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Maisie Dobbs #18
The Comfort of Ghosts
A milestone in historical mystery fiction as Maisie Dobbs takes her final bow!
The Comfort of Ghosts completes Jacqueline Winspear’s ground-breaking and internationally bestselling series.
“An outstanding historical series.”—The New York Times
“Winspear is a brilliant writer, mixing the history and the mystery with the psychology of criminals and victims.”—The Historical Novel Society
Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs unravels a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future.
London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas, has taken shelter with the group.
Maisie’s quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie’s first husband, James Compton, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband’s life, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true.
The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, readers drawn to a woman who is of her time, yet familiar in ours—and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family, but serves as a fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War.
The Comfort of Ghosts completes Jacqueline Winspear’s ground-breaking and internationally bestselling series.
“An outstanding historical series.”—The New York Times
“Winspear is a brilliant writer, mixing the history and the mystery with the psychology of criminals and victims.”—The Historical Novel Society
Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs unravels a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future.
London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas, has taken shelter with the group.
Maisie’s quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie’s first husband, James Compton, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband’s life, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true.
The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, readers drawn to a woman who is of her time, yet familiar in ours—and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family, but serves as a fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War.
342 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
1341 people are currently reading
13862 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Winspear
61 books8,326 followersJacqueline 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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,024 reviews
April 17, 2025
One of my best friends is gone. It is very bittersweet. While I wish her the best in her new endeavors, I will dearly miss her.
I was introduced to Maisie Dobbs by chance while I was shelving in the Mystery section of the bookstore where I worked. It was love at first read and a long-lasting friendship was minted. As each new book was released in her series, I quickly obtained a copy. We have grown older, Maisie and I, and the series has come to an end.
For those who have not been introduced to Maisie, you should consider reading the first book in the series “Maisie Dobbs”. You won’t be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you have been a faithful friend of Maisie’s over the years, I hope you find a great series to fill the void. I know….it WILL be a challenge.
THE COMFORT OF GHOSTS brings about new changes and challenges for Maisie in 1945 as she is called upon to solve a new case which causes Maisie to reflect on the past and confront some lingering “dragons”.
A marvelous finish to Maisie’s story.🥹
I was introduced to Maisie Dobbs by chance while I was shelving in the Mystery section of the bookstore where I worked. It was love at first read and a long-lasting friendship was minted. As each new book was released in her series, I quickly obtained a copy. We have grown older, Maisie and I, and the series has come to an end.
For those who have not been introduced to Maisie, you should consider reading the first book in the series “Maisie Dobbs”. You won’t be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you have been a faithful friend of Maisie’s over the years, I hope you find a great series to fill the void. I know….it WILL be a challenge.
THE COMFORT OF GHOSTS brings about new changes and challenges for Maisie in 1945 as she is called upon to solve a new case which causes Maisie to reflect on the past and confront some lingering “dragons”.
A marvelous finish to Maisie’s story.🥹
February 18, 2025
Maisie Dobbs. Are we ready to say goodbye? I think yes. I remember years ago when our 2nd Wednesdays Mystery Readers Group at the Library first were introduced to Maisie and enjoyed discussing her.
And even today, she is still being checked out from my Little Free Library Shed on a regular basis.
Maisie Dobbs wasn’t your typical early century woman. She wanted to learn, grow and have a profession. And, in this way, as readers we could grow with her and watch her growth through her experiences. She wanted to be a private investigator, which was very atypical for a woman. Especially in the early 1900’s, and, especially during the war years.
So, going from a maid, to become a nurse during the war, to becoming a private investigator/psychologist, gave her tremendous empathy skills that allowed her to be quite the compassionate and assertive character for her time.
What was special about Maisie Dobbs was she paved the way for women-centered wartime historical fiction. She truly was readable. Thank you Ms. Winspear.
But to be honest, I didn’t read all the stories in the series. After a while, I felt it become a little formulaic. Still, knowing this was her last story, I wanted to see how the author would end it, and I was pleased that she found a way to give her a graceful, thoughtful ending.
I have to tell you, too, I read this while reading another book. And, I did lose some sleep reading it, because I wanted to reach the ending once I began reading it. Thankfully, I did go back to sleep after I finished it. And, now I am writing my review.
In this final story, Maisie is discovering secrets. Especially about her first husband James Compton. There are other secrets unraveled that will help to bring closure for friends, family and colleagues that she has traveled with since the beginning of the series. And, for those who have been long time fans, this will feel like the closure that readers have desired. And, if you haven’t read Maisie before, this may not be the perfect stand-alone.
