edh's reviews
352 reviews

If you work, you should read this book. It's literally a 10 minute read that sums up all the rules of getting stuff done that you innately *know*, but have a hard time articulating.

The back cover has the best headers:
ASAP is poison
Underdo the competition
Meetings are toxic
Fire the workaholics
Emulate drug dealers
Pick a fight
Planning is guessing
Inspiration is perishable

What are you waiting for?

Always a fan of the indomitable Maisie Dobbs. This entry in the series started out fairly strong (mystery stemming from WWI exhumed remains pointing at murder, dear mentor growing terminally ill, hints of romance) and ended up solid but not ideal for this reader. Let's just say that Maisie's new paramour is definitely an unexpected fellow! Still, if you love the dear 1930s detective you must not miss this latest volume. Many fans really cheered the new romance & feel like the series has had new life breathed in -- I would agree with them at least as far as the ending goes, which is only slightly out of left field and promises fabulous new plot lines, action, and intrigue just off stage...

I am very excited to finally see WWII on the horizon in this series. I describe it as a "slow burn" to prospective readers because I need them to understand that Maisie isn't about action and adventure as much as she is about peeling away the layers of the people who lived through WWI.

Here, we see Maisie starting to separate from her own practice and begin to take orders from the Secret Service. She is nosing around a small college dedicated to the practice of peace but which may harbor traitors (both foreign and domestic?). The Nazis may be infiltrating Britain and Maisie is on the case to discover what the younger generation could find appealing about their philosophies.

Simultaneously, Maisie falls back into romantic doubt-- this time with her new beau, James Compton. Can Maisie finally trust her heart, especially when the postmarks on James' letters look as if he may be deceiving her?

These cozy mysteries are a pleasure to read, and can be recommended to people who love bittersweet romance, historical studies, and all-too-human heroines.