Naseeba asked Jacqueline Winspear:

Hello Ms. Winspear, I love all your books. I came across them by chance when reading a review in the newspaper. When writing your books; do have the final solution to your "mystery" all sorted out beforehand and work your way backwards? Or does the "mystery" progress as your novel does? Thank you.

Jacqueline Winspear Sometimes it's a mix of all of those things. I generally have the opening and closing scenes in my mind, and much of the story, but I always leave room for something different to come up. I don't like to be too prescriptive. I concentrate on character more than "plot" so to speak - my books are very character driven - Maisie Dobbs is the real mystery to me - but as Elizabeth George says, "Character is plot, and plot is character." I take my characters in a certain direction, and the plot thickens!

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I love the tours of places like London and the countryside, Gibraltar, etc. How did you research the city and landscapes to portray them as they were v. how they are?

Jennifer Brickner asked Jacqueline Winspear:

I loved the fact that Maisie was able to attend school at a time when it was an almost unobtainable goal for women. I felt I was really lacking details from that period. Did she ever guest lecture or go back for a reunion?

Ginny asked Jacqueline Winspear:

So happy Maisie is back, I just started In This Grave Hour. I review for Amazon, so I have the early copy. I am hoping in your future books there might be a new love interest for Maisie and a child [ her own or perhaps adopted?]

All answers from Jacqueline Winspear…

Jacqueline Winspear

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Hello Ms. Winspear, I love all your books. I came across them by chance when reading a review in the newspaper. When writing your books; do have the final solution to your "mystery" all sorted out beforehand and work your way backwards? Or does the "mystery" progress as your novel does? Thank you.

More Answered Questions

I love the tours of places like London and the countryside, Gibraltar, etc. How did you research the city and landscapes to portray them as they were v. how they are?

I loved the fact that Maisie was able to attend school at a time when it was an almost unobtainable goal for women. I felt I was really lacking details from that period. Did she ever guest lecture or go back for a reunion?

So happy Maisie is back, I just started In This Grave Hour. I review for Amazon, so I have the early copy. I am hoping in your future books there might be a new love interest for Maisie and a child [ her own or perhaps adopted?]

About Goodreads Q&A