Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, from Tuesday/First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea; and Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Should Be Reading.
Today’s spotlight shines on a book from my stacks, purchased a few months ago. Playing Dead, by Julia Heaberlin, is a compelling family mystery.
Intro: Despite its name, Ponder, Texas, pop. 1,101, isn’t a very good place to think. Four months out of the year, it’s too damn hot to think.
It is a good place to get lost. That’s what my mother did thirty-two years ago. The fact that she successfully hid this from almost everyone who loved her makes her a pretty good liar. I’m not sure what it says about me.
When I was a little girl, my grandmother would tell my fortune to keep me still. I vividly remember one August day when the red line on the back porch thermometer crept up to 108. Sweat dribbled down the backs of my knees, a thin cotton sundress pressed wet against my back. My legs swung back and forth under the kitchen table, too short to reach the floor. Granny snapped beans in a soothing rhythm. I stared at a tall glass pitcher of iced tea that floated with mint leaves and quarter moons of lemon, wishing I could jump in. Granny promised a storm coming from Oklahoma would cool things off by dinner. The fan kept blowing the cards off the table and I kept slapping them down, giggling.
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Teaser: I strode over, furious, thinking that anger was a good emotion for me to hang on to. It cleared my head of all the crazy crap (p. 123).
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Amazon Description: “Dear Tommie: Have you ever wondered about who you are?”
The letter that turns Tommie McCloud’s world upside down arrives from a stranger only days after her father’s death. The woman who wrote it claims that Tommie is her daughter—and that she was kidnapped as a baby thirty-one years ago.Tommie wants to believe it’s all a hoax, but suddenly a girl who grew up on a Texas ranch finds herself linked to a horrific past: the slaughter of a family in Chicago, the murder of an Oklahoma beauty queen, and the kidnapping of a little girl named Adriana. Tommie races along a twisting, nightmarish path while an unseen stalker is determined to keep old secrets locked inside the dementia-battered brain of the woman who Tommie always thought was her real mother. With everything she has ever believed in question, and no one she can trust, Tommie must discover the truth about the girl who vanished—and the very real threats that still remain.
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What do you think? Something that you would keep reading? I’ve never read this author, but I am eager to discover what’s inside the spine.
I loved the opening. I’d keep reading. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
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Thanks, Kelley…I am eager to dive in. Glad you could stop by.
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interesting opening
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Thanks, Words and Peace….glad you could visit today.
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I always try to visit who comes to visit me, blogger’s resolution!
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I do the same…I think it’s a great way to discover other bloggers. Thanks!
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This is an very interesting opening paragraph and would definitely make me want to read on to find out what happened to the girl’s mother.
Thanks for visiting my blog!
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I agree, Spangle…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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Anger tends to fill my head with even more crazy crap. Interesting that fortune telling is used as entertainment here.
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Yes, I can recall a few “parties” back in the day, in which we entertained ourselves with Tarot cards…lol. Thanks for stopping by, Alice Audrey.
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Interesting opening. Here’s mine
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Thanks, Keri….glad you could stop by. Enjoy your week.
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The intro along with the summary has me wanting to know more. After reading her Lie Still, I can guess this book will get twistier! ;o)
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Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Lie Still. Thanks for stopping by, Nise, and have a great week.
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Ohh…that sounds good! Mine: Seed No Evil
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I think so, too, Heather…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!
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That sounds intense! And the intro- she does a great job evoking that heat. The pitcher of iced tea made me want some! Based on that intro I would definetly keep reading…
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Yes, I liked that part, too, Greg. Thanks for stopping by!
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I love the opening and the book description. Yes, this is the kind of story I love to read.
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Thanks for visiting, Margot…I love this event and the tempting books I find.
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Nice teaser this week! Love the sound of this book.
Here’s my Teaser Tuesday Post
– Kimberly @ Turning the Pages
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Me, too, Kimberly, and thanks for stopping by.
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Looks like you’ve found another good one, Laurel-Rain. I find the description intriguing. Thanks for visiting my blog.
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Glad you liked it, Catherine…and thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your read.
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The opening seemed so peaceful, but the story description sounds like there was a lot of tension in the past. I’d keep reading.
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Yes, I like that mix. Thanks for visiting, Pat, and enjoy your read.
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I would definitely keep reading this, and am putting it on my wishlist. I love a story that explores family dynamics and I’m sure that this one does. The opening pulls me in right away with the great description of a child’s antsy behavior on a summer day. Glad to hear she wrote more than just this book; I will go check her out now.
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I loved her other book, so I had to have this one. Thanks for stopping by, Rita, and enjoy your reading.
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Another great intro! I’m ready to add the book to my wish list… will look forward to your review.
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I’m glad you liked the opener, JoAnn, and enjoy your reading.
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laurel, that intro is one that pulls me in. I would be reading more for sure. Thanks for joining in.
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I agree, Diane, and thanks for stopping by; enjoy your read.
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That’s a really interesting teaser. Normally, anger is seen as a bad emotion, one that clouds judgment. I like that it’s used in the opposite way here! Great choice 🙂
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Yes, I like seeing emotions from a different perspective, too, Ellen. Thanks for visiting.
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