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    In This Grave Hour: A Maisie Dobbs Novel
    In This Grave Hour: A Maisie Dobbs Novel
    In This Grave Hour: A Maisie Dobbs Novel
    Ebook378 pages6 hours

    In This Grave Hour: A Maisie Dobbs Novel

    By Jacqueline Winspear

    4/5

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    "A female investigator every bit as brainy and battle-hardened as Lisbeth Salander." — Maureen Corrigan, NPR's Fresh Air, on Maisie Dobbs

    The thirteenth installment in Jacqueline Winspear's enormously popular New York Times bestselling mystery series. As Britain declares war on Germany, the indomitable Maisie Dobbs stumbles on the deaths of refugees who may have been more than ordinary people seeking sanctuary on English soil.

    Sunday September 3rd 1939. At the moment Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcasts to the nation Britain’s declaration of war with Germany, a senior Secret Service agent breaks into Maisie Dobbs' flat to await her return. Dr. Francesca Thomas has an urgent assignment for Maisie: to find the killer of a man who escaped occupied Belgium as a boy, some twenty-three years earlier during the Great War.

    In a London shadowed by barrage balloons, bomb shelters and the threat of invasion, within days another former Belgian refugee is found murdered. And as Maisie delves deeper into the killings of the dispossessed from the “last war," a new kind of refugee — an evacuee from London — appears in Maisie's life. The little girl billeted at Maisie’s home in Kent does not, or cannot, speak, and the authorities do not know who the child belongs to or who might have put her on the “Operation Pied Piper” evacuee train. They know only that her name is Anna.

    As Maisie’s search for the killer escalates, the country braces for what is to come. Britain is approaching its gravest hour — and Maisie could be nearing a crossroads of her own.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMar 14, 2017
    ISBN9780062436610
    Author

    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.

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    • 3/5
      I am on a Jacqueline Winspear journey to read the latest books in the Maisie Dobbs series. Jacqueline Winspear portrays a courageous and intelligent woman. Maisie Dobbs surprises me with her sound reasoning and attention to detail. I do feel that her treatment of Billy Beale and Sandra merits a little harsh criticism, as Maisie acts hoity at times when talking to them. The story centers on the approaching of WWII and the horrors that another war will bring. Maisie discovers a murderer and uncovers the mystery surrounding a small girl. I wish I was half as smart as Maisie.
    • 4/5
      Maisie Dobbs is back at work in London as a private investigator, with the assistance of the dedicated Billy Beale and Sandra Pickering. Maisie still grieves because of the losses she has endured, but the passage of time is slowly easing her pain. Jacqueline Winspear's "In This Grave Hour" begins on September 3, 1939, the day that Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. Although no one is particularly shocked at the news, Maisie has good reason to be dismayed. She had been one of the courageous nurses who tended to wounded soldiers during the First World War. She dreads the prospect of further carnage.

      Dr. Francesca Thomas--who was part of the Belgian resistance and has ties to the British Secret Service--hires Maisie to look into the murder of Frederick Addens, a refugee who settled in England, married, and had two grown children. The perpetrator forced Addens to kneel down and then shot him in the head. Other deaths follow. Sensing that Francesca is not disclosing everything she knows, Maisie forges ahead with her routine of composing a case map to organize her thoughts. Subsequently, she, Billy, and Sandra conduct research, interview witnesses, and seek evidence that they hope will reveal the killer's identity.

