A Dark-Adapted Eye

Vine, Barbara (pseud. for Ruth Rendell)

ISBN 10: 0553051431 / ISBN 13: 9780553051438

Published by Bantam Books, Inc., New York, New York, U.S.A., 1986

About this Item

Bantam Books, Inc., New York, New York, USA. First Printing (full number line to 1) of First American Edition, July, 1986. Rare. As New in Near Fine+ Dust Jacket. Unread. The Text Block is clean, cream-colored, tight, straight and square, without markings of any kind. The Binding is dark blue quarter cloth to blue boards (all colors uniform throughout), with bright gilt title, etc., to spine, and all corners square and sharp. The pictorial Dust Jacket is bright, colors uniform on all panels, the original price ($14.95) intact on front flap, with two defects: a small closed tear to top front and minor loss of gloss to top front cover from prior price sticker. See photos. 264 pages. 6 1/4" x 9 1/4". This hard to find psychological mystery novel was the first of the novels that Ruth Rendell wrote under the name Barbara Vine, which she used here and later for her edgier novels. It was also the basis for the 1994 mini-series starring Helena Bonham Carter, Celie Imrie, Robin Ellis (of Poldark fame) and Ciaran Hinds. ISBN 10: 0553051431 / ISBN 13: 9780553051438.

Seller Inventory # 000498

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Dark-Adapted Eye
• Publisher: Bantam Books, Inc., New York, New York, U.S.A.
• Publication Date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0553051431
• ISBN 13: 9780553051438
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Printing: 1st Printing
• Condition: As New
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine+

About this title

Synopsis

Faith Severn, the niece of executed murderess Vera Hillyard, strives to protect her family from the terrible truth when writer Daniel Stewart begins to probe into the murder that took place thirty years earlier

Review

Writing under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, Ruth Rendell departs from her famous detective team of Wexford and Burden to tell a gripping tale of family madness. Vera Hillyard is a domineering and possessive woman who strives for obsessive control over a malicious older son, a youngest son who is--or isn't--illegitimate, and her younger sister, Eden, who secretly seeks to escape Vera's grasp and instead provokes a murder. This winner of the 1986 Edgar Award for best mystery novel belongs to the genre of old murders reconsidered and the question of who did what to whom and why is teasingly left unresolved.