Simisola - Ruth Rendell (Chief Inspector Wexford #16)

I'm always on the look-out for a new mystery writer/series.  My grandmother-in-law recommended Ruth Rendell, and this book in particular.  I'm clearly not going in order here, as this is the 16th book in a series of about 22 featuring Inspector Wexford.  When Wexford's doctor's daughter goes missing, Wexford is fast on the case.  The "twist" is that his doctor happens to be one of the few black people in the British town of Kingsmarkham.  While looking for the missing woman, the bodies of two other women turn up murdered and Wexford is confronted with his own racism, as well as those of the witnesses he encounters.  I found the writing in this book fine - better than most mysteries that I read - but in terms of plot, it wasn't particularly suspenseful and I found some of the investigation a bit tedious.  I will read the other Rendell novel my grandmother-in-law loaned me (written under the name Barbara Vine) to see if there is any thing more that grabs me, but I probably won't rush out to read more in this series.