The Best Man to Die

The stag party for a local groom in Kingsmarkham ends in the discovery that his close friend Charlie Hatton has been murdered, and what seems at first like an isolated crime begins to unravel into something more entangled, connecting small-time criminals, deceived spouses, and the respectable veneer of ordinary English life. Ruth Rendell's fourth Inspector Wexford novel established the template that made the series endure: sharp social observation paired with tightly constructed detective work.

Davina Porter has made the Rendell mysteries her own through long association, her voice carrying the class-conscious irony of Kingsmarkham's world with the authority of a native. Her delivery of Wexford suits the character's blend of professional skepticism and genuine moral seriousness, and she navigates the ensemble of minor suspects with fluid clarity. At just over seven hours, The Best Man to Die is one of the more economical entries in the series, efficiently plotted and satisfying.