A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell, guest reviewer Louise Symonds

 ‘A Sight For Sore Eyes’ is an un-put-down-able psychological thriller from an author who was writing two (good) books a year at the time. The stories, characters and ideas were just flowing out of her and this is one of the best. It is not a who dunnit, at least only mildly so, it is a plot and character driven novel.  You never know what is going to happen next, except you have a horrible idea of just what might - about one page before it does. 

The author takes you into the houses and intimate lives of two families, each of three characters, with their network of relations and friends. It is the characters with their past histories and DNA that drive the action. They grow and develop and interweave with each other with puzzling and dramatic consequences. The people are pawns and actors, yet they have free will, and their actions and decisions drive the plots. It is a funny book. Darkly funny I suppose is the term. I enjoyed it so much because though the fascinating characters were totally believable and you wanted to know what happens to them, you do from a slight distance, you don’t get emotionally involved, so you can watch dispassionately enjoying the turn of events.

Set in both the country and in London and very much in the present day even though it was written in 1998 in that everyone is on their mobile phones all the time and the clothes haven’t changed much. The plot bounces from one extraordinary but recognisable low class family to one ordinary but damaged middle class one. I can’t say much more than this for like any good book it is essential not to give away the plot. All I can suggest is read it if you want a really good story, with insights both into modern life and the depths of people's personalities. Like life itself you will be left unsure as to which is the driving force.

(Louise Symonds)