A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Agatha Award Winner for Best First Novel
Macavity Award Winner for Best First Novel
Alex Award Winner

"Compelling...powerful. [Maisie Dobbs] testifies to the enduring allure of the traditional mystery...even though I knew what was coming this second time 'round, its final scene is still a punch in the gut."
--Maureen Corrigan for NPR's Fresh Air

"[A] deft debut novel . . . Romantic readers sensing a story-within-a-story won't be disappointed. But first they must be prepared to be astonished at the sensitivity and wisdom with which Maisie resolves her first professional assignment."
--The New York Times

"The reader familiar with Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency . . . might think of Maisie Dobbs as its British counterpart . . . [Winspear] has created a winning character about whom readers will want to read more."
--The Associated Press

"[Maisie Dobbs] catches the sorrow of a lost generation in the character of one exceptional woman."
--Chicago Tribune

"One of the best and most influential crime novels of the young century."
--Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

"A fine new sleuth for the twenty-first century. Simultaneously self-reliant and vulnerable, Maisie isn't a character I'll easily forget."
--Elizabeth George, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Inspector Lynley series

"The book is much more than a cosy mystery--it is also about women's growing emancipation and the profound changes to society after the First World War."
--Mail on Sunday

"A delightful mix of mystery, war story and romance set in WWI-era England . . . A refreshing heroine, appealing secondary characters and an absorbing plot [make Winspear a] writer to watch."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A poignant and compelling story . . . [Winspear handles] human drama with compassionate sensitivity while skillfully avoiding cloying sentimentality. At the end, the reader is left yearning for more. Highly recommended."
--Library Journal, Starred Review