A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel

Based on many reviews I read before reading this book, I was prepared to dislike it as slow and tedious and not really a mystery. Upon reading it, however, I ended up thinking it's a strong entry in the Maisie Dobbs series, except for the lack of dramatic tension and rising action (a problem with almost all the books in the series)In this book, Maisie is asked by the British Secret Service to take a job as a philosophy professor at a "peace" college in Cambridge. She is to report anything "suspicious." The Secret Service is actually looking for communist affiliations among the international student body at the College of St. Francis. Maisie, however, feels that what's suspicious at St. Francis is the rise of fascism, which the Secret Service pretty much disregards. Maisie is there only a day or two when Greville Liddicote, founder of St. Francis, is murdered in his office. The main thread of A Lesson in Secrets, then, is Maisie's search for the murderer. Her search is successful and the resolution is satisfying, although the way that Maisie comes upon the final clue is by accident, and that isn't satisfying.In addition to the main mystery, there are subplots. Did Greville Liddicote really write the children's book that the government banned during World War I? Or did he steal it from another author? And what about Maisie's former roommate Sandra, whose husband Eric died in an accident -- was it really an accident, or was it murder? Will Sandra uncover evidence of murder, or die trying? Then there's Billy Beale and his wife and family: will they agree to accept the new house that Maisie wants to rent to them? Last of all, there's Maisie's love interest, James Compton, who appears to be writing her letters from Canada . . . but the letters look as if they were mailed from London.Winspear successfully weaves all the subplots and the main plot together, though much of the weaving consists of Maisie driving her car back and forth to London, and this strikes the reader as repetitive and unimaginative. Finally, there is, as I stated earlier, the question of dramatic tension: it simply doesn't exist in this book. The reasons to like this book are the political history woven into the 1932 setting, the characters of Maisie and her friends, and the solution. These are, I suspect, the reasons that most people read the Maisie Dobbs books.

I have read all of the Maisie Dobbs books at present, thanks to a blogging read-along. I had great fun discovering Maisie and actually read A Lesson in Secrets when it was first published in 2011. I enjoy these Maisie books so much and one of the many reasons is because I love historical fiction, love to learn about such trivia as the products the characters use, and love to research whatever subject I find interesting in the books, be it art history, geography, or the politics of the time.A Lesson in Secrets begins with Maisie being followed from Kent back to London as she drives her "crimson MG 14/40." The car following her was a "black Armstrong Siddeley." Well, there you go! I had to stop and look up these autos and find out more about them. Now I know some readers could care less about these details, but learning about things like these cars just enhances the story for me. And Ms. Winspear's novels are filled with interesting and eclectic tidbits from the early-to-mid 20th century about England and the times.Maisie is called to help the British Secret Service in this particular novel, but gets to do so while posing as a professor in academia, exactly something Maisie would enjoy, as would I. You see, I think I enjoy and can relate to these novels because I can relate to Maisie's interests, her independence, and her stubbornness. I know I would enjoy her private detective work (way more than her psychologist work). I worry that I am too independent at times (as does Maisie). And, of course, I can relate to her inability to step back and analyze her own life instead of trying to please and fix everyone else's (to a degree).Maisie's undercover work in Cambridge leads her to have to solve the murder of a controversial character. I was reminded of one of my favorite children's book authors, Munro Leaf (The Story of Ferdinand), and was also reminded of Dr. Seuss, or Theodore Geisel, whose books reflected some of his political positions. World War II is seen as a "good war" since it was waged against someone as demented and despicable as Hitler, so the pacifist position in the buildup to this war could not have been popular. This pacifist position some held, as well as the popularity of the Nazi buildup, are two interesting subjects brought forth in A Lesson in Secrets.If you have not yet read A Lesson in Secrets, I hope you are intrigued and can't wait to read it soon. If you have already read the novel, I hope you have enjoyed revisiting the eighth Maisie book.

