Mystery Book Review: The September Society by Charles Finch

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The September Society by Charles Finch. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The September Society by Charles Finch
A Charles Lenox Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-312-56494-5 (0312564945)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-56494-0 (9780312564940)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $13.99

Review: Private detective Charles Lenox is hired to search for a missing student at his alma mater, Oxford, in The September Society, the second mystery in this series by Charles Finch.

The young man is George Payson, son of Lady Annabelle Payson, the widow of Captain James Payson who died during the Anglo-Sikh wars twenty years earlier. When Lenox visits Payson's rooms in Oxford, he finds an unusual assortment of items, the most extraordinary of which is a dead cat, stabbed with a letter opener, under which is found a note with cryptic writing. Other oddities include a neat line of ask under a window, a pulpy fried tomato on the rug, and a card identifying The September Society on the front, and a pink and black X on the back. Lenox begins his investigation by locating Payson's friends, but one of them has also gone missing. The police eventually recover a body from the local woods that, though badly decomposed, is identified as Payson. Lenox, unable to prevent Payson's murder, is determined to find out who killed him and why.

The September Society is exceptionally well written, with solid characters and a strong sense of time and place. The plot proceeds at a moderate, methodical pace, much like Lenox himself. He views his profession pragmatically, as he tells a potential colleague interested in working for him: "[It] is, in my mind at least, both one of the least respected professions among our kind of people and one of the most important and noble in its purpose. If you are a detective and a gentleman, expect to be unheralded -- misunderstood except by your friends, and even by them sometimes -- looked on as somewhat odd, if harmless. It will help that you have a position and money, as it has helped me, but it won't save you from a certain, rather hard to bear kind of disrepute." His case is more of a puzzle than anything else, Payson having left what are certainly clues as to why he disappeared, and after his body is found, why he was murdered. Though Lenox makes a wrong turn here and there (he remarks at one point he was "as slow as the milk train" to catch on), he eventually manages to piece the puzzle together, discovering a link between the death of Captain Payson in India and his son twenty years later in Oxford.

A bit slow in places, and probably about 50 pages too long, The September Society is nonetheless a very enjoyable mystery that has a quite engaging private detective participating in a most intriguing investigation.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a trade paperback edition of The September Society for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing The September Society from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. The September Society (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): In the small hours of the morning one fall day in 1866, a frantic widow visits detective Charles Lenox. Lady Annabelle’s problem is simple: her beloved son, George, has vanished from his room at Oxford. When Lenox visits his alma mater to investigate he discovers a series of bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to “The September Society.” Then, just as Lenox realizes that the case may be deeper than it appears, a student dies, the victim of foul play.

What could the September Society have to do with it? What specter, returned from the past, is haunting gentle Oxford? Lenox, with the support of his devoted friends in London’s upper crust, must race to discover the truth before it comes searching for him, and dangerously close to home.

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New Series Planned for US Network Television based on the Michael Dobbs' Thriller The House of Cards

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that a television series based on the novel and UK miniseries The House of Cards is under development. The political thriller, written by Michael Dobbs and featuring politician Francis Urquhart who schemes and backstabs his way into the Prime Minister's office, was the first in a trilogy written from 1989 through 1995. The UK miniseries, based on the first book, aired in 1990 and won a BAFTA award for Ian Richardson (who played Urquhart) and an Emmy for Andrew Davies, who wrote the adapted screenplay.

The new series will be set in the US but, as in the original, maintain a focus on issues of political ambition and blackmail.

The series is still being shopped to US networks.

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Winners of the 2009 CWA Dagger Awards (Crime Thriller Awards) Announced

The 2009 Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards (formerly known as the Crime Writers' Association Dagger Awards) were given out last night at a ceremony in London to honor the very best in crime and thriller writing.

The winners are:

◊ Gold Dagger (Best Crime Novel): A Whispered Name by William Broderick
◊ Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (Best Thriller): The Last Child by John Hart
◊ New Blood Dagger (Best First Novel): Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin

In an online poll of ITV3 viewers, Harlan Coben was honored as favorite crime author. HBO's The Wire was also recognized as best crime drama.

Our congratulations to the winners!

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Games of Mystery: Nancy Drew in Treasure in a Royal Tower, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Download →

Join legendary detective Nancy Drew as she follows ancient clues to find the mysterious Wickford Castle's legendary secret in this mysterious adventure game! The castle is a riddle, full of dead-ends and detours that hint at a legend left behind by Marie Antoinette! Solve baffling puzzles, search concealed rooms, interview evasive suspects, and sidestep danger on the hunt for a secret that the doomed Queen was desperate to hide, in Nancy Drew: Treasure in a Royal Tower!

