The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books recently updated its list of June 2013 hardcover mysteries as well as shelved new June paperbacks on The Mystery Bookshelf.
In this series of monthly posts, which we call Firsts on the 1st, we're introducing readers to new series characters who will make their mysterious American debut in print during June.
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Title: The Square of Revenge
Author: Pieter Aspe
Series Character: Inspector Van In
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Inspector Van In is a police officer in Bruges, Belgium, and was introduced in the 1995 mystery Het Vierkant van de Wraak; later in the series he is antiquarian bookseller.
His first case: The beautiful medieval architecture of Bruges belies the dark longings of her residents. When the wealthy and powerful Ludovic Degroof's jewelry store is broken into, nothing is stolen, but the jewels have been dissolved in jars if aqua regia, an acid so strong it can even melt gold. In the empty safe is a scrap of paper on which a strange square has been drawn.
At first, Inspector Van In pays little attention to the paper, focusing on the bizarre nature of the burglary. But when Degroof's offspring also receive letters with this same square, Van In and the beautiful new DA Hannelore Martens find themselves unraveling a complex web of enigmatic Latin phrase and a baroness' fallen family and Degroof's relationship with a hostage grandchild, ransomed for a priceless collection of art.
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Title: Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It
Author: Jen J. Danna with Ann Vanderlaan
Series Character: Leigh Abbott and Matt Lowell
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the characters: Leigh Abbott is a police trooper in Ontario; Matt Lowell is a forensic anthropologist.
Their first case: Leigh Abbott has been assigned a difficult challenge: solve a murder where the only evidence is a single bone. To identify the victim and find the killer she must join forces with Matt Lowell. Matt's initial refusal is only the first in a series of setbacks.
Matt and Leigh's skills and tenuous partnership are tested when the evidence leads them to a burial ground of unidentified victims where to their horror they stumble upon a freshly ravaged corpse. Before long the serial killer raises the stakes and Matt and Leigh find themselves marked as targets. Now they must stop the killer before they become the next victims.
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Title: The Ides of April
Author: Lindsey Davis
Series Character: Flavia Albia
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Flavia Albia is the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, and also works as her father did as a private informer in Rome during the reign of Domitian (circa 85-90 AD).
Her first case: Flavia has taken up her father's profession. Only, now Rome is a more dangerous, mercurial place than it was back in dear old dad's day …
Flavia is the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina. From her mother, she learned how to blend in at all levels of society; from her father, she learned the tricks of their mutual professional trade. But her wits and (frequently) sharp tongue are hers alone.
Now, working as a private informer in Rome during the reign of Domitian, Flavia has taken over her father's old ramshackle digs at Fountain Court in the Surbura district, where she plies her trade with energy, determination, and the usual Falco luck. Recently hired to help investigate a fatal accident, she finds herself stuck with a truly awful person for a client and facing a well-heeled, well-connected opponent.
That is, until her client unexpectedly dies under what might be called "suspicious circumstances". While this is not a huge loss for society, it is a loss for Flavia Albia's pocket. Even worse, it's just one of a series of similar deaths for which she now finds herself under suspicion. Before things go from abysmal to worse, Flavia must sort out what is happening, and who is responsible.
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Title: The Heist
Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Series Character: Kate O'Hare
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Special Agent Kate O'Hare is with the FBI.
Her first case: Kate O'Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world's most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years the only name she's cared about is Nicolas Fox — an international crook she wants in more ways than one.
Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail — particularly Kate O'Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there's no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman … even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: He convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O'Hare.
Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who's hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O'Hare's patience and Fox's skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate's dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day's work … if O'Hare and Fox don't kill each other first.
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Title: The Hanging
Author: Lotte Hammer and Soren Hammer
Series Character: Konrad Simonsen
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Chief Superintendent Konrad Simonsen leads the Homicide Division in Copenhagen.
His first case: One morning before school, two children find the naked bodies of five men hanging from the gym ceiling. The case leads detective Konrad Simonsen and his murder squad to the school janitor, who may know more about the killings than he is telling.
Soon, Simonsen realizes that each of the five murdered men had a dark and terrible secret in common. And when Simonsen's own daughter is targeted, he must race to find the culprit before his whole world is destroyed.
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Title: The Summer of Dead Toys
Author: Antonio Hill
Series Character: Hector Salgado
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Inspector Hector Salgado is a transplanted Argentine living in Barcelona (Spain).