The title of this story is perfect for this book. Maybe Maisie needed to make peace with her past in order to move forward with her future, too. And, now her readers can do the same. Goodbye Maisie. We loved you dearly.
And even today, she is still being checked out from my Little Free Library Shed on a regular basis.
Maisie Dobbs wasn’t your typical early century woman. She wanted to learn, grow and have a profession. And, in this way, as readers we could grow with her and watch her growth through her experiences. She wanted to be a private investigator, which was very atypical for a woman. Especially in the early 1900’s, and, especially during the war years.
So, going from a maid, to become a nurse during the war, to becoming a private investigator/psychologist, gave her tremendous empathy skills that allowed her to be quite the compassionate and assertive character for her time.
What was special about Maisie Dobbs was she paved the way for women-centered wartime historical fiction. She truly was readable. Thank you Ms. Winspear.
But to be honest, I didn’t read all the stories in the series. After a while, I felt it become a little formulaic. Still, knowing this was her last story, I wanted to see how the author would end it, and I was pleased that she found a way to give her a graceful, thoughtful ending.
I have to tell you, too, I read this while reading another book. And, I did lose some sleep reading it, because I wanted to reach the ending once I began reading it. Thankfully, I did go back to sleep after I finished it. And, now I am writing my review.
In this final story, Maisie is discovering secrets. Especially about her first husband James Compton. There are other secrets unraveled that will help to bring closure for friends, family and colleagues that she has traveled with since the beginning of the series. And, for those who have been long time fans, this will feel like the closure that readers have desired. And, if you haven’t read Maisie before, this may not be the perfect stand-alone.
The title of this story is perfect for this book. Maybe Maisie needed to make peace with her past in order to move forward with her future, too. And, now her readers can do the same. Goodbye Maisie. We loved you dearly.
July 10, 2024
I zipped through this latest volume (and, I just discovered, on July 10, 2024 - the LAST) in the Maisie Dobbs series, which is consistently thoughtfully written. This one has to be one of my favorites and I loved the details of what it was like to live in England during this time period. I especially appreciated Jacqueline Winspear's sensitive handling of adoption, and still birth. These scenes were very moving and felt very authentic.
Standout quotes:
Regarding spending time with the lively young Anna - "she always elevates my spirits, makes me think of the future rather than wallowing in the past."
"I was delivered of a son and even though he was stillborn, I wanted to know what he felt like...."
Standout quotes:
Regarding spending time with the lively young Anna - "she always elevates my spirits, makes me think of the future rather than wallowing in the past."
"I was delivered of a son and even though he was stillborn, I wanted to know what he felt like...."
November 23, 2024
The eighteenth and final book in the Maisie Dobbs series and I have read all of them over a period of years.
It is not possible to say much about the story in this one without creating a spoiler, so I will just say that all of the loose ends from the past are neatly tied up. Not without a few tears from the characters and also from this reader I must add. I was glad that there were lots of reminders of James which pleased me because his was a character I always liked very much.
When I began this series I was rating the books at three stars as there were some issues I did not like. Nevertheless I kept returning to find out more about Maisie's life and here I am finishing with a five. I really enjoyed The Comfort of Ghosts particularly the way the author dealt with the atrocities of the Second World War.
Now the war is over and people are counting their losses and beginning to recover and look to the future. It is the perfect time to conclude the series and say goodbye to Maisie, although I will miss her.
It is not possible to say much about the story in this one without creating a spoiler, so I will just say that all of the loose ends from the past are neatly tied up. Not without a few tears from the characters and also from this reader I must add. I was glad that there were lots of reminders of James which pleased me because his was a character I always liked very much.
When I began this series I was rating the books at three stars as there were some issues I did not like. Nevertheless I kept returning to find out more about Maisie's life and here I am finishing with a five. I really enjoyed The Comfort of Ghosts particularly the way the author dealt with the atrocities of the Second World War.
Now the war is over and people are counting their losses and beginning to recover and look to the future. It is the perfect time to conclude the series and say goodbye to Maisie, although I will miss her.
June 6, 2024
I'm glad that Jacqueline Winspear is retiring Maisie Dobbs, as the most recent books have not been nearly as good as the beginning books in the series and I actually think this is the worst of them.
What happened to Maise in this book? She is indecisive and uncertain and defers to her husband on too many isssues. Mark wants to build a new home so she agrees even though it doesn't seem like it is what she wants. Mark wants to buy a property with no plumbing and electricity. Mark wants to be there to buy a horse for Anna because he says Maisie can't cut a good enough deal. I've never liked Mark as a character, but he was especially obnoxious in this book.
