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.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

 

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 Reputation by Sarah Vaughan. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover edition borrowed from the library.

 

Beginning:  Prologue -- 8 December 2021

The body lay at the bottom of the stairs.

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Page 56:  "Another girlfriend? I bet there is one. Another life blighted by this shite."

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My thoughts:  After watching the Netflix adaptation of Anatomy of a Scandal, I couldn't wait to read Vaughan's current novel. The excerpts shared hint at another scandal, and once again, British politicians are involved.

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From GoodReads:  The bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal returns with a new psychological thriller about a politician whose less-than-perfect personal life is thrust into the spotlight when a body is discovered in her home.

As a politician, Emma has sacrificed a great deal for her career--including her marriage and her relationship with her daughter, Flora. A former teacher, she finds the glare of the spotlight unnerving, particularly when it leads to countless insults, threats, and trolling as she tries to work in the public eye. As a woman, she knows her reputation is worth its weight in gold, but as a politician, she discovers it only takes one slip-up to destroy it completely.

Fourteen-year-old Flora is learning the same hard lessons at school as she encounters heartless bullying. When another teenager takes her own life, Emma lobbies for a new law to protect women and girls from the effects of online abuse. Now, Emma and Flora find their personal lives uncomfortably intersected--but then the unthinkable happens: A man is found dead in Emma’s home, a man she had every reason to be afraid of and to want gone. Fighting to protect her reputation, and determined to protect her family at all costs, Emma is pushed to the limits as the worst happens and her life is torn apart.

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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.

 

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

 

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 An Ambush of Widows by Jeff Abbott. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version of the book borrowed from the library.

Beginning: Thursday Evening

Kirsten North was doing what she normally did when Henry was gone on a business trip: finishing her own work on her laptop on the couch, ordering in Chinese food from that place Henry didn't much like, and watching a British baking show that was like a televised tranquilizer.

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Page 56:  She looked over at the warehouse. There. The last place he saw. The last place he knew. The answers were there.

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My thoughts:  I am intrigued by the mysterious plot description, which has me curious about the secrets that lead to the fate of the husbands and the aftermath facing their wives. The novel sounds like a real page turner.

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From GoodReads:  In New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott’s latest novel of riveting psychological suspense, an uneasy alliance forms as two widows delve into their husbands’ deadly and dangerous secrets—as they try to protect their own.

Henry North is a down-on-his-luck cybersecurity expert from New Orleans. Adam Zhang is the cofounder of one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. These two men didn’t know each other. They had never met. Yet they died together, violently, in a place neither had any business being.

When Henry doesn’t return from a business trip, his wife, Kirsten, panics—and then gets an anonymous phone call: “Your husband is dead in Austin.”

Flora Zhang knew her husband was keeping secrets. She suspected an affair, but she had decided she could forgive him for his weakness—until her husband ended up dead. And with no explanation for her husband’s murder, the police begin to suspect her.

Together, these two widows will face a powerful foe determined to write a false narrative about the murders. In doing so, neither Flora nor Kirsten will remain the women the world thought they were.

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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. 

© 2021 Book Club Librarian All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Book Club Librarian without attribution, know that this post has been stolen and was used without permission.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

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 an upcoming read, The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

Beginning:  Edward Fosca was a murderer.

This was a fact. This wasn't something Mariana knew just on an intellectual level, as an idea. Her body knew it. She felt it in her bones, along her blood, and deep within every cell.

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Page 56:  "What did Tara say to you? You said—she sounded crazy?"

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My thoughts:  This author's debut novel, The Silent Patient made me an instant fan. I am eager to begin reading his new book, which has also been highly acclaimed.

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From GoodReads: Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.

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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. 

© 2021 Book Club Librarian All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Book Club Librarian without attribution, know that this post has been stolen and was used without permission.

 

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

   

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 an upcoming read, Playing Nice by JP Delaney. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover edition borrowed from the library.

Beginning: 1

Pete

It was just an ordinary day.

If this were a color piece or a feature, the kind of thing I used to write on a daily basis, the editor would have rejected it just for that opening sentence. Openers need to hook people, Pete, she'd tell me, tossing my pages back at me across my desk. Paint a picture, set a scene. Be dramatic. In travel journalism especially, you need a sense of place. Take me on a journey.

So: It was just an ordinary day in Willesden Green, north London.

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Page 56: I looked at her, aghast. Was it possible she didn't know?

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My thoughts: This is the latest novel by the author of The Girl Before, an engrossing thriller that I read a few years ago. I really like his writing style, which I find engaging, as well as his interesting plot developments.

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From GoodReads: What if you found out that your family isn't yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? A gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Before. . . .

