Friday, May 31, 2013

Winners of the 2013 Arthur Ellis Awards Announced

Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Book Awards

The winners of the 2013 Arthur Ellis Awards were announced last night by the Crime Writers of Canada recognizing excellence in Canadian crime fiction.

The winners are:

• Best Crime Novel: Until the Night by Giles Blunt (Random House)

• Best First Crime Novel: The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James (NAL)

• Best Crime Novel in French: La Nuit des albinos by Mario Bolduc (Libre Expression)

• Best Crime Non-Fiction: The Devil's Cinema: The Untold Story behind Mark Twitchell's Kill Room by Steve Lillebuen (McClelland and Stewart)

• Best Juvenile/Young Adult Crime Book: Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock (Tundra Books)

• Best Crime Short Story: "Switch-blade Knife" by Yasuko Thanh (Floating Like the Dead, McClelland & Stewart)

• Best Unpublished First Novel (also known as the "Unhanged Arthur"): Sins Revisited by Coleen Steele

• Best Novella: Contingency Plan by Lou Allin (Orca Rapid Reads)

Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

The Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Friday, May 31, 2013.

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Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

Strong Poison
Dorothy L. Sayers
A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane
Open Road

She is lovely, smart, and talented — and only Lord Peter can save her from the gallows …

Lord Peter Wimsey comes to the trial of Harriet Vane for a glimpse at one of the most engaging murder cases London has seen in years. Unfortunately for the detective, the crime’s details are distractingly salacious, and there is little doubt that the woman will be found guilty. A slightly popular mystery novelist, she stands accused of poisoning her fiancé, a literary author and well-known advocate of free love. Over the course of a few weeks, she bought strychnine, prussic acid, and arsenic, and when her lover died the police found enough poison in his veins to kill a horse. But as Lord Peter watches Harriet in the dock, he begins to doubt her guilt — and to fall in love.

As Harriet awaits the hangman, Lord Peter races to prove her innocence, hoping that for the first time in his life, love will triumph over death.

Amazon Kindle Daily Deal

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending May 31, 2013

Bestselling Crime Fiction: Hardcover Mysteries, Suspense Novels and Thrillers

A list of the top 15 Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers for the week ending May 31st, 2013 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

Dan Brown's latest Robert Langdon thriller, Inferno, retains the top spot this week by a comfortable margin.

One new title debuts (below; position in backets).

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Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz

[12]: Deeply Odd
Dean Koontz
— Odd Thomas (7th)

How do you make sure a crime that hasn't happened yet, never does? That's the critical question facing Odd Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it's the living who desperately need Odd on their side. Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. Who the potential victims are and where they can be found remain a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a small-town parking lot.

With the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock riding shotgun and a network of unlikely allies providing help along the way, Odd embarks on an interstate game of cat and mouse with his sinister quarry. He will soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder a mere prelude to much deeper designs. Traveling across a landscape haunted by portents of impending catastrophe, Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey — and, perhaps, to the bright light beyond.

Purchase Options

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Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130531)

Big Fish Games

Here is today's mystery and suspense update from Big Fish Games …

• The Daily Deal is Top Secret Finders, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Living Legends: Ice Rose, just $2.99 through Sunday, June 02, 2013 only.

Visit the Omnimystery Entertainment Network for more games of mystery and suspense!

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Top Secret Finders

Today's Daily Deal is Top Secret Finders

Welcome to Top Secret Finders, the government created special division to investigate archives of extraordinary highly classified cases. Your first mission is to save a small town from a dangerous device. Use your Hidden Object skills to uncover the truth about a government conspiracy and stop the villain in his tracks!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Friday, May 31, 2013 — for $2.99.

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Living Legends: Ice Rose

The current Catch of the Week is Living Legends: Ice Rose

Novelist Edward Grand has found evidence of a terrible tragedy in the city of Rosemount and sets off to investigate. Help Edward gather information for his new book and explore the Castle of Ice Queen in this incredible Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game. Scour the frozen landscapes and thaw out important locations as you solve an intriguing mystery!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game at the special price of $2.99 through Sunday, June 02, 2013.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

New Poster for True Blood Season 6

True Blood (HBO, June 2013)

A second poster — simple and, forgive the pun, to the point — for the sixth season of True Blood has been released by HBO (right; click for larger version). The tagline: "The battle begins".

