Book Beginnings: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Between a Rock and a Hard Place, by Marty Wingate (Alibi, August 2015). First paragraph of the Prologue:

Three boys in school uniforms, their ties askew now at the end of the day, edged their way over the imaginary line drawn on the pavement by the police constable. "Stay there," the PC had said only minutes before as he pointed to an invisible spot on the ground. "Don't come any closer to the bridge." The boys, none of them more than ten years old, did as they were told.

Initial Thoughts:

Well, my first thought was that I don't think I know any ten-year-olds who actually do as they're told. Not for very long, anyway. But then, my experience of ten-year-olds is rather limited.

Have to admit, it's not the most scintillating of openings, but enough to keep me reading. What's going on with that "imaginary line"? And why can't the boys come near it? Is this a crime scene? Of course, it is -- this is a mystery novel, after all. So I'm hoping for more action soon.

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.

Teaser Tuesdays: Slade House

This week my teaser lines come from Slade House, David Mitchell's new novel (from Random House) that's just out today. This snippet is from page 134, or Location 1521 of the e-book version:

...here's the small black iron door. Stupidly, I look back, like you never should in stories. The figures flicker nearer.

And she really should not have looked back.

You'll probably be hearing a lot about that small black iron door in the weeks ahead -- this book seems to be one of the hot items in the literary world this season.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at Daily Rhythm. 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.

Book Beginnings: What We Keep

What We Keep, by Elizabeth Berg (Random House, originally published 1998). This is the book's opening paragraph:

Outside the airplane window the clouds are thick and rippled, unbroken as acres of land. They are suffused with peach-colored, early morning sun, gilded at the edges. Across the aisle, a man is taking a picture of them. Even the pilot couldn't keep still -- "Folks," he just said, "we've got quite a sunrise out there. Might want to have a look." I like it when pilots make such comments. It lets me know they're awake.

Initial Thoughts:

Me, too! I love it when the pilot comes on the PA system. I desperately need reassurance that there's actually a human up there flying the plane. And that it's not just me keeping us up in the air by constantly holding my breath and thinking positive thoughts. ("Up! Up! Up!")

Yes, I can identify with that opening.

So far, I like this one, even though I really haven't started it yet -- not officially. But I'm looking for something to read for the Women's Fiction Reading Challenge, and this is a strong possibility. It would also fit in with my ongoing personal challenge to read more books published during the 1990s. Also, it would be another new author -- I've never read anything by Elizabeth Berg, although I have quite a few of her books on my TBR list.

And, after all the thrillers and spooky stuff I've been reading lately, this would be a nice change of pace.

So, how about it? Would that opening draw you in and keep you reading?

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.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Maltese Falcon

This week my teaser lines come from Dashiell Hammett's classic detective novel, The Maltese Falcon (first published as a magazine serial in 1929). This snippet comes from the opening of Chapter 2 (titled "Death in the Fog"):

A telephone-bell rang in darkness. When it had rung three times bed-springs creaked, fingers fumbled on wood, something small and hard thudded on a carpeted floor, the springs creaked again, and a man's voice said:
"Hello. . . . Yes, speaking. . . . Dead? . . . Yes. . . . Fifteen minutes. Thanks."

Somebody's dead. The plot thickens. Nice.

I'm reading this for the Vintage Mystery Bingo Reading Challenge. The 1941 film with Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade is one of my favorite movies, so it's strange that I've never read the novel until now. So far, it's living up to all expectations.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at Daily Rhythm. 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.

Book Beginnings: Where the Memories Lie

Where the Memories Lie, by Sibel Hodge (Thomas & Mercer, Sept. 2015). Opening lines:

Prologue 

'What lies have you told recently, Mum?' Anna walks into the kitchen and slaps some textbooks down on the table.
In the middle of cutting up some peppers on a chopping board, I swing around with fear, my heart banging.
What does she know? She can't have found out the truth, surely.

Initial Thoughts:

I like it. No long expository passages. There you are, immediately, right in the middle of the mysterious stuff. The story has begun. Excellent.

So, how about you? Would this be enough to keep you reading? Or would you prefer a little more explanation in a book's first lines?

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.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Postman Always Rings Twice

This week my teaser lines come from James M. Cain's classic noir crime novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice (published 1934). This snippet comes from page 113 of the Kindle edition:

I'm getting up tight now, and I've been thinking about Cora. Do you think she knows I didn't do it?

This one has been on my TBR list for decades now. The 1946 film with John Garfield and Lana Turner (see a still from the film, below) has always been one of my favorite movies, so I wanted to see how it measured up to the book (more on that later).

That quote jumped out at me because of the use of "up tight" -- I had always assumed that phrase was some of our Sixties slang, so it was interesting to see it used pretty much the same way, twenty years earlier. Hoping to get a short review up later this week.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at Daily Rhythm. 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.

Book Beginnings: The Anger Meridian

The Anger Meridian, by Kaylie Jones (Akashic Books, June 2015). These are the book's opening lines:

Thursday
A persistent four-toned gong rings in my ears and I am suddenly back in the dusty courtyard of the École de Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux in Cameroon and the church bell is announcing the end of the school day. The children are shouting, their deafening din rising in the hot air as they break ranks and run wildly about -- but not me, I remain firmly in line. The nuns have rulers and they'll smack you hard but most of the kids don't care.

Initial Thoughts:

I have to admit, my first reaction here isn't positive. For some reason, I'm usually turned off by books that begin with dreams or memories or "flash backs." Don't know why -- I suppose it's because I prefer to start in the here and now, sort of in medias res. I like to feel that I'm not going to have to wait for the main part of the story to get underway.

That's unfair (and slightly wacky), I know, but there it is.

One notable exception to that would be Daphne du Maurier's novel Rebecca which is one of my all-time favorite reads, and which begins: "Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again."

But I digress.

Other than that, my early thoughts are mainly about those nuns with rulers. I definitely think I'd care if they were smacking me around. Like the narrator, I'd be very likely to stay in line.

Anyhoo.... This was an Early Reviewer book from Library Thing, and I started it several months ago, but kept getting sidetracked by other books. So I really need to get busy and finish this one.

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.