Justified Returns for a Second Season, February 9th on FX

FX Networks has announced that its critically acclaimed series Justified will return for a second season run of 13 episodes on February 9th, 2011, at 10 PM (ET/PT).

The series stars Timothy Olyphant as Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens, a character created by crime novelist Elmore Leonard, who enforces the law his way in his Kentucky hometown, where he's exiled after killing a gun thug under questionable circumstances in Miami. ("It was justified," Raylan insists.)

The first season of Justified will be out on DVD and Blu-ray disc on January 18th, 2011; it may be pre-ordered from Telemystery: Justified.

Dan Brown Now Adapting His Own Novel, The Lost Symbol, for Film

The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business blog is reporting that author Dan Brown has assumed control of the screenplay being adapted from his bestselling novel The Lost Symbol. Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Emma's War) has already written a draft for Columbia Pictures, which hopes to have the movie in theaters in early summer 2012.

The film versions of Brown's previous first two novels featuring Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, were megahits by any standard. Tom Hanks played the principal character in the first two films, but has not yet committed to this third entry in the series.

If you haven't already read The Lost Symbol, you can read the first chapter or so below.

New Trailer for Spring 2011 Thriller Hanna

Focus Features has released a trailer for its upcoming thriller Hanna, starring Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) as a 14-year-old cold-hearted killing machine.

Raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna's upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative (Cate Blanchett) with secrets of her own. As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

Hanna opens in limited release on April 08, 2011. Watch the trailer below (via Yahoo! Movies):

Save 35% on Your First eBook Purchase from Kobo

A couple of days ago we announced that Kobo eBooks were now available to purchase from MystereBooks.com.

Today we've learned that Kobo is offering readers 35% off their first purchase from a list of select titles, just for registering as a free member on the site. Choose from dozens of mysteries and thrillers, or other popular fiction ebooks.

And here's another special offer: Purchase any Kobo wireless eReader and get $20 off with coupon code Kobo20. This offer ends on December 31st, 2010, and is available to US residents only.

First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for January 2011

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series books) scheduled for publication during January 2011, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens.

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Penny and Pepper 
Jeanne Betancourt
Series: The Pony Mysteries: 1st in series

Penny is visiting her grandparents out in the country for the summer. They have a surprise for her -- a pony named Pepper! Along with their new friends, Tom and Tina, Penny and Pepper solve mysteries in the neighborhood, and rescue a frightened kitten!

The Pony Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

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The Case of the Missing Moose 
Lewis B. Montgomery
Series: A Milo and Jazz Mystery: 6th in series

While Milo and Jazz, detectives-in-training, are at summer camps on the same lake, the mascot built by Milo's team for the color wars disappears.

The Milo and Jazz Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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Time Thief 
Carolyn Keene
Series: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: 28th in series

No summary available.

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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Fear Itself 
Andrew Clements
Series: Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers School: 2nd in series

Benjamin Pratt and his friend Jill make new contacts and uncover more clues in their effort to save their historic New England school from amusement-park developers. As the plot unrolls, the villain, a school janitor who actually works for the developers, is revealed to be even more unsavory than the kids initially suspected, and Benjamin becomes friends with another, retired janitor, who turns out to be a valuable source of information.

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers School books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Elizabeth's San Antonio Sleuthing 
Renae Brumbaugh
Series: A Camp Club Girls Adventure: 13th in series

Kate and Elizabeth connect in San Antonio, Texas, and participate in mission activities and performances at the Fiesta Noche Del Rio on the Riverwalk. During one of their presentations, a tourist boat runs amok and wrecks into the performance platform—frightening the kids, tourists, and the boat tour guide. The girls quickly pick up on rumors that this boating company has encountered a recent string of unfortunate incidents ... and suspect that foul play is afoot. Will Kate and Elizabeth, with help from the Camp Club Girls, uncover the source of the trouble before the River City Cruise Boat business goes bust?

The Camp Club Girls Adventure books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Sydney and the Wisconsin Whispering Woods 
Jean Fischer
Series: A Camp Club Girls Adventure: 14th in series

Something strange is taking place in the northern woods of Wisconsin. Sydney and Alexis are getting back to nature with Sydney’s aunt, on assignment as a park ranger. During their stay in the forest, an eerie purple glow appears in the distance from their cabin—not to mention mysterious whispering coming from the local caves. Could this have anything to do with the local lore of missing fur trapper, Jacques Chouteau? Or is it something even more menacing? Sydney and Alexis, along with fellow Camp Club Girls, are determined to solve this mystery before their time in the woods is up!

The Camp Club Girls Adventure books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Forever Lost 
Franklin W. Dixon
Series: The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers

The third title in the Lost Mystery trilogy.

No synopsis available.

The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers thrillers are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 200 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).

First Look at AMC's Crime Drama The Killing

Earlier this month we learned that AMC-TV had begun production on its upcoming crime drama The Killing. Now the network has released a first look at the series; you can watch it below.

The Killing is based on the successful Danish television series Forbrydelsen and tells the story of the murder of a young girl in Seattle and the subsequent police investigation. Season one will consist of thirteen one-hour episodes and is slated to premiere in March 2011.

"The Killing marks the first foray into a crime mystery genre for AMC. We were drawn to the project immediately after viewing the original format. Veena Sud's (Cold Case) adaptation has everything we loved about the original and more -- it is compelling and addictive storytelling,” said Susie Fitzgerald, AMC’s SVP of scripted development and current programming.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 20, 2010

A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now 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!).

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This week's letters and mystery clue:

A B C D E G I M R

Charlie Cochrane writes a series of mysteries featuring students attending this university (9 letters).

