There is a scene in this novel that is almost too heartbreaking to read. Its violence is palpable and its consequences sickening ... Elinor’s single-handed battle against the coldblooded gang is tied to this novel’s timely theme: how men have always underestimated women and how women have used that to their advantage ... That Elinor uses this power for good is among the many reasons she is such an appealing character — and one I hope readers will get to know better someday.
Unlike le Carré, whose good guys and bad guys are tough to tell apart, Winspear resists ambiguity. Her The White Lady, set in a simpler time, gives readers a new do-gooder to enjoy doing good.
The chapters illuminating Elinor’s dramatic backstory add vulnerability to her characterization, enriching the suspenseful main narrative. This will please both Winspear’s fans and new readers.
