Opening Lines

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We continue with our time theme in honor of the debut of Just Killing Time by Julianne Holmes, by offering an exotic locale, Prague, an astronomical clock, and a crowd. Wickeds and readers, give us your best opening lines.

astronomical clock Prague

Liz: The clock chimed noon, and suddenly mayhem erupted, with people running everywhere. It took me a minute, within the mass of people, to realize a dead body had dropped from the top of the church balcony.

Sherry: I chased after the guy who’d snatched my backpack filled with money I’d just stolen. He strolled so casually through the crowd. But when I caught him I’d be doing more than just killing time.

Edith: That wisp of a thing in the black dress? Looks innocent, doesn’t she? Nope. One of the most elusive professional assassins in Europe. Two more clicks of the clock and we’ll have her in our net.

Jessie: Tourists felt safe milling around the plaza in the shadow of the clock tower by day. But by night, something warned them not to linger. Perhaps it was the fact that the iconic building served as a perfect perch for hungry vampires scouting for a meal.

Julie: “What time is it?” he asked. I shot him a look, and pointed here, there, everywhere. No wonder he didn’t notice my new jacket. He didn’t notice anything. Not even the guy with the knife, coming right toward him.

Barb: “Be under the clock at 5:00 pm,” the voice had whispered. “Bring the gems if you want to see your husband alive again.” So there she was, milling among the happy, carefree tourists, feeling the weight of the Blaze Diamond necklace in her tote bag.

Published by Barbara Ross

Barbara Ross is the author of twelve Maine Clambake Mystery novels and six novellas. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at www.maineclambakemysteries.com

12 Thoughts

  1. I knew it was a setup the minute I arrived. “Meet me under the big clock,” he’d said. Did he think I was stupid, that I’d believe all these people were actually innocent tourists? When not even one of them was taking a selfie?

  2. Rumor had it that something would happen when the hour struck, and so the crowds gathered. I know how the rumor started – I did it. I wanted to make sure there were enough people in the square to make what happened worth while.

  3. All of you need to write a book based on those opening lines. You really put my imagination into overdrive.

  4. She waited in the busy plaza under a brightly colored umbrella as she had been instructed. A moment later, lying on the pavers in a pool of her own blood, she realized it had made her easy prey for the sniper.

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