A deathbed plea from his wife leads Sir Cecil Lawton to seek the aid of Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator. As Maisie soon learns, Agnes Lawton never accepted that her aviator son was killed in the Great War, a torment that led her not only to the edge of madness but to the doors of those who practice the dark arts and commune with the spirit world. In accepting the assignment, Maisie finds her spiritual strength tested, as well as her regard for her mentor, Maurice Blanche. The mission also brings her together once again with her college friend Priscilla Evernden, who served in France and who lost three brothers to the war-one of whom, it turns out, had an intriguing connection to the missing Ralph Lawton. Following on the heels of the triumphant Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies is the most compelling installment yet in the chronicles of Maisie Dobbs.
Winspear's elegant historical mystery features Maisie Dobbs, a dark horse heroine of indomitable spirit, who is able to cross class lines in 1930s' London. Winspear excels in depicting trauma, the kind of long-term grief that characters, particularly her restrained Britons, express only in a gesture or a word. Descriptions of body language are unsurpassed. Orlagh Cassidy's narration creates a unique voice for each character, which also projects the character's class. She is able to keep Maisie's accent unique and change it slightly as she interacts with a plethora of supporting characters. Her description of starting Maisie's MG anchors this novel in time; her description of Armistice Day makes clear the waste of war. K.A.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine
Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in England. After a career in publishing there, she and her husband settled in California in 1990. She is the author of the bestselling Maisie Dobbs series, which is available from Sound Library®.
