Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Celebrate Pride with Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ 2025
Joanne Dobson
78 ratings | 12 reviews | avg rating:3.99

Joanne Dobson’s Followers (73)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo

Joanne’s Bookshelves

to-read (80)
currently-reading (35)
read (118)
influences (2)
want-to-read (1)

Joanne’s Friends (359)

Aari Lu...
Aari Ludvigsen
1,360 books | 278 friends

Patti
Patti
5,103 books | 222 friends

Jen
Jen
1,888 books | 426 friends

Shelley
Shelley
402 books | 104 friends

S.W. Hu...
S.W. Hubbard
866 books | 1,068 friends

Vickie
Vickie
8,361 books | 434 friends

Rogue R...
Rogue Reader
2,298 books | 54 friends

Melina ...
Melina Selverston-scher
586 books | 136 friends

More friends�

Joanne Dobson

Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author


Born
March 27

Website

Twitter

Genre
Mystery & Thrillers, Historical Fiction, Fiction

Member Since
February 2014


At midlife, after two decades as an English professor and literary scholar, Joanne Dobson surprised herself (and her colleagues) by writing a mystery novel set at a small, elite, New England college where the curriculum seemed to offer a major in murder. Joanne was even more surprised when QUIETER THAN SLEEP (1997) was published by Doubleday. QUIETER was the first of the six Professor Karen Pelletier academic mystery novels, and the sheer pleasure of writing mysteries lured Joanne's feet from the straight path of tenured professorship to the slippery slope of 21st-century fiction writing.

And now comes an unexpected new surprise, THE KASHMIRI SHAWL (2014). An historical novel set in an India in violent rebellion (1857) and an America on the ...more

Ask the Author

To ask Joanne Dobson questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Joanne Dobson "I dwell in Possibility," Emily Dickinson says. That's what I love about being a writer--dwelling in possibility.…m´Ç°ù±ð"I dwell in Possibility," Emily Dickinson says. That's what I love about being a writer--dwelling in possibility.(less)
flag
Not so much a question as it is a compliment! I finished it last week, and have found that the emotions I felt while reading it have stayed with me. Vivid scenes and scenarios keep popping up in my mind, and I keep bringing it up with people in the course of conversations. Have been recommending it all around! Thank you for your gift of these pleasures. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ tells me this has to have a question mark, so ?
Joanne Dobson Abigail, Thank you for this! and for the lovely Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review! I'm especially happy that both the scenes and the emotions came alive with you and h…m´Ç°ù±ðAbigail, Thank you for this! and for the lovely Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review! I'm especially happy that both the scenes and the emotions came alive with you and have stayed with you.

The emotions I claim as my own, and have found them reflected movingly in the multitude of 19th-century American women's novels and stories I've read both on my own and as a part of my literary scholarship. (My 1997 essay, "Reclaiming Sentimental Literature," can be found in the scholarly journal American Literature, if you are so moved!)

The scenes, ah, the scenes! I had the great privilege of spending four solid weeks in the capacious library of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, reading mid-nineteenth-century newspapers, magazines, books, letters, handling writing paper and straight pens and inkwells and pen-wipers. Then I took that historical immersion in 19th-century New York City right into 21st-century New York City, and walked just about every step that Anna takes, so I could feel the City beneath my feet, and in the air, and in the geography. As for India, I got as close as Sri Lanka, that beautiful island Anna would have known as Ceylon. And missionary wives wrote such beautiful letters about their surroundings in India!

So, you offered me a question mark without a question, and I have given you answers without questions! Fun? Fun!(less)
flag
See all 7 answers from Joanne Dobson�

Combine Editions

Average rating: 3.94 · 4,130 ratings · 527 reviews · 18 distinct works â€� Similar authors
Quieter than Sleep (A Karen...
3.74 avg rating — 547 ratings — published 1997 — 10 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Northbury Papers (A Kar...
3.84 avg rating — 409 ratings — published 1998 — 8 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Raven and the Nightinga...
3.85 avg rating — 402 ratings — published 1999 — 10 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Cold and Pure and Very Dead...
3.70 avg rating — 361 ratings — published 2000 — 10 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Maltese Manuscript (A K...
3.70 avg rating — 304 ratings — published 2003 — 14 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Death Without Tenure (A Kar...
3.54 avg rating — 305 ratings — published 2009 — 16 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Kashmiri Shawl: A Novel
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 110 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Face of the Enemy: A New Yo...
by
3.73 avg rating — 91 ratings — published 2012 — 17 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
In the Attic: A Professor K...
3.80 avg rating — 20 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Dickinson and the Strategie...
3.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 1989 — 2 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
More books by Joanne Dobson…

