What an interesting, intricate character is Maisie Dobbs! I read the second book of this series first, then went back to read this one. The flashback, revealing Maisie as a poor but brilliant girl, being granted (in a somewhat fairy-godmother style) education and opportunity, and then seeing what she does with it, is a charming backstory that makes Maisie so endearing! The period tension of England during WWI and before WWII is very well done. The element of the science of Psychology, in its infancy, being applied to detective work adds yet another layer to this series.

Loved it! Read all the books! I'm waiting for more!

Its 1929, and Maisie Dobbs, thirty-something, opens her own detective agency. One of her first cases seems like an open-and shut case of infidelity, but after following the man's wife to a cemetery, Maisie isn't so sure.

Maisie, a former scullery maid, Cambridge graduate (though without the degree), and a nurse in France during the Great War, finds herself reliving old memories (not all of them good), as she pursues the case to The Retreat, a home for wounded and shell-shocked former soldiers. Immediately, Maisie has her suspicions about the place, and she sends in her friend, Billy Beale, to investigate.

The flashback scenes seem like something out of Upstairs, Downstairs, right down to the description of Ebury Place (Eaton Place in the BBC TV show). Even some of the characters are dead ringers for their TV counterparts. As far as the mystery is concerned, there's really very little "mystery" to speak of--it's pretty clear what's going on from the beginning. The resolution of the case is pretty flimsy, and the bad guy crumbles under no pressure from Maisie. Also, Winspear makes a mistake in making the whole middle of the book one giant flashback. She would have been better off putting in bits and pieces of flashback here and there instead of all at once.

But I really did like the setting, of England between the wars. Some of the characters are delightful, especially Maisie's friends (in fact, they threaten to steal the show at times). Hopefully, Winspear's detective will continue to grow in the other books in the series, and will encounter actual crimes.

Although Jacqueline Winspear is British, "Maisie Dobbs" often sounds as if it had been written by an American, so thick with English slang is it. It also has the flaw often found in books set in Britain, but written by Americans, that titles of nobility are entirely inaccurately bestowed.

The concept of the book is interesting, but Maisie is a comic-book superwoman. If the characters had been better developed, and the plot less rickety and ridden with coincidence, perhaps the author's impressive research might have been put to a more meaningful use.

When I see a book on so many favorite lists all over the internet and all over Amazon.com I figure this many people can't be wrong. So I read the book in question and nine times out of ten I love the book. And that is definitely what happened with Maisie Dobbs. Loved it! Already recommended it to friends and family and they loved it too. And it's the start of a series! At this point I am part way throught the third book in the series and I love it, love it, love it. If you're considering reading this book, you definitely should read it.

I've enjoyed all four books to date in the Maisie Dobbs series. Winspear is meticulous about doing her homework about the period in question (World War I and its aftermath), and the heroine, Maisie is smart and engaging.

That said, not all four books are of equal quality. For my taste, this one (#1) is the best of the bunch, with #4 (Messenger of Truth) close on its heels. The plot to #2 (Birds of a Feather) was a bit too predictable, while #3 (Pardonable Lies) suffered from the opposite flaw - too many convoluted subplots, with a little too much reliance on deus ex machina to help resolve them.

However, these are minor quibbles about a series which is overall very enjoyable.

But, Ms Winspear, here we are at the end of 4 books already, and the ongoing celibacy of the heroine is starting to bother me. How should I put this delicately? It's time to allow Maisie some chance at fulfillment in a consummated romantic relationship, and not keep her consigned to the emotional limbo where she appears to have been trapped in for several books now.

I have read all of the Maisie Dobbs books. I love the way that Ms. Winspear can write stories that take me out of my life and transport me into Maisie's world. I am very hopeful that Ms. Winspear will continue to write many more Maisie Dobbs books!

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I wasn't sure I was ready for a new female sleuth when I picked up Jacqueline Winspear's novel, Maisie Dobbs. But as Maisie's story unfolded, I was drawn in deeper and deeper, and now I think I may have to run to my local indie bookstore to buy the follow-ups!

Maisie Dobbs has just moved to London to start a private investigation business. Maisie is not merely a private investigator that follows the physical evidence, she has been taught by her mentor, Maurice Blanche, to explore the psychological and circumstantial evidence. Three things that make Maisie different from other female sleuths is her methodology. First, she keeps copious notes of everything she learns about a person and a case, no matter how trivial. Second, she has learned to imitate a person's stance and to focus on how that stance makes her feel, which helps her learn what the person may be excluding from the conversation. Third, is the personal accounting that she does at the end of every case.

