Author Jacqueline Winspear wraps up her Masie Dobbs series with this, book number eighteen. She addresses this decision to end the series in her introduction, acknowledging that fans may not be happy with the decision but why she's made the decision.
It is 1945, London, and Maisie discovers four youngsters squatting in an abandoned home - a home that the owners have asked Maisie to check on. The four orphans are terrified of being discovered and distrustful of Maisie, though Maisie recognizes they are still 'good' children as they've taken care of a British soldier who stumbled upon them while in the throes of what we would today refer to as PTSD.

Maisie also chases some ghosts of the past - she learns that her first husband, James, had a son with Enid whom he never spoke about.

It's hard not to review the entire series of Maisie Dobbs in this wrap-up volume. Especially hard given that much of this book is a wrap-up in itself. It creates a bit of an odd paradigm because the book doesn't have a lot of story, and the one that's there - about James having a son Maisie didn't know about (James and Maisie had a good marriage, though, so why did this never come up?) was unnecessary. It didn't really add anything to the book or to the series.

As the final book in the long-running, beloved-by-many series, the book seems to try to wrap up a number of stories, or at least give us some finality to the characters (and there are a lot of them) rather than providing an exciting Maisie Dobbs mystery as has (presumably) happened over the previous seventeen books.

I'm not a huge Maisie Dobbs fan, but my wife is. She was much more disappointed in this than I was.

Looking for a good book? The Comfort of Ghosts is the final book in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Providing a lot of closure to the series fans means you'll want to be very familiar with the characters throughout the previous seventeen books. As a standalone story it leaves a lot to be desired.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Jacqueline Winspear's character, Maisie Dobbs, has earned a special place in my heart and home over the years. The books featuring her are one of the few things that my spouse and I both read and enjoy. He's a non-fiction reader for the most part, but has solid historical knowledge of the periods and places Maisie inhabits and very much enjoys Winspear's attention to detail, as well as her meditative practices, which align with some of the work he does as a therapist. This means that both of us were sad to know that this will be the last Maisie Dobbs.

Winspear has put together a lovely finish for Maisie, though. All the loose ends tied up, all of our favourite (and not so favourite) characters putting in an appearance. There are so many of them - and that has always been one of the strengths of the series. Maisie built a community, a chosen family, around her, and Winspear's writing invited us into that and those characters became just as dear to us as Maisie herself. In this book, Maisie is able to bring things full circle, not only for herself, but for the other people she has come to love.

As usual, bring your Kleenex. If you are a fan of well-written women's interwar and post-war history, you really could not go wrong with reading the Maisie books, but this one is particularly lovely because of the way Maisie (and the rest of us) are asked to honour, remember and give grace to our ghosts. It's never an easy thing to do, but it is such an important thing to do. This was a solid 4 star read for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the e-arc.

I found this book to be quite interesting. I love reading Jacqueline's books and this is one of them that was on my top favorites. It's spooky but also mysterious and those are the kind of books I love.

I am a huge fan of the Maisie Dobbs series. She has been through so much as a person that I had high expectations for her last outing and this book did not disappoint.
The book starts with a mysterious soldier coming home at the end of World War II and he stumbled upon a group of 4 young adults hiding out in a home. When young Billy Boyle or Will as he prefers, was discharged from the Military but did not come home, Maisie seeks out to find him. She does end up finding him but also gains a new mystery with the people keeping him alive. Maisie calls on her friend Priscilla to help take care of Will because he was scared to go home. He did not want his nightmares to trigger his father's PTSD.
The 4 young adults were all a part of the British civilian land army that was trained in guerilla warfare in case the Nazi invaded English soil. They had seen a murder happen of a supposed Nazi sympathizer. When the newspaper announced that the victim committed suicide, they went into hiding. They ended in London where a mysterious soldier stumbled upon them, and they meet Maisie. She decides to look into the crime and giving them as safe place to stay. While Maisie investigates, she comes to understand that Robbie MacFarlane may be involved in this case. She treads lightly but Robbie is still eager to talk to her about the young adults she's protecting.
Overall, this book was a wonderful way to send off Maisie. I loved that author Jacqueline Winspear brought back almost all Maisie's old friends because they are all integral to the book series.
Thank you to Net Galley & Soho Press for the opportunity to read this book early.

