My Favorite First Chapters – The Big Finish

• May 1, 2020
• Robin C. Stuart

I’m a huge Joseph Finder fan. Technology is featured prominently in most of his books, interwoven seamlessly. It’s not a big surprise, given his background in intelligence. When I want a refresher on describing technical topics in a reader-friendly manner, I read Joe’s books. He’s who I want to be when I grow up.

One of my favorite first chapters is from Joe’s recent standalone, Judgment. The subtext is so thick you can cut it with a knife. We’re steeped in time, place, and the protagonist’s internal conflict with a subtle but growing undertone of menace despite a situation that doesn’t seem all that dangerous. I was left with a delicious sense of dread but I didn’t know why. That’s the very definition of a hook. This first chapter is what other first chapters aspire to be.

I started reading Judgment on a flight from New York to San Francisco. By the time the plane landed, I had finished the book. Every chapter was a grabber that built on the chapters before it. I tried to put it down a couple of times to catch my breath and to savor the experience. Maybe watch a movie. But I kept going back. I had to find out what happened next.

Like I said, this is the kind of writer I want to be. As a fan, I wait impatiently for each of Joseph Finder’s new books. The latest in his Nick Heller series, House on Fire, is available now.

I hope you read and enjoy all of the books I’ve featured this week. What are some of your favorite first chapters?

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