Speller, Elizabeth

As unforgettable as Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong, this highly recommended title will be savored by historical fiction fans. It deserves a prominent spot in any collection of fiction about the Great War.

Speller's follow-up to her acclaimed debut, The Return of Captain John Emmett, is a well-crafted mystery with intriguing historical details and measured pacing that creates suspense. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series and readers who enjoy well-drawn characters in historicals will add this to their wish list.

World War I history buffs will enjoy this mystery, as will fans of period pieces set in London. Readers who like Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series will enjoy this as well. [Previewed in M.M. Adjarian's genre spotlight, "Dispatches from the Edge," LJ 4/15/11.—Ed.]