      The mystery is engrossing, but it takes a back seat to the book's diverse and colorful characters, emotional resonance, and historical authenticity. The author conveys the horror of soldiers returning from the front shell-shocked and/or physically mutilated, and the despair of bereaved family members who learn that their loved ones will never return. As her inquiry proceeds, Maisie comes to realize that events from the past have cast a grim shadow on the present. Winspear enriches her tale with compelling subplots about Anna, a four-year-old orphan who steals Maisie's heart, a charming Alsatian dog named Emma, and touching scenes with Maisie's generous and wise in-laws, father, and stepmother. After a brief lull, the Second World War is about to erupt in full force, and Maisie's loyal fans can look forward to this courageous heroine once again placing herself in the line of fire.
    • 4/5
      Maisie Dobbs has reopened her investigative agency in her old offices and with her old assistant, Billy Boyle and her newer assistant, Sandra Pickering. The story begins on September 3, 1939, the day that Britain declared war with Germany. Maisie is approached by a former colleague in the intelligence community and asked to take on a case. Francesca Thomas now works for the Belgian embassy, and she asks Maisie to look into the deaths of Belgian refugees from the first world war. Meanwhile, Maisie’s father, her stepmother, and her late husband’s parents open their homes to children who’ve been evacuated from London. Maisie’s stepmother, Brenda, is troubled by one small girl who doesn’t seem to belong. The girl hasn’t spoken since she arrived. Maisie takes on the responsibility of finding out who the girl is, where she came from, and what needs to be done to care for her.This is a strong entry in the series. The last couple of books in the series involved more espionage than detection. In this book, Maisie returns to the type of case that attracted readers to this series in the first place, with the war as a backdrop. Maisie’s best friend, Priscilla Partridge, never fully recovered from the loss of her three brothers in the First World War. I have long been worried about Priscilla’s three sons, and indeed one of them has joined the RAF and his life will be in danger. While I look forward to Maisie’s subsequent adventures, I dread what might become of Priscilla’s boys and Billy’s sons.
    • 4/5
      All the expected flaws and virtues, but the mystery is sort of dumb.
    • 2/5
      The mystery was not as entertaining as it usually is in a Maisie Dobbs book and it's time that Maisie had a happy ending.
    • 4/5
      WW II has just begun and one by one a group of Belgium refugees still living in England since WW I are being found murdered.Maisie is asked by a former colleague from the Belgium Embassy to investigate...The book was well written and it held my interest. The historical references are accurate and of interest as well, as they make for a realistic plot & story line.
    • 4/5
      Winspear has done a good job of keeping Maisie's adventures fresh.
    • 3/5
      This is my first Maisie Dobbs mystery and if I spot one at a garage sale, I will pick it up. She creates the English society of the the 1930's and this story takes place in August 1939. In fact the opening page recalls August 4, 1939 when Great Britain declared war on Germany.Maisie is approached by Dr. Francesca Thomas who works as a spy for both Belgium and Britain and is someone Maisie has worked for in the past. Thomas asks Maisie to investigate the murder of a Belgian refugee from WW I that the police seem disinterested in doing much work to solve. Shortly the bodies start to pile up and they all seem to have a connection with fight from Belgium during the German advance in 1916.Maisie has a staff of three- Billy who does much of the leg work and strikes me that he gets amazing results when starting out with very limited information and Sandra, a young woman who maintains the office and does her research mainly by phone or the public library. Maisie's parents have a role in the story especially in the secondary case on which Maisie is working. It involves finding the identity of a five year old girl who turns up among the children being evacuated from London to escape the anticipated bombing by the Germans but there are no records as to who she is.The author does a good job of creating the atmosphere of fear but also determination that Brits felt as war was coming.
    • 5/5
