Which part of an essay draws the reader in and includes the thesis statement?

The opening sentence. A good way to catch someone's attention when writing is to open up with a question.

Nick Manns "Operating codes" mixes a ghost story with the catastrophic effects that the production of weapons of mass destruction have in the world. The conflicts begin when Graham and his family move into Sentinel House, a house that was once used by the British military. Marty and Graham have several encounters with British ghosts that make them to have doubts about the ethical implications of his father's job. The conflicts then continue but instead of being supernatural, they become real when the father is accused of treason.