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.
My opening this week comes from The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood
Blurb
When famous supermodel Polly Carter is found dead at the bottom of a cliff all signs point to suicide, but as the evidence continues to mount DI Richard Poole declares it to be a murder. Now, with a houseful of suspects Richard has to narrow the field and discover who the murderer is before it’s too late. At the same time his mother is arriving from England and throwing his whole perfectly ordered life into turmoil. Not only does she want to be involved in island life, but all signs are beginning to point to not all being right in Richard’s own family…something he cannot help but attempt to fix.NetGalley
~ ~ ~
First Chapter ~ First Paragraph ~ Intro
Prologue
Detective Inspector Richard Poole sat on the verandah of his beachside shack looking up at the cloudless Caribbean sky in inarticulate outrage.
A passing parrot had just crapped in his cup of tea. It didn’t seem possible, but Richard had watched the little bugger fly in over the sea and defecate in mid-air, the little ball of released guano flying in a perfect parabola only to land in his English Breakfast Tea with an accuracy, Richard realised, that Barnes Wallis could only have dreamed of.
Chapter 1
Richard Poole’s dark secret was that his mother Jennifer was about to arrive on the island. Why on earth she’d chosen to visit on her own, Richard had no idea, but he also had no idea how he was going to get through two wees of keeping her company, and that seemed the more pressing problem.
Please note that these excerpts are taken from a proof copy
Do you want to know more?
If you have an opening to share, please leave your link in the comments box below
Oh, this sounds great, Cleo! I do like a good police procedural, and the setting sounds fantastic. Looking forward to your review of this.
LikeLike
I love the setting of these books (and the TV series which came first!) Quite a bit of humour with a mystery with an old-fashioned feel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh like the sound of the opening and the Caribbean setting. Enjoy!
LikeLike
It’s certainly one way to take my mind off the reality of wet and windy weather!
LikeLike
Is this based on (i.e. written after) the TV series ‘Death in Paradise’? They were very Agatha-Christie light, with a spectacular setting and gentle humour, weren’t they/
LikeLike
It is indeed, I love this series and this is a second book by the creator of the series – They are far lighter than my normal reads.
LikeLike
Oh, I love the narrator’s humor…and that parrot defecating in his tea seemed to be less problematic than his upcoming maternal visit. LOL. Thanks for sharing…here’s mine:
“TRUTH BE TOLD”
LikeLike
Thanks Laurel, it is good to have a bit of humour every now and again – and this book is full of it!
LikeLike
He must have a very stiff upper lip. I’m afraid I would have been much more vocal and colorful in my retort to the parrot. :p
I’m featuring Pale Highway.
LikeLike
I think I may have been too 😉
LikeLike
I would be mad too if that happened to me. Ick! This sounds like it will be a fun read. I already like the writing from the samples you shared.
LikeLike
It is a fun read, just what the doctor ordered!
LikeLike
This book has a lot going for it–hope you enjoy it!
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds like a good one Cleo; hope you enjoy it.
LikeLike
Thanks Diane, it is a good one!
LikeLike
The first paragraph made me laugh but not sure I would read the book as not fan of TV show. Sorry!
LikeLike
Yes I think it probably works best for fans of the TV show – it is good to read something a bit more light-hearted for a change!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would keep reading! I love the tv show, and I’m curious about this one.
LikeLike
I love the TV show too – the setting is gorgeous and the old-fashioned feel of the mysteries is right up my street.
LikeLike
I like the sound of this! Poor Richard is having a bad day.
LikeLike
How cool to have a beachside shack. The parrot crap made me laugh.
LikeLike
It reminded me of my cousin who said once when he was a kid he wished he could be a bird so he could poop on ppl.
LikeLike
I like the style!
LikeLike
It was a truly lovely read.
LikeLike