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Lizzie Martin #5
The Testimony of the Hanged Man
A hanged man would say anything to save his life. But what if his testimony is true? When Inspector Ben Ross is called to Newgate Prison by a man condemned to die by the hangman's noose he isn't expecting to give any credence to the man's testimony. But the account of a murder he witnessed over seventeen years ago is so utterly believable that Ben can't help wondering if what he's heard is true. It's too late to save the man's life, but it's not too late to investigate a murder that has gone undetected for all these years, though convincing his superiors to allow him to investigate 'a cold case' proves difficult.
However, Lizzie is determined that she will look into it and what she discovers persuades Scotland Yard to take the matter seriously.
But Lizzie, in making her enquiries, has entered dangerous territory.
However, Lizzie is determined that she will look into it and what she discovers persuades Scotland Yard to take the matter seriously.
But Lizzie, in making her enquiries, has entered dangerous territory.
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
41 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
Ann Granger
77 books303 followersAnn Granger attended the Northern Grammar School for Girls, and had thoughts about becoming a veterinarian, but discovered women were not accepted into vet schools because they were not believed to be strong enough. Instead she earned a Modern Languages degree at the University of London, where she first developed a desire to become a writer. worked in British embassies in various parts of the world. She met her husband, who was also working for the British Embassy, in Prague and together they received postings to places as far apart as Munich and Lusaka. They had two children.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 8, 2023
4.5 stars
Book 5 "The Testimony of the Hanged Man" is an excellent addition to the Ben & Lizzie Ross historical cosy detective series.
The characters are good, the "hanged man" as a plot starter is a great idea, the story focuses almost 100% on the police investigations (no private life drivel) and we are treated to a tour of historic Putney and the banks of the Thames River at Putney Bridge. (What London fan wouldn’t like that?😍 )
While there may be a few minor hiccups in plot and some predictability in this one, all of it is well within bounds for historic cosy mysteries and didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the novel in the least.
Another winner from Ann Granger!
Book 5 "The Testimony of the Hanged Man" is an excellent addition to the Ben & Lizzie Ross historical cosy detective series.
The characters are good, the "hanged man" as a plot starter is a great idea, the story focuses almost 100% on the police investigations (no private life drivel) and we are treated to a tour of historic Putney and the banks of the Thames River at Putney Bridge. (What London fan wouldn’t like that?😍 )
While there may be a few minor hiccups in plot and some predictability in this one, all of it is well within bounds for historic cosy mysteries and didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the novel in the least.
Another winner from Ann Granger!
January 13, 2021
The Testimony of the Hanged Man is the fifth volume in a series of historical crime stories in which Inspector Benjamin Ross investigates and solves criminal cases with the active support of his wife Lizzie.
The present story takes place in the year 1868. On the eve of his execution, a murderer sentenced to death tells Inspector Ross about a murder he had observed 16 years earlier. Ross is now doing everything possible to investigate and clear up this old case. Of course, his wife Lizzie and the maid Bessie are at his side as capable informal collaborators.
As a second case, Ben Ross still has to deal with the case of a missing wife and daughter.
The first half of the book reads pleasantly, but also a bit slowly, but from the middle of the book real tension builds up.
The strength of the book lies less in the criminal cases and the descriptions of the investigations (although there is nothing to complain about here), but in the description of society in the 19th century. Our suspects here belong to the better society, that is to say the rather upper middle class, while police officers are seen more like a kind of servants and treated accordingly. Reading the handling of the police in this way takes some getting used to.
The other focus of this story is on the rights and duties of wives. During these passages I sometimes had to put the book down because I felt hot anger about what women had to put up with without being able to defend themselves.
Overall, I had a really enjoyable reading experience with this novel and rate it with 3.5 stars, which I round up to 4.
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Die Beichte des Gehenkten ist der fünfte Band einer Reihe historischer Krimis, in der Inspektor Benjamin Ross mit tatkräftiger Unterstützung seiner Frau Lizzie Kriminalfälle untersucht und löst.
