Friday, September 29, 2006

Mystery Book Review: Deadline Stiff by J. M. Burns

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Deadline: Stiff by J. M. Burns. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Deadline: Stiff by J. M. Burns

Deadline: Stiff by J. M. Burns
A David Endicott Mystery
Cold Tree Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-58385-091-0 (1583850910)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58385-091-6 (9781583850916)
Publication Date: June 2006
List Price: $14.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Freshly returned from military police duty in Iraq, young David Endicott stumbles into his first case by rescuing a corpse from an eccentric billionaire’s guesthouse. With eyebrows raised, Baulden Grey asks Endicott to discover three things in seven frenetic days: Who the man was; how he gained entry to the heavily protected grounds; and what he wanted once inside.

It all sounded so simple, so deliciously straightforward, and it might have been, except for the powdered wings of a rare Chinese butterfly. For the Golden Yellow possesses a secret powerful enough to change the face of gang crime in Southern California. And beyond …

Review: J. M. Burns debut mystery featuring David Endicott, Deadline: Stiff, begins as a locked room puzzle and ends as a first-rate thriller.

Hired to find out the identity of the dead man he “rescued” from a guesthouse fire on the estate of Baulden Grey, David Endicott is presented with a number of problems. The only unsecured access to the building was a small window on the third floor, yet no evidence was found to indicate the man entered through it. His death was apparently due to his falling from a great height, yet bruises on the body are inconsistent with this supposition. And why was he in the guesthouse in the first place?

The first half of Deadline: Stiff moves along briskly, as the seven day time limit imposed on David by Grey subtly serves to quicken the pace of the story. The second half races to a conclusion at breakneck speed, with the storylines seeming to trip over each other. It’s not quite clear at any time who is aligned with whom, and with the large cast of characters, it’s easy to get confused. The reasoning behind some of the alliances seems weak, and though it would probably have been something of a cliché, a recap between David and his uncle at the end would have been helpful in explaining why various factions were working together.

In many mystery series, there’s often someone who acts as the source of arcane information, all of which is important, if not always initially obvious, to the case at hand. In Deadline: Stiff, it’s Gus, and he’s a wonderfully complex character. Whether he’s quoting scholars from the 17th century or brewing pruno, he’ll be an asset to David in the future.

Burns has created some memorable characters in Deadline: Stiff, and has a real talent for dialog and setting. It’s a terrific start to a promising new mystery series.

Special thanks to J. M. Burns for providing a copy of Deadline: Stiff for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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Mystery Bestsellers for September 29, 2006

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 29, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Topping the lists this week is the latest horse racing thriller from Dick Francis, Under Orders by Dick FrancisUnder Orders. Not only does this mark the return of Francis, but also his ex-jockey/detective Sid Halley. Halley had been called upon by Lord Enstone to make discreet inquiries into why his horses appeared to be on a permanent losing streak. Are races being fixed? Are bookies taking a cut? And if so, are trainers and jockeys playing a dangerous game with stakes far higher than they are realistic? Halley's quest for answers draws him even deeper into the darker side of the race game, in a life-or-death power play that will push him to his very limits-both professionally and personally. Publishers Weekly states, "The writing and action are as crisp as ever, though longtime Francis fans may find the plot a little familiar."

Also new this week is the second Harper Connelly mystery, Grave Surprise by Charlaine HarrisGrave Surprise by Charlaine Harris. A college class gets more than it bargained for when Harper gives a demonstration of her uncanny talent. Instead of just finding one body in an old grave, she finds two: the original occupant and a recently deceased girl whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find two years previously. To dispel suspicions about her own innocence, Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer-only to find yet another body in the same grave. Kirkus Reviews writes, "Believers and skeptics alike will enjoy Harper's search for the truth and her changing relationship with Tolliver."

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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News: Patterson Mysteries Under Development at ABC

Variety is reporting that Brett Ratnet has been ordered by ABC to direct and executive produce Woman's Murder Club, an adaptation of James Patterson's mystery series featuring four woman who track down serial killers in San Francisco. Patterson will also executive produce.

Also in the works at ABC is Murder Incorporated which revolves around a man who discovers he's from a wealthy family, but the source of the money may be from a less than legitimate business.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Thursday, September 28, 2006

News: Online Bookfair October 3-5, 2006

First-ever fair celebrates and connects the online book community with three days of continual events.

Talk about an idea that’s really plugged-in. The fair will be held during October 3-5, 2006 at the Online Bookfair October 3-5, 2006Online Bookfair website.

A cause for celebration and connection for the burgeoning online book community, the three-day fair has something for everybody -- from booklovers to bloggers -- according to Fauzia Burke, a pioneer in online book promotion and president of FSB Associates, host of the premiere event.

With its "Love of Reading" theme, the event is designed for a wide audience -- booklovers, authors, publishers, booksellers, and anyone else who is passionate about books and reading.

The online event is teeming with non-stop book happenings, says Burke, along with a variety of special events and giveaways.

"Today’s online book community is more vital and vibrant than ever" says Burke. "Throughout the book fair, we want to celebrate their increasingly important voice and connect people who love books in a whole new way."

FSB Associates works with some of the best mystery authors writing today. Recent mysterious reviews of books promoted by FSB Associates include The Husband by Dean Koontz, The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld, Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear, and The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

News: A Double Dose of Crichton

Kevin Howell* writes in the September 25th issue of Publishers Weekly that HarperCollins is planning a big splash for Next, the Michael Crichton title set for release November 28. Meanwhile, on October 31, Hard Case Crime is reissuing John Lange's 1970 novel Grave Descend by John LangeGrave Descend—and booksellers with long memories will recall that Lange is one of three pseudonyms under which Crichton has published.

