tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:21:43 +0000http://www.mystery-books.com/noreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)Blogger1277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-5318804058913451911Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:20:00 +00002008-09-05T17:21:43.389-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img title="Mysterious Reviews: Mysteries Reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Blood Alone</span> by James R. Benn. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1569475164/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img title="Blood Alone by James R. Benn" alt="Blood Alone by James R. Benn" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/1569475164.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 100px;"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=1569475164">Blood Alone</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/benn-james-r.html" rel="tag">James R. Benn</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Billy Boyle Mystery</span></p> <p class="std10">Soho Press (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 1-56947-516-4 (1569475164)<br> ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-516-4 (9781569475164)<br> Publication Date: September 2008<br> List Price: $24.00</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Billy Boyle awakes to find himself in a strange land on an unknown mission and worse, not even sure of his own identity, in <span style="font-style: italic;">Blood Alone</span>, the third mystery in the World War II mystery series by James R. Benn.<br> <br> With his head bandaged and bleeding, feeling like someone has hammered a nail into it, and his arm blood-stained from elbow to wrist, Billy Boyle looks around to discover he's in an army field hospital tent but not knowing how he got there, where it is, or how badly he is wounded. He doesn&rsquo;t even know who he is. He&rsquo;s dressed in a faded green uniform, not at all like the other wounded men around him. Plus he has no insignias or dog tags. The only thing he does have is a gold colored silk handkerchief with the letter &ldquo;L&rdquo; emblazoned on the center of it. He quickly discovers, however, that there is something particularly important about this handkerchief and that there are those in the hospital who want it, badly, and nothing, not even murder, will stop them.<br> <br> As Billy slowly regains his memory he remembers that he's a military investigator and the handkerchief was a gift of American mob boss, Salvatore "Lucky" Luciano, a top-ranking member of the Sicilian Mafia, and that it was given to Billy as a signal of some sort. What to what end? It must have something to do with his being in Sicily. By the time he's released from the hospital, he knows that he must proceed to the home of the Mafia in the Sicilian hills and along the way encounters both German and Italian foes, enemies of a very different sort and with means to different ends, to the success of his mission.<br> <br> The Billy Boyle novels have quickly established themselves as best in class for those seeking historical mysteries that seamlessly blend fact with fiction, are replete with period details, incorporate an engaging, intricate and suspenseful story, and most importantly, have as its central character, the redoubtable Billy Boyle. The author exposes the horror of war yet brilliantly shows the camaraderie men in the face of danger can find. <span style="font-style: italic;">Blood Alone</span> is classic World War II crime fiction and readers will be anxious to discover where Billy finds himself next.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.betzreview.com/" target="_blank">The Betz Review</a> for contributing her review of&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">Blood Alone</span> and&nbsp;to <a href="http://www.sohopress.com/" target="_blank">Soho Press</a> for providing a copy of the book for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; width: 120px; float: right;"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1569475164/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img title="Buy Blood Alone by James R. Benn from Amazon.com" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 120px; height: 28px;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p>If you are interested in purchasing <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1569475164/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Blood Alone</a> from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Billy Boyle awakens in a field hospital in Sicily with amnesia. In his pocket is a yellow silk handkerchief embroidered with the initial L. He must struggle to learn his identity while staying one step ahead of the shadowy figures pursuing him. Gradually he remembers: he has been sent ashore in advance of the troops with this token from Lucky Luciano to contact the head of the Sicilian Mafia. But he must also thwart a murderous band of counterfeiters of Army scrip led by Vito Genovese.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-book-review-blood-alone-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-5807883816229800559Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:08:00 +00002008-09-05T04:09:58.241-07:00<p style="margin: 6px auto 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mystery Bestsellers" src="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/graphics/bestsellers-news.jpg" border="0"></a></p> <p>A list of the top 15 <a href="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/" rel="tag">mystery hardcover bestsellers</a> for the week ending September 05, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.</p> <p>Some significant changes near the top of this week's bestseller list, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155015/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Moscow Rules</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/silva-daniel.html" rel="tag">Daniel Silva</a> retains the top spot for the fourth straight week. Only one new title enters the top 15.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; width: 115px; float: right;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/031236847X/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 116px; height: 170px;" alt="Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/031236847X.01._SX110_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>Coming in at number 14 is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/031236847X/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Sweetheart</a> by&nbsp;<a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/cain-chelsea.html" rel="tag">Chelsea Cain</a>, a sequel to her first novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312368461/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Heartsick</a>. When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland&rsquo;s Forest Park, Detective Archie Sheridan is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer&rsquo;s first victim, and Archie&rsquo;s first case. This body can't be one of Gretchen's&mdash;she&rsquo;s in prison&mdash;but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman's identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can't focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison. Archie hadn't seen her in two months; he'd moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he's relieved. He knows he's the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all. Publishers Weekly calls <span style="font-style: italic;">Sweetheart</span> "superb" and adds, "With its brisk pacing, carefully metered violence and tortured hero, Cain's sophomore effort will leave readers desperate for more."</p> <p>On our bestseller page, we've added an icon <img src="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/graphics/icon-kindle.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"> next to every title that is available for immediate download onto the Amazon Kindle. To learn about this wireless reading device, visit the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FI73MA/?tag=mystery-books-20">Amazon Kindle</a> page for more information.</p> <p>The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:</p> <p style="margin: 12px auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 360px;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155015/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 87px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399155015.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0743294386/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743294386.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155333/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Silks by Dick Francis and Felix Francis" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399155333.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061246247/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0061246247.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>Please visit the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a> where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a rel="tag" href="http://www.mystery-books.com/">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-bestsellers-for-september-05.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-7700092692739935034Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:33:00 +00002008-09-04T15:35:29.169-07:00<p style="margin: 6px auto 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mystery Savings: Discounted Products and Services on Books, Movies, and more!" src="http://savings.omnimystery.com/mystery-savings-news.jpg"></a></p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">Mystery Savings</span> periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a list of offers recently received that we're pleased to pass on at this time.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=178814011&amp;tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 125px; height: 125px;" src="http://savings.omnimystery.com/amazon-logo-125x125.jpg" alt="Shop Amazon.com"></a></p> <p>Amazon.com has unveiled its <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=178814011&amp;tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">2008 Primetime Emmy Event</a> which will focus on TV DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and video downloads. In addition to featuring the 2008 nominees on DVD, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=178814011&amp;tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Emmy Central store</a> will act as the hub for one of the biggest TV DVD sales events of the year which is available now through September 30. Save up to 55% on Emmy-nominated television shows including such suspense series like <span style="font-style: italic;">24</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Crime Story</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Cagney &amp; Lacey</span>, and one of our favorite shows, <span style="font-style: italic;">Murder One</span>. [MBN note: All these series and more can be found at <a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/" rel="tag">Mysteries on TV</a>, your source for one of the largest selections of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense mystery series that are now available or coming soon to DVD.]</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026595632&amp;pubid=21000000000104539"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;" src="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplimage?lid=41000000026595632&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" alt="Shop A&amp;E and Get Up to 60% Off Midsomer Murders, Hitchcock &amp; More!" border="0"></a></p> <p>And a quick reminder that through September 17th, 2008, <a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A&amp;E is having a Mystery DVDs sale</a> with prices that are almost criminal: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539">up to 60% off</a>. Choose from a wide selection of series and titles, including <span style="font-style: italic;">Midsomer Murders</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Columbo</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Murder She Wrote</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rosemary &amp; Thyme</span>, and many more. Check out these DVD set prices: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Complete Nero Wolfe</span>, originally priced $99.95, now only $39.98. Or the <span style="font-style: italic;">Agatha Christie Crime Anthology Collection</span>, originally priced $199.95, now only $79.98. Quantities are limited so hurry to A&amp;E.com and shop their <a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mystery DVDs Sale</a> today.