As with my previous novels, thanks must go to the staff of the Imperial War Museum’s library and archives—a truly priceless resource.
To John Sterling, Maggie Richards, and the wonderful team at Henry Holt in New York; to Frances Coady and everyone at Picador; and to Roland Philipps, Heather Barrett, and the staff at John Murray Publishers in London—thank you for your support and your regard for Maisie Dobbs.
To my dear friend, wise mentor, and amazing agent, Amy Rennert—thank you for your support, counsel, and insight. I am blessed to be working with you.
And to my husband, John Morell—thank you, for everything.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR is the author of four previous Maisie Dobbs novels, Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, and Messenger of Truth. Maisie Dobbs won the Agatha, Alex and Macavity Awards; Birds of a Feather won the Agatha Award and Pardonable Lies won the Sue Feder/Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery. Originally from the United Kingdom, Winspear now lives in California.
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR is the author of four previous Maisie Dobbs novels, Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, and Messenger of Truth. Maisie Dobbs won the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity Awards; Birds of a Feather won the Agatha Award; and Pardonable Lies won the Sue Feder/Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery. Originally from the United Kingdom, Winspear now lives in California.
PRAISE FOR JACQUELINE WINSPEAR AND MAISIE DOBBS
“In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift. Maisie Dobbs has not been created—she has been discovered. Such people are always there amongst us, waiting for somebody like Ms. Winspear to come along and reveal them. And what a revelation it is!” —Alexander McCall Smith
“When people ask me to recommend an author, one name consistently comes to mind: Jacqueline Winspear. . . . In this series, Winspear chronicles the uncharted, sometimes rocky path chosen by her protagonist and delivers results that are educational, unique and wonderful.” —USA TODAY
“A sleuth to treasure.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“The mood and atmosphere of the period ring with authenticity, and the class tension that underlies many of Maisie’s dealings lends the narrative extra sparkle.” —SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“[A] superior series.” —THE SEATTLE TIMES
“[Winspear] keep[s] her series about the astonishing Maisie Dobbs alive and as fresh as new paint. . . . In each book, Winspear has used a crime to widen our vision of what life was like in England in the years after the war.” —CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“Jacqueline Winspear has opened the eyes of many American readers to a forgotten world. . . . Winspear excels in depicting trauma, the kind of longterm grief that characters, particularly her restrained Britons, express only in a gesture or a word.” —THE BOSTEN GLOBE
“A detective series to savor.” —TIME
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About The Author