters ending with a bit of a hook, but nothing very gripping otherwise. So, we keep reading, knowing Rendell is capable of bringing it all together at the end in a way that can give you a chill... but, well, that just doesn't really happen. The end.
If you haven't read Rendell before, my reaction is simple... you're missing out on one of the finest writers in history. My advice? Don't start with this one, whatever you do. Check out my reviews of her other books and pick one of those I've given a solid four or five stars.
The Rottweiler doesn't live up to Rendell's talent by a long shot. The premise is intriguing with young women being killed by a serial killer dubbed (much to his displeasure) The Rottweiler; after all, he doesn't even bite. We meet a whole host of characters, most of whom aren't particularly interesting, and the story trudges along with a couple of chapters ending with a bit of a hook, but nothing very gripping otherwise. So, we keep reading, knowing Rendell is capable of bringing it all together at the end in a way that can give you a chill... but, well, that just doesn't really happen. The end.
If you haven't read Rendell before, my reaction is simple... you're missing out on one of the finest writers in history. My advice? Don't start with this one, whatever you do. Check out my reviews of her other books and pick one of those I've given a solid four or five stars.
March 31, 2021
I listened to the audiobook. I last read Ruth Rendell at least a decade ago, and started this expecting a "proper" police procedural with a literary touch. It took some getting used to The Rottweiler, with its very large cast of mostly abnormal characters. I have to say I may have been a bit thick, and it took me a while to figure that some bits were supposed to be laugh-aloud funny, though the context and some scenes are on the gory side. I picked this up in a sale without knowing much about it, and I wasn't expecting humour.
It's strange that quite a few reviews here talk about the (admittedly weird) humour in this book but most serious reviewers (e.g. BBC or this Guardian review with an imaginative title) don't.
You have to plough your way through the strange goings on in a house with a multi-racial cast of tenants, and you may almost lose interest until you get to know who's been serial killing. Once it reaches that point, and it becomes clear this is a Wodehouse meets Tom Sharpe meets cosy mystery kind of book, things become much better.
The Rottweiler character doesn't really make sense at all. 3 stars as a thriller with a difference, plus one for the laughs.
It's strange that quite a few reviews here talk about the (admittedly weird) humour in this book but most serious reviewers (e.g. BBC or this Guardian review with an imaginative title) don't.
You have to plough your way through the strange goings on in a house with a multi-racial cast of tenants, and you may almost lose interest until you get to know who's been serial killing. Once it reaches that point, and it becomes clear this is a Wodehouse meets Tom Sharpe meets cosy mystery kind of book, things become much better.
The Rottweiler character doesn't really make sense at all. 3 stars as a thriller with a difference, plus one for the laughs.
March 10, 2020
In short, I found this novel provided a mainly enjoyable journey, but a distinctly disappointing destination.
Typically, Ruth Rendell’s works are austere and monochromatic; this was a complete contrast – more like an episode of Eastenders, tongue in cheek and controversial, the colourful characters plentifully endowed with quirks and peccadillos; oh, and a bloody good sprinkling of industrial language!
It is set around an antiques-shop-cum-apartment-block in the vicinity of London’s Edgware Road, the stamping ground of a ruthless serial killer (the ‘Rottweiler’ of the title).
The story seems to begin as a mystery – which cast member will turn out to be the mass murderer? So I was surprised when the author revealed the Rottweiler’s identity barely a quarter of the way into the book.
Gradually the dominant point of view becomes that of the killer, although every so often the narrative shifts, in order to catch up with the trials and tribulations of the other residents.
It is at this point that the novel rather falls off the rails. A mystery shunned, surely suspense is the obvious alternative? The murderer will begin to stalk one of the more endearing characters. But, not so. They all appear quite safe.
Hmm, maybe the disparate strands of their lives will be cleverly interwoven, to produce a mind-boggling climax? This neither! The cast turn out to be mere extras, destined for no significant role in the predictable finale.
Odd.
Typically, Ruth Rendell’s works are austere and monochromatic; this was a complete contrast – more like an episode of Eastenders, tongue in cheek and controversial, the colourful characters plentifully endowed with quirks and peccadillos; oh, and a bloody good sprinkling of industrial language!
It is set around an antiques-shop-cum-apartment-block in the vicinity of London’s Edgware Road, the stamping ground of a ruthless serial killer (the ‘Rottweiler’ of the title).
The story seems to begin as a mystery – which cast member will turn out to be the mass murderer? So I was surprised when the author revealed the Rottweiler’s identity barely a quarter of the way into the book.
Gradually the dominant point of view becomes that of the killer, although every so often the narrative shifts, in order to catch up with the trials and tribulations of the other residents.
It is at this point that the novel rather falls off the rails. A mystery shunned, surely suspense is the obvious alternative? The murderer will begin to stalk one of the more endearing characters. But, not so. They all appear quite safe.
Hmm, maybe the disparate strands of their lives will be cleverly interwoven, to produce a mind-boggling climax? This neither! The cast turn out to be mere extras, destined for no significant role in the predictable finale.
Odd.
