One across, two down

Stanley Manning has two passions: crosswords and the sizeable fortune his wife Vera will receive once her mother dies. Beyond those, his days at 61 Lanchester Road have become miserable, because Mrs. Kinaway, his mother-in-law, has moved in and seems determined to destroy the marriage. Then one afternoon he puts down his puzzles, and the decision reshapes everyone's lives.

Ruth Rendell follows a man whose frayed mind and damaged name slowly turn him from a figure of ridicule into a murderer who jumps at his own shadow. The novel is a study of pressure, guilt and self-deception, told with the suspense and psychological detail Rendell is known for.

It suits readers who enjoy twisty, character-driven crime fiction and stories where the danger comes from inside a respectable home.