The American Agent

Maisie Dobbs is in fine form in Jacqueline Winspear's latest novel, "The American Agent," featuring this astute and compassionate psychologist, nurse, volunteer ambulance driver, and private detective. Miss Dobbs is always willing to take on difficult tasks and see them through. One of her acquaintances, Robbie MacFarlane, an overbearing Scot who has ties to Scotland Yard and the British Secret Service, asks Maisie to look into the murder of a young, talented, and ambitious reporter. To get a handle on the case, Maisie interviews the deceased woman’s friends and acquaintances and looks into every aspect of the victim’s past.

What sets this book apart from other works of fiction is Winspear's ability to capture a time and place so show more vividly that we feel as if we are experiencing the events as they unfold. The author takes us back to 1940 during the Blitz—"the period of intense bombing on London and other British cities that began on September 7, 1940," and lasted more than a year. We can almost see and smell the fires that burned after German bombs leveled homes and businesses; feel the terror of those who hid underground until the all-clear was sounded; and empathize with the heartbroken relatives of soldiers and airmen who died or, in some cases, came home gravely injured after fighting the Nazis in the air and on the ground.

This novel has a well-constructed plot; lucid, literate, and engrossing dialogue; and a large, varied, and well-drawn cast of characters. In addition, Winspear eloquently explores such themes as how propaganda was used as a tool to win over people's hearts and minds; the insistence of American isolationists that the United States stay out of the war; and the power of the broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow, whose expressive language conveyed the traumatic effect of the Blitz on the men, women, and children who lived through it. Adding to the story's appeal are scenes in which we observe Maisie's devotion to a child she hopes to adopt and her romantic interest in a man who once saved her life. "The American Agent" is a compelling, enlightening, and evocative tale set during a tumultuous time in England's history. show less

Yes, I've read all of the Maisie Dobbs books (in order), so I feel qualified in saying this is one of the better ones - welcome back Maisie!! This story takes place primarily in London during the blitzkrieg of World War II, and Maisie is not only a volunteer ambulance driver but is also called in by the Secret Service and Scotland Yard to help solve the murder of an American war correspondent - an adventurous, talented woman with ambitions to become one of "Murrow's boys." Winspear inserts actual news quotes at the beginning of several chapters which help to ground the story in fact. An underlying thread was that the American government was trying to stay out of the war and many American leaders were promoting isolationism, and trying show more to suppress the news of what was actually happening during Germany's blitz raids. This political seesaw gives the novel more depth than just solving the murder mystery. But what makes this book a must-read is Maisie. Her honest and thoughtful personality as she solves the complex mystery, her desire to adopt a little orphan girl she rescued in an earlier book, the potential loss of her best friend, and the possibility that she may be falling in love again. show less

Maisie Dobbs is in fine form in Jacqueline Winspear's latest novel, "The American Agent," featuring this astute and compassionate psychologist, nurse, volunteer ambulance driver, and private detective. Miss Dobbs is always willing to take on difficult tasks and see them through. One of her acquaintances, Robbie MacFarlane, an overbearing Scot who has ties to Scotland Yard and the British Secret Service, asks Maisie to look into the murder of a young, talented, and ambitious reporter. To get a handle on the case, Maisie interviews the deceased woman’s friends and acquaintances and looks into every aspect of the victim’s past.

What sets this book apart from other works of fiction is Winspear's ability to capture a time and place so show more vividly that we feel as if we are experiencing the events as they unfold. The author takes us back to 1940 during the Blitz—"the period of intense bombing on London and other British cities that began on September 7, 1940," and lasted more than a year. We can almost see and smell the fires that burned after German bombs leveled homes and businesses; feel the terror of those who hid underground until the all-clear was sounded; and empathize with the heartbroken relatives of soldiers and airmen who died or, in some cases, came home gravely injured after fighting the Nazis in the air and on the ground.

This novel has a well-constructed plot; lucid, literate, and engrossing dialogue; and a large, varied, and well-drawn cast of characters. In addition, Winspear eloquently explores such themes as how propaganda was used as a tool to win over people's hearts and minds; the insistence of American isolationists that the United States stay out of the war; and the power of the broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow, whose expressive language conveyed the traumatic effect of the Blitz on the men, women, and children who lived through it. Adding to the story's appeal are scenes in which we observe Maisie's devotion to a child she hopes to adopt and her romantic interest in a man who once saved her life. "The American Agent" is a compelling, enlightening, and evocative tale set during a tumultuous time in England's history. show less

In this entry in the Maisie Dobbs series, Maisie is investigating the murder of an American foreign correspondent who is covering the Blitz in wartime London. She is ostensibly being assisted by Mark Scott, a mysterious American government employee, who appeared in an earlier series entry. She is also awaiting the decision as to whether she can adopt orphan Anna, who has been living with her for several years. There is a lot going on and a lot of people to interview. There are also interesting details about daily life in London and the surrounding countryside during the Blitz, and about the experiences of the British, American, and Canadian fighter pilots who defended the island from the Germans.