Based on the "Southern Vampire" mysteries by Charlaine Harris, previous seasons of True Blood have loosely been based on the storylines of the books in the series. If the same holds for this season, expect to see some of the plot points of Definitely Dead.

True Blood Season 6 premieres on June 16th at 9 PM ET/PT. Watch a trailer for the season, below.

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New Poster for TNT's King & Maxwell

King & Maxwell (TNT, June 2013)

A new poster for the TNT crime drama King & Maxwell has been released (right; click for larger image). The tagline: "Ex-Secret service. At your service." (Not what we would have chosen, but then again, no one asked us.)

Based on characters created by David Baldacci, the series stars Jon Tenny as Sean King and Rebecca Romijn as Michelle Maxwell, former secret service agents, who are now private investigators handling "sensitive" cases in Washington DC.

There is no doubt we'll watch the series, at least at first, but we have to admit we have some reservations about the casting. Based on the promos we've seen — one such is below — it doesn't appear as if either actor is appropriate for their respective part. And there appears to be zero chemistry between them. Or maybe it's just that they're trying too hard. We'll see.

King & Maxwell premieres on Monday, June 10th at 10 PM ET/PT.

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Winner of the 2013 Bony Blithe Award for Light Mystery Announced

Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Book Awards

There is no Bloody Words conference this year but there are still awards to be given out and last night the Bony Blithe Gala was held in Toronto to honor this year's winner of the Bloody Words Light Mystery Award.

And that winner is Elizabeth J. Duncan for her fourth Penny Brannigan mystery, A Small Hill To Die On (Minotaur Books).

Bloody Words will return next year and will be held in Toronto from June 6th through 8th, 2014.

(Hat tip to The Rap Sheet for alerting us to this news.)

Please Welcome Mystery Author Amber Rochelle Gillet

Omnimystery News: Author Interview with Amber Rochelle Gillet
with Amber Rochelle Gillet

We are delighted to welcome mystery author Amber Rochelle Gillet to Omnimystery News.

Amber's first in a new series is A Family Affair (Amber Rochelle Gillet, August 2012 trade paperback and ebook formats), which introduces the PMS Private Investigators.

We asked Amber to introduce herself and her series characters to our readers. We then followed up with a few questions of our own.

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Amber Rochelle Gillet
Photo provided courtesy of
Amber Rochelle Gillet

Hello! My name is Amber Rochelle Gillet and I'm the author of the "PMS Private Investigators" series. Although I do have a dedicated full time day job in the IT field, writing and reading have been a significant part of my life as far back as I can remember. My insatiable love for that combination married up with my enormous and vibrant imagination drove me to create a fictional character and channel that frenzied energy! The books are simple, humorous and short. As a mother of four boys, I really wanted to gear my writing for the individuals who don't always have as much time as we wish we did; to provide a comical diversion that will offer a break from day to day life, but not require the commitment of a lengthier work.

The first story in the series was released in August of 2012 and introduces the reader to Paula Stone; a former executive whose life is thrown into disarray after she follows her boyfriend and realizes he is married. (A complete synopsis can be found, below).

The second book, which is scheduled to go live late May picks up with Paula and her best friend Mitexi back in action, only this time they are officially in business! As Paula decides to lose the meter maid outfit for good and work on snagging her first client, Dr. Tom Kirby, the handsome pediatrician who shares an office in the same building, her famously neurotic mother is convinced that he must be the answer to her hopes for a future son in law and potential grandchildren. While following a few comical leads to uncover the mystery behind the doctor's missing 3-legged chocolate lab Triangle, they realize that not only are appearances very deceiving, but the unique characters who make up their own families actually seem sane as they confront a few quirky individuals that are key to returning their subject safely where he belongs.

