RENDELL, Ruth - Thirteen Steps Down - (Paperback) *

A very new looking book - No real faults that I can see. >>>   The major character in this book is Mix Cellini, a young man whose life is ruled by obsession, superstition and self-interest. He is intensely preoccupied by the life and literature of an early twentieth century serial murderer. This so dominates Mix's life, that he has read every available piece of literature and visited all of the crime scenes. He decided to take up residence in the only available property near where the murderer had lived. This is the decaying mansion of an elderly spinster, who had never restored any part of this house to its former glory. A further essential ingredient in this novel is his dogged attraction to a lovely young model who lives nearby. In his attempts to gain her favor, he builds implausible fantasies about their relationship and he stalks her.   For those who have read Rendell/ Vine, you know that the aforementioned is only the a sampling of an intensely inventive psychological accounting. In comparison to her recent, Portobello, which I enjoyed, this earlier work contained a higher degree of tension which continued until the final pages. I continue to be in awe of Rendell's imagination and skillful renditions in creating extraordinary, preposterous, yet strangely alluring characters!   (Goodreads)