Set in 1929, Maurice has retired, leaving Maisie to give it a go alone. Her first client is Christopher Davenham, who wants to know if his wife Celia is cheating. As Maisie begins her investigation, she stumbles on a much more serious problem. World War I veterans with horrible facial disfigurements are finding solace and comfort in a place called The Retreat, which is not exactly what it lives up to. Now the son of her friends and patrons, Lord and Lady Compton, son is about to sign over his assets to The Retreat and take comfort there.

The World War I backdrop is refreshing. I do question why Winspear put Maisie's wartime experiences in a long flashback rather than as part of the linear plot line. Perhaps it would have made the novel too long. However, the writing and storylines are both so compelling that it really doesn't matter.

The surprise twist at the end of the novel makes Maisie Dobbs is a breath of fresh air in an already overly crowded field.

Armchair Interviews says: For a super mystery, read Maisie Dobbs

A friend recommended this book so I approached it with greater anticipation than it deserved. Like many other reviewers, I found the mystery to be obvious, Maisie to be annoyingly one-dimensional, Maurice's philosophical insights to be pretty inane and the denoument to be silly and derivative (calling to mind other stories with a similar set-up, but much better plot).
The book had the feel of a Masterpiece Theatre program and I could almost hear the theme music and see the wonderful period costumes/cars/homes. However, the lack of depth in the writing, the minimal characterizations and skeletal plot would not have provided the substance that Masterpiece Theatre's best shows [such as UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, which was the basis for several key elements of the plot here] have had.

I agree with the reviewer who commented that the author had to get Enid off-stage because she would have upstaged the heroine. I felt that Billy was another excellent supporting character. When secondary characters are more interesting than the main character, the author needs to do some more work.

MAISIE DOBBS was recommended in a book blog that I had read; I do not recall which one, which is a pity because I owe the author thanks. I was not forty pages into the book when I decided I must have all three sequels, and by the time I was halfway through the fourth I was sad that I would soon be finished with this portion of Maisie's life. I have rarely been so attracted to a character so quickly. The stories are complex narratives with surprising insights; for some reason they remind me of Dorothy Sayers (probably the World War I connection existent in each story). The descriptions of the battlefields bring the horror of that war alive, and Maisie's 1930s world is beautifully brought to life. Full of memorable characters such as Maisie's assistant Billy, but none of them is as memorable as Maisie herself. I can't wait for the fifth book and will buy the next one in hardcover.

Hokey, cliched, loaded with predictable plot twists (see Enid's fate and the final chapter), and a lot of stomach churning psycho babble from Maisie's teacher Maurice Blanche. There is even an utterly pointless character named, of all things, Khan. He's a blind Ceylonese mystic (OH BROTHER!) He's supposed to be a mysterious guru, but his main purpose seems to be to teach Maisie how to breathe properly. The final scene where Maisie solves the mystery is absolutely ridiculous.

Still I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is "unreadable." A "nice" book, but not compelling enough to recommend it.

Maisie Dobbs is a delicious book, if for nothing other than the way it evokes the between-the-wars era in England. You really feel the damage WWI had caused England's spirit. Maisie's young life is well drawn along with her time in the VAD in France. The only part that really didn't go down well with me was the way Maisie's use of psychology is wrapped in a coating of psychic/supernatural/mystical ability. I found it hokey. I'm also not so sure that class barriers were quite as easy to bridge as Maisie appears to have found it. Overall I found "Maisie Dobbs" a charming read, the mystery pulls the story along, but the atmosphere and flavor make it stand out.

I could echo the sentiments of everyone else here... I "shant."

I loved Maisie... One little thing, tho. I am a sucker for a terrific story with lots of history woven in... I would have liked to have seen more World War I, real-life London in this era... Sort of like The Alienist...

But, I already bought the second book, Birds of a Feather, and I was hooked immediately.

Maisie, I'm with you!

And you may as well order the next three now, because no way will you not want to read them! My husband and I have all four (so far published; we eagerly await the next one), and have shared them with numerous friends. Maisie is a wonderful heroine, and the books are so evocative of the time and place, and the characters so well drawn, that the mystery story itself is almost secondary. However, the stories are good, too. Maisie is a great find, and we hope she goes on for a very long time. Enjoy!

