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Early April 1933. To the costermongers of Covent Garden—sellers of fruits and vegetables on the London streets—Eddie Pettit was a gentle soul with a near-magical gift for working with horses. So who would want to kill him . . . and why?
Maisie Dobbs's father, Frankie, had been a costermonger, and she remembers Eddie fondly. But it soon becomes clear that powerful political and financial forces are determined to prevent her from learning the truth behind Eddie's death. Maisie's search for answers on the working-class streets of Lambeth leads her to unexpected places and people: to a callous press baron; to a has been politician named Winston Churchill; and, most surprisingly, to Douglas Partridge, the husband of her dearest friend, Priscilla. As Maisie uncovers lies and manipulation on a national scale, she must decide whether to risk everything to see justice done.
“Compelling.”
Jacqueline Winspear is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Elegy for Eddie, A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, Among the Mad, and An Incomplete Revenge, as well as four other nationally bestselling Maisie Dobbs novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs, which was also nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and was a New York Times Notable Book. Originally from the United Kingdom, she now lives in California.
In Winspear's first Maisie story, we learn the character's background: Forced by family circumstances to go to work as a housemaid at an early age, Maisie Dobbs' curiosity and intellect are noticed by her employer, Lady Rowan. Rowan takes care of her education, and she makes it to university – but the Great War interrupts her ambitions. She serves as a nurse in France, then returns to England and starts her career as a private investigator in 1929. Her first case seems like a simple investigation into infidelity; it grows into something larger when it leads realizes there's something amiss at a convalescent home for war veterans called The Retreat.
Winspear's talent didn't go unnoticed when her first novel was published in July 2003. Maisie Dobbs was named in "best" lists in both the New York Times and Publishers Weekly. It was also nominated in the best novel category for an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. There was an almost palpable sense of relief in the reviews, pleasant surprise that someone had offered not only a solid addition to the historical mystery genre, but had given it further depth and breadth. As an NPR reviewer put it, "[The book's] intelligent eccentricity offers relief."
Telling Maisie's stories using a warm third-person narrator, Winspear charms with her ability to convey the historical context surrounding her characters, particularly regarding the impact of the Great War. For this reason, and because her mysteries steer clear of graphic violence or sex, her books are often recommended for younger readers also. Far from hardboiled, Winspear's characters are very human, and she delivers a little romance and heartache along with the criminal wrongdoing.
Part of the appeal in Winspear's books also lies in her ability to bring a deeper, more philosophical atmosphere to the proceedings. Maisie is trained in Freudian psychology and is as interested in helping as she is in solving. A case referenced in the second Maisie story, Birds of a Feather, for example, "would not be filed away until those whose lives were touched by her investigation had reached a certain peace with her findings, with themselves, and with one another." Reading Winspear's Dobbs series may not bring inner peace, but there is something relaxing about spending time with her appealing characters.
Winspear loves outdoor pursuits such as horseback riding, hiking, sailing, and mountain biking; she's also an avid traveler, according to her web site bio.
In our interview, Winspear shared some fun facts about herself:
"My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to get myself a job where I could travel. I did it for two years and had great fun."
"My worst-ever job was in an egg-packing factory when I was 16."
"I love dogs, horses and generally all animals. I will always stop to check on stray dogs -- I once ended up in the emergency room with a tick embedded in me which had jumped off a dog I had rescued from a busy road. It was a deer tick, which carries Lyme Disease, so I wasn't taking any chances. Funnily enough, when I opened the only magazine in the emergency room, it was to a page carrying an article on tick bites and disease. It stated that you have six hours after the tick embeds itself, before it begins to release the bacteria that cause disease. I counted the hours from rescuing the dog, and by the time the doctor came in I was pleading, ‘Get this thing out of me!!!'"
"My favorite way to unwind is to go for a walk with my husband and the dog at the end of the working day, then we go to our local health club for a swim and to sit by the pool and read for a while. I love time with family and friends, but completely relish time on my own when I have no agenda to follow, no to-do's, just me and time alone."
tedfeit0
Posted March 27, 2012
The Maisie Dobbs series, now with nine entries, has taken her from World War I, where she served as a nurse, to the cusp of the Second World War. In this novel, there are three themes which can tend to confuse the reader until the author brings them together and makes sense out of what at first appear to be separate subplots.
To start with, a delegation from Lambeth, scene of Maisie’s childhood, visits her to engage her services as an investigator to find out how a young man died in a paper factory. The other two plot lines, one more personal to her than the other, has Maisie questioning her own motives and standards as well as her relationship with her lover; and the last involving the stealth campaign of Winston Churchill to prepare Great Britain for the possible war with Nazi Germany.