Also available: Nancy Drew: Treasure in a Royal Tower Game Walkthrough.

Nancy Drew: Treasure in a Royal Tower may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Due to its large size, a demonstration version is not available.

Watch a preview video below:

Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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ABC Orders Full Second Season of Castle

Variety is reporting that ABC has picked up the full second season of Castle, adding 9 episodes to the 13 already ordered.

Castle stars Nathan Fillion as a best-selling mystery writer Richard Castle who is paired with NYPD detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) to help solve the city's toughest cases. The series airs Mondays at 10 PM.

Castle's first novel featuring NYPD homicide detective Nikki Heat, Heat Wave, has been popular with readers as well. Though not quite in the same bestseller category as Castle's poker buddies James Patterson, Stephen J. Cannell, or Michael Connelly (who have all appeared in cameo roles on the show), it has enjoyed respectable sales, generally placing about 20 recently on our weekly bestselling list of hardcover mysteries. Castle used Beckett as his inspiration for the series character, and in this week's episode, at a launch party for the book, Kate reads the book's dedication: "To the extraordinary KB and all my friends at the 12th."

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White Collar, a USA Network Original Series, Premieres This Friday

USA Network premieres a new series this Friday (October 23rd) at 10 PM: White Collar.

White Collar is about the unlikely partnership of a con artist and an FBI agent who have been playing cat and mouse for years. Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), a charming criminal mastermind, is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay.)

When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his long-lost love, Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: He'll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Feds in catching other elusive criminals in exchange for his eventual freedom. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can't be found on the right side of the law.

The premise seems very similar to that of one of our favorite series, It Takes a Thief (1968 to 1970), in which secret agency official Noah Bain (Malachi Throne) keeps master thief Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) out of jail as long as he works for the government. "I'm not asking you to spy", Bain tells Mundy, "I'm just asking you to steal." Fancast currently has full episodes from all three seasons of It Takes a Thief available to view. Still not available on DVD, though.

In the meantime, watch a clip from the pilot episode of White Collar, airing this Friday, below:

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First Clues Student Review: Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
The Echo Falls Series

HarperCollins (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-073701-8 (0060737018)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-073701-6 (9780060737016)
Publication Date: April 2005
List Price: $16.99

Review written by Jonathan, a 6th grade student. Date of review: October 2009.

Review: Have you ever told a little white lie? Did it then grow so large that you’re caught lying to everyone until it all explodes in your face? So sets the stage for Down The Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams. After her appointment to the orthodontist, Ingrid Levin-Hill takes a ride from one of the odder residents of Echo Falls. The children even call her Cracked-Up Kate. Ingrid was told never to take rides from strangers, but in a crunch for time to get to soccer practice and thunder rumbling nearby, Ingrid agrees. After this, the events of Down the Rabbit Hole start to unfold.

Later after Ingrid finds that she left her shoes at Kate’s house, she must find a way to get them back alone. The only problem is that the next day, Kate is found dead! After she sneaks into the house she finds herself tangled up in the case. As her hero, Sherlock Holmes would do, she tries Even thought she doesn’t consider herself very smart, to solve this on her own. It gets more complicated as she balances soccer, school and the lead in Alice in Wonderland. As she struggles through the mystery without aid of any adults, her friends, or the curious Police Chief and his son. She must lie, sneak and snoop to solve who murdered Katherine Kovac.

This is Peter Abrahams' first children’s book, he is a popular writer of adult mysteries, and this novel follows a teen, Ingrid who tries to solve it herself instead of confiding in the adults in her life. One thing about Abrahams' novel that I enjoyed was character development, for example Ingrid becomes more brave, gains more confidence, and finds out that people are not always what they seem and that there is more to some people than what others think. I thought it was a great compelling novel, with good plot twist and at the end, the sub-plots tied together well. The plot of this book was enthralling and exciting, I couldn’t put it down. This mystery not only exceeded my expectations, but I am recommending this to any young adult looking for a great read. This incredible book was the 2006 winner of the Agatha Award, Best Children’s/Young Adult Fiction.

There is also another book in the series that I would also like to read, Behind the Curtain. This book was the finalist for the 2007 Agatha Award, Best Children’s/Young Adult Fiction.

