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The White Lady
The White Lady introduces yet another extraordinary heroine/sleuth from Jacqueline Winspear, creator of the best-selling Maisie Dobbs series. This heart-stopping adventure follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White—veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of violence she has been desperate to leave behind.
A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, and exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government.
Post-World War II Britain, 1947. Forty-one-year-old “Miss White," as Elinor is known, lives in a village in Kent, England, so quietly and privately as to seem an enigma to her fellow villagers. Well she might, as Elinor occupies a "grace and favor" property, a rare privilege offered to faithful servants of the Crown for services to the nation. But the residents of Shacklehurst have no way of knowing how dangerous Elinor's war work had been, or how deeply their mysterious neighbor continues to be haunted by her past.
It will take the child of Jim Mackie, a young farmworker and his wife, Rose, to break through Miss White's icy demeanor—but Jim has something in common with Elinor. He, too, is desperate to escape his past. When the powerful Mackie crime family demands a return of their prodigal son for an important job, Elinor assumes the task of protecting her neighbors, especially the bright-eyed Susie, who reminds her of the darkest day of her life.
Elinor’s wartime training and instincts serve her well, but as she endeavors to neutralize the threat to Jim, Rose and Susie Mackie, she is rapidly led along a tunnel of smoke and mirrors in which former wartime colleagues – who know the truth about what happened in 1944, and the terrible event that led to her wartime suicide attempt – are compromised by more powerful influences.
Ultimately, Elinor will hold a gun to the head of a Mackie crime lord to uncover the truth behind the family's pursuit of Jim, and in doing so, reveal the far-reaching tentacles of their power—along with the truth that will free Elinor from her past.
A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, and exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government.
Post-World War II Britain, 1947. Forty-one-year-old “Miss White," as Elinor is known, lives in a village in Kent, England, so quietly and privately as to seem an enigma to her fellow villagers. Well she might, as Elinor occupies a "grace and favor" property, a rare privilege offered to faithful servants of the Crown for services to the nation. But the residents of Shacklehurst have no way of knowing how dangerous Elinor's war work had been, or how deeply their mysterious neighbor continues to be haunted by her past.
It will take the child of Jim Mackie, a young farmworker and his wife, Rose, to break through Miss White's icy demeanor—but Jim has something in common with Elinor. He, too, is desperate to escape his past. When the powerful Mackie crime family demands a return of their prodigal son for an important job, Elinor assumes the task of protecting her neighbors, especially the bright-eyed Susie, who reminds her of the darkest day of her life.
Elinor’s wartime training and instincts serve her well, but as she endeavors to neutralize the threat to Jim, Rose and Susie Mackie, she is rapidly led along a tunnel of smoke and mirrors in which former wartime colleagues – who know the truth about what happened in 1944, and the terrible event that led to her wartime suicide attempt – are compromised by more powerful influences.
Ultimately, Elinor will hold a gun to the head of a Mackie crime lord to uncover the truth behind the family's pursuit of Jim, and in doing so, reveal the far-reaching tentacles of their power—along with the truth that will free Elinor from her past.
321 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2023
2510 people are currently reading
22064 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...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,026 reviews
April 17, 2023
4.5 Like many readers I'm a big fan of the Maisie Dobbs series, so when I saw that Winspear was going to introduce a new character, I was a little skeptical. I soon learned how wrong i was. This author can write, and paint a picture of well drawn characters, while giving the reader a history lesson along with a mystery. Believe me, not all authors can do this so admirably.
Eleanor, called Linnie, is our new heroine and as one reads we are drawn into her life starting towards the end of the first world war, into the second and eventually her retirement. She is so very brave but also human. a woman now dealing with many scars from her past. In this book some of them will propel her into a new danger, as she fights for a little family.
I dont know if this will be the start of a new series, but if so i am all in. If not then I am glad i was able to meet Linnie in this book. The narration for this book was outstanding.
Eleanor, called Linnie, is our new heroine and as one reads we are drawn into her life starting towards the end of the first world war, into the second and eventually her retirement. She is so very brave but also human. a woman now dealing with many scars from her past. In this book some of them will propel her into a new danger, as she fights for a little family.
I dont know if this will be the start of a new series, but if so i am all in. If not then I am glad i was able to meet Linnie in this book. The narration for this book was outstanding.
April 24, 2023
The White Lady was the latest historical fiction novel by Jacqueline Winspear and once again she writes so poignantly and heartbreakingly about the horrors and collateral damage incurred in both the Great War and the subsequent World War II. Elinor White was a woman fluent in English, French, Flemish, German and Italian and trained for almost any eventuality beginning in 1916 when she was just twelve years old. At that time it seemed almost preordained by their parents' union that Elinor De Witt and her sister Cecily would, in time, be introduced to La Dame Blanche-the White Lady. Her father a successful diamond merchant in Belgium and her mother, Charlotte, giving each of her daughters' a special petticoat that they were not to take off under any circumstances as they fled Belgium with their mother to their grandmother's home in England after Great Britain declared war on Germany.
We first meet Elinor White in the remote village of Shacklehurst in Kent's countryside of the High Weald, and living in a grace-and-favor home given to her by the grace of the monarch because she served the crown.
I have long been a fan of Jacqueline Winspear, and for the most part enjoyed this book. However, I felt that Elinor De Witt White certainly had more than enough of a storyline to develop. I thought that the introduction of a lot of extraneous threads of a mob family entrenched in London only weakened the power of the tale of Elinor's path to healing her many emotional wounds and traumas as well as her reminisces of her past.
We first meet Elinor White in the remote village of Shacklehurst in Kent's countryside of the High Weald, and living in a grace-and-favor home given to her by the grace of the monarch because she served the crown.
"Driving from London to Shacklehurst proved to be soothing. Though the undulating countryside of Kent's High Weald was so different from the flat lands of her Belgian girlhood, just being close to farms and fields always brought calm to her thoughts. She wondered if it was because she associated fields with escape, and escape meant freedom--freedom from the past. There was also the ancient nature of a place, how it connected people and events, and how time moved on to heal wounds, for she knew places bore scars as deep as those inflicted upon people who had suffered."
"In a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, held in secret after the 1918 Armistice, Charlotte, Cecily and Elinor, along with other members of La Dame Blanche network, had been summoned to an audience with the king where they would be awarded a medal in recognition of their service. The resistance work of La Dame Blanche had been financed by Britain, and Britain was indeed grateful."
I have long been a fan of Jacqueline Winspear, and for the most part enjoyed this book. However, I felt that Elinor De Witt White certainly had more than enough of a storyline to develop. I thought that the introduction of a lot of extraneous threads of a mob family entrenched in London only weakened the power of the tale of Elinor's path to healing her many emotional wounds and traumas as well as her reminisces of her past.
