30.8 Delicious Dee's Task: Maisie Dobbs

[SRC Moderator, Moderator]

30.8 Delicious Dee's Task: Maisie Dobbs

In June, after 21 years and 18 books, readers said farewell to Maisie Dobbs with the final book in the series, The Comfort of Ghosts. Maisie Dobbs is a series that I discovered from a group read in this very group back in 2012-2013.

For this task, you will pick one of the THREE options before and read book A and book B for that option. The total pages combine must exceed 500 (501 or more) You may read ONE book in the Maisie Dobbs series to meet requirements.

No children’s books may be use for this task.

Option 1
Book A – Read a book in the Maisie Dobbs series
Book B – Read a book with a single author whose initials can be found in Jacqueline Winspear. All initials count. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.

Option 2
Book A – The first book in the series won the nomination in the category “First book in a mystery series by a female author” – Read a book that meets the requirements: female author, first in series, mystery MPG- Series must contain at least 3 books published or publishing within this season (sept 1- Nov 30 2024)
Book B – read a book from one of the three nominated categories from that season of SRC
First book in a mystery series by a female author: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/7...

Books About books: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/7...

RITA Award Winners: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/7...

Option 3
Book A – The series features events that occur from 1910 to 1945. Read a book that was first published in this time period.
Book B – Read a book that has a MPG of either World War 1 or World War 2.

[Dee]

maisie approves

[Dee]

Maisie Disapproves

[Robin P]

I think you mean "below" instead of "before" in
one of the THREE options before

I love Maisie Dobbs but wish there had been more in the pre-WWII period.

[Dee]

Robin P wrote: "I think you mean "below" instead of "before" in
one of the THREE options before

I love Maisie Dobbs but wish there had been more in the pre-WWII period."

Yep that’s right - I shouldn’t type pre-coffee

[Hannah]

Hi! it's probably not really necessary, but I'd like to pin this book for the MPG Mystery please...
Reading Up On Murder

[Dee]

Hannah wrote: "Hi! it's probably not really necessary, but I'd like to pin this book for the MPG Mystery please...
Reading Up On Murder"

Good to go

[Katrisa]

Can I use this book for 2A? It has two authors but both are female.
Storm's Fury

[Dee]

Katrisa wrote: "Can I use this book for 2A? It has two authors but both are female.
Storm's Fury"

I'm verifying with the mods - but I want to keep it as single author (pending what they say - sorry!)

[KmarieD, Moderator]

For at least three books in the series, does it count if the 3rd book isn't coming out until January but is listed on the series page?

[Dee]

KmarieD wrote: "For at least three books in the series, does it count if the 3rd book isn't coming out until January but is listed on the series page?"

hi - we're going to mod the task to say three books currently published (or that will be published within the time frame of this challenge) - sorry about that

[KmarieD, Moderator]

Dee wrote: "KmarieD wrote: "For at least three books in the series, does it count if the 3rd book isn't coming out until January but is listed on the series page?"

hi - we're going to mod the task to say thre..."

Thanks, that's fine. It's what I thought, but wasn't sure. I didn't want to miss a place for my book if it did fit.

[KmarieD, Moderator]

Second question:

I also have a book that says Book 1, but there is also a book 0 on the series page. Which is considered the first in the series?

Her Darkest Nightmare

[Dee]

KmarieD wrote: "Second question:

I also have a book that says Book 1, but there is also a book 0 on the series page. Which is considered the first in the series?

Her Darkest Nightmare"

go with the GR series numbering

[Kathy KS]

Kathy KS

For Option 3, book 1:
Must the MPG specifically have Arabic numerals (1 and/or 2)
OR
may they be also be Roman numerals (I and/or II)?

When I search, I find more with Roman numerals, but wanted to check first.

[Dee]

Kathy KS wrote: "Kathy KS

For Option 3, book 1:
Must the MPG specifically have Arabic numerals (1 and/or 2)
OR
may they be also be Roman numerals (I and/or II)?

When I search, I find more with Roman numerals, but..."

