She does seem to be more accepting of James’ choices in life. Maisie also pushes lots of good advice about acceptance and acknowledgement of the dreams of others.

A beautiful description of a worried lad who won’t be coming home, and the only time we’re not hearing from Maisie’s third person simple subjective point-of-view. It’s that prologue that starts the main theme, and it hung with me, every word. Other side themes include Maisie’s worries about Anna and how accepted she is in both households the benevolent spy is quite minor and, those emotional effects of war and how it increases everyone’s concerns for and thoughts of family. Maisie does pull from the personal for what tension there is about Dunkirk in particular, what with Priscilla’s and Billy’s horrible experiences during World War I, as they worry about loved ones caught up in the evacuation. There’s also the pride and fear of those left behind, especially when the last war is still so close in their memories. Winspear pulls in the evacuation of Dunkirk, although I think she could have, should have?, created more tension for that aspect of the story.

There’s also a somewhat brighter side, of men, women, boys, who are willing to step up and help. The horror that kills so many, so needlessly. Yes, yes, I know this is fiction, but fiction can motivate us into believing a dream, and that’s not a bad thing.Īs Maisie remembers an old aphorism: “Where there’s muck, there’s brass”, a comment about how war enriches the coffers of some and pushes others to ignore safety issues. Every time I read her story, I’m so impressed with her rise from her poor beginnings, simply because she wanted to learn and of her compassion for others. Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, An Incomplete Revenge, A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, Among the Mad, A Dangerous Place, Journey to Munich, In This Grave Hour, The American Agentįourteenth in the Maisie Dobbs, private investigator–historical mystery series now at the start of World War II in England and revolving around Maisie and the people who surround her. It is part of the Maisie Dobbs #14 series and is a historical mystery, private investigator that was published by Harper on Maand has 326 pages. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review.

Maisie dobbs to die but once