Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel

Jacqueline Winspear's "Messenger of Truth" is not only a fine murder mystery, it's a superb work of literature. Just as with her other mysteries, this one has a wonderful sense of ambiance and character and well worth a read even if you're not interested in the genre.The period is the two decades between the two World Wars. The manic post-war phase of exuberant optimism is long over. Instead of a new world order, the poorer people find that a new group of exploiters has taken over the reins of power and their own lot has not changed; if anything it's worsened because of the economic conditions effecting the world. Maisie Dobb's assistant and his family have taken in relatives who no longer have any means of support because the post war depression has devastated the economy. The combined family lives in almost Dickensian poverty, trying to make do for eight people on Billy's small income. Meanwhile, the wealthy buy up art at incredible prices and spend vast amounts on idle pursuits just as they did in Dickens' own time. The author's rich imagery creates a sense of "being there" that is so often missing in other period set mysteries, despite the occasional material reminder of the setting. Ms Winspear carries the reader along with carefully chosen emotional word pictures that make the period come alive. While she manipulates the reader's feelings, she does not bludgeon one senseless with overly graphic depictions of events. Like a Spielberg film, the emotive power of her words is produced as much by what is not said as by what is.The author's characters are very real. Their pain over some of their experiences and their efforts to recover are like ones neighbors. There is always a sense that every person one meets throughout the book's pages has a past as well as a present and by implication a future. They have plans and hopes as well as present activities that engage the reader. Every one of them is therefore three dimensional and a developing "work in progress," just as we all are. It is primarily for this reason that I come back again and again to the author's series; I feel like the characters should be a permanent part of my life, and I like to know how they are doing.The mystery is well staged. It is also fairly staged; there are no plot manipulations at the end to bring a denouement to a story that simply arrived at a convenient number of pages. Like her other works in this genre, the author is as sensitive of the murderer as of the victim. She notes that murder is an extreme behavior, an emotional one, and one that arises for powerful reasons. The act is not without an effect on its perpetrator, and the author takes this into consideration in her creations as much as Simenon did in many of his Inspector Maigret and other mysteries, Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard (Inspector Maigret Mysteries) and The Bar on the Seine (Penguin Mysteries). More than anything, the reader comes to the end of the book with a feeling of satisfaction. Anyone who has read a number of murder mysteries knows that feeling of, "It works" or "Not in a million years!" There are no holes, no unanswered questions, no sense that the book lacked a proper beginning, middle and end. It's a carefully tailored work of art, and you come to the final pages fully aware of that.A wonderful work of fiction; I wish I could write like this!

Maisie Dobbs was born poor, but has moved up into different circles, and she is now working as a psychologist and investigator. But all is not rosy in her life: she has moved away from her former partnership with her mentor, she is unable to commit to her relationship with a young doctor, and she feels that she is only content when she is lost in her work. Set in London during the years after World War I, this mystery shines a light on the disparity between the wealthy and the poor, especially the men and women battered and broken by that war. In this novel, Maisie has been hired by a famous writer to investigate the death of her twin brother, an artist of some renown who paints of war and its consequences. His death, which occurred the day before the unveiling of his new works, is judged to be an accident by the police, but the sister refuses to accept this judgement. This is a fine mystery, well plotted, nicely developed characters, richly described settings. But it is more than that: it is also an examination of how brave, but battered veterans of the battlefields work to understand and move beyond its memories.

Is it our detective, Maisie Dobbs, or is it the famous painter or someone or something else ? Of course, you'll need to read the book to find out and you won't be disappointed in the story or the quality of the writing. Jacqueline Winspear just keeps coming up with good mystery stories in her Maisie Dobbs series. I intend to read them all!!

Love the characters but especially Maisie. Besides the investigation going on in the book, Maisie and the characters are living and struggling with life. What an interesting time in history between World Wars. In this one Maisie has a request from a former classmate whose brother was killed in what was probably an accident while he was preparing for a big exhibition of his artwork.

I really liked the complexity of this mystery and how it moved along holding your interest. It had a very surprising end but satisfying. My husband of 51 years and I read mysteries together and this one is our favorite.

It started slowly and I was not sure I would continue, but so glad I did. The most touching part of this read were the last few chapters which gives the reader a chance at reflection, the inhumanity of war and taking the chance to move on in one's life.

Arrived early and in the expected condition.

Sometimes the author is much too wordy-explaining too much. Let the readers discover for themselves. Premise and story line is fine.

Jacqueline Winspear has an amazing ability to write in a light yet deeply moving manner at the same time. Masie and the regular characters are interesting and the story lines engaging but for me it is her portrayal of the history that leaps from the page and stays with me long after I’ve finished the book. I felt tears spring to my eyes twice in this book as she touches on sensitive subjects around the Great War with a lingering soft weight. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Es el esgundo libro d esta autora que leo, es muy interesante, pero yo tenia expectativas más altas, es un poco recurrente.

Jacqueline Winspear has created the character of Maisie Dobbs with care. Maisie is spiritual, she does meditation, she ponders eternal truths and questions. This is not to say that she advertises what she does or how she feels, Maisie is a very private person. The character of Maisie is drawn with a very fine pen, she is no lightweight or shallow cardboard figure. I consider each Maisie Dobbs book as a novel, not only a mystery story. We feel strongly about Maisie, her emotions run deep, Winspear doesn't let us off lightly. There are always deaths and sorrow to absorb, we need patience while Maisie sorts out all of the threads of each tale. Excellent series.

Maisie Dobbs is approached by Georgina Bassington-Hope to investigate the apparently accidental death of her brother Nicholas. The police have already investigated but Georgina is not convinced that it was an accident. Against a background of a worsening economic situation and problems for her assistant, Billy Beale, Maisie must try and get to the bottom of the mysteries which apparently surround the dead man as well as resolving some problems in her own private life.This is an exciting story with some poignant moments which certainly brought tears to my eyes. The way Maisie and Billy interact is very cleverly done and I love reading about the way they work on their cases. Maisie herself is an enigmatic characters and something if a fish out of water as she started off life as a servant but had made her way in the world thanks to the support both emotional and financial of the Compton family. She has her own successful business in an era when women were expected to stay at home and bring up their families.If you like mysteries with an historical background and with more psychological depth than the average then try the Maisie Dobbs mysteries. Each book can be read as a standalone novel but it is interesting to watch the development of the series characters if you read the books in the order in which they were published.

Although nothing drastic happens, this book I sone of a series about Maisie Dobbs is a delightful read. As well as all of the books about MAISIE and her friends. Jacqueline Wiinspear has a delightful approach to her writing. I dare anyone to read the first novel 'Maisie Dobbs" and not want to. Redmore of this series