Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘Lights Out’

Beginnings

On Sunday we do beginnings, taking a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker™. As a kind of a shout out to the very entertaining Indian Wells tennis tournament, which concludes today, let’s do a book where tennis plays a role. There are a few, including The Tutor, Lights Out, A Perfect Crime, and – coming next summer! Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge. And there’s this one, Thereby Hangs A Tail:

The perp looked around – what nasty little eyes he had! – and saw there was nowhere to go. We were in some kind of warehouse, big and shadowy, with a few grimy high-up windows and tall stacks of machine parts. I couldn’t remember how the warehouse fit in, exactly, or even what the whole case was all about; only knew beyond a doubt, from those nasty eyes and that sour end-of-the-line smell, a bit like those kosher pickles Bernie had with his BLT’s – I’d tried one; once was enough for the kosher pickles, although I always had time for a BLT – that this guy was the perp. I lunged forward and grabbed him by the pantleg. Case closed.

 

Beginnings

On Sunday we do beginnings, taking a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker™. As a kind of a shout out to Roger Federer, let’s do a book where tennis plays a role. There are a few, including The Tutor, Lights Out, Thereby Hangs a Tail, and – coming next summer! Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge. And there’s this one, A Perfect Crime:

Thursday, the best day of the week – the day of all days that Francie was predisposed to say yes. But here in the artist’s studio, with its view of the Dorchester gas tank superimposed on the harbor beyond, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The problem was she hated the paintings.

Beginnings

On Sundays we do beginnings, taking a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker. (Is there any way “moniker” could be wedged into a Chet and Bernie title?) Today: Lights Out (first of what might be called the prison novels – the others are End Of Story and Delusion. Also probably the second-most Bahamian of my novels, after Pressure Drop. And an Edgar Award best novel finalist).

[“Consistently interesting and suspenseful, his thriller’s shocking outcome is revealed only on the very last page.”– Publishers Weekly]

Man is the word. You can’t stop hearing it when you’re inside.

 

Beginnings

On Sunday we’ve been doing beginnings – all the Peter Abrahams novels, including those written under the Spencer Quinn pen name. Here, from 1994, LIGHTS OUT (first of what might be called the prison novels – the others are END OF STORY and DELUSION. Also probably the second-most Bahamian of the Abrahams novels, after PRESSURE DROP. And an Edgar Award best novel finalist).

[“Consistently interesting and suspenseful, his thriller’s shocking outcome is revealed only on the very last page.”– Publishers Weekly]

Man is the word. You can’t stop hearing it when you’re inside.