Journey to Munich (Maisie Dobbs #12)Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 2016
Pages: 309
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis: Working with the British Secret Service on an undercover mission, Maisie Dobbs is sent to Hitler’s Germany in this thrilling tale of danger and intrigue—the twelfth novel in Jacqueline Winspear’s New York Times bestselling “series that seems to get better with each entry” (Wall Street Journal).
It’s early 1938, and Maisie Dobbs is back in England. On a fine yet chilly morning, as she walks towards Fitzroy Square—a place of many memories—she is intercepted by Brian Huntley and Robert MacFarlane of the Secret Service. The German government has agreed to release a British subject from prison, but only if he is handed over to a family member. Because the man’s wife is bedridden and his daughter has been killed in an accident, the Secret Service wants Maisie—who bears a striking resemblance to the daughter—to retrieve the man from Dachau, on the outskirts of Munich.
The British government is not alone in its interest in Maisie’s travel plans. Her nemesis—the man she holds responsible for her husband’s death—has learned of her journey, and is also desperate for her help.
Traveling into the heart of Nazi Germany, Maisie encounters unexpected dangers—and finds herself questioning whether it’s time to return to the work she loved. But the Secret Service may have other ideas. . . .
My Review: Maisie Dobbs has now arrived back in England. Once she is back, she is forced to join the Secret Service and become an agent. Her mission is to rescue Leon Donat, a British subject who has been arrested and is incarcerated in a German prison. Because only a family member can release Leon from jail, Maisie is to pose as his daughter to get him safely home. She is also tasked from John Otterburn to bring his daughter Elaine home from Germany. Once Maisie arrives in Germany, she finds that her mission is not as smooth as the Secret Service claims it would be and problems arise. Maisie witnesses the tensions between England and Germany, and the growing power of Hitler’s regime.
I really like the idea of Maisie being an agent of the Secret Service. Maisie is still trying to come to terms with James’s death and is struggling to forgive those who brought it upon him. Miaise is caring and compassionate, for she wants to help a stranger that she barely knows and treats him like a father. As she helps those around her, she slowly recovers and decides what she wants in her life. Thus, the mission to Germany has helped Maisie to see the positive things in a world amidst tragedy and chaos.
Overall, this book is about forgiveness. It is also about a woman who is trying to heal after the loss of a loved one. The characters are fleshed out. I also like the depictions of Munich, for it is described as beautiful place, but it is only a temporary beauty for it will soon be gone with the war. Thus, this novel shows that Germany’s bright days are numbered. The story itself is fast-paced and is filled with suspense. While I didn't like that the murderer got away with it, I still found the mystery to be intriguing. Journey to Munich is a thrilling ride and I can’t wait to delve into the latest installment in the Maisie Dobbs series, In This Grave Hour.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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