Among the Mad
Ratings19
Average rating4
Christmas Eve, 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man committing suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the Prime Minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met – and the writer mentions Maisie by name. Tapped by Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch to be a special adviser on the case, Maisie is soon involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict destruction on thousands of innocent people. In Among the Mad, Jacqueline Winspear combines a heart-stopping story with a rich evocation of a fascinating period to create her most compelling and satisfying novel yet.
Series
Featured Series
16 primary books#6 in Maisie Dobbs
Maisie Dobbs is a 16-book series with 16 released primary works first released in 2003 with contributions by Jacqueline Winspear.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
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In the sixth entry in the series, Maisie must deal with the lingering effects of WW1 trauma. After narrowly escaping death herself when a despondent war cripple commits suicide, she becomes an adviser to Scotland Yard Special Branch.
The main story is about a wounded (emotionally and physically) WWI veteran who is threatening to release poison gas in London. First he poisons animals, then targets members of the government, and finally threatens the general public. With a New Year's Eve deadline, a pulse-pounding manhunt is on. Though Maisie prefers to work alone, she must coordinate with Special Branch and also deal with a shadowy government agency that seems to dog her every step.
There are sub-plots also. Maisie's assistant, her best friend, and even Maisie herself must also deal with their own lingering traumas. Winspear deftly meshes these elements with the main plot.
Pretty good book. One of the best in the series to this point.
I have so enjoyed this series. It's smart with good history and enough character development, but it is comforting and companionable, in spite of some difficult topics. I wasn't prepared for the animal abuse topic here, but it was veiled enough that I was not distraught. Maisie is my go to when I need to listen to something engaging and distracting with weighing me down.
