Maisie Dobbs: The Adult Nancy Drew

I haven't had so much fun reading a mystery series since the olden days of Nancy Drew.  I'd check out the maximum number of books from the library and high-tail it home on my bicycle.  Then it was out on the porch, up in a tree or under the bedcovers with a flashlight until I'd read through all of Nancy's latest adventures.

I am happy to say that the wonderment of childhood has returned in the very adult form of Maisie Dobbs. Unfortunately, I read the most recent novel first. Although they can be read independently, they do build on each other.  I quickly back-tracked and read them all in order:

Maisie Dobbs- This is perhaps the slowest of the novels, but sets the background for all that is to come.

Birds of a Feather

Pardonable Lies

Messenger of Truth

An Incomplete Revenge

Among the Mad-oooh, so creepy!

The Trappings of Love and Death

A Lesson in Secrets-my favorite!

Really, I don't want to tell you anything about Maisie or her adventures, because I just don't want to spoil it for you.  I never read the book jackets for that very reason.  Take it on a leap of faith and jump into these amazing mysteries, which take place just prior and following WWI.  It is a fascinating study in history as well as superbly constructed writing. You'll enjoy all the red herrings in these accounts.  Just when I was sure I knew who done it...there was some clever twist. I couldn't put these books down and read them all in less than two weeks.

On another level, Maisie Dobbs is a woman ahead of her time.  She leaves Nancy in the dust when it come to womens' lib. While Nancy relies on her father and housekeeper, Maisie is essentially a woman on her own.  Part of the pleasure in reading these novels is watching her evolution as an woman battling against the male- dominate and class-conscience society of the time. Kudos to author, Jacqueline Winspear!
PS...some of these are available in bundles of two novels on Kindle.