Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear

London, 1931. When controversial artist, Nick Bassington-Hope, is found dead the police believe it is an open and shut case and his death from a fall is recorded as 'accidental'. But his sister is not convinced, so she turns to Maisie Dobbs for help, drawn by the investigator's growing reputation for her unique methods of solving crimes.

Moving from the desolate beaches of the English coast to the dark underbelly of post war London, and full of intriguing characters, Maisie's new investigation entertains and enthralls at every turn.

I am enjoying reading the Maisie Dobbs series. I have previously read the first in the series, Maisie Dobbs, followed by Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies and now the fourth in the series, Messenger of Truth.

They have each brought a different story to the table and an opportunity to spend time with Maisie and the ever loyal, Billy Beale, is not one to be passed up. As ever, the characters are well portrayed and 1930's London well brought to life.

However, plotwise, I found this the least engaging of the four books as the story just didn't seem to have the air of mystery that the previous books have had.

Despite the fact that this was the weaker of the four novels I will be going on to read the next in the series and hope that it is a little more exciting than this one was.

ISBN:  978-0719568640

Publisher: John Murray

About the author:

Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Following higher education at the University of London’s Institute of Education, Jacqueline worked in academic publishing, in higher education and in marketing communications in the UK.

She emigrated to the United States in 1990, and while working in business and as a personal / professional coach, Jacqueline embarked upon a life-long dream to be a writer.

A regular contributor to journals covering international education, Jacqueline has published articles in women's magazines and has also recorded her essays for KQED radio in San Francisco. She currently divides her time between Ojai and the San Francisco Bay Area and is a regular visitor to the United Kingdom and Europe.

Jacqueline is the author of the New York Times bestsellers A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, Among the Mad, and An Incomplete Revenge, and other nationally bestselling Maisie Dobbs novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex,and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs, which was also nominated for the Edgar Award for best novel and was a New York TimesNotable Book.