R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 12/13/2012 + 1438 more book reviews

It's 1931 in London when an emerging artist, Nicholas Bassington-Hope, dies in a fall from the scaffolding from which he is hanging paintings for his latest and most talked about show. Is it an accident or murder? Nicholas' twin sister, Georgina, believes that it is murder and hires Maisie Dobbs to investigate and find out.

In the process Maisie discovers much about herself. Her determination to be a self-supporting and independent woman in a time of change leads her to evaluate her romantic life, her career, and her choice of dwelling. I found myself empathizing with Maisie, her emotions, her fears and her decisions. She forges ahead on all fronts and discovers a mystery that has nothing to do with the death of the artist. As she walks through the mud my feet were as wet and cold as hers and the fingers on my hands experienced the same cold dampness. My fears mirrored her own as I was afraid that she would be caught by smugglers or criminals.

For me, the characterization was so strong that I found the mystery was pushed to the background. This is a fine read and I highly recommend it. May others find the same pleasure that I found when reading this novel.

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