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-savings-up-to-55-off-emmy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-4299694984855847443Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:35:00 +00002008-09-03T16:37:47.532-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img title="Mysterious Reviews: Mysteries Reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Fix</span> by Tod Goldberg. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451225546/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img title="The Fix by Tod Goldberg" alt="The Fix by Tod Goldberg" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/0451225546.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 100px; height: 154px;"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0451225546">The Fix</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/goldberg-tod.html" rel="tag">Tod Goldberg</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Burn Notice Mystery with Michael Westen</span></p> <p class="std10">Signet (Mass Market Paperback)<br> ISBN-10: 0-451-22554-6 (0451225546)<br> ISBN-13: 978-0-451-22554-2 (9780451225542)<br> Publication Date: August 2008<br> List Price: $6.99</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Covert spy Michael Westen has found himself in forced seclusion in Miami&mdash;and a little paranoid. Watched by the FBI, cut off from intelligence contacts, and with his assets frozen, Westen is on ice with a warning: stay there or get &ldquo;disappeared.&rdquo; Driven to find out who burned him and why, he&rsquo;s biding his time helping people with nowhere else to turn. People like socialite Cricket O&rsquo;Connor whose own husband has vanished, along with her fortune.<br> <br> Cricket fell for a handsome world traveler who claimed to be just back from Afghanistan, where he was on a hush-hush government mission. She was charmed&mdash;who woudn't want an action hero for a lover? She's been having some doubts, though, since he disappeared off the face of the earth with most of her money. She needs help, but Michael's having doubts too. Because Cricket may not be exactly who she claims to be, either. And when a shadowy Russian woman from Michael's past shows up in Miami with secrets that might just lead to the truth about his burn notice, things really get hot.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Tod Goldberg pens the first in a planned series of tie-in books for the television show <span style="font-style: italic;">Burn Notice</span> with <span style="font-style: italic;">The Fix</span> featuring ex-covert agent Michael Westen who has been "burned" by the government, his identity all but erased from official records, but not (yet) terminated.<br> <br> Michael isn't sure who burned him, but as long as he stays in Miami he's reasonably safe ... reasonable being a relative term. The Russian agent who recently set up shop in a local hotel gives him cause to pause. But he has to make a living so he uses his finely honed people skills to help others in need, mostly those who can't get help from the very same government that burned him. Such as Cricket O'Connor whose new husband took off with a million dollars and who gets middle of the night visits from his "associates" demanding two million more. Michael believes extorting money from older women doesn't show off the criminal profession in the most positive light and sets out to teach her extortionists (including her husband) a lesson in ethics.<br> <br> As a book tie-in to <span style="font-style: italic;">Burn Notice</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Fix</span> readily achieves its primary goal of being an extended, albeit written, version of a series episode without sacrificing the identity of the show itself. Arguably in many ways it is better, thought it has an edge to it that will appeal to some, and turn off others. The written Michael Westen is similar in style to the televised version, though in print he has the luxury of being able to expound on his life and his case in far more detail than on television. It should be said, however, that it probably isn't necessary to punctuate every situation in the present with a colorful, though often entertaining, story from the past. His way of dealing with clients is short and to the point. When asked by Cricket where to start her tale of woe, he says, "Why not start at the beginning? But skip over the bits you don't think I'll care about."<br> <br> The secondary plot involving the Russian agent doesn't quite fit. It almost seems written as an afterthought, something to fill in the gaps in the main story, and for the most part it is a distraction. That it might have something to do with Michael's burn notice is not readily obvious and in any case doesn't further the plot or add value in any meaningful way. Though everything ties together in the end, sort of, one wonders how much stronger the book might have been without it.<br> <br> Finally, it's worth noting some of the sage advice Michael periodically offers the reader: "In a situation where it seems like the best course of action is to call the police and let them protect and serve, you should call the police. Seems is a nebulous emotion one should ignore." Or: "If you're at home and don't have access to the bomb squad, the best way to open an envelope that you think might contain an explosive charge is to not open it at all." And there are many more. These words of wisdom alone are worth the purchase price.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to <a href="http://us.penguin.com/" target="_blank">Penguin</a> for providing a copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Burn Notice: The Fix</span> for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; width: 120px; float: right;"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451225546/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img title="Buy The Fix by Tod Goldberg from Amazon.com" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 120px; height: 28px;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p>If you are interested in purchasing <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451225546/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Fix</a> from Amazon.com, please click&nbsp;the button to the right.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-book-review-fix-by-tod-goldbert.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-276288260785357933Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:27:00 +00002008-09-02T09:28:45.669-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img title="Mysterious Reviews: Mysteries Reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</span> by R. J. McDonnell. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0981491413"><img title="Rock &amp; Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell" alt="Rock &amp; Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/0981491413.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 100px; height: 154px;"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0981491413">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/mcdonnell-r-j.html" rel="tag">R. J. McDonnell</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Jason Duffy Mystery</span></p> <p class="std10">Killeena Publishing (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 0-9814914-1-3 (0981491413)<br> ISBN-13: 978-0-9814914-1-7 (9780981491417)<br> Publication Date: June 2008<br> List Price: $25.95</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Just as the rock band Doberman&rsquo;s Stub was about to reach stadium tour status, its leader was brutally murdered when his headphones exploded during a recording session. The widow, who inherits $5 million, is the <a href="http://san-diego.omnimystery.com/" target="_blank" rel="tag">San Diego</a> Police Department&rsquo;s number one suspect. She hires Jason Duffy, a 27-year-old PI in his first year of private practice, in spite of his background as a former musician.<br> <br> Jason learns that the victim was also a very skilled contract negotiator, who was in the middle of an acrimonious renegotiation with the record company at the time of his death. He also finds that the record company has a very unhealthy tie to the Russian Mafia.<br> <br> As an inexperienced detective, Jason does not yet have the contacts within the police department to gather vital information. He is forced to mend fences with his estranged father, an opinionated ex-SDPD detective.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: R. J. McDonnell introduces singer and guitarist turned private investigator Jason Duffy in <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</span>, an investigation set along the sunny shores and towering cliffs of La Jolla, California.<br> <br> Terry Tucker, the leader of an up and coming heavy metal rock and roll band, has been viciously murdered. Someone had outfitted his new, heavy-duty, headphones with blasting caps and explosives. When he turned them on, his brains were blown out by the explosion. Terry&rsquo;s widow Chelsea is the sole beneficiary of his recently purchased five million dollar insurance policy. The San Diego police immediately tag her as the prime suspect in her husband's murder. Rookie PI Jason finds himself with his first high-profile case when Chelsea hires him to go out and find the real killer. Determined to succeed, he proceeds with the gusto of a tried and true professional. First, he finds that Terry was renegotiating the band&rsquo;s current contract in order to make a better deal for himself, plus a rider that allows him to arbitrarily remove one of the band members. He was doing this without the knowledge of the band, through his lawyer and, in a roundabout way, the Russian Mafia. Then, after a little arm-twisting, Jason's father, a former San Diego detective, introduces him to Walter Shamasky, a current detective with the department, who decides to work with Jason. Together they make a list of suspects, eliminating those who they know have alibis or have no obvious reason to kill Terry. While pursuing leads, Duffy is shot at, his office is broken into and his secretary bound and gagged, his computers stolen, and a close friend and associate beaten badly and hospitalized. Not exactly what he expected for his first real case as a private investigator.<br> <br> Filled with insider details of the entertainment industry, music and mystery fans alike will be thrilled with <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</span>. But even those readers simply looking for a fast-paced story with likeable characters will appreciate the book. The dialog, in particular that of the impatient widow Chelsea, is sharp and witty and plays well off of the more laid-back Jason. Jason himself has issues with his father who takes a very narrow view of who in the world he trusts. It's an interesting relationship and its inclusion adds depth to the story.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.betzreview.com/" target="_blank">The Betz Review</a> for contributing her review of&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</span> and&nbsp;to R. J. McDonnell for providing a copy of the book for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; width: 120px; float: right;"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981491413/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img title="Buy Rock &amp; Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell from Amazon.com" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 120px; height: 28px;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p>If you interesting in purchasing&nbsp;<a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981491413/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</a> from Amazon.com, please click&nbsp;the button on the right side of the column.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-book-review-rock-roll-homicide.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-4722985332377530451Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:22:00 +00002008-09-01T12:56:25.893-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span> by Heather Terrell. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0345494687"><img alt="The Map Thief by Heather Terrell" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/0345494687.