Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Crocodile Bird by Ruth Rendell (12/81)

I loved this book! Liza and her mother Eve live on the isolated British estate Shrove House. Although Eve is more than slightly unbalanced, with an unnatural attachment to the estate, one senses that she loves her daughter.
Liza is not allowed to go to school to interact with other children, watch television, or develop any other relationships besides the one with her mother. After committing several murders over Liza's lifetime, Eve's luck has finally run out and she is wanted by the police for her crimes. Liza is now sixteen and runs away with the garden hand and also her boyfriend Sean.
In the manner of Scherazade, Liza recounts her life story to Sean and comes to realize she may be more like her mother than she thinks.
Great psychological thriller.

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