Talking to strange men Book

I considered one star, but this is Ruth Rendell, one of my bygone favorite authors...whose books occupy book shelves in my homes. But then, were my actual favorites the Barbara Vine variety?
I don't think I own this one. This was a library loan in this case because I thought it would be fun to get the Rendell twist on Soviet spy craft just following after the Daniel Silva book I read.
No.
There are codes, English school boy spy games and many other oddities with a full cast of wacky and depressed characters and out of control situations that do not please and cannot be understood.

I was without my decoding ring and could not make out what this book was about.