If you are interested in purchasing Down the Rabbit Hole from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories: New Sleuths (ages 4 to 6), Future Sleuths (ages 7 to 10), Sleuths in Training (ages 10 to 12), and Apprentice Sleuths (ages 13 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Mystery Book Review: A Drunkard's Path by Clare O'Donohue

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of A Drunkard's Path by Clare O'Donohue. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

A Drunkard's Path by Clare O'Donohue
A Nell Fitzgerald Mystery

Plume (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-452-29558-0 (0452295580)
ISBN-13: 978-0-452-29558-2 (9780452295582)
Publication Date: September 2009
List Price: $13.00

Review: Nell Fitzgerald is crafting her first quilt, going out on her first date, but not involved in her first murder in A Drunkard's Path, the second mystery in this series by Clare O'Donohue.

Nell is working in her Grandmother’s quilt shop Someday Quilts and has joined the Friday evening womens' quilting circle. And Jesse Dewalt, the police chief and a widower with a small child, has asked her out for dinner. She waited for him at the restaurant for over a half hour, believing she had been stood her up. But Jesse had a good excuse: a young woman’s murdered body has been dragged out of the Hudson River, with no identity on her. A black and white picture of a woman in a polka dot dress, however, is reportedly found at the scene but disappears before Jesse can see it.

Meanwhile, a famous artist, Oliver Wilde, has now come to town for a showing, and to teach a course in art. Nell, who had always wanted to try to be an artist, desperately wants to go – but not alone. Her grandmother and one of her quilting friends goes with her. The two elderly women convince her to sign up for the course. It isn’t long after the course starts that Oliver White becomes infatuated with Eleanor, Nell’s grandmother. Nell notices during her art lessons Oliver is also taking a special interest in Sarah, one of the young students. They would go into his office and she would come out in tears. A few weeks later Sarah is found dead in the Hudson. Is this murder connected to the one from several weeks earlier? Is there a serial killer in Archers Rest? And how does Oliver White fit in? He is now dating Nell’s grandmother. Is he a killer? What does anyone really know about him – or the women that were killed?

Nell, against the advice of Jesse, goes to Sarah’s apartment and there she finds another black and white picture of a woman in a polka dot dress. This has to mean something. How are these occurrences related? Being an inquisitive sort, and not one to necessarily follow suggestions to the letter, and against Jesse’s instructions, Nell starts to get involved in the murders, drawing her quilting circle into the action thus creating her own little crime solving circle.

A Drunkard's Path is a captivating mystery, well told. But it's also a tale of relationships, those of a close knit (as it were) quilter's group and of a young outsider, seemingly poor and homeless, and how she comes to have a place in the group. Overall, this is a solid follow-up to the first book in the series, The Lover's Knot, and a very satisfying cozy in and of itself.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of A Drunkard's Path and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing A Drunkard's Path from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. A Drunkard's Path (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): In the sleepy town of Archers Rest, Nell Fitzgerald is finishing her first quilt and preparing for her first date- with Police Chief Jesse Dewalt. When Jesse stands her up, it turns out he has a good reason-the body of a murdered young woman has been discovered near the Hudson River.

Meanwhile the members of Nell's quilting circle encourage her to take drawing classes with the famous artist Oliver White. When Nell's professor meets her grandmother Eleanor, owner of the Someday Quilts shop, he seems instantly smitten. But once another woman's body is found outside her grandmother's home under a blanket of snow, Nell begins to patch together clues and follow a path of evidence that suggests her professor may also have a degree in the art of murder.

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New Trailer for Sherlock Holmes Movie

FirstShowing.net has a new trailer for the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie, this one intended to be shown on television. The most recent theatrical trailer was released in July.

Robert Downey Jr. stars as Sherlock Holmes with Jude Law as Dr. Watson. The film's screenplay is adapted from a graphic novel story idea by producer Lionel Wigram (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and is directed by Guy Ritchie (Revolver).

Sherlock Holmes will be in theaters Christmas Day 2009. Watch the new trailer below:

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First Clues Student Review: Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz
The Alex Rider Series

Puffin (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-240612-0 (0142406120)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-240612-0 (9780142406120)
Publication Date: February 2006
List Price: $7.99

Review written by Zach, a 6th grade student. Date of review: October 2009.

