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In the third novel of this bestselling series, London investigator Maisie Dobbs faces grave danger as she returns to the site of her most painful WWI memories to resolve the mystery of a pilot's death. Every once in a while, a detective bursts on the scene who captures readers' hearts-and imaginations-and doesn't let go. And so it was with Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs, who made her debut just two years ago in the eponymously titled first book of the series, and is already on her way to show more becoming a household name. 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. show lessTags
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I felt this was a strong improvement from the second Maisie Dobbs book. Maisie goes to France for the first time since the War to investigate two servicemen killed in action. The plot here is more interesting and thoughtful, I think, although it has a contemporary feel to me despite the setting. I like the plot gimmick of taking the two (seemingly) unrelated mysteries and slowly revealing how they intersect -- obviously it's not very realistic, but that's also probably why we don't go around solving mysteries in real life.
Even though I enjoyed this more, I continue to find Maisie insufferable, and most fervently hope that the last installment in this series is The Mystery of Why It Took Billy Beale So Long To Put Strychnine In Maisie's Tea.
Even though I enjoyed this more, I continue to find Maisie insufferable, and most fervently hope that the last installment in this series is The Mystery of Why It Took Billy Beale So Long To Put Strychnine In Maisie's Tea.
Maisie Dobbs, Psychologist and Investigator, is asked by Scotland Yard to consult on a case where a 13-year-old girl is the obvious suspect. At the same time, an acquaintance of her former employers hires Maisie to prove that his son, who was an aviator whose plane went down during the Great War, is actually dead. Maisie is reluctant to take on the latter case as she knows it will likely require a trip to France and facing some of her own traumatic memories of the war. However, as she begins to dig into the case, she'll discover it has even more personal ramifications than she expected and bring her yet another mystery to solve.
It's been a while since I picked up a Maisie Dobbs novel and I'd forgotten just how fantastically well-crafted show more they are, both as mysteries and as historical fiction. Set in the fall of 1930, Winspear expertly creates a world where so many who served in or lived through the Great War are still processing their trauma and beginning to heal. For modern readers there are hints of the troubles to come though as characters are already discussing the early rise of Hitler and the Nazis. The mysteries are also well-crafted with three overlapping cases that are all fascinating in their own ways. It's also wonderful to see Maisie continue to grow as a character as she more firmly settles into her own independence. I definitely won't be waiting as long to pick up the next book in this series. show less
It's been a while since I picked up a Maisie Dobbs novel and I'd forgotten just how fantastically well-crafted show more they are, both as mysteries and as historical fiction. Set in the fall of 1930, Winspear expertly creates a world where so many who served in or lived through the Great War are still processing their trauma and beginning to heal. For modern readers there are hints of the troubles to come though as characters are already discussing the early rise of Hitler and the Nazis. The mysteries are also well-crafted with three overlapping cases that are all fascinating in their own ways. It's also wonderful to see Maisie continue to grow as a character as she more firmly settles into her own independence. I definitely won't be waiting as long to pick up the next book in this series. show less
From the moment I met the character of Maisie Dobbs, I loved her and couldn't wait to see her succeed in the opening of her very own office on Warren Street, "M. Dobbs, Trade and Personal Investigations." I love her grit, determination, and kind manner to all regardless of socio-economic differences. I also enjoy reading the different reactions to one of Maisie's trademark styles of talking to everyone in a quiet and respectful way without need to raise her voice or yell to garner attention.
New cases for investigation lead Maisie to confront memories of her own service as a nurse in WWI serving in France and now it appears the cases cannot be solved without a physical return to France as well. Can Maisie solve the cases without show more endangering her own physical and mental health?
This novel is a poignant reminder that anyone that serves on the front lines of war may suffer from PTSD for years after the service they have given to their country. We cannot minimize this suffering. We should not forget that all who suffer may look fine "on the outside" but "on the inside" their pain is indescribable and that's why so many remain silent and don't even try to explain what they feel and what they are going through. Let us not ignore their pain. Let us not forget they suffer today because "yesterday" their service was on behalf of all of us.
