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laceylou10's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bluediameter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
booksandcatsgalore's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
edhyndman's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sarah888's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lazygal's review against another edition
2.0
I'd never read a Maisie Dobbs mystery before, and at times I mentally put her in the pre-Great War era rather than the 1930s. If you like mysteries and Downton Abbey, this is probably right up your alley.
Maisie has a complicated background: poor, going into service as a young teen, being befriended by a psychiatrist, some time in college, working as a nurse during the War, inheriting a near fortune that enables her to buy a flat, a car and help her friends, becoming the lover/girlfriend of the Viscount (aka the son of the house in which she went into service)... I probably left things out and got them slightly confused because this isn't the first book in the series. There are several pages (scattered throughout) that delve heavily into background exposition on Maisie's life and her discomfort with her new circumstances.
The mystery itself revolves around Eddie, a "slow" man from Maisie's old neighborhood, who was killed - perhaps murdered - while visiting a printing plant. Eddie's gift was working with horses, and he could work with virtually any horse he met; he also ran errands for people at various factories and had visited this one as part of his daily routine. The costers from his neighborhood took a paternal interest in Eddie and suspect his death is not an accident, so off they go to Maisie to ask her help in solving this crime.
As mysteries go, this is rather slight. There's some investigation, but the majority of tbe book doesn't focus on finding clues, interviewing witnesses and drawing conclusions. There is some of that, and Maisie eventually does arrive at the whodunnit (although I was disappointed that she accepts the information given and doesn't act further on it).
ARC provided by publisher.
Maisie has a complicated background: poor, going into service as a young teen, being befriended by a psychiatrist, some time in college, working as a nurse during the War, inheriting a near fortune that enables her to buy a flat, a car and help her friends, becoming the lover/girlfriend of the Viscount (aka the son of the house in which she went into service)... I probably left things out and got them slightly confused because this isn't the first book in the series. There are several pages (scattered throughout) that delve heavily into background exposition on Maisie's life and her discomfort with her new circumstances.
The mystery itself revolves around Eddie, a "slow" man from Maisie's old neighborhood, who was killed - perhaps murdered - while visiting a printing plant. Eddie's gift was working with horses, and he could work with virtually any horse he met; he also ran errands for people at various factories and had visited this one as part of his daily routine. The costers from his neighborhood took a paternal interest in Eddie and suspect his death is not an accident, so off they go to Maisie to ask her help in solving this crime.
As mysteries go, this is rather slight. There's some investigation, but the majority of tbe book doesn't focus on finding clues, interviewing witnesses and drawing conclusions. There is some of that, and Maisie eventually does arrive at the whodunnit (although I was disappointed that she accepts the information given and doesn't act further on it).
ARC provided by publisher.
racheljoy7's review against another edition
5.0
Maisie Dobbs #9
It's funny. I was at the library yesterday, checking out the next book in the series, when the librarian commented on the popularity of this series and asked what it was about. I told her, "It's about World War I and it's aftermath years after it was over." This installment takes place in 1933 and the people of Britain are still reeling from their collective trauma. Unfortunately for them, they are about to be thrown into World War II.
It's all so sad really . . .
It's funny. I was at the library yesterday, checking out the next book in the series, when the librarian commented on the popularity of this series and asked what it was about. I told her, "It's about World War I and it's aftermath years after it was over." This installment takes place in 1933 and the people of Britain are still reeling from their collective trauma. Unfortunately for them, they are about to be thrown into World War II.
It's all so sad really . . .