October 24, 2013
This book is not part of the Wexford series....instead it takes place in a busy little antique shop on a quiet street in London. The owner, Inez, also lives there and rents three flats on the upper floors to a strange mix of people. A young man of very limited intelligence who works for a builder; a Russian (or not) woman who has a much younger boyfriend living with her; and an apparently successful self-employed computer analyst.
A man, nicknamed the Rottweiler, who kills young women with a garrotte is terrifying the neighborhood and has everyone on guard and it may be that things at the cozy antique shop are not what they appear. Rendell gives us a good look at all the tenants lives........some are eccentric to a fault while others are seemingly normal and law-abiding. She adds humor to this tale of murder through the life of the beautiful Zenaib, who works in the shop and is engaged to three men at the same time, one who lavishes her with diamonds.
It is a good mystery with great character development......besides, how could a book be bad when one of the characters is named Freddie Perfect? Recommended.
A man, nicknamed the Rottweiler, who kills young women with a garrotte is terrifying the neighborhood and has everyone on guard and it may be that things at the cozy antique shop are not what they appear. Rendell gives us a good look at all the tenants lives........some are eccentric to a fault while others are seemingly normal and law-abiding. She adds humor to this tale of murder through the life of the beautiful Zenaib, who works in the shop and is engaged to three men at the same time, one who lavishes her with diamonds.
It is a good mystery with great character development......besides, how could a book be bad when one of the characters is named Freddie Perfect? Recommended.
March 12, 2019
I am finally catching up with my neglected reviews. As ever, I enjoyed reading this earlier work by Rendell. It had a few problems, one of which was the huge cast of characters- well over 20. This necessitated a recent device that I have employed, creating a list of names and their roles. These folks were called for in the story and I often had to recheck their identities!
Although this author's books are far from typical mystery novels, she frequently spent too much time on extraneous items. Nevertheless, as was her practice, she deeply described each person's psyche and their ultimate aims in the focus of interest. They were a strange lot!
I will not attempt to create a recap of the plot here, except to state that it does contain suspense and even some humor. I shall never tire of reading Rendell/ Vine's books. There are numerous that I have not yet viewed. Sadly, I will miss her compelling presence among authors.
3.5
Although this author's books are far from typical mystery novels, she frequently spent too much time on extraneous items. Nevertheless, as was her practice, she deeply described each person's psyche and their ultimate aims in the focus of interest. They were a strange lot!
I will not attempt to create a recap of the plot here, except to state that it does contain suspense and even some humor. I shall never tire of reading Rendell/ Vine's books. There are numerous that I have not yet viewed. Sadly, I will miss her compelling presence among authors.
3.5
July 8, 2023
Seemed a bit long for what it was.
February 12, 2011
If I gave myself any challenge this reading year it was to try some of the grand dames of mystery writing. I feel almost guilty that I have never read a Rendell book. I'm not mentioning any others until I actually read a book by those authors. I preferred to try a stand alone and recent novel rather than one of the Wexford's. I feel I have more chance of reading another of these as I'm not much for series fiction.
I knew going in that that I would use McDermid and Walters as my benchmarks for enjoyment, as they are suggested as readalikes and are authors that I have read. So how did Ms. Rendell measure up in this particular story.
I liked the characters, flaws and all. I think she did a great job creating psychological suspense and a particularly dreary atmospheric picture of London and the characters alike. I respect the twist which is not a secret but may still be considered a spoiler, that the killer is revealed early on. This in no way makes the story less enjoyable, maybe more so in the end as it's fun to watch how this character develops when the jig is up. I wouldn't call it a fast paced thriller as a good psychological tale should be sipped and appreciated like a good wine. In the end I'd like to give Rottweiler 3.5 stars, will try another and will feel more confident in recommending Rendell to friends.
I knew going in that that I would use McDermid and Walters as my benchmarks for enjoyment, as they are suggested as readalikes and are authors that I have read. So how did Ms. Rendell measure up in this particular story.
I liked the characters, flaws and all. I think she did a great job creating psychological suspense and a particularly dreary atmospheric picture of London and the characters alike. I respect the twist which is not a secret but may still be considered a spoiler, that the killer is revealed early on. This in no way makes the story less enjoyable, maybe more so in the end as it's fun to watch how this character develops when the jig is up. I wouldn't call it a fast paced thriller as a good psychological tale should be sipped and appreciated like a good wine. In the end I'd like to give Rottweiler 3.5 stars, will try another and will feel more confident in recommending Rendell to friends.
December 4, 2021
This is a meticulously written mystery which centers on the people and goings on at a second hand shop and the four apartments upstairs. The focus is on the individual apartment tenants and their obsidian proclivities. Shop owner and landlord Inez is grieving the loss of her second husband and puts on a brave business face every day. Meanwhile, her life is inextricably entwined with her tenants. The backdrop to the shop drama is what appears to be a serial killer who was nicknamed the Rottweiler. Keep in mind the focus here is the tenants and their tomfoolery (love that word)! That said, there is very little emphasis on the police investigation of the murders. What we do see is the effect the murders are having on Inez and her tenants. Happy reading 📖
August 19, 2016
I have read a number of Rendell's books. If this had been the first by her that I had read, it would have also been the last. I might still read some others, but I am not certain.