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; width: 100px; vertical-align: bottom;"></a><br> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345494687/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0pt solid ; padding: 0px; width: 120px; vertical-align: top;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0345494687">The Map Thief</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/terrell-heather.html" rel="tag">Heather Terrell</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Mara Coyne Mystery</span></p> <p class="std10">Ballantine (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 0-345-49468-7 (0345494687)<br> ISBN-13: 978-0-345-49468-9 (9780345494689)<br> Publication Date: $25.00<br> List Price: July 2008</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Beijing, China, 1421: It is a momentous time for the Ming Dynasty. Honoring the completion of the Forbidden City, a fleet of unprecedented size sets sail under Admiral Zheng He. Zheng&rsquo;s mission is to chart the globe, trading for riches and bringing glory to China&rsquo;s emperor. Among the crew is the talented cartographer and navigator Ma Zhi, whose work will lead to the first true map of the world&ndash;but whose accomplishment will vanish when the fleet returns to a very different China than the one it left.<br> <br> Lisbon, Portugal, 1496: At the height of Portugal&rsquo;s maritime domination during the Age of Discovery, the legendary explorer Vasco da Gama embarks on a quest to find a sea route to India. On board is navigator Antonio Coehlo, who guards Portugal&rsquo;s most secret treasure: a map that already shows the way.<br> <br> New York, present day: Mara Coyne&rsquo;s new client has left her uneasy. Republican kingmaker Richard Tobias has hired her, he says, because of her skill in recovering stolen art and advocating for the rightful owners, but Mara senses that he is not telling her everything. Tobias reveals that a centuries-old map was stolen from an archaeological dig he is sponsoring in China, and he wants her to get it back. But as Mara begins her investigation, she uncovers the shocking truth: The map is more valuable than anyone has ever imagined, and her client&rsquo;s motives are more sinister than she suspected.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Heather Terrell crafts an intriguing tale of the fascinating journey of a historic map in her second suspense thriller featuring fine art negotiator Mara Coyne in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span>.<br> <br> Richard Tobias, a wealthy political insider, is funding an archaeological dig in China which discovers a map of the world that pre-dates the voyages of European explorers. The map promptly disappears, presumably stolen. Tobias hires Mara to find it and return it to him. She agrees but stipulates that she'll only return it to its rightful owner. Meeting up with the archaeologist who found the map in China, Ben Coleman, together they embark on a quest that ultimately leads them to Portugal where they locate a secret society whose leaders may know more about the map than they are willing to admit.<br> <br> There are three narratives presented in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span>: one from the early 15th century featuring Chinese cartographer Ma Zhi, one from the late 15th century featuring Portuguese navigator Antonio Coehlo, and one from the present day with Mara and Ben. The first two narratives, somewhat unexpectedly written in the present tense but to great effect, are elegantly symmetrical in telling the tales of their respective characters. Their stories are compelling, at times riveting, richly detailed, and fill the reader with the same sense of wonder and awe the characters must have felt during their journeys. They come to life in a way fictional characters rarely do. When both narratives end, there is a real sense of sorrow and loss.<br> <br> The final narrative, the present day one, isn't nearly as exciting though there are several inventive scenes and suspenseful passages. And the brilliant conception of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span> is marred only by the seriously flawed foundation upon which Mara is asked to do her search. The disappointment comes towards the end. Without giving away too much, there's a "But if ... then why ..." situation that seems to make Mara and Ben's entire adventure rather pointless. Or maybe the point was to make a politician appear evil and manipulative. If so, that's hardly innovative and ultimately doesn't serve the story very well. After creating such an astonishingly original story, it's incredibly disappointing the author didn't develop a more adroit manner of wrapping it up, instead relying on tired clich&eacute;s. Still, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span> is a remarkable story and, despite its poorly conceived conclusion, is highly recommended.<br> </p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/" target="_blank">Random House</a> for providing a copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Map Thief</span> for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-book-review-map-thief-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-8508944230809618849Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:02:00 +00002008-09-01T12:11:23.277-07:00<p style="margin: 6px auto 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Games of Mystery" src="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/mystery-games-graphics/banner-games-of-mystery-news.jpg"></a></p> <p>Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer but also the unofficial start to the fall holiday season! It's not too early to plan your parties for October and <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/" rel="tag">Games of Mystery</a>, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, has some great ideas for your Halloween party, including costume recommendations and an online source to purchase your <a href="http://www.buycostumes.com/" target="_blank">costumes</a>.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 218px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=659"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 218px; height: 160px;" src="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/mystery-games-graphics/kids-haunted-house.jpg" alt="Halloween Parties for Kids"></a> </p> <p>For a kids party, consider hosting the alliterative <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=659" target="_blank">Horrible Happenings in the Haunted House</a>. A fancy dress party is being held by Horrorwood Studios to celebrate the success of their latest film <span style="font-style: italic;">Hal O'Ween and the Deadly Shrunken Head</span>. Hal O'Ween himself has invited you and your friends to join him for an evening of fright and horror. A spooky mystery party for 8 to 12 children. (Costume suggestions: Characters from music, TV and film.)<br> <br> Or how about <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=363" target="_blank">The Mystery of the Vanishing Vampire</a>. To celebrate the opening of the scary new theme park, Vampireland in Transylvania, the guests have been chosen by Jack Ular, the owner of Castle Alucard and Vampireland, to spend a night in one of the rooms in the haunted West Wing of Castle Alucard in Vampireland. A vampire-themed mystery game for 10 to 14 players, perfect for Halloween. There's also a teen version of this party game titled <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=332" target="_blank">Death of a Vampire</a>. (Costume suggestions: Vampires and anything in black.)<br> <br> For younger kids, there's <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=513" target="_blank">Which Witch Did The Switch?</a> Miss Terry, the head mistress of Miss Terry's School of Magic will take charge of the usual end of term assembly. The whole of the school, staff and pupils will gather to see who wins the annual school awards. What could possibly go wrong with all of those witches and wizards around? Harry Potter fans will be delighted by this Halloween-themed party. (Costume suggestions: Harry Potter characters, witches, warlocks.)<br> <br> Older kids and teens may enjoy <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=374" target="_blank">A Devilish Masquerade</a>. Monty Argent, teen-aged son and heir of ridiculously wealthy Pierce Argent, is inviting kids who are, or pretend to be, his friends to an over-the-top Halloween costume party at the family estate. As the party is under way, the scary special effects become truly terrifying, however, when their wealthy host suddenly disappears. Was this a simple accident, a prank gone wrong, or perhaps attempted murder? This non-murder mystery game is a great choice as a Halloween party for teens, and can be expanded to include an unlimited number of characters. (Costume suggestions: Wide open; use your imagination!)<br> <br> And for adults, there's <a href="http://www.host-party.com/viewsynopsis.asp?partnerid=581&amp;mysteryid=611" target="_blank">Death of a Wizard</a>, a murder mystery party game for 8 to 14 players set in the magical world of witches and wizards. The night is October 31st and the cream of the world of witches and wizards are gathering at the studios of WIZ TV in Magic World for the Merlins, the 51st annual awards of the Academy of Magic. Put on your best evening robes and see who's walking down the red carpet for a night they will never forget. What shocks await the magical audience? Join hosts Wizard Oscar Winner and Witch Enva Lope and see who wins one of the coveted Merlins. (Costume suggestions: High fashion, vintage wear.)</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 153px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.buycostumes.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 153px; height: 144px;" src="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/mystery-games-graphics/buycostumes-kids.jpg" alt="Halloween Parties for Kids"></a></p> <p>Looking for an online costume source for your Halloween-themed party? The best parties often have the best costumes and for a large selection of Halloween 2008 costumes for kids, teens, and adults, check out <a href="http://www.buycostumes.com/" target="_blank">BuyCostumes.com</a>, the web's most popular costume store. They are a leading distributor of <a href="http://www.buycostumes.com/" target="_blank">costumes</a> and costume accessories and offer a large variety of themed costumes designed for children, adults and even pets at very competitive prices. So whatever style you're looking for, be it angels from Heaven or pirates of the Caribbean, pretty in pink or dashing in black, Hollywood glamour or Transylvania chic, look no further than <a href="http://www.buycostumes.com/" target="_blank">BuyCostumes.com</a>. </p> <p>And don't forget to visit <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/" rel="tag">Games of Mystery</a> for all types of mysterious fun!</p> <p>Return to <a rel="tag" href="http://www.mystery-books.com/">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/games-of-mystery-seasonal-parties-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-7567547835046414155Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:56:00 +00002008-09-01T07:00:27.806-07:00<p style="margin: 6px auto 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Mysteries on TV" src="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/mysteries-on-tv-news.jpg" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/" rel="tag">Mysteries on TV</a>, your source for the most complete selection of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series now available or coming soon to DVD, is profiling three series that have season DVDs being released this week.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; width: 90px; float: left;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/honey-west.html"><img alt="Honey West: TV Series" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 126px;" src="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/covers/honey-west-all-90x126.jpg" /></a></p> <p>As television's first female PI, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/honey-west.html" rel="tag">Honey West</a> (played in perform form by Anne Francis) would take on any tough case. After the death of her father, the sexy private investigator took over his high-tech firm. Being assisted by the rugged Sam Bolt (John Ericson) and her pet ocelot Bruce, she could handle herself mingling with millionaires just as well as scaling a thirty foot wall. Honey West originally appeared as a character on an April 1965 episode of Burke's Law. The series itself was based in part on the Honey West novels by G. G. Fickling (the husband and wife writing team of Skip and Gloria Fickling).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Honey West</span> ran for just one season on ABC. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B0H7DG/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Honey West Complete Series</a> DVD set of 4 discs contains all 30 episodes that aired from September 1965 through April 1966.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; width: 90px; float: left;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/inspector-lewis.html"><img alt="Inspector Lewis: TV Series" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 126px;" src="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/covers/inspector-lewis-s01-90x126.jpg" /></a></p> <p>Following the 2002 death of John Thaw who starred as the initimable Inspector Morse in the long-running series of the same name, and the decision not to replace his character with another actor, ITV aired in 2006 a special made-for-television movie featuring Morse's partner, Detective Inspector Robert "Robbie" Lewis. It was a runaway success and ITV immediately put into production a series based on this character, simply titled <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/inspector-lewis.html" rel="tag">Inspector Lewis</a>. As with the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/inspector-morse.html" rel="tag">Inspector Morse</a> series, <span style="font-style: italic;">Inspector Lewis</span> (played by Kevin Whately) takes place in <a href="http://oxford.omnimystery.com/" target="_blank" rel="tag">Oxford</a> and is set chronologically five years after the death of Morse.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019QOKRI/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Inspector Lewis Set One</a> DVD set of 4 discs contains the four episodes that originally aired during the spring of 2007 plus the pilot that aired in 2006.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; width: 90px; float: left;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/inspector-lynley.html"><img alt="Inspector Lynley Mysteries: TV Series" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 90px; height: 126px;" src="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/covers/inspector-lynley-s06-90x126.jpg" /></a></p> <p>As reported by <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/compendium-of-mystery-news-080824.html" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a>, the abrupt cancellation of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/inspector-lynley.html" rel="tag">The Inspector Lynley Mysteries</a> by the BBC means the 7th season of the series that is currently wrapping up production in England will be its last. Starring Nathaniel Parker as Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sharon Small as Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, the series was based on characters created by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/george-elizabeth.html" rel="tag">Elizabeth George</a>, and early episodes in the series were adapted from her books.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019QOKSM/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Set Six</a> DVD set of 2 discs contains the 2 episodes of the sixth season that aired in early summer 2008.</p> <p>Visit the <a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/">Mysteries on TV</a> website to discover more <a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/" rel="tag">television mystery series</a> currently available on DVD.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mysteries-on-tv-honey-west-inspector.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-9009129868413330450Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:42:00 +00002008-09-01T04:46:07.497-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; width: 375px; text-align: center;" alt="Mystery Godoku" src="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/graphics/mystery-godoku-news.jpg"></a></p> <p>A new <a href="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Godoku Puzzle</a> has been created by the editors of the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a> and is now available on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 170px;"><a href="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; width: 170px; height: 181px; float: right;" alt="Mystery Godoku Puzzle for September 01, 2008" src="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/puzzles/godoku-080901-p.jpg"></a></p> <p>Godoku is similar to Sudoku, but uses letters instead of numbers. To give you a headstart, we provide you a mystery clue to fill in a complete row or column (if you choose to use it!).</p> <p>This week's letters and mystery clue: <span style="font-weight: bold;">E G H I N R S T U</span>. Shell Scott investigates one of his wildest cases in this 1975 thriller by Richard S. Prather (with &ldquo;The&rdquo;, 9 letters).</p> <p>New! We now have our puzzles in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle <a href="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/print-080901.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p>Previous puzzles are stored in the <a href="http://godoku.omnimystery.com/mystery-godoku-archives.html">Mystery Godoku Archives</a>.</p> <p>Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.qksz.net/1e-fpds"></script>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.qksz.net/1e-fpdt"></script></p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/09/mystery-godoku-puzzle-for-september-01.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-661062011461889510Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:55:00 +00002008-08-31T09:56:25.025-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">A Job to Kill For</span> by Janice Kaplan. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=1416532137"><img alt="A Job to Kill For by Janice Kaplan" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/1416532137.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; width: 100px; vertical-align: bottom;"></a><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416532137/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px; width: 120px; vertical-align: top;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=1416532137">A Job to Kill For</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/kaplan-janice.html" rel="tag">Janice Kaplan</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Lacy Fields Mystery</span></p> <p class="std10">Touchstone (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 1-4165-3213-7 (1416532137)<br> ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-3213-2 (9781416532132)<br> Publication Date: August 2008<br> List Price: $24.00</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): As a tireless mom of three, the doting spouse of a surgeon, and a talented interior designer to the stars, Lacy Fields can always find the perfect piece to finish a puzzle, a living room -- or an investigation.<br> <br> When Lacy's beautiful young client Cassie Crawford drops dead after a sip of tea in her newly decorated L.A. penthouse, Lacy once again finds herself in the midst of murder. She's stunned when suspicion lands on her own best friend, hot Hollywood casting agent Molly Archer -- whose "friendship" with Cassie's billionaire mogul husband brings her to the attention of the LAPD.<br> <br> Lacy will have to set aside seeking antiques to hunt down a dangerous killer. But this time, she's not alone. Sleuthing becomes a family affair: her son, Grant, works underground (literally) at UCLA to help her; fifteen-year-old Ashley is consoled by celebrities when her mom is hauled off by cops; Lacy's husband, Dan, provides forensics; and even little six-year-old Jimmy helps Mom find a murderer.<br> <br> From a rough-and-tumble biker with a heart of gold to a relentless university fund-raiser, Lacy will follow every one of Cassie Crawford's precarious footsteps in order to clear her best friend's name. But by doing so, will she put her own family in the path of a desperate killer?</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Los Angeles interior designer Lacy Fields, decorator to the stars, gets a chance to use her hobby as an amateur sleuth once again in <span style="font-style: italic;">A Job to Kill For</span>, the second mystery in this series by Janice Kaplan.<br> <br> Lacy's latest job is to decorate the new penthouse of billionaire tycoon, Roger Crawford, and his latest wife Cassie. When Cassie meets with Lacy to view the final touches, Cassie checks everything, including the refrigerator where she is delighted to find a few bottles of her favorite tea. Offering Lacy a bottle that she politely declines, Cassie proceeds to take a drink and moments later is dead. The tea had been poisoned and Lacy was the last person to see Cassie alive. The police put her name atop the suspect list. But there are others who had access to the penthouse. Molly, Lacy&rsquo;s best friend from college, and billionaire Roger were seen going into the penthouse the evening before the murder, though Roger claims he had not yet been given a key. Questions definitely needed to be answered, but Lacy thinks the police are asking all the wrong questions to all the wrong people. She knows that if she can cross the threshold of a flea market and zero in on an unrefined treasure, she can make use of her obvious deduction and reasoning skills in locating a killer.<br> <br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Job to Kill For</span> is a fresh, light-hearted, at times even droll, mystery that provides great escapist entertainment. The narrative is fast-paced and the plot pleasingly complex without being convoluted. As is typical of this subgenre, special attention is paid to who is wearing which designer and how smart it all looks. But Kaplan enriches her story with Lacy's family life ("Work hard while you are working, but give 110 percent to family when you are at home.") that admittedly suffers when she adds detecting to her day job of decorating. Though her husband and children don't have a lot of face time, as it were, they are an integral and memorable asset to the story.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.betzreview.com/" target="_blank">The Betz Review</a> for contributing her review of&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">A Job to Kill For</span> and&nbsp;to Touchstone Books (an imprint of <a href="http://www.simonsays.com/" target="_blank">Simon &amp; Schuster</a>) for providing a copy of the book for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-book-review-job-to-kill-for-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-4453677695824103041Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:36:00 +00002008-08-31T05:42:41.417-07:00<p style="margin: 6px auto 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.firstclues.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="First Clues: Mysteries for Kids" src="http://www.firstclues.com/graphics/first-clue-mysteries-news.jpg"></a></p> <p>We've updated our website <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/" rel="tag">First Clues: Mysteries for Kids</a> by adding four more mystery series and profiling the latest book in the Gates Family historical adventure series.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 100px;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805083405/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Sherlock Files Mysteries" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100px; height: 146px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0805083405.01._SX90_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>Upon moving into their new London home, Xena and Xander Holmes discover they&rsquo;re related to Sherlock Holmes and have inherited his unsolved casebook! The siblings set out to solve the cases their famous ancestor couldn&rsquo;t using modern technology. The first mystery in this series by Tracy Barrett, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805083405/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The 100-Year-Old Secret</a>, has Xena and Xavier researching the mystery of a prized painting that vanished more than a hundred years ago. Can two smart twenty-first-century kids succeed where Sherlock Holmes could not?<br> <br> Kirkus Reviews called <span style="font-style: italic;">The 100-Year-Old Secret</span> "A strong start to what will undoubtedly remain an enjoyable series." School Library Journal added, "The main characters are observant, bright, and gifted with powers of deduction. A well-paced beginning to a new series." <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/bill-warthog.html" rel="tag">The Sherlock Files mysteries</a> are recommended for young sleuths aged 9 to 12.