Among the Mad

A Maisie Dobbs Novel

By: Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

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.

Don't miss other titles in the Maisie Dobbs series.©2009 Jacqueline Winspear (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Not only does [narrator Orlagh Cassidy] navigate nimbly through conversations featuring various British accents, but she also is skilled at capturing personalities through speech.... Between suspenseful episodes, Cassidy invests scenes like cooking a simple dinner with an almost- sensuous domesticity.” —AudioFile, Earphones Award winner

“Winspear creates real suspense set against the troubled social and political scene in early -1930s London and Orlagh Cassidy's superb performance creates the voices and the mood.” —BookPage

“Cassidy's British dialects and emotional eloquence make characters and events feel real, frightening and relevant to today.” —The Herald-Sun

Warning this book contains disturbing, graphic details of human and animal suffering

This very well researched, extremely well written series contains fully developed characters, rich dialogue representative of the time and intricate plots. The books have been extremely educational and entertaining thus far. The topics covered in this book of the series are darker and more disturbing than any of the previously emotive and evocative stories. There is nothing wrong w writing and reading such historically accurate details, yet one might care to be made aware that this story is far from a cozy mystery. May not be for everyone, esp the squeamish, or those sensitive to details relating to the extreme suffering of other beings

Maisie heals.

I have enjoyed Maisie's cases. This one in particular , especially on this Memorial Day. I will read it on Veteran's day.

Intriguing

I’m intrigued at the amount of research the author had to dig into to connect this fictional mystery to what was going on during that time in England. I’m as attached to the author’s stories as I was to Harry Potter. Thank goodness.

Another wonderful Maisie Dobbs book

Jacqueline Winspear‘s beautifully written and perfectly researched historical fiction comes alive again in Among the Mad . The perfect narrator has been found in Orlagh Cassidy. I can’t wait to listen to the next book in This intriguing series.

A must read

What can I say. I just love a good mystery and JW puts it together every time. I’m compelled to read the next book in the series. GREAT WRITING!!

Great Book

I liked it all. I love what she does with the characters on each book. How they all matter at every stage of life .

Story itself and performance

I felt a certain melancholy through out the story, yet it was undergirded with little sparks of hope and kindnesses.

The best one yet

I love the Maisie Dobbs series, and this one was the best yet. Narrator does a wonderful job bringing an great story to life.

Another Winner!

I love that I've found Maisie Dobbs!

Jacqueline Winspear is phenomenal in this genre. Her mystery/detective writing is not to simple, nor so unbelievably complex as to be wearying either.
Her underlying exploration of Maisie Dobbs' innermost thoughts and those of other characters, not just the perpetrators, leave you wanting more.
Excellent series! Please keep them coming!

Intelligent heroine and interesting history.

Intelligent heroine and interesting history woven throughout the story. Recommended for those who like mysteries, detective, historical fiction.