The problem with this book, for me, was that it was not engaging, and Rendell seemed to have trouble deciding whether it was a farce or a drama. It has elements of both, and both are weak.
The characters were either caricatures or (in the case of the title character), unsympathetic. They were mostly shallow. The character development - and there was lots - seemed to be rather inevitable, as if Rendell had decided that character X would be the one sliding into despair, character Y would be charmer who comes up smelling like roses, and so on.
A real disappointment from a writer who usually does very well!
The problem with this book, for me, was that it was not engaging, and Rendell seemed to have trouble deciding whether it was a farce or a drama. It has elements of both, and both are weak.
The characters were either caricatures or (in the case of the title character), unsympathetic. They were mostly shallow. The character development - and there was lots - seemed to be rather inevitable, as if Rendell had decided that character X would be the one sliding into despair, character Y would be charmer who comes up smelling like roses, and so on.
A real disappointment from a writer who usually does very well!
March 11, 2009
Better than Babes in the Wood, but not much more. I think I'm through reading Rendell. I love British mystery writers, but there are others who "spin a much better yarn". I cut my teeth on Agatha Christie MANY years ago when I was a pre-teen. I read (and collected) all the books I could get my hands on. She's still a classic to me. P.D.James is also one of my absolute favorites. I'm sorry, but Rendell just can't compete for me.
July 17, 2017
Tried really hard to read this book, but could not get into it at all. Abandoned and did not finish the last half of the book.
July 10, 2021
Good, with an entertaining cast of characters.
March 7, 2017
A killer known as the Rottweiler is on the prowl. Inez Ferry finds it dreadful, but more dreadful than that are the insipid cons and depressives that orbit her and her little antique shop on Start Street. There's Zeinab, her eternally late employee who's promised her hand in marriage to two different men, despite her boyfriend and two children. Freddy Perfect, the irritatingly friendly boyfriend of one of Inez' upstairs tenants (Did I mention she rents out the upper stories of her building?). Will Cobbett, a fully-grown David Beckham lookalike with the mental capacity of an amoeba and Jeremy Quick, a handsome mansplainer Inez quite fancies.
The lot of them go about the malaise of their daily lives, all the while fairly nonchalant about the chances of ever having to deal with the Rottweiler. That is, until some trinkets belonging to some of the victims show up in Inez' shop. With the police poking their nose into Star Street and its environs, everyone finds themselves scrambling to cover themselves and their individual plots. Though really they needn't worry, since the cops in this book are bloody idiots.
So! This is my first Ruth Rendell book. I knew her only by reputation and finding this in a local book bin thought "Why not?". I was underwhelmed with the introductory chapter, but then the book got its teeth into me. I was quite taken with how well Rendell illustrates the inner psychology of the myriad viewpoint characters (There's a least six) and just how despicable and fucked up everyone was. Unfortunately that wound up working against the book for me. Made it wearying. It became impossible for me to like a single one of them. And I love me some horribly flawed characters. I just feel it helps to make them the teeniest bit sympathetic rather than wholly irritating or despicable. And unfortunately I found that everyone in this book fell into one of those two camps
The plot itself is alright. It meanders quite a bit and other than the special focus on pathetically quiet little lives it's your average serial killer yarn. It isn't even terribly surprising when they reveal who the killer is less than midway through. And then the killer's inner monologue and life, while fleshed out, is fairly rote.
So in summation, while I admire her writing and characterization, the Rottweiler dragged to the point where I even contemplated not finishing it. Just couldn't get very invested in any of these people after a certain point. Still, as a disposable rainy day paperback, you could do worse. A friend tells me I'd do better to try her Wexford novels if I want the real deal. Might still do that despite this reading experience.
The lot of them go about the malaise of their daily lives, all the while fairly nonchalant about the chances of ever having to deal with the Rottweiler. That is, until some trinkets belonging to some of the victims show up in Inez' shop. With the police poking their nose into Star Street and its environs, everyone finds themselves scrambling to cover themselves and their individual plots. Though really they needn't worry, since the cops in this book are bloody idiots.
So! This is my first Ruth Rendell book. I knew her only by reputation and finding this in a local book bin thought "Why not?". I was underwhelmed with the introductory chapter, but then the book got its teeth into me. I was quite taken with how well Rendell illustrates the inner psychology of the myriad viewpoint characters (There's a least six) and just how despicable and fucked up everyone was. Unfortunately that wound up working against the book for me. Made it wearying. It became impossible for me to like a single one of them. And I love me some horribly flawed characters. I just feel it helps to make them the teeniest bit sympathetic rather than wholly irritating or despicable. And unfortunately I found that everyone in this book fell into one of those two camps
The plot itself is alright. It meanders quite a bit and other than the special focus on pathetically quiet little lives it's your average serial killer yarn. It isn't even terribly surprising when they reveal who the killer is less than midway through. And then the killer's inner monologue and life, while fleshed out, is fairly rote.