Die vorliegende Geschichte spielt im Jahr 1868. Ein zum Tode verurteilter Mörder berichtet Inspector Ross am Vorabend seiner Hinrichtung von einem Mord, den er 16 Jahre zuvor beobachtet hat. Ross unternimmt nun alles, diesen alten Fall untersuchen zu dürfen und aufzuklären. Selbstverständlich stehen ihm seine Frau Lizzie und das Dienstmädchen Bessie als fähige inoffizielle Mitarbeiter zur Seite.
Als zweiten Fall muss Ben Ross sich noch um den Fall einer verschwundenen Ehefrau samt Tochter kümmern.
Die erste Hälfte des Buches liest sich sehr angenehm, aber auch geruhsam, aber ab der Mitte baut sich echte Spannung auf.
Die Stärke des Buche liegt aber weniger in den Kriminalfällen und der Beschreibungen der Ermittlungen (obwohl es an dieser Stelle nichts zu meckern gibt), sondern in der Beschreibung der Gesellschaft im 19. Jahrhundert. Unsere Verdächtigen hier gehören der besseren Gesellschaft, also dem eher gehobenen Bürgertum an, während Polizeibeamte eher wie so eine Art Dienstboten betrachtet und entsprechend behandelt werden. Den Umgang mit der Polizei so beschrieben zu lesen ist schon recht gewöhnungsbedürftig.
Der andere Fokus dieser Geschichte liegt auf Rechten und Pflichten von Ehefrauen. Bei diesen Passagen musste ich das Buch schon mal weglegen, weil in mir die heiße Wut hochstieg, was sich Frauen alles bieten lassen mussten ohne Möglichkeit sich zur Wehr zu setzen.
Insgesamt hatte ich mit diesem Roman ein wirklich erfreuliches Leseerlebnis und bewerte mit 3,5 Sternen, die ich auf 4 aufrunde.
The present story takes place in the year 1868. On the eve of his execution, a murderer sentenced to death tells Inspector Ross about a murder he had observed 16 years earlier. Ross is now doing everything possible to investigate and clear up this old case. Of course, his wife Lizzie and the maid Bessie are at his side as capable informal collaborators.
As a second case, Ben Ross still has to deal with the case of a missing wife and daughter.
The first half of the book reads pleasantly, but also a bit slowly, but from the middle of the book real tension builds up.
The strength of the book lies less in the criminal cases and the descriptions of the investigations (although there is nothing to complain about here), but in the description of society in the 19th century. Our suspects here belong to the better society, that is to say the rather upper middle class, while police officers are seen more like a kind of servants and treated accordingly. Reading the handling of the police in this way takes some getting used to.
The other focus of this story is on the rights and duties of wives. During these passages I sometimes had to put the book down because I felt hot anger about what women had to put up with without being able to defend themselves.
Overall, I had a really enjoyable reading experience with this novel and rate it with 3.5 stars, which I round up to 4.
----------------------------------------
Die Beichte des Gehenkten ist der fünfte Band einer Reihe historischer Krimis, in der Inspektor Benjamin Ross mit tatkräftiger Unterstützung seiner Frau Lizzie Kriminalfälle untersucht und löst.
Die vorliegende Geschichte spielt im Jahr 1868. Ein zum Tode verurteilter Mörder berichtet Inspector Ross am Vorabend seiner Hinrichtung von einem Mord, den er 16 Jahre zuvor beobachtet hat. Ross unternimmt nun alles, diesen alten Fall untersuchen zu dürfen und aufzuklären. Selbstverständlich stehen ihm seine Frau Lizzie und das Dienstmädchen Bessie als fähige inoffizielle Mitarbeiter zur Seite.
Als zweiten Fall muss Ben Ross sich noch um den Fall einer verschwundenen Ehefrau samt Tochter kümmern.
Die erste Hälfte des Buches liest sich sehr angenehm, aber auch geruhsam, aber ab der Mitte baut sich echte Spannung auf.
Die Stärke des Buche liegt aber weniger in den Kriminalfällen und der Beschreibungen der Ermittlungen (obwohl es an dieser Stelle nichts zu meckern gibt), sondern in der Beschreibung der Gesellschaft im 19. Jahrhundert. Unsere Verdächtigen hier gehören der besseren Gesellschaft, also dem eher gehobenen Bürgertum an, während Polizeibeamte eher wie so eine Art Dienstboten betrachtet und entsprechend behandelt werden. Den Umgang mit der Polizei so beschrieben zu lesen ist schon recht gewöhnungsbedürftig.
