SPL_Robyn's Completed Shelf
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Walking Poles [Stratford]Walking Poles [Stratford], Equipment
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Added Feb 16, 2024
Stratford FestivalStratford Festival, PassFestival Treasures Tour : Costume Warehouse and Archives
PassPass
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added May 09, 2023
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See summary for full details
Summary:
Come and see the tour that has been over 70 years in the making! Explore, reminisce and discover what decades of theatre history looks like as we take you through our Costume Warehouse and Archives.
Each tour lasts one hour and is accessible, but please note that there is no opportunity to sit or rest during the tour.
Photography is restricted in some areas.
Please refer to our website at stratfordfestival.ca in case of cancellation on the day of.
Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the 11am start time.
Late arrivals may be denied entry.
Pass is valid Thursday mornings only from June 15 - Oct 26, 2023
at 11am.
350 Douro St, StratfordCome and see the tour that has been over 70 years in the making! Explore, reminisce and discover what decades of theatre history looks like as we take you through our Costume Warehouse and Archives.
Each tour lasts one hour and is accessible, but…
Stratford FestivalStratford Festival, PassSet Change Over Experience
PassPass
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added May 09, 2023
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See summary for full dates.
Summary:
Ever wonder what tricks our designers, crew and technical teams have hidden behind the scenes? Settle into the auditorium after the afternoon show to watch our skilled stage-crew transform the stage for the evening performance. Your guide will share details of the process, including technical knowledge invisible to the average theater-goer!
Each tour lasts one hour and is accessible.
For safety reasons, all guests will be asked to remain seated in a designated area with their tour guide while the changeover is in progress.
Photography may be restricted.
Please refer to our website at stratfordfestival.ca in case of cancellation on the day of.
Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the 5:00pm start time.
Late arrivals may be denied entry.
Pass is valid for up to 2 people only on the following dates:
Tues June 13, 20, 27
Weds July 5
Fri July 14, 21
Thurs July 27
Weds Aug 2, 9
Thurs Aug 17
Fri Aug 22, 29
Fri Sep 8
Thurs Sep 14
Tues Sep 19
Fri Sep 29
Thurs Oct 5, 12, 19
Stratford Festival Theatre, 55 Queen St, StratfordEver wonder what tricks our designers, crew and technical teams have hidden behind the scenes? Settle into the auditorium after the afternoon show to watch our skilled stage-crew transform the stage for the evening performance. Your guide will share…
The Man Who Invented ChristmasThe Man Who Invented Christmas, DVDL'homme Qui Inventa Noël
DVDDVD
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added May 15, 2018
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Mostly charming and quite fictional account of Dickens' journey to writing A Christmas Carol. Lovely to see it had been written by Canada's own Susan Coyne.
Better NowBetter Now, BookSix Big Ideas to Improve Health Care for All Canadians
by Martin, DanielleBook - 2017Book, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added May 15, 2018
Comment:
A recording of Dr. Martin's lecture for the March 2018 Community Dialogue is available upon request, made possible by a grant from the Stratford and Area Leisure Activity Council.
Please contact us at askspl@pcin.on.ca to obtain the secure link.
The Joy of HyggeThe Joy of Hygge, BookHow to Bring Everyday Pleasure and Danish Coziness Into your Life
by Jackson, JonnyBook - 2017Book, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Apr 10, 2018
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Mar 22, 2018
Added Mar 05, 2018
Comment:
2018 Blind Date with a Book Comment: "Fast-paced, interesting topic. Enjoyed tge twist at the end even though I predicted early on what would happen" :)
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Feb 23, 2018
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jan 29, 2018
Cabin CookingCabin Cooking, BookRustic Cast Iron and Dutch Oven Recipes
by Sloan, ColleenBook - 2012Book, 2012
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jan 29, 2018
The Lost Book of the Grail, Or, A Visitor's Guide to Barchester CathedralThe Lost Book of the Grail, Or, A Visitor's Guide to Barchester Cathedral, Book
by Lovett, Charles C.Book - 2017Book, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Dec 28, 2017
Comment:
A must read for fans of English history and in particular, Grail lore - pure fictional fun.
