I've been in the mood for historical mysteries lately and satisfied that mood with books 3 and 4 in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.
Pardonable Lies and Messenger of Truth take place in 1930 and both plots still revolve around the aftermath of WWI (or the Great War), although we get a hint of the growing unease in Europe in Messenger of Truth with Hitler mentioned a few times.
I really enjoy these books, and Maisie is an interesting, complex heroine. I like her self-reflection, which reminds me of another favorite mystery heroine, Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon. They both deal with demons, self-doubt, and have a strong conscience and need to do the right thing. They don't always know what they want out of life, but they do know what they don't want.
I enjoy Winspear's attention to detail--the clothes Maisie wears, the food she eats, her hairstyle, the car she drives, etc. This provides me with a real feel for the England that Maisie lives and works in.
I read the first two a year apart a year and it was nice to read these back to back as the continuity was strong from one to the next. I hope to get to book 5 before year's end.
I like Maisie--I like her need for independence and her compassion. I like the way she straddles several different classes--she's very much a modern woman who values tradition. She's a character that works for me. I also like the mysteries and the secondary characters--all in all, a great series for relaxing and losing yourself in an interesting world with interesting people.
I can't help thinking this series would make a terrific TV series--I hope others with a bit more clout think the same.
