Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs #2) by Jacqueline Winspear: A Book Review

Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs #2)
Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Soho Crime
Release Date: 2004
Pages: 321
Source: My State Public Library
Synopsis: The second Maisie Dobbs mystery

Jacqueline Winspear’s marvelous debut, Maisie Dobbs, won her fans from around the world and raised her intuitive, intelligent, and resourceful heroine to the ranks of literature’s favorite sleuths. Birds of a Feather, its follow-up, finds psychologist and private investigator Maisie Dobbs on another dangerously intriguing adventure in London “between the wars.” It is the spring of 1930, and Maisie has been hired to find a runaway heiress. But what seems a simple case at the outset soon becomes increasingly complicated when three of the heiress’s old friends are found dead. Is there a connection between the woman’s mysterious disappearance and the murders? Who would want to kill three seemingly respectable young women? As Maisie investigates, she discovers that the answers lie in the unforgettable agony of the Great War.

My Review: Maisie has been hired by a rich man to bring his daughter, Charlotte home. What seems to be a straightforward case seems to take a crooked turn when Charlotte’s friends turn up dead. Could Charlotte be connected to the murders? What is the real reason she ran away? As Maisie digs for the truth, she learns that the real answer lies in the Great War.

Maisie is really a likable heroine. She is flawed and vulnerable, which makes her more appealing to the reader. This novel details her struggles with her wounded fiance. She knows that she must let go of the past and start thinking about the future in order for her to be happy. She also has a rocky relationship with her father. She realizes that she must forgive her father if she wants to continue having a loving relationship with him. Thus, Maisie is a strong and clever woman who must make tough choices for her happiness.

Overall, this is a story about loss, father-daughter relationships, and forgiveness. I really like how the story portrays the consequences of WWI. The mystery was very predictable, but it was interesting because the murderer was a tragic figure. The other characters could have been more developed, and the ending was a bit anti-climatic. Still, I thought that it was a worthy follow-up to Maisie Dobbs, and it reminded me why I love this series so much! Maisie is a compelling heroine and her personal struggles are what makes the Maisie Dobbs series unique. It is not the mystery aspect but the characters that appeal to me. Thus, I look forward to reading Pardonable Lies. Simply because of Maisie, I am determined to finish the fourteenth book in the series. This is a series you do not want to miss out on.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity) by David Potter: A Book Review

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity) Author: David Potter Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, History Publisher: Oxford University Press Release Date: November 4, 2015 Pages: 288 Source: Publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Two of the most famous mosaics from the ancient world, in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, depict the sixth-century emperor Justinian and, on the wall facing him, his wife, Theodora (497-548). This majestic portrait gives no inkling of Theodora's very humble beginnings or her improbable rise to fame and power. Raised in a family of circus performers near Constantinople's Hippodrome, she abandoned a successful acting career in her late teens to follow a lover whom she was legally forbidden to marry. When he left her, she was a single mother who built a new life for herself as a secret agent, in which role she met the heir to the throne. To the shock of the ruling elite, the two were married, and when Justinian...

Guest Post: The Ladies-in-Waiting: Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh

Today's guest writer is Alexandra Walsh. She is the author of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , which is a historical thriller surrounding the infamous Tudor queen. In this guest post, Mrs. Walsh discusses the life of Catherine's lady-in-waiting, Isabel Baynton. This post will be sure to fascinate fans of Tudor era. If you enjoy her post, please pick up a copy of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy ! Thank you, Mrs. Walsh! The Ladies-in-Waiting – Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh One of the most enjoyable things about writing an historical novel is discovering the tiny details that make the period real on the page. While I was researching The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , I spent a great deal of time hunting out the life stories of the women who surrounded the young queen in order to create a group of realistic friends and confidants. There are some well-known names linked with Catherine and her downfall: Lady Jane Boleyn,...

Guest Post by Cheryl Anne Stapp: Sacramento Women in the Pioneer Era

Today's guest writer is Cheryl Anne Stapp. She is the author of Before The Gold Rush - The Sinclairs of Rancho del Paso 1840-1849 , and Disaster & Triumph: Sacramento Women, Gold Rush Through the Civil War . I am currently reading Before the Gold Rush , and I find it fascinating! In this guest post, she writes about stories of pioneer women that settled in Sacramento. I hope you find these stories captivating and that it will give you some insight into her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Stapp! Sacramento Women in the Pioneer Era I don’t write fiction. I tried, but soon found that I have no talent for plotting. My first and only attempt at a historical romance was actually pretty far along when an editor friend pointed out there was more historical matter than romance in the manuscript…and as far as a well-constructed storyline with surprising plot twists, well… But in 2009 I found my niche, largely inspire...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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