The mystery is why Crichton's name is not on the mass market jacket. When the author's name is brought up, Charles Ardai, Hard Case Crime's founder and editor, won't budge: "We're mentioning the only name that has ever appeared on the book. Mr. Lange is a very private person and we don't have very much information about his private life."

It's an open secret that Crichton wrote books under three pseudonyms while he was in medical school. Long ago, he owned up to writing the 1968 medical thriller A Case of Need, which won his pen name, Jeffrey Hudson, an Edgar Award and is currently published by Signet; the cover reads "Michael Crichton writing as Jeffrey Hudson." In 1970, Crichton and his brother penned Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues under the nom de plume created by combining their first names: Michael Douglas.

The eight novels published by John Lange between 1966 and 1972 are a little harder to connect to Crichton, but there are plenty of clues. The final novel, Binary, was turned into a 1972 movie of the week called Pursuit, the same movie that marked Michael Crichton's debut as a film director. Both Who's Who and Contemporary Authors credit the Lange novels to Crichton.

Crichton, 6'9" tall, supposedly chose his two pen names as riffs on his height. Lange means "tall one" in German and Dutch, while Sir Jeffrey Hudson was a 17th-century French dwarf.
Ardai won't speculate about pseudonyms (his own 2004 novel, Little Girl Lost, was published under the name "Richard Aleas") but he will vouch for Grave Descend's quality. "When I discovered John Lange's novels a few years ago, I thought they were lost gems that readers would love if they were reprinted. They're fun books. We chose this one because it felt like the most obvious fit for Hard Case Crime. His others seemed more like thrillers than crime stories. It's also the only John Lange book that was nominated for an Edgar."

No one at HarperCollins would comment on the Lange-Crichton connection; an HC spokesperson said Crichton was "finishing up the new book" and wouldn't be able to comment.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

* Reprinted with permission of the author, Kevin Howell.

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Mystery Book Review: The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman

The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman
Non-series
Penguin Books (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-303662-9 (0143036629)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-303662-3 (9780143036623)
Publication Date: February 2006
List Price: $14.00

Synopsis (from the publisher): When a twelfth-century Sicilian cat burglar snatches a sack of artifacts from the king's geographer's library, the tools and talismans of transmutation—and eternal life—are soon scattered all over the world. Nine hundred years later, a young Connecticut reporter finds evidence that someone is collecting them again.

In the process of investigating the suspicious death of a local professor, Paul Tomm finds the dead man's heavily fortified office stuffed with books on alchemy. The Geographer's Library entwines his contemporary reporting with a chain of ancient stories-within-the-story, tracking the last time each of the geographer's tools changed hands—some bought, some stolen, some killed for.

Review: Jon Fasman's debut novel, The Geographer's Library, is a literary adventure tale that will captivate its readers with a murder mystery interlaced with a fascinating insight into the history of alchemy and the pursuit of its treasures. (Alchemy is the study, the science, and the process of transformation. Deliberate transformation. Of anything into anything. This definition is important to understanding the nuances of the characters in the book.)

Paul Tomm, a reporter for a small paper in northwest Connecticut, has his interest piqued when, following the death of a Professor of Baltic History, information about the man's background seems remarkably difficult to obtain. Following a near death experience himself, he learns more about the dead scholar and his obsession with obtaining the contents stolen from a geographer's library almost 900 years ago.

The Geographer's Library is written as a first person narrative of Paul Tomm. The wonder, confusion, and fear expressed by Paul during his investigation is convincingly conveyed to the reader. At one point he states, "All this for what could have been an obit at the back of a newspaper that a few hundred people would have run their eyes over before throwing away ... But it had grown into something else, something that thrilled me even as it frightened me, made me feel that I had finally cracked through the pane of smudged glass, broken the surface of the sea. I finally felt like something other than an observer in my life." This is an exceptionally well written book.

As good as Paul's account is, the 16 side stories in chapters alternating with the narrative, each representing an object stolen from the geographer's library, are absolutely riveting. Though having little to do directly with Paul's story itself, these mini-vignettes provide an intriguing glimpse into the history of alchemy and serve as the back story into the life, and ultimately death, of the mysterious professor.

The Geographer's Library ends with an interesting and unexpected twist that provides a very cogent conclusion to this exceptional book.

Special thanks to FSB Associates for providing a copy of The Geographer's Library for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

Hardcover version: Penguin USA, February 2005, ISBN: 1594200386, $24.95.

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News: A Conversation with Steve Hamilton

Sonja Brodie, special writer for the Ann Arbor News, recently had a conversation with Steve Hamilton, author of the Alex McKnight mystery series.

Hamilton's 7th mystery in the series, A Stolen Season by Steve HamiltonA Stolen Season, was recently published by St. Martin's Press. On a cold, miserable night in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Alex McKnight and his former partner Leon happen to be standing on the edge of Lake Superior, waiting for the July 4th fireworks to begin when the wreck happens. In the shallow water of Waishkey Bay, an antique wooden boat runs right into a line of old railroad pilings. When Alex and Leon go out to rescue the passengers, they find three men. The driver of the boat is out cold. The other two are dazed but conscious. When they're finally back on dry land and sent away in an ambulance, Alex figures he'll never see them again. He couldn't be more wrong.