Pete Riley answers the door one morning and lets in a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, a stranger who breaks the devastating news that Pete's son, Theo, isn't actually his son--he is the Lamberts', switched at birth by an understaffed hospital while their real son was sent home with Miles and his wife, Lucy. For Pete, his partner Maddie, and the little boy they've been raising for the past two years, life will never be the same again.

The two families, reeling from the shock, take comfort in shared good intentions, eagerly entwining their very different lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional modern family. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an official investigation that unearths some disturbing questions about the night their children were switched. How much can they trust the other parents--or even each other? What secrets are hidden behind the Lamberts' glossy front door? Stretched to the breaking point, Pete and Maddie discover they will each stop at nothing to keep their family safe. 

They are done playing nice.

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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.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

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 a recent read, Behind the Red Door by Megan Collins. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library. 

 

  

Beginning:  one

Now that it's summer, it's not my job to protect the children. 

 

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Page 56:  I'd only been thinking of her.  But I didn't tell her these things.  And for her part, she didn't divulge her feelings either.  But we knew.

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My thoughts:  Fern is called back to New Hampshire to help her dad Ted, a recently retired psychology professor, pack up her childhood home in advance of his move to Florida. Fern's relationship with her father and artist mother Mara has never been particularly warm and loving, so she is ambivalent about returning. As she faces memories of her neglectful childhood, a kidnapping from twenty years ago resurfaces and captures her attention. Fern feels an exceptional and seemingly inexplicable connection to the case, and begins to have frequent dreams related to the crime. She comes to believe she may have key information buried deep in her subconscious not only related to Astrid's long-ago kidnapping, but to Astrid's very recent disappearance without a trace.

Behind the Red Door is a taut psychological thriller in which the protagonist must confront a lifetime of lies, fear, and dark secrets to make sense of the past and move toward a more secure and promising future. Plentiful twists, turns, and dilemmas make this an unputdownable novel.

 

 

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From Goodreads:  The author of the “suspenseful, atmospheric, and completely riveting” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author) debut The Winter Sister returns with a darkly thrilling novel about a woman who comes to believe that she has a connection to a decades old kidnapping and now that the victim has gone missing again, begins a frantic search to learn what happened in the past.

When Fern Douglas sees the news about Astrid Sullivan, a thirty-four-year-old missing woman from Maine, she is positive that she knows her. Fern’s husband is sure it’s because of Astrid’s famous kidnapping—and equally famous return—twenty years ago, but Fern has no memory of that, even though it happened an hour outside her New Hampshire hometown. And when Astrid appears in Fern’s recurring nightmare, one in which a girl reaches out to her, pleading, Fern fears that it’s not a dream at all, but a memory.

Back home in New Hampshire, Fern purchases a copy of Astrid’s recently published memoir—which may have provoked her original kidnapper to abduct her again—and as she reads through its chapters and visits the people and places within it, she discovers more evidence that she has an unsettling connection to the missing woman. As Fern’s search becomes increasingly desperate, she hopes to remember her past so she can save Astrid in the present…before it’s too late.

Featuring Megan Collins’s signature “dark, tense, and completely absorbing” (Booklist) prose and plenty of shocking twists and turns, Behind the Red Door is an arresting thriller that will haunt you long after you turn the last page.

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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. 

 

 

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 am featuring a current read, Final Cut by S.J. Watson.  Today is the book's official publication date!!

The excerpt shared is from an eBook I received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Beginning:  Prologue

 

She runs across the moor, as hard and as fast as she can.  The sliver of an old moon hangs above her and, somewhere far behind, the village lights shine anemic yellow.  But she keeps her eyes fixed forward.  She sees nothing but the road ahead and hears only the wheeze of her dry breath and the cawing of the gulls as they swoop and dive.  There are no sounds of pursuit, no shouting, no howling of dogs.  She is safe, she thinks.  She can calm down, stop running and walk.  It's over.

 

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Watson's new thriller is captivating from its opening lines.  Documentary filmmaker Alexandra Young is in Blackwood Bay, a quaint seaside village that has fallen on hard economic times.  It is the site of an unsolved mystery about two teen girls that took place ten years ago, and another teen disappearance that occurred three years ago.  Alex is quickly swept into the village's drama, and may herself hold a very important key to explaining the past.

 

 

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

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 The Guest List by Lucy Foley.  The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version I purchased.

  

Beginning:  Now

The Wedding Night.

The lights go out.

In an instant, everything is in darkness.  The band stop their playing.  Inside the tent the wedding guests squeal and clutch at one another.  The light from the candles on the tables only adds to the confusion, sends shadows racing up the canvas walls.  It's impossible to see where anyone is or hear what anyone is saying: above the guests' voices the wind rises in a frenzy.

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Page 56:  When I think about everything that happened in the last year my mind goes hot, and blank, and I can't think about it properly or sort it all out in my head.

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My thoughts:  After reading Lucy Foley's novel, The Hunting Party I am eager to start another one of her fast-paced page turners.

