Among the Mad: A Maisie Dobbs Novel

Jacqueline Winspear

Apr 2010 · Maisie Dobbs Book 6 · Sold by Henry Holt and Company

About this ebook

In the thrilling next novel by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Winspear, Maisie Dobbs must catch a madman before he commits murder on an unimaginable scale.

It's Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit 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. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane's personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case. Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie's trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia's abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people. And before this harrowing case is over, Maisie must navigate a darkness not encountered since she was a nurse in wards filled with shell-shocked men.

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.

Ratings and reviews

A delightful engaging book with a wonderful, memorable cast of characters. My favorite of course is Maisie. She is unique in personality and her approach to solving cases, a complex blend of intelligence, thoughtfulness, and warmth, a strong woman who takes great care to maintain her impeccable integrity. The supporting characters are just as individual, multidimensional and real, giving the book a homespun feel. The book is set in the 1930’s and Maisie is by today’s standards, a psychological profiler, but of course is guided more by intuition as present day knowledge and techniques are not yet in existence. The topics presented are well researched and thought provoking and touch on such timeless issues as post traumatic stress, depression, unemployment, mental illness and the obligation of a society to its war veterans. Winspear also gives the reader splendid descriptions of 1931 London and the surrounding countryside. The pace of this cozy mystery is slow, much like the lifestyle of this era, and the plotting is tight, a great combination for a most enjoyable and satisfying read.

The tragic PTSD and amputations and chlorine-gas related injuries of the Great War become especially pertinent in this novel. The general state of asylums are a backdrop to the plot of a broken and disturbed veteran who threatens to kill the politicians who refuse to grant sufficient care and pensions. A novel of ethics and reflection.

About the author

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of An Incomplete Revenge—a New York Times bestseller—and several other Maisie Dobbs novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs. Originally from the United Kingdom, she now lives in California.