“A Sunlit Weapon” by Jacqueline Winspear – Protecting the First Lady

 

Short Summary

Jacqueline Winspear has turned Maisie Dobbs into an essential instrument of national security in her eponymous long-standing series, and in the seventeenth instalment, titled A Sunlit Weapon, she plays a role in safeguarding the First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. Following a couple of attacks on British pilots, Maisie is called upon by her friend to lend a hand in wild investigation setting her on the trail of a deadly conspiracy ripe for execution.

Jacqueline Winspear Spins the Mystery of the First Lady

Even though high-standing figures of authority are nothing but flesh and bone beneath their titles and suits, they nevertheless exude this atmosphere making it seem like they're living in a different world (not necessarily a better one), with its own unseen connections and mysteries. In A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear, the seventeenth novel in the Maisie Dobbs series, we are thrust into a 1942 mystery surrounding the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

While it certainly is quite deep in the series, this novel, like the previous ones, works perfectly as a standalone and doesn't discriminate against those unfamiliar with the books. They're definitely worth reading, but don't let it stop you if you're specifically interested in this particular novel above all others; at most, you'll be missing out on some character development.

This time around we're taken to October 1942, when Jo Hardy, a 22-year-old ferry pilot, is seemingly attacked from the ground while delivering an aircraft to the Biggin Hill Aerodrome. When she returns to the location on foot, all she finds is a tied up American serviceman in a barn, ultimately handed over to the American military police. Soon, she finds out he happens to be a suspect in the vanishing of another fellow soldier.

Only two days later another ferry pilot gets attacked in the same area as Jo, and this dies during the incident. Fearing there is much more than meets the eye to the whole affair, Jo reaches out to Maisie Dobbs to lend her a hand and hopefully untangle a mess only getting worse by the day. Meanwhile, Maisie's husband, working at the American embassy, is preparing for the arrival of the First Lady, ensuring security is about as tight as it could ever be. No precautions seem too strict, with evidence suggesting German agents intent on trying something.

What most people don't suspect is of the connection between the attack on the two ferry pilots, Mrs. Roosevelt herself, and the suspicious activities of two American servicemen. There's a whirlpool of danger swirling around the woman, and ultimately if she is to be kept safe, Maisie must uncover where the vast thread of the conspiracy leads, and sever it before it's too late.

American Problems on British Soil in A Sunlit Weapon

So far the Maisie Dobbs series has largely been focused on the British experience during the Second World War, portraying the conflict from the point of view of not only the main character, but also people on all ends of the social spectrum. This time around the focus is shifted towards the Americans, or more precisely, the various problems they brought along with them.

Before having a look at her way of exploring these issues, I feel like it's of great importance to discuss how Winspear portrayed Americans in this book, largely because of how balanced and realistic it feels. If she does have some form of agenda, she did an absolutely perfect job at hiding it, taking care to show the good, the bad and the ugly as they appeared in the story's progression.

I was quite glad to see that Winspear had what it takes to tackle the topic of racism in the United States army, portraying it in a rather delicate and believable manner through the plot line surrounding the coloured soldier accused of having murdered a fellow white soldier, despite there being little-to-no evidence in favour of such a version.

While it's definitely a complicated topic which requires a whole lot more than a sub-plot in A Sunlit Weapon to be discussed in great depth, I thought Winspear did a commendable job in attempting to unravel the psychology behind it, as well as its roots. It never felt like racism for the sake of it, but rather, a part of the story we were meant to take in, understand, and link to the rest of it.

I'm personally not certain of how much research the author conducted into the topic of US army regulations and procedures, but the amount of insight she offers into their strengths and faults certainly suggests an extensive amount of work. Sometimes humorous and other times depressing, the little facts and details she inserts so adeptly into the plot are always educative, and when taken all together, shine a rather perceptive light on the sorts of issues plaguing the American military machine.

Solving a National Crisis

A Sunlit Weapon has quite a lot of depth to it as far as a work of historical fiction goes, especially when talking about the author's ability to relay truly poignant details and make the reader feel a reality from almost a hundred years ago. At the same time, Jacqueline Winspear never forgets about entertaining us at the same time, and to this end she brings various complications to the table, ultimately resulting in four murders and a kidnapping.

It doesn't take long for it to become clear multiple investigations will be required to solve the whole problem, which in turn means there is seldom a moment of inaction during which we can afford to be bored or inattentive. Things move along fairly quickly, and the mystery as to how all the moving parts I've mentioned earlier connected with each other proved a strong motivating factor pushing me to finish the book. Watching Maisie put all her investigative tools, techniques and hunches to good use was fascinating as ever.

The grand scale of the conspiracy and the number of parts in it is certainly complex, at least relative to most of the cases Maisie Dobbs has been on until now, but for the most part, I'd say Winspear handles the story lines adeptly, juggling them at the correct rhythm and allowing events to unfold at a natural pace. Despite the seemingly abundant number of people and clues involved in the investigation, I never felt lost nor overwhelmed by the scale of it, which speaks volumes of the author's immense talents.

The idea of putting the First Lady at the centre of it all was a welcome element in my opinion, adding truly tangible stakes to a spy game played at the highest level for the greatest prize. In my opinion, the author's portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt was quite true-to-life, with Winspear having successfully managed to capture the elegance and spirit of the woman around whom a national crisis is brewing.

Finally, I would also like to take a moment to point out that just like in all the previous novels, Winspear did an excellent job at shining the spotlight on the understated role women played during the Second World War, the prejudice they had to overcome and the essential contributions they made. More precisely, she detailed the exploits of the women working for England's Air Transport Auxiliary and payed a worthy homage to their deeds.

The Final Verdict

A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear is a fantastic addition to the Maisie Dobbs series, the quality of which has never waned since day one. From captivating and educative historical details to fast-paced investigations filled with twists and turns leading to jaw-dropping revelations, this novel has it all.

If you're looking for a book mixing World War II and murder mystery in one seamless package, or have enjoyed the author's previous offerings, then I believe this book will be the perfect fit for you.

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Jacqueline Winspear Personal 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.