The book is equal to its predecessors in characterization and human interest. Obviously, it is more political in tone than its forerunners, given the time in which it takes place: the depression era and rise of Adolf Hitler. While Maisie’s introspections may be overdone, they certainly are in keeping with the character.
Recommended.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2013
Maisie Dobbs displays an incredibly annoying ability to not understand that othef people are allowed to have their own lives apart from her, without letting her know what they are doing at every minute. Her conviction that she is being "lied to" because some of her acquaintances have facets of their lives that they cannot (or do not want to) share with her is wearing quite thin. I realize her calling card says Psychologist and Inquiry agent, but I didn't realize her brief included inquiring into everyone else's lives, whether bidden or not.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 28, 2012
I have now read all of Jacqueline Winspears books and I enjoyed them all. Can't wait for next book to come out. Best to read her books in order to follow her story lines.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 9, 2012
I finished this mystery. It didn't move as fast as I would have liked but I would read it another of her books.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 5, 2012
Winspear is never heavy handed with the history she blends into her Maisie Dobbs series. Strong characters and steady plots bring the era alive with significant if sometimes relatively obscure historical, political and social recollections. "Elegy" with its troubling and morally ambiguous theme (unresolved for the protagonist) typifies the books in the series--well-written, thoughtful, credible and appealing characters, always a pleasurable and worthwhile read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 8, 2012
Jacqueline does a wonderful job transporting the reader to this turbulent time period. If you love history and mystery this series of books is for you.
I've read all of the Maise Dobbs Series and enjoy them all. I am looking forward to the next adventure :)
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Several of Maisie's old acquaintances come to her office to ask for her help. They believe that their friend Eddie was murdered. Maisie sets out to find any clues surrounding death that might lead to this conclusion.
I haven't read any Maisie Dobbs books before this one. But I do enjoy a good who-done-it or mystery novel. This book was okay, but it certainly wasn't great. The story seemed to meander slowly along without anything happening for long periods of time. Her indecision about her boyfriend and her previous life were irritating and didn't seem to fit with the story at all. I won't give any spoilers, but I wasn't thrilled with the conclusions either. They didn't seem to wrap up like a normal who-done-it should. This might be a typical Maisie Dobbs novel, I don't know. But it left me wishing I'd read a different book and not wasted my time. It wasn't awful, but with so many great books out there it's hard to waste your time on one that is only okay.
I received this book free of charge from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mackie77
Posted May 12, 2012
Potential spoiler although I'll try not to say too much. I found the book to be a little slow, and I was disappointed as a key crime against Billy received no closure; key elements were not researched. There wasn't a cut and dried ending. I like the series, but this book seemed to focus too much on the politics and Maisie's ... self-introspection, which adds to the stories and Maisie's growth, but it was just too much this time. I suppose Maisie's past and current status, neither fish nor fowl, makes it difficult to commit to anything other than her business which she can control. It would be a difficult world to navigate, gender, class, academics, finances, etc. as she doesn't fit in her "place." She is called to task for her control issues, and I enjoyed those dialogues as the character is just a little bit too controlling and "mother knows best." I'm not sure why the series even involves a male companion as Maisie just sort flits along from man to man albeit slowly; I feel like I'm observing Goldilocks although she made a decision by third time.
All in all, for my likes, it wasn't the best in the series. Like Anne Perry's current writings, it seems as though the writer is taking a breather and just coasting.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 5, 2012
I have read all of the books in this series and this one was good. I could not give it a higher rating because I felt that it moved very slow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 19, 2012
I am enchanted with the Maisie Dobbs series and with each new publication I am more in love with the books. Ms. Winspear weaves events and settings into the plot with a delicate touch and a depth of knowledge of the era.
Maisie is a well developed character and keeps deepening and growing with each book.
A great, guiltless pleasure.
MCarm
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 13, 2012
I have been a fan of the Massie Dobbs series since the very first book. Ms. Winspears latest began with a great beginner. However, I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. Still a fan though and hoping that Massie stays with her friend, James. Actually, Ms. Dobbs is ahead of her time by being a private female investigator and having a love life. This makes the series very interesting. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 7, 2012
A lovely little book about inocence lost in the pre-World War II days of England and London. The investigation of the suspicious death of Eddie gets sidetracked now and then with Maisie's own inner personal struggles and relationships. Not exactly a "page turner", but a sort of quiet read in front of a fire with a cup of tea. Cheers!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 6, 2013
maisie dobbs continues to be clever and inquisitive, but not so bright that she can't learn life lessons.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.BookReflections
Posted March 24, 2013
Acquaintances from Maisie's earlier days come to Maisie with news that Eddie, a kind man known both for his mental deficiencies and his gift with horses, has died in a seemingly freak accident. Uncomfortable with the circumstances they come to Maisie for her help. Maisie begins to investigate and she discovers that more men have died over this matter. Maisie soon realizes that Eddie had stumbled into a problem that might be over even Maisie's head. Maisie also struggles with her own changed circumstances and reflects on her intrusions in the lives of others. She questions how she still give back to her friends and loved ones. Not sure if she understands her own wants, her romance adds questions to the mix. And the rest of the world continues in their struggle to recover from the Great War. Hints of unrest in Germany and questions about Hitler's intentions serve as a backdrop to everyday problems.
