It is a truth universally acknowledged…

…that a novel in possession of a good opening, must be in want of a reader.

(With apologies to Jane Austen for this unashamed parody of the beginning of Pride and Prejudice.)

One of the fascinating gifts I received last Christmas was a pack of cards each containing the opening lines of a novel, the challenge being to identify the book from which each quote is taken.

I recognised quite a few and was tantalised by others to the extent that I went to the Library to borrow the book to find out what happened next.

It made me realise how important the start can be. A good opening line should capture your attention. It can hook you in from the start. It can intrigue, excite, tempt you to read further, to discover more.

How many of these can you recognise and match to the novel? (All are available to borrow from Jesmond Library if you want to read more!)