Mystery Bestsellers for February 25, 2011

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending February 25th, 2011 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson remains atop the list for something like nine months now, but otherwise there was significant movement, with three new titles debuting.

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Coming in at number 8 is Treachery in Death, the (we've lost count) entry in the long-running near-future series by J. D. Robb.

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime -- an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective -- good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound, she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked -- guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

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Two spots lower at number 10 is the 14th mystery in the Hannah Swensen series, Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke.

These days, everyone in Lake Eden, Minnesota, is buzzing with activity, and Hannah Swensen is no exception. But no matter how busy she may be, Hannah can always find time to help a friend in need -- especially when there's a murder to investigate.

A new minister is in town to cover for Reverend Bob Knudson, who's honeymooning with Hannah's good friend Claire. But when the replacement is found face down in a plate of devil's food cake with a bullet in his head, Hannah starts asking questions. She soon discovers that the good Reverend wasn't quite the saintly fellow he appeared to be. It will take some more digging to find the culprit, but Hannah is sure of one thing: even the most half-baked murder plot can be oh so deadly ...

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And at number 13 is the first in a new series, Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

At twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down.

At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him.

Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.

But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills. Someone who has need of just such a renegade.

For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning ...

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The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

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