Maid in Waiting (1931) is the seventh novel in John Galsworthy’s Forsyte Saga series and the opening book of its third trilogy, End of the Chapter. Shifting focus from the Forsytes to their aristocratic cousins, the Cherrells, the story centers on Dinny Cherrell, a spirited young woman navigating love and scandal in post-WWI England. When her brother, Hubert, faces extradition to South America for a politically charged murder accusation, Dinny orchestrates a daring legal and romantic defense—enlisting the help of a charming but cynical diplomat, Wilfrid Desert. Galsworthy contrasts Edwardian decay with modern pragmatism, weaving themes of honor, class erosion, and the lingering trauma of war.
For series devotees, Flowering Wilderness (1932) continues Dinny and Wilfrid’s turbulent relationship, while Swan Song (1928) concludes the Forsytes’ saga. Fans of interwar family epics might enjoy The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard.