Maisie Dobbs has become one of my favorite sleuths and I can't wait to read more of this series! show less
New cases for investigation lead Maisie to confront memories of her own service as a nurse in WWI serving in France and now it appears the cases cannot be solved without a physical return to France as well. Can Maisie solve the cases without show more endangering her own physical and mental health?
This novel is a poignant reminder that anyone that serves on the front lines of war may suffer from PTSD for years after the service they have given to their country. We cannot minimize this suffering. We should not forget that all who suffer may look fine "on the outside" but "on the inside" their pain is indescribable and that's why so many remain silent and don't even try to explain what they feel and what they are going through. Let us not ignore their pain. Let us not forget they suffer today because "yesterday" their service was on behalf of all of us.
Maisie Dobbs has become one of my favorite sleuths and I can't wait to read more of this series! show less
War leaves no one untouched. There are the dead and their grieving families. There are the wounded, physically or emotionally, whose lives and the lives of those who love them, will never be the same again. Casualties of war are not limited to those who fought though; so many people are touched by the horrors of war. And sometimes the questions left behind are as terrible and crippling as any bullet or bomb. But some of those questions will never be answered, either because the answers just can't be known or because there's a reason why they should be kept secret forever. In Jacqueline Winspear's novel, Pardonable Lies, the third in her Maisie Dobbs series, Maisie will come head on against the grief and secrets that tear at those left show more behind.
In the years after World War I, when Maisie Dobbs was a field nurse, she has turned to investigations and psychology. She is a thoughtful, intuitively astute, and persistent investigator possessed of a keen intellect and despite the fact that many of the cases she takes on make her face her own painful war torn past, she is very good at what she does. In this third installment in the series, Maisie agrees to take on a case that requires her to confirm the wartime death of celebrated barrister Sir Cecil Lawton's only son Ralph. She has many misgivings about the case, especially as Sir Cecil is only pursuing this to fulfill his promise to his now deceased wife and not out of his own feelings for his son. But if Maisie takes on this case, she has the leverage to ask Sir Cecil to defend a 13 year old girl who stands accused of murdering her pimp. For young Avril's sake, she takes Lawton's case. She also agrees to look into the scant information available about her friend Priscilla's brother Peter's death to help Priscilla find some closure regarding his loss. Uncovering the truth of the loss of both young airmen will not only take Maisie back to France for the first time since the war, forcing her to face her own demons, but will put her life in danger from an enemy, and place her at cross purposes with someone she trusts and values deeply. These cases force Maisie to acknowledge her own traumas and the survivor's guilt she feels as she tentatively goes on with her life. And at least one of the cases threatens to expose people's work during the war, something that could prove dangerous as hints of another coming conflict start revealing themselves.
As in the previous two books in the series, Winspear has done a wonderful job evoking the time period and she is a master at delving into the psychological underpinnings of each character, including Maisie herself. The novel is a delicate untangling of secrets still hidden, an examination of loss and family, a look at respect and what inspires or earns it, and a sensitive portrayal of homosexuality. Each of the characters in this novel has suffered losses and it is up to Maisie to help them come through those losses wiser and more accepting, if no less sad. There is a pervading sense of sadness, an elegiac feel almost, and the aura of continued damage wrought by the war that marked an entire generation is at play throughout the course of the novel. But there's also an honorable feel to it, that decisions, even if they remained secret, made during and immediately following the war were made thoughtfully and were well considered for their inevitable effect on those left behind. This is not a traditional mystery in the sense of a body, a crime, and the need to find the murderer; instead, it is a mystery that requires diligence and deep psychological dives and I found it all the more satisfying for that. I may not generally read mysteries, but Maisie Dobbs continues to have a fan in me. show less
In the years after World War I, when Maisie Dobbs was a field nurse, she has turned to investigations and psychology. She is a thoughtful, intuitively astute, and persistent investigator possessed of a keen intellect and despite the fact that many of the cases she takes on make her face her own painful war torn past, she is very good at what she does. In this third installment in the series, Maisie agrees to take on a case that requires her to confirm the wartime death of celebrated barrister Sir Cecil Lawton's only son Ralph. She has many misgivings about the case, especially as Sir Cecil is only pursuing this to fulfill his promise to his now deceased wife and not out of his own feelings for his son. But if Maisie takes on this case, she has the leverage to ask Sir Cecil to defend a 13 year old girl who stands accused of murdering her pimp. For young Avril's sake, she takes Lawton's case. She also agrees to look into the scant information available about her friend Priscilla's brother Peter's death to help Priscilla find some closure regarding his loss. Uncovering the truth of the loss of both young airmen will not only take Maisie back to France for the first time since the war, forcing her to face her own demons, but will put her life in danger from an enemy, and place her at cross purposes with someone she trusts and values deeply. These cases force Maisie to acknowledge her own traumas and the survivor's guilt she feels as she tentatively goes on with her life. And at least one of the cases threatens to expose people's work during the war, something that could prove dangerous as hints of another coming conflict start revealing themselves.
