Book Beginnings: The Caves of Perigord

This is not a book I planned to read this year - or even one that I knew about:  The Caves of Périgord, by Martin Walker.  I made the mistake of browsing the BookOutlet website, and this one - a story involving prehistoric cave paintings, and art stolen by the Nazis - sounded too interesting to pass up.  These are the opening lines:

Every interesting woman has a private smile, and Lydia Dean was startled by a brief, tantalizing glimpse of her own.  Its reflection suddenly flashed on the glass covering a poster as she entered her cramped attic office, then it faded.  She might almost have imagined it, and certainly there was no cause to smile.  Determined not to show how much the interview with Justin had upset her, she closed the door firmly behind her and contemplated the imminent ruin of her empire. Yet for the first time that day, and despite the faint dismay at the prospect of unemployment, she felt her spirits lifting.

Initial Thoughts:  Well, that bit about the private smile might be a little much, but the opening piques my curiosity a bit, I have to admit.  I'm wondering just what it is that makes Lydia an interesting woman, since nothing in those first lines really explains that.  And what's all that about her empire being in ruins?  And why should that make her spirits lift?  Lots of questions to be answered, so I guess that's enough to keep reading.  Well, after I finish three or four other books, that is.

So, what do you think?  Give it a try?  Or ditch it and move on?

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.