The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear has always operated under the specter of the Great War. Now war has come to Britain again in “To Die But Once,” the 14th novel in the series.

It is the spring of 1940 and England declared war on Germany months ago. Holland and Belgium are now occupied. The Nazis are moving across France and all non-essential personnel are being recalled to England. The English have been preparing for an aerial invasion with barrage balloons, sandbagging buildings and carrying gas masks. But when war comes, it does not come from above, but from across the English Channel. 

Maisie Dobbs is back working as a psychologist and investigator. A father comes to her worried that his 15-year-old son, Joe, has not contacted the family lately. Joe’s a responsible boy; he’s traveling and working on a crew that is painting buildings on all the airfields with a special emulsion to keep the buildings from catching on fire in case of attack. But Joe has not been himself lately; his personality has changed from happy-go-lucky to distant. He’s been complaining of terrible headaches, as well. Maisie sets out to find Joe and get to the bottom of his change in personality, but she has personal worries, too.

Maisie’s assistant Billy Beale and her best friend Priscilla Partridge each have a son in the service and another son old enough to be called up soon. Billy served in the Great War and Priscilla lost all three brothers in that conflict, so the terror is real for both. Especially for Priscilla, as her middle son, Tim, is chomping at the bit to do his part. 

Priscilla sends Tim to Chelstone, hoping that Maisie’s father Frankie can distract Tim with work on the estate. When Maisie gets word that Tim has disappeared, she has a terrible feeling she knows where he’s gone. 

Once again, Winspear takes us back to England and into the world of Maisie Dobbs, a woman with an unusual job for that time, but one at which she’s very good. Maisie uses her training and her own special powers of observation to solve the conundrums that present themselves in her life. 

I’m glad to see Maisie back to doing what she does best: solving crime and helping people. Even better, she seems to be back on an even keel in her personal life, as well, trying to help the little evacuee girl, Anna, find a permanent home, which is proving more difficult than Maisie anticipated. 

She needs to be there for Billy and Priscilla, but they aren’t the only ones worried about sons having to serve in a war, especially when the last one still has not faded from anyone’s memories. While just the thought of another war terrifies some, others see a chance to get ahead and will protect that opportunity at any cost. What turns some to patriotism and others to profit? Winspear does an excellent job of showing how everyone’s emotions affect their actions and judgement. 

Once again, Winspear tells a tale in her own unique style, plumbing the human mind for answers as the reader watches Maisie grow as a person and, in some ways, realize her own limitations. 

It’s an interesting process to watch. 

If you want to step back into another time and meet Maisie at the beginning of her journey, read the first book “Maisie Dobbs” and see how she’s grown and been shaped by what’s happened along the way.