Friday 56 and Book Beginnings: The Deathsniffer's Assistant (The Faraday Files #1) by Kate McIntyre

This is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice

These are the rules:

1. Grab a book, any book.

2. Turn to page 56, or 56% on your eReader.

3. Find any sentence (or a few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you.

4. Post it.

5. Add the URL to your post in the link on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post.

Please join us over at RoseCityReader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

Synopsis:

     After losing his parents in the Floating Castle Incident, the sensitive and mannered Chris Buckley has spent six years raising his magically talented little sister, Rosemary. They have been living on the savings that his once-wealthy family left behind. That money is drying up, and Chris finds himself with no choice but to seek out work in Darrington City as it spirals into a depression. The only employer willing to consider his empty résumé is O. Faraday, the manic Deathsniffer. Faraday's special magical gift is a heightened intuition which is invaluable in hunting down murderers.

     When a Duchess calls on Olivia to solve the mystery of her dead husband, Chris finds himself tangled in Faraday’s daily life and unable to extract himself from the macabre questions of the investigation. His involvement grows more complicated as political forces close around Rosemary. They only see her as a tool that can be used to end the depression at the cost of her freedom—or even her life. 

     Chris must juggle the question of who killed Viktor val Daren with the responsibility of keeping Rosemary and her magic safe from those who would use her up and toss her aside. Worst of all, he begins to learn that the national disaster that took his parents’ lives may not have been the accident it seemed.

Book Beginning:

     "If you listen to certain voices in this city, we're all about to die," Michael Buckley declared.

     The gathered crowd laughed in delight.

     Michael raised his hand, calling for quiet. "Now, now," He soothed. His voice projected out to the whole of the grand ballroom. "It could happen!" He put a bit of mock consternation into his voice.

Thoughts:

The first paragraph or so, doesn't really draw much of my attention, it actually took me a little to get into this book. But once the main character meets the Deathsniffer, things start to pick up a lot. That took a couple chapters.

Page 56:

     Duchess val Daren made a strangled sound.

     "Did you tuck him back in, then, Duchess? Or has someone else been in the room after all? And recently, oh yes, this was all moved after the blood had dried. The killer couldn't have done it, not unless they came back hours later."

     "I--"The Duchess cut herself off in mid-sentence. "I didn't think it would really make any difference."

      "Really? Why do you think we want to see the place where the crime was committed? For lark? The scene tells the story of the murder, Duchess, and really, this story becomes much more interesting when you husband's ducal willy is hanging out! Come now. You're not a stupid woman."