To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear

To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear

Finalist for the Inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award

Maisie Dobbs--one of the most complex and admirable characters in contemporary fiction (Richmond Times Dispatch)--faces danger and intrigue on the World War II home front.

During the months following Britain's declaration of war on Germany, Maisie Dobbs investigates a complex disappearance case involving a young apprentice working on a hush-hush government contract. As news of the plight of thousands of soldiers stranded on the beaches of France is gradually revealed to the general public, and the threat of invasion rises, another young man beloved by Maisie makes a terrible decision that will change his life forever.

Maisie's investigation leads her from the countryside of rural Hampshire to the web of wartime opportunism exploited by one of the London underworld's most powerful men, in a suspenseful case that serves as a reminder of the inextricable link between money and war. Yet when a final confrontation approaches, she must acknowledge the potential cost to her future--and the risk of destroying a dream she wants very much to become reality.

An Imperfect Vengeance, a New York Times bestseller, and four more Maisie Dobbs novels are written by Jacqueline Winspear. With her work, she has won various honors, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity prizes for Maisie Dobbs, the first novel in the series. She was born in the United Kingdom and now resides in California.