YvonneAbout half of the ninety-three passengers, those in the tail section, of the flight out of Zurich bound for Paris and London survived when the plane ploughed into a mountainside shortly after takeoff. Among those killed was a Junior British Cabinet Minister, half of a Dutch football team, an antique dealer from London by the name of Vanessa Roswell, and a man, presumed to be a Dutchman, whose body no one came to claim, and whose passport the authorities, after close examination, found to be forged.
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GREAT NEWS FOR ALL YOU BUDDING ‘AUTHORS IN WAITING’ OUT THERE!
‘The Property Of A Gentleman’ is a tale of intrigue, mystery and romance, set in a fictional earl’s ancestral home, in the dramatic landscape of England’s Lake District (click on the book image for a full synopsis). To celebrate that this modern classic by the bestselling “Queen of Storytellers” has recently been reissued by Corazon Books in ebook format, in time to celebrate its 40th anniversary and is the first of Catherine Gaskin’s novels to be published digitally, Corazon Books has partnered with the Historic Houses Association to launch a special short story competition with fantastic prizes. Writers are invited to submit a short story which is either inspired by or set in a historic house.
Corazon Books also plans to publish an ebook anthology of the best entries, with each writer receiving royalties for their published story.
Entry details can be found here, at the books dedicated website … so get writing and Good Luck to all who decide to enter.
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WHAT IS ‘BOOK BEGINNINGS’ AND HOW CAN YOU JOIN IN THE FUN
Would the first few lines of your book make you want to read on?
If so, would you like to share them with us, (without revealing too many spoilers of course) ?
Click here and visit Gilion @ Rose City Reader
You can then leave a link to your own book beginnings post, or just browse for some great reads, there are always plenty of new authors and titles to be discovered.
Don’t forget that Gilion and all the other contributors to this meme love to hear from you, so why not leave a comment or two at the same time?
I can’t wait to do a little blog hopping myself and check out all the great Book Beginnings you have!
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As this was an invitation to read and review, a complimentary Kindle download of ‘The Property Of A Gentleman’, was gifted to me, by its publisher, Corazon Books.
This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.
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It’s an interesting beginning, but I’m probably more drawn to the cover. I have a thing for castle/cathedral architecture. 🙂 I’ve not read this author and the blurb sounds fairly good.
I might end up reviewing what I’m currently reading, so I’ll pass on sharing its opening line.
Hi Kelly,
I am the opposite to yourself, in that those opening lines, so full of intrigue and questions, have drawn me in far deeper than the cover art, as stunning as it is.
Catherine Gaskin was such an early exponent of the romantic fiction genre, that she could almost be up there with the classical authors of her generation. Whilst maybe not a genre that I would choose to read on too regular a basis, from what I can remember of her writing from when I read it many years ago, she had the ability to weave a plausible storyline around some intriguing and well defined characters.
I think I may have actually read ‘The Property Of A Gentleman’ before, but it would have been a very long time ago, back in my teenage years, and I can’t remember anything about the storyline, it is just the title which rings such loud bells with me!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment and I hope that you are enjoying your current read.
Intense opening! I wonder what was up with the passenger who had the forged passport…Thanks for posting this, happy reading 🙂
My Friday Book Memes
Hi Lianne,
I would have thought that if someone was travelling with a forged passport, then they were probably either up to no good, or they were running away from something or someone! I did wonder why the forged passport had not been picked up by the airport authorities, however when I then remembered that this book was originally published way back in 1974, I realised that the technology wouldn’t have been in place and it would have taken the police some time to discover the forgery.
I am looking forward to hopefully discovering the true identity of this mystery passenger.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.
A body that no one came to claim? How sad is that is my initial thought but then, on thinking about it, I suppose it could be quite sinister depending on how the plot pans out.
‘Drinking alone needn’t necessarily be a lowering experience. If you’re in the right place, say Paris or New York, in the right bar, somewhere with pavement tables or window seats, and in the right frame of mind – having just made a couple of billion from shorting the US dollar, for instance – I imagine it could be quite pleasant kicking back with a whisky sour, watching those less fortunate than yourself (ie everyone) shuffle past as you sit snug and smug in your tailored Gucci suit.