Bandette in the House of the Green MaskBandette in the House of the Green Mask, Book
by Tobin, PaulBook - 2016Book, 2016
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Dec 06, 2017
Comment:
Spirited heroine, adventurous tale, lovely watercolour illustrations and even an art-history lesson. A lot to pack into one little graphic novel!
The Secret Ingredient of WishesThe Secret Ingredient of Wishes, Book
by Crispell, Susan BishopBook - 2016Book, 2016
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Dec 06, 2017
The Watchmaker of Filigree StreetThe Watchmaker of Filigree Street, Book
by Pulley, NatashaBook - 2015Book, 2015
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Nov 22, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Oct 16, 2017
Comment:
Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, October 2017. See Summary.
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Merrick Tremayne, wounded from his smuggling days in the Far East and biding time at his decrepit family estate, should have known something extraordinary was going to happen. The distinct and ancient white-wooded tree, brought back from Peru by his Grandfather, fell onto the roof and exploded. The eroded, smiling statue outside his beloved greenhouse seemed to shift position of its own accord. Among his grandfather’s papers he finds a strange and disturbing sketch that he vaguely recognizes. So when a former army colleague shows up and invites him to Peru to smuggle out valuable cinchona trees – the source of much needed quinine for the British Empire – Merrick figures he has nothing keeping him in Cornwall and decides to go, even though with his wounded leg it will be a hard journey indeed.
Saying they are in Peru for coffee, Merrick and his partner meet their guide, Raphael, a priest of undetermined race and background. Though reluctant to help the British foreigners, he leads them to the hidden village of Bedlam, high in the mountains. It is slow going, and by turns freezing and hot, and between bouts of altitude sickness Merrick begins to realize the strangeness of his new surroundings… the is village separated from the forest by a line of salt and bone, and luminous pollen powers clockwork lamps and leaves trails in the woods where someone, or something, travels. There are more of the statues which do indeed move, perhaps of their own accord, and perhaps are far more important than mere decorative markers. While the deadline to acquire the cinchona trees looms, Merrick begins to understand the mysterious and taciturn Raphael, and in turn learns more of his own family’s connection to this area of deepest Peru – and that means he must make a nearly impossible choice before he loses what is most important to him in the world.
Natasha Pulley’s second novel is as evocative and beguiling as her first (The Watchmaker of Filigree Street), containing lush description and elements of steampunk, history, swashbuckling and magic – perfect for any armchair adventure-seeker.Merrick Tremayne, wounded from his smuggling days in the Far East and biding time at his decrepit family estate, should have known something extraordinary was going to happen. The distinct and ancient white-wooded tree, brought back from Peru by…
150 Years of Stats Canada!150 Years of Stats Canada!, BookA Guide to Canada's Greatest Country
by Bondy, AndrewBook - 2017Book, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jul 12, 2017
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reviewed in the Stratford Gazette July 2017. See review under Summary.
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The topic of statistics might normally be yawn-inducing, but be warned - this particular Sesquicentennial book is hugely entertaining. From its wonky subtitle and statement that @stats_canada is a veritable Twitter sensation, this is a truly Canadian look at our country – since self-parody is how Canadians like to roll.
To be clear, Andrew Bondy and his team of writers do not work for the Governmental agency that collects census data. That would be @StatCan_eng (on Twitter). Thus, under what seems to be an essential list of things you need to know about living in Canada, i.e. Learning about Canadian Currency and Hosting a Canadian Dinner Party, you are not provided with a list of monetary denominations, oh no. You instead get a plethora of self-deprecating ‘information’ to guide readers, such as seating Oilers and Flames fans separately at said dinner party, including a ‘MiniStick’ with your place settings, and conversation starters like “Ian Hanomansing: total dreamboat, right?”