March 4, 2023
This was fine. After reading all of Jacqueline Winspear’s fiction, though — 16 Maisie Dobbs novels, The Care and Management of Lies, and now this — I’ve realized Winspear’s a bit of a one-trick pony as an author. The protagonist in this book is grave, determined, efficient, and showed rare qualities as a child — just like Maisie. The dialogue is unnaturally expository, with each character sometimes speaking uninterrupted for a page or more — just like in her other books. A love interest of dubious quality involved in similar work who patronizes the protagonist, just like Mark Scott (why does Winspear keep doing this to her otherwise highly competent heroines?). There is a mystery to be solved and characters haunted by war… sound familiar?
After 17 books of this, I guess I was hoping for something a bit different in terms of plot or characterization or writing style from Winspear and this non-Maisie book. One major difference that I did enjoy is that this novel takes place over three timelines, switching back and forth between the 1947 present and either Elinor’s youth during WWI or her service as a spy in WWII.
After 17 books of this, I guess I was hoping for something a bit different in terms of plot or characterization or writing style from Winspear and this non-Maisie book. One major difference that I did enjoy is that this novel takes place over three timelines, switching back and forth between the 1947 present and either Elinor’s youth during WWI or her service as a spy in WWII.
February 11, 2024
Did someone ask Jacqueline Winspear to not write a Maisie and she wrote a Maisie anyway? Except she removed the charm of Maisie. Both characters served in WWI underage. Both are unusually intelligent and able to stay cool under pressure. Elinor has almost no personality, though. It’s like Maisie without friends or family. She operates like she’s still actively serving in intelligence.
Sophie in this book is playing the part of Patricia, the best friend. I personally enjoyed the character of Elsie, the mob daughter most of all, though she was barely in this.
The final two chapters are satisfying, but the first 17 felt like a sped up version of the story we know so well.
I’m glad I didn’t buy a copy of this book. It doesn’t belong on my Maisie shelf.
Sophie in this book is playing the part of Patricia, the best friend. I personally enjoyed the character of Elsie, the mob daughter most of all, though she was barely in this.
The final two chapters are satisfying, but the first 17 felt like a sped up version of the story we know so well.
I’m glad I didn’t buy a copy of this book. It doesn’t belong on my Maisie shelf.
November 24, 2022
Jacqueline Winspear is one of my favorite authors and Maisie Dobbs is one of my favorite fictional characters. I was skeptical of this standalone novel featuring a new character but I LOVED THIS! The book flashes backwards to Elinor's past as she grows up in WWI and to her present, where she is concerned about her new neighbors in the countryside. The story moves back and forth between her present life and what she did in both wars. I loved her character and was engrossed in her story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy.
August 1, 2023
For Maisie Dodds fans, who even created a website, “What would Maisie do?” they might be open to a new inspiring figure, Elinor White who is featured in this latest novel by popular author Winspear. This is only her second standalone novel.
Elinor White is very much her own woman, but she can be considered just as interesting as Maisie.
Like Maisie Dodds novels, The White Lady is full of historical realism of life in Britain during and between the 20th century’s two world wars. What may be different from Maisie Dodds novels, is that it does not have the feel of a cozy mystery.
It is darker and more haunting.
We learn that Elinor was a child saboteur in Belgium during WWI. Her family was part of a Belgian resistance group working to undermine the German army after its invasion of Belgium in 1914. She learns to shoot at 12, at 14 she protects her sister from a violent act against her. After that, she and her family escape to England.
When we first meet her, it’s 1947, and she is 40-something living in a small English village. No one knows her history of what happened with her during the war. In some respects, not even Elinor. All that will eventually be revealed to readers.
Elinor befriends Jim, Rose and Susie Mackie. They are under threat from Jim’s grandfather who runs a major crime family in London. When Elinor witnesses an attack on Rose by the family, she decides to make this family her mission. As readers, we will learn eventually why this will be important to her.
There are dark scenes within this book that are difficult to read – it shows the realities perpetrated by war, the dark side of post-World War II Britain, the years of austerity and shortages and the criminal element that came back from the war with bad intentions.
As readers, we will see…what war has done…The addictions to drugs. The violence. The gangs.
Elinor’s single-handed battle against one particular coldblooded gang is tied to this novel’s timely theme: how men have always underestimated women and how women have used that to their advantage. She’s unseen by men because she’s “a woman of a certain age rendered invisible by her vintage.”
This book was…
A Difficult read for me on some levels, because the underlying themes of war and the various issues that were brought out that I will list below as trigger warnings.
Winspear knows her history and has a way of plucking readers right in the middle of it. Be forewarned.
Trigger issues… Rape. Child death. Addiction. Violence. Violence against women. Mental Health.
Still…
It was a compelling story. With believable characters.
Elinor White is very much her own woman, but she can be considered just as interesting as Maisie.
Like Maisie Dodds novels, The White Lady is full of historical realism of life in Britain during and between the 20th century’s two world wars. What may be different from Maisie Dodds novels, is that it does not have the feel of a cozy mystery.
It is darker and more haunting.
We learn that Elinor was a child saboteur in Belgium during WWI. Her family was part of a Belgian resistance group working to undermine the German army after its invasion of Belgium in 1914. She learns to shoot at 12, at 14 she protects her sister from a violent act against her. After that, she and her family escape to England.
When we first meet her, it’s 1947, and she is 40-something living in a small English village. No one knows her history of what happened with her during the war. In some respects, not even Elinor. All that will eventually be revealed to readers.
Elinor befriends Jim, Rose and Susie Mackie. They are under threat from Jim’s grandfather who runs a major crime family in London. When Elinor witnesses an attack on Rose by the family, she decides to make this family her mission. As readers, we will learn eventually why this will be important to her.
There are dark scenes within this book that are difficult to read – it shows the realities perpetrated by war, the dark side of post-World War II Britain, the years of austerity and shortages and the criminal element that came back from the war with bad intentions.
As readers, we will see…what war has done…The addictions to drugs. The violence. The gangs.
Elinor’s single-handed battle against one particular coldblooded gang is tied to this novel’s timely theme: how men have always underestimated women and how women have used that to their advantage. She’s unseen by men because she’s “a woman of a certain age rendered invisible by her vintage.”
This book was…
A Difficult read for me on some levels, because the underlying themes of war and the various issues that were brought out that I will list below as trigger warnings.
Winspear knows her history and has a way of plucking readers right in the middle of it. Be forewarned.
Trigger issues… Rape. Child death. Addiction. Violence. Violence against women. Mental Health.
Still…
It was a compelling story. With believable characters.
March 23, 2023
I classified this book as WWII, but it covers WWI as well. This is most likely going to be the very best book I have read in year 2023.