Both installments are available on e-book (all formats) and paperback, as will their future counterparts. If you get the opportunity to grab one and dig in, I believe you'll enjoy them. I always welcome feedback and thank you in advance for giving up a small window of your valuable time to take a look.

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Omnimystery News: As a writer, what about a series character appeals to you?

Amber Rochelle Gillet: I chose to write about a reccurring character in my series because I think the readers really begin to relate to who this person is and what makes them tick. I believe you begin to look forward to what their next move might be or sometimes even predict what you will think might happen next based on the character traits that have been shared over several stories.

OMN: Did you base any of Paula Stone's character on something from your own experience?

ARG: Quite a bit of the content in my books comes from something I have personally experienced or witnessed — I just tweak it so that it can still be considered fiction. I am really amazed at how easily the writing flows when you can relate it back to an experience.

OMN: Tell us about your writing process

ARG: For the first book in my series I did do some up front work as far as picking my main characters names and what their background should be There was a general direction that I hoped the story would follow so I decided that having that groundwork laid out would really allow me to focus on the humor in the story. After I had that piece where I wanted it, my writing is really a work that just flows as it comes to me. I don't like being bound by a certain outcome; granted I have ideas in my head that I hope to incorporate sometimes, but if an opportunity doesn't present itself while I'm putting it on paper, I just store it away for use at another time.

OMN: Are the books set in a real place?

ARG: My stories are set in a fictional place, with influences from a real life city/state. Oddly, climate was important to me because that can help back some of my stories appropriately, I also liked focusing on area that I knew about so that I could give the reader a general idea on where the setting takes place, but not so restricted by it that I couldn't throw in some good imagination when necessary.

OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?

ARG: The only types of books I did not enjoy reading when I was younger, or even today, are horror. But humor has always been my favorite, so I believe that liking that category did steer me in that direction, but I really enjoy quirky twists which led me to focus on mystery. Also, I have experienced so many crazy situations or witnessed hilarious scenarios that I really will think to myself, I could turn that into something.

OMN: What are your hobbies or interests outside of writing?

ARG: Because I have a full time day job in addition to my writing and I'm the mother of four boys, my hobbies are limited. But because I'm always on the run and I love people watching it is ideal for me to bring ideas to the table. People and life are pretty funny and I take advantage of that for my own selfish reasons.

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A Family Affair by Amber Rochelle Gillet

A Family Affair
Amber Rochelle Gillet
The PMS Private Investigators Series

Paula Stone is a former executive whose life is thrown into disarray after she follows her boyfriend and realizes he is married. The public confrontation causes her to lose her well paying job but gain an arrest record, probation and a community service obligation where she is able to secure a meter maid position as a last option to maintain what little self respect she has left, now that her professional reputation has been tarnished. Forced to move in with her neurotic mother due to lack of funds, life seems unbearably hopeless.

Her story accelerates when arrogant, but wealthy, Uncle Gordie offers Paula a substantial amount of cash to stalk his mistress, figuring if she was good enough to track down her own ex-lover, she shouldn't have any issues with finding out what his girl has been up to. Days later the same Uncle's wife, Aunt DeDe who is struggling with the reality of turning 50, also hires Paula to follow her husband, certain that he is guilty of an affair.

Accompanied by her best and very pregnant friend Mitexi, who unexpectedly gives birth on the floor of the pornographic video store, they tackle the adventures with unconventional success. Ultimately, as Paula begins to realize her talent for following others along with her mother s encouragement, she uses the earned money to start her own Private Investigative business.

Amazon.com Print/Kindle Format(s)  BN.com Print/Nook Format(s)  iTunes iBook Format  Kobo eBook Format

Hushabye by Celina Grace is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

Hushabye by Celina Grace

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Hushabye by Celina Grace as today's third free mystery ebook (A Kate Redman Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 30, 2013 at 7:30 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Hushabye by Celina Grace

Hushabye
Celina Grace
A Kate Redman Mystery
Publisher: Celina Grace

On the first day of her new job in the West Country, Detective Sergeant Kate Redman finds herself investigating the kidnapping of Charlie Fullman, the newborn son of a wealthy entrepreneur and his trophy wife. It seems a straightforward case … but as Kate and her fellow officer Mark Olbeck delve deeper, they uncover murky secrets and multiple motives for the crime.