When the series began, Maisie had a small circle of family, friends and associates. That circle has grown over the course of the series and in the most recent books, it felt like every character had to have at least some part, no matter how superficial, at the expense of the plot. This last book spent a lot of time reviewing the history of Maisie and the other characters, which I found repetitive and annoying.
I really enjoyed the early Maise Dobbs books. I wish the author could have maintained the same quality to the end.
What happened to Maise in this book? She is indecisive and uncertain and defers to her husband on too many isssues. Mark wants to build a new home so she agrees even though it doesn't seem like it is what she wants. Mark wants to buy a property with no plumbing and electricity. Mark wants to be there to buy a horse for Anna because he says Maisie can't cut a good enough deal. I've never liked Mark as a character, but he was especially obnoxious in this book.
When the series began, Maisie had a small circle of family, friends and associates. That circle has grown over the course of the series and in the most recent books, it felt like every character had to have at least some part, no matter how superficial, at the expense of the plot. This last book spent a lot of time reviewing the history of Maisie and the other characters, which I found repetitive and annoying.
I really enjoyed the early Maise Dobbs books. I wish the author could have maintained the same quality to the end.
June 29, 2024
I did it, Beth. I finished the series. Thanks to one of my oldest (we knew each other for a full 60 years) and dearest, closest friends I read this series. She wanted me to read to her during her chemo treatments and two people she knew highly recommended this series. I don’t know if I would have ever read it otherwise. We read the first five books together, first during her chemo treatments and then, when covid kept me out of the infusion center, emergency room and hospital, over the phone or over Zoom. I continued to read on, alone. I wish that Beth could have also read the entire series. I thought of her often as I read the books she could no longer enjoy.
I wanted more. More scenes. I thought of so much more about I wanted to keep reading. My guess though is that even if all those things had been included I would still want more. More books. I am sad that this is the end of the series but I’m grateful for getting to read the series in its entirety and I do understand it ending after 18 books. The author worked on this series for 24 years, and during that time wrote a few other books too. The first book was published in 2003, the last in 2024. I will miss this series. The last three books all ended in a lovely manner and each could have been satisfying ends to this series.
I’m always worried I won’t like the next series book but I sink in as soon as Maisie appears, usually not in the prologue but in chapter 1. She’s one of my favorite literary characters.
Maisie and the gang exude such goodness, I always feel comforted in their presence. Maisie and the people in her life are so goodhearted and I love spending time with them. There are many memorable characters.
There is some wonderful, mostly subtle, humor.
This series is heartwarming but it also gets very, very dark. The characters and the relationships are what matter in these books and the mysteries hardly matter in the most of them. What is dark is that there are a lot of losses/deaths and wartime events. After all the story-line goes from 1910-1945, from Maisie at 13 to about 48, and what happens in the world wars, especially WWI, is described in some detail, as are the problems some people have after those wars because of the trauma they experienced during them.
She did a good job of mentioning events that happened in the previous 17 books. I'm glad because I'd forgotten some things. She did a great job of tying up everything and almost everybody. I love how a few characters reappeared and had some time on the pages of this book. I appreciate where Maisie is in her life by the end of this book; it was hard-earned and deserved.
I think that what turned out to be only the first "mystery” in this one is a bit ridiculous (though I suppose it's plausible even though a bit far-fetched) but I don’t read this series for the mysteries. I mostly read them for the characters and the relationships and secondarily for the events and the settings and the history. The first (and what I thought would be the only) mystery wasn’t my favorite part of the book although being introduced to four great new characters made the scenario completely worth it. The second mystery, which happened after the first one was resolved, was much more interesting to me. It was wonderful and it was a great way to end this series.
This is a page from her website with her outline of some issues in each of the books. It is listed in the author’s note, and has some very mild spoilers: http://jacquelinewinspear.com/wars-an...
Her webpage and social media have a lot of content about the Maisie series and her own life and those and her occasional emails enriched my reading experience of this book and some of the previous books.
It’s a fine ending but I can envision lots more books and I wish there were going to be more. I completely understand why Winspear wanted to stop now but I want to know more about these things: This is one of my favorite series and it’s simply that I would always want more.
This series is a great coming of age tale, and a story of pain and loss, and love and friendship and hope, and growth and change and it is full of kindness and generosity and compassion.
I look forward to reading future books by this author and I want to read her memoir This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing but I can’t imagine loving any as much as I love the Maisie Dobbs books. So far, in addition to the Maisie series, I’ve read The White Lady and What Would Maisie Do?
I read the hardcover edition of this 18th book but I also listened to the audiobook part of the time as I was reading. The narrator is excellent.