It all looks completely legit: there are even Boolean diagrams – i.e. knowing your Gordies, or place names of Newfoundland - but the few historical facts are mixed with whimsical outcomes: “1928: Canadians win first Olympic gold medal; from now on anything less will cause national crisis”. There are notes on how to avoid hypothermia when visiting Canada’s three territories (yes, three, did you forget?), knowing the best weatherman in the Maritimes (goes by “Boomer”, apparently), and a list of appropriate Canadian Halloween costumes (I’m going with Eileen Tallman, organizer of the first Canadian bank strike this year). No province, population or pop culture icon escapes the @stats_can satirical pen.
I’d like to say that the “facts” and figures contained in this book are clearly organized in some kind of order, but they are not. This is not a ‘read it from front to back cover’, kind of book, but a “pick up and randomly pick a page for perusing and laugh” kind of book instead. Clearly meant to be fun, not factual, laughed at, not taken seriously, and chuckled over alone or while reading aloud to friends and family, 150 Years of Stats Canada! is exactly the kind of Canadian satire in the tradition of This Hour has 22 Minutes and the Royal Canadian Air Farce.The topic of statistics might normally be yawn-inducing, but be warned - this particular Sesquicentennial book is hugely entertaining. From its wonky subtitle and statement that @stats_canada is a veritable Twitter sensation, this is a truly…
A Touch of Farmhouse CharmA Touch of Farmhouse Charm, BookEasy DIY Projects to Add A Warm and Rustic Feel to Any Room
by Fourez, LizBook - 2016Book, 2016
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jul 07, 2017
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The Internet is full of DIY blogs, and one of the nicest we’ve stumbled across recently is that of Liz Fourez, creator of Love Grows Wild. Liz is a living-in-the-country-do-it-yourself queen, but without the fuss and pretentiousness of other decorating mavens, and that is a good thing. It means one may actually start and complete some of these projects, instead of just marking pages and sighing over their possibilities.
While Liz’s blog is an easily searchable wonder of her finished products, design know-how and everything else from music to gardening, her book, A Touch of Farmhouse Charm, is a truly beautiful title. 70 DIY projects laid out room-by-room, with complete supply lists, crystal-clear instructions and tips, professional photos and (yay) levels of difficulty. For instance, you may not want to attempt the rustic paneled door (lovely, but not everyone has the skills to use a circular saw), but the table runner, flower bucket, covered books and window-frame picture display? Even all-thumbs beginners like myself can handle these projects with the straightforward instructions provided by Liz. The photos give the book a fresh, positive and relaxed vibe, so even if you are willing to tackle a more advanced project you’ll start out (at least) feeling every confidence that your project will turn out just fine.
Now, the sources Liz provides are all from the Midwestern USA (since she lives in Indiana), but it’s nothing a little Canadian ingenuity can’t overcome. You can follow newer projects on the Love Grows Wild blog, where the instructions follow the simple but gorgeous photos of her own farmhouse, as well as on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook – where she’s also posted videos of her projects and renos.
If you are just dipping your toes in the waters of DIY, this book is a great place to start, and if you’ve got advanced power-tool know-how, you’ll find some weekend projects to bring a fresh look to any room. Have fun! ~RGodfreyThe Internet is full of DIY blogs, and one of the nicest we’ve stumbled across recently is that of Liz Fourez, creator of Love Grows Wild. Liz is a living-in-the-country-do-it-yourself queen, but without the fuss and pretentiousness of other…
Added Jun 19, 2017
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette June 2017.
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Have you ever gone to a historic site, and felt the shift of time beneath your feet? Touched a wall and wondered who else had touched it, centuries before? Looked at a piece of art behind museum glass and wondered who had created, it, held it, owned it? And how they had come to do so?