I loved this book but was also dreading the end. It's hard to say goodbye to a character you've been with for 18 books. The growth of Maisie as a character and as a woman over those 18 books has been remarkable. We've journeyed along through her loss and grief, joy and triumph - and now it feels as though we're saying farewell to a friend. I don't want to spoil the book or series for anyone who hasn't yet caught up, but suffice to say, Winspear does Maisie and her story justice in the end. I was left feeling sad it was over, but pleased with the result.

Despite the mixed emotions, I still highly recommend the series and this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction mysteries. Winspear excels at these stories, weaving in historical figures and anecdotes seamlessly.

So long, Maisie! It's been a pleasure.

What a phenomenal wrap up to the Maisie Dobbs series! Maisie finds 4 young squatters and a mysterious soldier in the London house and she needs to get the soldier home as well as protect the squatters from the hazards of having witnessed an assassinationI don’t want to give a single thing away but this was really a fantastic last book. Just sad it is the last.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

As always, this series continues to engage and delight the reader. It was sad to find that this is the last book in the series. The characters have become friends through the years as they solve crimes and mysteries, GoodBye :Masie Dobbs.

I've been reading the Maisie Dobbs series here and there for the last ten years and was thrilled when I was given the chance to read her latest edition early. I have loved following Maisie as she serves and recovers from serving in WWI, becomes a private detective, finally falls in love (twice) and has a family before being thrust back into war with the onset of WWII. This is the final book in the series and it was a satisfying and beautiful conclusion.

Very disappointed this series is ending. But a great finale - stories tying up and questions answered. I will miss Maisie Dobbs and all of you friends, colleagues and family.

Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history squat in a vacant Belgravia mansion, abandoned by its owners during the heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and finds a gravely ill demobilized soldier, struggling with his wartime experiences, sheltering with the group.

Maisie’s effort to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier uncovers a decades-old mystery involving her late husband, James Compton, who died piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As she unravels the threads of her husband’s life, Maisie confronts her own painful past and questions long-held beliefs.

The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has captivated hundreds of thousands of readers, drawn to a woman who is both a product of her time and relatable in ours, inspiring with her resilience and endurance. This final assignment, chosen by Maisie herself, not only opens a new future for her and her family but also offers a fascinating portrayal of the challenges faced by the British people at the end of the Second World War.

"The Comfort of Ghosts" is, according to Jacqueline Winspear, the last novel her popular series featuring the brilliant and compassionate Maisie Dobbs. As those who have followed Maisie's adventures know, she started out as a maid at the age of thirteen, but was fortunate to become the protégé of a wealthy mentor, Maurice Blanche. She attended good schools, studied psychology, and established her own private enquiry firm. Each of the books has at least one murder that Maisie sets out to solve and, along the way, the author delves deeply into Maisie's personal life.

In this story, which opens in October 1945, Maisie discovers four adolescents squatting in the Compton family's empty Belgravia mansion. She is determined to help these hungry and frightened youngsters. The children claim to have seen a man being shot in cold blood, and they fear that someone will come after them to keep them quiet. In addition, Maisie's colleague, Billy Beale, is distressed when his son comes back a broken man after having been starved and tortured in a Japanese prison camp. There is a large cast of characters, quite a few additional subplots, and bittersweet reminiscences of Maisie's joys and sorrows from her girlhood until the present day.

The mystery that preoccupies Maisie is only mildly interesting and its anticlimactic solution is a letdown. More compelling are the passages about Maisie's relationship with her husband; precocious ten-year-old daughter; loving parents; the mother of Maisie's late husband, Lady Rowan Compton; and troubled best friend, Priscilla, all of whom take up a great deal of Maisie's time and energy. There is a contrived surprise at the end that requires a substantial suspension of disbelief. However, it gives Maisie, a perennial do-gooder, yet another opportunity to build bridges and provide solace to those who are tormented by guilt and sorrow. This is a an overly long and convoluted finale, but diehard fans will be eager to bid farewell to Winspear's iconic heroine.