3 posts
Joanne Dobson's Blog

Why the Heck I Published ... Part 2

In my last post, "Why the Heck I Published My New Book with Amazon," I ended on a hopeful note, stating that "the book world is getting a much needed shake-up." What I didn't say, in so many words, anyhow, is that I, among many other respectable established mid-list authors, have become collateral damage in that shake-up. And I have to admit that, even though I carefully designate myself as an Ind Read more of this blog post »
3 likes ·   •  7 comments  •  flag
Published on November 07, 2014 13:42 • Tags: amazon, dickinson, independent-publishing, the-kashmiri-shawl, whitman
View all 3 posts »

Series by Joanne Dobson

Quieter than Sleep The Northbury Papers The Raven and the Nightingale Cold and Pure and Very Dead The Maltese Manuscript Death Without Tenure
(6 books)
by
3.74 avg rating — 2,348 ratings

Face of the Enemy: A New Yo...
(1 book)
by
3.73 avg rating — 91 ratings

Joanne is Currently Reading

Murder In My Back...
Joanne Dobson is currently reading
by Ann Cleeves (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

 
Nov 19, 2022 03:49PM
Daisy
Joanne Dobson is currently reading
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

 
Nov 08, 2023 02:02AM
Peg and Rose Solv...
Joanne Dobson is currently reading
by Laurien Berenson (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

 
Nov 06, 2022 07:20PM

rss
Joanne’s Recent Updates

Joanne Dobson wants to read
Mosby's EMT Basic Textbook by Walt Alan Stoy
Mosby's EMT Basic Textbook
by Walt Alan Stoy
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Dec 22, 2023 08:06AM  · 
Joanne Dobson rated a book it was amazing
Emily's House by Amy Belding Brown
Emily's House
by Amy Belding Brown (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Jun 15, 2023 06:43PM  ·   · 
More of Joanne's books…
Quotes by Joanne Dobson  (?)
Quotes are added by the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ community and are not verified by Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.

“What should girls read?â€� Caroline asked, as Anna entered the library. “Everything,â€� Anna replied. A”
― Joanne Dobson, The Kashmiri Shawl: A Novel
1 likes
Like

“Saturday morning I vacuumed, dusted, folded laundry, repotted an ivy plant that had outgrown its clay pot months before—anything to avoid having to sit down again with those damn freshman papers.”
― Joanne Dobson, The Raven and the Nightingale
0 likes
Like

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
Mystery/Thriller ...: march 2010 - sandi 15 45 Apr 09, 2010 11:57AM  
Readers and Reading: This topic has been closed to new comments. March 2010 reads 50 81 Apr 25, 2010 03:50PM  
Cozy Mysteries : Theme Read - May 2010 91 176 Jun 05, 2010 04:46PM  
Cover to Cover Ch...: Ellen's 2010 Booklist 6 114 Dec 31, 2010 02:46PM  
American Historic...: New Relevant History blog post 31 98 Sep 05, 2012 02:06PM  
The Mystery, Crim...: New Relevant History post on my blog 12 49 Sep 05, 2012 02:08PM  
Historical Fictio...: This topic has been closed to new comments. New Relevant History post on my blog 2 107 Sep 05, 2012 02:10PM  
The Book Challenge: Ellen's 2013 Book Challenges 29 258 Feb 17, 2013 02:26PM  
Cozy Mysteries : This topic has been closed to new comments. What Cozy Did You Just Finish Reading??? (Archive) 6235 2612 Jun 25, 2013 01:29PM  

Joanne’s Quotes

“What should girls read?â€� Caroline asked, as Anna entered the library. “Everything,â€� Anna replied. A”
― Joanne Dobson, The Kashmiri Shawl: A Novel
1 likes
Like

recent posts
Joanne’s Groups

22454 Historical Fictionistas — 15322 members — last activity 1 hour, 2 min ago
Welcome to Historical Fictionistas! We want to experience all different kinds of HF with all different kinds of people. The more diverse, the better. ...more
127944 eBook Miner — 2139 members — last activity May 31, 2025 04:20PM
We run eBook Miner, a new and innovative site that aims to connect publishers and writers (especially indie authors) to avid readers. We sift through ...more

Joanne’s Friend Comments




Comments (showing 1-3)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

message 3: by Ronald
Oct 25, 2014 01:18PM

Ronald M. James Hi Joanne,

Read your revue today's of "These Old Shades," about early 20th-century history novels. My book, "Harrington Manor" is set in 1923, Orange County, CA. It has local history, and a smattering of New York, Paris, Mazatlan and the budding movie industry. The story revolves around greedy siblings who want their fathers money for different reasons. That evening Peter Harrington is found dead before dinner, perhaps a victim of another stroke, but when LAPD's detective Sidney Snipes arrives he suspects foul play.

Two minor love stories are flushed out to the delight of the survivors.

I will send a PDF file or other reader files if interested and ask nothing in return. Because you enjoy this time period I thought you may like to read it.

James Milward, pen Ronald James


message 2: by Joanne
Oct 13, 2014 02:31PM

Joanne Dobson Thank, Beth, for accepting my friendship!


message 1: by Beth
Oct 13, 2014 08:48AM

Beth Hi Joanne,
Thanks for sending a friend request to this fellow Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ mystery author!


back to top