A review by celiaedf12
The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine, Ruth Rendell

3.0

I quite enjoyed this, despite it being a little different to what I think of as Vine's usual style. In fact, in its slightly detached storytelling it reminded me of Vine's work as Ruth Rendell, in her non-Wexford novels. It's very much a novel of a time, and of the political scenery of that time, as well as a story about Ivor, a young conservative MP, and his affair with glamorous housewife Hebe. Things go awry after Ivor arranges a faux kidnapping for Hebe's birthday, and spiral downwards from there as Ivor desparately tries to keep his role in the birthday present quiet.

Don't go in expecting a tense thriller, because it's not that, but it's very enjoyable nonetheless.