I received a book I had ordered this morning through the mail. It's the third book in a series, though needless to say I haven't yet read either of the first two, a big surprise........ not!
Handling the book and admiring the cover and flicking to the first page.........." On Saturday she watched Robert have sex with four women. She had sex with two men."......I'm instantly hooked.
I have no real interest myself in indulging in any extra marital relationships, and I'll try (not always successfully) to withhold judgement on anyone who does, but I'm immediately drawn into this book after 10 written words. I want to read about this woman, her husband and her family and as it's a crime novel, falling under the police procedural umbrella - I want to discover what happens to her and whether the behaviour exhibited above is integral to the mystery or incidental. I have loads of unanswered questions in my head already.
Because I haven't read the first two and I'm a bit OCD, I will reluctantly set this aside.
The second book that came in the mail this morning, has a first sentence.
"My big mistake was allowing happiness to creep in." I'm intrigued but it hasn't quite got the same pizzazz (is that even a word?) as the first book.
No prizes on offer, but can anyone guess the first book, both author and title, with a few clues?
Police procedural series, running to at least three titles, but this one was first released in 2005 so there could be more, author is fairly prolific with one other series and a lot of standalone books as well, and he hails from a land down under.........I've probably made it too easy now for both regular readers of the blog!
What's the first sentence in your current read and did it grab you instantly?
I've just been doing a last line on my blog - 'One always thinks that. Every every time' - Nancy Mitford. But my current crime read, The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson, is superb, I've been enjoying it enormously, but the opening lines wouldn't have done it:
ReplyDelete‘Jonny!’
Kate Rokesmith heard no sound from three floors up where, insisting that his new toy come on their walk and despite her efforts to dissuade him, Jonathan had gone to fetch the steam engine from his bedroom.
--well that is a bit clunky and not grabbing, but it's still a great book!
Moira, clunky covers it, but hey you're enjoying it, so I'm glad you persisted! I've not heard of her (surprised?) unless she wrote Stand Up Virgin Soldiers!
Delete...and btw, I'd be a lot more interested in your second opening line than the first one, just in case we needed confirmation of gender diff, but no idea what either one is.
Delete1st book is Garry Disher's Snapshot, part of his Inspector Challis series set in a town near Melbourne.
Delete2nd book, also male written (sorry!) is Max Allan Collins book Primary Target, part of his Quarry series of books about a hitman.
Col, thanks very much for following my blog. I can't figure out the author or the title of the book mainly because I haven't read many books from anywhere down under. I'd assume a first line like that was written deliberately to "hook" the reader or for shock effect.
ReplyDeleteThe first sentence in my current read is from a book by an author I discovered only last week — American thriller writer Brad Thor whose THE ATHENA PROJECT begins thus...
"The sound of suppressed gunfire in the narrow fuselage was drowned out by the roar of the slipstream coupled with the plane's engines."
Col, you asked for it!
I'm still reading the book so I can't judge it yet. I'd say it's a highly pumped-up version of a Mack Bolan or Phoenix Force novel.
Prashant, no problem, I'm just sorry I didn't find your blog earlier.
DeleteI have revealed the books above, and agree about shock value drawing people in - it worked with me!
I've not read Brad Thor, but enjoy "action man" books on occasions, say Lee Child's Reacher for example.
I'll look forward to your review.
That first one is certainly an interesting opening line. I'm intrigued to find out what book it is.
ReplyDeleteSarah, Snapshot by Garry Disher. As long as I don't change my mind, I'll try and read the series when I've completed one of my others on the go.
DeleteI have no clue on the identity of that book. Will be interested to find out.
ReplyDeleteFirst line of the book I am reading:
"The name's Bond. Shaman Bond. The very secret agent."
That line would not grab me, but the following paragraphs were better.
Tracy, revealed above.
DeleteI would have to say, your 1st line isn't grabbing me either. I have googled Shaman Bond and it sounds like fun. I'll be interested in seeing your review, but I'm not sure if it is up my street or not!
I read the first in that series by Disher and I have the next one, Kittyhawk Down. May read that soon because I want to read a book set in Australia.
DeleteTracy, woo hoo another Disher fan! Hopefully you like number 2 and then go on to the third, I'll catch you up one day!
Delete