So in summation, while I admire her writing and characterization, the Rottweiler dragged to the point where I even contemplated not finishing it. Just couldn't get very invested in any of these people after a certain point. Still, as a disposable rainy day paperback, you could do worse. A friend tells me I'd do better to try her Wexford novels if I want the real deal. Might still do that despite this reading experience.
January 18, 2016
Ruth Rendell was a master of the psychological mystery and this one, in my opinion, was her most complex. We are introduced to a widow named Inez who, after many years, still mourns the passing of her second husband who was the love of her life. After his death, Inez opens an antique/second-hand shop in a diversely ethnic section on the outskirts of London. Above the shop, there are four apartments. Inez occupies one; Ludmila, a fading blonde Russian beauty, and her lover Freddy Perfect live in the second; a tall, very handsome, mentally-challenged young man named Will, who has an obsession for his aunt Becky, lives in the third, and a well-dressed, strange, businessman named Jeremy Quick resides in the fourth. Add to that a dark beauty with a carefree lifestyle who works in Inez's shop. Her name is Zeinab and she has a string of male admirers AND she has secrets. In fact, all of the characters in this book have secrets. Secrets, lies, and psychological problems abound. Into that lot are added a group of young neighborhood thugs and thieves.
Young girls are being murdered in the neighborhood. The killer has been named the Rottweiler because of bite marks that were found on his first victim's neck. Halfway into the book we are given the killer's identity and thus begins his journey into discovering just why he started killing young girls two years ago. The Rottweiler always takes trophies from his victims such as articles of jewelry, cigarette lighters, etc. When a couple of those articles end up in Inez's shop, the local cops start investigating everyone who lives in the building.
I enjoyed this book up until the last chapter, which was actually an epilogue of what happened to most of the characters. Rather than ending on a serious note, Rendell chose a rather comical approach that was totally far fetched and ridiculous. This ruined the book for me.
Young girls are being murdered in the neighborhood. The killer has been named the Rottweiler because of bite marks that were found on his first victim's neck. Halfway into the book we are given the killer's identity and thus begins his journey into discovering just why he started killing young girls two years ago. The Rottweiler always takes trophies from his victims such as articles of jewelry, cigarette lighters, etc. When a couple of those articles end up in Inez's shop, the local cops start investigating everyone who lives in the building.
I enjoyed this book up until the last chapter, which was actually an epilogue of what happened to most of the characters. Rather than ending on a serious note, Rendell chose a rather comical approach that was totally far fetched and ridiculous. This ruined the book for me.
November 12, 2017
This is not a Wexford mystery, but one of the psychological suspense novels that earned her so many awards. In her later years she wrote several ensemble pieces with eclectic casts of characters and a bit more humor than her readers expected. This offering, from 2002, may have been the first of those novels. She had a way of bringing seemingly unrelated threads together in the end of her books in surprising, satisfying and often ironic ways. This story lacked some of that punch in the end, but still contained the character driven story and wonderful clean prose in which Rendell readers are so familiar. Read it.
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February 14, 2022Usually I write reviews of any book I read to clarify in my own mind what the writer was trying to do. Also, I offer ratings that are generous, meaning that any book worth reading gets a star or two. If it approaches what I thought the author was trying to do by way of literary exploration or communication, it gets three plus.
At the start of Chapter 13 in a single paragraph of about nine lines, Ruth Rendell refers to eight different characters. That's about the depth of it. I finished the book, but I wish I hadn't started.
At the start of Chapter 13 in a single paragraph of about nine lines, Ruth Rendell refers to eight different characters. That's about the depth of it. I finished the book, but I wish I hadn't started.
February 3, 2021
I am a Rendell fan, but this one surprised me. I actually laughed out loud many times. In addition to the usual cast of psychopaths and sad people, there was a lot of comic relief. I thought it was a welcome change. I was surprised to see so many negative reviews.
October 14, 2017
At the very beginning of this past summer, I began searching for excellent books to read. After informing the librarian that I enjoyed psychological thrillers the most, she handed me an armful of suggestions. Once I dwindled down the many books I was given, I settled on a book called "Portobello". It just so happened that the librarian loved the author of that book. She elaborated by telling me that Ruth Rendell was known for being one of the best crime mystery writers. A very typical aspect of her books being that the main character tended to be a really weird guy... I was hooked. I read two of her books over the course of the summer and I landed on this one before the school year began. I was very content that I managed to find an author that I loved, so I willingly decided to read another book of hers. This time around, I chose "The Rottweiler".
This book, like almost all of the other books written by Rendell, follows the individual lives of a unique group of people. Something that makes her books so good is that the lives of these characters will intertwine in clever, unexpected ways. This book revolved around five interesting people: Jeremy Quick, Inez Ferry, Zeinab Sharif, Becky Cobbett, and Will Cobbett. Reading about the complicated lives of these characters unfolding was definitely enjoyable. Inez Ferry owns an antique shop and also takes in tenants. One of them being Will Cobbett, an orphan who has learning disabilities but loves his aunt, Becky Cobbett, with all of his sweet heart. Her shop is run with the help of Zeinab Sharif, a beautiful woman who withholds two relationships with rich, older men. Set in London, these characters are following a serial killer's tracks. Given the nickname of the Rottweiler, this murderer has killed many young women. And he continues to do so. One of the most important characters in this book is Jeremy Quick, for he is the Rottweiler! As the story unwinds readers discover what exactly went wrong with Jeremy, and why he does what he does.