Alex McKnight is not a traditional detective by any means, Hamilton says. "He's a guy who has no interest in being a private eye or having any kind of profession like that, so it is a little more challenging to drag him into trouble every time. The one thing that I've got going for me is that he's a total sucker. A friend in need or anybody who needs his help - he's going to do it. That's really what keeps dragging him into trouble.''

Asked why he chose to set his series in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, he says, "As soon as you cross the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula, everything just feels different up there and looks different and the people are different, mostly in a good way." He adds, "The rest of the country is all starting to look alike, it's all Starbucks and Wal-Marts. The U.P. is one of the last places that's still unlike anywhere else in the country. I wanted to have that unique setting. And, of course, having Lake Superior in the background all the time, this beautiful monster of a lake, I just thought that was a pretty irresistible thing.''

Read the entire interview on Everything Michigan (mlive.com) here.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Press Release: Author Jon F. Merz Offers Free Serialized Fiction

Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 25, 2006 -- Thriller author Jon F. Merz will pen a free serialized novella The Courier on his MySpace.com page located at http://www.myspace.com/lawsonvampire beginning Monday, October 2nd and continuing through October with a climax on Halloween. Merz, the author of the critically-acclaimed Lawson Vampire series of novels, will write a special "mini-mission" - an approximately 40,000-word supernatural hard-boiled noir adventure.

Merz's character Lawson is an elite member of a vampiric race that evolved alongside humanity, known as a Fixer. His job is to protect the secret existence of vampires by acting as judge, jury, and executioner for rogue elements of his society. His past adventures have taken him from Boston to the Himalayas and everywhere in between as he chases down conspirators, kidnappers, power-hungry sociopaths, drug runners, and more.

Read the entire press release here.

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Monday, September 25, 2006

Mystery Godoku: Weekly Puzzle for September 25, 2006

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for September 25, 2006A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is available on our website.

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!).

This week's letters and mystery clue: A G N O R S T U W. This was the title of Loren D. Estleman’s 5th mystery to feature Amos Walker (9 letters).

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

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Friday, September 22, 2006

News: New Website for Agatha Christie Mystery Games

Games of Mystery
The Adventure Company, a division of DreamCatcher, has created a new website to present its games based on Agatha Christie mysteries.

And Then There Were NoneAnd Then There Were None, introduced last year, is based on the Christie novel of the same name. 10 people, strangers to each other, are all invited to a lavish estate on an isolated island. Through a recording, their mysterious host accuses each of his ‘guests’ of murder and proceeds to exact "justice." Tension mounts as, one-by-one, the number of people are reduced through the ingenious plotting of the unseen killer. New twists-and-turns to the original story, plus a brand new character has been introduced – the player of the game. The game contains breathtaking 3D graphics and multiple endings.

Climb aboard the luxurious train and become part of the famous murder mystery as you play the video game adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient ExpressMurder on the Orient Express, to be released later this year. Staying true to the novel, players will step on to the lavish, richly appointed train that departs Istanbul hurtling toward Paris. The train is filled with passengers, one of whom is the high profile Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. A passenger recognizes him, asks for protection, but is turned down. The next day that individual is found dead. Players take on the role of Antoinette Marceau, a new character, who works alongside Poirot to investigate the savage murder. With a train filled of suspects, Antoinette will need every tip that she can garner from Poirot in order to pinpoint the killer.

Games for Mystery provides information about all types of mystery-themed games including games for the PC, board games, mystery parties for adults, teens, and children, mystery vacations, and mysteries online.

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Mystery Book Contest: Win a Signed Book and Pendant by Gerard F. Bianco

New MysteriesNew! The Deal Master Contest is now available on The Mystery Book Contest Website. Enter daily through December 01, 2006, for a chance to win an amazing prize package from author and jewelry designer Gerard F. Bianco.

The prize package includes:

The Deal Master, Bianco's first mystery and a psychological thriller, signed by the author. Read a review of The Deal Master on Mysterious Reviews.

A unique garnet pendant, designed and crafted by Bianco, including chain. Bianco's jewelry is featured at Porte 4, Portland Maine’s most unique jewelry store, located in the heart of the Old Port.

The Deal Master by Gerard F. BiancoGarnet Pendant by Gerard F. Bianco

The Deal Master Contest is sponsored by Gerard F. Bianco, Author Marketing Experts, and Mysterious Reviews.

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Mystery Bestsellers for September 22, 2006

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 22, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

New this week on the lists is the 3rd mystery featuring editor and philosopher Isabel Dalhousie, The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall SmithThe Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith. When friends from Dallas arrive in Edinburgh and introduce Isabel to Tom Bruce - a bigwig at home in Texas - several confounding situations unfurl at once. Tom's young fiancée's roving eye leads Isabel to believe that money may be the root of her love for Tom. But what, Isabel wonders, is the root of the interest Tom begins to show for Isabel herself? She's certain of the ethical basis for a little sleuthing now and again - especially when the problems involve matters of the heart.

