The Honey Queen by Cathy Kelly

Lillie Maguire kept the letter tucked into the inside zipped compartment of her handbag, a battered beige one Sam had bought her in David Jones one Christmas.

This sentences introduces a bag and some nostalgia, as we learn a page or two in that Sam is dead.

Chapter 1:

Frankie Green woke bathed in cold sweat.

So begins another book in bed; someone waking up in the middle of the night because she has issues. Another character enters the story sleeping which kind of shows what some people think of this opening. The character gets up, slips into the bathroom and becomes introspective - meaning we are introduced to the friendly back story dump.

First thing said:

"It's the history of our family, I should have taken this on years ago."

Can anyone say comma splice?

Verdict: Fail

Sincerely,
Rudy Globird