Yes, I have been a fan of this author's Maisie Dobbs series, but this book is truly remarkable. It does move between time periods, building the foundation of a young woman who faces challenging times and then grows to need every skill honed in youth as she is utilized by British intelligence. Using the word grit in describing a female character is somewhat rare, but this characteristic is most definitely needed in all she faces. It is somewhat sorrowful to come to the end of the book as one wishes to spend more time with this very strong character. Brilliant job!
Library Loan
Yes, I have been a fan of this author's Maisie Dobbs series, but this book is truly remarkable. It does move between time periods, building the foundation of a young woman who faces challenging times and then grows to need every skill honed in youth as she is utilized by British intelligence. Using the word grit in describing a female character is somewhat rare, but this characteristic is most definitely needed in all she faces. It is somewhat sorrowful to come to the end of the book as one wishes to spend more time with this very strong character. Brilliant job!
Library Loan
August 7, 2025
3.5 stars
When Germany invades Belgium during World War I, an underground resistance network called La Dame Blanche (The White Lady) is formed to spy on and sabotage German troops. Eleven-year-old Elinor and her 14-year-old sister Cecily are recruited into La Dame Blanche because schoolgirls are thought to be above suspicion.
Elinor and Cecily record train movements, and - after a while - the girls are taught to sabotage train tracks to derail German shipments of soldiers and weapons.
One evening the girls are discovered by two German soldiers, and when the men try to rape Cecily, Elinor shoots them dead.
After World War I, Elinor - who can speak several languages - teaches at a girl's school in England. Then....when World War II breaks out, Elinor is recruited to do espionage service in Belgium once again. A tragic incident during a spy operation deeply affects Elinor, who continues to be haunted by the event.
Skip to 1947, and - in the aftermath of the war - Elinor is living a quiet life in an English village.
Elinor's interaction with her neighbors is usually limited to a nod hello, except for a young family: Jim Mackie, his wife Rose, and their small daughter Susie. Elinor takes a shine to little Susie, and gives the child small gifts and such.
With Elinor's history in spy networks she has a habit of learning about everyone in her vicinity. (Elinor REALLY could have used the internet. 🙂) Thus Elinor discovers that Jim Mackie belongs to London's notorious Mackie crime family, and that Jim moved away to 'go straight.' However, NO ONE is allowed to leave the Mackie criminal network, and Elinor sees Jim and his wife being threatened and assaulted by Jim's brothers.
Elinor springs into action, and disregarding the strict petrol-use laws, Elinor hightails it to London to consult with Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Warren of Scotland Yard, who happens to be a personal acquaintance.
Elinor wants DI Warren to crack down on the Mackies, who have a history of robbery, assault, extortion, etc. Warren isn't too receptive, though, saying he has bigger problems than the Mackies. Warren suggests that Elinor drop the matter, and go back to her quiet village life.
Faced with Warren's reluctance to arrest members of the Mackie clan, Elinor takes matters into her own hands. Elinor is determined to keep Jim, Rose, and Susie safe, no matter the consequences.
A large part of the story relates to Elinor's espionage work during the two World Wars, and these scenes are edge-of-the seat compelling. Elinor is exceptionally skilled with knives and guns, and one has to admire her pluck.
I enjoyed this historical thriller, which is a fine depiction of women's contributions during both World Wars.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
April 8, 2023
2-1/2 / 5
If you are a fan of the Maisie Dobbs series and have picked up this book because of it you will be disappointed. The White Lady is no Maisie Dobbs.
Elinor De Witt/White along with her sister and mother reluctantly agreed to serve as saboteurs during WW1 in Belgium. Having done so they had to be hurriedly smuggled out to England (the mother’s home country).
Elinor becomes a teacher of languages, lives in Paris for a while only returning to England at the urging of her mother. No sooner is she back in England WW11 begins and again Elinor is approached to do her part. Which she does.
The war is over and Elinor has retired to a home in the nice quiet country compliments of the Government for services rendered. Elinor wants only to be left alone.
Until a couple with a young child become her new neighbours and Elinor is drawn to the child. When she learns of the child’s father’s criminal family and the fact he is trying to disassociate himself from them she decides to take steps to help him.
I found a disconnect between Elinor’s war work and her getting involved with a crime family even if she did so because she harbored memories and regrets about a child she thought she had killed in the war.
If this is going to be a series I won't be interested to read more.
If you are a fan of the Maisie Dobbs series and have picked up this book because of it you will be disappointed. The White Lady is no Maisie Dobbs.
Elinor De Witt/White along with her sister and mother reluctantly agreed to serve as saboteurs during WW1 in Belgium. Having done so they had to be hurriedly smuggled out to England (the mother’s home country).
Elinor becomes a teacher of languages, lives in Paris for a while only returning to England at the urging of her mother. No sooner is she back in England WW11 begins and again Elinor is approached to do her part. Which she does.
The war is over and Elinor has retired to a home in the nice quiet country compliments of the Government for services rendered. Elinor wants only to be left alone.
Until a couple with a young child become her new neighbours and Elinor is drawn to the child. When she learns of the child’s father’s criminal family and the fact he is trying to disassociate himself from them she decides to take steps to help him.
I found a disconnect between Elinor’s war work and her getting involved with a crime family even if she did so because she harbored memories and regrets about a child she thought she had killed in the war.
If this is going to be a series I won't be interested to read more.
April 15, 2024
Winspear knows European Wars and her success with the Maise Dobbs series has amply demonstrated this. The White Lady is separate from that series.
Elinor White is the persona grata, and we learn why she does what she does in post WW II England. Elinor’s retirement (with honors) after that war finds her living outside a small village in the south of England. It is there that she encounters a mother, and her daughter and husband. It is that relationship that tempts her to leave her retreat and become active.
Winspear lays out for us critical incidents in Belgium and England from the start of World War I to Elinor’s present time. We are jumped back and forth to flesh out the reason for Elinor’s determination and the skeletons in her closet. The foundation for most everything that happens is Elinor’s time with the British equivalent to America’s O.S.S. Her skills in languages and marksmanship become useful in several situations. She (and her mother and sister) lost the family’s father as he defended Belgium against the German invasion that began the First World War. The losses pile up from that point but she with her mother and sister are able to escape to England where she grows up and attends school and then university. Again, her later work against the Nazis is also described in flashbacks.
Winspear describes in detail the privation circumstances for England after 1945 and the current portion of this plot takes place several years later. White is an interesting character and there are many other characters that are presented in more than two dimensions. The plot moves along at thriller pace and the flashbacks don’t impede the momentum. The evil and good are nuanced and the only character that strained my credulity was Father Ignatius.
