First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters, the debut book in the A Lady of Letters cozy mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an advance eBook copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 

  

First Chapter:  London, England, 1860

 

Amelia Amesbury hated to admit it, but she was bored. Mind-numbingly bored. She supposed this was what contentment felt like: a beautiful young charge, bless her heart, playing the pianoforte; a governess, prim and proper, turning pages; and three tiers of cakes to choose from in a tastefully papered drawing room. But if she were so content, why was she itching for the afternoon's post?

 

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

 

The opening paragraph sets the coziest of scenes, as does the gorgeous book cover. I really enjoyed this engaging cozy mystery, which is set in Victorian London. It has the right balance of mystery, romance, and upstairs/downstairs characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  Day Zero, just after midnight

Jen is glad of the clocks going back tonight. A gained hour, extra time, to be spent pretending she isn't waiting up for her son.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

This is an author I've been wanting to try--and I've heard so many people describe this book as a twisty psychological thriller, so count me in!

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent read, It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison. The excerpt shared is from an electronic advance reader copy I received from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Note: The themes of infertility in this book may be distressing to some readers.

First Chapter:  The Wife

There is blood again.

Olivia forces away the threatening tears. She will not collapse. She will not cry. She will stand up, square her shoulders, and flush the toilet, whispering small words of benediction toward the life that was, that wasn't, that could have been.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

High school sweethearts Olivia and Park Bender have all the material trappings of success, yet the one thing they are unable to do is start the family they both so desperately want. And when a murder investigation hits close to home, secrets each has been keeping from the other threaten to tear them apart.

It's One of Us is a skillfully plotted, suspenseful tale with the kinds of twists that keep readers off balance until its shocking conclusion. Bravo, J.T. Ellison.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Death by Puffin by Jennifer S. Alderson, the ninth book in the Travel Can Be Murder mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an advance eBook provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

First Chapter:  Storm Brewing

Sunday--Reykjavik, Iceland

Lana Hansen stared outside, taking in the storm brewing over Faxafloi Bay. Gale-force winds whipped rain and hail across her hotel's windows, temporarily blurring her view of  Mount Esja, rising high above Reykjavik's skyline.

Despite the breathtakingly beautiful sight before her, Lana couldn't enjoy it. Right now, it felt as if the turbulent weather mirrored the storm raging in her heart and mind. Her job and relationship were both on the fritz, and after a week of soul-searching, she still couldn't see a way out of either predicament. 

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The Travel Can Be Murder series is an enjoyable, satisfying escape around the world. The author's dynamic, accurate descriptions of tourist attractions makes readers feel as though they are physically on location. I am an avid fan of the series, and truly look forward to every adventure and destination to come.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, A Book Club to Die For by Dorothy St. James, the third book in the Beloved Bookroom mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an advance eBook provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First Chapter:  Librarians are keepers of knowledge, caretakers of truth, and sowers of wisdom. Many of us rush out to share the world with our communities with the enthusiasm of a child who has suddenly mastered a new skill. We want people to know, to know . . . well, everything.

This is our mission. This is our passion.

We are the bringers.

We are the beacons cutting through the darkest of nights.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

As a librarian, the opening paragraphs of this book perfectly express why I pursued the profession, and why I think it is more important than ever given the amount of misinformation being disseminated. Readers who love cozy mysteries, libraries, the written word, and books will no doubt find this series as delightful as I do.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, The Heights by Louise Candlish. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback borrowed from the librry.

First Chapter:  

 First Chapter:  Killing Time

Opening lines are hard to write, says Felix Penney, and he of all people should know. The author of three writing manuals and nine crime novels, he is one of the most high-profile creative writing tutors in the UK, with a prestigious class at King's College London. 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The opening lines are interesting, but what really makes we want to read this book is the Goodreads description: 

"The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in London. Its roof terrace is so discreet, you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there—a man you’d recognize anywhere. He may be older now, but it’s definitely him.

But that can’t be because he’s been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him."

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  The Apartment in the Clouds

Liv Green wore her polishing cloth draped over her arm in the same proud way a maitre d' might wear a napkin. She'd already cleaned Essie Starling's two bathrooms, each bigger than her own bedroom, polished the white marble kitchen worktops and left uniform vacuum cleaner tracks on the dove gray carpets, just how the bestselling author liked them. She wore one earbud while she worked, listening to the audiobook of Essie's nineteenth novel for the second time and leaving her other ear free in case the author called out any commands.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I am eager to read this book because I found one of the author's previous novels, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper so endearing. And even if that wasn't the case, I couldn't resist the cover and title of Ms. Patrick's current novel.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring my current read, A Study in Murder by Callie Hutton. It's the first book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  Bath, England

April 1890

Lady Amy Lovell, only daughter of the Marquess of Winchester, hurried up the steps of St. Swithin's, the old and stately church on the Paragon in the Walcot area of Bath, barely on time for the Sunday service. As usual, she arrived ten minutes past her aunt Margaret, who had never in all her life been late for a church service. Or anything else.

