I've been a fan of Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series since the very first book, Mr. Churchill's Secretary, and it's been a joy to watch it get stronger with each new book. The King's Justice follows this trend. As always, MacNeal can easily put us right in the middle of wartorn London by inserting facts about the Tower of London being hit during the Blitz, giving names and histories to the ravens at the Tower, mudlarking, and defusing bombs (which reminded me of watching Anthony Andrews in Danger UXB). But it was what I learned about conscientious objectors that had the most effect on me, and I really liked how it was woven into the story.

As much as I learn about World War II and the people who fought in it by reading these books, it's the character of Maggie Hope who always brings me back. She's quite simply amazing. Starting out as rather naive, she's grown so much, learned so much, and her quick wits and steely resolve have gotten her out of more than one hair-raising circumstance. The thing that I like about Maggie the most is-- regardless of what she's done-- she's not Wonder Woman. Bullets don't bounce off her. Everything she's done, everything she's experienced, has had an effect on her, and in The King's Justice, we see it all coming to a crisis point. She's got what we now call PTSD, and how she realizes it and how she works through it is one of the best parts of the book.

By the book's end, Maggie has a new adventure awaiting her, one that I'm really looking forward to. That's about the only bad thing about a wonderful series like the one Susan Elia MacNeal has created: the interminable wait for the next book. If you're new to the series, you can read this as a standalone, but I strongly advise against it. You'll miss too much just in character development alone. Start with Mr. Churchill's Secretary. (You can thank me later.) As for all you fellow Maggie Hope fans, rejoice! You've got another excellent book to savor!

Maggie Hope has been through more than many during WWII - she's certainly filled many roles and experienced many things. Now, however, she's spiraling a bit; she's drinking too much and taking unnesssary risks. She's also working diffusing bombs, alongside conscientious objectors. Then, suitcases with bones and white feathers begin to turn up in the Thames and conscientious objectors are disappearing. Nicholar Reitter, the villain serial killer Maggie faced down in the last novel, has claimed he has information that can solve the murders but will only provide it to Maggie and only if his death sentence is commuted. Maggie and her love interest DCI James Durgin work together on this one. Maggie's a great character and MacNeal has also put good shine on her friends as well. This is a well plotted, highly atmospheric addition to a wonderful series. I do think it helps to have read at least one of the preceding novels but don't worry if you haven't- it's terrific no matter what. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Maggie
Hope has changed quite a bit since her days as Mr Churchill’s secretary! In this 9th book of the series, Maggie is in a much darker frame of mind. She’s unhappy, drinking a lot, negative and very reckless. She certainly has been through a lot and you can’t blame her, yet she doesn’t seem like herself. Reluctantly she gets involved with the cases of two serial killers and of course gets into dangerous situations. A good read.

This is my first Maggie Hope book and it definitely won't be the last. This story flows very easily and keeps you interested not only in Maggie but the other characters as well. Set in London during WWII, it was hard to put down as it was well researched and detailed enough to keep you interested but not overwhelmed with details. Maggie is a great, well rounded character and I look forwards to learning more about her backstory in the the previous books of this series (as well as future ones!).

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine and Susan Elia MacNeal for a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie is living life fast and furious. She no longer wants to be an SOE agent. Now she is living in London and diffusing bombs. She speeds through town on a motorbike. She's smoking and drinking to excess. When her boyfriend, DCI James Durgin, asks her to help find a stolen violin, Maggie unwillingly gets drawn into more than one investigation.

This installment of the Maggie Hope series really brought home how much Maggie has changed since the first book. In that book, Maggie is young, new to the working world, excited about life and ready to be challenged. Now, after seeing so much evil and hatred as an SOE agent, she is trying to black out her past with potentially harmful behavior.

I will admit that I miss the Maggie of old. But does anyone involved in a war the way she has been come out unscathed? As with all the books in this series, the story pulled me in from the very first page. The suspense grows as Maggie gets deeper involved in the investigations. The ending brings the possibility of a significant change in Maggie's life. As always, I'm looking forward to the next book to see where her life takes her.

My thanks to Random House - Ballantine and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for a review. Here is that review:

Maggie Hope has lived a lifetime in just a few years in London. In the first installment of this series, Maggie was a secretary to Winston Churchill, then she was recruited as a spy, then a trainer of spies, now she is back in London and defusing unexploded bombs left by the German blitz.

