Review - Journey to Munich

Working with the British Secret Service on an undercover mission, Maisie Dobbs is sent to Hitler’s Germany in this thrilling tale of danger and intrigue—the twelfth novel in Jacqueline Winspear’s New York Times bestselling “series that seems to get better with each entry” (Wall Street Journal).

I have only read one prior novel in this series, Book 8 -- A Lesson In Secrets (click here).

Author: Jacqueline Winspear 

Copyright: March 2016 (Harper) 309 pgs

Series: 12th in Masisie Dobbs Mystery series

Sensuality: one murder witnessed, no gore

Mystery Sub-genre: historical amateur Sleuth, intrigue

Main Characters: Masie Dobbs,  Private Investigator, former psychologist, & war nurse

Setting: 1938 London and Munich on the brink of WWII

Obtained Through: library

Book Blurb: "Working with the British Secret Service on an undercover mission, Maisie Dobbs is sent to Hitler’s Germany in this thrilling tale of danger and intrigue—the twelfth novel in Jacqueline Winspear’s New York Times bestselling “series that seems to get better with each entry” (Wall Street Journal).

It’s early 1938, and Maisie Dobbs is back in England. On a fine yet chilly morning, as she walks towards Fitzroy Square—a place of many memories—she is intercepted by Brian Huntley and Robert MacFarlane of the Secret Service. The German government has agreed to release a British subject from prison, but only if he is handed over to a family member. Because the man’s wife is bedridden and his daughter has been killed in an accident, the Secret Service wants Maisie—who bears a striking resemblance to the daughter—to retrieve the man from Dachau, on the outskirts of Munich.

The British government is not alone in its interest in Maisie’s travel plans. Her nemesis—the man she holds responsible for her husband’s death—has learned of her journey, and is also desperate for her help.

Traveling into the heart of Nazi Germany, Maisie encounters unexpected dangers—and finds herself questioning whether it’s time to return to the work she loved. But the Secret Service may have other ideas. . . ."

Maisie is a responsible woman who has faced much in life. In this book she is still grieving the untimely death of her husband and trying to pick up her life again.  Everybody needs a close friend like Priscilla who provides a home for Maisie in London while she pieces her life together.  Brian Huntley and Robert MacFarlane of the Secret Service are more concerned about the coming confrontation with fascist Germany and only slightly worried about Maisie's lethal mission.  As if it weren't dangerous enough, John Otterburn pushes Maisie into finding his errant socialite party-girl daughter, Elaine Otterburn, while in Germany and getting her home.  Maisie has to face her anger at Elaine for not flying and Maisie's husband flying in her place which is when he died.  Mark Scott, an American agent who always seems around is somebody Maisie doesn't fully trust but who could come in handy.

The setting is only a little in London, but mostly in Munich. The author is great at conveying the mood of the setting.  The plot is going undercover to impersonate a man's daughter to get him out of Dachau, the only concentration camp in Germany, and then in her spare time find Elaine and convince her to return to England.  But things don't go as planned with either assignment.  The man who is in Dachau as Mr. Leon Donat isn't who he says he is so Maisie must find the man to rescue him. Elaine has been setup for murder of a soldier and Maisie is trying to keep her from being arrested.  With the complications it keeps the tension up and I was glued to the story.  

This isn't a whodunit, so there isn't a killer reveal.  Just when I thought we were at the conclusion, Maisie has still more to accomplish before she can get the @$#* out of there.  This ratchets up the final chapter's suspense.  Very well done.

The wrap-up shows Maisie taking steps for her future and showing healing from her grief.  I appreciated ending on an upside for Maisie.

The Maisie Dobbs series has won several awards and this book displays why the accolades.  This has everything: great historical detail, just complicated enough plot, complex characters, the setting used optimally, and plenty of high stakes tension.  I can't recommend highly enough.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Here is the author at a bookstore for the novel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpkGh4RelYE

Review - Deadly Scandal

When I saw Kate Parker had a new series in Pre-WWII London, I had to read the debut book.  I know the author from the "must-read" Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, all of which I have reviewed here.  I loved that series and couldn't wait to dig into her new series.  This is my review of the first in her new series, see if it sounds like something you would like.

Author: Kate Parker

Copyright: Jan 2016 (JDP Press) 338 pgs

Series: 1st in Deadly Series Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild, adult themes

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

Main Character: Olivia Dennis, recently widowed and newly employed society columnist

Setting: 1937, London England

Obtained Through: Personal purchase

From the cover: "Olivia Denis is a contented young wife with a carefree life in late 1930’s London. Then her world is shattered with the violent death of her husband, Reggie. The police want to call it a suicide and close the case, but Olivia knows Reggie couldn’t possibly have fired the fatal shot.

