Guess the opening lines...

[kinkytoes]

Hi all, hope it's ok to start this here.

Thought it might be fun and stretch the old grey matter a bit.

I'll attach a shot of some opening lines and whoever guesses correctly post their own?

We could all just post pics but then we might lose track. I don't mind.

Let me know what you think (of the idea, and the opening lines here - hopefully started off with an easyish one but let me know if any clues are needed!)

If it's being done elsewhere please someone direct me 😊

Adrian Mole. Love him!

I should have got Villette. I knew it was familiar, but couldn't place it.

It started at one thirty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the East Portico of St Paul’s at Covent Garden. Martin, who was none too sober himself, at first thought the body was that of one of the many celebrants who had chosen the Piazza as a convenient outdoor toilet and dormitory. Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the ‘London once-over’ – a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible for someone to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport – like base-jumping or crocodile-wrestling. Martin, noting the good-quality coat and shoes, had just pegged the body as a drunk when he noticed that it was in fact missing its head.

No-one's got one of mine yet - back on page 11. To be fair it's not an opening I knew by heart. I haven't read the book since I was in my teens. I'm kind of scared to go back to it in case the magic has gone. But that's a clue itself..

Eek! There was a typo. '..since we left the neighbourhood..'

No one's got this one yet - clue -it's a short story - American author

"A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his knees"

That one I do know

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

I didn't know this one, but liked that paragraph so much that I looked it up, and now I want to read the series (clue!)

@HelenaWilson Is it Rivers of London?

It is Rivers of London!

@StellaAndCrow The first few are excellent, really original and the author does London well. As with so many series, I think they go off a bit after a while.

I started reading the first one, but lost track halfway through. Must give it another go as I think the concept is really interesting

Yes! There's a great short (French) film of it on Youtube.