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From Goodreads:  A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the author of The Hunting Party.

The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

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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 with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Don't Look Down by Hilary Davidson

Today I'm participating in the Don't Look Down Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of the book.  

About the book . . .

  

Don't Look Down (Shadows of New York Series)
Psychological Thriller
2nd in Series
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 11, 2020)
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1542092035
ISBN-13: 978-1542092036
Paperback: 367 pages
ISBN-10: 1542092019
ISBN-13: 978-1542092012
Digital ASIN: B07QBPS9QB

Synopsis . . . From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of One Small Sacrifice, a gripping mystery about a sinister murder that everyone wants to stay buried—except one dogged NYPD detective.

Jo Greaver is a model of success. Young and ambitious, she’s built a thriving beauty business from nothing. But she has secrets she’ll do anything to keep buried. When her blackmailer offers to meet, Jo expects to pay him off—but gets a bullet instead. Bleeding and in shock, Jo flees with no one to turn to.

When NYPD detective Sheryn Sterling and her partner, Rafael Mendoza, find Andray Baxter murdered in his own home—shot through the heart—everything points to Jo as the killer. Her blood is at the scene, and so are disturbing photos of her taken as a young teen. But Sheryn has doubts. Was the kindhearted Andray really a criminal? Why did he repeatedly report finding spyware in his apartment? Was there something shady about Jo’s sister dying a year earlier?

Something’s not right, and it’s up to Sheryn to piece together the sinister puzzle, no matter the cost.

My review . . . From all outward appearances, Jo Greaver is a successful, self-made business woman with a bright future.  No one in her orbit would suspect the traumatic adolescence she endured or the terrible secrets she harbors.  After moving to New York City a decade ago, Jo struggled to make a new life for herself, overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges.  She considered her past long buried, especially when her only remaining link to it—her sister Lori—died of a drug overdose eighteen months ago.  But when a blackmailer contacts her, threatening to expose the very things that can ruin her present life and relationships, Jo's world is turned upside down.  A scheduled rendezvous with the blackmailer goes horribly wrong, placing Jo at the scene of a murder.  Is it possible that this desperate young women has killed a man to safeguard her secrets?

The evidence against Jo appears overwhelming, but it isn't enough to convince seasoned detective Sheryn Sterling of Jo's guilt.  Sterling and her partner Detective Rafael Mendoza undertake an investigation of inconsistencies in the case, leading them to believe that Jo is being framed for murder.  Their investigation—which takes them from the ritzy areas of Gramercy Park and lower Manhattan to the gritty neighborhoods of Hell's Kitchen and Harlem—uncovers a series of puzzling clues and a web of deceit.  The detectives discover that Jo isn't the only one hiding explosive secrets, and there are ruthless people who will stop at nothing to protect their interests.

.Don't Look Down is a fast-paced, gripping read.  Its many plot twists and turns are fueled by a set of dastardly characters who conspire, manipulate, blackmail, intimidate, and betray to get what they want, regardless of the consequences.  It's a thrilling fight between good and evil, with the forces of justice combatting brazen lawlessness.  Detectives Sterling and Mendoza, with their interesting chemistry and special rapport, can be counted on to expose the truth.

Don't Look Down is the second book in the Shadows of New York series, but can be read as a stand-alone.  It was my introduction to the series, and turned me into an instant fan.  I plan to read the first installment, One Small Sacrifice, to spend more time in the company of Detective Sterling—a compassionate public servant who fights for the innocent.  In an ideal world, this series would be adapted for television . . . 

Giveaway . . . Enter the Don't Look Down Giveaway of a print copy of the book (U.S. only) by clicking on this link.

About the author . . .  Hilary Davidson is the bestselling author of One Small Sacrifice and the winner of two Anthony Awards. Her novels include the Lily Moore series—The Damage Done, The Next One to Fall, and Evil in All Its Disguises—and the standalone thriller Blood Always Tells. Her widely acclaimed short stories have won numerous awards and have been featured everywhere from Ellery Queen to Thuglit, as well as in her collection The Black Widow Club. 

 

A Toronto-born travel journalist who’s lived in New York City since October 2001, Davidson is also the author of eighteen nonfiction books. Visit her online at hilarydavidson.com.

Author links . . .

Visit her Website: hilarydavidson.com.   Follow on Twitter    Like on Facebook
Follow on Instagram     Find on GoodReads       Follow on Pinterest


 Purchase links . . .       Amazon      B&N       IndieBound 

 

Tour participants . . .

February 4 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
February 5 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW
February 6 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
February 7 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 8 – Diary of a Book Fiend  – REVIEW
February 9 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
February 10 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 11 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 12 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 12 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
February 14 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
February 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 16 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – REVIEW 

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Don't Look Down from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other book-related blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated