Among the Mad: A Maisie Dobbs Novel

Written by Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

In the thrilling next novel by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Winspear, Maisie Dobbs must catch a madman before he commits murder on an unimaginable scale.

It's Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the prime minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met—and the writer mentions Maisie by name. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane's personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case.

Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie's trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia's abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people. And before this harrowing case is over, Maisie must navigate a darkness not encountered since she was a nurse in wards filled with shell-shocked men.

In Among the Mad, Jacqueline Winspear combines a heart-stopping story with a rich evocation of a fascinating period to create her most compelling and satisfying novel yet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Feb 17, 2009
• ISBN: 9781427206060

Jacqueline Winspear

Jacqueline Winspear is the New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs novels. The first in the series, Maisie Dobbs, won the prestigious Agatha Award for Best First novel, the Macavity Award for Best First Novel, and the Alex Award. She won an Agatha for Best Novel for Birds of a Feather and a Sue Feder/Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery for Pardonable Lies. Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent in England. Her grandfather had been severely wounded and shell-shocked in World War I, and learning his story sparked her deep interest in the "war to end all wars” and its aftereffects, which would later form the background of her novels. Winspear studied at the University of London's Institute of Education, then worked in academic publishing, in higher education and in marketing communications in the UK. She immigrated to the United States in 1990 and embarked on her life-long dream to be a writer. In addition to her novels, Winspear has written articles for women’s magazines and journals on international education, and she has recorded her essays for public radio. She divides her time between Ojai and the San Francisco Bay Area and is a regular visitor to the United Kingdom and Europe.

Reviews for Among the Mad

[readermom68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great addition to the Maise Dobbs series. The author continues to develope the main character, Maise Dobbs. I appreciate how the the author shies away from having Maise find a love interest as a means of making her happy. Instead she holds tight to the independence she gained through her financial independence. I also really enjoy how much effort and research Ms. Winspear puts into developing the setting; London itself is a character that comes alive in her capable hands. Additionally, she address the lingering consequences of the "Great War" in a manner that makes her (the author's) feelings about war clear, but doesn't bash the reader over the head with misplaced proselytizing. Not to mention, there's a well crafted mystery thrown in.

[sterling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author did it again! Another stellar story with such a realistic main character. Maisie Dobbs is so believable, and so human and thoughtful and reflective. I love reading her adventures. And this one held me spellbound right until the end.

[kblinn_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs books always provoke thought on the part of the reader. This book has a darker outlook than most, dealing as it does with people severely damaged by human conflict in the first world war. It also subtly points out that some things never change in terms of how government agencies operate. Intrigue and back-stabbing have been around forever. It's a good read, but don't expect a particularly cheery feeling at the end. The good news is that Maisie has pulled herself back together again.

[Linda Lowry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maisie sets an example of how intelligence, problem solving and compassion can be complementary.

[bogopea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs, now in 1931. Top notch.

[newsieq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs is hired as a consultant to Scotland Yard when it gets a threatening letter that mentions her name. It isn't that Detective Chief Superintendent "Robbie" MacFarlane believes for a minute that Maisie would harm anyone ... but he does believe her special skills and insights might help in the investigation.Readers are also given brief glimpses into the actions and mind of the letter-writer, whose threats will be carried out if the government doesn't do something -- and now -- to help the unemployed, especially veterans of the Great War. The plight of war survivors is a theme that has run through all the books in this series.What struck me most was the author's ability to imagine herself as one of the disenfranchised, to give a voice to both the hopes and despair of those who are often invisible, and to make readers sit up and take notice, to empathize. That's what makes Maisie Dobbs such a singular character in mystery fiction. And, while one of those characters is ready to kill to make those like himself more visible to the powers-that-be, Maisie's assistant, World War I veteran Billy Beale struggles to come to terms with his wife's psychiatric illness and the horrible hospital she -- also one of the disenfranchised -- is taken to for treatment. Among the Mad is not a lighthearted mystery, but it is a book that resonates today -- another economically depressed era during which returning war veterans are forced to fight again for the treatment they deserve. 02/25/2010

[msaucier818 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Outstanding - continued excellence with the character building of Maisie Hobbs and friends. This book also introduced new characters who I am guessing will make appearances in future episodes. The actual mystery in this novel was well done and as always, done with an historical realism that is second to none. Favorite series.