In this, the eighth book in the series, Maisie is sent undercover to a Cambridge college to look for possible activities "contrary to the interests of the Crown". Within a short time of her arrival the founder of the college is murdered. She calls in two friends from Scotland Yard to investigate the death. She is told to concentrate on the task she was given and not to involve herself in investigating the murder. Needless to say she does both successfully, while Billy looks into the death of her friend's husband in a work "accident" .I wasn't sure what to expect when I read that Maisie would be working for the "Secret Service", but it was no surprise to find her investigating a murder. I felt her frustration when her concerns over a pro-Nazi group were dismissed, but that's the benefit of (or problem with) living after World War Two and knowing what's coming. It felt strange for her not to be working with Billy after they've tackled so many cases together, but he's developed enough to work on his own, which is good. I thought that the ending was a bit rushed, which is why I only give the book four stars.

Maisie is coming to terms with the death of her mentor Maurice Blanche and her inheritance of his properties, papers and wealth. She's come a long way from the maid who used to work there. Her love affair with James is progressing well, although he's currently in Canada wrapping up his business interests. Then Maisie is approached by the Secret Service who want her to go undercover as a philosophy lecturer at a small, relatively new, Cambridge College to report on any activities "not in the interests of His Majesty's Government.". The college is founded on the idea of international peace and cooperation and encourages young people from all over the world to study together. The founder of the college, Greville Liddicote wrote a series of children's books, although three books written during WW1 were withdrawn from publication and all copies destroyed.When Mr Liddicote is found dead at his desk, his secretary calls Maisie who immediately realises this is not a heart attack, but murrrrderrrrr. While MacFarlane and Stratton are brought in from Special Branch to investigate the murder, Maisie is embroiled in yet more fall-out from WW1, including alleged mutinies, the murder of conscientious objectors, and the use of women in espionage. Add to which the rise of politics and admiration of Germany's National Socialism Party and Cambridge is fast becoming a hotbed of political intrigue.This feels like a readjustment book. I feel Maisie/Jacqueline Winspear is finally letting go of WW1 and anticipating WW2, similarly Maisie's new wealth and lover have changed her from the young woman suffering from (I suspect) PTSD of the earlier books. Also, Maisie has gone from police procedural to assisting the Secret Service, what is next spying in Germany (I've seen the later covers so I assume yes). Whether this change will get her out of the WW1 rut I don't know.

I have read this on the KindleThis was the 8th book in the Maisie Dobbs series, while it was a Good read i didn't think it was as good as previous onesI think it was because she was doing work for the Secret ServiceIt still had the main people in it as you follow their livesI think that the story in this one was not so smooth as in others & i think the reason that Maisie was in Cambridge didn't gel as what she finds out the secret service seems to not be interested in so if they not taking notice of her why did they send her there i found that the subplots more interesting that what she was suppose to be looking atAll that said it was still a good read just not as good as her others

The latest Maisie Dobbs offering from Jacqueline Winspear moves us into the early 1930s, 1932 to be exact. The menace of Hitler is beginning to loom and Maisie goes undercover back at Cambridge. It is very much up to Winspear's high standards, my only complaint is that to get it at a good price I've had to buy it from the States, their hardback version is cheaper than the UK paperback, but once over the irritation of color and favor without the letter u, I have coped. Definitely a very good read - I'm looking forward to seeing how the series continues towards WW2. KP

Another Maisie Dobbs Novel , but sadly it seems wealth and happiness do not make Maisie more interesting. I feelWinspear was not sure where to take Maisie and felt she should move forward, I am just not sure if this is the right direction.I preferred Maisie as an independent and slightly flawed emotionally, making her living and being involved in the life of Billy and his family. Now she is suddenly" Lady Bountiful," with an Aristocratic lover, I think perhaps Ms Winspear has written herself in to a corner by heading in this direction, also the storyline with its mix of spies etc is not the Maisie Dobbs that this reader has come to love: the working class girl made good by her own hard work and intelligence was more appealing; I hope she returns