As in the previous two books in the series, Winspear has done a wonderful job evoking the time period and she is a master at delving into the psychological underpinnings of each character, including Maisie herself. The novel is a delicate untangling of secrets still hidden, an examination of loss and family, a look at respect and what inspires or earns it, and a sensitive portrayal of homosexuality. Each of the characters in this novel has suffered losses and it is up to Maisie to help them come through those losses wiser and more accepting, if no less sad. There is a pervading sense of sadness, an elegiac feel almost, and the aura of continued damage wrought by the war that marked an entire generation is at play throughout the course of the novel. But there's also an honorable feel to it, that decisions, even if they remained secret, made during and immediately following the war were made thoughtfully and were well considered for their inevitable effect on those left behind. This is not a traditional mystery in the sense of a body, a crime, and the need to find the murderer; instead, it is a mystery that requires diligence and deep psychological dives and I found it all the more satisfying for that. I may not generally read mysteries, but Maisie Dobbs continues to have a fan in me. show less
This is the third book in the Maisie Dobbs series. I really enjoyed it. In the book Maisie is hired by a leading London barrister to prove that his son was really killed in the war. The time is summer and early fall 1930, and I love the way Ms. Winspear brings this era to life in this series. Maisie puts herself in grave danger as she works this case and it forces her to face her past when she heads over to Belgium and France as she pursues her information. She has to work her way through a number of family and British army secrets while dealing with her own private demons. I really felt that Ms. Winspear portrayed the effect that the Great War had on anyone who served in it. Maisie was a battlefield nurse and as we see in this book, show more the medical staff were as affected by this horrific war as much as the soldiers who fought in it. The first 3/4 of the book was mesmerizing and I was enthralled with Ms. Winspear's writing. The plot was tight and the suspense held me throughout. Her portrayal of the effects of post traumatic stress is very moving and poignant. But I found that the last 1/4 of the book was a bit disappointing as it really had no connection to the plot of the story and it felt like an afterthought. I really enjoy this series and look forward to the next one. show less
Although I don't normally read mysteries, I am enjoying the Maisie Dobbs books very much. This is the third in the series, and it's my favorite so far. In this one, the author explores the plight of homosexuals in World War I, reminding me of [[Pat Barker]]'s [Regeneration Trilogy]. In addition, Maisie experiences dark emotional turmoil that adds depth to her character.
Maisie's newest case is to confirm the death of an aviator shot down in enemy territory during the war. The father promised his wife on her deathbed that he would look for his son, whom he believes is dead, but that his wife is convinced survived the crash. In addition, Maisie's friend, Priscilla, asks her to look into the death of her brother, Peter, also lost in the show more war. In pursuing these two cases, Maisie has to return to France and face her own memories of the war and its horrors.
I love the historical context of these novels. Not only does the author explore issues of World War I and its aftermath, but she also depicts well the events and social mores of the interwar period. Her heroine, Maisie Dobbs, is both a strong, independent woman and emotionally vulnerable due to her experiences. So far, they have been quick, but satisfying reads. show less
Maisie's newest case is to confirm the death of an aviator shot down in enemy territory during the war. The father promised his wife on her deathbed that he would look for his son, whom he believes is dead, but that his wife is convinced survived the crash. In addition, Maisie's friend, Priscilla, asks her to look into the death of her brother, Peter, also lost in the show more war. In pursuing these two cases, Maisie has to return to France and face her own memories of the war and its horrors.
