Maisie Dobbs

Written by Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

Maisie Dobbs got her start as a maid in an aristocratic London household whenshe was thirteen. Her employer, suffragette Lady Rowan Compton, soon became her patron, taking the remarkably bright youngster under her wing. Lady Rowan’s
friend, Maurice Blanche, often retained as an investigator by the European elite, recognized Maisie’s intuitive gifts and helped her earn admission to the prestigious Girton College in Cambridge, where Maisie planned to complete her education.

The outbreak of war changed everything. Maisie trained as a nurse, then left for France to serve at the Front, where she found—and lost—an important part of herself. Ten years after the Armistice, in the spring of 1929, Maisie sets out on her
own as a private investigator, one who has learned that coincidences are meaningful, and truth elusive. Her very first case involves suspected infidelity but reveals something different.

In the aftermath of the Great War, a former officer has founded a working farm known as The Retreat, that acts as a convalescent refuge for ex-soldiers too shattered to resume normal life. When Fate brings Maisie a second case involving
The Retreat, she must finally confront the ghost that has haunted her for over a decade.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705078990

Jacqueline Winspear

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Consequences of Fear, The American Agent, and To Die but Once, as well as thirteen other bestselling Maisie Dobbs novels and The Care and Management of Lies, a Dayton Literary Peace Prize finalist. Jacqueline has also published two nonfiction books, What Would Maisie Do? and a memoir, This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing. Originally from the United Kingdom, she divides her time between California and the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews for Maisie Dobbs

[lkernagh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As far as mysteries go, this one is a slightly different breed of character. We start off with an interesting premise: A single woman setting up a private investigator business on her own in 1920's London, England. Granted, she has been mentored into the profession and has a well connected 'supporter' who seamlessly manages to send clients Maisie's way as well as any material support she may require. The story develops in a nice, even-keeled approach, taking time to acclimatize the reader to the setting as characters are introduced and the plot develops, with all the makings of a charming historical fiction piece. As I was settling into the mystery, Winspear decide to shelve the mystery, just as it was getting good, to delve into Maisie Dobbs' personal background in extensive detail, resulting in a story that is a disjointed composite mystery/ historical fiction. As much as I enjoyed Winspear's re-creation of a turbulent era fraught by war, spending more than half of the book - or at least that is what it seemed like to me - focusing on Maisies' background and character development outside of the mystery, was rather jarring, especially as Winspear does eventually go back to the mystery. I am not a fan of these types of overly long digressions, even if they do provide background support for part of the mystery. I am also not a fan of the method of disclosing some of the pertinent information at the end of the mystery, as an 'after the fact' drawing room discussion. Overall, Winspear has created an interesting character in Maisie Dobbs and she does present a strength for writing solid historical fiction pieces with comfortable characters and an easy flowing plot, but I found the mystery element to be weak and pretty much devoid of any level of suspense.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 This is the first book in a long series that people keep recommending to me. Maisie is a clever woman working as a detective of sorts after WWI. She and almost everyone she knows are still dealing with the trauma they experienced during the war. As she investigates a retreat for wounded soldiers her own heartbreaking past comes to light. Her relationship with her mentor and her father added an interesting depth. I also liked the way she struggled to find her place between the classes as her knowledge grew and she rose above her station. A great introduction to a series I will continue!

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was first published almost twenty years ago but I missed out on it then. And although I've seen it mentioned as a good mystery a number of times I didn't check into it. Now that I've read this book and realized that it is just the kind of historical mystery that I really enjoy I'm going to have to find time to read the other sixteen books in the series. Yikes!The roaring 20s are in full force but Maisie Dobbs doesn't seem to have the time or the money to partake. She has just set up her own private investigative firm. One of her first cases is to follow a married woman whose husband suspects of having an affair since she disappears for hours at a time several times a week. But the first time Maisie follows her she realizes she is not having an extramarital affair. The woman takes a train out of London to visit a small cemetery filled with the graves of the dead who served in World War I. The grave she visits has only a first name engraved on the headstone and it seems fairly recent. As Maisie delves further, with the help of her building caretaker, Billie Beal, she learns about a farm in Kent where the most severely injured veterans live. It is called The Retreat and is run by a former officer. Each man who goes to live there signs over his estate and income to The Retreat in order to maintain the farm. Then Maisie is asked by her former employer, Lady Rowan Compton, to investigate The Retreat further because her son plans to go there. Billie Beal goes undercover to stay at The Retreat and Maisie stays nearby at the Compton rural estate. Maisie is quite worried but Billie seems to be enjoying his time there and he thinks the world of the Major. Until he doesn't!A good portion of the book is devoted to the story of Maisie's life from her time in service, to attending Girton College for Women, to becoming a nurse on the front lines during World War I. We learn about her coster-monger father and her mentor Maurice Blanche and her friends, including one particular male doctor friend, Captain Lynch. No doubt they will pop up again.

