First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if, instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

The Rules:

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
• Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

“The whispers follow me as I walk down Ocean Avenue, a low hiss that rises above the gentle breeze sliding in from the sea. A veil of damp, somber morning fog blurs the picturesque Victorian storefronts, but it’s not heavy enough to hide the eyes that narrow as I pass. Not thick enough to obscure the lips that flatten into grim lines at my approach. There’s been another drowning.”

This sounds like a great start, and my friend who already read it said it’s a great story!

Do you recognize the lines?

Here’s a hint:

This is an upcoming YA gothic mystery.

Still not sure? Here’s another hint:

It’s written by Amanda Glaze.

The First Lines Friday book is:

The Lies of Alma Blackwell.

About the Book:

• Title: The Lies of Alma Blackwell
• Author: Amanda Glaze
• Page Length: 371 pages
• Publication Date: August 27, 2024
• Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Synopsis:

A sweepingly romantic gothic mystery about a girl poised to inhabit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning… 

For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits. 

Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town’s witch protector—unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back. 

When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job. Nev doesn’t trust Cal. He knows more than he’s letting on about Blackwell House—and about Nev herself.

But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies…and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust.

Links: Goodreads     

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links. You can purchase this book through Amazon by clicking the image below.