I love the historical context of these novels. Not only does the author explore issues of World War I and its aftermath, but she also depicts well the events and social mores of the interwar period. Her heroine, Maisie Dobbs, is both a strong, independent woman and emotionally vulnerable due to her experiences. So far, they have been quick, but satisfying reads. show less
Maisie Dobbs is asked to travel to France, to confirm the death in WWI of an aviator whose dying mother believed that he had lived and whose father promised one last search on her deathbed. At the same time, Maisie’s good friend Priscilla asks her to try to uncover the truth of the death of her beloved older brother, also during the war. And if that was not enough, there’s a young girl charged with murdering a man in London who cannot remember what she might have done….This third book in the Maisie Dobbs series takes us back once again to France in the Great War, but this time Maisie’s connection to the past is far more personal, and visceral. She needs to reconcile with the past before she can move on into her future, and the show more journey is far from easy. I’m really enjoying discovering these novels, which carry much more psychological depth than the typical historical mystery series, and I’m looking forward to reading much more to come; recommended. show less
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ThingScore 92
Fans of Miss Marple and Precious Ramotswe are sure to embrace Maisie, a pitch-perfect blend of compassion and panache
added by khuggard
A thought-provoking series entry, the story contains revelations of secret missions, homosexuality, the lives of persons from all layers of society, and a winning heroine who is not perfect and is willing to learn from her mistakes
added by khuggard
Winspear writes seamlessly, enriching the whole with vivid details of English life on a variety of social levels.
added by khuggard
Lists
Historical Fiction
889 works; 90 members
World War I Fiction
94 works; 15 members
Books Read in 2015
3,299 works; 129 members
Books Read in 2020
4,379 works; 124 members
Best Mysteries With a Historical Setting
292 works; 160 members
Author Information
33+ Works 32,763 Members
Jacqueline Winspear was born in the county of Kent, England. She was educated at the University of London's Institute of Education. After graduation, she worked in academic publishing, in higher education, and in marketing communications in the UK. In 1990, she emigrated to the United States. She was working in business and as a show more personal/professional coach when she decided to try writing. Her first novel, Maisie Dobbs, won the Agatha Award for Best First novel, the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and the Alex Award. She is the author of the Maisie Dobbs Mystery series. She has also won the Agatha Award for Best Novel, the inaugural Sue Feder/Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery, and the Bruce Alexander Award for Best Historical Mystery. Her title, A Dangerous Place, made The New York Times High Profile titles list. Journey to Munich, a book in the Maisie Dobbs Series, made the New York Times bestseller list in 2016. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
rororo (24325)
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Pardonable Lies
- Original title
- Pardonable Lies
- Original publication date
- 2005-08-10
- People/Characters
- Maisie Dobbs; Billy Beale; Maurice Blanche; Richard Stratton; Andrew Dene; Avril Jarvis (show all 20); Priscilla Evernden Partridge; Madeleine Hartnell; Jeremy Hazelton; Charmaine Hazelton; Sir Cecil Lawton; Mr. Brayley; Ralph Lawton (pronounced 'Rafe'); Sir Julian Compton; Dr. Basil Khan; Chantal Clement (Madame); Pascale Clement (granddaughter of Chantal); Henri Desvignes (Captain); Douglas Partridge; Ted Tavistock
- Important places
- Flanders Fields, Belgium; London, England, UK; Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France; Reims, Marne, Grand-Est, France; Paris, Île-de-France, France
- Important events
- World War I
- Epigraph
- Truly, to tell lies is not honorable;
but when the truth entails tremendous ruin,
to speak dishonorably is pardonable.
--Sophocles (c. 496-406 B.C.), Creusa
Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work--
I am the grass; I cover all.
And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and l... (show all)et me work.
Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?
I am the grass.
Let me work.
--Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), Grass - Dedication
- For Anne-Marie
With much love and gratitude
for our lifetime friendship. - First words
- The young policewoman stood in the corner of the room.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I will remember them.
- Blurbers
- Smith, Alexander McCall; George, Elizabeth
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- Popularity
- 7,340
- Reviews
- 114
- Rating
- (3.91)
- Languages
- 8 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 43
- ASINs
- 21