Leaving Everything Most Loved - Book Review

At the risk of offending those true Maisie Dobb die-hard fans (my dear niece among them), I must admit that I don't LOVE the Maisie Dobbs mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear. I do enjoy them--the few that I have read (the fans insist I would love them more if I read them all.) However, Leaving Everything Most Loved is a well written mystery novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maisie Dobbs, a post-World War I London psychoanalyst and investigator, is asked by the police to investigate the murder of a young Indian woman. The case has gone cold and her brother has just arrived from India demanding answers. Maisie picks up the clues and finds herself becoming more and more interested in other cultures and realizes her desire to explore the world while she solves a murder.

The case is intriguing and well plotted and much of the book focuses on solving the mystery. Even Maisie, who I often find an annoying, meddling character incongruous with her historical setting, is less irritating in this novel. The novel does advance Maisie's personal story but focuses on it less or blends it better with the mystery she is trying to solve. I must admit, I'm even curious to see what Maisie's future holds. Is it possible that Jacqueline Winspear in Leaving Everything Most Loved has made me into a Maisie fan? It appears to be true.

** I received a complimentary copy of Leaving Everything Most Loved in exchange for my honest review. No additional compensation was received.**