      In This Grave Hour is the thirteenth novel in Jacqueline Winspear's wonderful Maisie Dobbs series.Winspear set the first book in 1929 England, ten years after the Great War. Maisie worked as a nurse in WWI, but has since trained as a psychologist and private investigator, opening her own agency.The cases that Winspear creates in her novels are always interesting, timely and well plotted. This latest finds England on the cusp of WWII. Hence the title...."In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history....for the second time in our lives for most of us, we are at war. King George VI, September 3, 1939."Maisie has worked with government agencies in the past and is approached by a Secret Service agent. The assignment? To quietly investigate the death of a Belgian refugee who landed in England over twenty years ago. Winspear always includes a secondary plot as well. This time, it's the unknown identity of a child evacuee who is billeted with Maisie's father. No one knows her name and she won't speak.I so enjoy the cases being solved the 'old-fashioned' way - with legwork, interviews, intuition and the careful piecing together of clues.These books are a comfortable, almost genteel read, if you will. The social customs, manners and mores of the times are all faithfully observed in Winspear's writing. I enjoy being transported to this time period. Winspear does a bang-up job of bringing time and place to life. The sense of duty, loyalty and 'can-do' in the face of adversity and hardship.But ultimately it is the character of Maisie that has me anticipating every new book in this series. Her quiet confidence, intelligence, compassion and bravery have endeared her to me. The supporting characters - family and co-workers are just as well drawn. It is that sense of settling down with an old friend that prefaces turning the first page in every new enter.In This Grave Hour was another excellent read for me. If you've not read Winspear before, I recommend starting with the first book, simply titled Maisie Dobbs, to fully appreciated the continuing timeline. This is an excellent historical mystery series and definitely recommended. (Best read with a pot of tea and a cosy chair
    • 3/5
      I've looked forward to a new book in the Maisie Dobbs series as the others have been quite entertaining & educational. However I was disappointed in the lack of care over details. The opera ticket, random characters, etc. I wish the author had spent a bit more time and created a novel that met the standards of her previous work.
    • 5/5
      I love the Maisie Dobbs novels! I really enjoyed this one because it's closer to a "typical" Maisie novel because she's back in London. World War II has been declared by England, so Maisie and the British are, once again, preparing for bombings and sacrifice. If you have never read Maisie Hobbs, started with the first book. Although each book is a stand alone murder mystery to be solved, Maisie's life is what makes you come back to the novels. I couldn't tell you who the murderer was in any book, but I can tell you all about Maisie, her loves, the people who work for her, and the tragedies they have all overcome. It's the characters that you come to know and what to revisit with each book, not the mysteries, that makes you want the next book.
    • 3/5
      The latest in Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series finds us at the very beginning of World War II. Maisie has been contacted by Dr. Francesca Thomas to find the person who has murdered a Belgium refugee form the Great War. Unlike the past two books, this volume veers from Maisie's less than successful forays into espionage and returns to a straight-forward murder mystery. She does make a rather foolish flight into almost Nazi territory in Belgium, but it is in pursuit of answers about the murderer, not some half-baked Nazi hunt like the last book.As an added plus an old flame makes an appearance & Maisie develops an attachment to an orphaned London evacuee, so, perhaps, she is going to have a chance, despite the war, to have some happiness in her life. If this comes to pass in subsequent books, that will be a very good thing.
    • 4/5
      I found this book a highly enjoyable read. It is fast-paced with an intriguing plot and the characters are well-drawn. In the last two books I read, it was difficult to tell one character from another sometimes, but Winspear is able to create distinct and yet realistic characters. This is formula fiction, of course, but the author avoids common pitfalls such as predictable storylines and characters that are merely an assemblage of curious and distinctive traits. I had read the first three or four books in the series, but had lost interest when Maisie did not seem to develop. I found the references to her recent tragic history in this book cloying, but there were also scenes -- like when her father insists she consider her motivation for helping the young girl, Anna -- that felt far more true-to-life. There and a few other places in the book you are approaching literary fiction and so I will continue to read this author.
    • 5/5