Many things about this book enhanced its story. As usual, the person I'd think to be the main character was just weird. Jeremy Quick had many strange quirks about him. Overall, it was fun to read since it demystified the complexity of his serial killer mind. Something that I love about Rendell's books is that her chapters switch off between her characters. My favorite character had to have been Becky Cobbett. I feel like I related to her the most and I always looked forward to the chapters that were written about her.
Honestly, this book has to be my least favorite out of the other two I've read. The second book I read of this author's was "A Sight for Sore Eyes", and it is most definitely my favorite. The story was moving along too slowly in this book for my liking. If I'm being frank, I got so bored in the middle of "The Rottweiler" I considered putting it down. But I felt like I owed it to Ruth to tough it out. And I'm glad that I did because the end of the book was full of anticipation and quite suspenseful.
This book, like almost all of the other books written by Rendell, follows the individual lives of a unique group of people. Something that makes her books so good is that the lives of these characters will intertwine in clever, unexpected ways. This book revolved around five interesting people: Jeremy Quick, Inez Ferry, Zeinab Sharif, Becky Cobbett, and Will Cobbett. Reading about the complicated lives of these characters unfolding was definitely enjoyable. Inez Ferry owns an antique shop and also takes in tenants. One of them being Will Cobbett, an orphan who has learning disabilities but loves his aunt, Becky Cobbett, with all of his sweet heart. Her shop is run with the help of Zeinab Sharif, a beautiful woman who withholds two relationships with rich, older men. Set in London, these characters are following a serial killer's tracks. Given the nickname of the Rottweiler, this murderer has killed many young women. And he continues to do so. One of the most important characters in this book is Jeremy Quick, for he is the Rottweiler! As the story unwinds readers discover what exactly went wrong with Jeremy, and why he does what he does.
Many things about this book enhanced its story. As usual, the person I'd think to be the main character was just weird. Jeremy Quick had many strange quirks about him. Overall, it was fun to read since it demystified the complexity of his serial killer mind. Something that I love about Rendell's books is that her chapters switch off between her characters. My favorite character had to have been Becky Cobbett. I feel like I related to her the most and I always looked forward to the chapters that were written about her.
Honestly, this book has to be my least favorite out of the other two I've read. The second book I read of this author's was "A Sight for Sore Eyes", and it is most definitely my favorite. The story was moving along too slowly in this book for my liking. If I'm being frank, I got so bored in the middle of "The Rottweiler" I considered putting it down. But I felt like I owed it to Ruth to tough it out. And I'm glad that I did because the end of the book was full of anticipation and quite suspenseful.
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July 25, 2024As is Rendell's habit, this is a 'whydunit' rather than a 'whodunit.' We know the identity of the killer about a third of the way into the book. What takes ages to be revealed is why the killer is killing. The person does not understand the killing impulse and cannot explain it. There is a kind of 'Jekyll and Hyde-ishness' to the narrative and, as is also quite conventional with the modern murder mystery, just about everybody's lying about something.
April 10, 2025
3.5 enjoyed
November 29, 2025
A random charity shop read because I was travelling and had finished my planned reading early.
June 19, 2017
Intriguing plot but suspense drawn out. Too much verbal wandering. Character introspection carries on past necessary and becomes redundant. For most part, Ruth Rendell's characters well-developed and book's best feature. The mentally challenged, Will Corbett summons our care and concern as does the nefarious Jeremy Quick-Alexander Gibbons. Re the latter, Rendell arouses our sympathy re his personal history. Zenaib keeps us laughing but also, as her background unfolds, reflecting on her motivations and we feel pity yet admire the steely Inez Ferry. Interactions among characters and antique shop setting plus London description also well done. Recommend it for these reasons.
April 21, 2023
This one grew on me. I struggled with a large number of deeply unpleasant characters - dim, selfish, craven, violent ... But ultimately it is a ripping story with an unexpected climax. It turns from a 'who done it' to a 'why done it' about half way through. Excellent throughout was the heroic narration by Nigel Anthony who had to cope with Bengali youth, Lyudmila the Russian Emigree, Monty the rich elderly Jewish ex boxer any number of differing Londoners and the majestic Frederick Charles Winstanley Perfect from Barbados.
December 30, 2013
A serial killer is on the loose in London, apparently leaving his victims with a bite mark (hence the nickname 'The Rottweiler') and taking a personal item of the victim. But this is not the whole truth as the bite mark is a kind of urban legend with only the first victim having it (and that too by her boyfriend). But as the media doesn't usually care for niceties such as the truth and is more concerned with the level of sensation a news can create, it continues referring to the killer as 'The Rottweiler'. Starting off with this conceit, Ruth Rendell tries to give a different spin to the 'serial killer' genre.
