Happy Friday book lovers! We’re back with another First Lines Friday, 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? Here are the rules:
- 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!

First lines:
“If I believe in omens, this would be a bad one.
There’s only one suitcase left on the baggage carousel. It’s bright pink, covered with Hello Kitty stickers, and definitely not mine.”

Do you recognize the book these first lines come from?








*drumroll please!*


Ellery’s never been to Echo Ridge, but she’s heard all about it. It’s where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen’s murder five years ago made national news. And where Ellery now has to live with a grandmother she barely knows, after her failed-actress mother lands in rehab. No one knows what happened to either girl, and Ellery’s family is still haunted by their loss.
Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen’s death. His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace. His mother’s remarriage vaulted her and Malcolm into Echo Ridge’s upper crust, but their new status grows shaky when mysterious threats around town hint that a killer plans to strike again. No one has forgotten Malcolm’s brother-and nobody trusts him when he suddenly returns to town.
Ellery and Malcolm both know it’s hard to let go when you don’t have closure. Then another girl disappears, and Ellery and Malcolm were the last people to see her alive. As they race to unravel what happened, they realize every secret has layers in Echo Ridge. The truth might be closer to home than either of them want to believe. And somebody would kill to keep it hidden.
I really enjoyed OUISL when I read it last year and I’ve had Two Can Keep A Secret ever since it came out. I’ve gotten through a good portion of it right now but I put it down to prioritise my other reads, and then Animal Crossing took over again so I haven’t picked it back up yet 😂 But the thing about McManus’ books is that they’re so easy to digest! I’m enjoying it so far and can’t wait to finish it! 😃

Have you read Two Can Keep A Secret or is it on your TBR?

I knew I had read this one, but I couldn’t remember where it came from! I love that line!
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It’s a great first line! I’m definitely curious to see how much worse things get haha
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I love the gifs you use to create suspense!!!! I honestly did not remember that one!
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Haha thanks! I’m glad that they do the job 😝
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Great first line.
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I thought so too 😀
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Ah! I haven’t read this book yet. I read the first one a year or so ago, and I wasn’t in love with it. But maybe book 2 is better?? 🙂
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Oh, I don’t know if you will. But people who really enjoyed the first book (I did!) didn’t really enjoy this one so who knows? Lol
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This wouldn’t be one for me. I couldn’t get into the first book unfortunately.
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Fair enough! I really enjoyed the first one. I finished it so quickly lol
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Glad you’re enjoying it!!
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Thanks Ali! Still haven’t picked it back up yet since I last picked it up… But only because of other priority reads 😂
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Oh I hope it’s better than the first one. I found that book far too obvious with its *plot twists* 🙈😂💛
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I don’t know what mood I was in when I picked up the first book but I read it so quickly and really enjoyed the easiness of the read 😂 This seems to be another one that’s on that same track although I’m not the best at guessing “whodunits” 🤣
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Great first lines! I have this on my TBR and I must get to it!
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I’m *still* reading it because I’m doing less reading than gaming but I’m still enjoying it so far! Lol
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That’s a great first line, I love books that can grab me right from the start.
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Right!? I’m curious to see how this one goes. Still reading it lol (woe my reading) but I’m still enjoying it 😀
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Great first line! I haven’t read neither of these books and I really need to! Waiting to order both at a good price. 💙
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