      Jacqueline Winspear's "In This Grave Hour" is the 13th in the Maisie Dobbs series and the first of her books that I have read. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I will read more. I have read plot summaries of the remaining twelve books and I note that the books span the years between WWl and WWll. Though Maisie's adventures take her to many countries, including Belgium, Spain and India, she is "currently" based in the London area as a PI, supported by two others.The plot of this book revolves around the assassination style murder of a long-term (WWl) refugee from Belgium. Not long after there is another murder, and then....The story is very nicely paced and a quick read. This is a time and place that has long fascinated me, and I am delighted that Winspear has included so many little touches of 1939 London life, e.g., carrying gas masks over the shoulder, to enhance her story. The story unfolds quickly, the ending is very satisfying, and there is enough of a cliff-hanger or two to bring you back to the next one.Though I read tons of crime fiction, I am not big into twists - I think they've really been overdone. It's gotten to the point where the ultimate twist is.....no twists! "In This Grave Hour" has a few mild twists or turns if you will, but mostly it relies on very good writing. No naughty words, no romance - at least in this one; I'm guessing Maisie is in her late 40s. Similar novels are classified as "cozies". I wouldn't classify this as a cozy; my image of a cozy is a tottering old lady searching for clues and wearing comfortable shoes, an amateur discovering arcane details and nagging suspects (and readers). I don't like cozies, but I admit Maisie comes close.For those of you encountering Winspear for the first time, I would suggest a note card to track all the characters. I read a print version of this book and found it was not easy to flip back to recall where/when a character was earlier introduced - I'll remedy that by reading other Maisie books on my Kindle and use the search function. Update: I just ordered the 11th book, "A Dangerous Place". If I'm still in love after reading it, I will circle back to #1, "Maisie Dobbs" (I really don't care for that name!) and read the whole series.
    • 5/5
      Who is killing the Belgium WW1 refugees that settled in England? And, why? As war is declared to starts WW2, Maisie undertakes to investigate the murders for the Belgian Embassy Always painstaking, introspective and thorough, she pursues the scant evidence and faint traces a painful but correct conclusion. The transition to wartime status is aptly portrayed whit the horrors of "The War to End all Wars" providing a foreboding elegy in the background.
    • 4/5
      As World War II erupts, Maisie Dobbs and her family and friends must cope with all which that portends. Once again, the author works her magic with regards to creating the feelings associated with the period of history via characters the reader can identify with. Excellent installment of this series!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book in the series. This has been one of my favorites. I loved al, the characters. Maisie and all of England have to realize that they are going to war again. They must all learn what their parts will be this time. I loved how this all came together. I received an ebook copy from edelweiss for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 4/5
      Reading a Maisie Dobbs novel is like sitting down with an old friend. I love Winspears writing style, pace, introspection, vocabulary. Unfortunately, I found this plot not as engaging as previous ones.
    • 5/5
      The last few Maisie Dobbs books have found Maisie in Germany and Spain, away from her friends and family, trying to heal from a horrible tragedy. The latest book, In This Grave Hour, Maisie is back in London and back to work as a private investigator and psychologist.That means that the characters we have grown to love- her assistants Billy and Sandra, her father and stepmother Brenda, best friend Priscilla and Pris' husband and sons- are back too. They were sorely missed.As the story opens in 1939, England has reluctantly declared war on Germany. We first met Maisie when she was a nurse and ambulance driver in France during WWI, and we have seen the havoc wreaked on her and the people she loved because of war. They are all wary of what will happen, but many (including Maisie) know how dangerous Hitler and Nazi Germany have become.Francesca Thomas, a Belgian national we have met in a previous book, returns to ask Maisie to investigate the murder of a Belgian refugee in London. Thomas is a shadowy figure, and she doesn't believe that the London police are very interested in discovering what happened.Maisie takes on the case, and she brings out the trusty case board for her and Billy and Sandra to work on. (This brings me great joy to see the case board again!) Maisie discovers that two other Belgian refugees have been murdered in the same fashion, a bullet to the back of the head while kneeling, so this case gets more complicated.The story resonates with today's news as war refugees from Syria have been flooding Europe and many of the countries to which they have been accepted are having issues as well. Nationalist movements are gaining ground in countries like England, France and Germany as millions of refugees seek safety from their war-torn home.Maisie gets involved with a man blinded and rendered disabled by WWI, as well as a young girl found at a train station alone amidst a group of refugees. Maisie recruits her father and stepmother to help her with the young girl.Using her wits and training, Maisie closes the case. And as WWII looms, Priscilla convinces Maisie to join her as she signs up to drive ambulances for wounded soldiers. It seems that in the next book, we will have come full circle, with Maisie and Priscilla helping out with the war effort.In This Grave Hour brings Maisie back to her home, family and friends, and it feels right. This is a strong book in the series, and I will be impatiently awaiting next year's story to see where WWII takes Maisie and company.It is particularly appropriate that each Maisie Dobbs book publishes in March, which is International Women's History Month. Maisie is a wonderful feminist heroine, and this series is great for high schoolers.