Apologies for some repetitiveness in this review. I included parts of my status updates and also it is incredibly hard for me to write decent reviews of books that I love.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who’s ever liked historical fiction, coming of age stories, orphan stories, character driven fiction, psychologically minded fiction, stories about England, WWI, WWII, friendship stories and love stories. I’d say these books would be appreciated by a majority of readers. It took me a bit of time to love them but I’m so glad that I kept reading. A LOT happens in the 18 books!
I wanted more. More scenes. I thought of so much more about I wanted to keep reading. My guess though is that even if all those things had been included I would still want more. More books. I am sad that this is the end of the series but I’m grateful for getting to read the series in its entirety and I do understand it ending after 18 books. The author worked on this series for 24 years, and during that time wrote a few other books too. The first book was published in 2003, the last in 2024. I will miss this series. The last three books all ended in a lovely manner and each could have been satisfying ends to this series.
I’m always worried I won’t like the next series book but I sink in as soon as Maisie appears, usually not in the prologue but in chapter 1. She’s one of my favorite literary characters.
Maisie and the gang exude such goodness, I always feel comforted in their presence. Maisie and the people in her life are so goodhearted and I love spending time with them. There are many memorable characters.
There is some wonderful, mostly subtle, humor.
This series is heartwarming but it also gets very, very dark. The characters and the relationships are what matter in these books and the mysteries hardly matter in the most of them. What is dark is that there are a lot of losses/deaths and wartime events. After all the story-line goes from 1910-1945, from Maisie at 13 to about 48, and what happens in the world wars, especially WWI, is described in some detail, as are the problems some people have after those wars because of the trauma they experienced during them.
She did a good job of mentioning events that happened in the previous 17 books. I'm glad because I'd forgotten some things. She did a great job of tying up everything and almost everybody. I love how a few characters reappeared and had some time on the pages of this book. I appreciate where Maisie is in her life by the end of this book; it was hard-earned and deserved.
I think that what turned out to be only the first "mystery” in this one is a bit ridiculous (though I suppose it's plausible even though a bit far-fetched) but I don’t read this series for the mysteries. I mostly read them for the characters and the relationships and secondarily for the events and the settings and the history. The first (and what I thought would be the only) mystery wasn’t my favorite part of the book although being introduced to four great new characters made the scenario completely worth it. The second mystery, which happened after the first one was resolved, was much more interesting to me. It was wonderful and it was a great way to end this series.
This is a page from her website with her outline of some issues in each of the books. It is listed in the author’s note, and has some very mild spoilers: http://jacquelinewinspear.com/wars-an...
Her webpage and social media have a lot of content about the Maisie series and her own life and those and her occasional emails enriched my reading experience of this book and some of the previous books.
It’s a fine ending but I can envision lots more books and I wish there were going to be more. I completely understand why Winspear wanted to stop now but I want to know more about these things: This is one of my favorite series and it’s simply that I would always want more.
This series is a great coming of age tale, and a story of pain and loss, and love and friendship and hope, and growth and change and it is full of kindness and generosity and compassion.
I look forward to reading future books by this author and I want to read her memoir This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing but I can’t imagine loving any as much as I love the Maisie Dobbs books. So far, in addition to the Maisie series, I’ve read The White Lady and What Would Maisie Do?
I read the hardcover edition of this 18th book but I also listened to the audiobook part of the time as I was reading. The narrator is excellent.
Apologies for some repetitiveness in this review. I included parts of my status updates and also it is incredibly hard for me to write decent reviews of books that I love.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who’s ever liked historical fiction, coming of age stories, orphan stories, character driven fiction, psychologically minded fiction, stories about England, WWI, WWII, friendship stories and love stories. I’d say these books would be appreciated by a majority of readers. It took me a bit of time to love them but I’m so glad that I kept reading. A LOT happens in the 18 books!
Read
December 21, 2023A heartfelt PLEA to all you Americans out there who are about to review this novel! Please try to understand that 'England' is NOT, and NEVER has been, an acceptable way of referring to 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' ( That is, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland AND England.) Have you any idea how insulting it is to the Scots, Welsh and N. Irish to be disregarded in this way? Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are NOT somehow 'parts' of 'England'; and the Scots, Welsh and N. Irish are NOT 'English'! In reviews of previous Maisie Dobbs adventures set during the early years of WW 11, I've read, again and again, 'England declared war on Germany': 'England' alone, then and now, CANNOT declare war on anyone! It's 'The United Kingdom ('The UK') that would declare war. The same applies to the Blitz ('England was being bombed nightly by the Luftwaffe'); it was EVERY part of the UK that was bombed; to refer to the UK as 'England' disrespects the memories of Scotsmen such as my father and my uncles (and thousands and thousands more) who fought in the British Army against Nazi Germany. I had an uncle who was in the RAF, and ended up in a Japanese POW camp. And his wife, a Sister in the Western Infirmary (a hospital in Glasgow) drove an ambulance during the Clydebank Blitz when hundreds of Scots were killed. My mother and my other aunts went into the munitions factories to aid the UK's (NOT 'England's') war effort. The same things were happening in Wales and Northern Ireland too; so PLEASE, try to understand the offense you are causing by referring to the United Kingdom as 'England'!