Review: Have you ever wanted to read a James Bond-like book with G-Rated actions? Well then, the book Point Blank is for you. It is the second book in the Alex Rider series written by Anthony Horowitz. It is about a 14-year-old called Alex. Alex lived with his uncle who was a spy for the M16 (British Secret Agency). When his uncle died on a mission, they got Alex to take his place. This series has a lot of weapons, gadgets, twists and everything you would expect from a spy story. Alex also gets to work with the SAS which is kind of like the elite British army.

Alex just got back from a mission and the usual drug dealer Skoda is there. He sells drugs and cigars to the students. They call him Skoda after the kind of his car. After school he follows the dealer and got wound up with the M16 again after having some fun with Skoda. They wanted him to go to an academy for rich, delinquent boys called Point Blanc. The cost to get in is $15,000. They have him pretend to be the son of millionaire David Friend (the owner of Friend supermarkets). The M16 wants him there because the fathers of two of the students were killed. After spending five days at the Friend house, Alex was already shot at and he used his only weapon (one shot) on someone you wouldn’t expect. When he gets to the academy he knows there is something wrong. There are armed guards everywhere, the 3rd and 4th floors are off limits and it’s almost at the top of a mountain. After awhile Alex realizes almost all the other kids talk, eat, and act the same. Then he gets captured by a villain called Dr.Grief and he plans to have Alex dissected with no pain relievers instead of just killing him. At the end there is a big twist I think no one will see coming.

I would give this book a 9 on a scale of 1-10. I liked all the action and the gadgets. I also liked how clever the author made Alex. My favorite part is the last few chapters. Especially the battle with the SAS. I have played a video game about the SAS and the people in the book and game are pretty similar. But the author could have made the villain not use the “I have the hero and he won’t escape so I don’t have to kill him” act when he caught Alex. He also could have given the villains better names because “Dr. Grief” and “Mrs. Stellenbosch” aren’t good names. Overall I think the book is pretty good and it made me want to read the rest of the series, as well as see the movie of the first book.

If you are interested in purchasing Point Blank from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories: New Sleuths (ages 4 to 6), Future Sleuths (ages 7 to 10), Sleuths in Training (ages 10 to 12), and Apprentice Sleuths (ages 13 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Games of Mystery: Mystery of Cleopatra, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Download →

As the Queen's most trusted advisor, it is your task to investigate the murder of a Roman soldier, who had broken into Cleopatra's palace. Use your hidden object skills to follow the clues as they lead you into a world of national politics and personal revenge! Explore the legendary land of Alexandria as you find objects, piece together evidence, and hunt for the murderer in the Mystery of Cleopatra, a National Geographic game.

Also available: Mystery of Cleopatra Game Walkthrough.

Mystery of Cleopatra may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (155.30 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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Kane/Miller to Publish Conspiracy 365 Series in US; the Adventure Starts January 2010

Publishers Weekly today published an article on a new series of young adult novels recently acquired by Kane/Miller, a division of Educational Development Corporation (EDC). Conspiracy 365 is targeted for children aged 11 to 15, the first book of which will be published January 01, 2010, with a new book published monthly throughout the year.

The main character is 15-year-old Callum Ormond, who, following the mysterious death of his father, is told that he must find a way to stay alive for the next 365 days. Hurled into a life on the run, with a price on his head, Cal is isolated and alone. Hunted by the law and ruthless criminals, he must somehow uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and a history-changing secret. Who can he turn to, who can he trust, when the whole world seems to want him dead?

Kira Lynn of Kane/Miller calls Conspiracy 365 a cross between The Da Vinci Code and 24, since the story is told in real time, and the books include codes and clues to figure out the mystery. The pages are also numbered backwards, beginning with 192 and working down to 0 with each book ending with a cliffhanger.

Conspiracy 365 is written by Gabrielle Lord, winner of the 2002 Ned Kelly Award for Best Novel (Death Delights) and the 2003 Davitt Award for Best Novel (Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing).

More information about the series can be found on the Conspiracy 365 website. As the launch date approaches, we'll have more information about the first book in the series. Watch a brief trailer for the series below:

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First Clues Student Review: Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
The Echo Falls Series

HarperCollins (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-073701-8 (0060737018)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-073701-6 (9780060737016)
Publication Date: April 2005
List Price: $16.99

Review written by Jennifer, a 6th grade student. Date of review: October 2009.

Review: “Local Resident Found Murdered.” Ingrid is very worried about all this. She never wanted to get involved with it, but sometimes things could happen for a reason. Down The Rabbit Hole is a very mysterious and intriguing book. Peter Abrahams does a good job of keeping you reading and never wanting to stop. This is the first book in the Echo Falls Mysteries. Ingrid is a girl that is very brave, smart, and loves to solve mysteries. There are a lot of mysteries going on at Echo Falls and Ingrid happens to get in the middle of them.