We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

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!

Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen (Book Review)

Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen. A DD McGil Mystery. Midnight Ink Trade Paperback, September 2010.

The compelling plot of this murder mystery is its strongest selling point. Based on a real event -- the lost Hemingway manuscripts were never located -- the author weaves a creative story around the known facts.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

Kobo Ebooks Now Available from MystereBooks.com

We are pleased to announce that, in addition to Kindle editions from Amazon.com and Nookbooks from Barnes & Noble, we've added links to purchase mystery, suspense, and thriller ebooks from Kobo to our MystereBooks website.

Kobo is a global ebook retailer backed by Borders Group (US), Indigo Books & Music (Canada), and others worldwide. Kobo also manufactures an eReader; more information about that device can be found by clicking on the banner below.

MystereBooks.com is a frequently updated website that lists bestselling mystery, suspense, and thriller ebooks. Also included, where available, are links to reviews from Mysterious Reviews.

If you have an ereader (or if Santa puts one in your stocking this Christmas), please stop by and browse our selection of books!

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (101218)

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery/suspense/thriller category.

December by Gabrielle Lord. The twelfth and final thriller in the Conspiracy 365 series, recommended for readers aged 13 and older. Lexile measure: 760L. Reviewed by a 6th grade teacher, who writes, "Readers will find their stomach in knots as they plow through page after page of exciting plot. ... In a world filled with technology where kids can become absorbed so easily in Wii or Xbox, it's comforting to know that there are writers out there who can break the mold and write a book, or even a series, that will have kids putting away the games, shutting off the computers, and absorbing themselves in a book!" (Read the entire review.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Fox Cancels The Good Guys

Though there has been no official word from the network, several sources are reporting that Fox's crime dramedy The Good Guys won't be getting a second season. (Here's a short article from The Wrap with the news.)

The series stars Bradley Whitford as washed-up Dallas detective Dan Stark, who is partnered with Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks), an ambitious, by-the-book cop. It premiered last May, and ran for 20 episodes this past summer and fall.

Will Smith Developing Crime Drama Set in China

Variety has a brief report on a new crime drama set in China that actor Will Smith is developing with Chinese-born filmmaker Eva Jin for Fox.

The storyline for the untitled project involves a female crime-fighting college student. It is unclear whether the project would be produced in China (or elsewhere outside the US), though Smith has filmmaking ties to that country, having recently produced a remake of The Karate Kid, starring his son Jaden and Jackie Chan, there.

Sony Announces Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Earlier this week, Sony Computer Entertainment announced the third game in the Uncharted series, Drake's Deception for the Playstation 3. Here's the official description:

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception features the return of famed fortune hunter Nathan Drake and follows him through a gripping, action-packed storyline that will take you all over the world. In his search for the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands,” Nathan Drake and longtime friend and mentor Victor Sullivan set off on a daring trek into the heart of the Arabian Desert. But when terrible secrets of this lost city are uncovered, their journey becomes a desperate bid for survival that will force him to confront his deepest fears.

Throughout Uncharted 3, you’ll be taken to spectacular new locations around the globe that will showcase all of the work we’ve taken on to take our physics, particle and visual effects to a new level.

Competitive and co-op multiplayer will return as a key ingredient to the Uncharted 3 package, where all of the new features we have planned will combine with our signature single-player cinematic gameplay to create a unique action-adventure multiplayer experience that can only be found in the Uncharted universe.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception fully supports high-resolution Stereoscopic 3D.

The previous games in the series are Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is expected to be released November 1st, 2011. For more information, visit the Uncharted website. Watch a preview/announcement trailer below.

Michael Connelly Reaquires Rights to Series Character Harry Bosch

Back in March, we reported on crime novelist Michael Connelly's efforts to reacquire the rights to Harry Bosch, a character he created for his bestselling mystery series featuring the LAPD homicide detective.

In 1995, Paramount optioned Connelly's first two books featuring Bosch, The Black Echo and The Black Ice, but the deal also included a 15-year adaptation lock on the character himself. The studio never developed the books into films, and, with the option expiring, the author has spent much of this year negotiating to regain the rights. Deadline|Hollywood is now reporting that he has succeeded. "All I can say on the record is: 'The case has been settled in a confidential agreement'," Connelly says.

What's next for Harry Bosch? Connelly can't say, but has indicated a desire to see the character on television. But before that, he can be pleased to say that another of his characters, Mickey Haller, will be seen by audiences on the big screen. The Lincoln Lawyer opens in theaters March 18th, 2011.

The Black Echo was the winner of the 1993 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Readers interested in Connelly's debut mystery can read the first chapter or so below.

New Poster for The Green Hornet

A new (and presumably final) poster for The Green Hornet has been released by the studio. (Click on the image for a larger version.)

Based on the crime-fighting masked superhero created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker in the 1930s, and probably best remembered as a television series on ABC in the mid-1960s, the film stars Seth Rogen as Britt Reid (aka The Green Hornet) and Jay Chou as his sidekick Kato.

After his father mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire, he sees a chance to do something meaningful with his life: to fight crime. He and Kato build the ultimate in advanced retro weaponry, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car equal parts firepower and horsepower. They quickly start making a name for themselves, and with the help of Britt's new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they begin hunting down the man who controls LA's gritty underworld: Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). But Chudnofsky has plans of his own: to swat down The Green Hornet once and for all.

Learn more about the film on The Green Hornet website.

The film opens in theaters January 14th, 2011. Watch the trailer via Yahoo Movies! below.