The Truth-Seeker's Wife: Inspector Ben Ross mystery 8

Lizzie Martin #8

by Ann Granger

Death descends on the New Forest in Ann Granger's gripping eighth Victorian mystery featuring Scotland Yard's Inspector Ben Ross and his wife Lizzie.

It is Spring 1871 when Lizzie Ross accompanies her formidable Aunt Parry on a restorative trip to the south coast. Lizzie's husband, Ben, is kept busy at Scotland Yard and urges his wife to stay out of harm's way. But when Lizzie and her aunt are invited to dine with other guests at the home of wealthy landowner Sir Henry Meager, and he is found shot dead in his bed the next morning, no one feels safe.

On Lizzie's last visit to the New Forest, another gruesome murder took place, and the superstitious locals now see her as a bad omen. But Lizzie suspects that Sir Henry had a number of bitter enemies, many of whom might have wanted him dead. And once Ben arrives to help with the investigation, he and Lizzie must work together to expose Sir Henry's darkest secrets and a ruthless killer intent on revenge...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Victorian, Historical

336 pages, Hardcover

Published July 8, 2021

About the author

Ann 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.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth-Seeker's Wife will find you seeking your own answers to not one but two murders in this solid entry in the historical mystery series by Ann Granger. Inspector Ben Ross and his wife Elizabeth take turns by chapter ferreting out clues to who killed an old man and then, another body turns up. As is typical in many murders, family secrets run deep, as Inspector and Mrs. Ross -- and the reader -- will discover.

I especially enjoyed Elizabeth's forays to the village and her exchanges with the people she encounters, including her rather overbearing female relation, the reason for her trip to the coast. Ah, dear Aunt Parry -- the scenes with her are worth the price of admission. The author definitely has a deft way with dialog and description. The Truth Seeker's Wife will keep readers' attention to the last page.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec L'Héritage de Sir Henry ?
"Même si j'aime encore plus l'autre série d'Ann Granger, Campbell et Carter, c'est avec plaisir que je replonge de temps à autre à l'ère victorienne en compagnie de Ben et Lizzie Martin."

Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Lizzie, bien que sans enthousiasme, se retrouve à accompagner sa tante pour un séjour en bord de mer. Mais à peine sont-elles arrivées qu'un meurtre est commis et que les gens du coin la voit comme celle qui apporte la mort..."

Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"J'arrive difficilement à l'expliquer, à identifier les éléments qui sont responsables de cet état de fait mais toujours est-il que c'est un des tomes que j'ai préféré depuis le début de la série. Je n'ai pas grand chose à lui reprocher, je me suis laissée complètement emporter sans me poser beaucoup de questions et j'ai apprécié tous les éléments de ma lecture même si l'enquête n'est pas très difficile à démêler. C'est l'ambiance, je crois, comme souvent avec Ann Granger, qui nous happe complètement. Deux vieilles femmes qui ressemblent à des sorcières, un mort que personne n'aimait et des histoires de famille comme autant de secrets de polichinelles... Et la façon dont tout cela se dénoue, dans le calme et le drame à la fois."

Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"C'est vraiment intéressant d'assister à l'évolution d'une plume et c'est indéniablement le cas avec Ann Granger dans cette série. Mais les habitudes ont la vie dure et on voit resurgir ici, dans les toutes dernières pages, son manque d'intérêt pour les personnages secondaires, lorsqu'elle oublie de nous donner des nouvelles de l'un de ceux que j'ai préféré au cours du roman."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Mareen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give this book a 2.5 out of 5 if Goodreads allowed it. It's a solid book, and generally well written, but it fell flat for me. That is a subjective review of how I liked the book, obviously, so someone else may very well have greatly enjoyed the story and been intrigued by it. I was also not familiar with this series, so I had no prior attachment to the central characters. I was only very mildly interested in the conclusion, and was a bit underwhelmed by it in the end. I felt most strongly about one aspect of the eventual explanation for the crime, which I expected would be met with outrage and sympathy from the characters - yet it is framed so indifferently, I couldn't help but dislike the characters even more by the end.
That is a general issue I had with the book: too many of the central characters are unlikeable, and I'm sure they're not all supposed to be. They consistently react to each other with annoyance and arrogance; it's an endless cycle of "she snapped", "she asked sharply", "he demanded" and "she was angry". They may have reason to be upset, but it was grating to imagine the characters so snappish all the time. On top of this, the book - like any other book under the sun, it feels like - contains many fatphobic stereotypes. It's maddening to read the same tired descriptors intended to make clear to the reader that a character is lazy, or not as smart, or not as nice. Since it is the titular character who most often comments on people's bodies (in her mind), it's even more difficult to go along with her on this ride.
Therefore I can't really say the book is uncontroversial for me personally, but if you wish to read what I would call a mild murder mystery, go for this. If you want to escape to 1870s England for a whodunnit that will not keep you up at night, a book that won't make you weep or have any other feelings you wanted to escape from in the first place, this is ideal. The writing flows quite well and the book isn't drawn out to an epic length.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Ben Ross I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. Without being “foresoothly”, the dialogue is suitable to the time and place and the people speaking. Ben’s wife, Elizabeth goes down to Southampton with old Mrs Perry for a “holiday” but no sooner are they there than people start dying. First, Sir Henry Meager, whom Mrs Perry thinks a “charming” man but who soon turns out to be a rogue with bastard children as far as the eye can see. Someone is playing scary tricks on Mrs Beresford, the wife of Sir Henry’s heir, leaving roses and random items on her piano. Inspector Ross is sent down from London to discover who’s doing all the killing, and between him and his wife, they finally discover the truth.

[Stephanie Racette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Février 2024. C’est un réel bonheur de me plonger à nouveau dans une aventure de Lizzie et Ben Martin. Le scénario —très classique, il faut bien le dire— est fluide et ne manque pas d’humour. Ça se lit tout seul.

Ce n’est pas un coup de cœur mais c’est une série whodunit sans prise de tête, en pleine période victorienne, qui a un effet « feel good » sur moi. J’adore!

(Petit bémol à propos des Beresford: complètement abandonnés à la fin par l’autrice quant au dénouement. Dommage! J’aurais aimé savoir ce qu’il advenait d’eux.)

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

:( I'm finished with the last book in the Inspector Ben Ross Mysteries. I've really enjoyed reading this series of British murder mysteries. Ann Granger makes the stories real and the characters believable. The details are just right to add character to the story without making it tedious. I'll miss these stories.

[Cristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it all fast

I read the entire series in a few days.. and totally enjoyed them all… none of the series books were alike in anyway. I would recommend that a person read them in order as there are references to past volumes.

[Janet Kuchler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of possible suspects

An enjoyable read. Almost too many potential murderers, but a satisfying conclusion.
Make sure you start this book when you have a chance to complete the tale.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent tale

A very lively and interesting murder mystery. The characters are well written and the story moves quickly. I really enjoyed the way it tied together. Inspector Ross is a good old fashioned detective. Some excellent villains erupt along the way.

[Kelly Callaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzie accompanies Aunt Perry to thee New Forest for a holiday. The day after they dine with the local landlord he is found dead. Inspector Ross is sent from London. As the death toll rises Lizzie help inspector Ross solve the crimes.

[Mary Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

extremely interesting.

This story for men as well written. Descriptions of the thinking and actions of people for that period of time was spot on. The story dragged in the beginning but more intriguing events saved the day.

[JenniferB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, plot was quite complex but in the end it turned out that the most likely person was guilty. Too many deaths among the cast! Difficult to get into, but after the start was easy to follow.

[Jane Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a nice read with good narrators.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aunt Parry HAS to make fewer appearances. She is working my last nerve.........

[Christelle Da Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un très bon tome, ce fut une fois deplus, un plaisir de retrouver Lizzie et son mari dans une enquête en bord de mer. Les surprises sont au RDV pour mon grand plaisir !

[H. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in older times (some houses just got gas lighting).

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it! Another excellent book! Thos is a must read series! I can’t wait for the next book!

[Andrea]

Another cracking story. I would never have guessed who the guilty party turned out to be. What an exciting page turner.

