Grabbers: A selection of first sentences from new books, Sept. 4

Ever since Howie Jeffries could remember, people had been asking him if anything was wrong.

“The Household Spirit,” a novel, now in paperback, by Tod Wodicka

It was during the time I wandered the streets near Nybroplan with a lamb in my arms.

“The Fly Trap,” a memoir, now in paperback, by Fredrik Sjöberg

We went to the spa to save what was left of our damned marriage.

“Divorce Is in the Air,” a novel by Gonzalo Torné