An Incomplete Revenge / Among the Mad

by Jacqueline Winspear

An Incomplete Revenge and Among the Mad

Books 5 and 6 in the New York Times Bestselling Series

An Incomplete Revenge , by Jacqueline Winspear
(Maisie Dobbs novel #5)

With the country in the grip of economic malaise, Maisie Dobbs is relieved to accept an apparently straightforward assignment to investigate a potential land purchase in a picturesque village in Kent. A peculiar secrecy shrouds the village, and ultimately Maisie must draw on her finely-honed skills of detection to solve one of her most intriguing cases yet.

Among the Mad , by Jacqueline Winspear
(Maisie Dobbs novel #6)

On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the Prime Minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met--and the writer mentions Maisie by name. Tapped by Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch to be a special adviser on the case, Maisie is soon involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict destruction on thousands of innocent people.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

531 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2011

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 Times
Notable Book.

Series:
* Maisie Dobbs

http://us.macmillan.com/author/jacque...

Reviews

[Linda Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

The plot and subplots were intriguing. Another fast paced read. I recommend this book and this series to everyone who enjoys fast paced, well thought out mysteries. I kind of dread the WWll stories, but I know they are coming down the road. All countries do these things to the war wounded. It is despicable.

[Gretchen Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author can really weave a story! I'm totally hooked on this series having completed six of the Maisie Dobbs books. They just keep getting better as the characters become not only more fully developed but mature and realize the long-term ramifications of WWI to self, family, and sweethearts (ramifications shared by war of all kinds and places). I've learned so much about this era of history and, now, from the English perspective. The writing shows great depth of understanding of people and their place in history and it is engaging. I'm forcing myself away from the series for a bit just so I can get some other books read, but it won't be long before I'm back to read more from this wonderful author.

[Steph Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading Maisie Dobbs' adventures via audiobook. It's wonderful to hear a British voice telling the story and all of the readers thus far have been fantastic!

Maisie is a wonderful, strong, independent, insightful woman living and working among men who are used to running the show. I love the way this story unfolded and the unexpected reveal of one of the main characters well into the book. I'm putting Winspear's next book in the series on hold right now.

[Reading Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love Maisie Dobbs

She is a woman of principles. She is dedicated to her job and her clients. She has a great assistant that works for her. She is a wonderful friend. She and her clients have endured the first world war. This war wove a tapestry of pain into each of their lives. She has a psychology degree, and is an investigator. I encourage you to get to know her. I would start with the first book Maisie Dobbs. I can't imagine you being disappointed. I want to make a cuppa each time we meet.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both well-researched.
Very interesting historical parts of the narrative Incomplete Revenge involve Roma and Gypsies. Horrifying portrayal of a town committing murder of innocent "others". Long-term effects of WWI on soldiers and those at home.
Among the Mad. Well-crafted plot exposes who is truly mad in Postwar Britain, those who suffer from shellshock, or those who orchestrated the war.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love maisie dobbs

All Jacqueline Winspear series on Maisie are terrific. Love the main characters and she does such a great job of describing action and places in the book . Love this series!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed story of returning solders after WWI and how little the government did to help those who suffered from shell shock and the horror of their memories. Once again Masie rushes against time trying to help London avoid a terrible disaster!

[Peggy Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy every book in this delightful series a little more than the previous one. Thoroughly enjoy every book.

[Cathy]

Enjoying this series, recc by my daughter. Liked an incomplete revenge better than among the mad.

[Jacob Frantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read all her books outloud and enjoyed them all fun books to read outloud.

[Eda Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maise Dobbs

Excelente narrativa. El personaje de Maise ha evolucionado esta mucho más maduro. Trasfondo histórico es muy interesante. Me encanta la serie

[Fredrick Gietmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cant put down

Once you start a Maise Dobbs book you can't put it down. Incredible how she is able too go look into life into all people if this era and you have to have empathy for all.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just love Maisie Dobbs!! Both of these were very good but I preferred the first, An Incomplete Revenge.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://iwriteinbooks.wordpress.com/20...

Maisie and Billy are scooting through town on Christmas Eve, 1931, to wrap up a few loose business ends before returning to their respective families for the holiday. In the middle of the festive cheer, however, Maisie stumbles upon a devastating suicide that injures innocent bystanders, as well as taking out the man in question.

