The opening line of a book is extremely important, as it has to be intriguing and powerful enough to capture the reader's imagination. Then, the second line has to intensify the intrigue. Coming up with these lines can be pretty difficult, yet one writer came up with a second line that would almost always heighten the intrigue to its peak, and the Internet is going crazy.
"And then the murders began" - that's the clever line Marc Laidlaw came up with. Add it to almost any opening line and you've got yourself a hell of an intriguing book opening. Now people are tweeting famous first lines of books followed by Marc's second line, with the hashtag #LaidlawsRule. The results are absolutely hilarious! See for yourselves below, and feel free to add your own intriguing openings to the list.
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#501
The panda was bored. And then the murders began.
0points
#502
"I couldn't," he said again.
"But I insist." Mr. Hanscom took hold of the stein and drained it. And then the murders began.
"But I insist." Mr. Hanscom took hold of the stein and drained it. And then the murders began.
(IT)
0points
#503
'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've turning over in my m ever since.' And the murders began.
( The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald)
( The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald)
-1point
#504
A merry little surge of electricity piped by automatic alarm from the mood organ beside his bed awakened Rick Deckard. And then the murders began. (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick)
-1point
#505
Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. And then the murders began. (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling)
-1point
#506
At dawn one still October day in the long ago of the world, across the hill of Alderley, a farmer from Mobberley was riding to Macclesfield fair. And then the murders began. (The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner).
-1point
#507
"Hello, little mouse. What are you doing?" And then the murders began. ( The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry, and the big hungry bear by Don and Audrey Wood)
-1point
#508
Little rabbit Foo Foo riding through the forest scooping up the field mice and then the misers began. (Little Rabbit Foo Foo, Micheal Rosen)
-1point
#509
Don't waste your life on work you don't love. And then the murders began. (D. Trump - Trump 101, Ch. 1)
-1point
#510
Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the house not a creature was stirring. And then the murders began.
-1point
#511
Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine.
And the the murders began.
(Gloria, Patti Smith)
And the the murders began.
(Gloria, Patti Smith)
-1point
#512
My desert island, all-time, top-five most memorable breakups, in chronological order, are as follows: Alison Ashmore; Penny Hardwick; Jackie Alden; Charlie Nicholson; and Sarah Kendrew.
Those were the ones that really hurt.
And the the murders began.
(High Fidelity, Nick Hornby)
-1point
#513
Here is Edward Bear, coming down the stairs now, bump bump bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. And then the murders began.
-1point
#514
Jack and Jill went up the hill then the murders began.
-1point
#515
'when he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him, and then the murders began' (The Road, Cormac McCarthy)
-1point
#516
I'm Emily Elizabeth, and I have a dog. My dog is a big red dog.
Other kids I know have dogs, too. Some are big dogs. And some are red dogs.
But I have the biggest, reddest dog on our street.
And then the murders began.
Other kids I know have dogs, too. Some are big dogs. And some are red dogs.
But I have the biggest, reddest dog on our street.
And then the murders began.
-1point
#517
I'm Emily Elizabeth, and I have a dog. My dog is a big red dog.
Other kids I know have dogs, too. Some are big dogs. And some are red dogs.
But I have the biggest, reddest dog on our street.
And then the murders began.
- Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Other kids I know have dogs, too. Some are big dogs. And some are red dogs.
But I have the biggest, reddest dog on our street.
And then the murders began.
- Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
-1point
#518
Once when I was six years old I saw a beautiful picture in a book about the primeval forest called True Stories. And then the killings began.
'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
-1point
#519
"Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. I can't wait until two o'clock God." And then the murders began....(Judy Blume, Are you there God? It's me, Margaret)
-1point
#520
When that April with its sweet showers the drought of March has pierced to the root and bathed every vine in sweet liquor of which virtue is the flour; then, the murders began. Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer.
-1point