Book description
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 and a living incarnation
of the statue. The two embark on a passionate affair that soon becomes
dangerous when Senta sets Philip a test; to prove their love, they must
each commit murder.
Ruth Rendell is the Queen of British crime writing. The author of
over 50 novels, she has won many significant crime fiction awards. Her
first novel, From Doon With Death, appeared in 1964, and since
then her reputation and readership have grown steadily with each new
book.
She has received major awards for her work; three Edgars from the
Mystery Writers of America; the Crime Writers' Gold Dagger Award for
1976's best crime novel, A Demon in My View; the Arts Council
National Book Award for Genre Fiction in 1981 for The Lake of
Darkness; the Crime Writer's Gold Dagger Award for 1986's best
crime book for Live Flesh; in 1987 the Crime Writer's Gold
Dagger Award for A Fatal Inversion and in 1991 the same award
for King Solomon's Carpet, both written under the pseudonym
Barbara Vine; the Sunday Times Literary Award in 1990; and in
1991 the Crime Writer's Cartier Diamond Award for outstanding
contribution to the crime fiction genre.
Her books are translated into 21 languages. In 1996 she was awarded
the CBE and in 1997 became a Life Peer.