December 31, 2024
It is with a touch of sadness that I close the book on the last Maisie Dobbs novel in the mystery series,The Comfort of Ghosts,by Jacqueline Winspear. It has been a long and a heartwarming and fascinating journey in that I have accompanied Maisie Dobbs since the first book was published in 2003. This outstanding historical series began before World War I as we watched Maisie Dobbs train as a nurse as she goes to the front in France. The series, a literary masterpiece, continues throughout the war and the turbulent time leading up to and throughout World War II, where Maisie Dobbs trains as a private investigator in this mystery series. The series setting was between the two great wars of the twentieth century resulting in dynamic and interesting plot lines for a myriad of characters over the years, too many to mention but those who have read Maisie Dobbs know their significance over the years as we followed Maisie’s journey from the years leading up to World War I to the aftermath of World War II. In this final book, The Comfort of Ghosts, Maisie uncovers secrets that date back to her life before the wars. It is because of the heart and humanity that has always been an integral part of the series that Jacqueline Winspear artfully brings a sense of closure to the friends, family and colleagues who were part of Maisie Dobbs’ life. And so to us, her readers.
And I would be remiss if I did not mention one of my favorite parts of every Maisie Dobbs book and that would be the most beautiful and refreshing book covers, each a work of art. Its vintage poster style always felt light and fresh, each pertaining in a significant way the book. The book covers are created by artist and craftsman, Andrew Davidson, as they are actually wood engravings.
I will end with my heartfelt thanks to Jacqueline Winspear for the creation of this beautiful and enduring series. For those of you who may be feeling lost with the last book being published, you may want to read Winspear’s memoir, This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing. It will give one a lot of insight into how Maisie Dobbs came into being. And the following passage says it all:
And I would be remiss if I did not mention one of my favorite parts of every Maisie Dobbs book and that would be the most beautiful and refreshing book covers, each a work of art. Its vintage poster style always felt light and fresh, each pertaining in a significant way the book. The book covers are created by artist and craftsman, Andrew Davidson, as they are actually wood engravings.
I will end with my heartfelt thanks to Jacqueline Winspear for the creation of this beautiful and enduring series. For those of you who may be feeling lost with the last book being published, you may want to read Winspear’s memoir, This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing. It will give one a lot of insight into how Maisie Dobbs came into being. And the following passage says it all:
“. . .in a moment of artistic grace, I wrote a war story that slipped in to my imagination while I was stuck in traffic on a rainy day in California. It never rains in California, it pours. I was living almost six thousand miles away from the land of hops and apples, of farms and fields, of wild garlic and celandines, and London in darker times, but it was as if the voices of those elderly women and their secret loves echoed down the years, along with the images of young men lost to war and the sweethearts left behind. The story became a manuscript, and the manuscript became my first novel. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
June 13, 2024
I always cry my way through a Maisie story and this one was even more emotional to read. Revisiting so many people and events from the past 17 books felt like an epic ending, but this book also serves as a beginning - the beginning of a post-war life for beloved characters who have been through so much.
I’m tempted to start over again and see sweet Maisie stealing time in the library after finishing her maid duties in the first book…but I’ll need to restock my supply of tissues to go there.
This was beautiful.
I’m tempted to start over again and see sweet Maisie stealing time in the library after finishing her maid duties in the first book…but I’ll need to restock my supply of tissues to go there.
This was beautiful.
April 17, 2024
Thank you to my amazing friend for picking me up an advance copy of this title at the recent Public Library Association Conference!
The mystery in this installment is more of a back burner as Winspear wraps up several storylines as she ends the series. Since I read this series for the characters and not the mysteries, this suited me perfectly. I am sad to see the end of Maisie, but pleased with where she ended up.
The mystery in this installment is more of a back burner as Winspear wraps up several storylines as she ends the series. Since I read this series for the characters and not the mysteries, this suited me perfectly. I am sad to see the end of Maisie, but pleased with where she ended up.