[diana.hauser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear was published in 2009 and is Book #6 in the Maisie Dobbs Mystery series.Maisie Dobbs is a female private investigator in London.The time period is in the years following the Great War of 1914-1918.With Book #6 we are…….“Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street.”Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people.Ms. Winspear’s writing of this English historical period after the Great War is so interesting, so detailed, so suspenseful and so culturally (and historically) accurate that this series is a go-to series for me. Very brilliant writing. *****

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m still loving this series, but this serial killer twist on chemical warfare wasn’t my favorite. Number 5 in the series remains my favorite so far. Maisie and Billy work with higher-ups in the British government to track down a creepy letter writer. It reminded me of Agatha Christie’s ABC murders. I loved the side story with Maisie’s best friend, Priscilla, as she deals with some major life issues.

[lisa2013_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn’t sure that I’d continue with this series. I read the first 5 books to/with a friend. We finished book 5 less than a week before she died. For this book I read both the Kindle e-book and the Hoopla audiobook, both from the library. The narration was wonderful. I thought I’d been doing a good job for over a year reading the first 5 books but as soon as I started listening to this book I discovered that no not so much. I got Maisie and Billy and all of them wrong. It could be argued that I just interpreted them differently but I will say my narration was wrong. We enjoyed the first 5 books anyway. In this book I liked knowing things before Maisie knew them and enjoyed having as much knowledge as the reader was given. I did find the story depressing but Maisie and her crew are always uplifting anyway. As usual I got irritated when the main character puts themselves in danger although at least in this case there were good reasons. Whether they were good enough or not is another topic for discussion, especially given that there were multiple instances. I wanted to avoid reading this at bedtime because I thought that the story would get way too scary but it never got that bad.One quote that I loved: “And that’s what we are all looking for, isn’t it? A home. We’re looking for where we belong.”I plan to continue reading the series and I’m looking forward to reading more of the books.

[yukon92 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was a great improvement over the previous 2 books. It was still somewhat long and concentrated (to a lesser degree) on the emotional well-being of Maisie... It was heartbreaking to hear (I listened to the audiobook) about the strange, harsh treatments used in mental hospitals during that time.The narrator did a great job with the different dialects!

[fbswss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This series gets better and better. Depth of characters, thoughtful, well-plotted. Love Maisie's dad, wish we saw more of him.

[tkcs-3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really like this series but I didn't care for this latest book quite as much as some of the others. Don't get me wrong, I still recommend it but I think readers are supposed to come away from the book with more compassion for those with mental illness, but that didn't work for me because the mentally ill characters weren't very likable.

[themulhern · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Same as the others. This series is like a very long single novel w/ a very even pace. I find it hard to believe that it would be possible to pay one's rent in London by begging, even in 1932. This book taught me the phrase "Mills bomb".

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved how the different strands of the story - Maisie's personal life, her work associates, and her case - all interweave and illuminate the central idea of mental illness and how we manage or don't manage it and where it often has its roots. Laid on top of these very real concerns is an exciting thriller with echos to the chemical warfare horrors of WWI.

[kmajort · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

always enjoyable.

[shannon.dolgos · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well, Jacqueline didn't disappoint...no surprises there.

Maisie and Billy observe a Christmas Eve suicide, and as the events unfold as to why this once brave soldier decided to take his life, they are drawn into another mystery. Will Maisie and Scottland Yard figure out the mystery before more lives are taken?

Excellent series.

[romonko · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't enjoy this Maisie Dobbs as much as previous books. Ms. Winspear loves to dwell on the casualties of war, especially from the Great War, but this book seems to dwell a little too much. And there is no clear resolution to the case either, so that detracts from it considerably. In this book Maisie finds herself working with Special Branch and Section 5 and there's a little more espionage in this one than previously. Her group is trying to uncover a particularly sadistic killer who has nothing left to live for, and doesn't care what happens to him. The book is set around Christmas in 1931. It's a particularly gloomy Christmas season in London that year and the tone of that is reflected in this book. I just wish that Maisie would lighten up a wee bit. It would make the books much more enjoyable.

[infjsarah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This series has really grown on me. I enjoyed this one. As usual the plot comes from the consequences of the First World War but it sadly has resonance for now too. A lot less time is spent on description of clothing which improves the writing no end and Maisie is changing and leaving her grief behind.

[lit_chick_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

2009, MacMillan Audio, Read by Orlagh CassidyPublisher’s Summary: It's Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the prime minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met – and the writer mentions Maisie by name. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane's personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case.Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie's trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia's abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people.My Review: Among the Mad is perhaps the best of the Maisie Dobbs novels I’ve read to date. These just keep getting better! The novel looks in depth at the devastating lifelong effects of war on the psyche as well as the body, and at some of the horrid chemical gases used in combat to obliterate human life. Stephen Oliver is one such brilliant mind, employed in the war for his scientific knowledge, but all but destroyed by what he witnessed. Too, the novel looks at the treatment of the mentally ill through Billy Beale’s wife’s malaise since the death of their young daughter – Doreen’s experiences illustrate some of the inhumane treatments employed to shock those suffering from melancholia back into reality. And it is a pleasure to observe Maisie, working with Scotland Yard as well as the Secret Service, hold her own in a man’s world. Highly recommended!