Another notable newcomer is the 10th appearance of Repairman Jack in F. Paul Wilson's Harbingers by F. Paul WilsonHarbingers. It starts off so simply: Jack, still feeling down after the tragic events of Infernal, is hanging in Julio's when a regular named Timmy asks him for help. His teenage niece has been missing since this morning; the police say it's too early to worry, but Timmy knows something bad has happened. Jack says he'll put the word out on the street. This innocent request triggers a chain of seemingly coincidental events that lead Jack into the darkest days of his life.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Press Release: Simon & Simon Coming to DVD

Simon & Simon: Season One 3 Disc Set Makes Its DVD Debut October 10, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Simon & Simon Season One on DVDUNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sibling sleuths A. J. and Rick Simon are back on the case when Simon & Simon: Season One comes to DVD for the first time on October 10, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Television favorites Gerald McRaney (Deadwood) and Jameson Parker (JAG) star as a pair of polar opposite brothers who run a San Diego detective agency. All thirteen Season One episodes of the Emmy®-nominated series feature action, mystery and loads of fun as the brothers Simon scramble in and out of unlikely scrapes in the course of their investigations.

The press release in its entirety can be read here.

For more information on mystery DVDs, visit our partner site, Mysteries on DVD. Mysteries on DVD is your source for information on mystery books that have been adapted for film and are available on DVD.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Mystery Book Review: Calculated Loss by Linda L. Richards

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Calculated Loss by Linda L. Richards. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Calculated Loss by Linda L. Richards

Calculated Loss by Linda L. Richards
A Madeline Carter Mystery
Mira (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2345-5 (0778323455)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2345-7 (9780778323457)
Publication Date: September 2006
List Price: $6.99

Synopsis (from the publisher): It's been years since former stockbroker Madeline Carter bothered thinking about her gastronomically gifted ex-husband, Chef Braydon Gauthier. Between quitting her soul-sucking career and discovering what life is like during daylight hours she's been kind of busy. But when Madeline learns Braydon took his own life, she drops everything and hightails it to the funeral.

It doesn't take long to realize Braydon's death is more murder than suicide. Madeline knows her ex would never have prepared himself a poison-laced dinner of duck a l'orange -- let alone pair it with a big, beefy Shiraz! The culinary star would have eaten fast food first.

So who's responsible? Madeline definitely has her suspicions, but one thing's clear: in the pressure-cooker world of high cuisine and higher stakes, a reputation is worth killing for.

Review: Calculated Loss is the third mystery by Linda L. Richards to feature former stock broker and current day trader Madeline Carter, this time leaving Los Angeles for Vancouver to attend the funeral of her ex-husband, renowned chef Braydon Gauthier.

Though Braydon's death is ruled a suicide, his family is suspicious, especially when leadership of his company is turned over the brother of Braydon's current wife. When Madeline arrives in Vancouver she is asked by Braydon's family to take a look at the corporate finances, and what she finds concerns her. Though the company appears healthy, it has recently been delisted from the major stock exchanges. Madeline's subsequent investigation leads her to believe that Braydon did not die by his own hand.

At one point in the book, Madeline muses, "And what, I asked myself, did any of this have to do with me? Nothing, I told myself. Everything. Old debts, new curiosities, and the curse of a personality that seldom lets me leave well enough alone."

Richards effortlessly blends Madeline's reminiscing about her life with Braydon and her current investigation into his death. It's frequently very touching and, as the author mentions in a forward, very personal. The background information required to explain some of the corporate antics are appropriately detailed without weighing down the story. The plot itself is well thought out and plausible, though Braydon's death from the fruit of the "suicide" tree is a bit of a cliché. (And it's never quite explained how he came to ingest it.)

Calculated Loss has a more reasoned, better structured and focused story than Richards' previous book in the series, itself the very appealing The Next Ex. As a result, Calculated Loss is an intriguing mystery that effectively combines high finance with haute cuisine and is highly recommended.

Special thanks to Mira Books for providing a copy of Calculated Loss for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Press Release: Her Interactive Says Nancy Drew: The Creature of Kapu Cave Goes Gold

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2006--Following up on the successful August release of its predecessor, Nancy Drew: Danger by Design, Her Interactive today announced that Nancy Drew: The Creature of Kapu Cave has gone gold and will ship in October. Befitting a mystery of such scope and caliber, players can - for the first time ever in a Nancy Drew PC game - assume the role of three different players: Nancy Drew, or Joe or Frank Hardy.

"We continue to break fresh ground with each new Nancy Drew introduction, and The Creature of Kapu Cave is no exception," said Megan Gaiser, president and CEO of Her Interactive. "The need to play as one of three characters in order to solve various puzzles not only adds to the in-game strategy and depth of gameplay, but underscores our desire to continually surprise and challenge our fans."

It's not all luaus and leis for Nancy Drew in The Creature of Kapu Cave as she travels to Hawaii as a research assistant for Dr. Quigley Kim. In transit, she runs into the Mapu family, who loan her an SUV and give her directions to Dr. Kim's camp. The Hardy Boys, on a separate covert operation, are also visiting Hawaii and staying at the cultural immersion center run by the Mapu family.

Nancy Drew: The Creature of Kapu Cave is the fifteenth installment in the award-winning, Nancy Drew PC adventure game series from Her Interactive.

The press release in its entirety can be read on the Her Interactive website here.

The entire Nancy Drew series of PC games can be purchased on our partner site, Games of Mystery. Games of Mystery provides information about all types of mystery-themed games including games for the PC, board games, mystery parties for adults, teens, and children, mystery vacations, and mysteries online.

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Monday, September 18, 2006

News: Tess Gerritsen Discusses The Mephisto Club

Physician and bestselling author Tess Gerritsen was recently interviewed by Ray Routhier of the Portland Press Herald.

