c Waterloo Public Library 2007.
Having had foot surgery earlier this summer, I have plenty of time to read. Fortunately, several of my favorite writers have brand new books out. One of them is Jacqueline Winspear and An Incomplete Revenge, the newest addition to the very excellent Maisie Dobbs series (which I will review later this week). If you haven’t read any of these books yet, you should really go back to the first title—Maisie Dobbs (2003), which introduces you to the main characters and gives you a better understanding of the context of these books.
The books cover the period of time between the end of the First World War and the 1930s in England. The country has experienced the loss of thousands of soldiers—the brothers, sons, husbands and fathers who went off to war. Some soldiers came home while others returned with injuries to the mind and body; however, many did not return, and their absence had a profound effect on their families, small towns, and country overall. The series does an excellent job of showing what life was like for those who lived in this era.
Jacqueline Winspear has created a remarkable female character in Maisie Dobbs. Maisie is a complex woman: intelligent, compassionate, independent, and extremely observant and intuitive. She was born to poor but hardworking parents, her mother died when Maisie was only 14. Afterwards, her father concluded that the best alternative was for Maisie to go to work as a servant in a large household for Lady Rowan Compton. There she discovers a marvelous treasure: the large library. She is so hungry to learn that she works all day and then sneaks into the library to read at night. When her activity is discovered, she expects punishment. However, her employer senses something special about this young girl and arranges for her to study with Dr. Maurice Blanche, who is an old friend.
Not only is Maurice a highly intelligent man, he is also a man who has consulted with Scotland Yard and known for using his psychological and investigative insights to solve puzzles and unravel criminal cases. Maisie becomes his protégé after going to University, where she meets Priscilla, a lively young woman from a wealthy family who takes an immediate liking to Maisie.
Priscilla takes Maisie home to a party; Priscilla’s brothers are going off to the military, and one of the other guests is a young doctor named Simon. He and Maisie quickly fall in love. When the Great War breaks out, Maisie gets trained as a nurse and sent to France. Priscilla volunteers to become an ambulance driver. Once in France, Maisie gets assigned to a field hospital on the frontlines—and eventually gets the opportunity to work with Simon.
The events that take place in France change all of their lives forever: Simon, Maisie, and Priscilla. Each book in the series brings out a little more information about these characters, and the impact of the War on their lives. When Maisie returns from France, she is a very changed woman; however, her relationship with Maurice, her father, and Lady Rowan give her the strength to open her own practice. In the first book, Maisie’s first case presents itself as fairly simple: a man is convinced his wife is having an affair and hires Maisie to find out the truth. Her investigation uncovers a killer, and a series of secrets.
The Waterloo Library has all of the books in the series: each one is well worth the read. Several of them are available in large print, the older copies can be found in Adult fiction, and the newest one is located on the new books shelf.
Maisie Dobbs (2003)
Birds of a feather (2004)
Pardonable lies (2005)
Messenger of truth (2006)
An incomplete revenge (2008)
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