An Incomplete Revenge: Summary and book reviews of An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear, plus links to an excerpt from An Incomplete Revenge and a biography of Jacqueline Winspear.

With the country in the grip of economic malaise, and worried about her business, Maisie Dobbs is relieved to accept an apparently straightforward assignment from an old friend to investigate certain matters concerning a potential land purchase. Her inquiries take her to a picturesque village in Kent during the hop-picking season, but beneath its pastoral surface she finds evidence that something is amiss. Mysterious fires erupt in the village with alarming regularity, and a series of petty crimes suggests a darker criminal element at work. As Maisie discovers, the villagers are bitterly prejudiced against outsiders who flock to Kent at harvest time—even more troubling, they seem possessed by the legacy of a wartime Zeppelin raid. Maisie grows increasingly suspicious of a peculiar secrecy that shrouds the village, and ultimately she must draw on all her finely honed skills of detection to solve one of her most intriguing cases.

BookBrowse

Both loyal fans of Winspear's mysteries and the readers new to her work will welcome this satisfying tale, set in a rural England that is still haunted by ghosts of The Great War. Maisie Dobbs is an independent and observant woman who relies on her perception and intuition to unravel long-time knots in the cases she pursues. The 1930's rural Kent countryside and the cityscape of between-war London serve as convincing historical settings for the unusual story that unfolds.  (Reviewed by Kathy Pierson).

Full Review (1076 words).

Media Reviews

Publishers Weekly Even if a few of the plot twists prove predictable, this jaunt back to a bygone era is as satisfying as a spin in Maisie's MG.   Kirkus Reviews A painfully evocative tale of England’s struggles with class differences and poverty between the wars, and a clever mystery.   Library Journal Winspear paints a historical cozy featuring intriguing characters and surprising twists. Maisie is absolutely compelling not only as an investigator but also as a psychologist while she probes the hearts and minds of those she meets. Highly recommended

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Sharon
An Incomplete Revenge
The lush descriptive detailing of the English countryside provides an atmospheric backdrop for Maisie Dobbs’ investigation into the mysterious incidents taking place in the rural village of Heronsdene in the 1930’s. A vivid portrayal of the...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Linda
An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
I really enjoyed this book. As an Anglophile, I recognized many of the geographical details. I thought her descriptions of the era were very good. The plot was believable and the suspense certainly held my interest. I would recommend it to...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Karen
An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
I kept humming "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" as I read this very fun, light and satisfying mystery from the Maisie Dobbs series--for these are the suspect groups in murder and theft. In fact, I was reading three books at the same time and was...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Phyllis
An Incomplete Revenge
World War I has been over for more than ten years, but its events still cause repercussions for Maisie Dobbs in An Incomplete Revenge, the fifth adventure of the unconventional investigator. Investigating suspicious property crimes, Maisie...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Robert
A Quiet, Compelling Mystery
This unusual detective series keeps getting better with each installment. Maisie Dobbs is an original creation; she’s thoughtful and deliberate, but not dull. The post-World War I setting adds intrigue and some emotional punch to the plot (which...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Marie
A complete pleasure!
I happily anticipated reading Winspear’s latest in her Maisie Dobbs series, having read and enjoyed the previous books so very much. She recreates the pre/post World War I era in England superbly. I was not disappointed! Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs...   Read More

...12 More Reader Reviews

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