<br> </p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 100px;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802462553/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Max and me Mysteries" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100px; height: 146px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0802462553.01._SX90_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>You'll enjoy meeting Jesse Miller and Max Hunter, both 12, who form a deep but unlikely friendship in the Max and Me mysteries by Patricia H. Rushford. Jesse is thin and frail and has leukemia. Max is wild and adventurous, with spiked hair that changes color from day to day depending on her mood.<br> <br> Three books have been published to date. In the most recent, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802462553/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Secret of Ghost Island</a>, a series of burglaries in town has police concerned that a gang of professional thieves is involved. When the girls help a trio of recently orphaned children set up camp on Ghost Island, they accidentally stumble upon the thieves' camp and are trapped.<br> <br> Combining adventure, suspense, and mystery, the <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/bill-warthog.html" rel="tag">Max and Me mysteries</a> are recommended for readers aged 10 and older. Patricia H. Rushford is also the author of the <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/jennie-mcgrady.html" rel="tag">Jennie McGrady mystery series</a>.<br> </p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 100px;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0980245605/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Sunny's Adventures Mysteries" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100px; height: 146px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0980245605.01._SX90_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>Everybody loves a good mystery, and Sunny, the intrepid heroine of a new series, is no different. The first chapter book in the series, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0980245605/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sunny's Adventures</a>, takes readers through the case of the lost puppy, the disappearance of a diamond ring, a missing pie, and much more! All the while, children will get to follow the spunky, upbeat Sunny as she solves each problem that arises.<br> <br> Charmingly illustrated, reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunny&rsquo;s Adventures</span> is a great way to engage your child&rsquo;s critical thinking as he or she figures out the mystery alongside Sunny.<br> <br> The <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/bill-warthog.html" rel="tag">Sunny's Adventures mysteries</a> are recommended for readers aged 6 to 9. See also the <a href="http://www.sunnysadventures.com/" target="_blank">Sunny's Adventures website</a> to download coloring book pages, learn more about Sunny, and get information for parents and teachers. <br> </p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 100px;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1584110791/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Bill the Warthog Mysteries" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100px; height: 146px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1584110791.01._SX90_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>Dean Anderson is the author of the Bill the Warthog mysteries, a series of four books (to date) that have Bill and his friend Nick Sayga solve kid's crimes while teaching the values of Christian beliefs. Kids will love trying to figure out each chapter's mystery as they enjoy the zany antics of Bill, Nick and their friends.<br> <br> In the most recent book of the series, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1584110791/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Quest for the Temple of Truth</a>, Bill and Nick are on an exciting and mysterious adventure as they uncover the truth of Proverbs.<br> <br> The <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/bill-warthog.html" rel="tag">Bill the Warthog mysteries</a> are recommended for readers aged 7 to 10.<br> </p> <p style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left; width: 100px;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1423108752/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Gates Family Mysteries" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100px; height: 146px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1423108752.01._SX90_PC_.jpg"></a></p> <p>The third book in the Gates Family mystery series (based on characters in the <span style="font-style: italic;">National Treasure</span> movies), <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1423108752/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Uncharted</a> by Catherine Hapka, was published last week.<br> <br> Adam Benjamin Gates and his twin sister, Rebecca, have heard their father's tales of his part in the Revolutionary War and his discovery of a great treasure that helped the Patriots. But they have grown tired of living in the past and long for the adventure and excitement promised in this newborn country. When they hear whispers of a voyage to be undertaken to explore the recently purchased Louisiana Territory, the siblings are determined to take part. Soon, Adam and Rebecca find themselves on a dangerous journey into uncharted lands. But the greatest danger is yet to come when they learn of a treasure hidden deep in the wilderness.<br> <br> The <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/gates-family.html" rel="tag">Gates Family mysteries</a> are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.<br> </p> <p><a href="http://www.firstclues.com/" rel="tag">First Clue Mysteries</a> is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please <a href="http://www.firstclues.com/about.html">contact us</a>.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/first-clues-new-mysteries-for-kids.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-6862550812989477143Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:46:00 +00002008-08-30T12:49:14.169-07:00<p style="margin: 12px; text-align: center;"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Olive Horseshoe</span> by Ben F. Small. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 6px 12px; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0979916739"><img alt="The Olive Horseshoe by Ben F. Small" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/0979916739.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 100px; height: 154px;"></a><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979916739/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 120px; height: 28px;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></p> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=0979916739">The Olive Horseshoe</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/small-ben-f.html" rel="tag">Ben F. Small</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">Non-series</span></p> <p class="std10">Night Shadows Press (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 0-9799167-3-9 (0979916739)<br> ISBN-13: 978-0-9799167-3-1 (9780979916731)<br> Publication Date: February 2008<br> List Price: $29.95</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Billionaire Denton Wright is kayaking in the wilderness when his father&rsquo;s mutilated body washes up on the Spanish coast. Denton&rsquo;s father and another man were slaughtered in a drug cartel&rsquo;s signature way: The Columbian Necktie. The father-son relationship had figured large in Denton's wilderness trek. Now he burns with a passion: payback against whoever butchered the father he never really knew. It would not be easy. There was:<br> <br> Beautiful but calculating Jenna Rogers in California, whose father was murdered alongside Denton's, and she had plans of her own.<br> <br> Carlos La Jolla, Jenna&rsquo;s companion, a hot-blooded Latin with a sculpted body and black belt training, whose eyes give away nothing except a challenge to fight.<br> <br> Joe Corsano, in business with Denton's father, working some devious gambit of his own.<br> <br> Denton Wright must navigate all of it as he&rsquo;s drawn into an intrigue of evil on a global scale. When he learns of The Olive Horseshoe, innocent and guilty alike start to die.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: A billionaire seeks answers in the brutal murder of his father in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Olive Horseshoe</span>, an uneven and at times perplexing (and not in a good way) international thriller by Ben F. Small.<br> <br> Denton Wright returns from a trip to Maine to find his Manhattan home trashed. But there's worse news: during his absence, his father had been murdered in Spain, his body mutilated and bearing the mark of a drug cartel. The Spanish authorities have no suspects and seem unwilling to devote much effort to finding the people responsible. In New York the police believe Denton's break-in was simply that, nothing more. But Denton thinks the two events are related. When he receives a phone call from the daughter of the man killed alongside his father, he meets her and together they decide to do what the police on two continents aren't doing: bring those responsible for their fathers' deaths to justice, regardless of cost.<br> <br> As a reader, it's interesting to imagine how the plot of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Olive Horseshoe</span> might have unfolded had Denton not been a billionaire with the unlimited financial resources to pursue his quest but instead an average New Yorker facing a personal crisis. It would have started with the compelling opening pages in Spain and ended with the rather predictable conclusion in New York, but there would have been no need for the intervening trans-continental and trans-Atlantic trips on chartered jets, stays at 5-star resorts in Morocco and Spain, and, more importantly, the pointless deaths of several characters. That's the real problem here: the foundation upon which Denton decides to do everything he does is weak, practically non-existent, and the reader knows it.<br> <br> That being said, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Olive Horseshoe</span> moves along at a brisk pace and the secondary characters bring what little story there is alive in a way the four main characters do not. There is the occasional plot point that captures the reader's imagination but inexplicably isn't fully developed. What could have been, should have been, an intriguing and complex thriller set in exotic locales instead turns into little more than an overly long and largely disappointing travelogue.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to Night Shadows Press for providing a trade paperback copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Olive Horseshoe</span> for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-book-review-olive-horseshoe-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-651988531654585240Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:15:00 +00002008-08-30T07:21:42.720-07:00<p>A compendium of recently published mystery news articles. This update includes news items from late August 2008.</p> <p>&bull; In a <a href="http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=082708_01" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">press release</a> this week, the ABC Television Network announced five new series pick-ups for the 2008-2009 season including two mystery comedy/dramas. <span style="font-style: italic;">Castle</span> is a comedic crime procedural about a famous mystery novelist, Nick Castle (played by Nathan Fillion), who is bored with his own success. When a real-world copycat murderer starts staging scenes from Nick's novels, Nick is teamed up with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and the challenge gets his blood pumping as he steps in to help solve the crime. Nick and Beckett's styles instantly clash and sparks begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Unusuals</span> is a unique comedic procedural set in a New York police precinct. As a cop, it helps to have a twisted sense of humor, because every moment could be your last. Just ask Det. Casey Schraeger (Amber Tamblyn), who started her day as an NYPD vice detective before unexpectedly being transferred to the homicide division. She quickly realizes that, not only does everyone in her new department have a distinct sense of humor, but also their own dirty little secrets. No scheduling information for these shows was provided. [MBN note: For a comprehensive list of mystery and suspense television series already available on DVD, visit <a href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/" target="_blank" rel="tag">MysteriesOnTV.com</a>.]