description A Guilty Thing Surprised Overview
A Guilty Thing Surprised is a 1970 crime novel by Ruth Rendell featuring Chief Inspector Reg Wexford and Inspector Mike Burden. The investigation begins when Elizabeth Nightingale, a wealthy resident of Kingsmarkham, is found murdered in woodland near her home. Wexford's inquiries examine her marriage, family relationships, and private conduct, making concealed emotional attachments and social respectability central to the mystery.
help A Guilty Thing Surprised FAQ
Who is murdered in A Guilty Thing Surprised?
Elizabeth Nightingale is found strangled in woodland near her home outside Kingsmarkham. Chief Inspector Reg Wexford investigates her family, household, and private relationships.
Where does A Guilty Thing Surprised fit in the Wexford series?
Published in 1970, it is an early Chief Inspector Wexford novel by Ruth Rendell. Wexford works alongside Inspector Mike Burden in the fictional Sussex town of Kingsmarkham.
Is A Guilty Thing Surprised a police procedural or a psychological mystery?
It uses a police investigation as its structure, but Rendell concentrates heavily on jealousy, marriage, and concealed motives. The result combines procedural questioning with psychological suspense.
Was A Guilty Thing Surprised adapted for television?
The story was adapted for The Ruth Rendell Mysteries television series. George Baker played Wexford in that long-running British production.
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