The second book in the Maisie Dobbs series didn't appeal to me quite as much as the first. What I enjoy about these books is Maisie's strenght and smarts, and the ongoing exploration of the impact of world war on the people whose lives are changed forever by it. What I don't enjoy as much is the yoga/meditation/new age psychology aspect of Maisie's approach to intuitive investigation -- in other words, what truly makes Maisie different and unusual as an investigator. 
 In the first book, what really held my attention and moved me was Maisie's war experience, as well as the backstory on her development from servant girl to professional woman. Here, in book #2, we see Maisie at work, and until the last third or so, the investigation itself just isn't compelling enough to overcome the squishier bits about Maisie's inner strengths and her approach to understanding the world. 
 As in the first book, the narrative is strongest when it focuses on the lasting devastation caused by war, in ways both predictable and utterly unexpected. It's terrible to see the effects that still linger on individuals, families, and society at large more than a decade after the war's end. 
 While I enjoy the writing about the era and some of the characters, the overall approach to Maisie's investigations mostly irritates me, enough that I doubt I'll want to continue with the series -- unless someone can convince me that it's worth sticking with!