Thursday, November 8, 2018

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings

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It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:
  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an ebook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.
Today I'm featuring my current read, The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick.  The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.
 The Girl Who Knew Too Much (Burning Cove, #1) 

Beginning:  Chapter 1
The abstract painting on the bedroom wall was new.  It had been painted in fresh blood.
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Page 56:  Maxine rose, unfazed by the instructions to contact a man who consorted with shady characters and known criminals.  She left, closing the door very quietly.

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My thoughts:  I'm a huge Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick fan, so I jumped at the chance to start her newest historical series, Burning Cove, set amidst the glamour of the 1930s.
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From Goodreads:  Amanda Quick, the bestselling author of ’Til Death Do Us Part, transports readers to 1930s California, where glamour and seduction spawn a multitude of sins…

When Hollywood moguls and stars want privacy, they head to an idyllic small town on the coast, where the exclusive Burning Cove Hotel caters to their every need. It’s where reporter Irene Glasson finds herself staring down at a beautiful actress at the bottom of a pool…

The dead woman had a red-hot secret about up-and-coming leading man Nick Tremayne, a scoop that Irene couldn’t resist—especially since she’s just a rookie at a third-rate gossip rag. But now Irene’s investigation into the drowning threatens to tear down the wall of illusion that is so deftly built around the famous actor, and there are powerful men willing to do anything to protect their investment.

Seeking the truth, Irene finds herself drawn to a master of deception. Oliver Ward was once a world-famous magician—until he was mysteriously injured during his last performance. Now the owner of the Burning Cove Hotel, he can’t let scandal threaten his livelihood, even if it means trusting Irene, a woman who seems to have appeared in Los Angeles out of nowhere four months ago…

With Oliver’s help, Irene soon learns that the glamorous paradise of Burning Cove hides dark and dangerous secrets. And that the past—always just out of sight—could drag them both under…

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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter, Google+ and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.
 

9 comments:

  1. I love the sound of this one - thank you for sharing. Happy reading this weekend.

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  2. The first line really grabs you because it's so vivid. I like the premise, too.

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  3. Wow, what an opening! I think it sounds like a good read. I am not familiar with the author, but it is always good to find new ones. It goes on my to read list.

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  4. It's been a quite a while since I read a book by this author, under any of her pen names. This one sounds fun.

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  5. I love Jayne Ann Krentz, and I've been eyeing the Amanda Quick books, especially this one. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “NINE PERFECT STRANGERS”

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  6. That beginning is epic and pulled me right in!!! Happy weekend!

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  7. I enjoyed this one. It is nice to see her exploring a new time period. This week I am spotlighting Those Who Go By Night by Andrew Gaddes - a medieval mystery from my review stack. Happy reading!

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  8. I got this one from the library but wasn't able to read it before I had to return it. I'm really looking forward to actually reading it one day!

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