</p> <p>&bull; In related television news, our neighbors to the north announced in a <a href="http://www.prlog.org/10110330-academy-of-canadian-cinema-television-will-hand-out-pre-broadcast-geminis.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">press release</a> the nominees for the Gemini Awards (Canada's equivalent of the Emmy Awards here in the US) and mystery series dominated. <span style="font-style: italic;">Murdoch Mysteries</span> (featuring a sleuth who solves crimes in 1895 Toronto) led all series with 14 nominations following closely behind by <span style="font-style: italic;">Durham County</span> (featuring a homicide detective who moves to the suburbs only to discover his neighbor may be a serial killer) with 13 nominations. Other crime series recognized were <span style="font-style: italic;">The Border</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Intelligence</span>. The Gemini Awards will be given out in Toronto on November 28, 2008. What's interesting to us is how long, if ever, it takes these mystery series air in the US market or even become available on DVD to purchase in the US. The Canadian crime series <span style="font-style: italic;">Flashpoint</span> aired this past summer on CBS, and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/da-vincis-inquest.html" rel="tag">Da Vinci's Inquest</a> about a Vancouver coroner and the undercover crime drama <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/intelligence.html" rel="tag">Intelligence</a> are available on DVD, but there are precious few other examples. We hope to see more of these fine Canadian mystery series available to viewers here in the US soon.</p> <p>&bull; Not specifically mystery-related but of interest to all readers, Amazon.com continues to expand with its announced acquisition of book social network Shelfari. An e-mail sent to all Shelfari members (of which we are one through our partner site, <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">Mysterious Reviews</a>) read, "Amazon has long been a supporter of Shelfari as we grew into a global community of book lovers. And now Shelfari and Amazon will work hand in hand to create innovative new ways to enjoy the books you love." Amazon was already an investor in the company. Shelfari is expected to remain an independent company for now and to use its new capital to expand and accelerate its growth. Earlier this month, Amazon.com acquired independent online bookseller AbeBooks (<a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1182552&amp;highlight=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">press release</a>) and earlier this year it acquired audiobook retailer Audible.com (<a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1102510&amp;highlight=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">press release</a>).</p> <p>&bull; <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6587954.html?desc=topstory" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Publishers Weekly</a> has a brief conversation with <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/burke-alafair.html" rel="tag">Alafair Burke</a> whose latest crime thriller featuring NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061561029/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Angel's Tip</a>, was published by HarperCollins earlier this month. Burke is the daughter of award-winning and bestselling mystery author <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/burke-james-lee.html" rel="tag">James Lee Burke</a> and admits "[T]here&rsquo;s been a lot of upside without much downside. I think his readers were willing to give me a shot, so, yes, that relationship helped me get started."</p> <p>&bull; <a href="http://www.n-gage.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">N-Gage</a> released this month its (self-described) "masterpiece of mystery", <span style="font-style: italic;">Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol</span>, an adventure game for mobile players that is currently available for Nokia Nseries devices. A free trial is available as is an online demo at <a href="http://www.dirkdagger.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">DirkDagger.com</a>.</p> <p>&bull; In other mystery game news, Encore, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, announced in a <a href="http://media-newswire.com/release_1071741.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">press release</a> that the first titles in their Mystery Adventure Games line, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sinking Island</span>, have shipped to retailers. <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AH7VZE/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon</a> takes players to Europe on a suspenseful quest to discover the reality of vampires and come face-to-face with Dracula. As Father Arno Moriani, players must travel to Transylvania to investigate a potential candidate for sainthood. Along the way players are submerged into a gripping storyline with numerous challenging and engaging puzzles to solve that leads to a final confrontation with Dracula! <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CEIMUI/?tag=mystery-books-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sinking Island</a> is a gripping detective story that combines suspense and intrigue. As an investigator sent to a luscious tropical island to solve the murder of a multi-billionaire hotel developer, players must sort through 10 suspects to the crime as a storm rages on the island. Players have only three days to solve the mystery before the island and the mystery disappears into the ocean. [For more mystery games available to purchase, download, or play online, visit <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/" rel="tag">GamesOfMystery.com</a>.]</p> <p>&bull; The <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4615437.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Times Online</a> has an entertaining article on what makes for the perfect crime movie written by mystery author Christopher Fowler. He makes an interesting observation when discussing the variants of suspense movies: "In a crime film the criminals know that they&rsquo;re guilty, but in a noir thriller they&rsquo;re dumb enough to think that they&rsquo;re innocent." In a <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4614905.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">companion piece</a> is their list of the ten best crime movies. [MBN note: For a list of suspense and thriller movies adapted from mystery books and available on DVD, visit <a href="http://www.mysteriesondvd.com/" rel="tag">MysteriesOnDVD.com</a>.]</p> <table style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 100%;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding: 0px 0px 6px; width: 25%;" align="center"> <p class="pres"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=eMVdI0to6ck&amp;offerid=99238.10000050&amp;type=4&amp;subid=0"><img class="ires" alt="Alibris connects people who love books, music, and movies to thousands of independent sellers around the world. Search over 60 million used &amp; new books, music, &amp; movies to find great deals!" src="http://images.alibris.com/marketing/alibris_saveonbooks_88x31.gif" border="0"></a><img class="ires2" style="border: 0px solid; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=eMVdI0to6ck&amp;bids=99238.10000050&amp;type=4&amp;subid=0" border="0" height="1" width="1"><br> Save on used books and movies at Alibris.com</p> </td> <td style="padding: 0px 0px 6px; width: 25%;" align="center"> <p class="pres"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/7h104dlurlt8BHAIHF98A9DBDGA9" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.booksonline.com/';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img class="ires" src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/fd66kpthnl69F8GFD7687B9BE87" alt="" border="0"></a><br> Join the Mystery Guild for the latest mystery books</p> </td> <td style="padding: 0px 0px 6px; width: 25%;" align="center"> <p class="pres"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=AAIyzOOlQjw&amp;offerid=135203.10000280&amp;type=4&amp;subid=0"><img class="ires" alt="ShopPBS.Org" src="http://www.shoppbs.org/graphics/promo/pbs/pbslogo88x31.jpg" border="0"></a><img class="ires2" style="border: 0px solid; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=AAIyzOOlQjw&amp;bids=135203.10000280&amp;type=4&amp;subid=0" border="0" height="1" width="1"><br> Unravel mysterious clues at ShopPBS.org</p> </td> <td style="padding: 0px 0px 6px; width: 25%;" align="center"> <p class="pres"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/1e100ft1zt0GJPIQPNHGIHKQMLLP" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.travelocity.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img class="ires" src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/7o70snrflj47D6EDB54658EA99D" alt="" border="0"></a><br> Book your murder mystery weekend on Travelocity</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Return to <a rel="tag" href="http://www.mystery-books.com/">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/compendium-of-mystery-news-080830.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-8549781570296446765Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:13:00 +00002008-08-29T04:14:13.264-07:00<div style="margin: 6pt auto 12pt;" align="center"><a href="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mystery Bestsellers" src="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/graphics/bestsellers-news.jpg" border="0"></a></div> <p>A list of the top 15 <a href="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/" rel="tag">mystery hardcover bestsellers</a> for the week ending August 29, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.</p> <p>A bit of minor shuffling among the top bestselling mysteries this week, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155015/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Moscow Rules</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/silva-daniel.html" rel="tag">Daniel Silva</a> retains the top spot. Three new titles enter the top 15.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 6pt 6pt; float: right;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0743294386/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 115px; height: 170px;" alt="Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743294386.01._SX110_PC_.jpg"></a></div> <p>Debuting at number 7 is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0743294386/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Devil Bones</a>, the 11th investigation for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/reichs-kathy.html" rel="tag">Kathy Reichs</a>. In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery -- a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and other relics of religious ceremonies. In the center of the shrine, there is the skull of a teenage girl. Meanwhile, on a nearby lakeshore, the headless body of a teenage boy is found by a man walking his dog. Nothing is clear -- neither when the deaths occurred, nor where. Was the skull brought to the cellar or was the girl murdered there? Why is the boy's body remarkably well preserved? Led by a preacher turned politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshippers and Wiccans. They begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge. Publishers Weekly states, "Reichs, whose work inspired the hit TV series <a style="font-style: italic;" rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriesontv.com/bones.html">Bones</a>, once again expertly blends science and complex character development."