Inez Ferry, a widow owns an apartment, rents out the its top floors while running an antique shop in the ground floor. The identity of the killer is revealed early on the novel and the focus is more on why the killer does what he does. Here Rendell tries to demystify the 'serial killer' as we get to know more about the killer (told from the perspective of the killer itself). This is a very good ploy as we see/hear the killer himself as he tells us about his past, his (unclear/unsure to himself) motivations that led him to down this path, his current state of mind, his narration a curious mix of emotions and clinical coldheartedness. At some points he is a lab technician observing himself microscopically like a specimen and at others he is a tortured soul, wanting to break free from the desire that drives him but also knowing that to stop would be near impossible and would indeed mean his death.
The novel also follows Inez and the motley group of characters like 'Zeinab' who works in her shop and the tenants of her apartment. Each one has a story of his/her own and Rendell devotes sufficient time to each. The recurring theme between all these people and the killer too is that all of them are leading multiple lives, taking care to present only one side to others. Here 'multiple lives' doesn't always mean that each one of is a killer or harbors evil thoughts, but that most of them have something to hide. It may be something which may seem as innocuous as watching one's dead husband's videos again and again or it could be a case of identity deceit. It could also be a case of huge compassion towards one's orphaned nephew, but why does it seem to conceal something else? Rendell doesn't explain these to us outright, letting the revelations come from the character's themselves as they reach a point of no return. The novel is reach in atmosphere and one can visualize without any effort the sights and sounds of 'Lisson Grove', the locality where the novel is set.
What lets the novel down is the sense of 'Déjà vu' that strikes after about the half-way mark and due to which one can predict what is going to happen. Granted that the killer is known very early and the focus of the novel is not just his capture or the thrill it offers, but once the characters have been established, their unraveling seems too cliched. The various threads like Becky and her nephew, Inez, Zeinaab and even the killer all go down a path which has already been traveled by the reader. all It's not that the reader is ahead of the author here, but the author has descended to a level where the reader not just keeps pace with her but by the end outraces her.
'The Rottweiler' reads like a novel of 2 halves, highly satisfying/intriguing in the first when the characters are established, with a sense of unease and vagueness hovering over them(with the readers feeling the same and expecting more in the remaining part). The second half is one with a no frills, straightforward tying up of all the threads which can be easily guessed by us. It may be a result of Rendell trying to keep things as grounded as as she can, but the result is slightly disappointing read on the whole. But Rendell deserves our appreciation for trying to demystify the 'serial killer'.
Inez Ferry, a widow owns an apartment, rents out the its top floors while running an antique shop in the ground floor. The identity of the killer is revealed early on the novel and the focus is more on why the killer does what he does. Here Rendell tries to demystify the 'serial killer' as we get to know more about the killer (told from the perspective of the killer itself). This is a very good ploy as we see/hear the killer himself as he tells us about his past, his (unclear/unsure to himself) motivations that led him to down this path, his current state of mind, his narration a curious mix of emotions and clinical coldheartedness. At some points he is a lab technician observing himself microscopically like a specimen and at others he is a tortured soul, wanting to break free from the desire that drives him but also knowing that to stop would be near impossible and would indeed mean his death.
The novel also follows Inez and the motley group of characters like 'Zeinab' who works in her shop and the tenants of her apartment. Each one has a story of his/her own and Rendell devotes sufficient time to each. The recurring theme between all these people and the killer too is that all of them are leading multiple lives, taking care to present only one side to others. Here 'multiple lives' doesn't always mean that each one of is a killer or harbors evil thoughts, but that most of them have something to hide. It may be something which may seem as innocuous as watching one's dead husband's videos again and again or it could be a case of identity deceit. It could also be a case of huge compassion towards one's orphaned nephew, but why does it seem to conceal something else? Rendell doesn't explain these to us outright, letting the revelations come from the character's themselves as they reach a point of no return. The novel is reach in atmosphere and one can visualize without any effort the sights and sounds of 'Lisson Grove', the locality where the novel is set.
What lets the novel down is the sense of 'Déjà vu' that strikes after about the half-way mark and due to which one can predict what is going to happen. Granted that the killer is known very early and the focus of the novel is not just his capture or the thrill it offers, but once the characters have been established, their unraveling seems too cliched. The various threads like Becky and her nephew, Inez, Zeinaab and even the killer all go down a path which has already been traveled by the reader. all It's not that the reader is ahead of the author here, but the author has descended to a level where the reader not just keeps pace with her but by the end outraces her.
'The Rottweiler' reads like a novel of 2 halves, highly satisfying/intriguing in the first when the characters are established, with a sense of unease and vagueness hovering over them(with the readers feeling the same and expecting more in the remaining part). The second half is one with a no frills, straightforward tying up of all the threads which can be easily guessed by us. It may be a result of Rendell trying to keep things as grounded as as she can, but the result is slightly disappointing read on the whole. But Rendell deserves our appreciation for trying to demystify the 'serial killer'.
February 18, 2015
Sono un po' delusa. Questo è il mio secondo romanzo della Rendell, una delle "regine" del giallo britannico, come sempre si dice, dopo
La morte non sa leggere
.