I learned a lot about that time in England and enjoy coming to understand this woman who possessed “true grit.”
Elinor White is the persona grata, and we learn why she does what she does in post WW II England. Elinor’s retirement (with honors) after that war finds her living outside a small village in the south of England. It is there that she encounters a mother, and her daughter and husband. It is that relationship that tempts her to leave her retreat and become active.
Winspear lays out for us critical incidents in Belgium and England from the start of World War I to Elinor’s present time. We are jumped back and forth to flesh out the reason for Elinor’s determination and the skeletons in her closet. The foundation for most everything that happens is Elinor’s time with the British equivalent to America’s O.S.S. Her skills in languages and marksmanship become useful in several situations. She (and her mother and sister) lost the family’s father as he defended Belgium against the German invasion that began the First World War. The losses pile up from that point but she with her mother and sister are able to escape to England where she grows up and attends school and then university. Again, her later work against the Nazis is also described in flashbacks.
Winspear describes in detail the privation circumstances for England after 1945 and the current portion of this plot takes place several years later. White is an interesting character and there are many other characters that are presented in more than two dimensions. The plot moves along at thriller pace and the flashbacks don’t impede the momentum. The evil and good are nuanced and the only character that strained my credulity was Father Ignatius.
I learned a lot about that time in England and enjoy coming to understand this woman who possessed “true grit.”
June 29, 2023
I read “The White Lady” over a two-day period. I just could not put the book down. This is a historical novel that takes place during WWI through the end of WWII. The story takes place in Belgium, England and France. Jacquelin Winspear in a fantastic storyteller.
Our heroine, Elinor, along with her sister and mother were part of a Belgium resistance group. (This was a real resistance group.) It was financed by Britian and composed of teenagers and adult women who spied on and sabotaged the German Army after its invasion/occupation of Belgium in 1914. The characters are fascinating and so real-life.
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 fantastic job narrating the book.
Our heroine, Elinor, along with her sister and mother were part of a Belgium resistance group. (This was a real resistance group.) It was financed by Britian and composed of teenagers and adult women who spied on and sabotaged the German Army after its invasion/occupation of Belgium in 1914. The characters are fascinating and so real-life.
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 fantastic job narrating the book.
September 13, 2023
" And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that."
- John Dalberg- Acton, Lord Acton
( 1834-1902)
" War is a thug's game. The thug strikes first and harder. He doesn't go by rules and he isn't afraid of hurting people."
- Anne Morrow Lindenburg,
The War Within & Without
The way I found out about this book is to me, kinda funny. I went to work at the farm a couple weeks ago and one of my friends who works with me said, " Kellie! Ask me the question that you ask me every week!!" I really drew a blank.... because she caught me by surprise! She finally said, You always ask me what book I'm reading and I am excited because I am reading The White Lady!!!" She was so excited about it, that I called the library and got it and started reading it. The next week I saw her and asked her how she liked it & how would she rate it. Well, I'll let you know her answer in this review!
What I liked about this book:
✔️ I really enjoyed the timeline that takes place before, during and after WW2.
✔️ Elinor, the main character, has a sister named Cecily, who's a few years older than Elinor but I love that they have a beautiful relationship with each other!!
✔️ They grew up in Belgium and moved to England during WW2 and had trained to be sharp shooters and defend themselves as teenagers. They also learned how to de-rail train tracks so the Germans couldn't get into England.
✔️The characters are fully developed and likable when Elinor and Cecily are teenagers.
✔️I like the way the story builds up throughout the book.
✔️I will enjoy talking about it with my friend at the farm on Saturday and compare our thoughts!! She loves reading as much as I do and we tell each other about books we read and recommend them to each other.
✔️ It's well written, clean ( no swearing!!!!) and a quick read.
What I didn't like about the book:
✔️My friend didn't know until the end that it contains animal cruelty as well as human cruelty because the Germans used animals and people for target shootings. Also, there's a scene where there's an attempted rape of Cecily as a teenage girl. If she had known before she told me about, neither of us would have read it. Now, to be clear, there aren't any explicit scenes about it, it's just mentioned in the story. It's a shame that there's no trigger warnings about this, so I felt I should mention it so you can decide to read it or pass on it.
✔️ It's not an easy read and is a dark story.
✔️I didn't like Elinor as an adult ( She is The White Lady,btw ) because she seems a bit odd to me.
✔️I was glad when it was done!
✔️The present overshadowed the past & it should have shared equal time.
I gave it a 3.75/4 ⭐rating and so did my friend! When I go to work on Saturday, I can't wait to talk about with her! Overall, it was an enjoyable book.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
- John Dalberg- Acton, Lord Acton
( 1834-1902)
" War is a thug's game. The thug strikes first and harder. He doesn't go by rules and he isn't afraid of hurting people."
- Anne Morrow Lindenburg,
The War Within & Without
The way I found out about this book is to me, kinda funny. I went to work at the farm a couple weeks ago and one of my friends who works with me said, " Kellie! Ask me the question that you ask me every week!!" I really drew a blank.... because she caught me by surprise! She finally said, You always ask me what book I'm reading and I am excited because I am reading The White Lady!!!" She was so excited about it, that I called the library and got it and started reading it. The next week I saw her and asked her how she liked it & how would she rate it. Well, I'll let you know her answer in this review!
What I liked about this book:
✔️ I really enjoyed the timeline that takes place before, during and after WW2.
✔️ Elinor, the main character, has a sister named Cecily, who's a few years older than Elinor but I love that they have a beautiful relationship with each other!!
✔️ They grew up in Belgium and moved to England during WW2 and had trained to be sharp shooters and defend themselves as teenagers. They also learned how to de-rail train tracks so the Germans couldn't get into England.
✔️The characters are fully developed and likable when Elinor and Cecily are teenagers.
✔️I like the way the story builds up throughout the book.
✔️I will enjoy talking about it with my friend at the farm on Saturday and compare our thoughts!! She loves reading as much as I do and we tell each other about books we read and recommend them to each other.
✔️ It's well written, clean ( no swearing!!!!) and a quick read.
What I didn't like about the book:
✔️My friend didn't know until the end that it contains animal cruelty as well as human cruelty because the Germans used animals and people for target shootings. Also, there's a scene where there's an attempted rape of Cecily as a teenage girl. If she had known before she told me about, neither of us would have read it. Now, to be clear, there aren't any explicit scenes about it, it's just mentioned in the story. It's a shame that there's no trigger warnings about this, so I felt I should mention it so you can decide to read it or pass on it.
✔️ It's not an easy read and is a dark story.
✔️I didn't like Elinor as an adult ( She is The White Lady,btw ) because she seems a bit odd to me.
✔️I was glad when it was done!
✔️The present overshadowed the past & it should have shared equal time.