Although this book had many engaging points, I have to agree with those who said that the plot is predictable, the characters are wooden, and the huge flashback taking up the middle of the book was a mistake.

I had many problems with Maisie herself. Her empathy feels more like manipulation most of the time, and although the author tries to remind us that Maisie is really feeling for the people she's managing, it feels more like she is just playing God with their lives.

I kept hoping for real conflict, but everyone tolerates Maisie amazingly-- even when people call her on her baloney, they back down as soon as Maisie asks them to. The ending scene is particularly annoying, as Maisie talks nonstop about her own feelings to someone who is suffering much more than she is.

I was surprised that the writer seems to be British, because the dialogue sometimes sounds like an American trying to imitate British speech. Especially with Billy, a sort of Sam Gamgee character with nothing to do but whatever the protagonist wants. He has a wife and children and, presumably, a job, but none of these things interfere with his ability to get up and jaunt off to Kent for as long as Maisie needs him.

Also, what's with Master James, the son? Why is he ill enough that he's considering checking into the Refuge for life, and then suddenly he's all fixed up and headed off to Canada just because Maisie solved the mystery?

I really do not understand why this book received so many good reviews.

My husband and I belong to a book club. He just could not get into this book, but I promised myself that I was going to give it a try, even though I thought that it was not my kind of story. I could not have been more wrong. This book takes place during the war. I really thought that would be a turn off for me, but Winspear writes in such interesting details, that I could not put the book down. I loved the idea that Maisie was such an independent woman..someone that women would strive to be. The book has characters that are unforgetable. I was so glad to hear that Winspear was writing even more books about Maisie Dobbs after this one. It is worth a try!

Pluses: Great setting, nice detailed descriptions, insightful exploration of the psychological damage done to both soldiers and civilians by the Great War. Some humorous dialogue. A heroine that I couldn't help liking (because what's not to like)?

Minuses: Totally unrealistic characters -- everyone is entirely perfect except the bad guy. Even Maisie, who is supposedly made "vulnerable" by her sensitivity to others' emotions and her memories of the war, channels that vulnerability into an irritating ability to know exactly what people are thinking and what the best response to any given situation will be. And she's brilliant and good-looking (if not precisely beautiful) too, of course.

There isn't much of a mystery here either, though it reads fine as a novel. I will probably read at least one more book in the series, to see whether Maisie develops a few other sides to her character. (Maybe she has a secret shoplifting habit!) I hate to give up on such a promising premise, but the execution (forgive the expression) leaves a lot to be desired.

I have become an instant Maisie Dobbs fan, to the extent that I ordered copies of older titles through Amazon.com. It combines mystery and suspense with humane sensitivity and a touch of the supernatural. The research appears to be excellent and the writing style is marvelous. Highly recommended.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear is a delightful first novel, but it is not without some flaws. Winspear provides us with a new niche in the mystery genre, and I bet the Dobbs series will get better with each book.

Maisie Dobbs opens in 1929, when Dobbs opens her own private investigative office. One of her first cases is a gentleman who believes his wife is having an affair. Instead, Dobbs discovers that the wife has been traveling twice a week to a cemetery. There, she mourns over the grave of a World War I soldier. He was terribly disfigured in the war and died on a "farm" called The Retreat, which is run by a former soldier for other men who were maimed in the war. His headstone contains only a surname, which seems strange to Dobbs.

Winspear then flashes back to 1910-1917. Frankie Dobbs, Maisie's dad, is a costermonger--selling fresh vegetables from a cart. When his wife dies, Maisie is just thirteen. Frankie convinces his daughter to go to work as a domestic for one of his customers, Lady Rowan. Dobbs is a very bright girl, and soon steals into the library at night to read. When she is discovered, Lady Rowan realizes her potential. She has Dobbs privately tutored and then sends her to Cambridge. When World War I begins, she takes a leave from college to serve as an army nurse.

Winspear then returns to the present, where Dobbs believes that something sinister is going on at The Retreat. She enlists the help of a number of characters including Lady Rowan, Maurice Blanche (her tutor and mentor) and Billy Beale (a former soldier and caretaker of her building).

I enjoy British mysteries and Maisie Dobbs gives us a peak at the old-time English class structure. It's also interesting to read about how people dealt with World War I and its aftermath. This was also a time of great change as both the war and the suffrage movement empowered women. It was also becoming possible for servants to better themselves and move into more meaningful jobs. But Maisie Dobbs suffers from a number of problems. First, the story is very slow to develop. There are also big gaps in Maisie's history, although maybe it was intentional and Winspear is saving material for later books. And without spoiling the story, the ending was totally hokey.

