Summary

The intro to Chapter 1 is A.J.'s thoughts on "Lamb to the Slaughter," a book authored by Roald Dahl. He references two characters the reader will meet in the novel, though it is unclear as to whether the girl A.J. speaks of is his late wife Nic or his future wife Amelia.

The chapter introduces Amelia first; she is a sales rep for Knightley Publishing Company. She has taken over for a man named Harvey Rhodes. Amelia is headed to Island Books, the only bookstore on Alice Island and owned by the main character of the novel, A.J. Fikry. Harvey Rhodes has described Island Books and A.J. as a tough place to sell because of their limited customer base as well as A.J.'s incredibly fickle tastes. Amelia takes on the challenge and...