To Die But Once: A Maisie Dobbs Novel - Softcover

Winspear, Jacqueline

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062834398 ISBN 13: 9780062834393

Publisher: Harper, 2018

Synopsis

Finalist for the Inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award

Maisie Dobbs--one of the most complex and admirable characters in contemporary fiction (Richmond Times Dispatch)--faces danger and intrigue on the home front during World War II.

During the months following Britain's declaration of war on Germany, Maisie Dobbs investigates the disappearance of a young apprentice working on a hush-hush government contract. As news of the plight of thousands of soldiers stranded on the beaches of France is gradually revealed to the general public, and the threat of invasion rises, another young man beloved by Maisie makes a terrible decision that will change his life forever.

Maisie's investigation leads her from the countryside of rural Hampshire to the web of wartime opportunism exploited by one of the London underworld's most powerful men, in a case that serves as a reminder of the inextricable link between money and war. Yet when a final confrontation approaches, she must acknowledge the potential cost to her future--and the risk of destroying a dream she wants very much to become reality.

About this title

Review:

"In addition to providing a very good mystery, Winspear does a smashing job describing the bravery exhibited by everyday Britons as the fear of invasion becomes ever more real."--Kirkus

"Winspear has created another rich reading experience for Maisie's many fans, but this title could be seen as entry point for new fans as well. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a thoughtful mystery."--Library Journal, starred review

"The wartime details ... transport us with ease to a milieu where danger is omnipresent but--thanks to the presence of steadfast figures like Dobbs and her like-spirited colleagues--so is hope." --Wall Street Journal

"Winspear's protagonist is indomitable and vulnerable, brilliant and kind."--Chelsea Clinton in Entertainment Weekly

"History comes alive when a character you think of as a friend is in the thick of the action. That's how Jacqueline Winspear keeps her Maisie Dobbs series so fresh."--New York Times Book Review

"Maisie Dobbs is always looking for truth and the underlying motives in her cases. Her stories are ones that this reviewer always wants to read because of her character, values and thoughts on life.... A story about WWII and England that is close to the heart."--Bookreporter.com

"A novel that appeals equally to the intellect and the emotions, To Die but Once advances Maisie's engaging story and reaffirms Winspear's eminence in her field.... [A] radiant series."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"First-rate."--Booklist

"The novelist paints a fascinating picture of life in England at the dawn of war.... Resourceful Maisie remains an endearingly complex character."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

From the Back Cover:

Spring, 1940. During the months following Britain's declaration of war on Germany, as far as the population is concerned, nothing much seems to have happened. Despite the sandbagging of underground stations and public buildings, constant government reminders to carry gas masks at all times, and the barrage balloons bobbing overhead, the newspapers are calling it the "Bore War," and mothers have started bringing children who were evacuated to the country back home.

Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Maisie Dobbs investigates the disappearance of a young apprentice working on a hush-hush government contract. As news of the plight of thousands of soldiers stranded on the beaches of France is gradually revealed to the general public, and as the threat of invasion increases, another young man beloved by Maisie makes a terrible decision that will change his life forever.

Maisie's investigation leads her from the countryside of rural Hampshire to the web of wartime opportunism exploited by one of the London underworld's most powerful men, in a case that serves as a reminder of the inextricable link between money and war. Yet when a final confrontation approaches, she must acknowledge the potential cost to her future--and the risk of destroying a dream she wants very much to become reality.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0062834398
• ISBN 13: 9780062834393
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336