Still, the Maisie Dobbs series has great potential and I already have book number two, Birds of a Feather, up on deck.

In many ways, this book was a delightful blend of "Brideshead Revisited" and an Agatha Christie mystery. Maisie Dobbs is a terrific character. She is complex without ever being pompous and Winspear throws her into a difficult social conundrum that she may never escape from. The book's moments of levity are balanced by some bleak truths about war, and I admire the depth that these darker passages brought to the narrative as a whole. I plan to read the rest of the books in this series.

I came across this title due to the fact that it was one of five finalists for the Edgar award a couple of years back. The Edgar is a prestigious award for the best 'mystery' of the year. However, more than half of Maisie Dobbs is not a mystery but a fictional memoir of a young Brittish lass who over comes hardships to find a position of status despite the long odds against her. I could have done without any of this. Its a long tedious flash back and I have read it all before. In summation, the 60% middle of the book is written without panache and little inspiration.

However, the saving grace of this book, is the beginning and end, where a slight mystery unfolds. In this part of the book, Maisie is a mature woman with a gift of insight into others that is breath taking. I would love to read a book that has this character delving into the minds of her contemporaries. Maisie uses psychology to both solve problems and heal wounds of people who dont quite understand one another. I would give the start and end of this book five stars. Its well worth reading this as a novella or long short story. I would suggest that you read the start, and if you grow tired of Maisies life story like I did, flip through the pages until you are once again in the midst of events unfolding in the stories present tense.

I look forwards to reading more Winspear books. This is not a great one, but parts of the story are good enough to leave one longing for more, which is a good sign.

This book was excellent. I don't normally read "mysteries", but this was a great book. The Maisie Dobbs' books take place in England, and cover the early part of the 20th century--WWI and after. I loved it so much, I read the rest in the series and eagerly await more.

Maisie Dobbs has a knack for understanding the tensions and pains that affect her clients and friends. She is a survivor of the great war. She uses her knowledge of that war and the mostly men who fought it to discover the solve crimes. Her own personal story is woven throughout the plot and the mystery of her great love is revealed. She is a woman just ahead of her time. Winspear weaves a story of love, suspense, and triumph.

Delightful world war I story with several twists and compelling characters. I've already ordered the next book in the series. Highly recommend it.

This book introduces us to Maisie Dobbs and it is where you begin to fall in love with her. The period of pre WWI comes alive in a very personal way. The other 2 books that follow this one continue to bring that period alive and you see Maisie Dobbs grow as a detective. Oh yes, the twist and turns in this mystery will keep you reading!

I wouldn't classify myself as a mystery reader. However, I stumbled onto the Mary Russell books three years ago as a result of a book club recommendations, and have found myself very carefully choosing mysteries in the same genre - strong female characters, different time period. I picked up two series at the recommendation of Amazon reader reviews - the Fremont Jones books and this series. I have not been disappointed with either Fremont or Maisy. But would have to say Maisy Dobbs is a much stronger series - and less frilly than Fremont. Once I started this - I couldn't put it down. Loaned it to my mother - and she quickly read it and told all her friends, declaring it her favorite for the year. Highly recommended.

As told through the eyes of a female detective, this story unfolds with a sort of Upstairs-Downstairs, rags to respectability subplot, and provides in graphic history of WW I from a perspective 10 years after the war. It shows how lives were destroyed or altered by this cataclysm. The main character is engaging, the writing is crisp, and the insights into the human condition are profound, and delivered with a light touch.

I loved the beginning of the book but soon realized that, of course I would, since I am all about blue bloods and private libraries..

I started to get bored by the time Maisie was being tutored and by the end of the book I was yawning.

This plot has been done over and over and over with the same protagonist I am sure.

A very cliched book and I am not eager to learn one new thing about Maisie.

The book is in three parts, the early part is Maisie beginning to work on her own as an investigator, and one of her first jobs leads her on to the third part of the story. In between we learn of Maisie's history and how she came to be in her situation in 1929, at 32 years of age.

With the death of her mother, Maisie becomes responsible for her family home and her dad. Her dad (who is a costermonger- vegetable seller) worries that should something happen to him, she will be out on the street. So he finds her a place "in service", as the house firelighter and all around gopher. But she is well taken care of by the butler (Carter) and the Cook. Maisie begins to sneak into the families library each morning to read works on psychology and philosophy.

