The Mapping of Love and Death

A Maisie Dobbs Novel

By: Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

In the latest mystery in the New York Times best-selling series, Maisie Dobbs must unravel a case of wartime love and death—an investigation that leads her to a long-hidden affair between a young cartographer and a mysterious nurse.

August 1914. Michael Clifton is mapping the land he has just purchased in California’s beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, certain that oil lies beneath its surface. But as the young cartographer prepares to return home to Boston, war is declared in Europe. Michael—the youngest son of an expatriate Englishman—puts duty first and sails for his father’s native country to serve in the British army. Three years later, he is listed among those missing in action.

April 1932. London psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs is retained by Michael’s parents, who have recently learned that their son’s remains have been unearthed in France. They want Maisie to find the unnamed nurse whose love letters were among Michael’s belongings—a quest that takes Maisie back to her own bittersweet wartime love. Her inquiries, and the stunning discovery that Michael Clifton was murdered in his trench, unleash a web of intrigue and violence that threatens to engulf the soldier’s family and even Maisie herself. Over the course of her investigation, Maisie must cope with the approaching loss of her mentor, Maurice Blanche, and her growing awareness that she is once again falling in love.

Following the critically acclaimed best seller Among the Mad, The Mapping of Love and Death delivers the most gripping and satisfying chapter yet in the life of Maisie Dobbs.

Don't miss other titles in the Maisie Dobbs series.

©2010 Jacqueline Winspear (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

“A sleuth to treasure.” (Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review)

Beautiful store

Wonderful tale - I love listening to every word - it was a pleasure to here a love story of family and lovers

Captivating

Interesting history and storyline. I found it Unpredictable and Balanced. I am ready for the next in this series

#6 may be the best yet

Great story...we learn much more about Maisie and her life takes new turns!!

Maisie keeps on going, growing

I like to write in an author's early books that it sometimes takes more than one book to get their sea legs. They improve their writing and thus the stories as a series evolves. That is certainly the case with Jacqueline Winspear. Not that she didn't already have her sea legs as this is the seventh book in the series and there have been some good ones already. But with this book she truly brings it all together.

In this book there is an American whose father was British who decided in 1914 that he wanted to go fight the Germans for King and country, he just got caught up in the fervor that often happens when a war breaks out. It turns out that he didn't survive the Great War and perished in France with his body not returned home or the circumstances of his death known. Then in 1932 his body along with some of his comrades is found buried in what must have been an underground bunker. His parents come to London and hire Maisie to find to find out what happened.

The author really out does herself in her character development and understanding of human nature in this book. In WWI Britain and France, along with Germany, took the full force of the long war, lots of people died and the ramifications of all that suffering lasted for years. The author brings that aspect to this story.

The author has a short post book author's note where she states that the Santa Barbara, CA newspaper had a story she read where even today the Brits are trying to identify all the dead and buried in France that they can after they are found. I'd think with DNA they would have a fighting chance but it's still a very tough job. The article talked of a dead soldier they'd found as possibly being American and they were looking for help identifying the remains. The author said the remains were never identified and his headstone lists him as an unknown soldier. She said that article was the inspiration for this book. Bring on book #8!

Masie Dobbs is a great heroine

This is the seventh Masie Dobbs story. While not quite as good as some of the others, it is still a great read. Masie, the former servant and nurse who is now a renown PI, continues to take on fascinating cases with a connection to WWI. Billy, her competent assistant and former WWI infantryman, continues to be an interesting secondary storyline. This series is a great way to gain insight into British society in the early 1900's, the horrors of WWI, and the leadup to WWII.

I love this series

This series is wonderful the characters the times all come to life on the page (or on my mind as I’m listening not reading)

My first Maisie, but not my last!

Where does The Mapping of Love and Death rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

While I jumped ahead of the sequence in this series, I was quickly caught up in the history of the characters. The narrator was excellent, comfortable to listen to and handled dialects very well. The story moved gently along, and I did not wish for it to be more fast-paced. The story was quite complex, developing twists and turns that kept me eager to hear more. I enjoyed it and am looking now for my next Maisie.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maisie had to be my favorite character in this novel. She was a new character to me and was developed very well by the author.

Have you listened to any of Orlagh Cassidy’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first performance of Orlagh Cassidy for me, but hope to hear more. She has a very comfortable voice to listen to; both her clarity and pace is excellent.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book kept me interested, intrigued and eager to continue, and I did get a little misty at the end - but nothing "extreme".

Exceptionally well researched, artfully written, exquisitely narrated

This series continues to enthral. The presence of the creative mind weaves throughout the story connecting the narratives to both entertain and educate. The author consistently fleshes out characters more fully making one wish to spend more time in their company. Thank you for this series dear author and tremendous gratitude to the voice artist as she is bringing to story and characters to life. I admit to letting some excellent listens go by the wayside simply beca the narration is unbearable. This narrator’s voice is melodious and her range diverse

A Wonderful Combination of Mystery and Romance

I've really enjoyed reading Jacqueline Winspear's series of books about Maisey Dobbs. I like the references to historical events and weaving in the growth and development of Maisey as a person navigating her life as a working woman in the early 1900s. Sit back with a cup of tea, in a lovely garden, and enjoy being transported back in time. The narrator did an excellent job of representing the many characters that were presented in this book.

Maisie Dobbs continues to amaze

These Jacqueline Winspear novels continue to get better and better. Is it that we get to be more knowledgeable of the characters or is it that the writing continues to the same caliber as the very first novel. What ever it is, these novels have been delightful and will continue to read on. Read on, listen on, as I have become aware, if I read, I have found that I scan and to listen is to hear every word, every word. Well, on to the next novel, A LESSON IN SECRETS.