March 9, 2024
It's 1945-- the war has just ended, though there are many problems still in Britain. Maisie learns that some squatters have moved into the Compton residence in London. They are four teens from an orphanage who had been recruited to help the government during the war. There is also a veteran, a former Japanese POW, living there, and he is someone Maisie knows well. She sets about to help these people with the assistance of her friend Priscilla, and also learns a disturbing secret about her late husband's past. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 4, 2024
The Comfort of Ghosts is the eighteenth – and final – book in the author’s Maisie Dobbs series. As such it’s partly a curtain call for many of the characters readers have encountered over the previous seventeen books. There are references to past events which would make it possible to read it as a standalone but I’d really recommend devouring the series from the beginning.
The ‘ghosts’ of the title are also very much present: people lost in the war, those who survived but are changed forever and those who must live with the consequences of their actions. And the evidence of the war is all around in damaged buildings, damaged people and a country deep in debt. ‘We’ll all be happy to leave the war and get on with the peace, such as it is, but it’ll be a good long time before it lets go of us, won’t it?’
If there’s a theme to the book, it’s change. For some it’s enforced change because of what they have gone through, for others it’s new opportunities at home or abroad. And the country is changing too, such as the establishment of the National Health Service and the building of new homes with modern amenities.
What hasn’t changed is that Maisie can’t resist getting involved in a mystery nor can she ignore the plight of people in peril. Bringing together the analytical skills learned from her deceased mentor, her trusted team of helpers and her admirable powers of persuasion, she seeks to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that no-one seems to want investigated. In the process she is forced to confront memories of her own personal tragedies but also to recognise the good fortune that has come her way: a loving husband and daughter, and a close-knit circle of family and friends.
I thought The Comfort of Ghosts was a beautifully balanced blend of heartbreak and hope for the future, and the perfect end to a wonderfully entertaining series.
The ‘ghosts’ of the title are also very much present: people lost in the war, those who survived but are changed forever and those who must live with the consequences of their actions. And the evidence of the war is all around in damaged buildings, damaged people and a country deep in debt. ‘We’ll all be happy to leave the war and get on with the peace, such as it is, but it’ll be a good long time before it lets go of us, won’t it?’
If there’s a theme to the book, it’s change. For some it’s enforced change because of what they have gone through, for others it’s new opportunities at home or abroad. And the country is changing too, such as the establishment of the National Health Service and the building of new homes with modern amenities.
What hasn’t changed is that Maisie can’t resist getting involved in a mystery nor can she ignore the plight of people in peril. Bringing together the analytical skills learned from her deceased mentor, her trusted team of helpers and her admirable powers of persuasion, she seeks to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that no-one seems to want investigated. In the process she is forced to confront memories of her own personal tragedies but also to recognise the good fortune that has come her way: a loving husband and daughter, and a close-knit circle of family and friends.
I thought The Comfort of Ghosts was a beautifully balanced blend of heartbreak and hope for the future, and the perfect end to a wonderfully entertaining series.
June 13, 2024
This was not quite what I had hoped. Most of the story is a recap of all Maisie’s history. The “mystery” was solved in the middle of the book with a completely different story the second half. My favorite characters of Billy Beale and Robert MacFarlane made brief - and almost unsavory - appearances. The American was as annoying as always. I hope all works out well for you, Maisie. Good night. 😞
January 27, 2024
The author knows how to write elegant endings, as we find with this final book in the beloved Maisie Dobbs series -- my favorite histfic series ever.
I nearly cried when I learned there would be no more Maisie books, and tears welled in my eyes more than once as I read this compelling narrative penned with grace and sensitivity.
The spiritual underpinning of the series has always been its essence for me, as well as the deft development of characters who have become like family ... even sweet dog Little Emma! I am crying full out now as I bid adieu to all of them.
Highly, highly recommended for all fans of this splendid series, and for readers new to Maisie who have such a treat ahead of them!
Thanks to Jacqueline Winspear, Soho Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
I nearly cried when I learned there would be no more Maisie books, and tears welled in my eyes more than once as I read this compelling narrative penned with grace and sensitivity.
The spiritual underpinning of the series has always been its essence for me, as well as the deft development of characters who have become like family ... even sweet dog Little Emma! I am crying full out now as I bid adieu to all of them.
Highly, highly recommended for all fans of this splendid series, and for readers new to Maisie who have such a treat ahead of them!
Thanks to Jacqueline Winspear, Soho Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
November 19, 2024
Her finale book was quite good. It’s been 21 years since she published her first book Maisie Dobbs. .she created great characters and commentary on the nature of war and its impact on people and families.
Well done
Well done
June 10, 2024
Final book in the Maisie Dobbs series, and it's clear Winspear focused more on saying goodbye to these characters than on the plot. I didn't even realize that there was a "mystery" and what it even was until I was a good ways in.