One morning she is surprised by Lady Rowan (her employer) who is astonished to find one of her maids reading Jung. Once she determines that Maisie has an untapped ability, she brings Maisie to a friend of hers to prepare her for college exams. This is the early 1900s and few girls, much less maids are able to go to college. But Maisie is bright and perserveres.

When the war breaks out she enrolls in nursing school, and ends up working in a preMASH type unit on the battlefield. There she meets a doctor and you can guess the rest...but your wrong, sort of. This third part of the story is related tangentially to what happens to her in France and during the war. We actually learn very little of what happened at the end of the war and from 1918 to 1929 (probably in the next book).

Needless to say the story and the characters are well thought out and presented. Her knowledge of the mores and sociology of the times is 'spot on'. All in all a very comfortable and enjoyable read.

1st in the series featuring Maisie Dobbs, a psychologist and private investigator in the post-World War 1 era of the early 1900's in London. Maisie's first case forces her to face a lot of memories of France and her life, but she manages through this to find the answers she needs to close her case. But Maisie is an unusual woman, especially for her times, and she has unusual methods. Her history is unveiled throughout the story, and the entire novel is riveting. I could not put this book down.

Over ten years after the Armistice that ended the Great War, Maisie Dobbs strikes out on her own as a detective following the retirement of her mentor, Maurice Blanche. Her first case appears to be relatively straightforward -- Christopher Davenham suspects that his wife may be unfaithful, and hires Maisie to discover the reason behind his wife's mysterious weekly (and unexplained) disappearances.

Maisie discovers that the wife, Celia, is deeply grieving the death of her unrequited first love. Vincent Weathershaw survived the war but was horribly disfigured. Deeply disillusioned, before his death he withdrew from society to a farm called The Retreat, where he joined other maimed and wounded veterans seeking escape and respite. In order to join the community, each member gives up their last name and signs over control of all their material assests to the organization and its mysterious founder, Adam Jenkins, a charismatic former soldier. When Maisie discovers that Vincent is only one of many soldiers who died shortly after entering The Retreat, she resolves to discover the truth behind Jenkins' seemingly altruistic motives.

I think classifying Maisie Dobbs as a straight mystery is something of a misnomer. There is the mystery of the retreat, but the primary focus of the novel is the exploration of the pyschological wounds the Great War inflicted on society in general, and particuarly those who survived the battlefield horrors. One of the reasons this story is set apart from more run of the mill mysteries is that Maisie is a detective who is deeply affected by her cases. She doesn't remain set apart and untouchable, and this quality makes her relatable and vulnerable. The mystery of The Retreat forces Maisie to face her own long-suppressed memories of her wartime experiences, while at the same time she is attempting to aid other wounded souls in facing their own inner demons. A full third of the novel revisits Maisie's youth, exploring her service as a nurse and her tragic, doomed romance with the brilliant doctor Simon Lynch.

Maisie Dobbs is a beautifully plotted, well-constructed novel that introduces a heroine of extraordinary depth. Through Maisie, Winspear explores the far-reach and shattering effects of conflict, and how the first world war defined a generation. She skillfully demonstrates the effectiveness of the axiom "less is more" -- the novel covers violent events and horrific injuries, but Winspear never assaults the reader with graphic descriptions. Instead, it is often what is left unsaid that makes her writing so effective and memorable. This novel is one of the most restrained, but at the same time emotional, books that I have read in quite some time. I'll definitely be reading the sequels!

I loved this book!! Very different from the mysteries I have been reading. I love the historical setting with characters I actually care for. It's so nice to have complete respect and admiration for the main character of a story and Maisie fits the bill. I'm looking forward to reading more from Jacqueline Winspear

I've been meaning to read this book for a long time. MAISIE DOBBS made quite a sensation when it first came out in 2003, eventually winning the prestigious Agatha award for best first novel. It was also nominated for the Edgar award for best novel (the main category), one of only two debut novels in the history of the Edgar awards to be so nominated. Needless to say, my expectations were quite high for this book.

My expectations were easily met. This book is remarkably well written debut and features an extaordinary likable protagonist. I normally don't like historical mysteries, but Winspear did a great job of making early 20th century England come alive for me. This novel features a cast of fascinating characters that I can't wait to meet again in future installments. All of the characters in the book were three-dimensional human beings that you could imagine existing in real life.