I gave it a 3.75/4 ⭐rating and so did my friend! When I go to work on Saturday, I can't wait to talk about with her! Overall, it was an enjoyable book.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
September 5, 2023
It might strike you as odd that I would find a novel which reflects the tragedies of two world wars comforting, but there it is. The style and subject matter of Jacqueline Winspear's The White Lady hearken back to a romanticized era of doodlebugs and doilies, when spies sporting fedoras vanished into London’s pea-soup fog.
I've not read any of Winspear's work before, but had heard enough about her Maisie Dobbs series from enamored friends to expect a John Le Carré-Louise Penny mashup: smart historical mysteries with ample heart. And I wasn't disappointed. The White Lady is crisp, original, suspenseful and charming. Its eponymous character, Elinor White, is a WWII heroine with a tragic backstory from the Great War. By 1947, she's living quietly in the Kentish countryside, keeping to herself and above all, keeping her past a secret. But when her new neighbors, a young couple and their precious toddler girl, run afoul of some shady characters, Elinor cannot stay out of the fray. Soon she's back in London, calling upon her Special Forces skills and former comrades to confront a notorious gangster family.
Engaging and enjoyable!
I've not read any of Winspear's work before, but had heard enough about her Maisie Dobbs series from enamored friends to expect a John Le Carré-Louise Penny mashup: smart historical mysteries with ample heart. And I wasn't disappointed. The White Lady is crisp, original, suspenseful and charming. Its eponymous character, Elinor White, is a WWII heroine with a tragic backstory from the Great War. By 1947, she's living quietly in the Kentish countryside, keeping to herself and above all, keeping her past a secret. But when her new neighbors, a young couple and their precious toddler girl, run afoul of some shady characters, Elinor cannot stay out of the fray. Soon she's back in London, calling upon her Special Forces skills and former comrades to confront a notorious gangster family.
Engaging and enjoyable!
May 6, 2023
As a fan of Jacqueline Winspear's books, I couldn't wait to read this stand alone book set roughly in the same time period, between WWI AND WWII, as the Maisie Dobbs series. Unfortunately this book didn't really hold my attention. I felt like the premise of the book, having the protagonist Elinor White, former government spy, protect her neighbors from their crime family, was very intriguing. However, shortly after the book starts, the narrative begins to float between Elinor's early years during WWI in Belgium to her service in WWI and back to present day. Several times I had to right myself while reading to figure which time period she was now in. I find her books have way too many minor characters, some like Clare Fields and Elsie Mackie who's personality and dialogue jump off the page in terms of being interesting but whose character arc seems to go nowhere..I would've like more history and scenes with them. Then at the end, it seems like the tension of the whole premise faded away as Jim Mackie's family just gave up and decided to leave him alone..it was just odd. Character who seemed to be the bad guy in her life just got away ..I don't know, it was just a real disappointment.
November 11, 2022
Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on March 21st, 2023
Writing: 3/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5
Elinor White has been trained to be a predator rather than prey which served her well during WWI when her home in Brussels was occupied by Nazis. It also served her well during WWII as she worked to protect her adopted country (England). But exercising those skills left their mark, and she finds herself torn between protecting those who can’t protect themselves and letting go of the violence that continues to haunt her.
A standalone (or possible new series beginning?) from the author of the Maisie Dobbs series, this book is kind of a mix between an historical novel and a mystery, with an emphasis on the former. It had a bit of a slow start but I was drawn in and found myself caring very much about the characters. I’m a big Winspear / Maisie Dobbs fan. I wouldn’t mind finding out more about Elinor White if this turns into a series…
Writing: 3/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5
Elinor White has been trained to be a predator rather than prey which served her well during WWI when her home in Brussels was occupied by Nazis. It also served her well during WWII as she worked to protect her adopted country (England). But exercising those skills left their mark, and she finds herself torn between protecting those who can’t protect themselves and letting go of the violence that continues to haunt her.
A standalone (or possible new series beginning?) from the author of the Maisie Dobbs series, this book is kind of a mix between an historical novel and a mystery, with an emphasis on the former. It had a bit of a slow start but I was drawn in and found myself caring very much about the characters. I’m a big Winspear / Maisie Dobbs fan. I wouldn’t mind finding out more about Elinor White if this turns into a series…
March 28, 2023
I love Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, and it was so good to be back in her capable hands with this novel. It is a very different story from what we get in a Maisie book, but the same themes emerge. It's a solid story in its own right with no connection to the other world, and deals with the effects of trauma years after the fact. I have a soft spot for spy stories but I don't seek them out due to their violence. Winspear, however, does not employ gratuitous violence and is more concerned with lingering wounds than flashy action. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and am still lingering on the questions Winspear raised in the narrative.
Content warnings: wartime violence, attempted rape, mentions of
Content warnings: wartime violence, attempted rape, mentions of
May 7, 2023
❄️ Won in a giveaway 🌨
I really liked the story and the characters in this one. I love that it was a story about a woman (Elinor) who helped in WWI (she was a child during this war and still played her part )and WW2. Even though it's a fictional story, there were women who went undercover to help in the earlier wars, but we don't always hear their stories. I loved her character. She was so smart and independent. I believe she was around 12 when her family was asked to help with secret missions in WWI. She didn't even hesitate to help. As tough as she was during wartime, she is also very caring to a lot of people and she especially loves children. I liked a lot of the characters. The story is very well written. Thank you to the author, Jacqueline Winspear, the publisher and Goodreads for sending me this book. I am now going to pass it along to my dad who I know will also enjoy it. I recommend this story. Happy reading. 😊💟
I really liked the story and the characters in this one. I love that it was a story about a woman (Elinor) who helped in WWI (she was a child during this war and still played her part )and WW2. Even though it's a fictional story, there were women who went undercover to help in the earlier wars, but we don't always hear their stories. I loved her character. She was so smart and independent. I believe she was around 12 when her family was asked to help with secret missions in WWI. She didn't even hesitate to help. As tough as she was during wartime, she is also very caring to a lot of people and she especially loves children. I liked a lot of the characters. The story is very well written. Thank you to the author, Jacqueline Winspear, the publisher and Goodreads for sending me this book. I am now going to pass it along to my dad who I know will also enjoy it. I recommend this story. Happy reading. 😊💟
April 1, 2023
Probably alone in this response but I have to say that I found White Lady to be far below the level of enjoyment I have had in the past from reading Jaqueline Winspear. The characters were not very developed nor was the plot engrossing. If this is the beginning of a new series, I think I will skip the rest.
