Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Published: February 19, 2008
Genre: mystery
Hardcover: 306 pages
Source: borrowed from the library
My Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis (from GoodReads): With the country in the grip of economic malaise, and worried about her business, Maisie Dobbs is relieved to accept an apparently straightforward assignment from an old friend to investigate certain matters concerning a potential land purchase. Her inquiries take her to a picturesque village in Kent during the hop-picking season, but beneath its pastoral surface she finds evidence that something is amiss. Mysterious fires erupt in the village with alarming regularity, and a series of petty crimes suggests a darker criminal element at work. As Maisie discovers, the villagers are bitterly prejudiced against outsiders who flock to Kent at harvest time--even more troubling, they seem possessed by the legacy of a wartime Zeppelin raid. Maisie grows increasingly suspicious of a peculiar secrecy that shrouds the village, and ultimately she must draw on all her finely honed skills of detection to solve one of her most intriguing cases. Rich with Jacqueline Winspear's trademark period detail, this latest installment of the bestselling series is gripping, atmospheric, and utterly enthralling.
My Thoughts: I found the Maisie Dobbs series a few months ago, and ever since, each book that I read is better than the last. Following a female private investigator and psychologist, Jacqueline Winspear takes you back in time to the 1930s and she investigates a small town that has fires every year, but no one reports them. Representing a business interest, Maisie dives into the case to find out what is going on in this small town. Her investigation has her dealing with locals, out of towners, and gypsies. Even though there are many characters in this book, each is distinctive and adds something to the story. I also really enjoyed how Winspear dealt with Simon, Maisie's first love. I had been wondering for some time how Winspear would deal with that character, who is a shell of himself since he returned from the war. I thought that she handled it in a way that would give Maisie the closure that she needed and was respectful towards those men who suffered mental illnesses following their service in the military.
If you love historical fiction (specifically anything dealing with WWI or WWII), then you should definitely check out this series. Winspear captures that essence of the British people in a great way and creates a great story, too.
I am thrilled to read your review. I love a good mystery and I have had my eye on this series. I have started so many series that I am hesitant at this point to start yet another. After your review, I know that I can no longer resist. It is especially good to know that each in the series gets a bit better each time. Thank you for the recommendation!
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