Her aunt shifted over in the family pew as Amy slid in alongside her She offered her a hymnal, a Bible, and a slight roll of her warm brown eyes.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The opening paragraphs convey the family status of privilege, and hint at the protagonist's character traits. Make no mistake, Lady Amy Lovell is no wallflower. She is a spirited young woman fighting against the constraints of a woman's place in society and a murder mystery novelist who writes under a pen name to appease her father's sensibilities. When her ex-fiance is found stabbed to death in the library of her family's estate, Lady Amy is the main suspect and is thrust into an all too real murder investigation unlike the ones she creates in her novels.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline. The excerpt shared is from an eARC from the publisher.

First Chapter:  I glanced in my rearview mirror at the pickup truck, which was riding my bumper. I hated tailgaters, especially with my family in the car, but nothing could ruin my good mood. My daughter's field hockey team had just beat Radnor, and Allison had scored  a goal. She was texting in the back seat, one of  a generation that makes better use of opposable thumbs than any prior.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I agree with the narrator--I hate tailgaters too. They create dangerous and uncomfortable situations. I'm eager to read this book for two reasons: (1) I love the author and (2) my book club selected it as our November read.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent read, The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  June 1907

Newport, Rhode Island

The first time she saw him, she was essentially invisible: thirteen years old, a schoolgirl on holiday, her hair dripping from the sea, sleek wet mermaid curls clinging to her arms and back. She was nestled, legs tucked under her, in the coarse silvery sand of Bailey's Beach, her ruffled cap tossed beside her. Her nose was tingling hot and she didn't care, because it was breezy and warm, and the sun was a high glorious pinpoint, and if it were ladylike in the least to stretch out all the way in her bathing costume to make a sand angel, she would have.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The she referred to in the first paragraph is Madeleine Talmage Force, who at 18 becomes the bride of John Jacob "Jack" Astor. He was twenty-nine years her senior, but their relationship is portrayed as a true love match. Tragically, their future is forever changed when the couple are aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated voyage.

The Second Mrs. Astor is a fascinating look into New York society during the Gilded Age and the lifestyle of wealthy families of the time.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond. The excerpt shared is from an eBook borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  The Road to Castle Dark

"We call them all Inspector," Derek Corby had told me during my interview. "Most mystery parties assign the guests as suspects who have to learn their backstories and then stumble their way through conveying that information to everyone. That's how we're different: our visitors are detectives--all the same detective, actually--and they get badges and notebooks when they enter. Then they can jot down notes as they dine, as they mingle in the drawing room, as they walk the grounds with the suspects. And this is why we can charge so much for the Castle Dark experience, and why people are more than willing to pay it, by the way: we hire real actors, we cater elegant dinners, and we give people the experience of total immersion. They are living in this castle, moving from room to room, touching the objects, sitting on the furniture. And when they leave, they feel clever, because they took notes and made observations and came up with theories. Our customers routinely rate us at five stars, and almost ninety percent of them return for new story lines."

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I have always wanted to take part in a murder mystery dinner, and the one described in the opening paragraph sounds like a first-rate experience. I love the castle setting and the idea of an elegant dinner within its walls. Let the event begin!

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a current read, Chloe Cates is Missing by Mandy McHugh. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover edition borrowed from the library.

 First Chapter:  Jennifer

Fourteen clicks.

I stare at the numbers. Surely, there's been some mistake. I hit refresh and watch the graphs slowly rematerialize on the screen.

Nope. No change. The numbers stay the same.

We missed our thousand-dollar bonus by fourteen lousy clicks.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

When Chloe Cates, the 13-year-old star of her mother Jennifer's parenting blog goes missing, a frantic search begins. What happened to Chloe? Was she kidnapped? Did she leave of her own free will? The media-obsessed Jennifer, who is used to controlling her daughter's life, is ill-prepared to deal with the secrets that are uncovered and threaten to dismantle her carefully-curated existence.

I'm enjoying this fast-paced page turner!

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, It Could Be Anyone by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  The Killer

The Wedding Day, 7:00 P.M.

He really thought he'd be able to get away with it.

So smug.