One gets the same sense of past connection when one reads Jane Johnson’s novels. Her latest, Court of Lions, has parallel narratives – one in the here and now in present day Granada in Spain; the other in 15th century Granada, in the final days of its Nasrid dynasties. In the present we meet Kate, a woman who has escaped a psychotic husband but left her most precious treasure behind in order to keep them both from harm; in the past we meet Blessings, who serves and loves Prince Abu Abdullah Mohammad, the boy who would become Mohammad XII, the last sultan of Granada. Blessings, a descendant of the northern Tuarag tribes of the Sahara, lives his life to protect Momo, as he calls the Prince. He uses his flair for disguise and spying and even his mother’s magical rituals into play, leaving wards against Momo’s enemies around the walls of the Alhambra. But Blessings’ many talents and his reckless, unrequited love for Momo are not enough to staunch the flow of Catholic fanaticism burning its way through Spain under the obsessive rulers Queen Isabella and her King Ferdinand.
In the present, Kate quits her humble job, sickened by her boss’s rampant bigotry. Visiting the celebrated gardens of the Alhambra, she finds an iota of peace in the glorious gardens of Alhambra, as well as a scrap of paper in a garden wall. Her past begins to play cat and mouse with her, just as the scrap of paper, hidden since before the fall of Alhambra in 1492, leads her to a type of salvation she never would have believed existed. Sometimes a slight tug on a small thread to the past can make the future shine bright with hope.
For fans Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers, Jeffery Archer’s Only Time Will Tell or Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth, this is historical writing at its best – steeped in atmosphere, suspense and lush writing, Court of Lions delivers a wholly captivating story and a moving brush with history.Have you ever gone to a historic site, and felt the shift of time beneath your feet? Touched a wall and wondered who else had touched it, centuries before? Looked at a piece of art behind museum glass and wondered who had created, it, held it, owned…
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added May 15, 2017
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, May 2017
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Imagine you’ve lost something precious. Something small, insignificant even, to anyone else in the world. But imagine that the loss of this tiny object haunts you for the rest of your life. And maybe even afterlife. And imagine there is someone else in the world who treasures this object as much as you and would happily return it to you – except you each exist only on the periphery of each other’s lives, barely knowing each other exists.
This is just one of the premises at the heart of Ruth Hogan’s debut novel, The Keeper of Lost Things. The keeper is Anthony Peardew and those readers who know a smattering of French realize how apt his surname is. Anthony has been finding and keeping lost things for decades, ever since losing the one item and one person with whom he never wanted to part. He only tells his faithful assistant Laura of this collection in a post-mortem letter in which he leaves her everything, and asks of her the impossible – to reunite the lost things with their owners, if they want them.
Laura is befriended by Sunshine, a young woman with Down syndrome (dancing dome, in Sunshine’s words) who is far cleverer than Laura realizes, and by Freddy, Anthony’s former gardener. As they collectively decide how to approach this Herculean task, Laura comes to realize the house she loves is the least significant of the treasures Anthony has left her, and that the objects are connected in ways only fate could have orchestrated. Every lost object has its own story, amusing or poignant, real and imagined.
There is a major subplot involving an unusual couple (for the day) which seems completely out of place until it isn’t. This is what I love about this novel - the hints, clues and small details that – like the lost objects themselves – keep the reader going back and forth within the pages, piecing together their puzzle. As the novel nears conclusion the moving parts and separate stories very gently coalesce in the most satisfactory way, making this my favourite release so far this year. Enjoy – this book is a true keeper.
~Robyn Godfrey, Outreach and Collections LibrarianImagine you’ve lost something precious. Something small, insignificant even, to anyone else in the world. But imagine that the loss of this tiny object haunts you for the rest of your life. And maybe even afterlife. And imagine there is someone…
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Apr 18, 2017
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, April 2017
Sequel to: Sleeping Giants
Summary:
Brace for impact. Neuvel’s first book, Sleeping Giants, follows the reports, diary-entries and interviews surrounding the discovery and subsequent assembly of enormous artifacts that form a giant – and distinctly inhuman – robot. Dubbed Themis, after an ancient but benevolent Titaness, she poses huge questions – were did she come from? Who put her there? What is she meant for? Neuvel puts these questions are through the filters of science, religion, philosophy and perhaps deadliest of all - politics.
