Book Beginnings on Friday
is a bookish meme now
sponsored by Rose City Reader (who originally inspired the meme).
Here's what you do: Share the first line
(or two) of the book you are currently
reading on your blog or in the comments
section. Include the title and author so
we know what you're reading. Then, if you
are so moved, let us know what your
first impressions were based on that first line
and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week
at Gilion's place.
Here's mine from Pearls Before Swine by Margery Allingham:
Here's mine from Pearls Before Swine by Margery Allingham:
The man and the woman carried the body cautiously up the stairs....The two who were alive in that grim little group which writhed and breathed so hard in the gloom were both elderly people. they were an unexpected couple in any situation; the man was a large, blank-faced Cockney without any pretensions and the woman was out of place beside him, her delicate aristocratic grace accentuating both his clumsiness and the horror of her present task.
{Hmmm. Wonder why these two are carting a body around together?}
The Friday 56 is a bookish meme
sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to
participate. Just grab a book, any book, and turn
to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs you and
post it.
Here's mine from Pearls Before Swine by Margery Allingham:
[about a package he is opening...]
"Mainly paper," he said, and paused. Something in the rigidity of his pose caught the general attention. As they watched, the angry colour poured into his face. "What the hell's the meaning of this?" he asked furiously.
Oh, what a curious pairing! And the 56 sounds intriguing, too. What was he expecting?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...and here's MY FRIDAY MEMES POST
Intriguing opening. Makes me want to learn more.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Book Beginnings.
I've only read one book by Marjorie Allingham - Tiger in the Smoke, which is set in London's underworld. It looks as though Pearls Before Swine is too? They do sound an odd couple!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what he thought was supposed to be there instead.....
ReplyDeleteHiding Corpse in the first line! I like books that come to the point without wasting much time. Haven't read anything by Allingham, would like to catch up soon.
ReplyDeleteGREAT imagery from the book and I love the title.
ReplyDeleteCarrying a body is brilliant in fiction, not so much in reality! Thanks for stopping by,
ReplyDeleteJuli @ Universe in Words
Great beginning, seriously makes me wonder what's going on.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a crazy beginning! Thanks for sharing and for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDelete"Writhing..." ugh. That's rather graphic--the living people who are writhing and the other who is obviously not.
ReplyDeleteNot what I would have expected from people that age. Here is my post: Book Beginnings
ReplyDeleteVery intense and puzzling beginning for sure! Why would they be carrying a body up the stairs anyways? Great snippets, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really good book! I might have to add it to my list.
ReplyDeleteHi Bev,
ReplyDeleteThe author certainly knows how to capture my attention with those opening lines and the snippet from page 56 is even more puzzling.
I checked out the author and just couldn't believe that I have never read any of her books before, especially as I love Agatha Christie so much, and Albert Campion sounds very like a perfect alternative to Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.
I have always tended to ignore the classics to a certain degree, but this series of books is definitely going onto my reading list, so thanks for the great recommendation.
This book was also published under the title 'Coroner's Pidgin', they even dual titled back in 1945!!
Yvonne
Very intriguing excerpts! Old people carrying a body around and what is in the package to cause such a reaction! Thanks for visiting my Friday post. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDelete