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In The Comfort of Ghosts, Jacqueline Winspear gives Maisie Dobbs one final case—and it’s a poignant one. Set in post-WWII London, the story centers on four adolescent orphans squatting in a crumbling Belgravia mansion. Traumatized, street-smart, and fiercely loyal to one another, the teens are under the watchful eye of a wounded ex-soldier and a troubled nurse. When Maisie is asked to intervene, she uncovers secrets about the house, the young squatters’ pasts, and a wartime murder that still casts a shadow.
As always, Maisie brings empathy as much as intellect to the investigation. Alongside her inquiries, she’s grappling with big life decisions—about love, family, and her future. Familiar characters return, and their appearances feel like warm, well-earned goodbyes.
Though slower paced and more reflective than earlier books, this final chapter is rich in emotion and anchored by timely themes: the long reach of war, found family, and the scars people carry—visible or not.
Winspear doesn’t tie every bow neatly, but that feels true to life. If you’ve grown up with Maisie over these 18 books, this last one will hit you in the heart. And if you’re just getting started, you’re in for a thoughtful, rewarding ride.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for a review copy of the eBook. The opinions are my own.