Sleeping Giants ends on a cliffhanger, (SPOILER) with the scientist in charge of Themis suddenly back from the dead, and its sequel, Waking Gods, picks up from there at breakneck speed. The stakes are much, much higher. We find out (vaguely) where Themis came from. We find out – explosively – that she is not the only giant, glowing inhuman robot. Some of the questions of the first novel are answered, and not in ways we might like or expect. Other, even more massive questions grow out of those answers.
One would expect that Neuvel’s books are action-thrillers, focusing solely on the giant robots in the room, but therein lies the brilliance of Neuvel’s story-telling: the suspense is built through the very human reactions to the robots’ presence. The action is described by the human characters experiencing it. We the readers are not allowed the comfort of the “all seeing eye”, watching everything unfold at a safe distance; the story-telling is completely immersive, which makes it exhilarating to say the least. It will challenge your beliefs and what you think you might know. It will challenge your sense of ethics and what you feel is right and wrong. It will both haunt and excite you as a result.
Sleeping Giants was long-listed for Canada Reads, and was a sleeper hit of last year. Fasten your seatbelts folks, because Waking Giants is a ride like no other.
Robyn Godfrey
Adult Outreach and Collections LibrarianBrace for impact. Neuvel’s first book, Sleeping Giants, follows the reports, diary-entries and interviews surrounding the discovery and subsequent assembly of enormous artifacts that form a giant – and distinctly inhuman – robot. Dubbed Themis,…
Let It GoLet It Go, BookDownsizing your Way to A Richer, Happier Life
by Walsh, PeterBook - 2017Book, 2017
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Mar 20, 2017
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, March 2017
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It’s SPRING! Happy lambs bouncing, robins and chickadees singing, tulips and hyacinths blooming, yard sale signs replicating at the speed of light…
Wait, what?
If it’s Spring, it’s yard sale season. Which means decluttering, which means (most likely) facing an unwieldly amount of stuff in one’s basement, garage, spare rooms and junk drawers that just needs to GO. And if the KonMari* method seems too forbidding then pick up Peter Walsh’s newest book Let It Go to help get the decluttering/downsizing purge started.
A follow-up to his previous book, the best-selling It’s All Too Much, Walsh focuses on overcoming those obstacles that keep us from getting rid of the stuff in our lives – the difficulties of not enough time, or feelings of loss and change, or family dynamics (oy). He instead suggests reframing this process as fulfilling, a celebration, a reflective time of renewal. Put like that, even downsizing a beloved and mourned family member’s possessions can feel rewarding, not daunting. Life isn’t about stuff, he says, but there is room for treasure – it just can’t all be treasure, and it’s ok to let objects go.
What makes Walsh’s book a little different is that he really emphasizes the introspective, mindful examination of why we become so attached to our things, and challenges us to think about who we might be without it all. It isn’t as scary as it sounds, and Walsh includes helpful exercises to assist in these self-scrutinies. He notes, with multiple examples from real life that those who follow this process - once the emotional element is examined – feel their lives are freer and their minds at peace. “It’s human nature for big changes [like downsizing and decluttering] to bring conflicted feelings,” Walsh writes. But it’s also ok to let go of “the clutter that blocks doors to somewhere better, the obstacles that hold you back… Let yourself go forward to somewhere better.”
Bring on that yard sale… and find your copy of Let It Go by Peter Walsh at http://spl.bibliocommons.com
*KonMari method as described in Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic in Tidying Up.It’s SPRING! Happy lambs bouncing, robins and chickadees singing, tulips and hyacinths blooming, yard sale signs replicating at the speed of light…
Wait, what?
If it’s Spring, it’s yard sale season. Which means decluttering, which means (most…
Delilah Dirk and the King's ShillingDelilah Dirk and the King's Shilling, Book
by Cliff, TonyBook - 2016Book, 2016
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jul 25, 2016
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, August 2016
Summary:
Constantinople, 1807. In the service of the Sultan, supreme leader of the Ottoman Empire, Erdemoglu Selim must fight for his wages – not ideal for a man more romantic philosopher than warrior. He is called upon to interrogate a foreign prisoner, a woman, no less, named Delilah Dirk, but then is accused of being in cahoots with her plan to steal ancient scrolls from the Sultan’s library. Selim is saved from execution in rather spectacular fashion by the same Delilah Dirk, who did indeed come to steal some ancient scrolls and they make a hasty escape in her flying boat before heading off to their next adventures.
