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dreichler 's review for:
A Lesson in Secrets
by Jacqueline Winspear
I read the first Masie Dobbs book shortly after it came out. I read the next couple when they cam out and then, although I enjoyed the series very much, I lost track of it.
I won this book (#8) from Good Reads First Reads and I decided to read it right away, even though I'd read the first few years ago and hadn't read the ones in between. BTW, this is a complete departure from my usual obsessive reading of a series which has to start at the beginning and go in order, but that's another story. I decided that reading the book "out of order" as it were, would be a way to see if it would stand on its own. A book, even a book in a series, should be able to do that, although, obviously, a grounding in the previous books should certainly enhance the experience.
So, that's a long introduction, what did I think? I liked it! It was a little slow to draw me in but draw me in it did. I like Masie a lot. She has lots of common sense and she's smart, but not so smart as to seem inhuman. I also like that there is much more than one storyline in the book. There is the main murder mystery, there is a new line of work Masie is getting into, there is a minor mystery involving a woman that had stayed with Masie in a previous book, there is a small story involving Masie's assistant Billy and finally there is some time spent on Masie's personal life too. Just like real life, always lots going on!
I don't normally do plot summaries but I will say that Masie goes to teach at a small college where the founder is later murdered. I had a little trouble, at first, keeping the different lecturers at the college straight but as each one was investigated by Masie, this passed. I really like how she investigates, it makes sense and you can follow her logic.
The story takes place prior to WW II and there is a lot of content in the book regarding the politics of the time and the rise of Adolph Hitler in Germany.
In conclusion, this is an excellent historical mystery. It feels real, I didn't guess "whodunnit" (although I almost never do), I cared about the characters and I want to read what happens next (in the next book). Highly recommended.
I won this book (#8) from Good Reads First Reads and I decided to read it right away, even though I'd read the first few years ago and hadn't read the ones in between. BTW, this is a complete departure from my usual obsessive reading of a series which has to start at the beginning and go in order, but that's another story. I decided that reading the book "out of order" as it were, would be a way to see if it would stand on its own. A book, even a book in a series, should be able to do that, although, obviously, a grounding in the previous books should certainly enhance the experience.
So, that's a long introduction, what did I think? I liked it! It was a little slow to draw me in but draw me in it did. I like Masie a lot. She has lots of common sense and she's smart, but not so smart as to seem inhuman. I also like that there is much more than one storyline in the book. There is the main murder mystery, there is a new line of work Masie is getting into, there is a minor mystery involving a woman that had stayed with Masie in a previous book, there is a small story involving Masie's assistant Billy and finally there is some time spent on Masie's personal life too. Just like real life, always lots going on!
I don't normally do plot summaries but I will say that Masie goes to teach at a small college where the founder is later murdered. I had a little trouble, at first, keeping the different lecturers at the college straight but as each one was investigated by Masie, this passed. I really like how she investigates, it makes sense and you can follow her logic.
The story takes place prior to WW II and there is a lot of content in the book regarding the politics of the time and the rise of Adolph Hitler in Germany.
In conclusion, this is an excellent historical mystery. It feels real, I didn't guess "whodunnit" (although I almost never do), I cared about the characters and I want to read what happens next (in the next book). Highly recommended.