Maisie Dobbs Mystery - book 2
Maisie gets hired by a wealthy industrialist to find his only daughter, Charlotte Waite, who has gone missing. With the help of her cockney assistant, Billy Beale, Maisie sets out to learn all she can of Charlotte's habits, character and friends.
No sooner has Maisie discovered the identities of three of these friends than they start turning up dead—poisoned, then bayoneted for good measure. At each crime scene is left a white feather. Increasingly preoccupied with these tragedies, Maisie almost loses sight of her original mission, until it becomes apparent that the murders and Charlotte's disappearance are related.
What I enjoy about this series is the layers in the storyline. Maisie's assistance, Billy Beale, has been struggling with chronic pain from a war wound. But lately even Maisie has noticed an erratic change in behavior and discovers that he has been self-medicating using cocaine. So she strives to find a way to help him that doesn't destroy their relationship. I find her storytelling really compelling and am looking forward to reading the next book.