</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 6pt 6pt; float: right;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061246247/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 116px; height: 170px;" alt="Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0061246247.01._SX110_PC_.jpg"></a></div> <p>Coming in at number 11 is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061246247/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Laughter of Dead Kings</a>, the 6th case for art historian Vicky Bliss by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/peters-elizabeth.html" rel="tag">Elizabeth Peters</a>. It's been 14 years since we've last heard from the amateur sleuth, and it's a welcome return, if only for one last case. Who stole one of Egypt's most priceless treasures? That is the question that haunts the authorities after a distinguished British gentleman with an upper-crust accent cons his way past a security guard and escapes into the desert carrying a world-famous, one-of-a-kind historic relic. But the Egyptian authorities and Interpol believe they know the identity of the culprit. The brazen crime bears all the earmarks of the work of one "Sir John Smythe," the suave and dangerously charming international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of Vicky Bliss. But John swears he is retired -- not to mention innocent -- and he vows to clear his name by hunting down the true criminal. Vicky's faith in her man's integrity leaves her no choice but to take a hiatus from her position at a leading Munich museum and set out for the Middle East. But dark days and myriad dangers await her in this land of intriguing antiquity. Each uncovered clue seems to raise even more questions for the intrepid Vicky -- the most troubling being, Where is John going during his increasingly frequent and unexplained absences? And the stakes are elevated considerably when a ransom note arrives accompanied by a grisly memento intended to speed up negotiations -- because now it appears that murder most foul has been added to the equation.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 6pt 6pt; float: right;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155333/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 113px; height: 170px;" alt="Silks by Dick Francis and Felix Francis" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399155333.01._SX110_PC_.jpg"></a></div> <p>Finally, just making the list in the 15th spot is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155333/?tag=mystery-books-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Silks</a>, the 2nd horse-racing thriller co-written by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/francis-dick.html" rel="tag">Dick Francis</a> and his son, Felix Francis. Geoffrey Mason did it for the money. It is obvious that his client Julian Trent is guilty, and it&rsquo;s about time rich boy Trent is taught a lesson for his violent ways. The only thing still bothering Geoff is that he is going to miss participating in the Foxhunter Steeplechase&mdash; the &ldquo;Gold Cup&rdquo; for amateur riders&mdash;because the trial has taken a lot longer than expected. Although still an amateur, Geoff is well known (as &ldquo;Perry&rdquo; Mason) among the pro riders, including Steve Mitchell and Scot Barlow&mdash;arguably the two top pros. So when Scot Barlow is murdered&mdash;with Mitchell&rsquo;s pitchfork nonetheless&mdash;Geoff finds himself pulled into the case as a junior barrister. The problem is: which side is he on? Mitchell claims he has been framed, but Geoff knows there was tension between Mitchell and Barlow; in fact, Geoff stumbled across Barlow beaten and bloody not too long ago, and Barlow claimed it was Mitchell who had done the dirty work. To make matters worse, Julian Trent has somehow finagled is way out of prison and has sworn to hunt down Geoff unless he&rsquo;s a &ldquo;good little lawyer&rdquo; and does what he&rsquo;s told in the Mitchell case. Geoff is left facing adversaries from all sides, tearing him between doing what is right and what will keep him alive.</p> <p>On our bestseller page, we've added an icon <img src="http://bestsellers.omnimystery.com/graphics/icon-kindle.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"> next to every title that is available for immediate download onto the Amazon Kindle. To learn about this wireless reading device, visit the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FI73MA/?tag=mystery-books-20">Amazon Kindle</a> page for more information.</p> <p>The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:</p> <div style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399155015/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva" style="border: 0px solid ; width: 90px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399155015.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061227331/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman" style="border: 0px solid ; width: 90px; height: 130px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0061227331.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312349513/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich" style="border: 0px solid ; width: 90px; height: 132px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0312349513.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416563067/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img alt="Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown" style="border: 0px solid ; width: 90px; height: 129px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1416563067.01._SX80_PC_.jpg"></a></div> <p>Please visit the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a> where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a rel="tag" href="http://www.mystery-books.com/">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-bestsellers-for-august-29-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-4175201768834612319Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:29:00 +00002008-08-28T12:34:05.153-07:00<div style="margin: 12px;" align="center"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a></div> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">First Daughter</span> by Eric Van Lustbader. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 6pt 12pt; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=076532170X"><img alt="First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/076532170X.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; width: 100px; vertical-align: bottom;"></a><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/076532170X/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0pt solid ; padding: 0px; width: 120px; vertical-align: top;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></div> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=076532170X">First Daughter</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/lustbader-eric-van.html" rel="tag">Eric Van Lustbader</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">Non-series</span></p> <p class="std10">Forge (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 0-7653-2170-X (076532170X)<br> ISBN-13: 978-0-7653-2170-1 (9780765321701)<br> Publication Date: August 2008<br> List Price: $25.95</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): Sometimes the weakness we fear most can become our greatest strength ...<br> <br> Jack McClure has had a troubled life.&nbsp;His dyslexia always made him feel like an outsider.&nbsp;He escaped from an abusive home as a teenager and lived by his wits on the streets of Washington D.C.&nbsp;It wasn&rsquo;t until he realized that dyslexia gave him the ability to see the world in unique ways that he found success, using this newfound strength to become a top ATF agent.<br> <br> When a terrible accident takes the life of his only daughter, Emma, and his marriage falls apart, Jack blames himself, numbing the pain by submerging himself in work.&nbsp;Then he receives a call from his old friend Edward Carson.&nbsp;Carson is just weeks from taking the reins as President of the United States when his daughter, Alli, is kidnapped.&nbsp;Because Emma McClure was once Alli&rsquo;s best friend, Carson turns to Jack, the one man he can trust to go to any lengths to find his daughter and bring her home safely.<br> <br> The search for Alli leads Jack on a road toward reconciliation ... and into the path of a dangerous and calculating man.&nbsp;Someone whose actions are as cold as they are brilliant.&nbsp;Whose power and reach are seemingly infinite.<br> <br> Faith, redemption, and political intrigue play off one another as McClure uses his unique abilities to journey into the twisted mind of a stone cold genius who is constantly one step ahead of him.&nbsp; Jack will soon discover that this man has affected his life and his country in more ways than he could ever imagine.</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Racial tensions, religious intolerance, government deception, kidnapping and murder all play important roles in <span style="font-style: italic;">First Daughter</span>, a gripping and topical political thriller by Eric Van Lustbader.<br> <br> Just weeks before the inauguration of Edward Carson, the newly elected moderate Republican President, the current President seeks to make sure his beliefs become laws of the land. For eight years he has tried to return the United States back to its roots as a Christian nation. He envisions the country's future as a &ldquo;fortress America&rdquo;, one able to withstand all foreign terrorists. Working against him is a group that calls itself E-Two, the Second Enlightenment, in reference to the Age of Enlightenment that spread through Europe in the eighteenth century. When President-elect Carson&rsquo;s daughter, Alli, is kidnapped, for current President is secretly delighted as it gives him an opportunity to devote considerable resources to not only locating the girl and, as a cover, to bring down E-Two at the same time. Carson, however, wants his old friend, Jack McClure, a top Washington AFT agent, to lead a search for Alli, much to the dismay of the Secret Service (and the current President). When McClure's command is quickly undermined, he continues on his own to search for Alli and return her to her family.<br> <br> <span style="font-style: italic;">First Daughter</span> is one of the most intriguing and exciting novels to be written this year. In addition to the suspense generated by the search for Alli, there is the compelling backstory of McClure who rose from being a homeless teenager suffering from severe dyslexia to being one of the top agents of the US government. There is also the personal connection between McClure and Carson: they were roommates at college and McClure lost his own daughter in an automobile accident. His determination to accomplish his mission for the safe return of Alli is both admirable and thrilling.<br> <br> There's undoubtedly intended to be a "greater good" message here, but the author seems to intentionally be noncommittal as to what it is, rather, and probably wisely, leaving that for the reader to decide on their own.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.betzreview.com/" target="_blank">The Betz Review</a> for contributing her review of&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">First Daughter</span> and&nbsp;to <a href="http://www.plannedtelevisionarts.com/" target="_blank">Planned Television Arts</a> for providing a copy of the book for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-book-review-first-daughter-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-8898109563275345604Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:23:00 +00002008-08-28T12:24:17.219-07:00<div style="margin: 6pt auto 12pt;" align="center"><a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mystery Savings: Discounted Products and Services on Books, Movies, and more!" src="http://savings.omnimystery.com/mystery-savings-news.jpg"></a></div> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">Mystery Savings</span> periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a list of offers recently received that we're pleased to pass on at this time.</p> <p style="margin: 12px 12px 0px 0px; float: left;"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px 0px 6px; padding: 0px;" src="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplimage?lid=41000000021257936&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" alt="Shop A&amp;E Mystery" border="0"></a></p> <p>Today through September 17th, 2008, <a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A&amp;E is having a Mystery DVDs sale</a> with prices that are almost criminal: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539">up to 60% off</a>. Choose from a wide selection of series and titles, including <span style="font-style: italic;">Midsomer Murders</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Columbo</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Murder She Wrote</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rosemary &amp; Thyme</span>, and many more. Check out these DVD set prices: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Complete Nero Wolfe</span>, originally priced $99.95, now only $39.98. Or the <span style="font-style: italic;">Agatha Christie Crime Anthology Collection</span>, originally priced $199.95, now only $79.98. Quantities are limited so hurry to A&amp;E.com and shop their <a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000026584330&amp;pubid=21000000000104539" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mystery DVDs Sale</a> today.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-savings-up-to-60-off-at-a.