Thirteen Steps DownDoubleday Canada, 2004 - 313 pages From the multi-award-winning author of The Babes in the Wood and The Rottweiler, a chilling new novel about obsession, superstition, and violence, set in Rendell's darkly atmospheric London. Mix Cellini (which he pronounces with an 'S' rather than a 'C') is superstitious about the number 13. In musty old St. Blaise House, where he is the lodger, there are thirteen steps down to the landing below his rooms, which he keeps spick and span. His elderly landlady, Gwendolen Chawcer, was born in St. Blaise House, and lives her life almost exclusively through her library of books, so cannot see the decay and neglect around her. The Notting Hill neighbourhood has changed radically over the last fifty years, and 10 Rillington Place, where the notorious John Christie committed a series of foul murders, has been torn down. Mix is obsessed with the life of Christie and his small library is composed entirely of books on the subject. He has also developed a passion for a beautiful model who lives nearby -- a woman who would not look at him twice. Both landlady and lodger inhabit weird worlds of their own. But when reality intrudes into Mix's life, a long pent-up violence explodes. |
Table des matières
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 12 |
Section 3 | 20 |
Droits d'auteur | |
26 autres sections non affichées
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Expressions et termes fréquents
Akwaa asked bedroom better body brought called Campden Hill Campden Hill Square Christie Christie's client Colette course Danila dark doctor downstairs Dr Reeves drawing room drink entryphone eyes face felt flat floor Fordyce front door ghost girl glass gone guinea fowl Gwen Gwendolen hand happened Hazel he'd head heard Hecate Holland Park hour ibuprofen Javy Kayleigh killed kitchen knew Ladbroke Grove light lived looked Madam Shoshana married mind Miss Chawcer Mix's morning mother Nerissa never night old Chawcer Olive once opened Otto Oxford Gardens perhaps police Queenie Reggie Reggie's remembered Rillington Place round Ruth Rendell seemed seen Shoshana's Spa smell smile someone St Blaise House stairs Steph Stephen Reeves suppose sure talking tell thing told took upstairs waiting walked washhouse Westbourne Grove window Winthrop woman women wondered woodworm