His first case: While working on human trafficking case, Salgado's violent temper got the best of him and he beat a suspect within an inch of his life. Ordered on probation, he fled to Argentina to cool off for a few months.
Now he's back in Barcelona and is eager for another big case. But his boss has other plans. He assigns Salgado to a routine accidental death: a college student fell from a balcony in one of Barcelona's ritzier neighborhoods. As Salgado begins to piece together the life and world of the victim, he realizes that his death was not all that simple: his teenage friends are either overly paranoid or deceptively calm, and drugs might be involved.
Hector begins to follow a trail that will lead him deep into the underbelly of Barcelona's high society where he'll come face-to-face with dangerous criminals, long-buried secrets, and, of course, his own past. But Hector thrives on pressure, and he lives for this kind of case — dark, violent, and seemingly unsolvable.
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Title: Eternally 21
Author: Linda Joffe Hull
Series Character: Mrs. Frugalicious, Shopping
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook
What we know about the character: Maddie Michaels writes the "Mrs. Frugalicious" bargain hunter's blog.
Her first case: After Mr. Frank "Finance" Michaels loses the family's financial nest egg in a Ponzi scheme, his wife Maddie does whatever she can to help keep up the appearance that everything is financially fine. When she starts a bargain hunter's blog under the alias Mrs. Frugalicious, her website becomes a viral hit with a growing "frugarmy" of budget advice seekers.
While Maddie is researching "frugasm"-worthy deals on holiday shopping for teens, Eternally 21 store manager Laila DeSimone mistakenly accuses her of shoplifting. Then her day goes from bad to worse when Laila expires on the floor. Since Laila was a universally disliked manager, the murder suspect list is longer than Maddie's bargain spreadsheet. But when evidence points to Maddie as the prime suspect, she must track down the real culprit. Can she uncover the truth before police throw away her get-out-of-jail-free coupon for good?
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Title: Blood Orange
Author: Karen Keskinen
Series Character: Jaymie Zarlin
Formats: Hardcover and ebook
What we know about the character: Jaymie Zarlin is a private investigator in Santa Barbara, California.
Her first case: Jaymie Zarlin has built her fledgling agency on finding missing people. Still struggling with the death of her troubled brother, who died in police custody, Jaymie is determined to help others in similar situations find their way home. Homicides are not in her repertoire.
But when Lili Molina, a local teenager chosen for the coveted role of Daphne in the annual solstice parade, is murdered, Jaymie is urged to take on the case. Reluctant at first, she soon learns police are mishandling the investigation and can't refuse. In a town where some people are filthy rich and some are dirt poor, Jaymie finds herself slipping into the fault lines between privilege and race. Her investigation turns up an array of suspects, including con artists, spoiled rich kids, and an eccentric oil heiress. Jaymie must move fast to unravel a twisted conspiracy — before she becomes the next victim.
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Title: Mayhem at the Orient Express
Author: Kylie Logan
Series Character: League of Literary Ladies
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook
What we know about the characters: The League of Literary Ladies is a book club of three squabbling ladies on South Bass, an island on Lake Erie.
Their first case: Most folks aren't forced by court order to attend a library-book discussion group, but that's just what happens to B and B proprietor and ex-Manhattanite Bea Cartwright, hippy cat lover Chandra Morrisey, and winery owner Kate Wilder after a small-town magistrate has had enough of their squabbling. South Bass, an island on Lake Erie, is home to an idyllic summer resort, but these three ladies keep disturbing the peace.
The initial book choice is Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, and that sets their mouths to watering. The Orient Express is the island's newest Chinese restaurant. They might not agree about much, but the ladies all love the orange chicken on the menu. But their meal is spoiled when the restaurant's owner, Peter Chan, has the bad fortune of getting murdered. Now, with Christie as their inspiration, the League of Literary Ladies has a real mystery to solve … if they can somehow catch a killer without killing each other first.
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Title: Looming Murder
Author: Carol Ann Martin
Series Character: Della Wright, Weaving
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook
What we know about the character: Della Wright owns Dream Weavers, a weaving studio in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Her first case: Della Wright has come to peaceful and picturesque Briar Hollow to realize her lifelong dream of owning a weaving studio. To promote her new business, Della is offering weaving workshops for all levels of ability. In her first class, she meets half a dozen of the town's colorful characters, who seem as eager to gossip as to learn how to work a loom.
