Books: First Lines Fridays 22nd May 2026
It's that time of the week again... Ready for another First Lines Friday? It's not about the book cover or even the book blurb. Instead we will be judging it's ability to hook us from the opening lines. Let's see if this week's pick will have you adding it to your TBR list or not.
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I'm participating in First Lines Fridays as I think it's a great way to highlight more of the books that are on my bookshelves.
What is First Lines Fridays?
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?
- 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!
My Pick For This Week
The first lines of the book:
“This isn’t a social visit. I’m just back to pick up my boxes from the attic.” The young woman standing on the doorstep glowered at Marie from under a long fringe of dyed black hair that hung over her pale face. Her eyes were lined with dark kohl, highlighting her menacing scowl, and her lips and nose were pierced with so many metal studs that Marie couldn’t help thinking of the nail-bombing victims she’d just heard about on the news.
Do you know which book this is from? Scroll down to find out!
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And the book is...
Book synopsis Shrink Wrap by Victoria Williamson
Marie’s new family is everything her old family wasn’t. Her husband, Ryan, is caring, hard-working and supportive, and her two young children are polite, well-behaved and full of joy. Now, she has everything she’s ever wanted – a loving home, and a picture-perfect life.
But when her daughter from her previous failed marriage turns up at her door demanding attention and dredging up the dysfunction of the past, Marie’s anxiety starts to spiral. Can she find a way to preserve her precious family and protect them from the rot that threatens to eat away at their perfect life?
Shrink Wrap is the first sinister short story in the Truly, Madly, Weirdly collection, written by award-winning author Victoria Williamson and available to purchase as an anthology.
Where to find Shrink Wrap by Victoria Williamson online:
Get the book: Shrink Wrap Amazon affiliate link
Add to your shelf: Shrink Wrap on Goodreads
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Have you read this book? On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do these opening lines make you want to read the book?
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