Over the weekend, I started reading Alexandra Sokoloff's Book of Shadows, so I'm taking this week's teaser lines from that one. It's a mystery novel involving the search for a sadistic serial killer, but it also has supernatural elements that make it a really different and (so far) fascinating kind of thriller. This excerpt comes from page 101, a little farther along than I've actually gotten. And to set the scene – Adam Garrett, the Boston homicide detective in charge of the investigation, is meeting up with the mysterious Tanith Cabarrus, a practicing witch from nearby Salem who claims to have had psychic visions concerning the case:He saw her instantly; she sat alone at a table near the fire, the flames flushing her face. She wore a silver blouse and black skirt, and her dark riot of hair was for the moment pulled severely back. His memory had not exaggerated – she was heart-stoppingly beautiful.Is it just me, or does it seem like all the women in novels these days are always "heart-stoppingly beautiful"? Wouldn't you think at least one of these writers could come up with a character who was just slightly overweight or had a crooked nose or big ears, or at least a bad haircut once in a while?
Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by mizB at Should Be Reading. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.
And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in a comment here.
Sounds like an interesting thriller! Nice tease. I agree about the characters by the way :) Here's my tease.
ReplyDeleteNice teaser and I liked the way I could picture that moment in my head. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCome read my teaser from Noah by Jacquelyn Frank
I can only imagine an imperfect heroine. I don't know if those exists! Great teaser.
ReplyDeleteA supernatural thriller sounds really interesting. Great teaser.
ReplyDeleteGood teaser but even better question regarding how heroines look.
ReplyDeleteCMash
Sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeletehttp://fredamans.blogspot.com/2010/10/takes-24-happiness-project.html
I love your comment! I kind of like seeing something like "although she was not a classic beauty, with a nose just a touch off-center and a cleft just a tad too deep, she had the kind of looks that drew you in despite her flaws" (or something like that, as I'm not a writer!)
ReplyDeleteGreat teaser! Here's mine: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2010/10/teaser-tuesdays-october-12-2010.html
Julie @ Knitting and Sundries
Oh, yes, we do need those characters that are NOT perfect...I think we find them in Anne Tyler novels.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
Sounds like my kind of book! As for character description...women in the Beatrix Potter series I've been reading (including the main character) have been described as "plain," "severe looking" and even "horsey." Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteI think British authors tend to have regular women featuring in their books (this is a broad, broad generalization, i know).
ReplyDeleteMy teaser is very rich, mellow and delicious :)
- Dee from e-Volving Books
Oooh i love the cover!
ReplyDeleteI like your comment on the teaser. I am still waiting for a female character who isn't devastatingly beautiful. Why can't she be curvy with a large nose? Or short with big ears?
ReplyDeleteEither way -- nice teaser!
Terrific cover! This sounds like a creepy, goose-bump producing read, just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYour teaser put me in mind of many thrillers, the women often are unbelievably beautiful. It's interesting because I don't think serial killers only go for heart-stoppingly beautiful women! lol
I hope this book doesn't keep you up at night! Enjoy!
~ Amy
Oh, my teaser: http://homeofaimala.blogspot.com/2010/10/teaser-tuesday-101210.html
Hey what is this?? Have to look it up since your teaser has piqued my curiosity majorly now.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading and let me know how it turns out.
Great teaser! And good point... The only book I can think of with an un-classically beautiful heroine would be Lisbeth from the Millennium Trilogy. There should be more than one example, though - shouldn't there?
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention that I like your new picture!
ReplyDelete"Black riot of hair"...nice imagery there. She sounds stunning.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover. Heart-stoppingly beautiful - I was like wow and then laughed at your comment. I actually do notice when authors don't make their charachters 'perfect' so I guess your right, lol
ReplyDeleteMy TT is from a horror.
http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/10/teaser-tuesday-horror-relic-by-douglas.html#comments
Actually, Jennifer Cruise frequently comes up with heroines who are what I consider regular - slightly over weight, with hair that won't do anything good or simply unconcerned with appearances. I thought this was a remarkably good description, since most of those that go on about beauty leave me with no real mental image.
ReplyDeleteI loved your teaser and you are so right about how all the characters in novels lately have been "heart-stoppingly beautiful." It would be nice to see more characters who are ordinary or have flaws. I think they would be easier to relate to as readers. (That is one of the things I have always liked about Meg in L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and more recently, Ellie in Karen Healey's Guardian of the Dead neither one of those characters were perfect and I think I liked them better for their flaws.) I love flawed characters and would love to see more. Thank you for the teaser and for making an excellent point!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a thriller right now and all the main females are described as utterly gorgeous, and even minor females are described–as opposed to the barely described gentlemen. I hate it. Give me ugly, give me plain, give me something realistic!
ReplyDeleteGreat teaser! I have to agree, there aren't enough "imperfect" female characters these days.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true about beautiful women in books. It's rare when you run into a character who is "average".
ReplyDeletenice teaser and so true about the "perfect" women in books.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by On the Bookcase!
Or a different eye color besides brown or blue! Thanks for visiting my teaser.
ReplyDeleteGreat teaser and I agree also...it is refreshing when dealing with characters that are not perfect.
ReplyDeleteGreat teaser. Sounds like a fascinating book.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say not all the women in recent books are gorgeous, but i had trouble thinking of one who wasn't.