Gerritsen's latest mystery featuring Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli, The Mephisto Club by Tess GerritsenThe Mephisto Club, was recently published by Ballantine.

Asked where she got the idea for the book, Gerritsen replied, "The concept of secret societies interests me. I thought: If there is an ancient bloodline of evil people committing unspeakable acts, wouldn't there likewise be an organization to oppose them? That's how I got the idea for The Mephisto Club — an alliance of scholars who are devoted to protecting mankind."

She adds, "There was so much material to draw from, starting with the Old Testament, as well as ancient Jewish texts and demonic symbolism. The more I learned, the more complex the story became. As I was uncovering this information, so too was my fictional heroine, Det. Jane Rizzoli."

Travelling the world helps inspire Gerritsen and provide new ideas for books. She notes, "As writers, we can exhaust our imaginations by sitting too long at a desk. The real benefit of travel is that it recharges the creative well, and gets us temporarily out of our comfort zones."

Read the entire interview on MaineToday.com here.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Mystery Godoku: Weekly Puzzle for September 18, 2006

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for September 18, 2006A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is available on our website.

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!).

This week's letters and mystery clue: A B E I L M O R T. The Tess Monaghan mysteries by Laura Lippman are set in this city (9 letters).

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

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Sunday, September 17, 2006

News: An Interview with Jasper Fforde

British author Jasper Fforde received 76 rejection letters before publishing his first mystery, The Eyre Affair, in which literary detective Thursday Next investigates the kidnapping of Jane Eyre, writes Gary Kemble of the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Fforde's latest book, The Fourth Bear by Jasper FfordeThe Fourth Bear, is the second book in another series, the Nursery Rhyme mysteries with Jack Spratt, which follows the investigation into the murder of Goldilocks.

"I'd been writing short stories from about '87 just for fun and one of these short stories was a murder mystery with Humpty Dumpty as the victim," says Fforde. This short story eventually became the first entry in the Nursery Rhyme series, The Big Over Easy.

As to all those rejections, Fforde notes, "You write and you want to be published but I think if you write only wanting to be published you're doing it for entirely the wrong reason and it will probably show. I think the thing about writing is to perhaps assume that you won't be published, that there's a strong possibility you will never be published, and if you can carry on writing with that in mind then you're clearly doing it for the right sort of reasons." He adds, "It took me 10 or 12 years to get published [and then I realized] this adventure's only just beginning, I've got to work doubly hard now to make sure I keep on delivering reasonable books that people want to keep on reading, and just keep up the energy and everything. But it's good fun. It's a good challenge."

Read the entire interview on ABC.net.au here.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Friday, September 15, 2006

Mystery Book Review: Shooting Gallery by Hailey Lind

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Shooting Gallery by Hailey Lind. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Shooting Gallery by Hailey Lind

Shooting Gallery by Hailey Lind
An Art Lover's Mystery with Annie Kincaid
Signet (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-451-21973-2 (0451219732)
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-21973-2 (9780451219732)
Publication Date: October 2006
List Price: $6.99

Synopsis (from the publisher): Modernism isn't Annie's thing, but even she is surprised to discover that the "sculpture" in a prestigious gallery's grisly new exhibition is an all-too-real corpse—the artist's. Meanwhile, a Chagall painting is stolen from the Brock Museum, and Annie's old friend Bryan is accused of being in on the fix. To track down the missing Chagall, she'll need the dubious assistance of a certain sexy art thief. And if Michael—or whatever his real name may be—isn't distraction enough, Annie's mother shows up in town, acting strangely. Annie's got to solve these mysteries, and fast—because art is long, but life can be very, very short.

Review: Annie Kincaid continues to balance personal and professional relationships, faux finishing and art forgeries, and murder and mayhem in Shooting Gallery, the second mystery in this engaging series by Hailey Lind.

Annie's mother, Beverly, plays a pivotal role in Shooting Gallery. Though there is no obvious connection to a dead sculptor or to a painting stolen from the Brock Museum, Beverly's unannounced trip to San Francisco and subsequent actions are a mystery to Annie. Though relatively minor, this subplot is often more affecting than the more conspicuous mysteries in the book.

Lind keeps the pace of Shooting Gallery brisk, though at times glosses over plot points that could use a bit more explanation. The minor detail of how the corpse of Seamus McGraw comes to be hanging in the gallery's garden, for example, remains unclear. There are light comedic episodes scattered throughout, but the final act incongruously degenerates into slapstick, saved only by the touching revelations by Annie's mother.

Lind maintains the practice, first used in Feint of Art, of prefacing each chapter with delightful quotes from Grandpapa Georges. An example of these insightful, provocative, and often very amusing comments: "Salvador Dali is said to have signed tens of thousands of blank pieces of paper for lithographs he had never seen, much less created. For this brilliant attempt to evade poverty he has been dubbed a forger of his own work."

While fans of art-themed mysteries will definitely enjoy Shooting Gallery, with its insider references to great art, artists, and "restorers", the book should also appeal to anyone who enjoys an entertaining story.

Special thanks to Hailey Lind for providing an ARC of Shooting Gallery for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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News: Secrets of a Bestselling Mystery Author

USA Today reporter Carol Memmott chatted with bestselling author Janet Evanovich who has written more than two dozen books, including her popular series about bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. But success didn't come easily or early, Memmott writes. She began writing in her early 30s. At one point, frustrated and sobbing, she dragged a crate of rejection letters out to the curb and burned them. "Now I wish I had saved them," says Evanovich, 64. "Some of them were pretty funny." Evanovich never gave up, and 10 years after she started writing, she was finally published.