But when a shady local businessman is found murdered, Briar Hollow suddenly appears a lot less idyllic. And when one of her weaving students is suspected of the crime, Della can't help getting entangled in the investigation — with some help from her criminologist friend, Matthew. But can she weave together clues as well as she weaves together yarn — and stop a killer from striking again?
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Title: Corrupt Practices
Author: Robert Rotstein
Series Character: Parker Stern
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook
What we know about the character: Parker Stern is a trial attorney in Los Angeles.
His first case: A Los Angeles church, considered by some to be a powerful cult, charges Rich Baxter with embezzling millions. Rich reaches out to former colleague and star trial attorney Parker Stern to come to his defense. Parker despises the cult, but he hasn't entered a courtroom since developing severe stage fright after his mentor, Harmon Cherry, committed suicide. Rich claims that Cherry did not kill himself—he was murdered by someone connected to the church. At first, Parker doesn't believe it … until disturbing events force him to question what's really happening.
As the case takes an unexpected turn, Parker surprises himself and agrees to take on the church. But to represent his client and uncover the truth he must overcome his own long-buried secrets.
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Title: A Dark Redemption
Author: Stav Sherez
Series Character: Jack Carrigan and Geneva Miller
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook
What we know about the characters: DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller are police officers in London.
Her first case: Carrigan and Miller are assigned to investigate the brutal rape and murder of a young Ugandan student.
Plunged into an underworld of illegal immigrant communities, they discover that the murdered girl's studies at a London college may have threatened to reveal things that some people will go to any lengths to keep secret …
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Title: A Diet to Die For
Author: Sarah Steding
Series Character: Jen Stevens, Skinny
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook
What we know about the character: Jen Stevens is a New York City event planner, whose work at the Yummy Channel constantly surrounds her with deep-fried, sugar-coated, chocolate-dipped temptation.
Her first case: Meet Jen Stevens — a hungry New York City event planner who's 31 years old, 30 pounds overweight, and flirting with disaster when it comes to sticking to her diet. Working for the food-centric Yummy Channel, it's hard to resist temptation. But when there's a crime for Jen to solve, it's easy as pie.
Baker extraordinaire Bess Brantwood is one of the Yummy Channel's brightest stars — and biggest divas. Despite the off-camera drama, Jen has to admit that Bess's chocolate buttercream cupcakes drizzled with caramel are simply to die for — and kill for, as it turns out — when Bess's body, like a baked good gone bad, is discovered … in a Dumpster.
Who iced the cupcake queen? Jen is determined to find out. With the help of her BFFs — fab foodblogger Gabby and lively life coach Elizabeth — she starts sifting for clues. She's got all the ingredients to solve the perfect crime, including one delectable detective, one divalicious diary, and enough industry rivals for a battle of the network stars. But is Jen prepared to risk her life as well as her waistline? No matter how you slice it, revenge is sweet — and loaded with carbs.
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Title: Restrike
Author: Reba White Williams
Series Character: Coleman and Dinah Green
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook
What we know about the characters: Cousins Coleman and Dinah Greene have moved from North Carolina to New York after college to make their mark on the art world: Coleman is the editor of an influential arts magazine and Dinah is the owner of a print gallery in Greenwich Village.
Their first case: After cousins Coleman and Dinah Greene arrive in New York, their challenges mount as one of Coleman's writers is discovered selling story ideas to a competitor and The Greene Gallery is in the red because sales are down.
When billionaire Heyward Bain arrives with a glamorous assistant, announcing plans to fund a fine print museum, Coleman is intrigued and plans to get to know Bain and publish an article about him. Dinah hopes to sell him enough prints to save her gallery. At the same time, swindlers, attracted by Bain's lavish spending, invade the print world to grab some of his money.
When a print dealer dies in peculiar circumstances, Coleman is suspicious, but she can't persuade the NYPD crime investigator of a connection between the dealer's death and Bain's buying spree. After one of Coleman's editors is killed and Coleman is attacked, the police must acknowledge the connection, and Coleman becomes even more determined to discover the truth about Bain. In an unforgettable final scene, Coleman risks her life to expose the last deception threatening her, her friends, and the formerly tranquil print world.
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For a list of more hardcover mysteries scheduled for publication during June, please visit our New Mysteries home page. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, also updated with June 2013 releases. See also our regularly updated eBook site for new mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers, MysterEbooks.com.
Please also visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.
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