Tuesday, April 24, 2018

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      
 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.  

Today I'm featuring a current read, To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear.  The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

 To Die but Once (Maisie Dobbs, #14) 

Prologue
Hampshire, England, May 1940

The boy had not had a day without a headache in weeks.  How many weeks was it now?  And how many aspirin powders had he taken, every night when he arrived back at his digs--a shared room in another lodging house in another town?  Another town with airfields close by, and buildings to be painted with that viscous gray emulsion.  He wondered about the aspirin and the emulsion as he walked home from the pub, and deep down inside himself, he knew that one had something to do with the other, though his mates on the job hadn't complained.  Not that he'd dare say anything--no, he had to keep his mouth shut, because he was lucky to have a job at all, so there was nothing to whine about.  And if truth be told, he should not have been at the pub drinking--but the landlord didn't mind, probably didn't even know.  After all, the boy had come in with the older lads, and it's not as if he looked like an apprentice.


 
What do you think?  Would you continue reading?
This is the fourteenth book in the Maisie Dobbs historical mystery series.  The first part of the series is set in World War I England, and the last few books have progressed in time to World War II.  Maisie herself is an interesting character who comes from humble beginnings, and rises to the title of Lady, with substantial means.  But Maisie has never forgotten where she came from and downplays her influential standing.  She is still a champion of the commoner, whose sole motivation is justice for those who have been wronged.

In each book, Winspear weaves a story with authentic detail that immerses the reader in the time period and the lives of the cast of beloved returning characters.  This is one of my favorite historical series, and I eagerly await and savor each new installment.



This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing of this original post on Google+ are appreciated.

18 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you featured this book today. I love this series, but wasn't aware that this latest book had come out yet. I'm off to check our library's website and put my name on the list. Thanks Catherine.

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    1. Hope the wait isn't too long. I was lucky enough to put my reserve in before publication date.

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  2. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I would keep reading

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  3. A definite yes from me, this is one author/series that I have wanted to explore anyway so thanks for sharing the opening.

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    1. Hope you get the chance to sample this series. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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  4. I liked that intro but, I don't want to start any new series books at this time. I'll look for your review.

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    1. I wish I had your resolve, Diane. Each new mystery and cozy series is like a shiny object to me that I can't resist. Luckily I got in on the Maisie Dobbs series soon after the first book is published, and have stuck with it every since. One of the few series that I'm all caught up on!

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  5. I'd keep reading. I like the way she says - 'The Boy...'

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  6. I've only read one Maisie Dobbs book, but I enjoyed it. I've been meaning to read more. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  7. I have been meaning to start this series for a while. It looks like I'll be visiting my public library which I haven't done yet since I moved to this town. Happy reading!

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    1. Even if you just read the first two or three books, I recommend it.

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  8. I've actually never tried this author but it does sound good. I'll look at the first book in the series to see if it interests me. Thanks for sharing!
    Laura ;)

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  9. I like the intro but since it's #14 in the series I'd pass.

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  10. I burnt out on this series in book 3 or 4 I think but I did love the mysteries and Maisie herself. Maybe I need to give it another try? I like the first paragraph and am wondering just what he is going to do.

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    1. If I recall correctly, book 4 was a bit of an anomaly. It didn't really fit with the rest in the series. Beyond that, the series gets better.

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  11. I still haven't read any of the Maisie Dobbs series, but I the covers always grab my attention.

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  12. I've read some in the series and liked it very much.

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