This is my third Maisie Dobbs novel and I've successfully skipped around to read the titles that interest me with little to no confusion. I enjoyed this installment. I loved getting to know a character through the stories and conversations of the other characters. I found myself attached to Eddie even though he was gone at the book's start. I enjoyed seeing the beginning of some very troubling events and am curious to see Maisie's role when things really start to happen. Reoccurring characters were present and consistent and there was even some growth here are there. But this one is mostly focused on Maisie and her life changes and indecision. Less focus is on the secondary characters.
I like this particular series because it involves old-fashioned detective work. It reminds me of my Nancy Drew days. Set before WWII (at this point), technology is mostly absent. I think it is better at integrating the historical backdrop than any other book I've read. The lives and conversations are true to the time and are peppered with events and information that the reader knows will lead to bigger events, and ultimately, WWII. It isn't in your face so it seems especially real. These books are well-researched but it doesn't feel like I am reading research. This series is consistent and the mysteries are very involved but I find that they would be one of my favorites if I liked Maisie more. Maisie is perfectly imperfect. Even when she does something wrong, it's still right. She has to have the most unromantic romances ever. Her way of reflecting on her feelings as they relate to romance is so technical and dry. Even though she has problems and fears they just don't help connect me to her.
Overall, another unpredictable mystery with a well-developed historical backdrop.
NewsieQ
Posted February 22, 2013
The “Eddie” in the title is Eddie Pettit, born to an unmarried teenage mother in 1887 while she was mucking out a stable – a job that just barely keeps her out of the workhouse. All his life, Eddie had a special gift for working with horses. And now in 1933, Eddie dies in a freak accident at a printing plant. But Eddie’s friends, the fruit sellers in Covent Garden, don’t believe his death was an accident and come to Maisie Dobbs, daughter of their friend and former costermonger Frankie Dobbs, to investigate his death.
Maisie takes on the job, only too glad to be of help to her father’s pals, whom she’s known since she was a little girl. And when her assistant, Billy Beale, winds up in the hospital after a beating sustained while asking questions about the case, she’s pretty certain that her clients’ suspicions about Eddie’s death are on target.
Elegy for Eddie is a pivotal book in this award-winning series, a turning point for its protagonist. Maisie is still becoming accustomed to newfound wealth – which came to her when her mentor and friend Maurice died and left her most of his considerable estate. Maisie is always willing to use her money to help others, but in Elegy for Eddie, she’s confronted with the accusation, from a very credible source, that she may be using gifts to control other people’s lives. Maisie also realizes that she must decide what her relationship is to be with her lover, James, who wants a traditional marriage, meaning Maisie gives up her work.
The Maisie Dobbs books are wonderful … it’s one series I collect in hardcover. I just want to own them. Elegy for Eddie is number nine, and it’s just about time for me to go back to #1 and read some of the early ones again. It’s that kind of series.
Anonymous
Posted February 15, 2013
I have only recently found Jacqueline Winspear's wonderful Maisie Dobbs series, and I have now devoured all of them. Highly recommended.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 27, 2012
I love the Maisie Dobbs series. I read one right after the other. I am really bummed that the next isn't out until Dec 2013. Excelent books.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 26, 2012
The best of the series and they were all good!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 27, 2012
Haven't finished this book as I am reading another book as well. Love the whole series of Maisie Dobbs. This is my 9th book in the series can't wait to see how the story unfolds.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 24, 2012
Love Maisie Dobbs! Jacqueline is very good at describing the times. Gave me a different perspective of Post WWI and prior to WWII.
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Overview
Early April 1933. To the costermongers of Covent Garden—sellers of fruits and vegetables on the London streets—Eddie Pettit was a gentle soul with a near-magical gift for working with horses. So who would want to kill him . . . and why?
Maisie Dobbs's father, Frankie, had been a costermonger, and she remembers Eddie fondly. But it soon becomes clear that powerful political and financial forces are determined to prevent her from learning the truth behind Eddie's death. Maisie's ...