[Rachel Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Lydie Blaizot · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'aime beaucoup cette série d'Ann Granger, pour son ambiance et les détails qu'elle donne sur l'Angleterre Victorienne, toujours bien documentée. C'est donc avec plaisir que je me suis plongée dans le huitième tome de la série, et je n'ai pas été déçue.

L'intrigue est menée différemment par rapport aux autres romans de la série. Ici, nous retrouvons Lizzie Martin aux prises avec sa tante Parry qui a décidé, envers et contre tout, d'imposer à sa nièce un séjour d'un mois au bord de la mer. Voilà donc les deux femmes parties pour le New Forest, un endroit que Lizzie a le malheur de connaître pour y avoir résolu un meurtre. Elle arrive donc sur place avec un mauvais pressentiment, et pour cause. Après un dîner avec un riche propriétaire terrien local, ce dernier est assassiné. Heureusement, le policier chargé de l'enquête demande l'aide de Scotland Yard et tante Parry exige que ce soit Ben Ross qui vienne sur-le-champ. Bien sûr, la détestable bonne femme va mettre son grain de sel dans l'histoire - Ben n'arrive pas assez vite, il ne reste pas avec les deux femmes pour les protéger... - et elle ira même jusqu'à tenter d'imposer sa version des faits : une bande de cambrioleurs venus de Londres. Ben doit donc composer avec les locaux, bien occupés à suivre le moindre de ses mouvements, tante Parry et les nombreux secrets dissimulés dans la demeure de la victime. Il peut toutefois compter sur l'aide de sa femme, bien décidée à tirer cette histoire au clair, comme d'habitude.

La suite sur mon blog :
https://lauryn-books.blogspot.com/202...

[Carole-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is Number 8 in the 'series', I was unaware Ms Granger wrote historical mysteries - so it was a nice change of pace. Taking place in Victorian times (1871), Lizzie Ross, the wife of Scotland Yard detective Ben, goes to stay in the New Forest with her Godmother, Aunt Parry.
The morning after a dinner at the table of Sir Henry Meagre, a local wealthy landowner, he is found shot to death in bed.
Lots of superstitions and suspicions acting as red herrings as Lizzie goes investigating Sir Henry's dubious past.
Nice, gentle pacing leads to a fairly tame rendition - with revenge as the (unsatisfactory) answer.
Not bad; not as fast paced as her modern detective stories, but OK.
I must thank the publisher for giving me a copy of this book for review.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read most of the author's books. This book is set in England in 1871 and is told partly from the viewpoint of Lizzie Ross and partly from the viewpoint of her husband police Inspector Ben Ross. It is mainly a cosy mystery but with some police procedural aspects. Lizzie and her godfather's widow visit the Hampshire village , which featured in the earlier book "A mortal curiosity", for a holiday. They are invited to dinner by a wealthy landowner and the following day the landowner is found shot in his bed. Ben Ross is sent down by Scotland Yard to investigate. This is not one of the author's better books but I enjoyed reading it even if there was not much of a mystery.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series set in the mid 19th century when a woman’s role had to be supportive only to her husband. Inspector Ben Ross however is enlightened and appreciative of the help his intelligent wife Lizzie can give with the investigation as she is on the scene of another murder. The setting in the New Forest with its superstitious inhabitants adds to the interest of the story. I look forward to the next in the series.

[Pauline (Kiriiti's Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bref, « L’héritage de Sir Henry » est un très bon tome. C’est un plaisir de retrouver Lizzie et Ross dans une nouvelle enquête. L’histoire est propre, maîtrisée d’un bout à l’autre et elle nous réserve quelques surprises en cours de route. J’ai aussi aimé repassé de l’air embrumé de Londres à la lande de New Forest. C’est un changement agréable qui nous permet de nous replonger dans l’ambiance de campagne du XIXème siècle avec ses ragots, ses secrets et ses oreilles qui trainent.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

First one of these that I've read - I really enjoyed it and will look for more.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set towards the end of the 19th Century, a fairly briskly moving whodunnit. Enjoyable read.

[Mary]

Actually, 3 1/2. I will check out some of her other books.