Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays: A Shilling for Candles

This week my teaser lines come from the vintage mystery novel A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey. First published in 1936, the book is the second entry in Tey's series featuring Scotland Yard's Inspector Alan Grant. In this snippet, Inspector Grant is questioning one of his suspects, and finds himself becoming a little too charmed by the young man's likable manner.
Charm. The most insidious weapon in all the human armory. And here it was, being exploited under his nose. He considered the good-natured feckless face dispassionately. He had known at least one murderer who had had that type of good looks; blue-eyed, amiable, harmless; and he had buried his dismembered fiancee in an ash-pit. (p.37)
I know it's a little long. Sorry -- just couldn't decide what to leave out.

(The cover of the Pocket Books edition from 1980.)

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 your comment here.

26 comments:

  1. Oh, good teaser, Joy. I for one am glad you didn't attempt to cut it down. Mine: At Grave’s End

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  2. Charm is indeed potent, in both fiction and in real life. I watched the most recent season of Survivor after ignoring it for a few years, just because a favorite player of mine was back. Why I love watching him, I don't know...but he's so charismatic that even though people KNEW how dangerous he was, they kept him around. Last night he won a million dollars. The ability to turn people who should be your rivals into friends and followers is *power*.

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  3. Great teaser! I read Daughter of Time a few months ago and loved it! I want to read the whole series, but none of the libraries around me have the first book of the series! Here is my teaser for this week.

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  4. What a wonderfull teaser!

    Have a great day
    Kyanara

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  5. What a wonderfull teaser!

    Have a great day
    Kyanara

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  6. Ah, yes, watch out for the charmers! Thanks for sharing....

    Here's MY TT POST

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  7. The only book I have read by Tey is Daughter of Time. I meant to read more, but haven't managed to do so yet.

    My teaser this week comes from one of my favourite authors!

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  8. The title, the cover and the teaser, hmmm, interesting.

    My TT

    http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2011/05/teaser-tuesday-girls-by-lori-lansens.html

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  9. An older mystery novel! Bet the series is good!
    My tease

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  10. Intriguing teaser! Here is mine: http://beyondstrangenewwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/teaser-tuesday-may-17-2011.html

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  11. Intriguing teaser!
    Thanks for commenting on mine.

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  12. Charm!!! It does work. Good teaser.

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  13. Wow. That was an awesome teaser. Makes me want to put it on my TBR pile.

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  14. Great teaser and so true....charm in the wrong hands can make a person ruin their life.

    Bunnita

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  15. Good teaser. Charm is certainly an impressive weapon.

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  16. What a true teaser! Love it.

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  17. Nice! never heard of the book or the author..Hope your enjoying it!

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  18. What a great teaser! You see so few for old books. This one is fantastic!

    I'm a new follower, your blog is lovely. Here's my teaser: http://aturnofpage.blogspot.com/2011/05/teaser-tuesday-no-3.html.

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  19. Awesome teaser!

    http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2011/05/teaser-tuesday_16.html

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  20. A wow! teaser.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2011/05/teaser-tuesday_17.html

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  21. You did great! Don't cut 'em down. I have read only Tey's The Daughter of Time but thought it very good, and this one sounds great.

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  22. Blued eyed???? Looks like I escaped my last boyfriend's fiendish ways... gulp thank goodness I married another ;)

    This sounds really intriguing so will look this one up too.

    PS I stayed up in the wee hours to finish the Final Note... tears ran constantly... but it was worth it. :)

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  23. Great teaser Joy! Hmm...I wonder how many murderers he's known. lol

    Thanks for stopping by My Teaser as well. I am enjoying the book so far! :)

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  24. LOL... I am reading a vintage romance book this week. I sometimes like reading a vintage book just for the fun of it.

    Thanks for visiting my TT today.

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  25. Love the description and attitude in this teaser. Adding it to my TBR list!

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  26. A great teaser!

    My TT for this week is Savor the Danger by Lori Foster. http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

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