Londra, 2002. Un serial killer, soprannominato "Rottweiler", ha ucciso alcune ragazze, trafugando a ciascuna un piccolo oggettino senza valore. A commentare le notizie, ma anche ad intrecciare le loro più o meno complicate, più o meno felici esistenze, sono gli inquilini degli appartamenti di proprietà di Inez Ferry, che al pianterreno del palazzo gestisce una bottega di curiosità, anticaglie, stranezze varie. Ovviamente, alcuni di questi oggetti iniziano a riapparire proprio fra la merce da lei esposta...
In modo analogo a quanto avveniva in La morte non sa leggere, anche qui l'identità dell'assassino ci viene esplicitamente rivelata a circa un terzo del libro. Nel primo romanzo, addirittura, questa era un fatto assodato sin dall'inizio, e si trattava di ricostruire a ritroso la catena di circostanze, coincidenze, fatalità, che, ineluttabilmente, aveva portato alla catastrofe finale, in un crescendo di angoscia impotente.
Qui, invece, non siamo ex post, e più che al procedimento investigativo dei poliziotti, che compaiono di rado e non combinano granché, l'autrice è interessata a delineare la psicologia del criminale, a scavare nella sua mente per capire quale sia l'impulso che lo spinge a uccidere (o meglio, è lo stesso assassino a tentare questa auto-analisi). Ovviamente...
SPOILER!
... il tutto scaturisce da un evento traumatico vissuto nell'adolescenza e subito rimosso, da un rapporto totalizzante e al limite del morboso con la madre, ecc. ecc.
FINE SPOILER!
Purtroppo, questo genere di tentativi mi interessa poco, oltre a suonarmi sempre un po' falso, costruito: dopo tutto, non riesco a dimenticare che quelli che leggo sono i pensieri che l'autore, una persona mentalmente sana, ritiene siano quelli di una personalità disturbata.
Paradossalmente, questo romanzo rischiava di funzionare molto meglio, per me, se si fosse eliminata totalmente la parte dei delitti! Sì, perché il campionario di umanità radunato, realisticamente e allegramente multietnico, dall'autrice presentava già da solo una serie di caratterizzazioni affascinanti, figurine ben delineate che avevano alcune un che di cialtronesco, di schizzato, di ironico, altre una ben altra, dolente tragicità e solitudine, ma erano tutte molto molto umane, e vere. Le loro storie, calate perfettamente nella quotidiana fatica di tutti i giorni, mettevano allegria o facevano rabbrividire di tristezza già a sufficienza. E sono state troncate con troppa fretta dalla conclusione del romanzo. In più, i personaggi si muovevano proprio nelle strade londinesi in cui pochi mesi fa ho pernottato per qualche giorno in vacanza, ed era piacevole rievocare e poter delineare con precisione nella mente i giardini, le stazioni della metropolitana, l'atmosfera del quartiere, i ristoranti libanesi di Edgware Road...
Peccato anche per i frequenti errori di stampa e per una traduzione, come ho scoperto da un'altra recensione, non impeccabile. Insomma, libro al di sotto delle aspettative, e forse, per me, l'ultimo della Rendell.
2/5
http://moloch981.wordpress.com/2011/0...
Londra, 2002. Un serial killer, soprannominato "Rottweiler", ha ucciso alcune ragazze, trafugando a ciascuna un piccolo oggettino senza valore. A commentare le notizie, ma anche ad intrecciare le loro più o meno complicate, più o meno felici esistenze, sono gli inquilini degli appartamenti di proprietà di Inez Ferry, che al pianterreno del palazzo gestisce una bottega di curiosità, anticaglie, stranezze varie. Ovviamente, alcuni di questi oggetti iniziano a riapparire proprio fra la merce da lei esposta...
In modo analogo a quanto avveniva in La morte non sa leggere, anche qui l'identità dell'assassino ci viene esplicitamente rivelata a circa un terzo del libro. Nel primo romanzo, addirittura, questa era un fatto assodato sin dall'inizio, e si trattava di ricostruire a ritroso la catena di circostanze, coincidenze, fatalità, che, ineluttabilmente, aveva portato alla catastrofe finale, in un crescendo di angoscia impotente.
Qui, invece, non siamo ex post, e più che al procedimento investigativo dei poliziotti, che compaiono di rado e non combinano granché, l'autrice è interessata a delineare la psicologia del criminale, a scavare nella sua mente per capire quale sia l'impulso che lo spinge a uccidere (o meglio, è lo stesso assassino a tentare questa auto-analisi). Ovviamente...
SPOILER!
... il tutto scaturisce da un evento traumatico vissuto nell'adolescenza e subito rimosso, da un rapporto totalizzante e al limite del morboso con la madre, ecc. ecc.
FINE SPOILER!
Purtroppo, questo genere di tentativi mi interessa poco, oltre a suonarmi sempre un po' falso, costruito: dopo tutto, non riesco a dimenticare che quelli che leggo sono i pensieri che l'autore, una persona mentalmente sana, ritiene siano quelli di una personalità disturbata.