Der andere Fokus dieser Geschichte liegt auf Rechten und Pflichten von Ehefrauen. Bei diesen Passagen musste ich das Buch schon mal weglegen, weil in mir die heiße Wut hochstieg, was sich Frauen alles bieten lassen mussten ohne Möglichkeit sich zur Wehr zu setzen.
Insgesamt hatte ich mit diesem Roman ein wirklich erfreuliches Leseerlebnis und bewerte mit 3,5 Sternen, die ich auf 4 aufrunde.
September 17, 2019
I really couldn't put this down. It was pure plot, nothing was wasted on froth, foam or touches. Only what served the narrative was included but that didn't mean it was bare or simple or sparse. It was very crisp, and for a Victorian Crime Tale is was quite an exercise believe me. And what an amazing job AG pulled off. I will definately be on the look out for more by AG.
Toast
Toast
March 6, 2015
See the locations in the book here
A historical puzzle set at the heart of 19th century London taking in Newgate Prison, Putney and the dark side of the capital.
A short and rocky carriage ride through the London streets from Putney Green to St Johns Wood taking in Scotland YArd…
And the premise drew me in straight away – would a condemned man tell the truth and what really happened.What did he really see? Nothing is as it seems and it was fun for the events to be explained from other angles.
The story itself was a mix of serious and humourous which struck the right chords. Issues such as the struggle of women who wanted more out of life that just marriage was interesting and added to the story. But it was the murder 16 years ago and its unravelling that was the best and main part for me. I was taken to Putney on that horse and I could visualise everything that was said - acrid smells and the foggy damp Putney green as well.
This is the fifth in a series and I think I might take a wander to check out the others. With the account of the crime coming at the beginning, it took me on a journey of 19th century London that for its short length had several strands within!
August 21, 2016
L'article qui parlait de ce livre disait qu'il y avait comme un goût d'Agatha Chistie, et c'est vrai que j'ai eu l'impression de vivre une enquête policière avec Catherine Frot et André Dussollier dans "Mon petit doigt m'a dit" (même si je n'ai pas aimé ce film..). Ben incarne la droiture et le professionnalisme tandis que Lizzie apporte à l'enquête plus de légèreté et peut se permettre d'aller sur des terrains où ne peut pas aller son mari car elle n'est pas "officielle" dans l'enquête.
Par contre, par rapport à un Agatha Christie où les énigmes sont trop alambiquées, ici l'intrigue est simple...et efficace!
J'ai passé un bon moment dans cette Angleterre bourgeoise victorienne (tiens, le précédent livre que j'ai lu " Sépulcre" se passait également dans la seconde moitié du XIXè siècle, je dois bien aimer cette époque...) avec ses craintes du qu'en-dira-t-on et ses secrets bien cachés.
A noter que ce livre fait partie d'une série qui compte 5 tomes actuellement. Les histoires sont indépendantes mais on peut suivre en toile de fond la rencontre et la vie de couple de Ben et Lizzy. Je vais très certainement m'atteler à lire les 4 premiers !
Par contre, par rapport à un Agatha Christie où les énigmes sont trop alambiquées, ici l'intrigue est simple...et efficace!
J'ai passé un bon moment dans cette Angleterre bourgeoise victorienne (tiens, le précédent livre que j'ai lu " Sépulcre" se passait également dans la seconde moitié du XIXè siècle, je dois bien aimer cette époque...) avec ses craintes du qu'en-dira-t-on et ses secrets bien cachés.
A noter que ce livre fait partie d'une série qui compte 5 tomes actuellement. Les histoires sont indépendantes mais on peut suivre en toile de fond la rencontre et la vie de couple de Ben et Lizzy. Je vais très certainement m'atteler à lire les 4 premiers !
April 20, 2019
I know we're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but this book is basically exactly what you see on the cover. It's a cozy cutesy mystery without much menace or page turning tension, but plenty of afternoon tea, ladies' maids and cab rides.
It's actually the fifth book in the series, which I didn't know when I picked it up, but it didn't really matter. It's a stand alone tale, with some reference to stuff that's gone on before, but not enough to be off putting or disorientating.
