First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. 

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Seeing Red by Dana Dratch. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

 

Chapter 1

Lightning split the sky as I dashed up the sidewalk.  Not the smartest time to be carrying a metal-framed umbrella.  Not the smartest time to be wearing my best navy-blue dressy dress and three-inch slingbacks, either.  But if I didn't want to arrive at Ian's cocktail party looking like an extra from Titanic, I needed the bumbershoot.  And a sponge.

Mother Nature was venting some serious rage.  My neighbor's elegant mixer was supposed to have been held outside, weather permitting.  But this weather was definitely not permitting.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

This is Dana Dratch's second Red Herring Mystery book.  The series features a cast of amusing characters and many laugh-out-loud moments.  It's a highly entertaining read.

You can see my full review of Seeing Red and enter a contest to win a copy of the book by clicking this link. 

My review of the first book, Confessions of a Red Herring is here.

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph 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: Seeing Red by Dana Dratch

 

Today I'm participating in the Seeing Red Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And don't forget to enter the giveaway via the link in this post.

About the book . . .

 

Seeing Red (A Red Herring Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (May 28, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1496716582
ISBN-13: 978-1496716583
Digital ASIN: B07H1VFL64

 

Synopsis . . .  If it wasn’t for art thieves, spies and killers, Alex Vlodnachek’s life would be bliss. 

Her freelance career is catching fire. Her relationship with B&B owner Ian Sterling is flirty and fun. She’s even attending a glittering cocktail party at his sprawling Victorian inn.

But, to this ex-reporter, something seems “off.” And it’s not the canapés. When Ian’s father vanishes, the enigmatic innkeeper asks for her discretion. And her assistance.

Meanwhile, Alex is having the opposite problem at her tiny bungalow: People keep piling in uninvited. Including a mysterious intruder found sleeping in her kitchen. Her grandmother, Baba, who shows up “to help”—with Alex’s own mother hot on her heels.

When the intrepid redhead discovers a body in the B&B’s basement and a “reproduction” Renoir in the library, she begins to suspect that Ian is more than just a simple hotel owner.

With editor pal Trip, brother Nick, and rescue-pup Lucy riding shotgun, Alex scrambles to stay one step ahead of disaster—and some very nasty characters.

Can she find the missing man before it’s too late? Or will Alex be the next one to disappear?

My review . . . In Seeing Red, the second book in the Red Herring mystery series, Alex has her hands full dealing with the strange events occurring at The Cotswolds Inn, the bed and breakfast run by her neighbor, Ian Sterling.  Acts of sabotage threaten the viability of the inn, mysterious visitors appear and disappear, and as if that isn’t concerning enough, a corpse or two are found, and Ian’s father Harkins, the inn’s co-owner, goes missing.  Alex is determined to get to the bottom of it all, and also identify and care for the baby she unexpectedly finds in her kitchen.

These unusual developments draw the Voldnachek clan back to Alex’s doorstep to provide assistance—whether she wants it or not.  As the story unfolds, readers become fully immersed in the larger-than-life, amusing personalities and quirks of Alex’s mother, brother Nick, and grandmother Baba. Family friends and eccentric neighbors add additional flavor to the antics.  

Will Alex unravel the puzzling activities at The Cotswolds Inn, find Ian's dad, juggle her new career and possible love interest, and keep her sanity and family intact?  One thing is for sure, readers will have an enjoyable time finding out.  Filled with high jinx and hilarity, this series is an entertaining escape into a fictional Virginia suburb.  

Giveaway . . . Enter the Seeing Red contest to win an advanced reader print copy by clicking on this link.   

About the author . . .  Dana Dratch is a personal finance writer and the author of CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING and SEEING RED. She’s currently working on the third Alex Vlodnachek mystery adventure, RED HOT. Get updates at ConfessionsofaRedHerring.com.

Purchase links . . .
Amazon    B&N   Kobo   Google Play

  

Tour Participants . . . 

May 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
May 27 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
May 28 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
May 28 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST  
May 29 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 31 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 31 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 1 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
June 1 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 2 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 2 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 3 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
June 4 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
June 4 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 5 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 5 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Seeing Red 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 blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Sharing this original post on Twitter and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated. 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. 


Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, Crossbones Yard by Kate Rhodes. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback version I recently purchased.  

Prologue

Your mother is holding your hand too tightly.  You whimper and cling to her dress, because you know what will happen next.  She stares at you, as if she's forgotten how to blink.  There's one last glimpse of her face before she bundles you into the cupboard under the stairs.  "Don't make a sound," she hisses, "don't even breathe."  Darkness smothers you, cowering to the floor, between the broom and floor mops, a stack of wellington boots.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Given the frightening opening, I'll read on to find out more, perhaps holding my own breath as I do.

