Review: Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

Pardonable Lies (Maisie Dobbs #3)
Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Published: August 10, 2005
Genre: mystery
Hardcover: 352 pages
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 3.5 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): A deathbed plea from his wife leads Sir Cecil Lawton to seek the aid of Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator. As Maisie soon learns, Agnes Lawton never accepted that her aviator son was killed in the Great War, a torment that led her not only to the edge of madness but to the doors of those who practice the dark arts and commune with the spirit world. In accepting the assignment, Maisie finds her spiritual strength tested, as well as her regard for her mentor, Maurice Blanche. The mission also brings her together once again with her college friend Priscilla Evernden, who served in France and who lost three brothers to the war—one of whom, it turns out, had an intriguing connection to the missing Ralph Lawton. Following on the heels of the triumphant Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies is the most compelling installment yet in the chronicles of Maisie Dobbs, “a heroine to cherish” (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review).


My Thoughts: The more I read of this series, the more I like it! In this novel, Maisie Dobbs must return to France in order to prove that a client's son died during World War I. While it may seem like a tough case, Maisie takes it on and decides to help a close friend discover whatever happened to her brother during his service. Maisie served as a nurse in the battlefields of France, so the novel is leading up to her return to the country. For me, one of the best things about this book is the plot. There were a lot of loose ends out there, but everything wrapped up perfectly and it was never too much to keep track of.


This is a cozy mystery series, but it's so well written that there are times when I am reading quickly to try and figure out what will happen next! Jacqueline Winspear is a fabulous writer and it seems so effortless for her. She is able to pull you into the story and have you emotionally invested in the outcome. I have read few other books that are able to do that. I also love the time period that Winspear has chosed to write about. This book takes place in 1930, but as in her previous novels, there is always some connection to WWI. It's so interesting to read about (since I typically read books dealing with WWII) and it is well researched.


For me, this was the perfect series to fall into. Winspear writes wonderfully, the characters are engaging, and the stories are always interesting. Will definitely be keeping up with this series!