I'm Mad for Maisie! Join My Maisie Dobbs Read-Along!

It's true, I am mad for Maisie! I read the first book in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series last month and now I have set myself the challenge of reading through the entire series in time for the paperback release of The Mapping of Love and Death in February and the release of the newest Maisie Dobbs mystery, A Lesson in Secrets, in March. But rather than calling it a challenge (because honestly, who can even think about a challenge right now?) I'm inviting everyone to join my Maisie Dobbs Read-Along and join me to read one, two, or if you want, all of her books!

 

I'll be posting questions for each book according to the schedule below and encourage new and old fans to join in the conversation. We'll invite Jacqueline herself to join us on Book Club Girl on Air in April to talk all things Maisie and we'll have contests and prizes along the way (check out the one just for signing up below!)

For those who haven't yet met Maisie, you're in for a treat. Winspear has created an amazing character in Maisie Dobbs, who is a female investigator living and working in London in the 1920s and 30s, and whose stories and cases find their roots in World War I. Visit Jacqueline Winspear's website for more on the world of Maisie Dobbs and for a cast of continuing characters.

About Maisie Dobbs - The First Maisie Dobbs Novel

The daughter of a struggling greengrocer, Maisie Dobbs is only 13 when she's sent to work in the house of the wealthy Lady Rowan Compton. A voracious reader who longs to learn, she is discovered late one night reading in the library. Fearing dismissal, Maisie is shocked when she discovers that her thirst for education is to be supported by Lady Rowan and a family friend, Dr. Maurice Blanche. But The Great War intervenes in Maisie's plans, and soon after commencement of her studies at Girton College, Cambridge, Maisie enlists for nursing service overseas.

Years later, in 1929, having apprenticed to the renowned Maurice Blanche, a man revered for his work with Scotland Yard, Maisie sets up her own business. Her first assignment, a seemingly tedious inquiry involving a case of suspected infidelity, takes her not only on the trail of a killer, but back to the war she had tried so hard to forget.

The read-along will officially kick off on January 1st and run through the publication of the paperback of the most recent Maisie Dobbs novel, The Mapping of Love and Death (on sale 2/22), as well as the new Maisie Dobbs hardcover, A Lesson in Secrets (on sale 3/22). We'll end the read-along in April with a Book Club Girl on Air Show with Jacqueline to discuss all the books!

Here's the schedule of when I'll post questions to discuss for each of the books.
January 14th - Maisie Dobbs
January 31st - Birds of a Feather
February 14th - Pardonable Lies  
February 22nd - Paperback edition of The Mapping of Love and Death goes on sale
February 28th - Messenger of Truth
March 14th - An Incomplete Revenge 
March 22nd - Hardcover of A Lesson in Secrets goes on sale
March 28th- Among the Mad
April 11th- The Mapping of Love and Death
April 25th - A Lesson in Secrets

Look for updates along the way here, on Twitter (#maisiedobbs) and on the Jacqueline Winspear page on Facebook.

The first 10 people who sign up for the read-along will get this beautiful Lesson in Secrets notebook! (the Lessons in Secrets bellyband comes off)

Write a post saying you're signing up, grab the tile above and then link to your post using the Mr. Linky below. (If you don't have a blog, announce it on your Facebook and link to your status update). Then tweet about your reading using the hashtag #maisiedobbs. 

Comments

[Melissa Cummins]

I have never heard of Maisie Dobbs before, but it sounds worth reading and I'm willing to participate! Thanks so much! melissalcummins at yahoo dot com

[Darby Moran Lohrding]

Sounds Great Jen! I'll go look for a copy to order, right now!
Thanks
Darby

[Katiengibson]

Oh, I'm totally up for this! I haven't read any of the Maisie books, but they sound like my kind of story. Can't wait to start reading!

[Marthalama.wordpress.com]

I love Maisie and would love to read-along. Can't wait.

thedavi4(at)cox(dot)net

[Sharon Berger]

Thanks for featuring Maisie. I have read all thebooks and Maisie is an unforgettable character. I would love to read-along.

[Abiographersblog]

I'm really excited about this read along. I've read them all except for the Mapping of Love and Death--and what better time than now to get to it.

[Diane (bookchickdi)]

This gives me the perfect reason to crack open the Maisie Dobbs books I have beckoning me on my bookshelf.

http://bookchickdi.blogspot.com/2010/12/maisie-dobbs-read-along.html

[Christine W.]

I am mad for Maisie! Can't wait for the new book in March. I've never done a re-read though- it's time!

[Carolina Book Stacks]

I would like to join in. This sounds like fun, a book club.

[Ragingbiblioholism.wordpress.com]

I don't know that I'll be able to do all of them - that's quite a lot of the year taken up and my literary dance card is already pretty full... but I've been meaning to check out this series for some time, so I can't wait to get started!

[David Abrams]

I may not be able to participate (my To-Read stack is already pretty huge), but I'll certainly spread the word on my blog, The Quivering Pen.
David Abrams
www.davidabramsbooks.blogspot.com

[Marg]

I've been meaning to read this series for the longest time! I am not sure I can keep up with that schedule but I might try and read the first one and at least see how it goes from there.

[Gaby @ Starting Fresh]

This sounds great! I signed up but my link wasn't specific to the post. Here's the proper link to the sign up post:
http://www.startingfreshnyc.com/2010/12/signing-up-for-maisie-dobbs-read-along.html

I've emailed you with the correct link as well. Sorry about that - and thank you. This sounds so fun.
Gaby

[Darlene]

This sounds like fun Jen. I vowed not to join any challenges this year but this is different. I haven't read any of these but been curious about them - they sound great. I'm going to set my post up for tomorrow and will pop back with a link then.

[Julia]

I'm in! Thanks!

[Frl. Irene Palfy]

uuhh - I am sooo sad that there only two of the books - no 1 and 3 (!) - are released in German and than they cancelled the series translation. Maybe with the new release..

[Patti O]

I love Maisie Dobbs as she is practical, yet open-minded about the world and what one can sense. Looking forward to this read-along :)!

[trish]

I'm so bummed I can't join! If you do this again, I'll definitely participate!

[Donna Post]

I'm thrilled for the release of the newest Maisie book and am looking forward to reading through them all again! Can't think of a better way to begin the new year!

[Laura Contreras]

I've never heard of this series before, but it sounds very interesting.