This is right up there with Andrew McCall's "No. 1 Ladies" Detective Agency" and Nevada Barr or Sue Grafton - excellent women detectives who bring a lot about their environment, or history, and their feelings to the novel. THe context is almost as much fun to learn about as the "who-dunnit". "Maisie Dobbs" - is a wonderful character and Jacqueline Winspear has a way with words that brings the character's thoughts and quirkiness to the book. The plot is excellent and plus the rich historical setting make for an excellent read. Maisie was a young nurse in WWI and is now in London during the 20-s and the novels continue to the 30's with hints of WWII coming. Maisie was a girl who had to leave her home at 13 to work as a maid for a rich family but was mentored because of her intelligence. Her background is rich with detail and the author very nicely mixes present and past history to paint a full character. Maisie now has her own agency - "M. Dobbs, Investigator and Psychologist". Billy Beale, a wounded Cockney soldier from WWI (with wife and children and the plight of poverty surrounding the returning veterans) is her secretary and there are other characters for a bit of romance. I have read the whole series (4 books) and look forward to more.