She is recovering from her imprisonment in Scotland and, more recently, the capture of serial killer Nicholas Reitter, who almost killed her during that capture. As the book begins, Maggie and her current beau, Detective Chief Inspector James Durgin, are attending the sentencing hearing for Reitter. The rest of the book takes place during the last three months before Reitter is scheduled to be hanged.

But now there is another "sequential killer" in London. He is killing conscientious objectors to the war and leaving suitcases in the Thames which contain only their bones. Who is this killer? And is he connected to Nicholar Reitter? And what happened to the stolen Stradivarius owned by a world-renowned violinist who is currently performing in London?

Maggie, who is somewhat out of control, drinking and smoking too much and taking too many chances on her motorcycle, has declared she is not getting involved in any more investigations, but of course she does..........

Maggie Hope is back in London with her spunky attitude and a motorbike to take down another serial murderer. A little disheartened that the book was a repeat of book six-The Queen's Accomplice in that Hope is tracking down another serial murderer with connections to the Blackout Beast. I will continue to read Maggie Hope with the hope that this was a slight bump in the series.

The series has evolved and matured since its beginning, and it is much darker now than the first books. In this one, Maggie is trying to return to normal from very difficult and demanding secret war work and a near-miss on her life, but she is numbing herself with alcohol, cigarettes, and the adrenaline of bomb disposal--while also caught up in a case involving her current flame, a Metropolitan Police Inspector, and the investigation of sequential (serial) murders. The research on this book is impeccable, but I am repelled by serial killer mysteries. So, there you have it: excellent writing with a subject that I avoid! The ending hints at big changes for Maggie's life, so of course, I'll keep reading.

Maggie Hope has been a secretary to Winston Churchill, an agent and instructor for the SOE and is now defusing unexplored bombs. She has been a spy in France and a prisoner of her own government. Her work has taken a great toll on her. She has returned to smoking, drinking too much and recklessly speeding through London on a motorcycle. As she tries to cope with her stress she also forces herself to attend the sentencing of the Blackout Beast, a serial killer who targeted her as one of his victims. With one killer sentenced for execution, another emerges who is proving to be even more dangerous.

On the banks of the Thames, suitcases are regularly being deposited that contain a white feather and the bones of young men. Dubbed Jimmy Greenteeth in the press, the killer is leaving few clues and the bones have not been matched to any missing persons. Maggie refuses to be dragged into another investigation. To provide a distraction from the murders, her boyfriend DCI Durgin shares a case of a missing Stradivarius. On the surface this seems harmless enough, but the Strad is connected to Jimmy Greenteeth in an unexpected twist.
This book presents a very different Maggie Hope from the previous novels. The war has also brought changes to her friends and those she works with. Displays of PTSD from her roommate Chuck’s husband and the internment of her co-worker Milo’s family as Italian immigrants are issues that are relevant today.

While Susan Elia MacNeal builds her story incorporating events from previous books there is enough background provided for new readers to the series. This is an excellent series that is highly recommended for fans of historical mysteries. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for providing this book for my review.

The King‘s Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal is the latest Historical Mystery Thriller featuring Maggie Hope. What I find exciting in each new book is Maggie always finds new adventures and dangerous tasks or they find her. She is talented, tireless and encourages others to serve using their gifts for the war effort as she does. She is faithful to her country giving her best even when others let her down.
Plenty of cringe worthy scenarios, twisted, scary suspense that I could not stop reading. Who is committing these horrific killings? Action and thrills as Maggie tracks the killer before another murder. Pit of your stomach angst.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. Loved it! 5 Stars

Love this series from the moment I read the first book in the Maggie Hope series.Maggie is so interesting so multi layered this is another exciting thriller in the series .Well written entertaining exciting.#netgalley#randomhouse

Maggie Hope is now disarming exploded bombs for a living. She wants to stay away from working on murder cases. Now there are men disappearing and some bones have been found in the river in suitcases. DCI Durgin is wanting her help but knows she is not wanting to get drawn back in but she is concerned that the conscientious objectors she works with are maybe among those who are disappearing. Does this have anything to do with the man on death row? Read this to figure it all out.