Evanovich is now offering guidance and support to budding novelists with her new book, How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author by Janet EvanovichHow I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author. The book details the elements of writing and publishing a novel, and addresses all categories of fiction—from mystery/thriller/action titles to romance; from stand-alone narratives to series. It offers practical and inspiring advice on such subjects as structuring a plot and handling rejection. And it combines one of today's most successful fiction writers with a published non-fiction writer who teaches creative fiction. "I didn't have an easy time getting published," Evanovich says, "so I have warm feelings for other people trying to do it, and it's becoming more difficult all the time." Mammott concludes with some advice from the author: "Do everything you can to make it happen. The saddest thing is to give up your dreams. I could have given up, but then I never would have been published and have had all this fun."

Read the entire article on USAToday.com here.

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Mystery Bestsellers for September 15, 2006

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 15, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Debuting high on both the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com lists is the 6th Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles thriller by Tess Gerritsen, The Mephisto Club by Tess GerritsenThe Mephisto Club. The Latin is scrawled in blood at the scene of a young woman's brutal murder: I HAVE SINNED. It's a chilling Christmas greeting for Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli, who swiftly link the victim to controversial celebrity psychiatrist Joyce O'Donnell, Jane's professional nemesis and member of a sinister cabal called the Mephisto Club. Delving deep into the most baffling and unusual case of their careers, Maura and Jane embark on a terrifying journey to the very heart of evil, where they encounter a malevolent foe more dangerous than any they have ever faced . . . one whose work is only just beginning. Publishers Weekly calls The Mephisto Club a "brisk, deftly plotted thriller" and adds, "Gerritsen has a knack for stretching believability just short of the breaking point and for amassing details that produce an atmosphere in which the most terrible possibilities can and, indeed, should occur."

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Thursday, September 14, 2006

Press Release: Michael Connelly to Write Sunday Serial

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 2006--Bestselling author Michael Connelly makes his debut in the next "Sunday Serial," the lead feature in The New York Times Magazine's "Funny Pages." Readers can look forward to Mr. Connelly's criminal thriller, "The Overlook," an original work commissioned by the Magazine, which begins Sunday, Sept. 17, and will appear in 16 weekly installments.

Written with the same spark and texture that has made Mr. Connelly an international favorite among followers of crime fiction, the novella features his trademark protagonist, LAPD Detective Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch, an execution-style murder and a terrorism hook. Mr. Connelly's award-winning books include The Black Echo, City of Bones and The Closers.

"The Sunday Serial" which showcases popular genre fiction, has featured Elmore Leonard, Patricia Cornwell and Scott Turow.

The press release in its entirety can be read on the New York Times Company website here.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Mystery Book Review: Eye of God by Jon L. Breen

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Eye of God by Jon L. Breen. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Eye of God by Jon L. Breen

Eye of God by Jon L. Breen
Non-series
Perseverance Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-880284-89-8 (1880284898)
ISBN-13: 978-1-880284-89-6 (9781880284896)
Publication Date: September 2006
List Price: $13.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Al Hasp and Norm Carpenter are partners in a successful Orange County, California, private investigation firm. When Norm, the brains of the outfit, announces he has become a born-again Christian and will be quitting the business, Al gets him to stay aboard for one final case: going undercover for a televangelist Vincent Majors (who Al believes is a phony) to find out who’s been leaking secrets to a hostile journalist and an atheist organization. The case gets more complicated when Majors’s son-in-law, a pro-basketball coach, is murdered. Norm, Al, and their female operative Chris Borden are all on the scene when the case reaches a climax at a Christian college on the Southern California coast.

Review: Jon L. Breen adopts a no-holds-barred approach to characterization in Eye of God, a remarkably absorbing mystery of private investigators, tele-evangelists, atheists, and lawyers, set in southern California's Orange County.

Evangelist Vincent Majors, head of a powerful television network, believes someone from his inner circle is leaking secrets to his enemies, information that may be damaging to the integrity and financial well being of his ministry. The private investigation firm of Hasp and Carpenter (Breen has cleverly named the partners and is clearly having a bit of fun here), who Majors has hired to uncover the traitor, has also been hired by Majors' daughter to look into an unrelated personal matter that presents no apparent conflict of interest for the firm. When one of the people under investigation is murdered, it's clear these cases have more serious consequences than they may have initially appeared.

Despite the potential for controversy, Eye of God is not pro- or anti-religion. Rather, murder and mayhem can take place in any profession and in this case, the venue is a television ministry. Breen is careful to imbue his characters with features that are entertaining, but not overly stereotypical. The narrative moves along at a brisk pace with a credible whodunit emerging about half-way through. The ending is a bit weak, but overall, combining solid character development with effective dialog and a competent plot, Breen has written a most enjoyable mystery.

Special thanks to Perseverance Press for providing a copy of Eye of God for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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News: Agatha Christie Memorabilia Auctioned

Hundreds of personal items belonging to crime writer Dame Agatha Christie were auctioned off Tuesday by Bearnes of Exeter (UK). The signed first edition books, ceramics, pictures, prints, furniture and jewellery were kept at her Devon holiday home, Greenway House. The house, but not the contents, was gifted to the National Trust in 2000 by Christie's daughter.