March 27, 2023
Miss Elinor (Linni) White (actually De Witt) is a half-Belgian/ half-British woman living in a small Kent village in a 'Grace and Favour' cottage. She keeps herself to herself and is known locally as the White Lady. Little do her neighbours know that she served in the Belgian resistance in World War I whilst only a teenager and was a member of SOE in World War II. Despite the war being over, Elinor still keeps looking over her shoulder, obsessing over being watched and having multiple entries/exits to her home.
One day Elinor's peace is shattered when the young couple with a small child who have moved into the village from London are visited by the husband's brothers. He is the son and grandson of scions of a notorious South London crime family, the Mackies, and his family want him to do another job for them. Elinor is enraged that these men could hurt a woman and child and decides to interfere, getting in contact with her former SOE colleague and lover who is now a senior detective in Scotland Yard.
Told in flashbacks to World War I and World War II from Linni's 'present day' of 1947, this is a meticulously researched historical novel, as I have come to expect from Jacqueline Winspear. However, the risk with a novel spanning three time periods is that the focus is unclear, they are like pen and ink sketches, lacking the finer details and this is how I felt about this novel. So for example we saw a lot of detail about petrol rationing and cups of tea, but lightly skimming over Elinor's SOE experience.
Also, I could see where this was going from quite early on but it relied upon someone explaining the whole thing to Elinor, who just happened, by coincidence, to link the two stories together - a deus ex machina if you will.
I was going to write a puzzled comment about how this is the third book I have read about Belgium in WW1 in less than a year and went to remind myself of the facts and I see that one of the other two books was also written by Jacqueline Winspear In This Grave Hour and featured the Belgian resistance group known as La Dame Blanche, did she find the research so fascinating that she felt compelled to use it in another book?
Overall, I loved the writing (as always), but I felt it lacked a bit of edge, the ending was closer to a cosy mystery with everything neatly tied into a bow than I am used to with Jacqueline Winspear.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
One day Elinor's peace is shattered when the young couple with a small child who have moved into the village from London are visited by the husband's brothers. He is the son and grandson of scions of a notorious South London crime family, the Mackies, and his family want him to do another job for them. Elinor is enraged that these men could hurt a woman and child and decides to interfere, getting in contact with her former SOE colleague and lover who is now a senior detective in Scotland Yard.
Told in flashbacks to World War I and World War II from Linni's 'present day' of 1947, this is a meticulously researched historical novel, as I have come to expect from Jacqueline Winspear. However, the risk with a novel spanning three time periods is that the focus is unclear, they are like pen and ink sketches, lacking the finer details and this is how I felt about this novel. So for example we saw a lot of detail about petrol rationing and cups of tea, but lightly skimming over Elinor's SOE experience.
Also, I could see where this was going from quite early on but it relied upon someone explaining the whole thing to Elinor, who just happened, by coincidence, to link the two stories together - a deus ex machina if you will.
I was going to write a puzzled comment about how this is the third book I have read about Belgium in WW1 in less than a year and went to remind myself of the facts and I see that one of the other two books was also written by Jacqueline Winspear In This Grave Hour and featured the Belgian resistance group known as La Dame Blanche, did she find the research so fascinating that she felt compelled to use it in another book?
Overall, I loved the writing (as always), but I felt it lacked a bit of edge, the ending was closer to a cosy mystery with everything neatly tied into a bow than I am used to with Jacqueline Winspear.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
April 27, 2023
I... did not like this book. Which was surprising, since I've really enjoyed pretty much everything else Winspear has written.
My Mom once commented that Winspear's main character in her series, Maisie Dobbs, is a bit of a cold fish, and she was exactly right. I love Maisie, but she's not a warm character (although I think Winspear has tried to correct that in more recent books). She's rarely excitable or particularly happy. The best she usually can be is content.
Well, this book is as if Winspear was writing Maisie Dobbs, except less likable. It started out feeling like it should at least be exciting-- Elinor de Witt is a spy during both world wars! She is constantly vigilant and knows how to take care of herself! But with all that can-do spirit, Elinor does so very little throughout the book. The main conflict is resolved fairly easily. The secondary, historic, what-happened-in-the-past conflict is resolved in the only way that made any sense (it made SO MUCH SENSE that it boggled my mind that Elinor hadn't come to the conclusion on her own without needing to be told by anyone else). Elinor seems horrified by the fact that she killed a couple German soldiers in WWI (who were about to rape her sister), but those are about the only emotions she ever has. Even when her entire family is wiped out during the blitz, she barely reacts other than to see if her grandmother's jewelry box can be recovered. Also, for a woman who is gifted a house for all her efforts during the war, she didn't actually accomplish much, did she? Other than to stay alive?
What made it all worse-- Winspear's books are frequently on the more ponderous side of things, but this was just downright slow and not good. Even the really climactic scenes in the book felt boring.
What happened to this book? It should have been so exciting! It could have been so good!
My Mom once commented that Winspear's main character in her series, Maisie Dobbs, is a bit of a cold fish, and she was exactly right. I love Maisie, but she's not a warm character (although I think Winspear has tried to correct that in more recent books). She's rarely excitable or particularly happy. The best she usually can be is content.
Well, this book is as if Winspear was writing Maisie Dobbs, except less likable. It started out feeling like it should at least be exciting-- Elinor de Witt is a spy during both world wars! She is constantly vigilant and knows how to take care of herself! But with all that can-do spirit, Elinor does so very little throughout the book. The main conflict is resolved fairly easily. The secondary, historic, what-happened-in-the-past conflict is resolved in the only way that made any sense (it made SO MUCH SENSE that it boggled my mind that Elinor hadn't come to the conclusion on her own without needing to be told by anyone else). Elinor seems horrified by the fact that she killed a couple German soldiers in WWI (who were about to rape her sister), but those are about the only emotions she ever has. Even when her entire family is wiped out during the blitz, she barely reacts other than to see if her grandmother's jewelry box can be recovered. Also, for a woman who is gifted a house for all her efforts during the war, she didn't actually accomplish much, did she? Other than to stay alive?
What made it all worse-- Winspear's books are frequently on the more ponderous side of things, but this was just downright slow and not good. Even the really climactic scenes in the book felt boring.
What happened to this book? It should have been so exciting! It could have been so good!
February 4, 2023
In 1947, Elinor White, is living a quiet life in rural England, until she is compelled to protect a young couple and their daughter when they are threatened by a notorious crime family. Elinor’s past as an operative during both World Wars has left her scarred, but will serve her well in the present. But even as she works to neutralize present threats, she faces new threats involving a terrible event from her own past. Will she ever truly be able to work through her past— and put violence behind her. .
Winspear has written a story told through three alternating time lines that eventually merge to create an atmospheric and compelling read. While there is an element of mystery, this is more thriller than anything else. Either way, Winspear has created an intricate and well-crafted plot, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end.