The historical flavour is fairly well woven in to the story - though at times it did feel a little like the characters said stuff or pointed things out purely as a means of shoehorning in some interesting titbit. The story does attempt to comment on women's rights, and succeeds in illustrating how difficult life was for women back then - plot and sub plot revolve around women and their responses to difficult situations - but it wasn't really a hard hitting enough story to really drive home some of those ideas. It was a bit like 'oh, life was terrible for women, now have some more tea and scones.'
Which did make me feel the book was straddling a line between two things it was trying to be, and therefore not succeeding brilliantly at either. Adding in the women's rights stuff tried to take it out of the cozy domain, while not quite taking it far enough to become something else. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it - I did, it was an entertaining read, and good enough to pass a windy, cold February evening. It just felt a little jarring at times.
So, a good book, but a little odd. If you're a big fan of the cozy, or looking for a fairly pleasant, easy going distraction, give it a read.
It's actually the fifth book in the series, which I didn't know when I picked it up, but it didn't really matter. It's a stand alone tale, with some reference to stuff that's gone on before, but not enough to be off putting or disorientating.
The historical flavour is fairly well woven in to the story - though at times it did feel a little like the characters said stuff or pointed things out purely as a means of shoehorning in some interesting titbit. The story does attempt to comment on women's rights, and succeeds in illustrating how difficult life was for women back then - plot and sub plot revolve around women and their responses to difficult situations - but it wasn't really a hard hitting enough story to really drive home some of those ideas. It was a bit like 'oh, life was terrible for women, now have some more tea and scones.'
Which did make me feel the book was straddling a line between two things it was trying to be, and therefore not succeeding brilliantly at either. Adding in the women's rights stuff tried to take it out of the cozy domain, while not quite taking it far enough to become something else. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it - I did, it was an entertaining read, and good enough to pass a windy, cold February evening. It just felt a little jarring at times.
So, a good book, but a little odd. If you're a big fan of the cozy, or looking for a fairly pleasant, easy going distraction, give it a read.
February 20, 2024
Really enjoying this series!
July 24, 2024
Excellent book. Great plot, well written, and kept me reading and guessing.
July 7, 2015
This is the fifth book in the Inspector Ben Ross mysteries. Like the previous novels, it’s a light, easy read with a pleasant narrative style that alternates between the point of view of the detective and that of his mystery-loving wife. Set in the Victorian era, the cast of characters is similar to that of the Anne Perry Inspector Pitt mysteries, but the atmosphere is vastly different. Perry’s books are much darker in tone, and although Granger does address some of the social problems of the age, her approach is lighter, touching on the issues but never dwelling on them.
Although I enjoyed reading the novel, I was disappointed in the actual mystery and how it developed. The opening was incredibly gripping: a prisoner is spending his last evening on earth telling the detective about a murder that he had witnessed sixteen years before. I found the first chapter extremely intriguing and I expected a protracted quest to resolve whether or not the tale told by the condemned man was true. Yet not only was his story confirmed very quickly, the second murder that happened as a result of Ross’s investigations was predictable and the solution of it transparent.
A secondary story about a woman who, with her young daughter, fled a controlling husband, was also unsatisfactory in outcome, and simply evolved into a statement about the limited rights of women at that time. Somehow, I expected more progression, so the ending of the book seemed very flat to me. However, in spite of those disappointments, I still enjoyed the book, simply because Granger’s likeable cast of regular characters make for very good company when in the mood for some agreeable light reading.
Although I enjoyed reading the novel, I was disappointed in the actual mystery and how it developed. The opening was incredibly gripping: a prisoner is spending his last evening on earth telling the detective about a murder that he had witnessed sixteen years before. I found the first chapter extremely intriguing and I expected a protracted quest to resolve whether or not the tale told by the condemned man was true. Yet not only was his story confirmed very quickly, the second murder that happened as a result of Ross’s investigations was predictable and the solution of it transparent.
A secondary story about a woman who, with her young daughter, fled a controlling husband, was also unsatisfactory in outcome, and simply evolved into a statement about the limited rights of women at that time. Somehow, I expected more progression, so the ending of the book seemed very flat to me. However, in spite of those disappointments, I still enjoyed the book, simply because Granger’s likeable cast of regular characters make for very good company when in the mood for some agreeable light reading.