The first 100 lots sold for two or three times their initial estimates, Bearnes reported. A collection of her first edition novels sold for more than $75,000. A single copy of Death on the Nile, the most expensive book sold at the auction, fetched over $4400. The auction, which attracted worldwide attention, garnered approximately $560,000, half of which will help fund conservation work at Greenway House.

Dame Agatha's books published in English have sold more than one billion copies and another billion copies in more than 45 other languages. She died in 1976.

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

News: Which Whodunits Work and Why?

Roberta Alexander ponders in the Contra Costa Times as to what makes some mysteries work and others not. "Every mystery contains its own mystery," she writes. "Will it satisfy the reader? Is this a favorite author who has recycled old stuff and needs a new shtick? Is this a first-time author who shouldn't quit his or her day job? Or, if you're lucky, is this someone who has found a new and perhaps ingenious way to solve a puzzle and take you on an adventure for several hours?"

To answer some of her own questions, she takes as examples five recent, but diverse, mysteries and analyzes them as to what works and what doesn't. The books under investigation: The Old Wine Shades by Martha Grimes, Nail Biter by Sarah Graves, A Long Shadow by Charles Todd, Hornswoggled by Donis Casey, and Bones to Pick by Carolyn Haines.

Read her very entertaining analysis of these mysteries on the ContraCostaTimes.com here.

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Mystery Book Review: Scoop by Kit Frazier

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Scoop by Kit Frazier. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Scoop by Kit Frazier

Scoop by Kit Frazier
A Cauley MacKinnon Mystery
Midnight Ink (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7387-0915-8 (0738709158)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7387-0915-4 (9780738709154)
Publication Date: September 2006
List Price: $13.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Banished to the "death page" at the Austin Sentinel after sleeping with her boss, Cauley MacKinnon is eager to shed her shameful title as the Obituary Babe and put her new journalism degree to good use. When her childhood friend Scooter Barnes, exotic pet store owner and former Dallas Cowboy, threatens suicide, she sneaks into the crime scene and manages to talk him out of it. But Scooter is later found dead and everyone -- a hot FBI agent, a menacing one-eared maniac, the Argentinean mafia, and a flirtatious customs agent -- wants the scoop on what he told Cauley in his last hours.

Up to her eyelashes in dead bodies, Cauley gets mixed up in a Texas-sized hunt for Scooter's killer and also manages to fall for a couple of cuties involved in the murder case.

Review: Kit Frazier's debut mystery, Scoop, introduces Cauley MacKinnon currently working as the obituary editor for an Austin newspaper but looking for her big break as a news reporter.

She may get her scoop sooner than she thinks when Scott "Scooter" Barnes is found dead after two unsuccessful suicide attempts. Cauley doesn't believe he actually killed himself, but there's no real evidence to think he was murdered. Cauley's persistence, however, pays off when she's able to connect the importation of exotic animals from South America with events that took place decades ago and that someone is willing to keep secret at all costs.

Frazier appears to be trying to appeal to readers of "chick lit" by having Cauley state in the opening paragraph of the book, "Sometimes I think the only things standing between me and certain doom are instinct, pure dumb luck, and a kick-ass hairdresser." But the label doesn't strictly apply to what follows. True, Cauley is pursued by two eligible, handsome bachelors, one good for her and one not (both of whom will no doubt play recurring roles in the future). And she spends way too much time thinking about her underwear. And yes, there is the requisite cat. All this and a cover prominently featuring stylish high-heeled shoes just screams "chick lit". But Scoop is also a serious mystery with dramatic and suspenseful elements that are well interwoven to the plot. The only significant lapses in logic have to do with the backstory behind the murder, though they don't stretch the imagination so much that they detract from the appeal of the mystery.

Kit Frazier has created a smart, independent, strong-minded woman to be the heroine of her series, and with Scoop has written a solid mystery that should appeal to a wide range of readers.

Special thanks to Book Trends for providing an ARC of Scoop for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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The Mystery Bookshelf: New Paperback Mysteries for September 2006

Mystery Bookshelf: New Paperback MysteriesThe Mystery Bookshelf has posted a list of new paperback mysteries expected to be available in September 2006. The list was actually updated last week, but we neglected to mention it in our mystery blog.

Some of the mystery authors whose books are coming out in paperback this month include:

Delete All Suspects, the 4th Turing Hopper mystery by Donna Andrews;
The Case of the Roasted Onion, the 1st book in a new series featuring veterinarian Austin McKenzie by Claudia Bishop;
Wreath of Deception, another 1st book in a series, this one featuring crafts by Mary Ellen Hughes;
Death and Judgment, the 4th mystery in the excellent Commissario Guido Brunetti series by Donna Leon;
Sacred Cows, the 1st book in the Annie Seymour mystery series by Karen E. Olson;
Fever, still another 1st book, this time featuring Miami cruise line investigator Matt "Loose Cannon" Shannon by Sean Rowe.

and many more!

Titles are maintained on The Mystery Bookshelf for 6 months, and are available for browsing by author, series character, or date of publication. You may also use our search tool to find all current and archived titles.

Thank you for visiting The Mystery Bookshelf!

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Monday, September 11, 2006

Mystery Godoku: Weekly Puzzle for September 11, 2006

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for September 11, 2006A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is available on our website.

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!).

This week's letters and mystery clue: A B D E K N O R W. The 18th mystery in the Nameless Detective series by Bill Pronzini had this title (9 letters).

