A favorite mystery series of Hillary Clinton (as mentioned in What Happened, The New York Times Book Review, and New York Magazine)A New York Times Notable Book of the YearAgatha Award Winner for Best First NovelMacavity Award Winner for Best First NovelAlex Award WinnerFiercely independent Maisie Dobbs has recently set herself up as a private detective.Such a move may not seem especially startling. But this is 1929, and Maisie is exceptional in many ways. Having started as a maid to the London aristocracy, studied her way to Cambridge and served as a nurse in the Great War, Maisie has wisdom, experience and understanding beyond her years.Little does she realise the extent to which this strength of character is soon to be tested.For her first case forces her to uncover secrets long buried, and to confront ghosts from her own past . . . 'In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift' Alexander McCall Smith