Ingrid is reading the newspaper when she sees that Kate Kovac had been murdered. Strangely enough she had been to Kate’s house just the day before. So in the middle of the night Ingrid goes to get her cleats back, and in the process she got two guys put in jail for a murder they did not commit. She decides to try and solve the mysterious murder on her own. While playing Alice in the play Alice in Wonderland, a new actor named Vincent seems suspicious to her. It turns out that Vincent has a big secret and Ingrid figures it out. It looks like Ingrid went “down the rabbit hole”.

Down The Rabbit Hole was a very good book. It always made you want to keep reading because it was really exciting and intriguing. This book is a great book to read anytime. It is packed with adventure and fun. The author did such a good job describing the scenes that I could really picture them in my mind, like at the end when Ingrid and Vincent were in the river hanging on to the buoys. I really felt like I was in the book solving the mystery with the characters. Also, Ingrid (main character) used a lot of connections in the book and I thought that was really interesting. For example, she always made connections to Sherlock Holmes during the book. Most characters don’t do that in books but it really did fit her. I can’t wait to read the next book in the Echo Falls Mysteries called Behind The Curtain. This book sounds as good as Down The Rabbit Hole. Also, congratulations to Peter Abrahams for becoming a nominated novelist for the Edgar Award.

If you are interested in purchasing Down the Rabbit Hole from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories: New Sleuths (ages 4 to 6), Future Sleuths (ages 7 to 10), Sleuths in Training (ages 10 to 12), and Apprentice Sleuths (ages 13 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Mysteries on TV: Hawaii Five-O, Numb3rs, and Vega$, New This Week on DVD

Mysteries on TV, 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.

— ◊ —

Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord), Danny "Danno" Williams (James MacArthur), and the rest of the Five-O squad are back in action in Hawaii Five-O.

Saboteurs, revolutionaries, vigilantes, and the diabolical villain Wo Fat (Khigh Dhiegh) are just a few of the dangers McGarrett and his team face this season as they mete out square-jawed justice and protect the Hawaiian peace.

Filmed entirely on location, the Hawaii Five-O: Season Seven DVD set of 6 discs contain the 24 episodes that aired on CBS from September 1974 through March 1975.

Fans of the series will be delighted to hear that CBS has ordered a pilot for an updated version of Hawaii Five-O. We'll continue to report any updated information we receive.

— ◊ —

Numb3rs is a drama about an FBI agent, Don Eppes (Rob Morrow), who recruits his mathematical-genius brother Charlie (David Krumholtz) to help the FBI solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. The two brothers take on the most confounding criminal cases from a very distinctive perspective. Inspired by actual events, the series depicts how the confluence of police work and mathematics provides unexpected revelations and answers to the most perplexing criminal questions.

The series also stars Judd Hirsch as their father, happy to see his sons working together even though he doesn't understand the intricacies of what Charlie does for a living.

The Numb3rs: Season Five DVD set of 6 discs contain the 23 episodes that aired on CBS from October 2008 through May 2009.

— ◊ —

The 70s are back in the popular series Vega$. Handsome, fun loving, private eye Dan Tanna (Robert Urich) drives around Las Vegas in his vintage Thunderbird solving private cases but is also on retainer to a wealthy casino owner Philip Roth (Tony Curtis) to keep crime out of his hotels.

He is helped by his smart and sexy assistant Bea Travis (Phyllis Davis), a sexy and not too smart chorus girl who takes messages for him, and his enthusiastic, yet inept, legman Bobby Binzer (Bart Braverman). Greg Morris (Mission: Impossible) played Lt. David Nelson of the LVPD.

The Vega$: Season One (V1) DVD set of 3 discs contain the first 11 episodes of the 1978/1979 television season that aired on ABC.

— ◊ —

Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD.

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Games of Mystery: Superior Save, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Download →

Save your boss from dangerous kidnappers in this hidden object thriller! It's just another day at the boring office until you get a voice mail from your boss saying he's been kidnapped and needs your help immediately! Follow the suspenseful plot and comb graphically rich scenes for hidden clues, talk to witnesses, and master minigames. Saving your boss's life and solving crimes just got put in your job description!

Superior Save may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (66.68 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

Return to Mystery Books News ...