As a volunteer ambulance driver in London in 1940, Maisie Dobbs aids the victims of the German blitz, in bestseller Winspear's excellent 15th novel featuring the psychologist/investigator (after 2018's To Die But Once). One night while on duty, she meets American journalist Catherine Saxon, who reports on the horrors of the blitz for radio listeners in the U.S. Maisie enjoys the company of the effervescent American, who unfortunately is found murdered in her flat the next morning. When Scotland Yard enlists Maisie's help in solving the case, she's reunited with Mark Scott, an American agent with whom she once had a brief flirtation in Munich. As the number of suspects in Catherine's murder increases, Maisie's romantic feelings grow for Mark, who's also investigating the American ambassador to the U.K., Nazi sympathizer Joseph P. Kennedy. Meanwhile, Maisie seeks to adopt a war orphan. In Winspear's capable hands, Maisie has evolved into a deeply sympathetic character. Readers will eagerly await her next outing. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The London blitz is the backdrop to Winspear's latest as the inimitable Maisie Dobbs investigates the death of Catherine Saxon, an intrepid American journalist determined to document wartime Britain's hardships for the folks back home. Saxon and Dobbs are kindred spirits both struggle to make it in a man's world, and both are putting a brave face on their recovery from heartbreak. Dobbs' hunt for the killer, aided by the dashing agent of the book's title, is a lesson in English gentility; Winspear also offers an intriguing view of the WWII propaganda machine that sought to convince Americans to join the fray. The historical descriptions are sometimes stiff, as when characters discuss at length conditions that the other party in the conversation would already know about, but, overall, this is an immersive tale of wartime grit and grief. Fans of the series won't be disappointed; the book can also cross over to historical-mystery buffs and devotees of British detective shows.--Henrietta Verma Copyright 2019 Booklist

The Blitz is in full swing in the newest "Maisie Dobbs" mystery by Winspear (To Die but Once). Maisie and best friend Priscilla are driving their ambulance with young American reporter Catherine Saxon, who believes firsthand experience will help her get work with Edward Murrow on BBC radio. The day after this ride-along, Maisie receives a call from Scotland Yard and the American embassy requesting her investigative services for Catherine's murder. Maisie begins this sudden investigation while the stresses of the adoption process for her young ward, Anna, weigh on her mind. Maisie must collaborate closely with Mark Scott, the agent attached to the American embassy, whom she worked with in Berlin before the war. But as the case progresses, she feels romantically drawn to him, all while uncovering secrets about Catherine. VERDICT This is a fantastic read for historical mystery fans who enjoy complex and flawed characters. Highly recommended for all public libraries.-Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.