Books: First Lines Fridays 27th February 2026
It's Friday which means it's time for another First Lines Fridays post! Are you ready to judge this week's book based purely on it's opening lines?
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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:
Brighton, August 1883. There are few things more disagreeable than formal wear on a hot day, particularly when one is expected to endure it in public, surrounded by a parade of strangers, widows, and the increasingly vinegar-scented body heat of Brighton’s civic personnel. Miss Lavinia Rathbone was already regretting the decision to attend the inquest in person, though of course she would never admit it. Not even under oath. And certainly not to Rose.
Do you know which book this is from? Scroll down to find out!
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And the book is...
Brighton, 1883. Two bodies. One spaniel. And a formidable lady who is determined to uncover the truth….
When the beloved Reverend Playfair is found stabbed in his study, along with his housekeeper, the polite residents of Brighton do what they do pretend that nothing is wrong and return to their tea.
But not Miss Lavinia Rathbone.
She may be a lady of leisure, but the razor-sharp spinster has no patience for sloppy conclusions, or for Inspector Chubb, who seems more interested in pork pies than motive.
With her loyal companion Miss Rose Vale, Lavinia sets out to discover what really took place.
Before long, she's uncovering secrets the good people of Brighton would rather stay buried. As the unlikely sleuths are drawn into the town’s murky underbelly, they find themselves on the trail of a killer who may be much closer than they realise…
For fans of Richard Osman, Agatha Christie, and classic mysteries with wit, warmth, and a twist of Victorian scandal.
When the beloved Reverend Playfair is found stabbed in his study, along with his housekeeper, the polite residents of Brighton do what they do pretend that nothing is wrong and return to their tea.
But not Miss Lavinia Rathbone.
She may be a lady of leisure, but the razor-sharp spinster has no patience for sloppy conclusions, or for Inspector Chubb, who seems more interested in pork pies than motive.
With her loyal companion Miss Rose Vale, Lavinia sets out to discover what really took place.
Before long, she's uncovering secrets the good people of Brighton would rather stay buried. As the unlikely sleuths are drawn into the town’s murky underbelly, they find themselves on the trail of a killer who may be much closer than they realise…
For fans of Richard Osman, Agatha Christie, and classic mysteries with wit, warmth, and a twist of Victorian scandal.
Where to find A Lady's Guide to Sleuthing by Mary Merton online:
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Have you read this book?
You might also like: Book Club Kit: The Library by Bella Osborne
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