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.
This week my opener is taken from Rush of Blood by Mark Billingham, a standalone story from the creator of the DI Tom Thorne series.
Blurb
Perfect strangers.
A perfect holiday.
The perfect murder…
Three couples meet around the pool on their Florida holiday and become fast friends. But on their last night, their perfect holiday takes a tragic twist: the teenage daughter of another holidaymaker goes missing, and her body is later found floating in the mangroves.
When the shocked couples return home, they remain in contact, and over the course of three increasingly fraught dinner parties they come to know one another better. But they don’t always like what they find: buried beneath these apparently normal exteriors are some dark secrets, hidden kinks, ugly vices…
Then, a second girl goes missing.
Could it be that one of these six has a secret far darker than anybody can imagine? Amazon
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First Chapter ~ First Paragraph ~ Intro
PART ONE
ANGIE AND BARRY
From: Angela Finnegan angiebaz@demon.co.uk
Date: 16 May 17:31:01 BST
To: Susan Dunning susan.dunning1@gmail.com
Cc: Marina Green marinagreen1979@btinternet.com
Subject: Dinner!!!
Hi All!
You know how you meet people on holiday and say things like ‘we really must stay in touch’? I bet you’re regretting swapping those email addresses now. Ha ha!
Seriously though. It was an amazing holiday even if it did end a bit oddly, so I thought it would be great if we could all get together. So, me and Barry would love it if the four of you could come to dinner on Saturday, June 4th. I know it is a bit of a trek down here to deepest, darkest Crawley but I do a mean bread and butter pud and I promise to send out sherpas if you get lost!!
Talk to the boys and let me know ASAP, but I really hope you can make it.
Lotsa love, Angie xxx
PS. Been looking at the local papers on the internet and still no sign of that poor girl. Can’t imagine what her mother must be going through. Horrible, just horrible.
PPS. Can’t remember, but is anyone a veggie?
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I know that’s more than a paragraph but it wouldn’t make sense to have split it. I have to admit I love books that have emails, letters or diaries in them, I don’t know about you but I can picture Angie so well, just from that email and now I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into this book.
What do you think? Would you keep reading?
Cleopatra Loves Books 
I’ve only read a couple of stories told via emails and letters, but I enjoyed them both. This also looks quite good. Enjoy.
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Thank you Margot 🙂
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I enjoyed this book. It was the first I have read by the author. I look forward to your review! Enjoy!
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Thank you 🙂
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I like the idea behind this because it’s so true that you meet people on holiday but don’t really get to know them during that two weeks away…and who does stay in touch? Would definitely keep on reading.
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So true – I nearly wrote here that this just screams ‘bad idea’ but I know some do stay in touch post holiday – the only people I’ve stayed in touch with live on the other side of the world so no chance of a get-together!!
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I have never read Mark Billingham and I think I might be missing out. Have you read any others?
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I’m 4 books in to the Tom Thorne series and love it.
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🙂
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I read quite a few of the Tom Thorne series (and in order) when they were first published but my passion was re-ignited by a (nearly) standalone Die of Shame last year which was an amazing read!
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I really must check him out. I met him through work once and he was a very cool man.
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Emails can say so much about someone, from their choice of words, format and give a general feeling of the person. I’m reading this either tomorrow or a bit later in Feb as I got ARCs dates muddled and I can’t read them all, but I’m really looking forward to it!
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I really did like this particular email, I could picture the writer perfectly and her email address made me laugh 🙂
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I did read on, a few years ago, and enjoyed it. I can also remember what happened which is a good sign!!
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Yes, I think it was first published a while back – a very good sign I’d say!
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Interesting the way the book starts with an email. I wonder if the author created the email addresses so no one else could.
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Haha I particularly liked the from email address, there is a certain type of woman whose emails are like that – not ones I tend to have much in common with 😉 I’d not even considered whether he co-opted them.
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Having the complete email address makes it seem more real, rather than just having the name there. I have a friend who used to use the Demon server for his emails. Not sure if he still does as he has his own domain, so maybe. And the btinternet and gmail are definitely well used.
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That’s such an interesting way to start a book, I think. And I do like it when emails, letters, and the like are a part of a story, It certainly does sound intriguing, Cleo, and the premise is interesting. I look forward to your review.
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Thank you Margot – I think it ends a layer of authenticity when you have emails (letters in the ‘old days’) as we all see plenty of these.
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I’m also a big fan of including emails, letters, texts, or that type of thing in stories. Yes, I’d definitely read on. I think I might have another book by this author on my Kindle, probably the 1st book in his series. Enjoy and I suspect I’ll be reading this one soon.
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I do like the way emails, letters etc give some authenticity to a story and I thought you could tell such a lot about the writer of this one! I will update you soon 🙂
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So many creepy possibilities lie ahead for these couples, I’m sure. Friendships that develop so quickly always seem to shout “watch out!” I will be eager to find out what lies beneath those exteriors. Thanks for sharing…and for visiting my blog.
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I know it is like watching from the side lines shouting ‘Danger, Danger!’ I can’t wait to learn more.
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I’d keep reading!! Sounds intriguing:)
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Thank you for visiting Renee 🙂
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Read this one twice & you can find my review on Goodreads. Basically a solid professional piece of work but not exceptional.
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I’ll bear that in mind Bill – thank you
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I love a good mystery/thriller. I’m reading The Chemist right now and it is pretty good so far. Took a few chapters for me to get into it though. Have a great week and enjoy your reading!
Laura
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I passed my copy of The Chemist on – maybe I gave up too soon? I hope you have a good reading week too!
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That grabs me where I live. I think I’d really enjoy it. Thanks for sharing. Here’s the link to a rather gruesome intro and teaser from my current read: http://wp.me/p4DMf0-1t1
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Thank you for visiting and leaving your link – your opener was gruesome!
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This sounds good! I like the blurb, and love the letter. I’ve enjoyed a couple of his books in the past but kinda lost touch with the series and have never got back into it. Sometimes standalones are easier to cope with – look forward to your review!
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I read the first few in order and then I’ve read a couple of the later ones more recently – his last Die of Shame narrowly missed being in my Top Ten for last year so a standalone sounds perfect!
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Sounds interesting! I’d keep reading 🙂
I hope you can stop by:
http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2017/01/teaser-tuesday-crafty-killing-12417.html
Colletta
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Thank you for visiting and leaving your link 🙂
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I read this back in 2013 before I wrote reviews, but I did rate it 4 on good reads so I did keep reading and enjoyed it.
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I do enjoy his books although the early ones were quite gory if I remember correctly!
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I don’t remember them as gory – I’m not good with gore. That said I’m worse now so it’s all relative. They were gritty and realistic but essentially police procedurals with a great character in Tom Thorne.
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I can’t believe I still haven’t read a Mark Billingham book. My Dad’s a fan but so far he hasn’t managed to persuade me 🙂
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I read Die of Shame last year and it narrowly missed being in my Top Ten – although this is part of the Tom Thorne series he barely appears so it is more of a standalone with a cameo from Tom – it concerns a group having therapy – highly recommended and I think you’d enjoy it.
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Interesting start – I’d read more.
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Thank you 🙂
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Ooh this sounds great. I really do love books with emails, letters, etc. I always have. Must add to my wish list!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
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I’ll definitely want to continue.
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