British mystery writer Ruth Rendell dead at 85

LONDON, May 3 (UPI) -- Renowned British mystery writer Ruth Rendell has died. She was 85.

Entertainment Weekly confirmed her death Saturday, but did not report the cause of it. Rendell had suffered a stroke in January.

The author has more than 70 books to her credit, but is best known for penning the 24 installments in her Inspector Wexford series, starting with From Doon with Death in 1964. She also wrote 14 psychological thrillers -- such as Live Flesh, Talking to Strange Men, The Killing Doll and Pinch Me -- under the pen name Barbara Vine.