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph 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.

 

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 my current read,I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney.  The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version I borrowed from the library.

 

Beginning: One

London, 2017

I'm that girl you think you know, but you can't remember where from.

********************

Page 56:  The water is freezing and it makes me gasp for my breath, like when I fell out of the fishing boat once at home and the cold black sea tried to swallow me.

********************

My thoughts:  Alice Feeney's sophomore novel (her debut was Sometimes I Lie) is a gripping read about a troubled marriage.  When actress Aimee Sinclair's husband Ben goes missing, her life quickly unravels.  Told in chapters that alternate between her current situation and her childhood, Feeney keeps readers guessing as to whether Aimee is an unreliable narrator losing her grip on reality or a woman whose life is being cruelly destroyed by outside forces.  Filled with psychological twists aplenty, this story is a first-rate page-turner.

********************

From Goodreads:  l Know Who You Are is the brilliant tale of two stories. One is about Aimee Sinclair—well-known actress on the verge of being full-on famous. If you saw her, you’d think you knew her. One day towards the near-end of her shoot on her latest film, Aimee comes home from filming to find her husband’s cell phone and wallet on the dining room table. He never goes anywhere without them. But he’s nowhere to be found. She’s not too concerned—they had a huge fight the night before. They both said things they didn’t mean. He might have done things he didn’t mean, things she can’t forget. Even though she has a history of supposedly forgetting. After all, she’s a very good actress.

The next morning she goes for her morning run and then goes to her favorite coffee shop. But her card is denied. When she calls the bank they say her account has been emptied of $10,000. She immediately suspects her husband. But they say no, it was Aimee herself who closed out the account. And thus begins a bizarre rabbit hole into which Aimee finds herself falling where nothing is at it seems.

Alternating with Aimee’s story is that of a little girl who wandered away from home. We always tell our kids not to talk to strangers or bad things will happen. Well, bad things happen.

In I Know Who You Are, Alice Feeney proves that she is a master at brilliantly complicated plots and twists after twists. 

******************** 

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.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon. 


Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, Brain Storm by Elaine Viets. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback version I borrowed from the library.  

 

Chapter 1

June 11, 2016

The doctor who nearly killed Angela Richman was buried today, and the Missouri medical establishment turned out to honor him.  The eulogies were heartfelt: doctors, nurses, and patients praised Dr. Porter Gravois's compassion and skill as a neurologist.  Their tears were genuine.  His funeral cortege was nearly a mile long on the road named after his powerful St. Louis family.  Everyone called him by his nickname, Chip, as if they were all part of his inner circle.  Chip made them feel that way.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The first paragraph is intriguing.  It presents a portrait of a recently deceased doctor who was apparently well-regarded; yet, it also begs the question: what went wrong with his patient Angela Richman?  I definitely need to read more to find out.

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph 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.

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 my current read, The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith, the first book in his new Detective Varg series.  The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

 

Beginning: Chapter One

Free Association, Charged at Normal Rates

"Soren," said Dr. Svensson, gravely, but with a smile behind his horn-rimmed glasses; and then waited for the response.  There would be an answer to this one-word sentence, but he would have to wait to see what it was.

********************

Page 56:  "A boyfriend!" exclaimed Signe.  "I never thought you'd manage it."

********************

My thoughts:  Alexander McCall Smith is an accomplished author of popular fiction with many series and stand-alone novels.  I am a reader of his 44 Scotland Street and Isabel Dalhousie series, and am excited to begin another of his series with this book. His trademark humor, quirky characters, and amusing scenarios are making this a lighthearted and delightful read.  

********************
From Goodreads:  In the Swedish criminal justice system, certain cases are considered especially strange and difficult, in Malmo, the dedicated detectives who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division. 

These are their stories.

The first case: the small matter of a man stabbed in the back of the knee. Who would perpetrate such a crime and why? Next: a young woman's imaginary boyfriend goes missing. But how on earth do you search for someone who doesn't exist? And in the final investigation: eerie secrets that are revealed under a full moon may not seem so supernatural in the light of day. No case is too unusual, too complicated, or too, well, insignificant for this squad to solve.

The team: Ulf 'the Wolf" Varg, the top dog, thoughtful and diligent; Anna Bengsdotter, who's in love with Varg's car (and possibly Varg too); Carl Holgersson, who likes nothing more than filling out paperwork; and Erik Nykvist, who is deeply committed to fly fishing.

With the help of a rather verbose local police officer, this crack team gets to the bottom of cases other detectives can't or won't bother to handle. Equal parts hilarious and heartening, The Department of Sensitive Crimes is a tour de farce from a true master.

******************** 

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.