Selim’s superpower is making superb tea and the ability to reason. Delilah’s superpower is everything else – archery, swordswomanship, picking locks, acrobatics, flying boats. They both have an overwhelming sense of honour, too, but in an interesting role reversal from most swashbuckling narratives, Selim honours his debts and gains even more wisdom, while Delilah is slightly more egotistical; she will fight to the death anyone who insults her reputation.
Canadian author / illustrator Tony Cliff began this graphic novel series online, and it moved into print in 2013. It and its sequel (Delilah Dirk and the King’s Shilling, released in 2016), have rich sepia-toned, witty illustrations (really, the scenery is quite breathtaking), distinct characters, and bantering dialogue full of irony and bombastic action. The historical setting appears to have been thoroughly researched - this is Jane Austen’s Regency period, but with some fairly significant twists. The plots are character-driven but daring and heroic, with very little blood depicted, making this a graphic novel series to be enjoyed by tweens, teens and adults alike, especially for anyone who likes resilient female characters. Delilah is a strong-willed female character whose flaws are obvious; however this makes her potential for growth nearly endless.Constantinople, 1807. In the service of the Sultan, supreme leader of the Ottoman Empire, Erdemoglu Selim must fight for his wages – not ideal for a man more romantic philosopher than warrior. He is called upon to interrogate a foreign prisoner, a…
The Life-changing Magic of Tidying upThe Life-changing Magic of Tidying up, Audiobook on MP3 CD
by Kondō, MarieAudiobook on MP3 CD - 2015Audiobook on MP3 CD, 2015
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jul 25, 2016
SPL_Robyn's rating:
Added Jun 23, 2016
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Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, July 2016.
It's nice that Winspear doesn't let us in on all Maisie's thoughts and still unfolds the action at a decent pace. It's like Foyles War, but with a woman in the lead. I'm waiting for Julian Fellowes or Anthony Horowitz to pick up the rights for a television series starring Emily Blunt as Maisie.Reviewed in the Stratford Gazette, July 2016.
It's nice that Winspear doesn't let us in on all Maisie's thoughts and still unfolds the action at a decent pace. It's like Foyles War, but with a woman in the lead. I'm waiting for Julian…
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Maisie Dobbs begins a new chapter of her life in the latest from Jacqueline Winspear.
In her last, much darker adventure, Maisie is still mourning her husband and unborn daughter. She retreated to a region of the world facing civil strife, and immersed herself in a murder investigation, nursing and even some spying. In this 12th novel she has returned to her native England, more herself but still processing the events that changed her life. However an old associate in the police force has been seconded to Whitehall, and he and his new colleagues know that danger is approaching from Germany’s borders.
They ask Maisie to travel to Germany – to the heart of the new Nazi regime – to retrieve a scientist they believe imprisoned in the now infamous Dachau camp. To do so, Maisie must pose as his daughter, learn German, and how to shoot a pistol. Initially unsure but feeling it is something she must do, Maisie readies herself to leave – and then the man she blames for her husband’s death makes a request of her – one that opens wounds that had just begun to heal, and shows her just how much steel she can summon when in duress.
Fans of the BBC television series Foyles War will love Maisie Dobbs, a thoughtful, introspective heroine who tries to be at peace with her past, while using the lessons it taught her to build a brighter future. Winspear builds tension very subtly throughout, yet the story moves at a quick pace; and though this latest novel is much more a historical adventure than mystery (those familiar with Canadian and British WWII history will no doubt recognize the character based on Lord Beaverbrook), toward the end the author moves Maisie’s character back into familiar investigative territory, promising further mysteries down the road.Maisie Dobbs begins a new chapter of her life in the latest from Jacqueline Winspear.
In her last, much darker adventure, Maisie is still mourning her husband and unborn daughter. She retreated to a region of the world facing civil strife, and…
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