Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Feb 22, 2016 Roxana rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Such a disappointment. Maisie Dobbs started well, a bit flat but with a solid premise (spunky female private eye in 1920s with a foot in both the upper and working classes), but it derailed when it dived into a massively long cliche-ridden flashback that took the bulk of the book and added nothing to the theoretically central mystery or making me care about Maisie. The boringly perfect heroine's origin story turned out to be exactly what I assumed from a few lines... But it took Winspear about t ...more

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Jan 29, 2017 Book Concierge rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: series, cozy-mystery, audio, england, library, concierge, strong-women, war, world-war-1

Book on CD narrated by Rita Barrington

This is the first in a series featuring a former housemaid and Army Nurse. The book begins in 1929, and Maisie Dobbs has opened her own private investigation agency. Her first case is a man who believes his wife is unfaithful. Maisie gets to the truth quickly, but it leads to some painful memories.

I like Maisie and the supporting characters who will, no doubt, make appearances in subsequent books in this cozy mystery series. But this first book spent way to ...more

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Aug 03, 2018 Donna rated it liked it

3.5 stars

This series debut was an enjoyable read with likable characters and good period detail but it was pretty predictable and lacked punch.

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May 31, 2011 Debbie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-visit-with-an-author, 2011

Here's the thing... there are parts of the book that I REALLY enjoyed; HOWEVER...

the author doesn't give the reader enough information/evidence to solve the mystery along with Maisy.

the start in the "present" go to the "past" return to the "present" creates too much of a gap on the mystery part.

The best parts of the story...

the depiction of WWI English in France
Most of the love story
Billy Beal
Rita Barrington is a lovely narrator

I'll give the series another go before I decide to stay or move one ...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Lauren rated it liked it

I liked this book, but I couldn't really find the mystery in it.. I wasn't that intrigued, but I liked the historical aspect of it. If it had just been pegged as a historical romance I would've been fine with it. I do agree with one review that Maisie's character is a little flat and one-dimensional. I am curious since this is the opening novel to see if the series gets better. ...more

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