Kate finds the case bringing up painful memories of her own past secrets. As she confronts the truth about herself, her increasing emotional instability threatens both her hard-won career success and the possibility that they will ever find Charlie Fullman alive …

Amazon Kindle Book

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

More Than a Body by Peter Marabell is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

More Than a Body by Peter Marabell

MystereBooks is pleased to feature More Than a Body by Peter Marabell as today's second free mystery ebook (Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 30, 2013 at 7:20 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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More Than a Body by Peter Marabell

More Than a Body
Peter Marabell
Publisher: Peter Marabell

It's Chicago, the summer of 1992, and Frank Marshall, an investigator for a prominent Michigan Avenue law firm, helps his brother, Tom, out of a deadly fix that resulted from Tom's affair with the blond and beautiful Clare Morgan. Mafia tough guy, Rick Morgan, has vowed to get his wife back, kill Tom Marshall, and find out what happened to one million dollars in cash.

Frank agrees to help because he doesn't want to abandon his brother, and he sees a way to settle an old score with Morgan. Ellen Paxton, Frank's longtime partner, is none too happy about either task.

Amazon Kindle Book

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Mean Woman Blues by Julie Smith is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

Mean Woman Blues by Julie Smith

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mean Woman Blues by Julie Smith as today's free mystery ebook (A Skip Langdon Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 30, 2013 at 7:10 AM ET. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Mean Woman Blues by Julie Smith

Mean Woman Blues
Julie Smith
A Skip Langdon Mystery
Publisher: booksBnimble

The most dangerous man in the world is trying to kill her …

That would be the Rev. Errol Jacomine, crazy as a fox that just ate a loon, and more dangerous than a cell full of serial killers. She's Detective Skip Langdon, the New Orleans cop who's twice smashed his criminal endeavors, yet each time he's managed to slip away. Now he's mad. In both senses of the word. And he has the connections to have her killed — or worse, those she loves.

After one near-miss and several nasty threats, Skip is driven by fear that she'll lose the people dearest to her. Despite finding herself disgraced in her own home town (seems Jacomine knows how to frame as well as kill), she goes on the hunt for the kind of maniac with a gift for conning people and the extreme makeover to make it work.

But by now Jacomine's madness has escalated to the point that he's finally gone too far with too many people. Before it's over, more than one person's stalking him, and some are women feeling as mean as their quarry. If Langdon doesn't get there first, there'll be a bloodbath. If she does, only one person will walk away — and Jacomine's as lucky as he's ruthless.

Amazon Kindle Book

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Review: Free Fall by Chris Grabenstein

Mysterious Reviews: Reviews of New Mysteries, Novels of Suspense, and Thrillers

A Mysterious Review of …

Free Fall by Chris Grabenstein. A John Ceepak Mystery.

Review summary: This a very engaging mystery, light in tone but with a number of serious underlying issues. The mystery storyline itself is not all that demanding, with the subplot involving the Ceepak familial issues picking up the slack. Overall, this is an entertaining entry in the series, made more so by telling the story without any graphic violence or the use of coarse language. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating: 4 of 5 stars

Free Fall Chris Grabenstein

Free Fall
Chris Grabenstein
A John Ceepak Mystery
Pegasus Books (May 2013)

Publisher synopsis: I didn't do it! is something cops hear all the time. But when the plea comes from a close friend who's fallen on hard times, it's tougher to ignore, especially for young Officer Danny Boyle.

It's the start of another action-packed summer for the wise cracking Boyle and straight-arrow cop (now Chief of Detectives) John Ceepak down the Jersey Shore as they do their best to help Danny's friend, a young nurse who claims she has been falsely accused of aggravated assault by a prestigious Sea Haven doctor. Ceepak's unshakable code of honor is tested when he trusts that the nurse is telling the truth. It's stretched to the limit when one of the nurse's home health care patients turns up dead.

