March is Maisie Month!
Jacqueline Winspear is releasing her latest Maisie Dobbs book, Elegy for Eddie and to celebrate TLC Book Tours is showcasing ALL of the Maisie Dobbs books. I had not met Maisie until now but I am sure glad I have been introduced as you will see from my review of The Mapping of Love and Death.
There is a whole month of reviews and Twitter chats. To see the schedule and to keep up with all things Maisie you can check out Jacqueline Winspear on Facebook.
Now on to my review of The Mapping of Love and Death.
About the Book:
August 1914. As Michael Clifton is mapping land he has just purchased in California’s beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, war is declared in Europe—and duty-bound to his father’s native country, the young cartographer soon sets sail for England to serve in the British army. Three years later, he is listed as missing in action.
April 1932. After Michael’s remains are unearthed in France, his parents retain London psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs, hoping she can find the unnamed nurse whose love letters were among their late son’s belongings. It is a quest that leads Maisie back to her own bittersweet wartime love—and to the stunning discovery that Michael Clifton was murdered in his dugout. Suddenly an exposed web of intrigue and violence threatens to ensnare the dead soldier’s family and even Maisie herself as she attempts to cope with the impending loss of her mentor and the unsettling awareness that she is once again falling in love.
About the Author:
About the Author:
Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Following higher education at the University of London’s Institute of Education, Jacqueline worked in academic publishing, in higher education, and in marketing communications in the UK.
She emigrated to the United States in 1990, and while working in business and as a personal / professional coach, Jacqueline embarked upon a life-long dream to be a writer.
A regular contributor to journals covering international education, Jacqueline has published articles in women’s magazines and has also recorded her essays for KQED radio in San Francisco. She lives in California and is a regular visitor to the United Kingdom and Europe.
Jacqueline’s novels thus far—Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, An Incomplete Revenge, and Among the Mad, The Mapping of Love and Death, and A Lesson in Secrets are set in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with the roots of each story set in the Great War, 1914–1918. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards.
Find out more about Jacqueline at her website, www.jacquelinewinspear.com, and find her on Facebook.
My Opinion:
Oh where have you been Maisie Dobbs? I can’t believe I had never heard of this heroine! Again, I LOVE reviewing books – I find myself introduced to book I never would have found otherwise. Some of them are iffy but then I come across gems like The Mapping of Love and Death and I find myself with a new series. I now wish I had time to just sit and read Maisie’s story from start to finish. She is a fun, plucky woman with brains and courage to spare.
Oftentimes when one jumps into a series the reader can feel at a loss but that never once happened to me as I read this book. I felt comfortable at once in Maisie’s world in spite of references to past actions and people. Ms. Winspear weaves her tale so fluidly that you feel as if you know all of the characters. I am sure that anyone having read the previous books will have a deeper knowledge that will only enhance their reading of the current book.
This tale starts at the cusp of the declaration of war (WWI) in England. Young Michael Clifton is in California mapping a piece of property he has just purchased. As he plans his trip home to Boston he learns of the war and decides to enlist; his father is English and his youthful enthusiasm has him hurrying over to offer his skills as a cartographer. A skill much in demand. He is subsequently lost in the war.
Maisie Dobbs is an investigator and Michael’s parents are referred to her when his remains are found. Michael had been corresponding with a young woman and his mother would like to find her. In addition, Mr. Clifton reads the report of his death and with the advice of a doctor friend they take the report to Maisie. She sees immediately that something is not right. She starts to investigate Michael’s time in England.
It was so refreshing to follow along with Maisie’s thinking and the comparatively slow pace of investigation in the pre-computer age. Pieces of Maisie’s past parallel what she learns and her reminiscences allow her insight into her case and let her move forward in her life. A bit of a romance awaits her as well. This book seamlessly weaves all aspects of Maisie’s life and her diligent work into a very readable book. I didn’t want to leave Maisie’s world. I think any who read her stories will enjoy them just as much.
You can see the entire Tour Schedule HERE
You can purchase The Mapping of Love and Death on Amazon.com
You can purchase Elegy for Eddie on Amazon.com
My Opinion:
Oh where have you been Maisie Dobbs? I can’t believe I had never heard of this heroine! Again, I LOVE reviewing books – I find myself introduced to book I never would have found otherwise. Some of them are iffy but then I come across gems like The Mapping of Love and Death and I find myself with a new series. I now wish I had time to just sit and read Maisie’s story from start to finish. She is a fun, plucky woman with brains and courage to spare.
Oftentimes when one jumps into a series the reader can feel at a loss but that never once happened to me as I read this book. I felt comfortable at once in Maisie’s world in spite of references to past actions and people. Ms. Winspear weaves her tale so fluidly that you feel as if you know all of the characters. I am sure that anyone having read the previous books will have a deeper knowledge that will only enhance their reading of the current book.
This tale starts at the cusp of the declaration of war (WWI) in England. Young Michael Clifton is in California mapping a piece of property he has just purchased. As he plans his trip home to Boston he learns of the war and decides to enlist; his father is English and his youthful enthusiasm has him hurrying over to offer his skills as a cartographer. A skill much in demand. He is subsequently lost in the war.
Maisie Dobbs is an investigator and Michael’s parents are referred to her when his remains are found. Michael had been corresponding with a young woman and his mother would like to find her. In addition, Mr. Clifton reads the report of his death and with the advice of a doctor friend they take the report to Maisie. She sees immediately that something is not right. She starts to investigate Michael’s time in England.
It was so refreshing to follow along with Maisie’s thinking and the comparatively slow pace of investigation in the pre-computer age. Pieces of Maisie’s past parallel what she learns and her reminiscences allow her insight into her case and let her move forward in her life. A bit of a romance awaits her as well. This book seamlessly weaves all aspects of Maisie’s life and her diligent work into a very readable book. I didn’t want to leave Maisie’s world. I think any who read her stories will enjoy them just as much.
You can see the entire Tour Schedule HERE
You can purchase The Mapping of Love and Death on Amazon.com
You can purchase Elegy for Eddie on Amazon.com
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Mapping of Love and Death gratis from TLC Book Tours. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by my receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.
