Customer Reviews

A Mortal Curiosity

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Ann Granger's "A Mortal Curiosity," twenty-nine year old Lizzie Martin leaves London and her beau, Inspector Ben Ross of the Metropolitan Police, to take a position on the south coast of England. She has been hired by a wealthy importer named Charles Roche to serve as a companion to his niece, Lucy Craven. Miss Craven, who is only seventeen, lost her baby shortly after its birth, and is disconsolate. While her husband, James, is on an extended business trip in China, Lucy lives in Shore House with two maiden aunts who offer her little comfort or sympathy. Ben does his best to dissuade Lizzie from leaving, but he knows that "once Lizzie's mind is made up, it would take something really extraordinary to shift it."

During her stay in the country, Lizzie meets a number of unusual characters: Dr. Marius Lefebre, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the mind, is visiting the Roches, ostensibly to keep an eye on Lucy; the two maiden aunts, Christina and Phoebe Roche, are remote, stuffy and reclusive; Lucy Craven is a pretty and insecure young lady with a volatile temperament. A series of puzzling events convinces Lizzie that not everything in this place is as it seems, and when a murder occurs, she is relieved when Ben Ross is called in to investigate. He and Lizzie team up to find out what is really going on behind the respectable façade of Shore House.

"A Mortal Curiosity" is entertaining and fast-paced, with lively dialogue, delightful humor and irony, and an engrossing and suspenseful plot. The author alternates points of view between Lizzie and Ben Ross, a device that works surprisingly well. Lizzie is an outspoken and independent woman, whose insight, imagination, and keen powers of observation make her an excellent amateur detective. Ben is a first-class investigator; he is tenacious and not easily fooled. The author's realistic conclusion wraps up the whole affair logically and satisfyingly. Like other similarly-themed novels, "A Mortal Curiosity" provides a harrowing look at the poverty and social injustice suffered by the lower classes in nineteenth century England. In addition, it also makes clear that wealthy people have difficulties of their own; money does not insulate anyone from the problems that life brings. Granger's graceful prose, atmospheric settings, and well-constructed story combine to make this a must-read for those who enjoy high-quality Victorian mysteries.

`A Mortal Curiosity' starts in 1864 with Lizzie temporarily leaving London to be a companion to Lucy Craven, a niece of an acquaintance of her aunt. Mrs Craven is staying with two elderly sisters at Shore House in the New Forest while recovering from the tragic death of her baby. There are concerns for Mrs Craven's sanity as she denies that her baby is dead. In short, Lizzie has a challenge in front of her which quickly becomes more complicated when a rat-catcher is found murdered in the grounds of Shore House, and Lucy is discovered beside the body.

Finding out who killed the rat-catcher and why is only one of the mysteries in this novel. Inspector Benjamin Ross, of Scotland Yard, becomes involved and he and Lizzie, with the assistance of others including the interesting Dr Lefebre, solve the various mysteries. One of the joys in this series is the juxtaposition of 19th century sensibilities and values with the relative freedom that Lizzie Martin enjoys by virtue of her relatively fluid position in a hierarchical society. This novel touches on too much of the underside of Victorian society to be neatly classified as a `cozy' mystery.

This is the second of Ann Granger's mystery series to feature Elizabeth (Lizzie) Martin and Inspector Ben Ross from Scotland Yard. While it is not essential to do so, I'd suggest that any new reader start with the first book (`A Rare Interest in Corpses') to obtain a clearer sense of Lizzie's background and circumstances as well as her knowledge of and understanding with Inspector Ross. I enjoyed the novel and, no, I did not work out all of the mysteries before the end. I have only just discovered this author, and I'll be looking to read her other novels as time permits.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

In 1864, Aunt Parry obtains a position of temporary companion for her almost thirty year old by marriage niece Elizabeth "Lizzie" Martin. Clipper ship owner Charles Roche is worried about his teenage niece Lucy Craven whose husband is in China on family business while she recovers from having given birth only to have her baby die a couple of days later. Currently Lucy is staying with her much older spinster Aunts Miss Christina and Miss Phoebe. He also sends his friend Dr. Lefebre, an observant alienist, to check on the emotional well being of the distraught Lucy whose aunts insist she is deranged.

