Monday, August 22, 2016

Hooked from the Start—The Blurb, the Setting and Key Words



When I first encountered the novel Disappear by Iain Edward Henn, the blurb caught my attention immediately. A man had disappeared eighteen years previously and his body suddenly appeared—looking exactly as he had looked back then. That was a book I had to read! And read it, I did, plus all of Mr. Henn’s subsequent books.
The same happened when I came across Sendero by Max Tomlinson. In that novel the main character is a woman called Nina caught up in a war in Peru. She becomes an officer in Cuzco’s tourist police and goes in search of her brother. But it wasn’t just the blurb that caught my eye. It was also the Peruvian setting. I know very little about South America as my own experiences take place in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The troubles in Peru presented an alien world. And again I was hooked and proceeded to read all the novels by Mr. Tomlinson, including the ones not set in South America.
But there are key words that hook me also such as “tropical island”. That kind of setting will always catch my attention. But I have been burned by just buying a book because it’s set on a tropical island. Romantic suspense on a tropical island becomes a must read but it does pay to read the book’s blurb and reviews first.
Other key words that intrigue me are “time travel”. Years ago, I read House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier and I was hooked for life with that genre. My own time travel mystery-romances were inspired by that novel (these are still works in progress although one short story has been published). And, of course, I had to read the recent novel by Marja McGraw--Choosing One Moment: A Time Travel Mystery. Time travel and mystery in one book? What more could I want?
A blurb, an intriguing setting and certain key words will grab my attention and the result is that I will buy the book, whether I know the author or not.


6 comments:

Patricia Gligor's Writers Forum said...

I know exactly what you mean, Pat. Lighthouses, small seaside towns and trunks in the attic are a few things that will grab my attention every time. :)

Marja said...

You're so right, Pat. Words like "secret", "mystery" and... Well, I guess there are many that grab my attention. The blurb on the back is so important. And thank you for mentioning my time travel book, Choosing One Moment. Great post!

Palmaltas said...

Thanks, Patricia,and almost anything seaside strikes my fancy. I've been intrigued by lighthouses since I was a teenager although I didn't see one until I was in my 50s! And who can resist a trunk in the attic?

Palmaltas said...

You are most welcome, Marja, and thank you for commenting. I think becoming a writer made me realize how important the back blurb on a book is.

Max Radin said...

Thanks for the mention, Pat. Great blog.

Palmaltas said...

And thank you, Max! I always enjoy your books.