Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, from Tuesday/First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.
Today’s opening comes from Smoke and Mirrors by Elly Griffiths, the second in the Max Mephisto and DI Edgar Stephens series which began with The Zig-Zag Girl.
Blurb
Brighton, winter 1951.
Pantomime season is in full swing on the pier with Max Mephisto starring in Aladdin, but Max’s headlines have been stolen by the disappearance of two local children. When they are found dead in the snow, surrounded by sweets, it’s not long before the press nickname them ‘Hansel and Gretel’.
DI Edgar Stephens has plenty of leads to investigate. The girl, Annie, used to write gruesome plays based on the Grimms’ fairy tales. Does the clue lie in Annie’s unfinished – and rather disturbing – last script? Or might it lie with the eccentric theatricals who have assembled for the pantomime?
Once again Edgar enlists Max’s help in penetrating the shadowy theatrical world that seems to hold the key. But is this all just classic misdirection? NetGalley
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First Chapter ~ First Paragraph ~ Intro
Prologue
Hastings 1912
Stan entered stage left. Of course he did; he was the villain. Villains always enter from the left, the Good Fairy from the right. It’s the first law of pantomime But, in this case, Stan Parks (The Wicked Baron) came running onto the stage in answer to a scream from Alice Dean (Robin Hood). He came quickly because Alice was not normally given to screaming Eve when Stan had tried to kiss her behind the flat depicting Sherwood Forest she hadn’t screamed; instead she had simply delivered an efficient uppercut that had left him winded for hours. So he responded to the sound, in his haste falling over two giant toadstools and a stuffed fox.
Chapter 1
Brighton 1951
It was snowing when Edgar Stephens woke up. The view from his window, the tottering Regency terraces leading down to the sea, was frosted and magical. But the sight gave him no pleasure at all. He hated the snow. He still had nightmares about the Norway campaign, the endless march over the ice, his companions falling into the drifts to freeze where they ay, the moments when the bright white landscape seemed to rearrange itself into fantastical shapes and colours, the soft voices speaking from the frozen lakes: ‘Lie down and I’ll give you rest for ever’
Please note that these excerpts are taken from a proof copy
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I like the time period — unusual, and based on the intro, I’d read more. Hope you enjoy it.
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It’s great thank you
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What a great choice, Cleo! I do really like Elly Griffiths’ writing, and I give her credit for ‘branching out’ into this Max Mephisto series. I’ll be keen to know what you thought of it when you’ve finished it.
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I’m really enjoying this series, a great combination of time period and magic!
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I’d definitely keep reading this – though dead children, again? Still, right up my alley.
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Yes it has been a year for dead children, hasn’t it? Having said that I’m enjoying this one.
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I don’t think this one is for me, but hope you enjoy it!
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Thanks for visiting 🙂
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I usually try to avoid books with missing children, but I do like the intro. Tiime period and pantomime angle also a plus… enjoy!
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Yes, not the cheeriest of subjects but the author really makes the link between the fairy tales/pantomime and the mystery – a great read so far.
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I would like to know how the prologue fits in with the story. I hope you enjoy it. Girl Who Reads
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Ah that doesn’t become apparent to some way into the book so I can’t really tell you 😉
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Another author I must read! Love the sound of this one….and thanks for visiting my blog.
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You’re very welcome – I’m really enjoying this series, the time period and magic are a great combination.
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I have not read this author, but you have captured my interest with this one. I like a good detective story.
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This has an old fashioned feel because of the time period and it is exceptionally well written.
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I love that opening. It starts off so calmly and then as the first paragraph continues, the suspense builds. I haven’t tried anything by this author before, but I think I would quite enjoy this book.
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This book, and the previous one, is quite hard to fit into a genre, it almost has a cosy feel with a historical bent, but not quite – I know that probably makes no sense, but whatever it is I really enjoy it
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I love the description of the snow in the Norway campaign. Definitely chilling! Sounds like this story has a great plot, setting, and characters. I’m curious about the pantomimes too.
Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Sandy @ TEXAS TWANG
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It all does fit together but it takes a while – as you say it has everything a reader could want.
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I like the time period, setting, and the intro, so I’d keep reading!
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it is a great read – thank you.
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I really like the sound of this one; I would definitely keep reading.
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It is a good one 🙂
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I still need to read Zig Zag Girl soon, but this one won’t be out here for quite a while anyway. A good choice and I’m looking forward to this new series by one of my favorite authors. 🙂
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Thank you Kay – yes, you should read The Zig-Zag Girl as this series is definitely something special.
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Yes, I would read on! In fact, I will! I was due to start it today but another shiny new book has just arrived that must take priority…
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Haha you don’t stick to your schedule then?
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Where would be the fun in that! 😉
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The prologue was quirky and attention grabbing.
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🙂 thanks for visiting Stefanie
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I like both the prologue and the first paragraph, but especially that prologue. I’d like to read this one.
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I really do enjoy the writing in this series…
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Love the cover. Not sure about it, but would give it a shot. 🙂
sherry @ fundinmental
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Thanks for visiting Sherry 😉
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