Shaking off the gruesome incident, Maisie leaves town to spend time with her father. Their countryside repose is shattered when Scotland Yard’s Special Branch summons Maisie back to the city. As it turns out, Maisie was mentioned in a Christmas letter to the Prime Minster. Far from a card wishing warm and fuzzies, the note was an announcement, outlining specific horrific events to occur, similar to, but larger in scale than the Christmas suicide, if certain demands are not met.

Related, by name and by reputation in trade, Maisie is tapped to team up with the boys at one of the most exclusive branches of Scotland Yard to embark on a deadly race against time and sanity.

The effects of war on the story are far more class-oriented than they have been in the previous outings and Billy’s situation, as well as Maisie’s past circumstances, are well woven into the web of economics. The other intellectually intriguing, albeit difficult to swallow, component of the story’s core, was centered around traumatically induced mental illness. We just know so much more about the effects of trauma and everyday brain chemistry on the human psyche, now. Thus, it’s pretty shocking and appalling to trip back through history to see how the protocol for such things used to run. Between post traumatic stress syndrome, severe depression and substance abuse, the fare was far from light in this addition but it was well done, as always.

The pace of the book reads a bit like if Winspear got together with Tom Clancy and Tana French, which, as you know, might make this one of my all-time favorite books. With the Prime Minister and special branches involved, it carried the political weight of anything Clancy has turned out with war rooms, sinking subs and talking heads. Tana’s theoretical influence, I thought, showed in Maisie’s “old boys” swing with the multiple forces, Stratton and Billy. She holds her own as well as Cassie ever did and the rapport among the team was just so reminiscent of Rob, Frank and Cass that I can finally say I do love my Maisie books nearly as much as Tana’s adventures.

Though I skipped around a bit between this addition and The Mapping of Love and Death, I have to say that I’m glad. I enjoyed this much more than the following story, simply for subject and execution. I do still love The Mapping of Love and Death for its own purposes (particularly pertaining to loose ends wrapped up in the more personal story bit) but there was a certain spark that set this volume aside from the others, altogether.

[Jeanne]

I read Among the Mad first, and am currently reading An Incomplete Revenge. Returning to her topic of the aftermath of WWI, Among the Mad deals with a very relevant topic: PTSD. In those days it was called shell shock and was not treated with the compassion of today. Soldiers with this problem were referred to as "malingerers" and when their problems couldn't be solved even after the war they were often institutionalized, or worse for society, allowed to wander about with their distorted views of life with no real means of support. This one involves a terrible plot to release chemical weapons on an unsuspecting public to bring attention to their plight. It mostly takes place in only 48 hours and is very fast-paced. I read it all in a weekend. The setting is soon after the depression has spread throughout Europe and rumblings of Nazism are just being heard, though not perceived as a threat by most. The book as is usual for Ms. Winspear, offers lots of interesting characters with deeply troubling problems and pasts. Maisie has to pick through the debris of a society not very eager to talk about its war and how it's treated its returning soldiers. Great read!

An Incomplete Revenge takes place just prior and takes place in a small village where lots of secrets create an eerie atmosphere. Why are crimes happening and everyone denies that it was anything but an accident. Why do they happen on the same day each year? Why does the village not want to talk about the family that was wiped out by a Zeppelin during WWI? With Gypsies, robberies, fires and visitors from London there to pick hops at the end of the season, there are an abundance of suspects, but no one seems to really want to know the truth about anything. I can't wait to read the end!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just gets better and better. Each new book moves Maise along in her growing and learning process and has excellent complex plots. The peripheral characters are well written and interesting. Their connection with Maisie and her connection to them is wonderful reading. Set after WWI and the stirrings of WWII she solves her crimes with patience and logic and empathy. Incomplete Revenge has her tring to solve an horrific secret kept by a whole village since the end of the war. We learn a little more of her past and how she's dealing with her personal relationships.

With Among the Mad there is much to learn about shell shock and the treatment of those that come back damaged from war. Also, the moral decisions government and men make amidst the waging of war. I felt sorry for the the perpetrator in this one. His heart was in the right place but his mind led him down a dark path - but his mind had been used and abused and left him alone with his fate.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dipped into this popular mystery series set in 1930s England “because it was there,” and found it enjoyable. Maisie Dobbs is a psychologist-detective and a former World War I nurse. This book, smack in the middle of the series, is set during the hops picking season in rural Kent. Maisie is investigating a series of mysterious thefts and fires and senses that the villagers, always happy to blame the incidents on Gypsies, know more than they let on. Maisie is an interesting character, the mystery here is neat and tidy, but the real appeal for me was the rich setting, and especially the chance to learn more about the customs and beliefs of English Gypsies.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't find Among the mad on its own, so popped this one in its place!. for my thoughts on an incomplete revenge see that book on its own.

