A review by jeanm333
A Dark-Adapted Eye by Barbara Vine, Ruth Rendell

5.0

I read this Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell writing suspense novels) and remembered it being one of the best suspense novels I had ever read. Recently, I saw it on a list of recommended books and decided to see if it would be as good the second time. It was!
The novel is told by Faith, the niece of vera Hillyer, who was hanged for murder in the late 1940s in England. The story begins the day Vera is hanged, and captures the reactions of the family. Then Faith goes backward to her childhood during WW 2 and her interactions with Vera and the rest of the - very complicated - family. I almost had to make a chart to figure out who was who, because Faith mentions these people as if they weren't related to her and doesn't explain everything.
Starting out with the murder makes the reader wonder "who was murdered and why?" As the story develops, the family relationships are explained. Some - like the identity of Faith's husband- aren't explained until the end. By the time I got close to the end, I thought I knew what had happened and why, and I was right. I'm sure this was Vine/Rendell making me think I was so smart.
Great characterization, excellent plotting, and a good feel for the setting all make this an excellent read.