Daily Mail

IN THIS GRAVE HOUR

by Jacqueline Winspear (Allison & Busby £19.99)

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WE FIRST encountere­d Maisie Dobbs as a young widow from the Great War determined to make her way in a man’s world. now, a string of successes credited to her detective agency has brought her into contact with the intelligen­ce services.

With the start of another war bringing an influx of political refugees, Maisie is set the task of tracking down a killer who is targeting Belgian resistance veterans. little in the case makes sense, until she digs deep into the background of the victims to discover a tragedy that long predates 1939.

the appeal of the novel is in Winspear’s skill in creating a setting that draws on a close knowledge of the period.

the build-up of war fervour is frightenin­gly real. When we leave Maisie, she is preparing to play her part in the unfolding conflict. the forces of oppression are in for a bumpy ride.

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