Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
Series: Massie Dobbs #4
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Pages: 322 (paperback)
Source: TLC Book Tours
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Description:
London, 1931. On the night before the opening of his new and much-anticipated exhibition at a famed Mayfair gallery, Nicholas Bassington-Hope falls to his death. The police declare the fall an accident, but the dead man's twin sister, Georgina, isn't convinced. When the authorities refuse to conduct further investigations and close the case, Georgina - a journalist and infamous figure in her own right - takes matters into her own hands, seeking out a fellow graduate from Girton College: Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator.
The case soon takes Maisie to the desolate beaches of Dungeness in Kent, as well as the sinister underbelly of the city's art world. And while navigating her way into the heart of the aristocratic yet bohemian Bassington-Hopes, Maisie is deeply troubled by the tragedy of another, quite different family in need.
In Messenger of Truth, Maisie Dobbs again uncovers the dark legacy of the Great War in a society struggling to recollect itself in difficult times. But to solve the mystery of the artist's death, she will have to remain steady as the forces behind his death come out of the shadows to silence her.
My Rating:
My Review: Set in London after the Great War, Maise Dobbs has quite a mystery on her hands. Nicholas Bassingon-Hope, upcoming artist, has fallen to his death. His sister Georgina feels in her heart that her twin brother has been murdered and when the police do not believe her, she turns to Maisie. Without any clues to point to murder, Maisie takes the case, determined to bring peace to the Bassington-Hope family one way or the other.
Before I write anything else, I have to state how much I LOVE this cover. It is so creative and looks a-mazing in person. I love reading mysteries that are also historical fiction because the mysteries are solved without any fancy technology. It just seems like good detective work. Maisie is so smart and analytical. It reminded me a bit of when I was younger and I was reading Nancy Drew. While I appreciated the writing and the backdrop of the story, the plot was a bit slow for my tastes. I felt like clues were being uncovered and the relevance wasn't explained to the reader until the big unfolding at the end. For me, this meant I didn't feel any excitement from the mystery. I didn't feel driven to turn each page. I also didn't connect or like Maisie very much. She appeared to be a character that was a bit to polished and judgmental for my tastes.
This is my first Maisie Dobbs novel and I've been hearing tons of great things, so I'm thinking that I need to try another one. Maybe this particular plot didn't do it for me but maybe the next one will. Anyone else heard of this series? What did you think?
March is Maisie Dobbs Month! Click HERE to find a schedule of reviews of the other books in this series.
