The White Lady: A Novel

by Jacqueline Winspear

Hardcover, 2023

Status

Available

Call number

Mys Win

Publication

Harper (2023), 336 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: The White Lady introduces yet another extraordinary heroine from Jacqueline Winspear, creator of the best-selling Maisie Dobbs series. This heart-stopping novel, set in Post WWII Britain in 1947, follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White�??veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity�??when she is drawn back into the world of menace she has been desperate to leave behind. A reluctant ex-spy with demons of her own, Elinor finds herself facing down one of the most dangerous organized crime gangs in London, ultimately exposing corruption from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government. The private, quiet "Miss White" as Elinor is known, lives in a village in rural Kent, England, and to her fellow villagers seems something of an enigma. Well she might, as Elinor occupies a "grace and favor" property, a rare privilege offered to faithful servants of the Crown for services to the nation. But the residents of Shacklehurst have no way of knowing how dangerous Elinor's war work had been, or that their mysterious neighbor is haunted by her past. It will take Susie, the child of a young farmworker, Jim Mackie and his wife, Rose, to break through Miss White's icy demeanor�??but Jim has something in common with Elinor. He, too, is desperate to escape his past. When the powerful Mackie crime family demands a return of their prodigal son for an important job, Elinor assumes the task of protecting her neighbors, especially the bright-eyed Susie. Yet in her quest to uncover the truth behind the family's pursuit of Jim, Elinor unwittingly sets out on a treacherous path�??yet it is one that leads to her f… (more)

Original publication date

2023

Media reviews

The White Lady, although we care about Elinor, her friendships and romances are mostly absent, thus she is a less well-rounded character compared to Maisie. To compensate for the lack of relationships, Winspear has plunged Elinor into two perilous wars, yet the author could have mined the action
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for more dramatic richness and extended these scenes. The novel has mysterious elements and some suspense, but it doesn’t fall squarely into either genre. Rather, it is a portrait of a redoubtable woman who unexpectedly is drawn into solving mysteries that have surfaced in the present but also have roots in her earlier life....he White Lady is a perfect fit for lovers of historical mysteries featuring intrepid, resourceful women who emerge as equal to their male colleagues and sometimes are more courageous. As a neighbor comments about Elinor, “She’s handy with a gun.” And she’s very clever. This is an excellent outing for Winspear, and if this novel is enjoyed, the first in her series, Maisie Dobbs, is highly recommended.
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Barcode

3847
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