Now Ceepak and Danny must answer the hard and horrible question: "Did we just help a friend get away with murder?"

Available from Amazon.com  Available from iTunes  Available from Kobo

Surface Tension, a Seychelle Sullivan Mystery by Christine Kling, Now at a Special Price

Surface Tension by Christine Kling

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Surface Tension by Christine Kling, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Tell-Tale Press.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $0.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (05/29/2013 at 2:00 PM ET). Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

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Surface Tension by Christine Kling

Surface Tension by Christine Kling
A Seychelle Sullivan Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Tell-Tale Press

Years ago Seychelle Sullivan had the chance to save a person's life. But on that summer night in Florida, lost in a world of teenage resentment and loneliness, Seychelle was not able to feel any pain but her own. Today Seychelle captains her father's forty-six-foot salvage boat out of Fort Lauderdale's New River. But she's never escaped that one moment when she could have made a difference and didn't.

On a steamy Florida morning Seychelle is answering a Mayday call launched from the five-million-dollar Broward yacht called Top Ten. Racing her fiercest competitor for salvage rights, Seychelle has a personal stake in this rescue: Her former lover, Neal Garrett, is the yacht's hired skipper. But being the first to reach Top Ten leads to a bloody payday. A beautiful woman has been stabbed to death onboard. And Garrett is nowhere to be found.

While the police treat her as the prime suspect, Seychelle begins to unravel a tangled plot centered on a strip club where "all the girls are tens on top". Seychelle is connecting human predators with innocent victims, and a mystery on land with a mystery buried deep beneath the sea. Now, to find out what really happened to Neal Garrett, Seychelle must retrace his last steps, through two murders and a horrific crime wave, to a final confrontation with someone who may want to kill her … or be her salvation.

Amazon Kindle Book  Apple iBook  Kobo eBook

Important Note: This book was listed at the above mentioned price on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Dead Men's Dust, a Joe Hunter Mystery by Matt Hilton, Now at a Special Price

Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, HarperCollins.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $0.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (05/29/2013 at 1:30 PM ET). Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

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Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton

Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton
A Joe Hunter Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: HarperCollins

Joe Hunter solves problems. Or, as he likes to put it, he's "the weapon sent in when all the planning is done and all that's left is the ass kicking." And as a former military operative and ex-CIA agent, he's good at what he does. But when he's told that his brother — with whom he hasn't been on the best of terms — has disappeared, he learns that everything he's faced before is child's play compared to what's coming.

Tubal Cain is a killer — smart, stealthy, and arrogant — but he's also sentimental. His most precious possession is the set of knives he uses, and when one of them (his favorite Bowie) is stolen along a deserted stretch of highway, Cain will stop at nothing to get it back.

Unfortunately for Hunter, the thief is his brother, a man who has been on the run from his own mistakes but is now in the cross-hairs of a seriously deranged man. To find his brother, Hunter must find Cain, and the chase takes all three men on a hair-raising journey across the country to a barren spot in the American Southwest, where bones have become nothing more than dead men's dust.

Amazon Kindle Book  Apple iBook

Important Note: This book was listed at the above mentioned price on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Poisoned Pen Press Announces Winner of 2013 Discover Mystery Contest

Poisoned Pen Press

Poisoned Pen Press has announced the winner of the 2013 Discover Mystery Contest. And the award goes to …

Eileen Brady for her novel Dog Shows Are Murder.

"A delightful and lively mystery that introduces Kate Turner, a veterinarian with heart, humor and a new penchant for solving murders," said mystery author Earlene Fowler, one of the judges for the competition. "A promising first novel that will leave readers begging for more."

Poisoned Pen Press will publish Dog Shows Are Murder in 2014.

There were also three finalists named: Uniformly Dead by Peggy McKeep Barnhill; Murder in the Master by Judy L. Murray; and A Practicum for Murder by Carmen Will.

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