The whole feel of this book is totally different than what I expected. I was sort of expecting a cozy mystery type book, but it really isn't! The book really has distinct sections: the 1st section where Maisie does private eye work, and the 2nd section which really is the meat of the book. One gets the feeling during the 1st section that that is all, but the 2nd section is intense and engrossing. Of course, if one hadn't read the 1st, then details in the 2nd would make no sense, and the ease of the connections is necessary and evident. And the character of Maurice makes it evident that the idea of evil is no mystery to Maisie! I went through the "currently reading" of my friends, and discovered that Debbie (I think?) was currently reading a much later "Maisie Dobbs" book, and that prompted me to go through the Audible audiobooks that I previously bought but have not yet read, and this is the 1st. I also own the 2nd, and now I know that I need to get to that in a timely fashion.