This book admittedly does not have a very strong mystery story; the main purpose of the novel is to introduce the main character and her life history. If you're looking for a strong mystery instead, you may want to try one of the later novels in this series (like BIRDS OF A FEATHER).

By chance, I picked up this debut novel by Jacqueline Winspear, introducing her character Maisie Dobbs, a young woman running a detective agency between the two World Wars in England and still coping with the repercussions from the first war. I was pleasantly surprised and charmed! Since I love Golden Age mysteries and novels, I usually find the attempts to emulate them lacking, but Winspear did her homework and used many resources to faithfully recreate the aura, attitudes and period, and it pays off nicely. Unlike the standard mystery, this novel is more focused on characters and a gentle compassion towards the suffering that went on in World War I. She creates a landscape still reeling from emotional and physical devastation and individuals only able to cope with their losses and scars in doses. Maisie Dobbs is a healer of sorts, and through her, one sees the wider picture. She also has to come to terms with her own shattering experiences and she is a woman who rose above class, another nice touch.

I loved this novel. It's very warm, caring and beautiful with a leisurely pace and simplicity that is touching. It is a novel of grace and gentility. I look forward to the next installments in the series. Recommended.

Jacqueline Winspear writes with great style. MAISIE DOBBS is the first in this series. It is romantic like CASABLANCA with the same mysterious air. The book is set in wartime England. Both the setting and the characters are very well drawn...you can't help but to care for them as you get to know them. The other two books in this series are BIRDS OF A FEATHER and PARDONABLE LIES. The story continues through these books although they can be read seperate. Each title is strong enough to stand on its own merits. Winspear's book should be added to your permanent shelf whether you like mysteries or not.

By rights, I'm just the right reader for this book: I love mysteries (especially British ones), I find WWI fascinating, I find the interwar era and the whole "upstairs-downstairs" British class stuff interesting. And yet...while mildly diverting and obviously well-researched, this first book in a series about a plucky young female investigator/psychologist really didn't work for me. It's written as if the intended readership were 10-14 year-old girls, which is fine, but as an adult, it's hard to find Nancy Drewish escapades of a flawless heroine all that fulfilling.

The framework is a little unconventional (though not the disaster some reviewers make it out to be): the first part of the book introduces us to 20something Maisie Dobbs, just opening her business in London. Her first case is a classic assignment: a man who is worried his wife is cheating on him wants Maisie to check into it. As her investigation unfolds there are allusions to Maisie's past and a mysterious mentor, but nothing is spelled out. Suddenly, the story drifts back in time to 1910 or so, and we are reintroduced to a younger Maisie as she enters service as a housemaid for an aristocratic family. We follow dutifully along as her employers discover her reading Latin in the library and extend their patronage, allowing her to be tutored by their strange friend (and apparent spy) Maurice, and eventually supporting her bid to go to Cambridge (Girton College). Despite success at school, when World War I starts, she decides to join the Red Cross, and eventually serves as a nurse in France, where she witnesses the horror of war.

The final third of the book then shifts back the the postwar era, and Maisie's patron asks her help in a family matter. This all dovetails with her earlier case, as well as the war and the scars (psychic and physical) left by the war. The mystery isn't substantial enough to satisfy most fans of the genre, and anyone with any discernment is going to find the climax painfully bad. (All I'll say is that involves singing...) As a detective, Maisie isn't particularly compelling -- her technique is a mix of keen observation and psychology. However, she's even less compelling as a character. Maisie's one of those plucky underdogs designed to provoke maximum reader projection: born into semi-poverty, raised by single father, highly intelligent, uncommonly perceptive, always composed, humble, beloved by all, and possessing big violet eyes. She's the kind of character everyone likes to imagine they would be, had they lived in that time and been born into those circumstances. The supporting cast is fairly pat: vegetable-seller father (with a heart of gold), feisty upper-class patroness (with a heart of gold), prim butler (with a heart of gold), plump cook (with a heart of gold), Cockney handyman/sidekick (with a heart of gold), etc...

The book isn't bad (except for the climax, which is terrible), it's just not very satisfying for adult readers looking for complex characters and a meaty plot. It suffers from feeling very much like a book designed to establish setting and characters for a series. I may read onward in the series (the next two are Birds of a Feather and Pardonable Lies), but may wait for the inevitable BBC TV series this will spawn.