Leaving Everything Most Loved

Maisie Dobbs, Book 10

By: Jacqueline Winspear

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

In Leaving Everything Most Loved by New York Times best-selling author Jacqueline Winspear, Maisie Dobbs investigates the murder of Indian immigrants in London.

The year is 1933. Maisie Dobbs is contacted by an Indian gentleman who has come to England in the hopes of finding out who killed his sister two months ago. Scotland Yard failed to make any arrest in the case, and there is reason to believe they failed to conduct a thorough investigation. The case becomes even more challenging when another Indian woman is murdered just hours before a scheduled interview. Meanwhile, unfinished business from a previous case becomes a distraction, as does a new development in Maisie's personal life.

Bringing a crucial chapter in the life and times of Maisie Dobbs to a close, Leaving Everything Most Loved marks a pivotal moment in this outstanding mystery series.

©2013 Jacqueline Winspear (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Really like it, with a caveat

I basically enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series--and this book is no exception. It is one of several series which focus on the new ways women were able to establish themselves in the world in more meaningful ways just after WWI. I am really glad to see these book celebrating the exciting changes in women's lives and the newfound respect they were gaining.

That said, despite that I have always enjoyed the mysteries (the plots) of this series, I've found it a bit of a leap to handle the rags-to-riches, Cinderella type story that Winspear has created for Maisie Dobbs' background. She's gone from being a housemaid in a wealthy household at age 13, to being noticed and selected by them to get a fabulous education at Cambridge (which would have been available to few women yet at that time) to inheriting a fortune from her mentor in psychology and detecting...to possibly now considering marrying the son of the wealthy household she began in. While I really like the complicated plots that come with every one of these books, I find it hard to juggle good stories that are about solving mysteries with fantasy romance.

And so, this is still a good story. Maisie is approached by Scotland Yard--to her surprise, to take on a case they have not been able to solve. It seems that the brother of the murdered woman, Usha Pramal, has come from India to England to try to find out who killed his sister and why. Maisie is intrigued and takes the case. Before she scarcely gets into it, yet another woman is also murdered, and she is doubly determined to find the killer.

This book invites the reader, in a very positive way I think--to consider issues of diversity and how people tend to regard those who seem different to them (for instance, it would seem that Scotland Yard didn't give this case as much attention as they might have, had the murdered woman been English instead of Indian). It is also good because it supplies a large number of potential suspects, and kept me guessing till the end who the killer had been. But it was complicated by Maisie's personal life--a number of changes she is making that leave the reader wondering where this series might be heading. Perhaps that is the skill of the author--to be able to move the series in different directions, but I was not terribly comfortable. I'm old. I like things to be as I expect them :-) However, like everyone else, I will wait with interest to see where Maisie finds herself in the next book--and I'm sure the story will be fun to read.

I did leave Europe and every one I loved.

I found this book reflecting my emotions 34 years ago. I left Europe to Africa because my fiance's murder made it impossible for me to stay still

Ah, complicated Maisie

Maisie Dobbs is a comfortable character for me to fall back on. Ms. Cassidy is melodious to listen to and the stories continue to be beautifully representational of the U.K. in the 1930's. Other reviews have shared elements of the story, I hope to represent a listener.

Ms. Winspear meticulously develops her characters and settings, not in a boring fashion, but by painting word pictures of each, so that they feel real. Ms. Cassidy works to bring their voices to life with her dialects and pitch - and she does it well.

This is easy listening, but it's not frivolous. It is a mystery and we are quickly swept into the midst of it all. Ms. Winspear has developed a complicated and strong heroine who longs for more and don't we all?

Reservations

This is another good listen about the adventures of Maisie Dobbs. But there is too much padding of her past. We hear too much of where she has come from, again and again. We listen to Maisie as much for the plot as for the history of the times. I wish Winspear would moved the plot ahead without the padding. However, that being said, I still love this series.

Maisie Dobbs goes deeper

As this series goes on, we feel Maisie coming into herself. Excellent story well told.

Every single “Maisie” is better than the last !

But this one - WOW! Jacqueline Winspear never disappoints, great characters - and relevant social issues and changing times, crimes and mysteries. All is changing for the entire cast. Perfect pacing and Orlagh Cassidy is AMAZING... it seems impossible that one woman could embody so many personalities! The final chapters are beautiful- Happy and bittersweet. Can’t wait to start the next one -

I love this series!

I enjoyed the mystery and the history in these stories.👍👍two thumbs up!!!! What else can I say

Leaving everything most loved

Another wonderful story that left me feeling a deep need for Maisie to hurry back and marry James. Ok maybe I am in the minority but I want to see her happy and content

As usual an emotional take of murder, mystery and mayhem with the heart of a storyteller at her best

Sensitive, deep and soulful

I was deeply touched by thisaisie Dobbs, working my way backwards through the series. Brilliant insights into women's lives, love, loss and courage. Beautiful narration.

Twisty plot

It is 1933 and Scotland Yard Inspector brings to Maisie an Indian man who just arrived in London from Bombay to discover who killed his sister Usha Pramal. Major Pramal was also referred to Maisie by Dr Khan. Usha was working in England saving money to open a school for disadvantaged girls in Bombay. Maisie is at a turning point in her life. James has asked her to marry him, but she is an independent woman with her own business and is reluctant to give up her personal freedom to be a wife of a rich titled man. She has a yearning to travel abroad but first she has to find a murderer and find a missing 14 year old boy Robert Martin. Winspear provides us with an excellent picture of England in 1933. She points out the racism in England. Women were gradually finding their way seeking higher education, establishing themselves in profession that had formerly been closed to them. The novel is suspenseful, literate, evocative, moving and engrossing. Orlagh Cassidy does a great job narrating the book. I hope this series continues.