A Dark-Adapted Eye by Barbara Vine

"It was quite a new idea for me- outside the pages of Victorian fiction, that is - that women would get married for money, security and position; I had thought it was always for love."





This novel was apparently ( well according to Wikipedia anyway) the first one written by crime writer Ruth Rendell under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. It is an interesting exploration of the memory of youth, juxtaposed with the knowledge of maturity.

When a writer asks Faith Severn for information about her infamous aunt, Vera, it is time for Faith to address the family scandals of the past. Fertility struggles, sibling rivalry  and murder ensue as the pages fly by in a flurry of drama. While the action takes place within a fairly confined area, this does not detract from the impact of the tale.

It certainly is worth a read. If you seek pedigree in your fiction, this novel was the recipient of the Edgar award in 1987 and is included on the Guardian's 1000 novels everyone must read list. This makes 365/1000 on the list for me - and it certainly has been interesting to date.

 5 out of 5 adjusting my vision to the darker side.