- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRuth Barbara Grasemann
- Ruth Rendell was born on February 17, 1930 in South Woodford, Essex, England, UK. She was a writer, known for Live Flesh (1997), La cérémonie (1995) and The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1987). She was married to Donald John Rendell. She died on May 2, 2015 in London, England, UK.
- SpousesDonald John Rendell(1977 - March 21, 1999) (his death)Donald John Rendell(1950 - 1975) (divorced, 1 child)
- She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1996 and awarded life peerage as Baroness in 1997 for her services to literature.
- The Rendells divorced in 1975 but remarried two years later and remained together until Don's death in 1999.
- She wrote more than 60 crime novels in a career spanning 50 years. Her best-known character is Inspector Wexford.
- She began her writing career as a reporter for an Essex newspaper. She was forced to resign after filing a story about a local sports club dinner that she hadn't attended. Her report failed to mention that the after-dinner speaker had died half-way through the speech.
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
- [on reading] Some say life is the thing. I prefer reading.
- I think if you're a woman you are naturally a feminist. Unless you're hiding something.
- [on being a Booker Prize judge in 1995] I used to lie and say I read every word of every book. The truth is that I did my best, but I am a judicious skipper.
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