October 23, 2019
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Le Témoignage du Pendu ?
"C'est une série qui m'a essentiellement séduite jusqu'ici par son cadre, son époque et ses couvertures sublimes, ce qui est déjà pas mal mais ne suffit pas forcément à vous tenir en haleine très longtemps. Mais comme j'essaie de venir à bout de mes séries en cours, je me suis finalement décidée à me lancer dans ce cinquième tome."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Le dernier meurtrier que Ben a arrêté est sur le point d'être pendu lorsqu'il demande à lui parler. Il n'essaie pas de plaider sa cause, comme le policier le redoutait, mais avant de mourir, il souhaite confesser avoir assisté à un meurtre seize ans plus tôt. Mais alors que Ben voudrait enquêter, les indices sont bien minces et le principal témoin, n'est déjà plus de ce monde..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Je n'avais pas des attentes très élevées quant à cette histoire, je dois bien l'avouer. Les deux premiers tomes étaient sympathiques, sans plus, j'avais trouvé Ben insignifiant dans le troisième et la résolution de l'enquête décevante dans le quatrième. Sans parler du fait que l'on a dépassé depuis longtemps le seuil de l'inspiration ou de l'hommage à Anne Perry. Pourtant, cette fois, tout s'équilibre enfin. C'est le premier tome, je crois, où je n'ai aucune critique majeure à émettre sur les personnages ou sur l'intrigue. J'ai tourné les pages sans me faire prier, j'ai trouvé l'histoire plutôt originale et j'ai aimé suivre deux enquêtes différentes, ce qui permet de ne pas s'ennuyer. Il y a un peu trop de coïncidences à mon goût et l'énigme n'est pas bien compliquée à résoudre mais c'était une lecture sympathique."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"La fin, même si elle colle aux réalités de l'époque, est un peu dure à digérer, pour au moins l'une des deux enquêtes. J'espérais un peu plus que ça sûrement après un récit plutôt bien réussi. Mais je referme malgré tout ce roman avec une bonne impression générale de ma lecture et j'ai cette fois bien envie de lire la suite."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"C'est une série qui m'a essentiellement séduite jusqu'ici par son cadre, son époque et ses couvertures sublimes, ce qui est déjà pas mal mais ne suffit pas forcément à vous tenir en haleine très longtemps. Mais comme j'essaie de venir à bout de mes séries en cours, je me suis finalement décidée à me lancer dans ce cinquième tome."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Le dernier meurtrier que Ben a arrêté est sur le point d'être pendu lorsqu'il demande à lui parler. Il n'essaie pas de plaider sa cause, comme le policier le redoutait, mais avant de mourir, il souhaite confesser avoir assisté à un meurtre seize ans plus tôt. Mais alors que Ben voudrait enquêter, les indices sont bien minces et le principal témoin, n'est déjà plus de ce monde..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Je n'avais pas des attentes très élevées quant à cette histoire, je dois bien l'avouer. Les deux premiers tomes étaient sympathiques, sans plus, j'avais trouvé Ben insignifiant dans le troisième et la résolution de l'enquête décevante dans le quatrième. Sans parler du fait que l'on a dépassé depuis longtemps le seuil de l'inspiration ou de l'hommage à Anne Perry. Pourtant, cette fois, tout s'équilibre enfin. C'est le premier tome, je crois, où je n'ai aucune critique majeure à émettre sur les personnages ou sur l'intrigue. J'ai tourné les pages sans me faire prier, j'ai trouvé l'histoire plutôt originale et j'ai aimé suivre deux enquêtes différentes, ce qui permet de ne pas s'ennuyer. Il y a un peu trop de coïncidences à mon goût et l'énigme n'est pas bien compliquée à résoudre mais c'était une lecture sympathique."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"La fin, même si elle colle aux réalités de l'époque, est un peu dure à digérer, pour au moins l'une des deux enquêtes. J'espérais un peu plus que ça sûrement après un récit plutôt bien réussi. Mais je referme malgré tout ce roman avec une bonne impression générale de ma lecture et j'ai cette fois bien envie de lire la suite."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
June 11, 2022
In books like these with two mysteries being investigated concurrently, you wonder what sly trick the author is going to pull to make the solution of one dependent upon the solution of the other. Ann Granger has gone for a less artificial approach. It's the theme that connects the Cannings and the Lamonts: two families where a man has married a woman for money, expected her to submit, and ultimately, found his life upset by his manipulation and tyranny.
