Totally agree with you on this post changing the way I view things, E. I can look at them one way going in, another way after I’ve read the openings, and then another way altogether once I’ve read the comments of others. I feel like Sybil.

The pink recliner stuck out for me, too, and I’m nervous about what the old man will find below.

EIREGO—Your speculation about what will happen to Kitty in CRIMINAL is wild. I wasn’t thinking that at all, but like Lauren said, it suddenly increased the intrigue factor. And according to this article, Slaughter is her real name.

Jann—“Hookered out” is hilarious. I’m Mobbed and vampired out.

Naomi—I hadn’t considered that NIGHTMARE might be a nautical mystery. I thought this was just the opening scene and could go anywhere from here because Kepler’s last book, THE HYPNOTIST, went to some craaazy places. But now that you’ve said it, I guess it could be a nautical tale. I’ll find out soon enough.

Nightmare – Because of what I just said about Never Tell juxtaposed with the title of this one, I almost feel like a hypocrite for liking these paragraphs more. But, as PickyGirl pointed out above, the pink recliner on a boat and the guy steps down into the salon really had me waiting for the next line because I know it’s going to be something like, “his shoes made sucking sounds as they moved down the blood covered stairs”. It’s got me. The only problems I have is knowing that I will have to wade through a bunch of descriptions of Ikea furniture I have never heard of nor care about and meals will be written about that sound wonderful but I know I shouldn’t eat. Drives me crazy and always distracts from the story.

Criminal – I don’t know if Karin Slaughter is her real name, but I wouldn’t normally pick this book off the shelf simply because that particular name on a book dealing with crime fiction seems too manipulative and a blatant commercialized ploy to attract readers.
But, I have to admit, I know the teen in this excerpt is about to get killed and her “co-workers” (co-hookers?) are probably in on it and I’m already on the girl’s side. Hope the rest of the book reads as gritty.

I’m going to read Criminal.

If I hadn’t known the title/author, Alafair’s might have intrigued me most, but it would have been a close call. I want to know what’s on that boat.

Karin’s doesn’t really grab me. Teen prostitutes and pimps don’t really suck me into a book. I’d have to know more about the plot before I picked that one up.

The Keplar sounds interesting. A pink recliner on a boat? And you just know he’s going to find something really awful/disturbing/gory on that boat.

The last one? eh. “A cinnamon brown Oldsmobile” – kind of a weird way to describe a car.

WOW – I sound like such a pessimist. THEY ALL SOUND GOOD, LITTLE NINJA! Go forth and read. 🙂