[delphica · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was snappy, a contemporary mystery (although, in the fine Sayers tradition, a lot of the story was not about the mystery at hand AT ALL) set in England between the wars. Maisie starts off investigating a woman at the request of her husband, who suspects her to be having an affair, and that sparks off a larger mystery about a home for injured war veterans. I will say I was not expecting the war parts to be so emotional, it's a mystery novel for heaven's sake. I was figuring it would be all "oh, they were in the War" sort of stuff ... but I found myself genuinely saddened by the war stories (as Constance points out, very Testament of Youth).Maisie herself started her professional life as a maid in the household of a wealthy suffragette, and is discovered to have an exceptional intellect so eventually winds up at Cambridge. As atypical as that is, I appreciate that it sets up the book (and I presume the series) with Maisie having insights into several worlds, and whatever, I'm not that picky and it helps open up the possibilities for the plots.The parts that I didn't appreciate so much were her weird mentor, which I found a little too random and convenient ... every time Maisie needs to know something that isn't immediately available to her, either in her own experience or related to the investigation, the weird old mentor pops out with it. Of course he does. And the whole Eastern philosophy part ... and strangely, this probably IS more typical of the time period, in certain circles I think there was an interest in this ... but it felt too tacked on and woo woo to me. She's got an interesting enough perspective as someone who was both in service and Oxbridge-educated, she doesn't need to be meditating all the time on top of that.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although I have put off reading this book for many years, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed this book/character. Maisie Dobbs is a refreshing breath of air, similar to Phryne Fisher in that she served in France in WWI, was well educated, intelligent, & innovative but the similarities end there.

The odd thing about the book is it begins w/ Maisie's current state of employment as a Private Investigator, working for a man whose wife disappears for several hours twice a week. Believing his wife is having an affair he hires Maisie to investigate. What Maisie finds (I'm not spoiling) leads her to meet up with and heal her past.......

The second part of the book goes on to tell: Maisie Dobbs was a very bright child whose parents dreamed & saved for the day that she would rise up above and go to school. Those dreams were dashed when Maisie's mum died and she was left to work to help make ends meet. Maisie's father finds her a job w/ a local well off family, the Comptons. When Maisie is caught reading by Lady Rowan, she is taken aside and interviewed by Lady Rowan & her good friend, Dr. Maurice Blanche......

Dr. Blanche is a forensic doctor, a psychologist, Philosopher & detective..... a very trained and detailed thinker.... He trains Maisie in the same manner of thought & inquiry..... He also teaches Maisie to trust her intuition and carefully examine "coincidences" as they are usually an aforethought of what is to come.....

Well written, interesting w/ very likable characters and a graceful touch of humanity throughout the book. I do believe I'll read another of the series!

[kate_t_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has touched my soul unlike any book I have read in years! If you are looking for your dare I say "basic murder mystery" this is NOT the book for you! Maisie Dobbs is anything but basic. From the language, the incredible and gripping account of WWI and those that fought in it.The story is set up in three sections. The first section gets the ball rolling on what is thought to be an open and shut infidelity case starting in 1929. The second part goes back between the years 1910-1917 and shows Maisie growing up in service, her remarkable education and those that changed her life for the better and the war. The last part takes up where it ended in 1929 at the beginning. While it may seem a bit confusing, I can understand why the author chose to do it this way. This is so much more than just a historical mystery. It also involves Eastern Philosophy, Ptsd(post traumatic stress disorder), the women's suffrage, class status...I loved this book so much, I bought the others in the series before I had finished the book. Jacqueline Winspear has put a fresh face on the mystery genre. Highly, highly recommend!!

[maddiebloom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I adored this book. It has unsuspected depths, an interesting storyline, fantastic historic backdrop and characters I'd like to continue to get to know better.The action takes place in London and Kent in 1929, with a significant visit back to the French front in WWI. Maisie is the daughter of a tradesman who takes a position as a maid when her family falls on tough times. The family that employs her notices her interest in learning and adopts her as their social project, providing her an education that ultimately leads her to college and upward mobility. She trains as a private investigator and a psychologist and employs both skills to track down the truth behind an unusual "Retreat' for badly wounded war vets in the Kent countryside.This is the introductory novel to what promises to be a wonderful series. I can't wait to find the next installment.