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Maisie witnesses a man blow himself up she gets caught up in a government investigation into the situation, with a lot of complicated politics and a look at the treatment of the disabled veterans in the period (which was appalling by the way) and touches on the development of psychiatric services, for both the shell-shocked and for Billy's wife who has never recovered from the death of their daughter.It's an interesting glimpse into the world of the period through slightly modern eyes. There are times when it reflects things quite well and then there are times when the writing about the future is writ large. It's an interesting read, sometimes I wonder about how stretched Maisie is sometimes and how she copes with juggling a lot of stuff.

[sriemann_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another good Maisie Dobbs - I enjoyed her being 'elevated' to working with some higherups at Scotland Yard and she being able to show her talents to an appreciative audience. The side plot about Billy's wife was hard to read sometimes, but I appreciated that the author (obviously) did research on depression in women at the time, and included it in the story.

[shutzie27 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although I enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series and will continue to read these book, I must say this was not one of my favorite installments. This book takes Maisie deep into the world of mental health care in the early 1930s. A disenfranchised war veteran who is able to make chemical weapons is threatening to attack the entire city within a matter of days and has, inexplicably, mentioned Maisie Dobbs in the first of several threatening letters. When dead animals that have apparently been gassed begin to show up, the race against the clock becomes all the more urgent.Thus Maisie is brought under the umbrella of the Special Branch and MI-5 and even has a tete a tete with the PM, all while racing to save the city. There wasn't enough mystery, to put it bluntly. Although Winspear has, as always, thoroughly researched the time period and how mental health was administered, it was fairly obvious from the beginning what was going on. There is some good character/plot development with the Beales, however. Fans of the series will enjoy this book, as I did, but it may not be the most memorable of Maisie's adventures.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In what is possibly my favorite installment to date, Maisie is called upon to assist Special Branch of Scotland Yard in an investigation in which a man is using chemical warfare similar to what she had encountered in World War I. She had tried to prevent a man from blowing himself up and had been witnessed by the letter writer who mentioned her name in his threat. At the same time Billy's wife Doreen has been committed to an old school mental hospital because her sadness in the loss of her daughter has grown to the point that she is a danger to herself and possibly to others. Maisie immediately works to get Doreen transferred to an institution with more up to date methods. The book deals with the treatment of veterans, particularly those who suffered shell shock and illnesses brought own by exposure to chemical weaponry. It also takes a look at the mental health system of the day. There is a potential for a continuing relationship in future installments of this series. Great installment!

[coltfan18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maisie Dobbs is helping Scotland Yard try to find who is making treats to some of England's leaders. Maisie tries to prevent a man from blowing himself up and this ties into the letter received by Scotland Yard with the treats. The letter mentions Maisie's name and this is why she is brought into the case. This book is timely as it also looks at how veterans are treated after war, even though this is World War I. I love how Maisie thinks in solving the crime and goes out on her own to find the truth.

[tulikangaroo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this one the most so far... Maisie's continuing to come into her own and making friends, of a sort, which is getting her out and about and making her less self-absorbed. The series is picking up!

[akmargie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great mystery...but I wonder about the next book and if Maisie might be getting a beau?

[anglersrest_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just before Christmas Maisie and her employee, Billie see a man commit suicide in the street. The man was clearly a War Veteran and events very quickly turn Maisie back to her nursing days during the Great War. Soon after an anonymous letter is received by the police threatening violence if the comments in the letter are not adhered to.Soon, Maisie is seconded to the Police as she and the police try and unravel the circumstances of the two issues. Is that deceased man part of the conspiracy to cause chaos in London? Next some animals in an animal shelter are found dead, the potential result of inhaling a poisonous gas, and then on the back of another letter some birds are found dead.Maisie springs into action as she and Billy try to discover the truth whilst confronting their own fears. Billy meanwhile, is still struggling with his wife Doreen who can not move past her grief following the death of their little girl and soon Doreen is admitted to hospital to receive treatment.In this book, which I think is the best, the author has tackled some real issues for the early 1930s. There has clearly been research done into early offerings by the War Office and poisonous gases and the 1930s treatment of those who were suffering from some kind of mental illness.

[reader68_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Maisie Dobbs murder mystery. pub. originally 2009, in paperback 2010. Mad ex-scientist works up to threatening mass murder. Excellent: one of the best in this series so far. A real page-turner.

[martinhughharvey_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Superb book and wonderfully read by Orlagh Cassidy. Complex plot but very straightforward and I never had to think too hard to orientate myself. Definitely will read more by this author and reader.