Fortunately, Inspector Ben Ross and his wife Lizzie Martin are a marriage of true minds. I can see why the detecting is more and more and more in Ben's hands, to the point that what started out as the Lizzie Martin mystery series later gets billed as Inspector Ben Ross mysteries. He is on the police force, after all. It's his business to investigate. The author has to come up with reasons he cannot officially appear so that Lizzie--at first, independently, but now with the tacit approval of Ben's superior officer, Superintendent Dunn--can play an indispensable role. And their domestic life, with the young servant Bessie and the constable who has a crush on her--is a breath of fresh air after the stultifying atmosphere in the homes of the criminals.
I do note the Dickensian disdain for philanthropists in this book. Mrs. Lamont's uncle is generous but narrow-minded and controlling. Mrs. Canning's aunt is religious but overly concerned with how things will look to polite society. I wonder what Anand Giridharadas would say about them?
Fortunately, Inspector Ben Ross and his wife Lizzie Martin are a marriage of true minds. I can see why the detecting is more and more and more in Ben's hands, to the point that what started out as the Lizzie Martin mystery series later gets billed as Inspector Ben Ross mysteries. He is on the police force, after all. It's his business to investigate. The author has to come up with reasons he cannot officially appear so that Lizzie--at first, independently, but now with the tacit approval of Ben's superior officer, Superintendent Dunn--can play an indispensable role. And their domestic life, with the young servant Bessie and the constable who has a crush on her--is a breath of fresh air after the stultifying atmosphere in the homes of the criminals.
I do note the Dickensian disdain for philanthropists in this book. Mrs. Lamont's uncle is generous but narrow-minded and controlling. Mrs. Canning's aunt is religious but overly concerned with how things will look to polite society. I wonder what Anand Giridharadas would say about them?
August 3, 2025
Borrowed from the library.
I picked this book up because of the title. I was searching for not-too-thick books because I belatedly decided to join the summer reading challenge, at least a month into the scheme. In the end, I read it in less than a day while getting over an unexpected confinement to home.
I know nothing about the author and would describe this novel as “cosy crime”. You can add “historical”. It is set in the Victorian era, and the two main characters are a Scotland Yard police inspector and his wife. Reading the clues, this is probably not the first book of a series in this setting and with the same cast.
There are two main cases the inspector must investigate: a murder (or was it?) and the disappearance of a respectable, middle class, married woman and her three-year-old daughter. Despite there being several deaths, and one particularly grisly scene pertaining to the hanged man, there is no overwhelming peril to detract from the “cosy” part of “cosy crime fiction”.
I picked this book up because of the title. I was searching for not-too-thick books because I belatedly decided to join the summer reading challenge, at least a month into the scheme. In the end, I read it in less than a day while getting over an unexpected confinement to home.
I know nothing about the author and would describe this novel as “cosy crime”. You can add “historical”. It is set in the Victorian era, and the two main characters are a Scotland Yard police inspector and his wife. Reading the clues, this is probably not the first book of a series in this setting and with the same cast.
There are two main cases the inspector must investigate: a murder (or was it?) and the disappearance of a respectable, middle class, married woman and her three-year-old daughter. Despite there being several deaths, and one particularly grisly scene pertaining to the hanged man, there is no overwhelming peril to detract from the “cosy” part of “cosy crime fiction”.
August 11, 2017
Having finally landed with some free time I made a visit to my new library to get my head back into some books! This was the first I picked up and it proved to be a fantastic story to ease me back into the world of novels that I love so very much.
It's a good story, and an easy read. It being the fifth Inspector Ben Ross story (something I didn't realise until I finished it, my bad) there is little time spent hanging about introducing characters or settings at much length. This only means that the story kicks off quickly and you're all at once dropped into the middle of the drama.
That being said, for a mystery surrounding multiple murders an an execution, there is little in the way of tension and the story was all but predictable from the outset.