Nicely wraps up Maisie, though I'm sure going to miss her. What a wonderful, poignant, enjoyable - - - -and horrible to finish - - - title. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Winspear puts out for us to devour.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. What a wonderful conclusion to a lovely series. Historical fiction at it's absolute best with the paranormal thrown in is perfection. Highly recommend

For 18 books I have been following the life of Maisie Dobbs. Yes I said life and not character, because Maisie is as real to me as any other historical figure whose biography I have read. She has lived a full life full of up and downs. We have not come to the end of the story but not the end of her life. She will live on the shelves waiting for other readers to discover her story.

The Comfort of Ghosts is an homage to Maisie and her made family. She has been a steadfast friend to so many and in the latest book once again she helps the downtrodden find solace. She will right the wrongs that have occurred no matter who the perpetrator(s) were. Maisie rises to the occasion and is truly a Lady in all ways.
Thank you Jacqueline Winspear for such a wonderful series.

The final Maisie Dobbs book sees Maisie and her extended family dealing with the end of World War II with soldiers returning home and orphans needing a place in the world. ARC from NetGalley.

An excellent ending to the series. Maisie mentioned old cases and caught up with old friends while solving the current mystery. The mystery itself isn't the biggest focus but the four young people that are involved do take up a good portion of the book and allow characters to grow while dealing with their problems. I am sad to see the last of the series but this was a solid ending.

Although I am sad to see the Maisie Dobbs series end, this was a very worthy conclusion.

Maisie is sent to the Compton's London house to roust a group of squatters. What she finds is a group of teenagers who served as spies in England, deployed to disrupt the Nazis if they made it ashore, and a recently released prisoner of war who happens to be her long time assistant Billy's son Will. Soon she is helping the teens, who witnessed a murder, find safety and employment, and Will to recover and find a home again with his family. She solves a Compton family mystery as well, and wraps up everything in a neat bow of sorts before riding of into the sunset with Mark and Anna.

Long time readers of this series well love its ending. It's everything we loved about the series and these characters, and it answers some of the questions we are asking, and leaves others to our imagination. Thanks to Jacqueline Winspear for an extraordinary series that thought me so much about the tumultuous years of the 1910s to the 1940s in England.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I've missed Maisie and how sad I am to know this is the end. This was a great way to wrap up the series although I do wish it were longer. I'm not ready to be done with Maisie and her gang yet!

Oh, Maisie, how I will miss you! “The Comfort of Ghosts” is the final book in Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series. World War II has ended, soldiers are returning home, and Britain is starting to put itself back together. Maisie learns there are squatters in her family’s Belgravia mansion that has been sitting empty for much of the war. As she investigates, she discovers they are terrified children. How did children end up hiding in a posh mansion and where are their families? Why are they terrified?

Maisie discretely reaches out to her contacts and learns how the children were connected to the war effort, why they are hiding, and how she can help them feel safe. The next part of the story momentarily confused me. The mystery was solved, but there’s still more than half of the story left. What? How? Then realization dawned that Maisie was closing this chapter of her life as she had done with so many of her cases. And it was perfect.

Maisie Dobbs’ fans will not be disappointed with this ending. Pick it up today. If you haven’t read the series, start at the beginning; it’s worth your time.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Soho Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I did not get very far in The Comfort of Ghosts, and I do apologize. While I do appreciate your granting me early access to this novel, I soon realized that I'm just not ready to read the final Maisie Dobbs novel. I have followed Maisie ( and Jacqueline Winspear) through the entirety of their intertwined careers, and I’m not ready to let it go. So, I will of course buy The Comfort of Ghosts on or soon after June 11, and I will eventually read it. When I feel I can truly say farewell.
I hope you all understand.