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Loading... Maisie Dobbs (edition 2005)by Jacqueline Winspear
Work InformationMaisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. i found the eastern mysticism a bit abrasive in this book and I didn't like the use of imitating body posture to guess what a person is feeling , but I enjoyed it enough to try another ( ) I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't stay very interested. Maisie, in the end, was just too perfect to be likeable, and there were no real villians at all. Even the Major turned out to be just a man driven mad by the damands of the war, and his henchman similarly twisted and confused. Her love interest had been conveniently disposed of with a heroic death, all the characters were saved at the last minute, etc. Even Disney cartoon characters are more interesting. But there were several bright moments that rescued this book. I was moved by Maisie's experiences and observations as a field nurse during the war. Until he was revealed as a sad lunatic who only needed Maisie's understanding to be stopped in his tracks, I found the mystery of the Major and The Retreat intriguing. Those bright moments held me to the story, kept me slogging through the dull parts. At the very least, this story kept my mind otherwise occupied while getting my chores done over the weekend. That's worth something. When I first started reading this, I thought it reminded me a little bit of the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series, how it is the story of a young woman who decides to start her own little investigation business. And then I noticed that a reviewer is quoted on the back of the book, making that exact comparison. But really, that's pretty much where the similarity ends. This book is set between the World Wars, and Maisie Dobbs is a veteran of WWI. She is described as having a particular gift, for creating an environment where people will confide in her and almost help themselves to the conclusion of whatever woe led them to seek her services. Part of this is her natural personality, and part of it is the training she received from her mentor. The first part of the book describes the "mystery of the week," and is almost inconsequential, except that is leads Maisie to a much bigger and more sinister issue, and opens the door for the reader to understand Maisie's personal story. The second part of the narrative is that story. The last part of the book concludes the mystery and sets up the future of the series. It felt very much like the first episode of a police procedural television series, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The writing is good and the characters are likable. I'll definitely go back and read more of Maisie's exploits. I have no doubt that WWII will become a character as the series continues (no spoilers here, just speculation), since it is hinted at in the last few paragraphs. I'm happy to have a new mystery series to pick away at.
A strong protagonist and a lively sense of time and place carry readers along, and the details lead to further thought and understanding about the futility and horror of war, as well as a desire to hear more of Maisie. This is the beginning of a series, and a propitious one at that. For a clever and resourceful young woman who has just set herself up in business as a private investigator, Maisie seems a bit too sober and much too sad. Belongs to SeriesMaisie Dobbs (1) Is contained inHas as a reference guide/companionAwardsNotable Lists
Fiction.
Mystery.
Historical Fiction.
HTML: The book that introduced the world to the intuitive, intelligent, and resourceful heroine Maisie Dobbsâ??one of literature's favorite sleuths! Maisie Dobbs entered domestic service in 1910 at thirteen, working for Lady Rowan Compton. When her remarkable intelligence is discovered by her employer, Maisie becomes the pupil of Maurice Blanche, a learned friend of the Comptons. In 1929, following an apprenticeship with Blanche, Maisie hangs out her shingle: M. Dobbs, Trade and Personal Investigations. She soon becomes enmeshed in a mystery surrounding The Retreat, a reclusive community of wounded World War I veterans. At first, Maisie only suspects foul play, but she must act quickly when Lady Rowan's son decides to sign away his fortune and take refuge there. Maisie hurriedly investigates, uncovering a disturbing mystery, which, in an astonishing denouement, gives Maisie the courage to confront a ghost that has haunted her for years. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.92Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 2000-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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