All things considered I enjoyed the story and am pleased I had a good page turner to start my literary journey once again. On to the next one.
It's a good story, and an easy read. It being the fifth Inspector Ben Ross story (something I didn't realise until I finished it, my bad) there is little time spent hanging about introducing characters or settings at much length. This only means that the story kicks off quickly and you're all at once dropped into the middle of the drama.
That being said, for a mystery surrounding multiple murders an an execution, there is little in the way of tension and the story was all but predictable from the outset.
All things considered I enjoyed the story and am pleased I had a good page turner to start my literary journey once again. On to the next one.
January 12, 2022
Fun read
A hanged man would say anything to save his life. But what if his testimony is true? When Inspector Ben Ross is called to Newgate Prison by a man condemned to die by the hangman's noose he isn't expecting to give any credence to the man's testimony. But the account of a murder he witnessed over seventeen years ago is so utterly believable that Ben can't help wondering if what he's heard is true. It's too late to save the man's life, but it's not too late to investigate a murder that has gone undetected for all these years, though convincing his superiors to allow him to investigate 'a cold case' proves difficult.
However, Lizzie is determined that she will look into it and what she discovers persuades Scotland Yard to take the matter seriously.
But Lizzie, in making her enquiries, has entered dangerous territory.
A hanged man would say anything to save his life. But what if his testimony is true? When Inspector Ben Ross is called to Newgate Prison by a man condemned to die by the hangman's noose he isn't expecting to give any credence to the man's testimony. But the account of a murder he witnessed over seventeen years ago is so utterly believable that Ben can't help wondering if what he's heard is true. It's too late to save the man's life, but it's not too late to investigate a murder that has gone undetected for all these years, though convincing his superiors to allow him to investigate 'a cold case' proves difficult.
However, Lizzie is determined that she will look into it and what she discovers persuades Scotland Yard to take the matter seriously.
But Lizzie, in making her enquiries, has entered dangerous territory.
May 12, 2022
Book 5 in the series. Scotland Yard detective Ben Ross is called to Newgate Prison by a condemned man on the eve of his hanging. The prisoner clears his conscience before his death by recounting a murder he witnessed over a decade earlier. When Ben's wife Lizzie and their maid Bessie visit the village where the purported crime occurred, the story appears to bear fruit. Soon Ben, Lizzie, Bessie and other returning secondary characters --Sergeant Morris, Superintendent Dunn, cab driver Wally Slater, former street urchin Joey -- are investigating. Interestingly, this story also features a secondary mystery involving a missing woman and her child which highlights the lack of rights women were accorded in marriage during the Victorian era. This continues to be a fun and satisfying Victorina mystery series.
May 21, 2024
This is the fifth in the entertaining series of Victorian crime fiction set in London in the 1860's. This time Inspector Ben Ross is called to Newgate prison to hear the confession of a man facing the gallows the next morning. But it is not his own crime he wishes to confess to but rather the crime of murder he witnessed sixteen years previously. Inspector Ross believes the mans testimony but finds it difficult to convince his superiors that this is a crime that needs to be investigated. However with the help of his wife Lizzie he does investigate it whilst at the same time being involved in a missing woman and child.
As always the atmosphere of these stories is spot on. Its not a huge mystery really - as in this case we knew, thanks to the 'hanged mans' testimony, who the perpetrator is, but it is none-the-less an enjoyable, well paced read.
As always the atmosphere of these stories is spot on. Its not a huge mystery really - as in this case we knew, thanks to the 'hanged mans' testimony, who the perpetrator is, but it is none-the-less an enjoyable, well paced read.
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June 25, 2021J'ai vraiment adoré les premiers tomes des aventures de Lizzie Martin, avec une préférence particulière pour le précédent, "Un flair infaillible pour le crime". Celui-ci, par contre, m'a laissée un peu sur ma faim, car Lizzie est peu présente, fait un peu potiche et, même si l'intrigue est intéressante et bien menée, elle manque de peps à cause de cette absence (qui induit celle de Bessie, l'indomptable bonne du couple Lizzie-Ben). J'espère donc que les tomes suivants seront mieux équilibrés de ce point de vue, c'est vraiment ce qui fait l'intérêt de la série, de mon point de vue.
https://lauryn-books.blogspot.com/202...
https://lauryn-books.blogspot.com/202...
