Drama•Mystery

The Best Episodes of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

Every episode of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries!

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The Ruth Rendell mysteries is a British television series made by TVS and Meridian Television for ITV between 2 August 1987 and 11 October 2000.

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Seasons12

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 8 Episode 5 - The Strawberry Tree: Part Two
    8.3/10(12 votes)

    #1 - The Strawberry Tree: Part Two

    S8:E5

    Continuing the drama about a wealthy widow who still grieves the loss of her brother.Petra is lonely. Will's constant attention is no consolation for the loss of her brother Piers. Then she receives a visit from two strangers claiming to be Piers and cousin Rosario, and her past begins to catch up with her.

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 2 Episode 4 - Shake Hands Forever: Part One
    8.1/10(71 votes)

    #2 - Shake Hands Forever: Part One

    S2:E4

    Angela Hathall is murdered, but Wexford can find no motive and no suspect. Maybe she picked up a stranger who killed her?The line Wexford follows alienates not just his colleagues, including Mike Burden, but his wife, too.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Clive Exton

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  3. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 5 Episode 10 - Means of Evil: Part Two
    8.1/10(29 votes)

    #3 - Means of Evil: Part Two

    S5:E10

    No description available

    Director:Sandy Johnson
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 6 Episode 7 - An Unwanted Woman: Part Two
    8.0/10(33 votes)

    #4 - An Unwanted Woman: Part Two

    S6:E7

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

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  5. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 2 Episode 6 - Shake Hands Forever: Part Three
    7.9/10(37 votes)

    #5 - Shake Hands Forever: Part Three

    S2:E6

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Clive Exton

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  6. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 5 Episode 4 - Murder Being Once Done: Part One
    7.9/10(52 votes)

    #6 - Murder Being Once Done: Part One

    S5:E4

    Wexford is staying in London with his nephew Howard, a police superintendent, convalescing from over-work and under doctor's orders to drink only water. He is supposed to be resting, but he is bored, and his nephew is dealing with a fascinating murder case. The body of a young woman, Loveday Morgan, was found in Kenbourne Vale Cemetery, strangled with a silk scarf, and the only things in her handbag were a photograph and two telephone numbers. It appears that she had no money and was living under a false name. Wexford, keen to get out and about, is drawn to the case. His unofficial investigation uncovers a story of adoption and parental love.

    Director:John Gorrie
    Writer:Matthew Jacobs

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

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  7. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 6 Episode 6 - An Unwanted Woman: Part One
    7.9/10(33 votes)

    #7 - An Unwanted Woman: Part One

    S6:E6

    Wexford investigates the killing of an elderly woman. Harry and Doreen Betts of Kingsmarkham are suspected of murdering their mother. But did they do it, or have they been framed?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

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  8. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 2 Episode 1 - A Guilty Thing Surprised: Part One
    7.8/10(74 votes)

    #8 - A Guilty Thing Surprised: Part One

    S2:E1

    Wexford finds he is dealing with a very nasty case when nature-loving Elizabeth Nightingale is murdered on one of her nightly walks through the woods around Myfleet Manor.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Clive Exton

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  9. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 3 Episode 2 - No More Dying Then: Part Two
    7.8/10(33 votes)

    #9 - No More Dying Then: Part Two

    S3:E2

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 3 Episode 3 - No More Dying Then: Part Three
    7.8/10(30 votes)

    #10 - No More Dying Then: Part Three

    S3:E3

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 5 Episode 9 - Means of Evil: Part One
    7.8/10(67 votes)

    #11 - Means of Evil: Part One

    S5:E9

    Inspector Wexford is confronted with a murder in a vegetarian family and wonders how many kinds of mushrooms there are.

    Director:Sandy Johnson
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 6 Episode 10 - Kissing the Gunner's Daughter: Part Three
    7.8/10(18 votes)

    #12 - Kissing the Gunner's Daughter: Part Three

    S6:E10

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Matthew Jacobs

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  13. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 2 Episode 3 - A Guilty Thing Surprised: Part Three
    7.7/10(42 votes)

    #13 - A Guilty Thing Surprised: Part Three

    S2:E3

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Clive Exton

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  14. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 2 Episode 5 - Shake Hands Forever: Part Two
    7.7/10(37 votes)

    #14 - Shake Hands Forever: Part Two

    S2:E5

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Clive Exton

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  15. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 3 Episode 5 - A Sleeping Life: Part Two
    7.7/10(31 votes)

    #15 - A Sleeping Life: Part Two

    S3:E5

    No description available

    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 3 Episode 6 - A Sleeping Life: Part Three
    7.7/10(30 votes)

    #16 - A Sleeping Life: Part Three

    S3:E6

    No description available

    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 4 Episode 5 - The Best Man to Die: Part Two
    7.7/10(28 votes)

    #17 - The Best Man to Die: Part Two

    S4:E5

    No description available

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 4 Episode 6 - The Best Man to Die: Part Three
    7.7/10(29 votes)

    #18 - The Best Man to Die: Part Three

    S4:E6

    No description available

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 4 Episode 7 - An Unkindness of Ravens: Part One
    7.7/10(41 votes)

    #19 - An Unkindness of Ravens: Part One

    S4:E7

    Rodney Williams disappears and then his body found in the woods. Wexford investigates and finds more than one mystery.

    Director:John Gorrie
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 5 Episode 3 - A New Lease of Death: Part Three
    7.7/10(32 votes)

    #20 - A New Lease of Death: Part Three

    S5:E3

    No description available

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 6 Episode 2 - The Speaker of Mandarin: Part Two
    7.7/10(21 votes)

    #21 - The Speaker of Mandarin: Part Two

    S6:E2

    No description available

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 6 Episode 3 - The Speaker of Mandarin: Part Three
    7.7/10(20 votes)

    #22 - The Speaker of Mandarin: Part Three

    S6:E3

    No description available

    Director:Herbert Wise
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 9 Episode 5 - The Secret House of Death: Part One
    7.7/10(66 votes)

    #23 - The Secret House of Death: Part One

    S9:E5

    Susan Townsend is a young woman who goes to see her reclusive next-door neighbour and finds him hacked to death. When another body is found on the neighbour's property, Susan gets mixed up in a tale of mayhem and murder, with the killer adding her to his list of future victims.

    Director:Jim Goddard
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 10 Episode 5 - May and June: Part One
    7.7/10(60 votes)

    #24 - May and June: Part One

    S10:E5

    May Thrace and June Symonds are sisters, but their lives are very different. While June lives in the lap of luxury, May is struggling. And May becomes convinced that she has been done a great injustice.

    Director:James Cellan Jones
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Season 4 Episode 9 - Put on by Cunning
    7.6/10(72 votes)

    #25 - Put on by Cunning

    S4:E9

    When a world-famous flautist is murdered Wexford wonders if his recently returned daughter had anything to do with it. He becomes obsessed with proving that she is an imposter, even getting permission to travel as far afield as the USA and France to do so.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Strawberry Tree: Part Two" is the best rated episode of "The Ruth Rendell Mysteries". It scored 8.3/10 based on 12 votes. Directed by Herbert Wise and written by Unknown, it aired on 4/28/1995. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Shake Hands Forever: Part One".