Alex Cross Must Die opening line: On that mid-November Monday morning, after nearly three years of careful planning, the forty-eight-year-old man donned latex gloves and scanned the rental-car agreement one last time. My blurb: Detectives Cross and Sampson are being pulled in two directions. There is a killer out there, murdering people seemingly at random. … Continue reading Alex Cross Must Die, James Patterson

The Secret opening lines: Keith Bridgeman was alone in his room when he closed his eyes. The morning medical rounds were over. My blurb: It is 1992 and Jack Reacher is on active duty in the Military Police. He is called to form part of a task force put together to figure out who is … Continue reading The Secret, Lee Child

Onwards is about letting go and staying tethered. When Karen Dudley closed her iconic restaurant, The Kitchen, in Woodstock, Cape Town, there were tears all over for the beloved establishment. Since then, Karen has found that connection does not necessarily reside only in bricks and mortar. She has found that she can carry that deliciousness … Continue reading Onwards, Karen Dudley

Obsessed opening lines: The NYPD boat lurched and I almost slipped on the deck. The waves made a monotonous slapping sound against the boat's hull, like an uneven drumbeat, as we cut through the choppy water. My blurb: Michael Bennett has been tasked with searching for a missing girl, and not just any missing girl, … Continue reading Obsessed, James Patterson

The Bookbinder Of Jericho opening lines: Scraps. That's all I got. Fragments that made no sense without the words before or the words after. My blurb: Peggy knows that her job is to bind the books, not read them. But that is her heart's desire. To be able to read, and to study. However, she … Continue reading The Bookbinder Of Jericho, Pip Williams

The Interpreter opening line: One good push releases the handle, and the brass tongue withdraws into the lock. My blurb: Revelle's mother has died and it has put a whole new perspective on her life. She applies to adopt a child which means a lot of things have to change. She moves into a flat … Continue reading The Interpreter, Brooke Robinson

Killing Moon opening lines: 'Oslo,' the man said, raising the glass of whisky to his lips. 'That's the place you love the most?' Lucille asked. My blurb: Prim is determined to accomplish his mission, no matter the cost. But he has to do it without being caught. Yet he cannot help himself. Just a few … Continue reading Killing Moon, Jo Nesbo

Everyone Here is Lying opening lines: They don't speak as William walks her to her car parked behind the motel; they never leave their cars out front, where they might be recognized. My blurb: Living in a small neighbourhood means everyone knows everyone. And people seem to have a way into each other's business. Many … Continue reading Everyone Here is Lying, Shari Lapena

This Time Could Be Different opening lines: "How did this get here, Rob?" The earring that Madeline had lost months ago trembled in her outstretched hand. My blurb: Madeline has her dream job. She is an important cog in the wheel at the bank. And as a senior executive, a lot is expected of her. … Continue reading This Time Could Be Different, Khristin Wierman

"Watch the boat Chandan, it floats on the ocean. It rises and falls with your breath's gentle motion." Chandan has had an exciting day out with his mum - but now it's time for bed, and however hard he tries, he just can't sleep. Luckily, his mum has some calming mindfulness techniques at her fingertips. The bedtime … Continue reading The Bedtime Boat, Sital Gorasia Chapman

One night, Spike creeps downstairs in his pyjamas to find that his granny has turned into a dinosaur - GRANNYSAURUS! There are dinosaurs BOOGYING in the living room. With Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus and Giganotosaurus, it's a DINO DISCO! Spike wants to stay up and party too! How will Grannysaurus ever get him back to bed? Perhaps her … Continue reading Grannysaurus, David Walliams

The Cassandra Complex opening lines: Where does a story start? It's a lie, the first page of a book, because it masquerades as a beginning. My blurb: Cassandra wakes up, and immediately she knows something is wrong. Her watch which was definitely stolen yesterday when she had a meltdown is right where it belongs. Then … Continue reading The Cassandra Complex, Holly Smale

Cross Down opening line: In front of President Kent and the historic Resolute Desk, General Wayne Grissom, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sits with his uniform hat in his lap and says, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Mr. President." My blurb: Detective John Sampson's boss does not feel like … Continue reading Cross Down, James Patterson

Things I Wish I Told My Mother opening line: Right now, I am standing thirty feet away from seventy million dollars. My blurb: They say Doctors make the worst patients, and my mother, Dr. Elizabeth Ormson is not the exception to the rule. She will not listen to the cardiologist in charge of her care. … Continue reading Things I Wish I Told My Mother

The Half Burnt House opening lines: 'If you could see the future', Sam asked her, 'would you want to?' It was the end of the school day and they were sitting outside the sixth-form building. My blurb: The future really is shaped by the past. Michael Hyde is the perfect person to commit a heinous … Continue reading The Half Burnt House, Alex North

I Will Find You opening lines: I am serving the fifth year of a life sentence for murdering my own child. Spoiler alert: I didn't do it. My blurb: David Burroughs is in prison for murdering his son. The evidence against him was overwhelming. He was covered in blood and there was an eyewitness. But … Continue reading I Will Find You, Harlan Coben

One Enchanted Evening opening lines: Just for a moment, Meg was on her own on the station platform. She had travelled into deepest Dorset and it felt like another world. My blurb: Ever since attending Mme Wilson's cooking school, Meg has wanted to cook in a professional kitchen. And now it is going to happen! … Continue reading One Enchanted Evening, Katie Fforde

Countdown opening line: I check my watch and if all goes well, the killing will begin in less than two minutes. My blurb: Jeremy Windsor needs to play Amy to the best of his ability. The ex-Army Ranger turned CIA agent could be the perfect foil for the plan his Government need to make work. … Continue reading Countdown, James Patterson

House of Wolves opening line: Alone on his boat and half drunk, the Golden Gate Bridge off to his left and Alcatraz dead ahead, Joe Wolf started to sing about having left his heart in San Francisco. My blurb: Jenny Wolf lives and breathes football, but not enough to be in the family business. To … Continue reading House of Wolves, James Patterson

Someone Else's Shoes opening line: Sam stares up at the slowly lightening ceiling and practices her breathing, like the doctor advised her, as she tries to stop her 5a.m. thoughts congealing into one enormous dark cloud above her head. My blurb: Sam has to keep her job no matter what. So when she accidently leaves … Continue reading Someone Else’s Shoes, Jojo Moyes