Crafting a Killer First Line

Several years ago at Sleuthfest, I went out to dinner with Jamie Freveletti, Linda Hengerer and Joe Konrath. Joe started talking about first lines. He challenged us to come up with one on the spot. I don't recall what Jamie or Linda said, but here's mine:


I was rummaging around in the trash Dumpster searching for my lost paycheck when I reached down and grabbed Cindy Gambrowski’s severed leg.

That became the first line for Make, Take, Murder, which will be published May 1, 2011.

I'm a big believer in working overtime to craft a perfect first line. Here's the first line of Ink, Red, Dead, the fifth book in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series:


A blood red blossom flowered slowly on Edwina Fitzgerald’s chest.

Recently I read an outstanding blog post by Vicki Hendricks. She says, "Of course, the first sentence gives the indication of everything else to come."

She gives a few great examples. So great, in fact, that I was inspired to write a short story that begins with this:


The stink of imminent death hit me hard the minute I walked into Room 234. All head injuries emit that horrid scent when they start to go south.

I might need to tinker with it, but it's a start. Can you share any outstanding first lines?