At the Shore House in New Forest in Hampshire, Dr, Lefebre is welcomed by the aunts as a special guest while they literally look down their respective noses at Lizzie, who makes it clear she is unafraid to speak her mind though to herself she admits it looks silly as the two aunts are well over a head taller than her. Still she makes it clear that she is there as Lucy's companion. As a gentleman farmer seems to be courting the married Lucy, someone murders the traveling rat catcher Jethro Brennan. Worried for Lucy's safety as well as her own, Lizzie sends for her boyfriend, Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Benjamin Ross; he drops everything to come immediately.

Readers will feel they are in Victorian England mostly by the sea away from London as Ann Granger provides a vivid look into the manners of a bygone era. The murder mystery comes deep into the tale turning the story line smoothly from a historical novel into a police procedural with a superb final twist that reminds the audience it is 1864 Hampshire (though some will insist it could be 2008 DC with the last spin). Mostly told from Elizabeth's perspective, fans of the period will appreciate this fine mid ninetieth century English whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

Synopsis:

It's 1864 and Lizzie Martin is leaving London for the south coast of England to be the companion of Lucy Craven, a teenager who lives in seclusion with her aunts and has recently lost an infant daughter to illness. En route, Lizzie meets Doctor Lefebre, a slightly off-putting gentleman headed for the same destination. Lefebre, it turns out, is an alienist hired by Lucy's family to determine whether the young woman is mad. And he discloses something shocking: Lucy Craven doesn't believe her daughter is dead; she insists the baby was stolen from her.
In Hampshire, complications mount. Late at night, Lizzie hears furtive voices outside, there's a gentleman farmer whose demeanor with Lucy seems unusually familiar, and, while Lucy proves a bit moody, she hardly seems deranged. The girl's aunts are clearly withholding something. . . . These tensions come to a head when a man is found dead in the garden, stabbed with a knife from the aunts' home.
Lizzie calls upon her beau, Inspector Benjamin Ross. Together, they find themselves entangled in a mystery as bewildering as any they've faced.

My Review:
Second "Lizzie Martin" mystery.

Another enjoyable Victorian era mystery featuring Lizzie Martin, a paid companion and her "beau", Inspector Ben Ross. This story was about Lucy Craven, a young married woman who's baby dies a day after birth but Mrs Craven insists her baby is not dead.
A bit above average mystery, good setting and secondary characters, though I wish there had been more scenes between Lizzie and Ben.

Still, a nice easy read. 4 stars.

In this second book, Lizzie and Insp. Ben Ross, who became Lizzie's romantic interest in first book, share almost equal billing with whole chapters allocated to their respective POVs. This works quite well in contrasting Lizzie's and Ben's thoughts and actions: Ben's achieved through experience and careful pursuit of police procedures; Lizzie's through quick thinking, instinct, and keen observation.
For me, the country setting didn't impart the grittiness of the previous book based in London, and seemed to soften the suspense of entanglements and mystery puzzles besetting Lizzie and Ben. However, this didn't detract from enjoying a glimpse into earlier life in an isolated area of Hampshire.
The book has the elements one looks for in a historical cozy: attention to period detail, appealing characters, clever plotting, mystery puzzles, and entertaining dialogue. My only disappointment was the author didn't succeed in keeping the murderer's identity hidden from me. It was too easy to recognize the prime suspect. Mixing romance and mystery can be tricky but the developing romance between Lizzie and Ben doesn't intrude on the mystery. I prefer series that are more complex and edgy, but happily relaxed for several hours with Lizzie and Ben and a cast of interesting secondary characters.