“A JUDGMENT IN STONE “

“A judgment in stone” is a crime-fiction novel written by the well-known British writer Ruth Rendell in 1977.This novel is about an illiterate and psychotic woman called Eunice Parchman, who having killed her father, moved place and using false references achieved to be taken on as a housekeeper by the wealthy and well-educated Coverdale family. In her eagerness not to be discovered neither her illiterate condition nor her criminal record, she began to behave in more and more bizarre ways as time passed .Unfortunately, the youngest of the family, Melinda, discovered that the servant is illiterate, but Eunice had heard a conversation in which the girl told her boyfriend that she had an overdue. Eunice used that information to threat the girl in order not to reveal her secret. However, Melinda broke into tears and let her mother know all about it. Although Mrs. Coverdale asked Eunice to leave the house, Eunice stole Mr. Coverdale guns from his collections before leaving the house. Eventually, on the 14 th February night, on Valentine´s Day -while the four members of Coverdale family were watching a soap on tv -she shot them down in their living-room.
I strongly recommend this novel because its plot is so intriguing and full of suspense that makes the reader not to want to stop reading.Furthermore, the author recounts the events in such a vivid way that it is impossible not to feel caught by it.

MELMAN