Jacqueline Winspear novels

I was looking for books set in England when I saw a review of this author and thought I’d give her a spin. After the first few chapters, I was hooked! Her novels take their inspiration from stories told by her grandfather, who lived through both WWI and WWII.

Maisie Dobbs. Book 1. Jacqueline Winspear

Set in post-WWI England, we meet Maisie Dobbs in 1929 as she opens her own private investigative agency. She also hires Billy Beale, a WWI veteran who, as we discover, has an unusual connection with Maisie. Together they investigate The Retreat, a facility for veterans severely disfigured by their injuries. Moving from past to present, we discover how Maisie moved from working as a maid to attending university to working as a nurse on the front to opening her own business. And there’s a secret that’s not revealed until the final pages. Relax and enjoy the life of this determined young woman.

Birds of a Feather. Book 2. Jacqueline Winspear 

It’s now 1930, and Maisie is contacted by a wealthy businessman, Joseph Waite, who is trying to locate his missing and perhaps runaway daughter, Charlotte. As Maisie investigates her disappearance, she discovers that three of Charlotte’s friends have died within the last few months, leading her to a connection that occurred during WWI. Always interesting information about the time period serves to add yet another layer to the complexity of this compelling novel.

Pardonable Lies. Book 3. Jacqueline Winspear 

It’s still 1930 and a deathbed request from his wife brings Sir Cecil Lawton to Maisie. She’s tasked with confirming the death of Lawton’s aviator son in the French countryside.Along with this task, she’s been asked by her good friend Priscilla to go to the site of Pris’s brother Peter’s death during the war. Combined with Maisie’s memories of the horror of being a nurse on the front line in France, these tasks cause her mental anguish as she unravels the mystery that could connect both men. And when is it okay to tell a lie?

Messenger of Truth. Book 4. Jacqueline Winspear 

After the trauma of the previous novel, Maisie is back with a challenge brought to her by Georgina Bassington-Hope, who surprisingly has been sent to her by Detective Inspector Stratton. Georgina’s talented artist brother Nick has died as the result of falling from a scaffolding set up to install his latest work of art, and Georgina wants Maisie to make sure that his death was indeed an accident. As Maisie meets the mostly bohemian family of Bassington-Hopes, she finds herself investigating Nick’s interesting life and railroad carriage studio, set on the coast near Hastings. Another complex, compelling read. 

An Incomplete Revenge. Book 5. Jacqueline Winspear 

Maisie’s latest assignment is to check out a piece of land that James Compton, son of her patron, Lady Rowan, is considering buying. When Maisie arrives in the village, she senses something really off about the town, known for being the site of a zeppelin raid during WWI. As she tries to make sense of her gut feeling, she discovers a number of strange happenings that have occurred since the zeppelin attack. Fascinating storyline.

Among the Mad. Book 6. Jacqueline Winspear 

Maisie escapes serious injury as she witnesses a seemingly homeless man commit suicide by using a hand grenade. When a demand is made the next from an organization supposedly involved in the suicide, Maisie’s name is actually mentioned in a letter addressed the the Prime Minister. After a grilling by the police and Special Branch, Maisie is eventually tasked with finding the person or people behind the attack. Her assistant Billy also faces a challenge as his wife Doreen has become clinically depressed over the death of their daughter. Parallel stories provide an exciting climax in another tension-filled novel.

The Mapping of Love and Death. Book 7. Jacqueline Winspear 

This novel opens in California as British-American cartographer Michael Clifton buys a property supposedly laden with oil. With the advent of WWI, he decides to fight for his family’s homeland, and is reported missing in 1917. Fast forward to 1932, and his remains are discovered in France. His wealthy parents hire Maisie to investigate his death and to discover the mysterious “English nurse,” with whom he was corresponding. Although Maisie tries to move past her memories of WWI, she keeps being drawn back, and there’s the added sadness of her mentor Maurice’s serious illness. Another stellar journey with Maisie and company.

A Lesson in Secrets. Book 8. Jacqueline Winspear 

Maisie’s career path changes a bit as she is asked by the Special Branch to pose as a lecturer at a college to monitor activities that seem suspicious. When the head of the school, Gordon Liddicote, is murdered in his office, Maisie is warned off that investigation, but she finds that his death may be linked to her activities monitoring students and faculty. Thus ensues another complex set of circumstances involving the British Nazi Party, a Belgian professor, and Britain’s role in unwholesome secrets.