    • 4/5
      Still like her books. Interesting story. Not sure if the reason behind the murder makes sense.
    • 4/5
      This 13th book in the series is finally back in London.... it was great to have the "old gang" of Billy, Sandra and Maisie back together. It was interesting to read how the British people reacted to the declaration of War on 3 September, 1939. The murder cases were, as always, a bit convoluted, but the rest of the cast of characters made this quite enjoyable.I listened to the audiobook, and as always, Orlagh Cassidy's narration was outstanding!
    • 3/5
      Maisie looks into the murders of refuges from WWI from Belgium. Interesting plot, with the usual Maisie perfection!
    • 3/5
      Worth reading the first chapter that captures the atmosphere of a hot and humid day in September 1939 when the announcement of war was made via the radio (wireless!). So different from today's multi-channel communications! It's also worth reading about the reactions of the listeners, who had come through the first world war, and now realised (just over 20 years later) with some trepidation that they were going to have to re-live the same sort of challenges again. Particularly if they had children that were getting towards the age when they would be called-up.
    • 4/5
      The week after Britain declares war on Germany, Maisie takes a case for Dr. Thomas of the Belgian Embassy. A Belgian refugee from WWI has been murdered. But why is it so important to Dr. Thomas, and why is she worried that more murders may occur, and is she being completely honest with Maisie? There is much to be uncovered.
    • 5/5
      2017, Harper Audio, Read by Orlagh CassidyPublisher’s Summary: adapted from Audible.comEngland 1939. A year has passed since we last heard from Maisie Dobbs – she was on a dangerous mission inside Nazi Germany then, where she encountered an old enemy and the Führer himself. Maisie is back home in England now – yet neither she nor her nation is safe. Britain has just declared war on Germany and is mobilizing for the devastating battle ahead. Maisie is plunged into a treacherous battle of her own when she stumbles on the deaths of a group of refugees, and suspects the enemy may be closer than anyone knows.My Review:Great characters, as I’ve come to expect from Winspear. The usual, continuing cast is on board: Billy Beale, Frankie Dobbs, Priscilla Partridge, Robert MacFarlane. In addition, we have Dr Francesca Thomas, who urgently contacted Maisie when the first of several Belgian refugees was murdered. Thomas is enigmatic: a diplomat, a brilliant mind, and a trained killer. The adorable, orphaned Anna, who is taken in at Chelstone to live with Frankie and Brenda Dobbs, pulls on Maisie’s hearstrings. And Maisie cannot but help herself indulge the little girl – but is her indulgence a trigger for the unthinkable grief she had to overcome in losing both James and her unborn child? Wonderful read listen, as always. Orlagh Cassidy is divine in this narrator role. I do hope Winspear continues to write this series!
    • 5/5
      When I grow up, I want to be just like Maisie Dobbs. She’s rich, but unassuming and hard working. She cares about not only her detective assignment, but her employees as well. She loves her family and she’s committed to helping make things better for others. Making things better for others isn’t easy as England has just declared war on Hitler’s Germany. In the midst of children being sent out of London, she finds herself drawn to a young girl who has been sent to live with her father and stepmother. Somehow finding out more about this young girl doesn’t interfere with her job of discovering who has killed Belgians who emigrated to England during the Great War. Another great story from Winspear. This isn’t the book to start reading the series. There’s too much information you need about Maisie to enjoy the story fully.
    • 5/5
      Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs is one of the most creatively written characters in fiction today, and In This Grave Hour is an outstanding addition to the series. The story begins on September 3, 1939, the day Great Britain officially declared war on Germany thereby formally entering World War 2. When Maisie returns home that evening, a Secret Service agent is waiting to hire Maisie to find the murderer of a man who had escaped Occupied Belgium during the Great War. This investigation leads Maisie down a complicated and fascinating path. Meanwhile, Maisie is dealing with a refugee issue of her own related to the new war.I was unaware of the influx of Belgians into Great Britain during World War 1 – some settling with families for the duration of the war and others setting up entire towns of Belgian citizens. While most returned home when the war was over, some stayed in England permanently. Winspear uses this incident as the basis for this novel and provides so many fascinating details regarding the entire refugee event and the impact on both countries.World War 2 is one of my favorite eras, and I have read so many books based then. I love stories that still manage to teach me new facts and stories about that time period. In This Grave Hour most certainly succeeds in that respect as Winspear brings the early months of the war to life demonstrating what it was like for Londoners. I didn’t know that Londoners carried gas masks everywhere (and left them many places too until they got used to keeping up with the masks) and that barrage balloons were a constant presence in the sky. I also learned that those early months were subsequently dubbed “The Phoney War” because it was months before Germany actually started bombing London lulling the populace into thinking that the war might never reach British soil. Winspear vividly conveys the horror of war and its impact on the lives of everyone involved, not just those who enlist. Many British subjects had barely recovered from the last war and could hardly fathom that war was upon them again. The title of the book is taken from King George’s speech given on that September 3rd which Winspear uses as an Epitaph: “In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history… for the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.” The title is perfect for the book.I loved In This Grave Hour. Thanks to Harper for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Maisie Dobbs is hired to investigate the suspicious death of a WW1 Belgian refugee to Britain. Her client is the mysterious Francesca Thomas from a previous book in the series, who is now attached to the Belgian Embassy in London. Soon after Maisie begins her inquiries, a similar murder is discovered. Maisie feels that Francesca is keeping some information from her, but carries on with her investigation. Assisted by Billy and Sandra, her detectives, she enlists the support of DCI Caldwell, another returnee from a previous installment of this series. Everything leads to a connection among a group of Belgian refugees and Maisie looks for a motive for the killings. The story is well plotted and moves along at a brisk pace, up to an exciting conclusion as the murderer is unmasked.Maisie’s investigation is done against the background of the onset of WW2 in Britain. She is actually hired on the day war is declared. Everyone is carrying gas masks with them as they go about their daily business, fearful of an attack from the air. There are barrage balloons floating overhead which reinforces the ominous situation. School children are evacuated to the country which results in some of them being billeted with Maisie’s father and step-mother. One little girl stands out for Maisie’s attention and this story-line plays a significant part in the book. Similarly developments in the lives of Billy and Sandra crop up. Maisie’s lifelong friend Priscilla sees her boys gear up to join the war effort. The stage is set for Maisie to continue in the British war effort.The strong assured Maisie Dobbs is back after several books where she was uncertain and doubting her abilities in stranger than usual surroundings. She has come in from the wilderness of her grief, revitalized and ready to go. Welcome back Maisie!
    • 4/5
      It’s 1939 just before the WWII and Maisie has re-opened her detective agency and has Billy and Sandra working for her. A friend from Belgium comes to her and wants her to look into the death of a Belgium immigrant who was murdered and the police seemed to have exhausted their search for the perpetrators. Maisie and Priscilla’s friendship is still strong and they decide to help with the war effort. London is a dreary place with everyone walking around with gas-masks and the children have been evacuated from London and the schools have been taken over as barracks by the army.
    • 5/5
      Maisie Dobbs is back working as a detective in England after her spying adventure in her last book … thank goodness! I was extremely disappointed in the last two books (one in the series, one stand-alone) by Ms. Winspear and hoped she would get back to business in this book. She did.It’s 1939. Maisie takes on a case of murder, of two men who were Belgian refugees in the Great War. She believes that both of them were known to each other and to their murderer and she sets out to prove it. More murders turn up and it’s critical that Maisie finds evidence and stops the killer.Our heroine also takes on the cases of 1) a little English girl who doesn’t speak and whose family is missing and 2) a disabled WWI veteran who’s both blind and legless. Maisie calls on her own circle of friends to help her help them. These cases are more personal. This is vintage Jacqueline Winspear – a real page turner.

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    In This Grave Hour - Jacqueline Winspear

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