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  • A Sunlit Weapon

  • A Novel (Maisie Dobbs, Book 17)
  • Written by: Jacqueline Winspear
  • Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
  • Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (61 ratings)

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A Sunlit Weapon

Written by: Jacqueline Winspear
Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
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Publisher's Summary

In the latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series, a series of possible attacks on British pilots leads Jacqueline Winspear's beloved heroine Maisie Dobbs into a mystery involving First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

October 1942. Jo Hardy, a 22-year-old ferry pilot, is delivering a Supermarine Spitfire—the fastest fighter aircraft in the world—to Biggin Hill Aerodrome, when she realizes someone is shooting at her aircraft from the ground. Returning to the location on foot, she finds an American serviceman in a barn, bound and gagged. She rescues the man, who is handed over to the American military police; it quickly emerges that he is considered a suspect in the disappearance of a fellow soldier who is missing.

Tragedy strikes two days later, when another ferry pilot crashes in the same area where Jo’s plane was attacked. At the suggestion of one of her colleagues, Jo seeks the help of psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs.  Meanwhile, Maisie’s husband, a high-ranking political attaché based at the American embassy, is in the thick of ensuring security is tight for the first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, during her visit to the Britain. There’s already evidence that German agents have been circling: the wife of a president represents a high value target. Mrs. Roosevelt is clearly in danger, and there may well be a direct connection to the death of the woman ferry pilot and the recent activities of two American servicemen.

To guarantee the safety of the First Lady—and of the soldier being held in police custody—Maisie must uncover that connection. At the same time, she faces difficulties of an entirely different nature with her young daughter, Anna, who is experiencing wartime struggles of her own.

©2022 Jacqueline Winspear (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about A Sunlit Weapon

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    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, kept me interested.

I enjoyed the story, intelligent approach for the most part. Recording tending to sound a bit under water.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Top notch

I have listened to this series on audio books, and have enjoyed every single one of them. This one was particularly enjoyable, as a lot of Maisie's life becomes settled. I admire her strengths, her caring for others, and her love for her family.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Brave Women

I think this was an excellent book. It brought out very clearly the incredible risks taken by the women who ferried the planes and their heroism. My husband is a pilot in his 80’s and loved the book as well.
I do appreciate the research the author puts into each of her novels.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Maisie Dobbs series

Having listened to all 17 titles in the Maisie Dobbs series, I can say that I have sincerely enjoyed the whole series with its continuity and great story lines. As each title built on the previous one, you get a more complete view of the world during this time. The narrator was also great, and I’m glad she did the whole series.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Very hard to listen to

I am a fan of Jacqueline Winspear but I found it very difficult to listen to this audiobook.
The accents adopted by the narrator for the characters did not match the personalities and were inconsistent .
All the characters seemed to sound whiny and there was little humour . It seemed like a different author was writing about the characters from the previous books
I really had to struggle to listen until the end
I really am not sure if it was the story or the narration that made it so hard but I think it was mainly the narration
The story did seem unbelievable but I was interested in the outcome which is why I made myself keep listening .
I will try and read the book and see if it seems better
For Maggie fans I would recommend getting the e book rather than the audio book
Very disappointing and a waste of my credit as I will not be able to listen to this book again

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Getting Harder to Like Saint Maisie

I have listened to all the Maisie Dobbs books, and I think this will probably be my last. It's not that it's a bad book ... it is fast paced and involving, and it is set in one of my favourite periods for literature - the first half of the 20th century in England and Europe.
But this one has really crossed the line in describing Saint Maisie ... is it just Orla Cassidy's dolorous narration, or is it the character, or is it both? It's like there is a Greek chorus following Maisie around, consistently reminding the reader that she is a paragon of all things intelligent and genteel, a born leader, a great friend, and now the perfect wife and mother. Enough! I'd like to see a few dents in her armour. It wouldn't be so bad if she showed even a scintilla of a sense of humour, but nope ... she could turn a light operetta into a dirge.
I really like the supporting characters surrounding Maisie, especially Billy, but her interactions with them are so patronizing and above-it-all, that they are usually reduced to caricatures to prop up her halo.
So thanks Ms. Winspear, but unless you turn Maisie back into the human being she started out as in Book 1, I'll pass on any future installments

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sunlit weapon

I loved all the Maisie Dobbs books, fantastic narration and exciting storyline, believable characters

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Love this series

Wonderful and have listened several times. I look forward to the next one!
Quick correction - Newfoundland rhymes with understan- no ‘d’.😄

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another excellent story

I just love these books, the history and bringing a picture to my mind of what life must have been like fir my mum who was 11 when WW 2 started. I’m hoping there is another book to follow. Orlagh Cassidy is a tremendous storyteller.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not as compelling as the Previous Novels

