Annabel and Her Sisters opening lines: As I crunched up the long gravel drive to my sister's house, rattling over the cattle grids and returning the baleful stares of the lugubrious longhorn cows, I saw that I was not the only one to arrive early. My blurb: Annabel thinks her mother should downsize, rather than … Continue reading Annabel and Her Sisters, Catherine Alliott

Revenge of Odessa opening lines: Senator Jack Johnson admired his new, tailor-made tuxedo in the mirror. It fitted perfectly, and so it should: it had cost more than his first car. My blurb: Georg is chasing a story, the latest killing spree of Muslim extremists. Following the wounded to the hospital, he stumbles upon something … Continue reading Revenge of Odessa, Frederick Forsyth

Letting food be his guide, Warren has stumbled on some incredible places. Our rainbow nation has produced a melting pot of flavours and our cuisine is like no other because of the people who settled here from all over the world. He shares his adventures and recipes in his book, Food Trail South Africa. Embark … Continue reading Food Trail South Africa, Warren Mendes

In My Unicorn Speaks Zulu, children get a chance to see things from a new perspective, in a place they may never go, and experience a culture they may never experience. My Unicorn Speaks Zulu When a Unicorn, who can speak Zulu, meets a young Zulu girl in a forest, a beautiful friendship is born. … Continue reading My Unicorn Speaks Zulu

Following on from How Many Ways Can You Say Goodbye?, Sara is back in the hot air balloon to learn How Many Ways Can You Say Thank You. This is the third book in the series, with the first one being How Many Ways Can You Say Hello?. How Many Ways Can You Say Thank You … Continue reading How Many Ways Can You Say Thank You

Wolf Hour opening lines: 'And what is the purpose of your visit, Mr Holger Rudi?' The CBP officer looks at me without interest as he scratches his upper arm just below the emblem of the US Customs and Border Protection service. My blurb: Holger Rudi is here to tell a story about Mike Lunde. But, … Continue reading Wolf Hour, Jo Nesbo

The Picasso Heist opening lines: Tennis anyone? Growing up, I remember my mother really wanting me to learn how to play the sport. My blurb: Halston needs to play the long game. She has everyone on her side including the most important players in her scenario. And to succeed she needs to make sure everyone … Continue reading The Picasso Heist, James Patterson

She Didn't See It Coming opening lines: Bryden Frost is running late. She has to pick up her daughter, Clara, from day care within the next few minutes or she will get a reprimand and a lateness fee. My blurb: To others, Bryden has it all. The successful, good looking husband, a job that takes … Continue reading She Didn’t See It Coming, Shari Lapena

Never Say Die opening lines: Jimmy Cunniff and I are inside the shooting range at the Maidstone Gun Club a little after seven in the morning. My blurb: Jane Smith has four months to live and she is battling on a few fronts. One is against her cancer, which is being treated very aggressively. And … Continue reading Never Say Die, James Patterson

The Summer Guests opening lines: On the last day of his life, Purity police officer Randy Pelletier ordered a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin at the Marigold Café. My blurb: How is a car piling into strangers linked to a missing girl over 40 years later? The retirees, a group of spies, need … Continue reading The Summer Guests, Tess Gerritsen

Confession opening lines: It was a few minutes past midnight when Cash Dixon sprayed his marble kitchen island countertop with Lysol disinfectant for a second time, despite needing to go to bed. My blurb: Finally, Thane thinks he can handle a few legal cases that will not push him into the limelight. His first major … Continue reading Confession, Michael Cordell

In Simply Jamie, Jamie Oliver wants to inspire us to cook keeping time on our side. But in his opinion this means using tinned ingredients, such as new potatoes. This to me is not healthy, due to the other ingredients found in tinned foods. Because of this, there were many recipes I would not try. Simply … Continue reading Simply Jamie, Jamie Oliver

The Midnight Carousel opening lines: On the outskirts of Paris, where factories and foundries bustle by day, there is silence at night. From the city's port to a patch of wild scrubland near the shabbiest slum, fog creeps between deserted industrial buildings. My blurb: Maisie only knows hunger, cold and uncertainty, until her Aunt rescues … Continue reading The Midnight Carousel, Fiza Saeed McLynn

The First Gentleman opening lines: Cole Wright is sitting in the rear seat of a black up-armored Chevy Suburban, one of three in a convoy speeding its way down Route 125 in the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire. My blurb: Cole Wright stands accused of murder and Brea Cooke is determined to see him found … Continue reading The First Gentleman, James Patterson

Private Dublin opening lines: Thunderous applause filled the auditorium, and the filmmakers beamed as through the claps and cheers were dollar bills. My blurb: Jack Morgan has flown to Ireland to hopefully put a stop to Propaganda Tre. He thought they were done with them in Monaco, but it turns out, he was wrong. So … Continue reading Private Dublin, James Patterson

Nobody's Fool opening lines: Did it all go wrong the moment I saw you? I was a mere twenty-one years old, just a baby now that I look back on it, freshly graduated from Bowdoin College and gamely beginning the backpack-through-Europe ritual so common amongst my ilk. My blurb: To the people who know Sami … Continue reading Nobody’s Fool, Harlan Coben

The Imperfect Murder opening lines: Log 10/18/2018 18:58 EDT Transcript: Audio Recording. [Detective Declan Shaw] Maggie Marshall? My blurb: Jarod Cordova and his partner, Declan Shaw are trying to solve what looks like the perfect murder. Because, if the wife didn't do it, who could of? She is there, next to the body, covered in … Continue reading The Imperfect Murder, James Patterson

Count My Lies opening lines: "I'm a nurse." The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop myself from saying them, loud and clanging like a pair of tin cans tied to a back bumper. My blurb: Sloane has been lying for so long that it comes as second nature to her. She … Continue reading Count My Lies, Sophie Stava