[la_femme_jennifer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I don't know that I would classify it as a mystery per se- you kind of know what's going on before the big reveal. But I was drawn in by the characters and especially the flashback to her life during the war, which was very well written. There were a couple times in the book that I got a little teary, which doesn't happen often and is a testament to Winspear's character development. I'm not sure what the following books are like, whether she'll focus on the present or devote portions to Maisie's history as well, but I'm looking forward to reading them.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very good introduction book to the world of Maisie Dobbs, WWI nurse, now setting up her own investigation business and psychology office. I like the way the story begins as if it had been going on for some time; then in the middle jumps back in time to fill in the missing details of Maisie's life. In doing this, we see three distinct times in England. Those before the war when classes were very distinct, during the war when all was chaos, and after the war as people worked to put their lives back together, but never the same again. The mystery is rather second fiddle in this book, but even so, interesting to read. I look forward to reading more in this series.

[lucybrown_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Charming debut mystery for Winspear's detective with preternatural intelligence and understanding. The back story was in some way more interesting than the mystery that all end is a rather pat manner and lacks any real intrigue.

[melissalenhardt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent introduction to a wonderful female character. A bit different in structure than most mystery books, this first book deals more with Maisie's background than the mystery. Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series is notable for having a three dimensional main character that does more than just solve a crime. She is developing and growing as the series progresses. I highly recommend this series.

[didireallyreadthat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was a blend of historical fiction and historical mystery. The historical fiction centered around the First World War and its aftermath. This part did a great job of showing the terrible consequences of the war and how it affected people for a long time after. The story of Maisie's life and how she came to be a detective was very entertaining. The mystery part was also well-written and moved along at a good pace. My only quibble is that I could not understand or follow the logic of how Maisie decided to investigate the mystery or how she even knew it was a mystery in the first place (bad editing, maybe?) The characters in the book were well developed although I did find the of one or two of them to be a tad exaggerated. This is the beginning of series worth following.

[the_hibernator · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs is disappointed when her first case as a PI is to investigate a potential infidelity; however, things get a little more interesting when her investigation brings to light a suspicious death in a home for soldiers injured in WWI. But investigating the home turns out to be more dangerous than she'd thought. This book was WAY outside my box. I generally don't read women's fiction or books that have a feminist leaning - though sometimes I enjoy such books. So this mystery wasn't for me. The mystery part of the story was very light - she investigated a potential infidelity at the beginning, and at the end she investigated a suspicious home for injured soldiers. The middle half of the book was all Maisie's background and character development, which I found off-topic and a bit contrived. Maisie is one of those WWI women who did absolutely everything the stereotypical WWI literary woman does. She got caught up in the feminist movement (somewhat), was educated beyond her class and gender, lied about her age so she could be a nurse in France, etc. etc. It's like Winspear took a list of WWI woman stereotypes and checked them all off. Thus, I felt absolutely no empathy for Maisie's character because she felt so fake to me. The little touch of mystery at the beginning and the end wasn't enough to save the book. I can see that many readers would love this book - if you like women PI's, especially of the historical variety, then this is probably a good book for you. The series IS popular. It just wasn't for me. *shrug*

[casabooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Beginning of a series that I'll read more of.
Orphaned young woman working as housemaid, "caught" reading in library, then mentored and schooled & helps with 'detecting'. WWI setting and backdrop.
Easy read and comfortable characters. Glad I found the first in the series to start on.
Read in 2010.

[arielfl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had heard about this book from a few sources but I never got around to picking it up. Finally I was waiting for the new #1 Ladies Detective Agency Book to come out (which it does today!) and since I was in the mood for a cozy mystery I decided to use this book to pass the time. When I saw it was recommended by no other than Alexander McCall Smith, I took it as sign that now was the time to finally read it.What I didn't expect was how much I would like it! I love Maisie. I could not put this sweet heart warming book down. I haven't loved a book so much in a long time. The mystery was perfect and the soldiers and Simon broke my heart. It made me think about the soldiers fighting in the middle east today. I've already put the next book on hold at the library. I hope I can catch up so I can join in Bookclubgirl.com's Mad for Maisie read a long concluding next month with an author interview with Jacqueline Winspear herself discussing the latest book in this series. I can now be counted among the mad for Maisie.

[lizhawk_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I like this series a lot. Easy and engaging.

