It is spring, 1940, and England is full of fear, full of uncertainty, waiting, waiting for something to happen. Young men had gone abroad to fight a war as had their fathers. The country was on edge. Phil Coombes should not have been worried. His teenaged son had managed to get a job with a painting company, working at RAF bases with fire retardant paint. It was a reserved occupation. The boy would not have to enlist. But Mr. Coomes was troubled, felt that something was wrong. The boy just didn’t sound like himself, and he was having bad headaches. So he came to Maisie Dobbs for help, asking her to quietly look into things. Jacqueline Winspear paints a vivid picture, capturing the war’s effect on various individuals, from the bravery at Dunkirk, to the profiteering, fear of spies, leaking of classified secrets. Maisie Dobbs is a complex character, very believable. At first, I felt that there were too many plot lines, but things came together and I ended up liking the book very much. Even though this is part of a series it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

eGalley review                                                Publication date 3.27.18