The best selling Crime Novelist, Ruth Rendell has passed away at the age of 89 due to serious stroke. Rendell, who was born in Essex, had penned more than 60 novels in a writing career of 50 years. She still holds the credit for taking social and psychological crime fiction to the next level.  Her works were translated into more than 20 languages and often adapted for television.

Rendell had married a journalist named Don Rendell in 1953, from whom she divorced 22 years later but remarried within two years. She is survived by their son.

Tidbits

• Rendell’s best-known creation, Chief Inspector Wexford, was the hero of many popular police stories, some of them successfully adapted for TV. There are totally 24 series with Chief Inspector Wexford.
• Rendell has penned many standalone novels, which include The Killing Doll, Going Wrong, Thirteen Steps Down, A Demon in my View..etc
• Rendell’s pseudonym – Barbara Vine.
• She was conferred with many awards such as The Arts Council National Book Awards and The Sunday Times Literary Award..etc

What is a Pseudonym? 

A pseudonym is a name that someone––usually a writer––uses instead of their real name.

Some GK Questions

• What is the Pseudonym of Harry Porter Author JK Rowling? Robert Galbraith (Insurance AO Exam 2015)
• Who is the author of Game of Thrones? George R R Martin
• Who was the First recipient to win Jnanpith Award (India’s Highest Literary Award)?  G Shankara Kurup (Malayalam).