July 16, 2025
There are 2 cases that occupy Ross. One is the confession of a man destined to hang the following day, who witnessed an apparent murder 16 years ago; and the next one is a runaway wife. The first one was dismissed by his bosses until Lizzie, Bessie and Wally Slater (the cabman) went to Putney Heath to investigate; nevertheless, Ross was taken off the case; hence the reason why Lizzie had to search for answers. As for the absconding wife, the husband turned~out to be a jealous controlling selfish man and parsimonious into the bargain despite his wealth; keeping his wife a virtual prisoner.
June 10, 2020
Bref, c'est toujours un plaisir de lire un roman d'Ann Granger. Même si j'ai résolu plus facilement que prévu les enquêtes, je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seule seconde aux côtés de Ben et Lizzie. Ce sont des protagonistes très attachants et entourés de personnages secondaires tout aussi distrayants. L'auteur nous décrit à merveille les paysages et l'architecture du 19ème siècle ainsi que le rôle des femmes et des hommes à l'époque. Le mélange faits historiques et enquêtes "imaginaires" fonctionnent toujours très bien !
May 6, 2024
This is the best of the series so far, in my opinion. Clever plot. Not entirely sure what the secondary plot added to the whole thing, and I'd go 3.5 stars for that reason if that were an option, but as I enjoyed this more than the previous books in the series, I went to 4. I do have to say that I saw the denoument coming WAAAAAYYYY before it was given...seems pretty obvious to me what had been going on in that house all those years.
August 2, 2017
I hadn't read any of the other Inspector Ben Ross books, I saw this cover in Poundland and thought I'd give it a read. I thought this book was extremely pleasant. I had just finished too books that were violent and this was very refreshing to read after them.
It's a interesting book, easy to read and a quick one. I shall definitely be looking into the other Ben Ross books.
It's a interesting book, easy to read and a quick one. I shall definitely be looking into the other Ben Ross books.
January 27, 2022
Enjoyable mysteries that needed a better copy editor
I enjoy this series, and the characters are engaging enough to encourage me to continue it. However, the comma errors (the most common and egregious of the mistakes) abound, and they are distracting! It is frustrating to be pulled out of enjoying a book by the lack of editing.
I enjoy this series, and the characters are engaging enough to encourage me to continue it. However, the comma errors (the most common and egregious of the mistakes) abound, and they are distracting! It is frustrating to be pulled out of enjoying a book by the lack of editing.
July 25, 2022
Inspector Ben Ross is called to Newgate a prison. James Mills, convicted murderer informs him that 16 years ago he witnesses a murder and for his own reasons said nothing at the time. Such an old case, from such a source means the police are loathe to investigate. However Lizzie finds some information that allows the case to proceed.
October 23, 2024
These period mysteries are still good reads with intriguing plots and solid characters. However, Lizzie's involvement in the detecting has diminished dramatically since she married and it detracts from the quality of the story as well as making her relationship with her husband feel strained & awkward.
March 22, 2022
I seem to be working backwards through this series but it doesn't make the books any less interesting. This story revolved, in several ways, around the treatment of women in the late 1800's. I appreciate the author's use of this history to set up the plot.
April 18, 2023
An interesting confession
Ben Ross is a good inspector with good instincts. His superior officer has an inconsistent but likable approach. The storyline really move along with clever twists and turns. I will make my way through the series. Worth reading.
Ben Ross is a good inspector with good instincts. His superior officer has an inconsistent but likable approach. The storyline really move along with clever twists and turns. I will make my way through the series. Worth reading.
January 4, 2024
Delightful cozy mystery with ongoing story of the couple participating in solving the mystery. The plots are becoming more elaborate with more lines of inquiry. I wish the female protagonist was allowed more freedom to investigate and was more appreciated for her insights.
July 5, 2025
As I am sometimes in big need of light reading, this is a series I can count on. To my own surprise, I actually liked it more than I expected. As I said, light reading with likable characters, and with a nice mystery indeed.
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
May 13, 2017
I love the audible versions of these books with the two voices. I also really appreciate the attention to women's plight in Victorian Britain.
August 26, 2017
Excellent series to an amazing series, wish there was more of them!
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