Tigerlily's Orchids - Tapa blanda

"Rendell marshals her large cast of vividly drawn characters with apparent ease, skewering their self-deception and satirizing their pursuit of self-gratification with great skill.... The result is a thrilling exercise."--"The Evening Standard "(UK)"" " At 81, Ms. Rendell continues to write in impeccable form, dripping both mirth and malice"--Janet Maslin, "New York Times" "Spellbinding.... It's hard to think of another writer in the genre doing this sort of thing so well, and none does it better."--"Washington Post" "There is widespread agreement among both readers and reviewers that Ruth Rendell is the best crime fiction writer of our time."--"San Diego Union Tribune" "Exquisitely paced drama... Rendell once again creates an addictive read in which the characters are drawn and defined by the author's wry observations."--"Richmond Times-Dispatch" "Disgraceful behavior has rarely been written about so gracefully."--"Boston Globe" Rendell marshals her large cast of vividly drawn characters with apparent ease, skewering their self-deception and satirizing their pursuit of self-gratification with great skill . The result is a thrilling exercise. "The Evening Standard "(UK)""" Spellbinding . It's hard to think of another writer in the genre doing this sort of thing so well, and none does it better. --"Washington Post"" "Out of this spider's web of interwoven lives emerges ... a beautifully disguised and manipulated surprise, set amid the jittery background of the restless city."--"The Independent" (UK)

When Stuart Font decides to throw a house-warming party in his new flat, he invites all the people in his building. After some deliberation, he even includes the unpleasant caretaker and his wife.

There are a few other genuine friends on the list, but he definitely does not want to include his girlfriend, Claudia, as that might involve asking her husband.

The party will be one everyone remembers. But not for the right reasons. All the occupants of Lichfield House are about to experience a dramatic change in their lives...

Living opposite, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman, christened Tigerlily by Stuart. As though from some strange urban fairytale, she emerges to exert a terrible spell. And Mr and Mrs Font, the worried parents, will have even more cause for concern about their handsome but hopelessly naive son.

Darkly humorous, piercingly observant of human behaviour, Ruth Rendell has created here another compelling fable of our lives and crimes.