THE KING’S JUSTICE by Susan Elia MacNeal is the ninth book in the Maggie Hope historical fiction series. Maggie Hope has had numerous jobs including secretary to Winston Churchill, a secret agent, and currently, a defuser of bombs that were dropped in London by the Germans, but had not exploded. The novel takes place in 1942 and 1943 and includes some intense scenes. Maggie has been traumatized by her past and is living dangerously. At the same time she is dealing with a broken engagement, dating Detective Chief Inspector James Durgin, looking into the theft of a Stradivarius, and dealing with the sentencing of a serial killer.

While this is the first book that I have read by this author and I enjoyed it, I feel like this series would be best if read in series order. There is a lot of backstory that would enhance a reader’s enjoyment and understanding.

Most of the characters felt well-rounded and the relationships between them did not feel contrived. Maggie was someone that I could root for with all of her flaws and virtues. She definitely had a distinct voice and believable motivations. Her internal conflicts felt realistic and organic and the external conflicts arose out of characterization and circumstance rather than feeling contrived or forced. Several strong themes run through this novel including the horrors of war, serial killers, conscientious objectors, internment camps, PTSD and much more.

Overall, the plot was engaging, well-researched, moving and thought-provoking. The prose was well-written and engrossing. If you enjoy historical fiction, then this series may be one you will enjoy. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Susan Elia MacNeal for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

The King’s Justice is another fantastic read from Susan Elia McNeal. From defusing bombs to meeting with one serial killer to unmask another, Maggie Hope does not disappoint. Less tense than her two previous adventures, this story allows Hope to reflect on the trauma she’s experienced and it’s impact. The discussion of whether women can be serial killers is less interesting than the question raised about the morality of the death penalty. But McNeal continues to be best at exploring Maggie herself, and has a gift for telling a winding and exciting story without losing her reader. Readers of the rest of the Maggie Hope series will be satisfied, as well reader of more cerebral series like Maisie Dobbs. Recommended for a fun read.

Unexploded Bombs throughout London. White feathers being given to conscientious objectors across London. A missing Stradivarius. Seconds ticking away until the execution of the Blackout Beast. Bones turning up in suitcases in the Thames. No one reported missing. And patients mysteriously dying in a hospital.

How do these all tie together? It will take Maggie Hope to find out.

Returning to London from her ill-fated stint as a prisoner on a remote Scottish Island, Maggie Hope has declared herself done with SOE. Instead, Maggie is working in bomb disposal, smoking cigarettes again, drinking gin, riding a motorbike, generally finding ways to numb away the trauma she has experienced. When her boyfriend, DCI Durgin, tempts her with investigating the disappearance of a Stradivarius violin, Maggie finds herself slowly being pulled into investigative work once more. But how does a missing violin relate to a horrifying new serial killer, Jimmy Greenteeth? And will Maggie once more be able to stop a serial killer terrorizing London? And will she ever know peace?

A thrilling new mystery in the Maggie Hope series, following a female code-breaker and spy during World War II, past readers of the series will once again find themselves drawn into post-Blitz London, seeing old friends, facing new enemies, and holding their breath as the stakes continue to be raised. MacNeal continues to enthrall with her historical accuracy and settings, as well as presents thought-provoking conversations about war, life, life after war, and human nature.

I am eager for Maggie's next adventure--and this time, our heroine is returning to her home soil once again: America. What will happen in beautiful, sunny Los Angeles? Especially if it means reuniting with an old flame...

It’s probably more of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.

I really enjoyed this series when I read the books in the past couple of years but the last installment really disappointed me. But when I saw the release date for this 9th book of the series, there was no way I could abandon it because I still had fond memories of the main character. And I’m happy that I decided to stick with it and also got the opportunity to review it in advance.

While the previous book had a bit of a boring narrative, I loved that the author decided to go back to telling a murder mystery story because I feel it’s her strength. This time we have one serial killer waiting for his execution and a new one who has emerged and is trying to one up the other - I’ve definitely seen this kinda story before in police procedurals on TV, so while it felt like a predictable story, I liked the execution of it and also being set in a historical time during a war. The writing itself wasn’t too fast paced but it was steady, with a few tense moments and lot of introspection but I can’t say it felt like an intense thriller. This was a much more subdued kind of mystery despite the high body count. I can’t say I guessed ending perfectly before it was revealed, but I had an inkling and it was a lot of fun to be proven right.