The character of Maisie comes across as less than the role model of the independent, confident woman the author has set her up to be throughout the series. Her marriage has created an uncomfortable image, that of the submissive wife who talks a good line about independence, but doesn’t practice it.
Additionally, there is a preachiness in the narrative that becomes both redundant and irritating.
I don’t wish to say the book is not good at all, it’s just quite less compelling than I expected. It’s less than I expected from Jacqueline Winspear.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2022-03-31

Another excellent Maise Dobbs installment

Jacqueline Winspear has again written a wonderful entwined mystery which is well researched. It is enhanced by the narration of Orlagh Cassidy, who gives Maise’s voice the perfect inflection and grace it deserves. Well done! (Just a note though, “Morris” Blanche should be changed back to the original French pronunciation of “Maurice” that it is in all the other Maise Dobbs series.) Thanks to both Ms Winspear and Ms Cassidy for hours of enjoyment!

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7 people found this helpful

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  • Ann
  • 2022-03-23

So good

I loved it as usual and it had multiple subplots, so I could barely get anything else done. I just had to get to the end. My only complaint would be the pronoun is toon of Maurice’s name by the narrator like Morice. It would stop me cold. “Who is that?”
I had to think about it. Then I would remember it was her mentor.

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  • Shortmom
  • 2022-05-26

Sappy + could use consistency in narration

Have enjoyed many Maisie Dobbs books but this one dragged. Did appreciate the info about women pilots and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Would be nice if the narrator, who really is usually very good, would review her previous audiobooks to be more consistent in voices as well as how she pronounces “Maurice”. In the majority of the Dobbs books, she says it in the French manner, in one book (not remembering off hand which at this moment), she says, “Morris” which seems to be how Ms. Cassidy is handling the name this time around. Rather jarring, that.
This was an OK listen, but not sure I will purchase future audiobooks.

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  • Max
  • 2022-08-01

Convoluted to say the least…

This book was such a disappointment. The story was so convoluted and implausible. To add insult to injury the narrator who is usually incredibly good fell down on the job with the American accents….so flat and contrived.Her pronunciation of “Maurice” changed in this book to plain old Morris. Maurice is a constant thread in all the books and I can’t imagine why it changed. I found it jarring. The storyline was far fetched but will say the background on the women pilots was interesting and the same for Eleanor Roosevelt. My mother grew up in South London during the period Ms Winspear writes about which made her books special for me. However there’s nothing special about this book….

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Stevon
  • 2022-08-01

M Dobbs does her thing

A nice, methodical mystery solved in true Maisie style. Who knew she would uncover a plot to assassinate Eleanor Roosevelt on a visit to the UK in 1942 while working on her own case.

Sometimes in listening to this series I wonder if these books were even meant for me, I'm a guy and it's clear, to me at least, that women, young women should be reading it. I'm supportive of women aspiring to be the best they can be. Plus, in the end I enjoy the stories!

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  • Dolly Jane Prenzel
  • 2022-05-26

Learned so much

About WWII and the men and women who served. The information presented at the end about women pilots was illuminating. Great mystery too!

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • C. Estes
  • 2022-05-21

Disappointed

A nice premise spoiled with cloying detail that came across as filler. The accents were distracting to the point of silly. More than once I wondered if this book was the product of ghost writers. This work is a far cry from earlier novels. Do not recommend.

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  • sharon
  • 2022-04-01

Not up to Par

I have read/listened to every Maisie Dobbs book. I am sorry to say I was disappointed in the story line in this one.
Why does everyone feel the obligation to make a statement on Racism? Although I agree there was much
mistreatment and segregation of the races in WW2 I felt this book was very "Preachy" and this theme took over the premise
of the story which was supposed to be about planes being shot down by spies.
The rest of the plot was a little too complicated by very damaged characters and did not resolve in a coherent way.
Disappointed ! Please stay out of the political/social arena in future books. Narration was perfect.

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  • SouthernSwede
  • 2023-04-15

Another great addition to the series!

Love this series and the narrator. Such great storylines against the backdrop of important history.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2023-04-07

Just finished listening to the last Maisie Dobbs. Have listened to all!

This was a great series! Loved Maisie and all the characters were wonderful- I felt like I knew them! Narration was just great and the history was informative and interesting. Would love to have a PBS series - would fit into their programming perfectly!

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  • Audible user
  • 2022-04-13

Great Story

This was an excellent and exciting story to listen to, very suspenseful, and full of interesting historical details. I didn’t know much about the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary before, and it was well worth finding out about them. I also love Maisie as a character and I’m so happy that she now has a wonderful husband and daughter.

The narrator does let this down at times though, since her accent is odd. She’s clearly not English, and while she usually does not too badly, the way she says “fillum”. Instead of “film” is bizarre. There’s quite a few mispronounced words and some places where her accent slips for a time.

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