Jacqueline Winspear Thrusts Maisie Dobbs back into Politics
The British Empire was by far the largest one of its kind we've seen in history, holding about twenty percent of the world's population and having its hands deep into the political workings of numerous countries. In Jacqueline Winspear's A Dangerous Place, the eleventh book in The Maisie Dobbs series, the titular character experiences the depth of the empire's reach.
The Maisie Dobbs series is the kind where each book works as a standalone, even though they are all connected by the same main character. With each outing we learn more and more about her life, inner world and past, but you are by no means obligated to have read the previous chapters to understand or enjoy this one.
Opening in spring of 1937, the story begins with Maisie attempting to find some peace by returning to India, but the dream ends up being short-lived when her stepmother summons her back to England due to her aging father's health. However, realizing she isn't exactly ready to come back, Maisie disembarks partway on the trip in the British garrison town of Gibraltar.
The town is filled with refugees fleeing from a civil war right across the border in Spain, and a climate of unrest brews in the strategically-important location for the empire. Only a few days after Maisie's arrival, a photographer is found murdered, identified as a member of Gibraltar's Sephardic Jewish community.
Naturally, Maisie cannot help but become entangled in a case so intriguing, even catching the eye of the British Secret Service in the process. With every step she takes, she finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a shady political game, and in the process inches closer to facing her fears and uncertainties, closer to choosing what kind of life she wants to live.
To the Front Lines in A Dangerous Place
If you're familiar with at least some of the previous works in the series, I believe the novel's historical aspect shouldn't come as a surprise, but rather, as a welcome expectation. Formerly, Maisie has already travelled some around Europe, often times providing hints and glimpses at historical events and their repercussions, especially the ones relating to regular people.
This time around, the plot takes her to Gibraltar, and her investigation even leads her to the front lines of the Spanish civil war in Madrid, where the Republicans and Fascists are engaged in a bloody conflict which feels interminable. Naturally, Jacqueline Winspear weaves this element right into the plot, but before this comes to fruition, we are treated to decent chunks of historical exposition.
Personally I can't say I'm very knowledgeable on the subject at hand, but the writing in A Dangerous Place has succeeded in two things: spurring my interest in the topic as well as providing a comprehensive overview of the conflict and its consequences on the lower rungs of society. Winspear treats the topic with great care and respect, never sensationalizing anything for the sake of the plot.
Particularly, her descriptions of the lives led by the refugees in Gibraltar struck a fair few chords with me, being not only evocative and feeling quite real, but also serving as a stark reminder these kinds of things are far from existing solely in the past. Her insight into both sides of the conflict shows the author has doubtlessly done quite a lot of research on the subject.
As I mentioned before, Jacqueline Winspear doesn't simply shove these historical elements into her novel. Rather, they are closely integrated into the story and its development, to the point where I think it's safe to say the vast majority of the plot revolves around them. Ultimately, I think tying the fiction closely with real history is a huge factor in making this an enjoyable novel.
A New Direction for Maisie Dobbs
There are certain aspects in this book which take a departure from what we've become accustomed to in the series, but before looking into those, it's also worth taking a glance at the tried-and-true elements making a pleasant return, with the first one being: a convoluted murder case. Regardless of the historical background, this is, after all, a murder mystery novel, and Winspear remembers this.
If, like myself, you've been exposed to more murder mysteries than you could possibly remember, then I would venture to say you stand a chance at putting the pieces together before seeing the ending, but not without putting your grey cells through some hard work. The path we're led on by the investigation doesn't lack in twists and turns, but remains logical and coherent from start to finish.
Now, in regards to what's different this time around, first we have Maisie Dobbs herself. She seems to be moving away from her kind and caring self into a more selfish territory, prioritizing her need to feel alive and solve a murder over visiting her aging father. Overall she is still an enjoyable protagonist to follow, but there are some changes happening within her which feel a little strange at first.
In addition to this, one of the consistent elements from the previous novels was the recurring cast of characters we've come to know and love. For this novel at least, it seems like Winspear decided to do away with it, with only one returning character from the previous books in a minor role.
It's an interesting direction, giving Maisie much more of a spotlight so a greater focus might be placed on her internal world, teeming with turmoil, indecisiveness, and responsibilities tugging at her left and right. If you've enjoyed observing her evolution over the series as much as I have, then I'm certain you will also appreciate the author's decision on this... though I hope it doesn't extend to all future books in the series.
The Final Verdict
A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear is a remarkable and somewhat daring continuation to the Maisie Dobbs series, perfectly mixing history with a murder investigation while experimenting with some new directions for the main character and her entourage.
If you're looking for a solid murder mystery mixed in with international political intrigue and detailed historical elements, or have enjoyed the previous novels in the series and are thinking about going further, then I strongly recommend you give this novel a try.
 | Jacqueline WinspearPersonal site Jacqueline Winspear is a mystery author hailing from the United Kingdom, best-known for writing the Maisie Dobbs Series, taking place after WWI and following the titular inspector's investigations across over fourteen books at this point. The first novel in the series, Maisie Dobbs, earned her numerous award nominations, Such as the Edgar Award for Best Novel and the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Additionally, she was also a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize in 2015. |
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