In Elinor, Winspear has created a character who has been shaped by her experiences during WWI and WWII. But while she has been deeply affected, and damaged, by her past, she is also intelligent, determined, and empathetic, making her a relatable and likable protagonist.
Winspear’s attention to historical detail adds depth and richness to the story. Her use of real events and figures from the time period gives the book a sense of authenticity, making it feel as though you're reading a slice of history. The themes of love, loss, and the aftermath of war are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way, giving the book emotional depth.
Overall, Winspear has created a story that is both compelling and timeless. I highly recommend The White Lady.
Winspear has written a story told through three alternating time lines that eventually merge to create an atmospheric and compelling read. While there is an element of mystery, this is more thriller than anything else. Either way, Winspear has created an intricate and well-crafted plot, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end.
In Elinor, Winspear has created a character who has been shaped by her experiences during WWI and WWII. But while she has been deeply affected, and damaged, by her past, she is also intelligent, determined, and empathetic, making her a relatable and likable protagonist.
Winspear’s attention to historical detail adds depth and richness to the story. Her use of real events and figures from the time period gives the book a sense of authenticity, making it feel as though you're reading a slice of history. The themes of love, loss, and the aftermath of war are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way, giving the book emotional depth.
Overall, Winspear has created a story that is both compelling and timeless. I highly recommend The White Lady.
May 4, 2023
THE WHITE LADY
Jacqueline Winspear
Elinor White is a "veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of violence she has been desperate to leave behind."
I really enjoyed this book, it is always nice to have women come out on top and be the hunter instead of the prey. This was a suspenseful plot that was well-written and had lots of twists and turns.
4 Stars
Happy Reading!
Jacqueline Winspear
Elinor White is a "veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of violence she has been desperate to leave behind."
I really enjoyed this book, it is always nice to have women come out on top and be the hunter instead of the prey. This was a suspenseful plot that was well-written and had lots of twists and turns.
4 Stars
Happy Reading!
May 6, 2023
I adored this book! Absolutely great! Highly recommend the audio version.
February 28, 2024
Book club book.
March 21, 2023
When Elinor De Witt was a young girl living in Belgium during World War I, a relative stranger recruits her to commit acts of espionage and sabotage against the Germans. Later, during the Second World War, Elinor, who speaks five languages, becomes an agent of England's SOE—Special Operations Executive. Her instructors teach her how to use a parachute, gather intelligence, kill enemy soldiers stealthily, and handle firearms. Jacqueline Winspear's iconic character, Maisie Dobbs, thrilled legions of devoted fans. The heroine of Winspear's "The White Lady" reminds us of Maisie. Elinor is resolute, daring, and competent at every task she undertakes. She also has a no-nonsense demeanor and a good heart.
In the chapters set in 1947, Elinor is a relative recluse who resides in Kent. She decides to intervene when her neighbor, Jim Mackie, his wife, Rose, and their three-year-old daughter, Susie, are threatened. Jim's father, John, is a ruthless hooligan whose family is involved in armed robbery, fraud, gambling, and other illegal activities. Mackie sends his thugs to coerce Jim, who was once incarcerated, into rejoining their criminal enterprise.
This is where the novel becomes particularly muddled. Elinor's conflict with the Mackies does not mesh well with her adventures as an agent of the British government. Although "The White Lady" had promise, most of the characters are thinly drawn; there are too many pages of lengthy exposition; and the frequent shifts in time between chapters disrupt the narrative flow. Had Winspear stuck to Elinor's escapades during World War I and II, this might have been a more satisfying work of historical fiction. On the other hand, Winspear deserves credit for highlighting the exploits of courageous women who, without fanfare, risked and sometimes sacrificed their lives to defeat their country's adversaries.
In the chapters set in 1947, Elinor is a relative recluse who resides in Kent. She decides to intervene when her neighbor, Jim Mackie, his wife, Rose, and their three-year-old daughter, Susie, are threatened. Jim's father, John, is a ruthless hooligan whose family is involved in armed robbery, fraud, gambling, and other illegal activities. Mackie sends his thugs to coerce Jim, who was once incarcerated, into rejoining their criminal enterprise.
This is where the novel becomes particularly muddled. Elinor's conflict with the Mackies does not mesh well with her adventures as an agent of the British government. Although "The White Lady" had promise, most of the characters are thinly drawn; there are too many pages of lengthy exposition; and the frequent shifts in time between chapters disrupt the narrative flow. Had Winspear stuck to Elinor's escapades during World War I and II, this might have been a more satisfying work of historical fiction. On the other hand, Winspear deserves credit for highlighting the exploits of courageous women who, without fanfare, risked and sometimes sacrificed their lives to defeat their country's adversaries.
May 29, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up — wholly enjoyable, with a perfect amount of tension and history woven throughout.
Elinor White is just a teen when she is recruited to help sabotage Nazi movement throughout England. These missions become a pivotal part of her coming-of-age story, and soon come to shape the remainder of her professional life even after the war comes to a conclusion. The reader is given a front-row seat into these nail-biting adventures in flashbacks to Elinor's childhood, while in the current day Elinor fears for the safety of her neighbors and finds herself drawn back into the espionage she once left behind.
I can favorably say there wasn't a single point in this novel where I felt distracted, bored, or antsy to move on. Winspear nails both the intrigue and the character development. A solid read all-around.
Elinor White is just a teen when she is recruited to help sabotage Nazi movement throughout England. These missions become a pivotal part of her coming-of-age story, and soon come to shape the remainder of her professional life even after the war comes to a conclusion. The reader is given a front-row seat into these nail-biting adventures in flashbacks to Elinor's childhood, while in the current day Elinor fears for the safety of her neighbors and finds herself drawn back into the espionage she once left behind.
I can favorably say there wasn't a single point in this novel where I felt distracted, bored, or antsy to move on. Winspear nails both the intrigue and the character development. A solid read all-around.
May 30, 2023
I really enjoyed this outstanding audiobook novel, my first by this author, and narrated by the amazing, Orlagh Cassidy. However, my week was so full of interruptions and some drama, which impacted some of the clarity of the audiobook.
My rating of 4 stars is solid and could actually have been 4-1/2. I CAN'T GET THIS OFF MY MIND AND HAVE CHANGED MY RATING TO 5 STARS. SO COMPELLING STORY WITH STRONG FEMALE LEADS.
I can’t wait to read more by the Author: Jacqueline Winspear, and I’m hoping the narrator will again be Orlagh Cassidy.
Publisher’s blurb: This heart-stopping novel, set in Post WWII Britain in 1947, follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White—veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of menace she has been desperate to leave behind.
A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, ultimately exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government.
My rating of 4 stars is solid and could actually have been 4-1/2. I CAN'T GET THIS OFF MY MIND AND HAVE CHANGED MY RATING TO 5 STARS. SO COMPELLING STORY WITH STRONG FEMALE LEADS.
