Good mystery, good sense of place. My only quibble is that the author's overuse of 1940's slang was jarring. That being said, I'd read another in the series. I like the Maisie Dobbs series better though. ( )

Much better than I expected. Nearly a three star rating. Reading it was like scratching an itch, I had to finish that sucker. The characters were good company. The period slang was a little ostentatious but fun. (Bumping gums is my least favorite phrase that means speaking with. I'm hitting on all eight to mean that I'm feeling fine is cute.) I don't think I'll search out the next one but if it fell in my lap I could not resist. ( )

Really enjoyed this book- I didn't see the ending coming, which added to the suspense of the mystery. I also really enjoyed the way the book was written. The book is written to speak in a 1920's slang style and comes across very fun and unique. Greatly enjoyed this book! ( )

This book takes place during WW II. The main character, Rosie Winter, reminded me of the type of character Lauren Bacall used to play. It was something a bit different and I enjoyed reading it. ( )

Reviewed by Sabrina Williams: It is incredibly satisfying to discover new authors with a flair for fiction that typically denotes decades of publishing under the belt. In one such exceptional debut novel, The War Against Miss Winter, actor and playwright Kathryn Miller Haines introduces readers to Rosie Winter, aspiring actress, part-time file clerk, and amateur sleuth. Rosie takes on a job keeping books for a private detective to make ends meet in between acting jobs. When she has the unpleasant experience of finding her boss Jim's dead body in the office after a holiday break, she finds herself being forced from all directions into resuming Jim's work and recovering a missing play manuscript that may very well be the cause of his death. Rosie is not alone in her quest and the person who shares a common goal is willing to commit murder under the watch of a corrupt legal system to achieve it.


Readers will immediately find Rosie endearing. She is funny, smart, sarcastic and sassy: a feminist before her time. She stands tough against the many shady characters she encounters, ignoring obvious threats to her survival. Who can't respect a woman who can sit down and offer a doughnut to a mob henchman who's been tailing her? She makes it difficult to say goodbye to The War Against Miss Winter when the adventure is over. We can rest assured, she'll be back with another mystery in 2008, The Winter of Her Discontent. Hopefully there are many more adventures in store.


On a more somber note, with The War Against Miss Winter being set in 1943 in the midst of World War II, Haines captures the turmoil brewing in a society paranoid that the enemy lurks around every corner. Citizens struggle with rationing, moral dilemmas in what would otherwise be mundane daily activities, the emotion of sending loved ones off to war, and the devastation of loss as soldiers inevitably succumb to the perils of battle. Rosie can't walk a block without seeing a war poster or some reminder of the conflict overseas. Finding the manuscript almost becomes a way of distracting her attention from the fact that her own boyfriend has shipped out without a letter or a goodbye.


Haines has created a novel that not only provides a perplexing journey, but actively engages the reader in solving the mystery. This is the type of story that causes the mind to wander with possibilities as it progresses, eager to solve the crime. The characters could have stepped right out of the screen of a classic black and white detective flick, complete with drama and slang. This reviewer will be eagerly awaiting the next installment of Rosie's adventures.