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31 reviews for:

Harm Done

Ruth Rendell

3.54 AVERAGE


On reading this book again, I remember my sense that the writer set out to write one book but ended by writing another. The early parts of the story, while as cleverly written as ever and full of the Baroness' intelligent observations about individual and mass behaviour, do not feel as if they belong here. It is the second part of the novel when the dominant theme develops with its focus on domestic abuse and coercive control, and that was when my full engagement kicked in.

Grabbed this book from the local Little Free Library because I'd just heard my husband recommend the author (I thought) and then I saw someone on Twitter say they were reading Rendell, and I was inspired by the synchronicity. As it turned out, my husband was talking about the musician Emma Ruth Rundle. But I read the book and enjoyed it anyway. The story was a little slow, with zillions of intertwining characters, but the writing is excellent, and the topic was interesting, about how two getting-on-in-years inspectors deal with crimes involving women, secrets, and domestic abuse.

23 years ago this book was written. Womens rights and the start of domestic violence shelters feature.
Horrifying what that woman endured.
If domestic violence is triggering for you please read with care.

I've only read one other Ruth Rendell, the first Wexford, and I liked it fine, but this is number 18, normally I wouldn't jump so far ahead in a series but the plot sounded pretty interesting. And it started out fine. But what seems like one case becomes two, and the first one ends early and found it all a bit icky and unpleasant. Then the second case involved truly dreadful domestic abuse, which I find very disturbing to read. I ended up pretty much not liking this at all, but judging from the reviews it doesn't seem to be a favorite in the series

3 1/2 stars, really. This Inspector Reg Wexford novel is a bit of a rambling read, with several crimes revolving around the abuse of women. Two women disappear for some days and then return, but is there a crime if both insist “no harm done”? Then a young girl disappears around the time a convicted pedophile is released and the community goes wild. Rendell is interested in exploring what communities will and won’t tolerate when harm is done to women. Does it matter that The Hide, a shelter for abused women and their children, is an open secret at the center of the neighborhood? And what about Fay Devenish, the next door neighbor, whose face is so often bruised and her hands cut? Bewildered by people’s inexplicably abusive behavior, Wexford believes the law—however imperfect—ought to be protection against their worst impulses. “It was as if a whole panorama of revelations, causes, consequences, and seemingly endless cruelty unrolled before his eyes… and what on earth was he going to do about it?” (238). Interestingly, in the end Rendell’s resolution of the various crimes demonstrates the real-life range of solutions to the worst of human nature.

rachel_cwtch's review

3.0
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Not great. Midway through the book I considered abandoning it because I was bored.

I wonder if all the Wexford books are so meh? If so I'd avoid 

This was a good solid Wexford story, focused around domestic abuse/interpersonal violence, a series of kidnaps and the relocation of a know sex offender. The story weaves around the separate components gradually unraveling to reveal how they may (or may not) be connected.

It works nicely though the central mystery is ridiculously obvious to work out and it does feel somewhat out of character that the normally very empathic Wexford misses it entirely. However, that's partly the point as the blind spot towards family violence is all too prevalent even in those trained.

Still, it didn't spoil it for me and I felt it all worked nicely. There's also a touching relationship evolution between Wexford and his least favoured daughter, developed and expanded skillfully by Rendell. Excellent narration by Nigel Antony who has grown on me as the series has progressed.

Very well written. It was difficult to keep up with who was who (why on earth are Wexford's kids named such similar names?) but after a while I went with the flow on the council names and I assume I'd know the police officers if I'd read these in order instead of 19 first, then this one (18). Lots happening in the plot and the characters were well done - they felt like real people, a mix of good, not so good, and bad.

I definitely did not like this one as much of the other Wexford (Murder Being Once Done) I read. I like the beginning but it seemed to fall off some in the middle and a lot towards the end.

More Kidnapping, but with no Wexford Laws
Review of the Audible Studios audiobook edition (May 4, 2009) narrated by [a:Nigel Anthony|25880|Nigel Anthony|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], of the original hardcover from Hutchinson (UK) (1999)

Harm Done contains further kidnappings, as did the previous Wexford novel [b:Road Rage|918926|Road Rage (Inspector Wexford, #17)|Ruth Rendell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403175107l/918926._SY75_.jpg|2407531] (1997) in which Dora Wexford was one of the kidnapped. As opposed to the activists involved in the earlier book, the motives are more obscure this time out. It becomes even more bizarre when two of the victims reappear, mostly unharmed, but refuse to say where they've been or give confusing answers. Then a much younger child disappears and the motive may be something completely different. Eventually there are murders as well, but the main mystery of the book involves the abductions.


The front cover of the original Hutchinson (UK) 1999 hardcover. Image sourced from Goodreads.

I wasn't very engaged with this novel. There weren't even any quotable passages that struck my attention. When the reasons for the earlier abductions becomes clear, it just seems too bizarre and rather sad. The motive for the child abduction is more disturbing but is resolved in a manner that doesn't quite satisfy.

This was Wexford #18 in the series of 24 novels. I had previously skipped over #15 to #18 as they were proving difficult to source. No convenient Kindle eBooks exist and the Toronto Public Library online search & hold system was struck down in October 2023 (which is still ongoing, but the latest update is that they hope to restore online holds in February 2024) by a ransomware attack (rumoured to be Russian based) which prevents you from locating and placing books on hold throughout the system (short of physically going around Toronto to each branch personally and searching the shelves by hand). I've decided to complete my Wexford/Rendell binge by sourcing the audiobooks which are not ideal as I am also trying to spot Wexford's personal Laws and Rules along the way. Listening on audio might cause me to miss them.

The narration by Nigel Anthony was excellent in all voices in this edition. Anthony was excellent at mimicking the deep-voice gravitas and the West Country burr of actor George Baker (who played Chief Inspector Wexford in the TV series).

Wexford's Laws
There were no Wexford's Laws mentioned in this book.

Trivia and Links
Harm Done was adapted for television as part of the Ruth Rendell / Inspector Wexford Mysteries TV series (1987-2000) as Season 12 Episode 1 in 2000 with actor George Baker as Chief Inspector Wexford. It was the final episode of the TV series. I could not find a free posting of it online. Here in Canada it is available on the Britbox streaming service.