I can’t wait to read more by the Author: Jacqueline Winspear, and I’m hoping the narrator will again be Orlagh Cassidy.
Publisher’s blurb: This heart-stopping novel, set in Post WWII Britain in 1947, follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White—veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity—when she is drawn back into the world of menace she has been desperate to leave behind.
A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, ultimately exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government.
March 17, 2023
Having been a fan of Jacqueline Winspear's long-running Maisie Dobbs series, I looked forward to seeing how her new heroine, Elinor White, would measure up. I'm happy to say that, in The White Lady, Elinor measures up quite nicely although I didn't grow to care for her as I did Maisie.
Readers see Elinor both in 1947 and as a teenager in Belgium during World War I. Her backstory illuminates Elinor's character and makes us wonder just how many other women were forced to do the same things Elinor did in order to survive. One of the most poignant scenes in The White Lady occurs when the young Elinor is attending class once her family has escaped to England. The teacher tells the girls that almost all the young men they could have been expected to marry have been slaughtered in the trenches of World War I, and that means that these girls will have to do well in school and learn how to take care of themselves; there will be no husbands to provide for them, no children to take care of them in their old age.
Elinor carries a lot of guilt for the things she had to do during both wars, and she believes that saving the Mackies from being dragged back into the criminal ways of their family is her chance for redemption. How she goes about saving them uncovers corruption in surprising places.
The White Lady is a strong story with much to say about survival, guilt, and redemption, and Elinor White is a character I wanted to embrace wholeheartedly. However, I always felt as though she never opened the door of her cottage to me, and it was that lack of emotional resonance that spoiled my reading a bit. Your mileage could definitely vary.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
Readers see Elinor both in 1947 and as a teenager in Belgium during World War I. Her backstory illuminates Elinor's character and makes us wonder just how many other women were forced to do the same things Elinor did in order to survive. One of the most poignant scenes in The White Lady occurs when the young Elinor is attending class once her family has escaped to England. The teacher tells the girls that almost all the young men they could have been expected to marry have been slaughtered in the trenches of World War I, and that means that these girls will have to do well in school and learn how to take care of themselves; there will be no husbands to provide for them, no children to take care of them in their old age.
Elinor carries a lot of guilt for the things she had to do during both wars, and she believes that saving the Mackies from being dragged back into the criminal ways of their family is her chance for redemption. How she goes about saving them uncovers corruption in surprising places.
The White Lady is a strong story with much to say about survival, guilt, and redemption, and Elinor White is a character I wanted to embrace wholeheartedly. However, I always felt as though she never opened the door of her cottage to me, and it was that lack of emotional resonance that spoiled my reading a bit. Your mileage could definitely vary.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
March 29, 2023
So, I liked this non-Maisie book quite a lot. To be honest, I always like Jackie's books, frankly, more than I would expect. I freakin' hate books set against a backdrop of war, or in the aftermath of war, and she just keeps writing them.
Now, I've read every Maisie Dobbs book, so clearly I enjoy them. The eponymous White Lady in this novel is--for better or worse-- cut very much from the same cloth. What I mean is, she's just a little too perfect. I find her just a tad too honorable, too selfless, too perfect. You get the idea. (No one else ever seems bothered by this. I find it inhuman.). The exact details of her background aren't the same as Maisie's, but she, too, gets drafted into service during wartime.
So, the above illustrates my conundrum. I genuinely enjoy the Maisie Dobbs books, and I really enjoyed this new book. It seems pretty clear that Jackie is setting this novel up as an origin story for a new series. (Don't worry Maisie fans, she's not going anywhere.). My only frustration is, if she's going to break away from her popular, long-running series, I kind of wish she'd written something significantly more different. On the other hand, she's very good at what she does, and she's playing to her strengths.
Here's my conclusion: Hardcore Maisie Dobbs fans may shy away from this non-series book. Don't. You're going to like it. And you'll be glad to get in on the ground flour for this new series.
ETA: I saw Jackie tonight, and she assures me that this is NOT the start of a new series. It is indeed a standalone, and despite the excellent origin story, the tale is complete. She says we'll have a new Maisie mystery either next year or the year after. You heard it here first.
Now, I've read every Maisie Dobbs book, so clearly I enjoy them. The eponymous White Lady in this novel is--for better or worse-- cut very much from the same cloth. What I mean is, she's just a little too perfect. I find her just a tad too honorable, too selfless, too perfect. You get the idea. (No one else ever seems bothered by this. I find it inhuman.). The exact details of her background aren't the same as Maisie's, but she, too, gets drafted into service during wartime.
So, the above illustrates my conundrum. I genuinely enjoy the Maisie Dobbs books, and I really enjoyed this new book. It seems pretty clear that Jackie is setting this novel up as an origin story for a new series. (Don't worry Maisie fans, she's not going anywhere.). My only frustration is, if she's going to break away from her popular, long-running series, I kind of wish she'd written something significantly more different. On the other hand, she's very good at what she does, and she's playing to her strengths.
Here's my conclusion: Hardcore Maisie Dobbs fans may shy away from this non-series book. Don't. You're going to like it. And you'll be glad to get in on the ground flour for this new series.
ETA: I saw Jackie tonight, and she assures me that this is NOT the start of a new series. It is indeed a standalone, and despite the excellent origin story, the tale is complete. She says we'll have a new Maisie mystery either next year or the year after. You heard it here first.
January 30, 2023
The author has frequently alluded to the intelligence work done by women in the First and Second World Wars in her Maisie Dobbs series. In this novel, she focuses on the journey of one woman who works in intelligence in both wars and how its effects carry on into her post-WWII life. There is an investigation that creates a framework for the plot but for the most part, it is a narrative about Elinor White, a Belgian-British woman who lives alone in a secluded cottage in Kent, moving back and forth in time between her present and her past while she tries to help her neighbors extricate themselves from unwanted family obligations in London.
The story moves along at a good pace with suspense and clues related to the investigation but the resolution left me a little flat. Elinor's efforts are not what brings her self-imposed mission to a successful conclusion and the ends are tied up rather swiftly. She is advised in the end to focus on relaxing and putting her past behind her. I would recommend this for fans of the author but wouldn't recommend it for newcomers as they might not like it well enough to read her other works.
The story moves along at a good pace with suspense and clues related to the investigation but the resolution left me a little flat. Elinor's efforts are not what brings her self-imposed mission to a successful conclusion and the ends are tied up rather swiftly. She is advised in the end to focus on relaxing and putting her past behind her. I would recommend this for fans of the author but wouldn't recommend it for newcomers as they might not like it well enough to read her other works.
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