This novel may be my favorite Maisie Dobbs novel. I loved it and am sad to leave Maisie and her world behind for another year. If you haven't read this novel yet, you might want to refresh your memory from the book that took place in Munich because a character from that novel resurfaces in this novel.

Maisie, once again, has a murder to solve, but--like the other novels--this novel presents the world and people in Maisie's life and the history of 1940 London, leaving the murder as important but not the main focus. A young American correspondent joins Pris and Maisie one night during the blitz on their ambulance. Driving an ambulance and picking up the bombing victims presents a dangerous evening. They rush into the areas where a bomb show more could drop or a building could collapse. On this night, members of a family have been killed as their building burns. A grandmother tries to save her grandchildren even though her daughter has died from the bombing. When the correspondent, Kath, returns home after her report, she is murdered. Maisie always believes in honoring the dead and those affected by the death, so she begins her case map and seeks to bring justice to this brave woman whose life was cut short. An American, Mark Scott, joins her on the investigation, as he represents America and Kath was the daughter of a prominent man.

Maisie works in London investigating the crime Monday through Thursday and then spends four nights with her dad, step-mother, and Anna back at Chelstone. Her hearing to adopt Anna keeps getting pushed back because of the war, and Maisie worries deeply that she'll lose her because of her dangerous job. Often the side characters "make" the novel. One of my favorite characters is Brenda, Maisie's step-mother. Brenda knows when to say something to Maisie whereas others generally trust Maisie to make the right decision, occasionally commenting their concern for her. Brenda says little but possesses much wisdom. It's when she point-blank tells Maisie something, Maisie listens.

Maisie's partner in the investigation, Mark Scott, rarely joins Maisie on the investigation. Maisie wonders if she can trust him. She questions what is really going on with the investigation, for she has boundaries to maintain. She also trusts her life with him, so does that make him trustworthy? This relationship adds another layer to a busy life of trying to stay alive, appreciating one's family, and honoring the dead all during a time that anyone's life can end today.

I think books enter our lives at the right time, and it was time to enter Maisie's world for me. I listen to these novels, so I could have misspellings anywhere because I've never seen the names or places in the books. I completely immerse myself in 1940s England and can't help but compare America then and American now against the British as they braved the blitz nightly, losing so many lives such a short time after World War I. I also listened to the first five or six novels back to back when I found the series years ago, which was the same time Downton Abbey began and I watched it as well. I may have spoken with a British accent there for a while! Nonetheless, if you like historical fiction where the series develops a character and the people and country around her, this series fits your desires. Winspear doesn't just end a novel with the solving of the case, she pulls the loose ends together and shows the value of closure. I can't recommend these novels enough. show less

When a young American female journalist is found murdered, Maisie’s friend Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard asks her to investigate the case. Maisie will be working with American Mark Scott, whom she first encountered in Hitler’s Germany in Journey to Munich. Maisie has to use her time wisely. The Blitz is underway, and Maisie and her friend Priscilla spend several evenings a week driving an ambulance. Maisie spends long weekends at home in Kent with her father, her stepmother, and the girl Anna she hopes to adopt.

I love listening to the audio version of this series. Reader Orlagh Cassidy is perfect for the voice of Maisie, and her performance adds extra depth to the experience. The series transition from the aftermath of the show more First World War to the beginning of the Second has had its ups and downs. This novel succeeds, I think because Maisie seems much more at home investigating a murder than she does spying for the government. show less

In this, the fifteenth in the series, Maisie Dobbs is asked to work with American agent Mark Scott, whom she met in Munich a few books ago, to find the murderer of a young American reporter. The reporter had been trying to earn a spot under Edward Murrow and filed stories trying to turn American public opinion toward aiding England, rather than isolationism. Meanwhile the Blitz has begun, there is more bad news for the Partridge's, and Maisie is on tenterhooks about Anna's adoption.

My favorite part of this chapter in the series is the inclusion of excerpts from newspapers and broadcasts, most aimed at an American audience. The words of Edward Murrow, JB Priestley, and other journalistic luminaries lend a nice touch of historical reality show more to the fiction. The struggle for the hearts and minds (and votes) of Americans was acute during this stage of the war. Joseph Kennedy is in the background of the novel, not a character, but a presence, and his resignation as ambassador to Britain is included. show less