Maisie Dobbs is the first in a thoughtful, creatively plotted series about a girl who goes to work in a great house before WWI. She is intelligent, resourceful, eager to take advantage of opportunities, spunky, and a bit sassy. Empathetic. 
 Very well written mystery. 
 This is not a "women's fiction" book; it is definitely for all readers who like mysteries, especially those in the historical fiction category.