A Sleeping Life

A Sleeping Life is a crime-novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1978. It features her popular investigator Detective Inspector Wexford, and is the tenth novel in the series.

A Sleeping Life was a finalist for the 1979 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was one of two Inspector Wexford novels to have been shortlisted for either of the "big two" crime-fiction awards, the Edgar or the CWA Gold Dagger. An Unkindness of Ravens was also nominated in 1986.

Reception
In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews wrote, "When Rendell writes crime-from-the-criminal-point-of-view, she is gripping and creepy. When she writes straightforward detection starring homely, countryish Inspector Wexford, she is even better".