– The Boy With The Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera.
Hi Tracy,
Not to have anyone claim a body, would actually be quite a sad state of affairs, however given the facts about the forged passport, I wonder if this person didn’t want to be found … yet. I guess not everyone has family to claim them, but it would be really terrible to imagine that a family member needed to disappear so badly, that they didn’t want you to ever find them! Mind you, I suppose that is a decision that folks on witness protection schemes have to make all the time … now there’s another potential scenario for the anonymous body!!
Your first lnes were really intriguing. Sitting alone drinking and feeling smug at everyone else’s expense, still means you are sitting alone!! I don’t enjoy sitting in cafe’s on my own, but so long as I have a book or newspaper to keep me occupied, I can struggle through a few minutes. I did check out both book and author, and whilst I am not sure that this would be a book I would enjoy, it does sound like quite a candid read, which should have you running the whole gamut of emotions.
Thanks for sharing and I hope that you have a good weekend.
I’m not a writer but it sounds like a good chance for those who are. My Post
Hi Jo,
The opportunity to get published and receive a share of the royalties, must surely appeal to any writers, or wannabe authors out there.
English was always my most successful and much loved of lesons when I was at school, in fact I won a couple of short story awards back then. I always wanted to become an English teacher, but alas, personal freedoms and real life events and circumstances, all contrived against that happening. When I hear of all the red-tape and paperwork involved in the profession now, I am almost glad to say that my career path turned into something so completely different.
So, am I tempted by this stunning challenge? ….. Yes Certainly! However, I don’t think that concentration levels and the professionalism involved in creating a storyline which is both intriguing and unique, are up to the job right now.
I hope that all is well with you and thank you so much for finding the time to stop by today,
Yvonne.
I love the cover and the beginning. THANKS for sharing.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Book Beginnings
Hi Elizabeth,
This is the original cover of ‘Property Of A Gentleman’, when it was first published, back in 1974. Whilst I love the new cover art, I wonder if the image of a clearly modern looking young woman, is going to fit with the 1974 narrative, language and storyline.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/catherine-gaskin/property-of-gentleman.htm
I do hope that it works successfully, as the folks at Corazon Books have clearly put a lot of time and thought into re-publishing this as an e-book.
Thanks for your lovely comments, I hope that all is well with you and that you have a good weekend.
I used to see Catherine Gaskin books in the library years ago but oddly – and I’ve no idea why – I’ve never read one. The synopsis of The Property of a Gentleman does sound rather good though.
Hope you have a nice weekend, Yvonne. We have our grandson while his mum is at a wedding so we’ll be collapsing on Sunday afternoon I suspect.
Hi Cath,
I have to confess that I read a couple of Catherine Gaskin books, borrowed from the library, back in my late teenage years. In fact, I am almost sure that ‘The Property Of A Gentleman’ was amongst my trial run, although it is only the title which seems familiar and certainly not these first lines.
I don’t read much in the way of romance novels these days, however the guys at Corazon Books have been so lovely, that there is no way I could have turned down their request for a review and I have to admit that it will be good to check out if this is the same book I remember from so long ago.
We have just spent a lovely couple of hours at our local music centre in Bradford On Avon, where we managed to snaffle some last minute ‘2 for 1’ special offer tickets, for tonights jazz concert. After working in the charity shop for most of the day, I am now very tired. Plans for tomorrow will rather depend on the miserable weather out there, but I am guessing that a lie in, isn’t on the cards in your house!!
It is good to catch up with you after all this time, I really will try to stop by your blog more often.
I quite like the sound of this one. It’s intreuging!
Hi Nikki,
Knowing your usual reading likes, this book may contain a bit too much romance for you. However, from what I can remember, Catherine’s books also have a liberal sprinkling of mystery and intrigue, so it might well be worth your while giving this one a try.
It seems like ages since we last spoke and you haven’t been posting as often as usual, so I do hope that you are well and enjoying your weekend.