Ruth Rendell: "And now, now it's all over."

I finished up Ruth Rendell's final novel, Dark Corners, in near darkness this morning as another major thunderstorm cell sat over me.  We lost power (for the third time in four days as the area continues to battle major flooding) about ten this morning, so I settled in near the window offering the most light to read the final 25 pages of the book.

I was pleased to see that the final sentence of the crime novel is this one: "And now, now it's all over."

That sentence fits the main character's final decision perfectly, but it also reminds readers that there will never be another new book from the brilliant Ruth Rendell...because now it really is all over for her and for her fans.

Of course, the sentence could have been added by a clever editor at the publishing house.  But if that is the case, I really don't want to know.  I would much prefer to believe that it's Ruth's way of capping her own career.  Call it serendipity or call it premonition, it really doesn't matter.  

I will miss Ruth Rendell.