Maggie has been a character I’ve admired since the beginning and my main point of contention in the previous book was that she had no growth. I have absolutely no complaints in that regard here because this book gives us a much more vulnerable version of her. She has been through hell, both while working as a spy and her time in Scotland and watching the trial of the serial killer from book 6 only brings back all the trauma to the forefront. For the most part she tries to be nonchalant, maintaining the stiff upper lip attitude, drowning herself in smoking, drinking and all other adrenaline inducing activities just so that she can keep the nightmares away. It was so painful to see her this way but the author gives her space to work through all her feelings as the book goes on and I thought it was very realistically done. But whatever may have happened, she is still the same smart, intuitive, kind and strong woman and it was lovely to see her stand by her convictions and values.

Detective Durgin is a capable investigator but he is also a divorced workaholic set in his ways, and it was sad to see them try to build a relationship when they really couldn’t give much to each other. Maggie’s friends Chuck and Sarah are also dealing with the effects of war and loss in their own ways and while they all couldn’t always open up to each other, it was lovely to see them still try to support as much as they could. David is still a delight, bringing some humor to the proceedings while also being very frank and insightful in providing advice to Maggie. There were also other POVs we get to follow which help us readers in trying to unravel the mystery and I thought they were quite interesting too.

As the execution of a serial killer who murdered and mutilated many young women looms around the corner in the story, Maggie as well as many other characters try to contemplate the morality of capital punishment - how it feels more like revenge rather than justice, will it really give any sense of peace to the survivors or victim’s families, how is the state any different from these killers if it gets into the business of killing for punishment. There is also a bit of discussion about nature vs nurture, how the cycle of abuse might be a pertinent factor in one becoming a deranged killer and the importance of considering it as a mental illness and studying it. As all of this is happening during WWII and the Jewish massacres by Hitler are just coming to light, it gives more weight to these discussions and I thought it was all quite thought provoking and profound without being too preachy.

Another theme which I resonated with the most was that of Maggie realizing the futility of bottling up her emotions, how we women are unfairly expected to never show anger or rage which results in affecting our own mental health. Her deciding that she will express her rage and channel it in better ways was a great moment in the book and I thought it was all wonderfully written.

At the end, all I can say is that I was glad to be back in this world following the admirable Maggie Hope and while I can’t really call this a “fun” read, it was nevertheless quite engaging. There is lot of character development and an interesting mystery, and if you’ve ever read the previous books in this series, I think you’ll really like this one. If you are unfamiliar with this series but enjoy a WWII era setting, a tenacious and smart heroine and a different fascinating mystery in every book, you should totally give this series a chance. The author hints at the proceedings moving to America again in the next installment and I’m totally here for it.

This was a pleasant change from the last in the series. It moved the main character forward and we can foresee her moving to the US, at least temporarily, in the near future. Although Durgin was an interesting foil for Maggie, they never quite connected in the book.

Maggie Hope is back in jolly old England. After her adventures in the last few books she is stressed and most likely suffering from PTSD. To get away from it all she take a job diffusing unexploded bombs in London. She is drinking too much and generally in bad shape - she just wants to forget. Her current beau, DCI Durgin, is investigating the case of another serial killer who is targeting conscientious objectors. He would like Maggie's help with the case but she wants nothing to do with anything related to her past. As more men are killed, the Blackout Beast, who is due to be executed, has information about the new serial killer. Information that he will only give to Maggie.

It was good to see Maggie back in London interacting with her old friends. This was a fast paced book and one of the better Maggie Hope books. It also deals with what much on London was dealing with during this period - wartime shortages and rationing, conscientious objectors, immigrants from Italy as well as topics regarding the death penalty, nature vs. nurture, and PTSD.
Unlike several of the more recent ones this was more of a mystery and sets up in the next book in end. Which of course I can't wait for.

I love the Maggie Hope series! The only thing is that I’ve read the last few as advance copies and then have to wait so long for the next one!

Maggie Hope is back from her harrowing Scottish ordeal, and now defusing unexploded ordinance! Because what else would you do when having PTSD and family trauma? She's drinking too much, riding her motorcycle without a helmet, pushing her relationship too fast, and being angry. I greatly appreciated that this golden girl shows realistic damage. I get it, life is complicated. Life during wartime is ever-so-much-more-so. But when push comes to shove, Maggie pulls through for her framily, and can't help investigating her missing bomb-defusing coworker, a missing Strad, and a new Sequential Murderer. The Beast's story line needed this book to get conclusion, for both myself and dear Maggie.

Another great addition to the series!