Adam and Eve and Pinch Me

Reader's Guide

1. Adam and Eve and Pinch Me could be described as a classic whodunnit or a psychological thriller, whilst also having supernatural elements. How well do you think Rendell combines these different strands?

2. None of the characters in the book are very likeable, do you think this is a deliberate device to make the reader more sympathetic towards Minty, despite her being the murderer?

3. Rendell uses the Paddington train crash in an extremely interesting way in the novel. How effective is it to introduce real life events into works of fiction?

4. Ruth Rendell has been referred to as the queen of crime and her books are extremely popular. What do you think lies beneath the enduring appeal of the crime novel?

5. Jerry/Jock is a lying, amoral sponger who manages to keep conning women into falling for him. Why are the female characters such willing victims? Is Jerry irresistible or are the women incredibly gullible?

6. Various characters in the book have deep psychological problems -- Minty is an obsessive compulsive and Michelle and Matthew have severe eating disorders. Are damaged people more interesting to read about or is Rendell perhaps suggesting these kinds of problems are more prevalent than we like to admit?