As in World War I? World War II? Can you give me a book to take a look at

[Kathy KS]

Yes. Here's one example:
Fall of Giants

The MPG is World War I (Roman numeral). If you click on it, you can see the shelf that clearly has a Roman numeral, NOT Arabic.

My original search of the same term in the shelf search using both ways differed by several hundred titles. I didn't do a title by title comparison.

[KmarieD, Moderator]

Dee wrote: "KmarieD wrote: "Second question:

I also have a book that says Book 1, but there is also a book 0 on the series page. Which is considered the first in the series?

Just confirming this, I can read Hanover House which is Book 0 and that will count as the first book in the series? I haven't read this one either since I didn't know it was there until I was looking up the other book to see if it had 3 books in the series.

[Jayne, Moderator Emeritus]

Kathy KS wrote: "Yes. Here's one example:
Fall of Giants

The MPG is World War I (Roman numeral). If you click on it, you can see the shelf that clearly has a Roman numeral, NOT Arabic.

My original ..."

Just going to chime in here - that would fall under the default SRC rule of allowing reasonable variants of a given MPG. I think everyone could agree that "World War I" and "World War 1" are the same thing!

[Dee]

Jayne wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "Yes. Here's one example:
Fall of Giants

The MPG is World War I (Roman numeral). If you click on it, you can see the shelf that clearly has a Roman numeral, NOT Arab..."

Thanks Jayne - I was going to verify but I was pretty sure that was the rule

[Dee]

KmarieD wrote: "Dee wrote: "KmarieD wrote: "Second question:

I also have a book that says Book 1, but there is also a book 0 on the series page. Which is considered the first in the series?

Just confirming this,..."

I’m going to say no - it must be numbered 1 - 0 to me indicates a prequel

[KmarieD, Moderator]

Dee wrote: "KmarieD wrote: "Dee wrote: "KmarieD wrote: "Second question:

I also have a book that says Book 1, but there is also a book 0 on the series page. Which is considered the first in the series?

Just ..."

Okay, wasn't sure what you meant by following GR series numbering. I tend to agree that 0 usually means prequel, and I don't always bother to read the prequel before starting a series, but the description of the book seemed worth it if needed for this task.

I will just use my original book, Her Darkest Nightmare, since it is listed as #1.

[Kathy KS]

Jayne wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "Yes. Here's one example:
Fall of Giants

The MPG is World War I (Roman numeral). If you click on it, you can see the shelf that clearly has a Roman numeral, NOT Arab..."

That's extremely logical and what I was trying to point out. It's been awhile since I read the entire guidelines/rules, so didn't remember that might be included there. Thanks to both of you

[Jayne, Moderator Emeritus]

Hi Dee, when you have a moment could you lock in Guilty Pleasures as having MPG Mystery please? It's currently hidden under the "more" button and might drop off :)

[Dee]

Jayne wrote: "Hi Dee, when you have a moment could you lock in Guilty Pleasures as having MPG Mystery please? It's currently hidden under the "more" button and might drop off :)"

doneski

[Mrsgeo]

There are three published books in a series I want you use, reading #1 as per instructions. However, one of the 3 books is a prequel (#0.5), so can I still use the series?

[Dee]

Mrsgeo wrote: "There are three published books in a series I want you use, reading #1 as per instructions. However, one of the 3 books is a prequel (#0.5), so can I still use the series?"

hi - i ruled above that prequels didn't count in the numbers for the purpose of this task - sorry

[Mrsgeo]

Dee wrote: "Mrsgeo wrote: "There are three published books in a series I want you use, reading #1 as per instructions. However, one of the 3 books is a prequel (#0.5), so can I still use the series?"

hi - i r..."
That's what I thought but wanted to check about the series as a whole, just in case. Back to the drawing board!

[Amy]

Want to make sure I'm clear on Option 2. The book The Long Call by Ann Cleeves is the first in a mystery series by a female author. There are 3 primary works, the last one published in 2023.

According to your comment (#11), I read it that the books work as long as the third one is being published during this challenge period or before. Am I correct?

[Dee]

Amy wrote: "Want to make sure I'm clear on Option 2. The book The Long Call by Ann Cleeves is the first in a mystery series by a female author. There are 3 primary works, the las..."

Yes that’s correct