Elegy for Eddie - (Maisie Dobbs) Large Print by Jacqueline Winspear (Paperback)

About the Book

In this latest entry in Jacqueline Winspear's acclaimed, bestselling mystery series--"less whodunits than why-dunits, more P.D. James than Agatha Christie" (USA Today)--Maisie Dobbs takes on her most personal case yet, a twisting investigation into the brutal killing of a street peddler that will take her from the working-class neighborhoods of her childhood into London's highest circles of power. Perfect for fans of A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, or other Maisie Dobbs mysteries--and an ideal place for new readers to enter the series--Elegy for Eddie is an incomparable work of intrigue and ingenuity, full of intimate descriptions and beautifully painted scenes from between the World Wars, from one of the most highly acclaimed masters of mystery, Jacqueline Winspear.

Book Synopsis

In this latest entry in Jacqueline Winspear's acclaimed, bestselling mystery series--"less whodunits than why-dunits, more P.D. James than Agatha Christie" (USA Today)--Maisie Dobbs takes on her most personal case yet, a twisting investigation into the brutal killing of a street peddler that will take her from the working-class neighborhoods of her childhood into London's highest circles of power. Perfect for fans of A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, or other Maisie Dobbs mysteries--and an ideal place for new readers to enter the series--Elegy for Eddie is an incomparable work of intrigue and ingenuity, full of intimate descriptions and beautifully painted scenes from between the World Wars, from one of the most highly acclaimed masters of mystery, Jacqueline Winspear.

From the Back Cover

Early April 1933. To the costermongers of Covent Garden--sellers of fruits and vegetables on the London streets--Eddie Pettit was a gentle soul with a near-magical gift for working with horses. So who would want to kill him . . . and why?

Maisie Dobbs's father, Frankie, had been a costermonger, and she remembers Eddie fondly. But it soon becomes clear that powerful political and financial forces are determined to prevent her from learning the truth behind Eddie's death. Maisie's search for answers on the working-class streets of Lambeth leads her to unexpected places and people: to a callous press baron; to a has been politician named Winston Churchill; and, most surprisingly, to Douglas Partridge, the husband of her dearest friend, Priscilla. As Maisie uncovers lies and manipulation on a national scale, she must decide whether to risk everything to see justice done.

Review Quotes

"Long before the Downton Abbey craze, Jacqueline Winspear was writing remarkable mysteries about life in England circa WWI." - New York Journal of Books
"With an affecting storyline and graceful prose, Winspear has again created a powerful and complex novel, one that will linger in memory as a testament to her talent and her humanity." - Jay Strafford, Richmond Times-Dispatch for A Lesson in Secrets
"Reading Jacqueline Winspear's Elegy for Eddie, the solid-gold ninth installment in a wonderful mystery series that shows no signs of flagging, you can't help thinking that her nurse-turned psychologist-turned sleuth would make an ideal PBS heroine." - Robert Bianco, USA Today
"Reading Jacqueline Winspear's Elegy for Eddie, the solid-gold ninth installment in a wonderful mystery series that shows no signs of flagging, you can't help thinking that her nurse-turned psychologist-turned sleuth would make an ideal PBS heroine....Not only do those stories boast great characters and well-constructed mysteries, they also touch on broader issues of class and money and the effect the war had on a society in flux....As always with Winspear, the why of the crime is more at issue than the who. But what sets Eddie apart from the earlier books is her willingness to call her heroine's motives and behavior into question....It adds a depth to the story and the character that makes the entire series seem richer and more true." - Robert Bianco, USA Today
"Excellent....The involved plot is as good as any in the series, and the resolution is intelligently complex." - Publishers Weekly
"When people ask me to recommend an author, one name consistently comes to mind: Jacqueline Winspear...Winspear chronicles the uncharted, sometimes rocky path chosen by her protagonist and delivers results that are educational, unique, and wonderful." - Deirdre Donahue, USA Today
"A heroine to cherish." - Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review
"[Catches] the sorrow of a lost generation in the character of one exceptional woman." - Chicago Tribune
"For as long as each novel lasts, we live in Maisie's suspenseful, intelligent world." - Evelyn Theiss, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Engages the mind and enriches the heart." - Jay Strafford, Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Like any typical PI, Maisie is preternaturally acute and given to noticing tiny details, but it's her compassion that allows her to illuminate some of the most pressing and staggeringly painful issues of her day, delivering unexpected answers and sense of peace to her clients-and her readers." - Nathalie Gorman, O, the Oprah Magazine
"One of the greatest rewards of the Maisie Dobbs series is that Winspear provides readers not just with a page-turning plot but also with a sense of social history....For Maisie newcomers and longtime followers alike, Elegy for Eddie is a revealing, often compelling venture into both the economic disparities and the international uncertainty of 1930s England." - Dan Hortsch, Oregon Live
"A work of great humanity and a stellar entry in a superb series." - Jay Strafford, Richmond Times-Dispatch
"A series that seems to get better with every entry." - Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal
"Terrific....Maisie is one of the great fictional heroines, equal parts haunted and haunting." - Parade
"A detective series to savor." - Johanna McGeary, Time
"For readers yearning for the calm and insightful intelligence of a main character like P.D. James's Cordelia Gray, Maisie Dobbs is spot on." - Hallie Ephron, Boston Globe
"Maisie Dobbs is a revelation." - Alexander McCall Smith
"Compelling." - People (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)