Mrs Ross
-
The still unidentified novelist
, known only by her surname, published a rush of titles—seven—between 1811 and 1816. Her work is racy, highly-coloured, and heavily moralised. Later works once listed as hers have now been re-attributed to
.
Writing
Novels
's six titles published between 1811 and 1816 represent her entire oeuvre since her work has been disentangled by scholar
from that of
.
was well read, and sought to raise the status of the novel by using literary quotations for title-pages and chapter headings. She behaves like a professional in publishing with her name and lists of previous titles, but offers no personal details. Her racy third-person narratives (which often double as novels of ideas) open in medias res; her gripping denouements are often heavily moralistic. She uses large casts of characters, complicated plots, vivid dialogue in a wide range of styles, and, often, skilfully created fashionable settings. Despite a weakness for melodrama she retains an eye for telling and convincing detail. She is not mealy-mouthed, nor is she afraid to report on sexual irregularity.