It happened quickly. At that point in the wedding reception everyone was drunk, bouncing around on the dance floor, and no one was paying attention. They were throwing glitter from the nearby bin, a bunch of adults acting like five-year-olds hopped up on sugar. People were clamoring together to try to be in the live Instagram video, but I watched closely as Trevor's upper lip curled into itself, and his face turned a slight crimson shade. He stopped jumping up and down to Kool and the Gang and loosened his bow tie, but that did nothing to calm the swelled vein in his forehead.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

That's quite an opening scene. A killer strikes at a wedding. Of course I must read on to find out more.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent read, Deep Into the Dark by P.J. Tracy. It's the first book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version borrowed from the library.

Prologue:  Los Angeles, the City of Angels. The sobriquet promised the divine and its golden facade radiated celestial perfection, but peel back the fragile veneer and the deception was revealed. There were very few angels here, and even less perfection, a testament to how torpid the human race had become.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

Deep Into the Dark is a fast-paced, well-plotted start to a new series set in Los Angeles introducing Margaret Nolan, a female detective on the LAPD homicide squad. This first installment features the hunt for a serial killer who is targeting women in the area.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring The Comeback by Ella Berman, a book that recently caught my attention. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  Six Weeks Earlier

They recognize me when I'm at CVS buying diet pills for my mom, the only kind that don't make her lose her mind.

"Aren't you Grace Turner?"

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The opening makes me curious about the narrator. I will definitely need to keep reading to find out more.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a cozy murder mystery called The Fog Ladies by Susan McCormick. It's the first installment in San Francisco Cozy Murder Mystery Series. 

First Chapter:  "Did you hear about Mrs. Bridge?"

Sarah James was barely inside the laundry room when the older woman spoke. Enid Carmichael eyed her with relish, and Sarah knew she hoped to be the first to impart the news.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I purchased this book over the weekend at the Malice Domestic mystery conference in Bethesda, Maryland. It was so nice to attend an in-person multi-day gathering of authors and mystery fans. After hearing the author speak about this book, I knew I wanted to spend time albeit virtually in a San Francisco apartment building populated by a group of older women and a young medical intern.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring Run Roe Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. 

First Chapter:  Annie Lee had been standing on the side of the road for an hour, thumbing a ride, when the rain started falling in earnest.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

Although James Patterson has many other co-authors, his partnership with Dolly Parton intrigues me. I recently listened to an interview about their experience writing together and it sounded like they had a great time collaborating. And Dolly has a forthcoming record album related to the novel. 

I'm looking forward to reading--and listening--to the book and album and finding out what Rose is running from.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  Leo

Her eyelashes are often wet when she wakes, as if she's been swimming in a sea of bad dreams. "It's just some sleep-related thing," she's always said. "I never have nightmares." After a fathomless yawn she'll wipe her eyes and slip out of bed to check Ruby is alive and breathing. It's a habit she's been unable to break, even though Ruby's three.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I remember checking on a sleeping child long past the age of three. It's something mothers do the world over. In any event, there's lots of buzz around this new book and I am eager to give it a try.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring my current read, The Cage by Bonnie Kistler. The excerpt shared is from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  February 2, 2014  11:16 p.m.

The motor started up with a chug of gears that sounded like teeth gnashing. The lights flashed on, and I scrambled up off the floor and charged for the doors. The elevator plunged beneath my feet, so fast it felt like free fall, but I didn't care. I wanted down, I wanted out. In seconds we reached the lobby level. The doors opened and I burst out--into a semicircle of waiting men.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The thought of being in a malfunctioning elevator--whether it be stuck between floors or plummeting high speed to the ground--is terrifying. So is the premise of this novel, where two employees leaving the office very late at night share an elevator ride from the thirtieth floor. When the elevator reaches the lobby, only one is alive. What happened? The opening chapter piqued my interest and I'm enjoying the story so far.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

 

Today I'm featuring a current read, Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner. The excerpt shared is from an advance reader eBook copy I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

First Chapter:  Helen

At the top of the beer-stained carpet, a taped sign on the door reads National Childbirth Trust. The doorknob feels like it might fall off if I turn it too hard. Inside there is a semicircle of chairs. A flip chart. Trestle tables with juice and biscuits. The sash windows are jammed shut.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The narrator is expecting a baby. As the story progresses, Helen is befriended by Rachel, another pregnant woman attending the prenatal classes. Rachel is a mysterious character, and when she disappears after a party at Helen's house, Helen and everyone in her circle are questioned by the police. Helen herself can't remember anything that happened after she argued with Rachel that night, and the answers the others give are evasive. Brimming with tension and secrets, Greenwich Park is a page-turner.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.