[lrobe190 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At the age of 13, Maisie Dobbs procures a job as a housemaid in a nobleman's house. Maisie lived in near poverty with her father from the time her mother died when she was a young child. Although Maisie never went to school, she was a avid reader. One day her new employer finds her reading in his library and eventually discover that not only is Maisie a bright young woman, but she is exceptionally gifted. Her new employers decide to take Maisie under their wing and educate her. In her second year of college, war breaks out and Maisie decides to become a nurse and work on the battle front treating the wounded soldiers. When the war is over and Maisie returns to England, she decides that attending college is too frivolous and wants to something with her education. She starts her own business as a private investigator and her first case involves severely injured war veterans. This is the first book in a series about Maisie Dobbs. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it. The characters drawn the reader in immediately and at the end I needed to know more about Maisie and her life. Highly recommended. Fans of the PBS TV show, Downton Abby, will really enjoy this book since it is set during the same time period and deals with the upper and lower class system prevalent in England at that time.

[shutzie27 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great series. Maisie Dobbs is a smart, intuitive and strong female character who uses body language and Eastern meditation to get to the heart of suspects' minds and motives. After serving as a nurse in the first World War and apprenticing under a the highly-respected government consultant, Maurice, Maisie is hanging out her own shingle as a "psychologist and investigator." This first book is nicely done as two stories--that of Maisie's upbringing and of her coming of age during the Great War-- folded in to one and is also probably one of the best introductory books to a series I've read in a very long time.

[bugs5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this book and her other book too. Great!

[portm-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't stay very interested. Maisie, in the end, was just too perfect to be likeable, and there were no real villians at all. Even the Major turned out to be just a man driven mad by the damands of the war, and his henchman similarly twisted and confused. Her love interest had been conveniently disposed of with a heroic death, all the characters were saved at the last minute, etc. Even Disney cartoon characters are more interesting. But there were several bright moments that rescued this book. I was moved by Maisie's experiences and observations as a field nurse during the war. Until he was revealed as a sad lunatic who only needed Maisie's understanding to be stopped in his tracks, I found the mystery of the Major and The Retreat intriguing. Those bright moments held me to the story, kept me slogging through the dull parts. At the very least, this story kept my mind otherwise occupied while getting my chores done over the weekend. That's worth something.

[iralell_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

GREAT book.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs is a remarkable woman - starting at a young age being a maid on a large estate, then school in Cambridge, another change to a nurse during the war and finally an investigator after the war. Maisie uses her unusual talents to find the people who are responsible for the exploitation of the veterans of the war who have been damaged physically as well as mentally. Following the story of Maisie and seeing how she becomes the person she does was great. I have read several of her later stories, now seeing her background, will help as I follow her adventures.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this first of the series we are introduced to Maisie Dobbs, and intertwined with a mystery we have the history of her life. Her upbringing, what and how her life is changed and her experiences as a nurse during the Great War. All lead her to set up as an investigator.
An interesting read especially have read a few already in the series.

[ssperson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't think I've read many books based around WWI. I will be remedying that. I liked how Maisie's past was brought into the story, and how you could see that past in the current Maisie. I'll definitely be reading more of these.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. They were well-thought out and well-developed. I also enjoyed the mystery aspect. The resolution was played out quite nicely. My main complaint about it is the choppiness of the story. The author shifts from one point to the other without transitioning it enough for my liking. She figured it out by the end of the novel and it did get better for me.

[doingdewey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs, the lead character after whom the book is named, is an intelligent, independent woman and one of the first generation of women taking on traditionally male roles following WWI. She’s also a brilliant private investigator with a personal life affected by her experience as a nurse in the war. The war also leaves it’s mark on her professional life, since many of her cases directly relate to the war’s aftermath. This includes the case which is the focus of this book which starts out as “an ordinary infidelity case” but which “soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets”.I fell in love with Maisie Dobbs’ character right away. The author does an incredible job showing what Maisie’s like by starting with a stranger’s initial impression of her. She immediately comes across as capable, confident but down-to-earth, and very striking. As we go on and get more of her history, she began to remind me of Francie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with her constant desire to read and learn, no matter the hardships of her circumstance. And really, what bookworm can resist a protagonist who shares their love of reading?Maisie’s crime solving style also appealed to me. She depends very much on an understanding of human nature, a method I’ve loved in my mystery solvers ever since my first Agatha Christie books. Particularly interesting to me was the way she mimicked people’s body language to try to figure out what they might be feeling. She also paid great attention to detail, a trait the author shared. The many details felt distracting at first, but that feeling disappeared quickly once I got drawn into the story.There were a few problems that didn’t go away as well, particularly where the book clashed with my expectations of a mystery. First, there was a large section in the middle devoted to Maisie’s stint as a nurse during the war. By the time we got there, I was very curious about what happened and excited to read that part of the book. Sadly, it dragged on too long and made the book only half mystery with the other half a war story that distracted me from the main plot line.Another problem was the feel of the novel. Solving the mystery never felt very urgent to me. I was a little curious, but never on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next. And there wasn’t a clear cut crime and suspect list as in Agatha Christie’s novels, so I never in found myself trying to solve the mystery. Instead of a straightforward whodunit, the questions here was whether there was a crime at all. Additionally, the ending, where all the action took place was very short and rushed. The ending didn’t feel very conclusively, happily solved either. Overall, it was a sadder, more pensive feel than I like in my mysteries. Give me a clear cut crime and a feel-good identification of the bad guy over this any day. Of course, that’s not to say I won’t be reading more of the series – the writing and the main character are too good for me to give up hope that future books will have more defined crimes and conclusively happy endings.