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-2551080072309901169Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:03:00 +00002008-08-27T16:05:21.001-07:00<div style="margin: 6pt auto 12pt;" align="center"><a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Games of Mystery" src="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/mystery-games-graphics/banner-games-of-mystery-news.jpg"></a></div> <p><a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/" rel="tag">Games of Mystery</a>, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, has updated its website with new Nintendo mystery games, one being released this week and another in early September.</p> <div style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018YDK9U/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 114px; height: 160px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0018YDK9U.01.M.jpg" alt="Freddi Fish: Kelp Seed Mystery"></a></div> <p>The charming (and educational!) Freddi Fish mystery games for kids come to the Nintendo Wii. In their first adventure on this platform, help underwater detective Freddi Fish and her finny friend Luther solve the case of the <a style="font-style: italic;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018YDK9U/?tag=mystery-books-20">Kelp Seed Mystery</a>, available in stores and on our website this week. Grandma Grouper's kelp seeds are missing and, without them, all of the sea creatures will go hungry. Explore marine caves, deep canyons, and fascinating places like King Crab's Castle, and outwit two criminal sharks, in an effort to rescue the colorful reef.<br> <br> <a style="font-style: italic;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018YDK9U/?tag=mystery-books-20">Freddi Fish: Kelp Seed Mystery</a> is rated E for Everyone.<br> </p> <div style="margin: 0px 12px 6px 0px; float: left;"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C58T5A/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0px solid ; width: 160px; height: 144px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B001C58T5A.01.M.jpg" alt="Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir"></a></div> <p>Spot clues to find the rightful heir! It takes a keen set of "private eyes" to identify the heir in <a style="font-style: italic;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C58T5A/?tag=mystery-books-20">Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir</a>, the first game in this popular series to be available on the DS. There are 12 potential heirs to investigate, 30 detailed scenes to peruse, and over 1,000 hidden objects to find. <span style="font-style: italic;">Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir</span> is the only Mystery Case Files game to include multi-player options. In multi-player modes players can search for clues together or compete against each other in real time.<br> <br> <a style="font-style: italic;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C58T5A/?tag=mystery-books-20">Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir</a> is rated E for Everyone and is scheduled to be available on September 8th.. [MBN note: The first 4 Mystery Case Files mystery games may be purchased from <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/games-mystery-case-files.html" rel="tag">Games of Mystery: Mystery Case Files</a> or played online at <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/games-big-fish-online.html" rel="tag">Games of Mystery: Big Fish Games Online</a>.]<br> </p> <p>Visit <a href="http://www.gamesofmystery.com/" rel="tag">Games of Mystery</a> for all types of mysterious fun!</p> <p>Return to <a rel="tag" href="http://www.mystery-books.com/">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/games-of-mystery-freddi-fish-wii-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-9006513611330793461Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:01:00 +00002008-08-27T08:05:21.993-07:00<div style="margin: 12px;" align="center"><a rel="tag" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px auto 20px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="Mysterious Reviews" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-news.jpg"></a></div> <p><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/">Mysterious Reviews</a>, mysteries reviewed by the <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/">Hidden Staircase Mystery Books</a>, is publishing a new review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Shaved Ice</span> by Del Staecker. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 6pt 12pt; float: right; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=1934980129"><img alt="Shaved Ice by Del Staecker" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/1934980129.jpg" style="border: 0px solid ; padding: 0px 10px; width: 100px; vertical-align: bottom;"></a><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1934980129/?tag=mystery-books-20"><img style="border: 0pt solid ; padding: 0px; width: 120px; vertical-align: top;" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-reviews-graphics/buy-from-amazon.gif"></a></div> <p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews-detail.html?asinx=1934980129">Shaved Ice</a> by <a href="http://authors.omnimystery.com/staecker-del.html" rel="tag">Del Staecker</a><br> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Ledge Trabue Mystery</span></p> <p class="std10">Cable Publishing (Hardcover)<br> ISBN-10: 1-934980-12-9 (1934980129)<br> ISBN-13: 978-1-934980-12-5 (9781934980125)<br> Publication Date: August 2008<br> List Price: $24.95</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Synopsis</span>&nbsp;(from the publisher): &nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">There&rsquo;s been a shooting, and my friends were involved.</span> The words ricocheted through Ledge Trabue&rsquo;s head as he read and re-read the shocking message sent from Nashville. How&hellip;and more importantly&hellip;why&hellip;had this tragedy happened? It simply made no sense.<br> <br> Plucked from Florida by a DEA helicopter, Trabue and Professor Albert Bryan are whisked to a horrific crime scene near Nashville where they must begin unraveling what really happened while coping with their grief. Gradually, as they piece the puzzling bits of evidence together, they realize that the incredible evil of the Hart-Fellows empire that they exposed and destroyed two years before has somehow found new life and is now, impossibly, hiding in plain sight.&nbsp;</p> <p class="std10"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Review</span>: Ledge Trabue and is best friend Albert Bryan investigate the senseless murders of their friends in <span style="font-style: italic;">Shaved Ice</span>, the second mystery in this series by Del Staecker.<br> <br> Ledge and Al are surfing the pre-hurricane waves off Vero Beach Florida when they receive an urgent message saying only "Reggie shot. Win dead. Please come!" Picked up by a DEA helicopter, they are transported to Ft. Campbell, the site of the crime scene. Reggie and Win had been fishing and were unarmed. Were they the targets of the killers, and if so, why? Reggie was a retired cab driver and Win owned a sporting good shop; both were good family men. And what so interested the Drug Enforcement Agency that it sent a helicopter to Florida to pick up Ledge and Al?<br> <br> Ledge and Al meet and get assistance from Homeland Security Special Agent Barry Reeves and Carole Weathers, a local TV reporter. In most investigations it usually pays to look to where the money is. Here they find the Community Foundation, set up by the powerful Fellows family, and run by the firm of Johnson, Dupree and Comstock. The investigation turns up another, unexpected name associated with the firm: Crazy White Boy Donny. Donny is a dealer in shaved ice, the newest, strongest and most lethal form of methamphetamine. His gang connections receive and distribute the illegal drug, and also eliminate anyone who tries to interfere. But there seems to be a &ldquo;leader&rdquo; missing. No one they have met and/or interrogated seems to have the brains or know how to amass the vast resources required to manage this operation. It appears Ledge and Al are chasing a ghost.<br> <br> From its opening scenes of waves crashing along the shore, the relentless pace of <span style="font-style: italic;">Shaved Ice</span> continues to accelerate to its pulse-pounding conclusion. The characters, narrative, and suspenseful plotline are all well executed, the result thoroughly enjoyable. If there's a downside here it's in the explicit, and largely unnecessary, details of the crime scenes. The story is strong enough that it doesn't need this added dose of realism.</p> <p class="std10">Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.betzreview.com/" target="_blank">The Betz Review</a> for contributing her review of&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic;">Shaved Ice</span> and&nbsp;to Del Staecker for providing a copy of the book for this review.</p> <p>Review Copyright &copy; 2008 &mdash; Hidden Staircase Mystery Books &mdash; All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/" rel="tag">mystery book reviews</a> visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of <a href="http://www.hsmb.com/" rel="tag">mystery books</a> with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.</p> <p>Return to <a href="http://www.mystery-books.com/" rel="tag">Mystery Books News</a> ...</p>http://www.mystery-books.com/2008/08/mystery-book-review-shaved-ice-by-del.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Mystery Books)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18006241.post-4299892667577576450Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:23:00 +00002008-08-26T12:57:44.414-07:00<div style="margin: 6pt auto 12pt;" align="center"><a href="http://new-mysteries.omnimystery.com/"><img style="border: 0px solid ; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 375px; height: 80px;" alt="New Hardcover Mystery Books" src="http://new-mysteries.omnimystery.com/graphics/new-mysteries-news.jpg" /></a></div> <p>The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of <a href="http://new-mysteries.omnimystery.com/" rel="tag">new hardcover mysteries</a> with books scheduled for publication in September 2008.</p> <p>As we did last month, we're listing those authors with returning series characters, new series characters, and non-series or stand-alone mysteries in separate sections. All titles are available on our <a href="http://new-mysteries.omnimystery.com/new-mysteries-0809.html" rel="tag">September mystery books</a> page. We're also using the new "carousel" widget by Amazon.com to display a random selection of titles; refreshing this page will change the selection displayed.</p> <div style="text-align: center; padding: 12px 6px;"> <script> var amzn_wdgt={widget:'Carousel'}; amzn_wdgt.tag='mystery-books-20'; amzn_wdgt.widgetType='ASINList'; amzn_wdgt.ASIN='0425223612,0312352727,0727866400,0727866532,0312385544,0553805568,0312349122,0765318474,1568584113,1416550402,1569475164,0758216041,0061544450,1594146764,1416575790,1933515163,0061561029,0151014086,031236847X,0451225066,0765317443,0425224783,0312384335,1590583000,0425223450,0425221776,031237531X,1928662137,0312380461,076531861X,1595543074,0312363079,0451225058,1594147205,1596923164,1593154852,0762434937,1606480030,0312376707,0451224973,0345497627,1847440819,1594147094,031237268X,0151014620,0727866567,1569475253,1595544526,1416565116,0312358733,0312383746,1593154941,0312356234,1594146748,1416556745,1416567933,1597775916,1400064201,0312387563,0749079452,0670019941,0312381913,1606480006,0553806947,0312384068,031236458X,044657788X,0727866583,0312383460,038552580X,1416586679,0802717136,0312384769,0316057584,159414656X,0399155279,0425223604,1416553010,0727866524,0375425136,0977624021,0345475526,031235830X,0312380623,0765317168,1416569979,0786950382,1592642446,0399155155'; amzn_wdgt.title='A Selection of New Hardcover Mysteries for September 2008'; amzn_wdgt.width='400'; amzn_wdgt.height='160'; </script> <script src="http://wms.assoc-amazon.com/20070822/US/js/swfobject_1_5.js"> </script></div> <p>Authors with mysteries having returning series characters (in parentheses) this month:<br /><br />Susan Wittig Albert (<span style="font-style: italic;">Beatrix Potter</span>), Lori Andrews (<span style="font-style: italic;">Alex Blake</span>), Sandra Balzo (<span style="font-style: italic;">Maggy Thorsen</span>), M. C. Beaton (<span style="font-style: italic;">Agatha Raisin</span>), Carrie Bebris (<span style="font-style: italic;">Mr. and Mrs. Darcy</span>), Ted Bell (<span style="font-style: italic;">Alexander Hawke</span>), James R. Benn (<span style="font-style: italic;">Billy Boyle</span>), Laurie