Further mysteries surface surrounding her husband’s death. Did [her husband], a trustworthy Foreign Office employee betray government secrets? Was his murder linked to the death of a German embassy clerk the same night? And who searched their flat?

Her desire for answers and her need to support herself cause her to break away from the pampered life she’s known and take a job. But with the much-needed paycheck as a society reporter for a newspaper comes a secret secondary assignment—one that involves her in the increasingly dangerous world of European politics as the continent slides toward war."

Olivia Dennis is refreshing, determined, and although pampered she isn't shocked by the real world.  Reggie, her deceased husband, live on through the memories of others and is definitely a character "in absentia" in the story.  Reggie had significant secrets he kept from everyone.  Lady Abigail (Abby), her BFF, is her cheerleader encouraging her.  Captain Adam Redmond, who works for Army Intelligence, is investigating a government leak that Reggie was under suspicion for, and gets involved in aiding/looking out for Olivia.  Of course he is charming and good looking!  They work well together and have great chemistry.  Her father, an aristocrat, wants to control Olivia's life and tuck her away.  

London just before WWII is a great setting with many, even in aristocracy, who were Hitler sympathizers.  This book brings the tenuous political atmosphere to life with intrigue and danger lurking at high society parties and among co-workers and friends.  Olivia's job at the paper comes with a condition that the paper's owner can send her on spying assignments to ferret out information at embassy parties and such about Hitler's plans.  At one point she even has to do some traveling out of the country to obtain information.

The killer reveal answered questions and tied up the threads while providing a good and tense confrontation.  The wrap-up sets the reader up for the next book.  

This story had a few elements that reminded me of the Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn movie Charade, particularly how the wife doesn't know her deceased husband's big secrets.  I have already bought the next in the series because I just couldn't stand parting from these characters for long.  This book is a treat with all the ingredients perfectly mixed and balanced for a delicious adventure.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Review - A Lesson in Secrets

This book is nominated for an Agatha this year which prompted my reading it for our Agatha coverage.  The first book in the series won several awards and it is clear Jacqueline Winspear is a worthy author.

Author: Jacqueline Winspear

Copyright: March 2011 (Berkley) 336 pgs

Series: 8th in Maisie Dobbs Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: PI / Intrigue

Main Characters: Maisie Dobbs, psychologist, private investigator, and former WW1 nurse

Setting: 1932, London and Cambridge

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

This is my first Maisie Dobbs novel and I picked up the storyline easily.  In this addition to the series, Maisie gets an assignment from the British Secret Service.  Her mission is to go undercover at a Cambridge University, founded by pacifist author of children's books, to see if there is a threat from the growing Nazi party in England - lurking among the students.  Maisie has just settled into teaching Philosophy when the founder, Greville Liddicote, is murdered.  Maisie is told by Scotland Yard to stick to her undercover assignment and leave the murder to them.  But Maisie can't help putting together the clues in front of her.  A sideline story is Maisie helping a young widow, Sandra, get on her feet after her husband's death.

Maisie is a great character with depth, intelligence, and finely honed deductive skills.  She has her emotional issues from the first war, not to mention some relationship baggage. She is also a compassionate and generous character. Her strength is being able to understand people and their motivations.  A stellar supporting character is Billy Beale, her right-hand-man for her investigative business.  Even Maisie's romantic interest, wealthy businessman James Compton, seems a good match for Maisie.  He is complete in himself so he can accept her independence.

Cambridge and London are all brought effortlessly to life.  The climate of England between wars, with a growing fascist influence, is portrayed with a deft hand.  The historical details envelop the reader for a trip to the past.  I was fascinated by the information of women as spies in WWI.

The plot has some interesting twists between fascist influences at the college, the secret that Greville Liddicote had hidden for decades, and the story of Sandra and her husband's death, all keep the reader interested.  I understand that this book may not be as suspenseful as past books in the series, but that is probably the only area for improvement I can see.  The theme is around secrets and how they eventually spring out.

There is no real harrowing confrontation with the killer, just an arrest, which was realistic.  The wrap-up was satisfying and left the possibility of Maisie working with the Secret Service wide open.  Overall, I must say I have found a new series to devour!

Are there any Maisie fans out there who want to share if this book was less suspenseful as prior books in the series?