Elegy for Eddie. Book 9. Jacqueline Winspear 

In another novel inspired by her father’s stories, Winspear writes about a boy born next to a horse in a stable, who becomes a horse whisperer. Eddie has a mental disability, but his gentle way with horses earns him a reputation and some pocket money. When Eddie is mysteriously killed, supposedly due to a factory accident, Maisie’s job is to discover the circumstances surrounding Eddie’s death. It’s 1933, and somehow this death is tied into the rumblings in England before the start of World War II. Another complex story with a complex heroine.

Leaving Everything Most Loved. Book 10. Jacqueline Winspear 

Maisie is drawn into investigating the death of an Indian woman found floating in the Thames. As she learns more about the ayahs brought into England as nannies and then stranded, she also has to deal with James Compton’s hopes for their relationship. And there’s also the pull of seeing the world, something her mentor had done and encouraged her to do at some point. Lots of drama and complications make for another excellent journey with Maisie and company.

A Dangerous Place. Book 11. Jacqueline Winspear

It’s 1937, and Maisie has experienced both total joy and abject sorrow in a very short period of time. As she struggles to work through her grief by traveling to America and then India, she finds that she’s just not ready to return to England, instead stopping in Gibraltar. And she trips over the body of a Hasidic Jew in this dangerous place. She succeeds in not only solving the murder but also making a decision about the new part of her journey. 

Journey to Munich. Book 12. Jacqueline Winspear

1938 finds Maisie having finally returned to England by way of nursing once again in civil war-ravaged Spain. But now her experiences along with her height make her a viable candidate to work undercover for the British Secret Service, pretending to be the daughter of a British subject imprisoned in Dachau. His expertise is critical in helping England prepare for the coming conflict with Germany. But the man whom she holds responsible for James’ death also asks for her help in finding his wayward daughter. Into the mix comes Mark Scott, an American agent with a connection to the Germans she must deal with. My head was spinning — another complex read.

In This Grave Hour. Book 13. Jacqueline Winspear 

On September 3, 1939, Great Britain declares war on Germany; at that moment, Dr. Francesca Thomas tasks Maisie with finding a murderer of a Belgian refugee from WWI. It’s also the time when London’s children are being sent to the countryside alone to escape the German bombing of the city. Somehow Maisie finds herself hosting a lost child at her home in Kent while simultaneously trying to help Dr. Thomas. Always a fascinating mix of fact and fiction.

To Die But Once. Book 14. Jacqueline Winspear 

The war is on full throttle, and Maisie’s friend Priscilla and co-worker Billy are stressed by the choices their sons make about joining the war effort. There's also the death of Joe Coombs, a young man working on a top secret project somewhere in England. As Maisie works to solve that mystery, she becomes embroiled in secret matters that threaten more than just Joe. And then there’s a super-helpful, attractive new neighbor at Maisie’s office. So many threads that come together in a satisfying manner as always.

The American Agent. Book 15. Jacqueline Winspear 

It’s 1940, and after having spent a day with American journalist Catherine Saxon, who accompanies Maisie as she navigates the city of war-torn London driving an ambulance, Maisie is horrified to learn that Saxon has been murdered. Thus begins a race to help find the killer while keeping the murder a secret. Involved in the investigation is not only Secret Branch acquaintance Robbie McFarlane but also Mark Scott, the American agent she met while in Munich. Worries about her refugee “daughter” Anna and possible feelings for Mark add another dimension to this thrilling novel. 

The Consequences of Fear. Book 16. Jacqueline Winspear 

The fall of 1941 finds Maisie working with the government to vet possible candidates for work as undercover agents in France. She is appalled to learn that two of the candidates are people she knows, so the job becomes complicated. Another problem comes as young Freddie Hackett, a message runner for the government, witnesses a murder, but no one will believe him. Maisie takes on his case and discovers the identity of the murderer, but his position causes her to exercise caution in handling the case. Along with these issues, she is trying to adopt Anna as well as deal with her relationship with American Mark Scott. Winspear’s novels never disappoint.