For the most part, I enjoyed this series, and in some respects I'm sorry to see it end. But this was not the ending I was hoping for.
For the most part, I enjoyed this series, and in some respects I'm sorry to see it end. But this was not the ending I was hoping for.
July 17, 2024
I have read all the Maisie Dobbs Series. In the beginning it was about WWI, but now it is about the ending of WWII in Britian. Maisie was a nurse in WWI but now she is a counselor and investigator. This story is about orphaned teenagers who were recruited and trained to sabotage and fight the invading Nazi Army. Now that there is peace, what is to happen to these children.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and six minutes. One of my favorite narrators, Orlagh Cassidy, does a great job narrating the book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and six minutes. One of my favorite narrators, Orlagh Cassidy, does a great job narrating the book.
June 20, 2024
I have loved every moment of the Maisie Dobbs series, but this final book felt clunky. An entire 17 books worth of backstory was smooshed together several times throughout this book, almost as though everything had to be explained to someone who had never read the series. Unfortunately, this final installment does not do justice to the rest of the series. I'm glad I read it, since it ends Maisie's journey, but I don't feel like I gained anything from having read it.
June 5, 2024
A right and honorable ending to a beloved series. Winspear's love for her characters...it's something many authors could learn from. I don't want to say much more but I'll say I'm glad I re-read the first book in the series recently. I'll miss looking out for new Maisie Dobbs novels but I am happy with the ending Winspear gave her.
September 4, 2024
Maise Dobbs transforms over time from a young girl to an inventive, intuitive counselor who has weathered personal & domestic losses, reduce the grief of the walking wounded through two world wars. Her strength and endurance highlights the many she has helped, befriended and loved.
March 23, 2024
It's very hard to see this long running series come to an end, but for those of us who have followed Maisie Dobbs since she was 13, there's a lot of satisfaction in seeing all the threads come together, allowing us to picture the future of so many characters we have come to know and love.
This book is very light on the central mystery which is easily resolved with over 100 pages left to read. I don't think this would be a satisfying stand alone read, but for long time followers of the series it provides resolutions for the central characters and hints at the future that awaits Maisie and her family.
This book is very light on the central mystery which is easily resolved with over 100 pages left to read. I don't think this would be a satisfying stand alone read, but for long time followers of the series it provides resolutions for the central characters and hints at the future that awaits Maisie and her family.
July 18, 2024
What a huge disappointment. It feels as if Ms Winspear was just done and threw this together to finish the series.
A fair amount of this novel rehashes previous stories and Maisie’s history as well as that of her friends and family. Indeed, it tells Maisie’s entire story as well as that of Priscilla. It is now just past the end of WWII.
Maisie is tasked with rooting squatters out of a house in London, the same house she first worked in as a housemaid. It turns out, coincidentally, that her partner’s son, Will, recently returned from the war, is hiding there, suffering from injuries incurred as a POW in Japan. The other squatters are four children hiding from the police.
Coincidence piles on top of coincidence as everything gets too neatly tied up. All the pieces of Maisie’s history find closure, but far too tidily.
One very annoying thing I noticed. The author clearly has no idea about how children talk. Maisie’s daughter Anna, is ten and talks like a five-year-old. Part of this is the reader of the audio book. Part is how it was written.
This series should have concluded years ago. The first half or so were wonderful, but as Maisie aged, the novels did not age as well with her.
A huge disappointment.
A fair amount of this novel rehashes previous stories and Maisie’s history as well as that of her friends and family. Indeed, it tells Maisie’s entire story as well as that of Priscilla. It is now just past the end of WWII.
Maisie is tasked with rooting squatters out of a house in London, the same house she first worked in as a housemaid. It turns out, coincidentally, that her partner’s son, Will, recently returned from the war, is hiding there, suffering from injuries incurred as a POW in Japan. The other squatters are four children hiding from the police.
Coincidence piles on top of coincidence as everything gets too neatly tied up. All the pieces of Maisie’s history find closure, but far too tidily.
One very annoying thing I noticed. The author clearly has no idea about how children talk. Maisie’s daughter Anna, is ten and talks like a five-year-old. Part of this is the reader of the audio book. Part is how it was written.
This series should have concluded years ago. The first half or so were wonderful, but as Maisie aged, the novels did not age as well with her.
A huge disappointment.
June 8, 2024
A satisfying ending to a wonderful series! Maisie has become a favorite fictional heroine for me & I loved seeing many of the "loose ends" of her life tied up as she & her family face a hopeful future after the war. I'll miss Orlagh Cassidy's perfect voicing of Maisie & her people. Perhaps after enough time goes by, I'll revisit some of my favorite episodes in Maisie's life. And I look forward to whatever Jacqueline Winspear does next.