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

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Saturday, September 09, 2006

Mystery Bestsellers for September 08, 2006

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 08, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

The number of mysteries on the New York Times Bestseller List has diminished considerably this week. And the divergence of mystery titles on the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com lists has grown. It's possible the definition of "mystery" is changing at each of these sites. We'll have to do a bit of our own investigating to see what's happening here!

New this week is the debut mystery from Jed Rubenfeld, The Interpretation of Murder by Jed RubenfeldThe Interpretation of Murder, a suspenseful historical thriller inspired by Sigmund Freud's only visit to America. In an opulent apartment high above New York City, a stunning young woman is found dangling from a chandelier—whipped, mutilated, and strangled. The next day, a second beauty—a rebellious heiress who scorns both high society and her less adventurous parents—barely escapes the killer. Yet Nora Acton, suffering from hysteria, can recall nothing of her attack. Asked to help her, Dr. Stratham Younger, America's most committed Freudian analyst, calls in his idol, the Master himself, to guide him through the challenges of analyzing this high-spirited young woman whose family past has been as complicated as his own. Publishers Weekly calls it "ambitious". Kirkus Reviews adds, "Meaty and provocative, though also grandiose and calculated." Mysterious Reviews states of The Interpretation of Murder, "... a cleverly devised murder mystery ... [but] flaws in style and editing prevent it from being a memorable novel of suspense fiction."

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Friday, September 08, 2006

News: PBS To Air New Inspector Lynley Mysteries

Inspector Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) and Sergeant Havers (Sharon Small), Elizabeth George's crime-cracking duo from opposite sides of the track, are back in four intriguing mysteries to air on PBS.

No detective is better suited to expose the secrets of the upper classes than Lynley, himself the eighth Earl of Asherton. And while Havers may not know her earl from her escargot, she knows how to dig for clues in places a bit too seedy for the well-manicured Lynley.

Series 5 picks up where the last story ended -- Havers has been shot in the line of duty, and Lynley is estranged from his wife Helen. Will these traumas affect their ability to do their jobs?

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries will air on Sundays on PBS, 09/10 through 10/01. Check local listings for dates and times.

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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Profile: An Interview with J. A. Jance

Jessica Agi of the Anchorage Daily News recently interviewed J. A. Jance, author of the bestselling J. P. Beaumont, Joanna Brady, and Brandon Walker mysteries. Her most recent book, Dead Wrong, a Joanna Brady mystery, was recently published by HarperCollins.Dead Wrong by J. A. Jance

When asked how long it takes to write a novel, Jance replied, "It usually takes about six months from beginning to end, depending on what else is going on in my life." She adds, "It's hard work! There's nobody else to do the writing, nobody else to do the promoting, no other body to send on the book tour. Being a full-time writer is sort of like having three full-time jobs."

On the subject of where she comes up with her plots, Jance notes that inspiration varies from place to place, book to book. "Sometimes I find stuff that interests me in newspapers and magazines," she says. "The challenge then is taking that inspiration and figuring out a way to live with it for six months."

Read the entire interview of J. A. Jance in the Anchorage Daily News here.

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Mystery Book Review: No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews

No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews
A Meg Langslow Mystery
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-32940-7 (0312329407)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-32940-2 (9780312329402)
Publication Date: August 2006
List Price: $23.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): eXtreme croquet is the current rage in Caerphilly, where Meg and her fiancé, Michael, have bought a house. While this society game can get quite warm, it hasn’t reached the stage of actual homicide---at least not until Meg knocks her ball down a small cliff and encounters the body of a dead woman. Her head has been bashed in, illustrating, perhaps, one of the many uses of a croquet mallet. It turns out that Michael knew the woman from years before. Meg finds herself further drawn in when it’s discovered that the woman was seeking to expose the bad dealings of a certain local society lady’s ancestors.

In the meantime, the old house needs many basic improvements and swarms with an entire family of working men, including countless second cousins, sawing and pounding away. Meg’s father is the overseer but is easily distracted since he has a tendency to become wrapped up in his current animal charges---this time it’s ducks.

Review: The mystery and mayhem continue in Caerphilly with Donna Andrews's 7th entry in the Meg Langslow series, No Nest for the Wicket. Credit must be given for the clever title, but this latest book from Andrews simply isn't up to par (to mix sports metaphors).

Reading No Nest for the Wicket is like watching a one-act play. Meg sits onstage in front of a backdrop that represents her farm. Scene changes are unnecessary as the entire story is essentially played out from this venue. Various family members, neighbors, friends, and visitors drop in, have a conversation with Meg, and then wander off to do whatever they do. Meg ponders the current situation between chats, coming up with a plan to move forward in the investigative process. All this is well and good, but about two thirds of the way through the play (er ... book), the audience asks, What’s all the fuss about? A murder? Oh, that’s right, someone was found with their head bashed in by a croquet mallet. What was her name? Are you sure? And that’s the underlying problem with this book: the reason for its very being ceases to be important, or even interesting.

No Nest for the Wicket is definitely not one of the better Meg Langslow mysteries, but will undoubtedly appeal to readers who have enjoyed previous books in the series. Despite the large cast of eccentric though admittedly interesting characters, the ever-present menagerie of animals, and the novel idea of incorporating eXtreme croquet into the story, in the end this one-act play is all rather monotonous.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing a copy of No Nest for the Wicket for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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