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Mystery writer Ruth Rendell is known both for her more traditional Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford mysteries and for dark psychological thrillers. Her new book, 13 Steps Down, falls into the latter category.

Rescue efforts continue in earthquake-damaged villages in the Himalayan foothills. Philip Reeves provides an eyewitness account of a helicopter relief-and-rescue mission -- to take food in and bring the injured out.

Officials in Pakistan now say as many as 40,000 may have been killed in Saturday's earthquake, and the toll could go higher. Neighboring India also saw an impact, with widespread damage and at least 2,000 killed. Relief from donor countries is beginning to trickle in, but more is needed.

While serving in Iraq, Army National Guardsman Jason Christopher Hartley kept a blog of his experiences — until his commanders forced him to shut it down. Now back from Iraq, Hartley has incorporated his blog into a new memoir.

Britain's top literary honor, the Man Booker Prize, has been awarded to Irish author John Banville's 14th novel, The Sea. He beat high-profile competition including Julian Barnes, Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith.

Relief assistance is only beginning to reach South Asian regions hardest hit by Saturday's 7.6-magnitude earthquake. While hundreds of millions of dollars in aid has been offered, impassable roads, rain and a shortage of helicopters have slowed relief deliveries to survivors.

Sergio Luzzatto, author of The Body of Il Duce: Mussolini's Corpse and the Fortunes of Italy, describes how Benito Mussolini's body has been beaten, buried, exhumed, stolen, hidden and turned into a shrine by his followers. He says the struggle over the remains reflects Italy's struggle to become a republic and leave fascism behind.

In a new book, Louis Freeh blames President Clinton for not aggressively going after those responsible for the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia and says Clinton should have resigned.

At least 20,000 people were killed by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake along the Pakistan-Indian border on Saturday. Pakistani Kashmir was hardest hit. Robert Siegel talks with NPR's Philip Reeves about the latest developments.

Large regions of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan cite widespread destruction after a deadly earthquake Saturday. Deaths are estimated in the tens of thousands. Rescue and relief crews are rushing to devastated areas.