Thursday, October 09, 2008

AN INCOMPLETE REVENGE

Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Genre: Historical Mystery
Published: 2008
Personal Rating: 3/5
Yearly Count: 133



Money is getting tight during the late 1920's and Maisie Dobbs is grateful for the job she receives from James Compton. He desires to purchase an estate in a small village, yet the property and the surrounding properties have been vandalized repeatedly over the years. James wants Maisie to determine the cause before he makes his purchase.

Maisie's investigation runs right into hop-picking season, which was very interesting - especially after doing my own research. Both the Londoners and Gypsies take part in the work and Maisie learns some wacky magical powers from a Gypsy as she seeks out the information she needs. Why, oh why, does that thread need to be woven into every book!? Grrr. This installment of Maisie Dobbs earns only an okay rating due to a weaker plot and the mystical component.

The next in the series is titled Among the Mad and will be released in February.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:41 PM

    I tried to read the books after the first Maisie Dobbs but I just couldn't get back into them even though I enjoyed the first one.

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  2. I like books that make me learn something new. I would though likely like the mystical element cause that is my kind of thing. lol.

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  3. I am with you on the mystical thing. I thought maybe it is Buddhist because of her visit in one of the previous books to a temple and her meeting with her advisors. That is the main thing I dislike in this series too.

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  4. Maisie needs a common theme other than solving mysteries? I keep meaning to read these books and I still haven't. But they do look good, mystical component aside.

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  5. Danielle ~ For me, this series needs to be read when I am in the right mood for it. Maybe the same goes for you. You may like it at another time. :)

    Dar ~ I went hop-picking through Wikipedia and learned a lot. It's similar to cotton picking, which I find interesting.

    Brittanie ~ This book does explain where the mystical gobblygook comes from. I just think it went a step too far.

    Carrie K ~ Yeah, you are probably right. :( I haven't liked it throughout the series, but it was tolerable. This one though had a scene that I thought was well over the top.

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  6. I agree with Carrie that I thought the wacky power thing was a bit stronger in this book--I still seemed to get hooked on the books though--I just really like Maise and these are the first mysteries I have ever read that I liked! Maybe Winspear will tone the mystical down a bit in the next one. I will be reading it, cause like I said--I am hooked on Maise! :)
    *Smiles*
    Kim

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  7. Kim ~ I like Maisie, too. The psychological aspects of the book are intriguing, but the "feelings" and the "chills" annoy me.

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