Hello All!
Look at me, getting another post up *so soon* after the first one! This is a bit of a delayed review, since I finished this book last month, but I really enjoyed it and didn’t want to skip talking about it!
Last month, I read Pardonable Lies by Jaqueline Winspear. It is the third book in her Maisie Dobbs series and this was truly my favorite so far. I mentioned that I “read” this book, but actually, I listened to the audiobook. I have listened to the entire series so far, and I think it is a great book to drive and listen to. However, let me back up a bit.
This is a series of mystery books. Maisie Dobbs is a great character. In 1930s London, she runs a small, but successful, detective agency. I love her title of “Psychologist and Investigator” and the way she tunes into herself and the world around her to help solve her cases. It doesn’t hurt that she is intelligent, observant, and endearing!
Obviously, I don’t want to give any spoilers. First things first–if you want to read this series, it is imperative to read the books in order. As I mentioned above, this is the third book, and you get some major character development in this one! Maisie served as a nurse in France in WWI, and still deeply feels the affects that the war and her service had on her and others. I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this one was even better. We finally get to see deeper into Maisie’s character, which brought me both joy and frustration. Additionally, there was so much more excitement–I cannot even tell you how many times I audibly gasped and exclaimed while listening to this! As the characters are still recovering and moving on from the horrors of WWI (10 years later), whispers and conversations are sprinkled throughout the book about Hitler’s political party struggles throughout Europe.
If you like strong female characters, mysteries, and period pieces, I definitely recommend this series. Maisie is usually working on multiple “cases” at a time, and Winspear does an excellent job of weaving all of the plots together seamlessly and somehow, magically, making them all relate to each other. Give it a shot!
Have a great week everyone, and keep reading!
The Bookish Bird 