[bookchickdi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm so excited to be a part of bookclubgirl's I'm Mad for Maisie Read Along. I read the first Maisie Dobbs book by Jacqueline Winspear a few years ago and fell in love with the quiet, smart Maisie. This challenge gives me a great reason to read all of the rest of the books in the series.Maisie Dobbs takes place following World War I in London. It's an era that I didn't know much about, and so soaking in all of the atmosphere that Winspear so painstakingly researched was a revelation. Although I'm not much of a clotheshorse, I really enjoyed how the author described Maisie's clothes. My mother-in-law designs and makes antique clothes, and as I read this book, I thought of how much she would love this.I like how Maisie is so intelligent, yet she doesn't have all the answers. The way she mimics the posture of the person with whom she is talking to make them more comfortable with her fascinated me. Her mentor Dr. Maurice Blanche's psychological insights to Maisie, such as"Never follow a story with a question, Maisie, not immediately. And remember to acknowledge the storyteller, for in some way even the messenger is affected by the story he brings,"are illuminating, and useful to the reader.Maisie's straddling of two different classes of society- her father's working class and her benefactor's aristocratic one- makes for interesting conflict for her. Her father, a groom on the estate where Maisie is a maid, wants a better life for Maisie, yet fears losing her completely to her new life. Lady Rowan, her employer and benefactor, is an interesting character and I hope we get to see more of her in future books.And in the end, it was Enid, Maisie's fellow maid, who was the greatest influence on Maisie. Her words to Maisie about her duty to help the boys in the war effort may have had the deepest effect on Maisie's life.Maisie Dobbs starts in 1930, after Maisie has become a private investigator, and establishes the adult Maisie before taking us back to her childhood and the story of how Maisie got to where she is. It is a good technique because we are so invested in Maisie's adult life before we see how she got there.I felt that the author's take on the horrors of war resonated deeply. So much of what happened to the men and women who fought in war is universal and timeless. While techniques of war have changed greatly since World War I, the awful effects of it have not. I liked seeing war from a female point of view.But my favorite quote from the book has to do with reading, of course."The feeling inside that she experienced when she saw the books was akin to the hunger she felt as food was put on the table at the end of the working day. And she knew she needed this sustenance as surely as her body needed fuel."That just might be my new Facebook quote.Since Maisie is a private investigator, there is a mystery to be solved, and mystery fans will be satisfied with this part of the story. But for me, the story of Maisie's life is what I felt most deeply about and I look forward to finding out more about her in the books to come.

[kamgeb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me a while to get into this book, but once the book went back to Maisie Dobb's childhood I was drawn in. I couldn't put the book down. Aside from an interesting story, it gave a great picture of what life must have been like for a woman in her early twenties during WW I. Aside from the climactic scene, which seemed a bit unrealistic, the book itself was great. Would definitely recommend it.

[travelwlee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An okay mystery but a great set up for more in this series. Enjoyed the characters. Many times in mysteries the place becomes another character, in this novel, I felt the "other" character was the time it was set in. Look forward to reading the next one.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Book on CD narrated by Rita BarringtonThis is the first in a series featuring a former housemaid and Army Nurse. The book begins in 1929, and Maisie Dobbs has opened her own private investigation agency. Her first case is a man who believes his wife is unfaithful. Maisie gets to the truth quickly, but it leads to some painful memories. I like Maisie and the supporting characters who will, no doubt, make appearances in subsequent books in this cozy mystery series. But this first book spent way too much time in the past, and not nearly enough time on the actual mystery. And I don’t mean the man who suspects his wife; the real mystery doesn’t come up until Chapter 21! I can see why so many people like the series. The setting, the period, and the characters lend a feeling of the wonderful black-and-white movies of the ‘30s. While I was disappointed in this book – I read mysteries, even cozy mysteries, for the plots – I think I’d be willing to try another because of the characters, setting and period. Rita Barrington does a very good job voicing the audio version of this book. Her pacing is good and her skill as a voice artist breathes life into Winspear’s characters.