June 5, 2024
This is a love letter to the Maisie Dobbs series to wrap it up. As a huge fan, I adored the nods to almost every books in this lengthy series, so many characters coming back around, Maisie remembering the circumstances of various cases and situations. While this mystery wasn’t quite like her others, it was a great way to wrap up the series in some very neat bows (and a few unanswered storylines too). This is really the culmination of the prior 17 books, so it shouldn’t be read as a stand alone or out of order, but for Maisie fans, this is a lovey treat.
June 10, 2024
I enjoyed many of the previous books in this series over the years. Unfortunately my library chose to only have the audio version available. I could not tolerate the dramatic reading. I prefer my own voice in my head as I read. The end for me after many years following Maisie as this is the final book.
AUDIO BOOK from Library
AUDIO BOOK from Library
September 8, 2025
Excellent!! This was a 10 day loan at the library, so I grabbed it thinking it sounds like it will be a good read, and it did not disappoint. After a little research after starting the book, I found out it is the 18th and final book in a series. I am definitely looking forward to starting at #1 and working my way through the series.
The author’s way of writing greatly appealed to me with her sensitive and in-depth way of exposing the characters thoughts and actions in different situations.
~Update on the second reading of this final book in the Maisie Dobbs series eleven months later. In this second time through this book, I listened to the audio by Harper Collins with narrator, Orlagh Cassidy, who did a superb job. I am so glad I started back at the first book in this series and continued all the way through to book 18, then re-reading it with all the knowledge of the previous books. It was as if the author was doing her “Final Accounting “ of the whole series vicariously through Maisie of the all that happened, showing how each character has grown and changed through two world wars. Each character and all the world had gone through so much devastation, horror, grief and change from the disasters the wars brought upon them. But, it was truly extraordinary how the author, Winspeare, showed how no matter what evils or horrors someone has gone through, one can rise from the ashes. “…as if fate had asked her to take one final look across the landscape of years, before turning her head toward the future…”
This series is highly recommended.
The author’s way of writing greatly appealed to me with her sensitive and in-depth way of exposing the characters thoughts and actions in different situations.
~Update on the second reading of this final book in the Maisie Dobbs series eleven months later. In this second time through this book, I listened to the audio by Harper Collins with narrator, Orlagh Cassidy, who did a superb job. I am so glad I started back at the first book in this series and continued all the way through to book 18, then re-reading it with all the knowledge of the previous books. It was as if the author was doing her “Final Accounting “ of the whole series vicariously through Maisie of the all that happened, showing how each character has grown and changed through two world wars. Each character and all the world had gone through so much devastation, horror, grief and change from the disasters the wars brought upon them. But, it was truly extraordinary how the author, Winspeare, showed how no matter what evils or horrors someone has gone through, one can rise from the ashes. “…as if fate had asked her to take one final look across the landscape of years, before turning her head toward the future…”
This series is highly recommended.
June 9, 2024
Spoilers
I enjoyed this book very much, but I cannot get over the fact that somehow between book 11 and book 18, Maisie and James’ stillborn child went from being a daughter to a son. I reread all of the books ahead of this one because I wanted everything to be fresh in my mind. I was so surprised they made such a big deal about her lost baby being a son when previous books clearly say she was delivered of a girl. I don’t know why this inconsistency is bothering me so much, but I went back and found the references to prove to myself I hadn’t imagined it. I don’t understand how the editor missed something that turned out to be such a big plot point in the last third of the book. Is anyone else bothered by this?
I enjoyed this book very much, but I cannot get over the fact that somehow between book 11 and book 18, Maisie and James’ stillborn child went from being a daughter to a son. I reread all of the books ahead of this one because I wanted everything to be fresh in my mind. I was so surprised they made such a big deal about her lost baby being a son when previous books clearly say she was delivered of a girl. I don’t know why this inconsistency is bothering me so much, but I went back and found the references to prove to myself I hadn’t imagined it. I don’t understand how the editor missed something that turned out to be such a big plot point in the last third of the book. Is anyone else bothered by this?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2024
I have enjoyed every book in this wonderful series and will miss the characters, but love this author’s way of letting them go peacefully with all the hope and peace they deserve. Thank you.
June 22, 2024
Love this series, did not like this book. There was no real mystery involved and it was just a bunch of small stories mashed up together.
June 2, 2025
Maisie appears to be putting away her document case and heading to a new chapter in her life. Before she can do that, there is a case to solve and some loose ends to tie up. A fitting ending for the Maisie Dobbs series. I listened to the audio recording by Orlagh Cassidy, who always does a fine job voicing the series.
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