I Loved Maisie's intro into the world of the crazy Higher ups. Also loved her solution and her line of thought on how to follow through when regular door to door isn't getting the job done. the trauma in Billy's life continues, as does Priscilla's and fills out the story in good ways. in fact I like how Billy's wife's issue, gets Maisie more information and another avenue to investigate because a discussion prompts her to think in a different way. a good read!

great job, I look forward to the mapping of love and death.

[Lbaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series, however this was not my favourite book of it.

I found the continuing exploration of depression on top of shell shock a little heavy, and a little too coincidental of the number of people tiptoeing on the precipice of mental illness in the heroines circle of friends and acquaintances.

This series is well researched and the world of London and Great Britain in 1932 is fascinating.

Above was my original review, I recently re-read it and enjoyed it more than the first reading. I upped my rating from 3 to 4 stars.

As I age, I realize that mental illness is more prevalent than I believed before. Like cancer, nearly every person is effected in some manner.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all the books in this series. They are detective stories set in the world of a rather dark, painful London after the First World War. The private detective, Maisie Dobbs has an interesting background which becomes clearer as the series continues. She solves mysteries with the help of psychological insights and meditative techniques - in addition to more comventional methods. The characters are deep and strongly affected by the bloodbath and horrors of the war to end wars. There is a very strong sense of time and place.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Maisie Dobbs books this so far is the best. This story has so much heart. Maisie takes an assignment from her former employers son, James Compton. James wants to purchase a brickworks located in Heronsdene. Unfortunately the town is surrounded in mystery. In the midst of solving the mystery, Maisie rediscovers her roots when meeting a tribe of gypsies. She also faces her past with Simon. Overall this was a really great book. "

[Ginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maisie Dobbs is one of those really great fictional characters that I wish were real...
She would be my best friend, and we'd have tea together... And discuss her recent cases, and the memories of the great war. Life in 1932 London would be a very interesting time to live for an independent woman.
There is so much depth to her, but she's still young and has a lot to learn about herself and other people.
This is great series! Now I have to go find book #7.

[Sarah Schattman · Rating 5 out of 5]

London between the Wars

For me, the mark of a good novel is gathering a sense of place and time when reading. The Masie Dobbs series does this in spades. The story "Mad" deals with the plight of veterans who suffer shell shock. It seems it has long been the custom of those who prosecute war to ignore the plight of those damaged psychologically in fighting it. The story is well written and drives to a logical conclusion.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the Maisie Dobbs series. Great female lead, not the typical heroine, has a lot of depth to her character. These stories are set mostly in the aftermath of World War I, so there is a historical aspect to them as well. I just finished 5 and 6 and really enjoyed them. I've read all the previous ones, but it's been awhile. Start at the beginning!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually it was just Incomplete Revenge but I couldn't find the right edition to click on. I love this author. This is the third of her books I've read. Maisie Dobbs is a psychologist and private detective with a delightful British way of saying things--even more delightful if you listen to the book.

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although these stories are set in 1933-33, I found my self applying the issues raised to today's headlines. The mysteries are interesting the history impeccable the characters fascinating and the whole story gets one to think. Ursala LeGuin feels a great writer must write from an ethical point of view. Jacqueline is a great writer

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. As with the other Massie Dobbs books, the reader gets a view of what England was like in the World War I era. In this case, the way persons with mental illness were treated. Also the drastic steps that were taken to fight WWI.

[Frances L. Ehrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

London after WW1

An excellent read. The characters are real and Maisie and Billy interact beautifully. It brings the period of post WW1 to life. A well-written series of interesting plots.

[Debbie Molnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself thinking about maize during the day. Her observations about people. I want her to find a partner. Happily more books to come.

I found myself thinking about Maise during the day. Her observations about people. I wanted to return to the book.

[Mum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both novels were good. It was a treat to watch Masie continue to grow into herself, and her profession. I like that she continues to mark the after effects of WW I on the people who survived the war.