Paradossalmente, questo romanzo rischiava di funzionare molto meglio, per me, se si fosse eliminata totalmente la parte dei delitti! Sì, perché il campionario di umanità radunato, realisticamente e allegramente multietnico, dall'autrice presentava già da solo una serie di caratterizzazioni affascinanti, figurine ben delineate che avevano alcune un che di cialtronesco, di schizzato, di ironico, altre una ben altra, dolente tragicità e solitudine, ma erano tutte molto molto umane, e vere. Le loro storie, calate perfettamente nella quotidiana fatica di tutti i giorni, mettevano allegria o facevano rabbrividire di tristezza già a sufficienza. E sono state troncate con troppa fretta dalla conclusione del romanzo. In più, i personaggi si muovevano proprio nelle strade londinesi in cui pochi mesi fa ho pernottato per qualche giorno in vacanza, ed era piacevole rievocare e poter delineare con precisione nella mente i giardini, le stazioni della metropolitana, l'atmosfera del quartiere, i ristoranti libanesi di Edgware Road...
Peccato anche per i frequenti errori di stampa e per una traduzione, come ho scoperto da un'altra recensione, non impeccabile. Insomma, libro al di sotto delle aspettative, e forse, per me, l'ultimo della Rendell.
2/5
http://moloch981.wordpress.com/2011/0...
January 4, 2008
I am not a die-hard mystery reader, although I do like the occasional mystery, and this is my first Ruth Rendell novel. I can't say that it made me want to read more of her work.
The Rottweiler revolves around a small antique store in London. The characters who work in, visit, and hang around the shop are the key to a series of murders in the city. Mistakenly dubbed "the Rottweiler" because a bite mark appeared on his first victim, the murderer garrotes young women and removes trinkets from their bodies as souvenirs. From the intuitive widow who owns the antique store, Inez, to a good-looking laborer with the intelligence of a six-year-old, Will, all of the characters are quirky outsiders in their own way and all have a part to play in the mystery.
The premise of the story is rather standard, but the idea of the characters made it more interesting. Unfortunately, Rendell didn't carry it off. Despite the characters' quirkiness, none of them are sympathetic enough to draw the reader into the story. All of them instead seem more like stereotypes, especially Will, who seems like a shallower version of Tim, the very special, fascinating character created by Colleen McCullough. The narrative itself jumps around between the characters, which, instead of giving the reader a complete picture of the scene and action, makes the story feel a bit plodding. On the subject of the mystery itself, the serial killings, the reader finds out the identity of the killer about halfway through the book and there isn't enough suspense to take the place of that mystery. Instead, the reader is supposed to be drawn into why the killer kills, but I just found myself waiting for the end of the book. Also, mysteries are all about attention to detail and it really bothered me that the writer (and her editor) kept mixing up the trinkets the killer kept. In one scene, the trinkets include a lighter, some earrings, and a keyring. In another, later, scene, the keyring is replaced by a watch, which was planted in the antique shop by the killer earlier in the book (this isn't a spoiler - this information is on the jacket). Since these trinkets were key to the plot, this was an important oversight.
Overall, The Rottweiler was fine. It wasn't awful and it wasn't fantastic. I wanted to find out what happened, but was not surprised, delighted, or shocked when the end came - instead, it was exactly what I expected and I didn't really care what happened to the characters after the action's conclusion. I can't say that this book made me hungry for any more of Rendell's work, despite the predominately positive reviews.
The Rottweiler revolves around a small antique store in London. The characters who work in, visit, and hang around the shop are the key to a series of murders in the city. Mistakenly dubbed "the Rottweiler" because a bite mark appeared on his first victim, the murderer garrotes young women and removes trinkets from their bodies as souvenirs. From the intuitive widow who owns the antique store, Inez, to a good-looking laborer with the intelligence of a six-year-old, Will, all of the characters are quirky outsiders in their own way and all have a part to play in the mystery.
The premise of the story is rather standard, but the idea of the characters made it more interesting. Unfortunately, Rendell didn't carry it off. Despite the characters' quirkiness, none of them are sympathetic enough to draw the reader into the story. All of them instead seem more like stereotypes, especially Will, who seems like a shallower version of Tim, the very special, fascinating character created by Colleen McCullough. The narrative itself jumps around between the characters, which, instead of giving the reader a complete picture of the scene and action, makes the story feel a bit plodding. On the subject of the mystery itself, the serial killings, the reader finds out the identity of the killer about halfway through the book and there isn't enough suspense to take the place of that mystery. Instead, the reader is supposed to be drawn into why the killer kills, but I just found myself waiting for the end of the book. Also, mysteries are all about attention to detail and it really bothered me that the writer (and her editor) kept mixing up the trinkets the killer kept. In one scene, the trinkets include a lighter, some earrings, and a keyring. In another, later, scene, the keyring is replaced by a watch, which was planted in the antique shop by the killer earlier in the book (this isn't a spoiler - this information is on the jacket). Since these trinkets were key to the plot, this was an important oversight.
Overall, The Rottweiler was fine. It wasn't awful and it wasn't fantastic. I wanted to find out what happened, but was not surprised, delighted, or shocked when the end came - instead, it was exactly what I expected and I didn't really care what happened to the characters after the action's conclusion. I can't say that this book made me hungry for any more of Rendell's work, despite the predominately positive reviews.
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