After the seriousness and depth of Shogun, I’ve started reading a light, throw-away, comedy, mystery by Evanovitch, To the Nines. I’ve read a few of her books and they’re fun to read. But, this isn’t a review, this is to discuss the first ten pages discussion that came up a few weeks ago when I was judgeig the novel contest.
The first ten pages of To the Nines is spectacular compared to all of those novel entries. It’s quick, it’s engaging, it’s quirky, and it gives the reader some credit. Everything that the entries weren’t. First, she places the reader in the middle of the action with very little introduction to the character’s lifes. Just enough to let you know the basics. She gives more details later and it works. Secondly, she picks and interesting, albeit somewhat repulsive subject matter. The main character, Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter, is in the middle of apprehending a man who has decided his best defense against arrest is to get naked and slather Vaseline all over himself. Who wouldn’t want to know how that turns out. It’s original, repulsive and somewhat intriguing. Thirdly, pacing. It’s fast, but she provides enough detail so the reader isn’t lost. I realize it’s been edited a lot, and Evanovich is a professional writer, but still, it was done to perfection. Even the humor, which I find extremely difficult to write, was perfect.
What I like the most is the fact that she gives the reader some credit. She understands that she can’t say everything in the first few pages, so she draws it out throughout the story. A great primer on the importance of the first ten pages.
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