Monday, November 30, 2015

The PMS Murder, A Jaine Austen Mystery by Laura Levine, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Kensington …

The PMS Murder by Laura Levine

The PMS Murder by Laura Levine

A Jaine Austen Mystery (5th in series)

Publisher: Kensington

Price: $2.39 (as of 11/30/2015 at 8:00 PM ET).

The PMS Murder by Laura Levine, Amazon Kindle format

On the frontlines of the battle of the bulge, otherwise known as trying on bathing suits in the communal dressing room at Loehmann's, freelance writer Jaine Austen makes a new friend — a wannabe actress named Pam — and gets a new job: sprucing up Pam's bare-bones resume. Their feeling of connection is mutual, so Pam invites Jaine to join The PMS Club — a women's support group that meets once a week over guacamole and margaritas.

But joining the club proves to be more a curse than a blessing for Jaine. Though she is warned that Rochelle, the hostess, makes a guacamole to die for, Jaine never takes the warning literally. Until another PMS member, Marybeth, drops dead over a mouthful of the green stuff. Now instead of dishing dirt with The PMS Club, Jaine has to dig up the dirt on the surviving members …

The PMS Murder by Laura Levine

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Review: Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan

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

A Mysterious Review of Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan. A Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery.

Review summary: The author takes a paint-by-numbers approach to this first book in a series, with a stock character as the lead in a mystery that isn't all that demanding. Still, the cast is engaging and the setting nearly ideal. A promising start to the series, but a more interesting murder to investigate next time would be most appreciated. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating: 4 of 5 stars

Untimely Death Elizabeth J. Duncan

Untimely Death
Elizabeth J. Duncan
A Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery
Crooked Lane Books (November 2015)

Available from Amazon.comAvailable from Barnes & NobleAvailable from iTunesAvailable from Kobo

Publisher synopsis: A Catskills resort's production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet takes a wickedly ironic turn when the leading lady, Lauren Richmond, is first poisoned and then stabbed. Who would extinguish the life of such a beautiful young thespian? Who wouldn't? Seems like just about everyone had a motive to pull the ropes on her final curtain call.

At the center of this Shakespearian tragedy is Charlotte Fairfax, formerly the costume mistress of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Upstate New York is a long way from the royal stage, but Charlotte is always the queen of her domain. As this small production's costume designer, she has stitched her way into everyone's lives, learning more than anyone could possibly imagine about the rise and fall of Lauren Richmond. But curiosity killed the cat. And it might well kill the costume designer.

Scotched, A Liss MacCrimmon Mystery by Kaitlyn Dunnett, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Kensington …

Scotched by Kaitlyn Dunnett

Scotched by Kaitlyn Dunnett

A Liss MacCrimmon Mystery (5th in series)

Publisher: Kensington

Price: $2.20 (as of 11/30/2015 at 7:00 PM ET).

Scotched by Kaitlyn Dunnett, Amazon Kindle format

Liss MacCrimmon, purveyor of all things plaid at the Moosetookalook Scottish Emporium in Maine, can't wait to cozy up to the town's first annual mystery book conference. The outlook seems very bonnie indeed for all the local businesses, including her fiancé's family-owned hotel. But when a reviewer with a grudge takes a swan dive off a scenic lookout, Liss discovers the crime scene bonanza a bit too real.

With a conference full of potential suspects — from a famous actress-turned-bestselling author to her power-broker agent, to an overextended events coordinator with plenty to hide — it will take a killer instinct to figure out which writer belongs in the true crime section … before the murderer pens The End for another innocent victim.

Scotched by Kaitlyn Dunnett

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

New This Week: Chains of Illusion, A Cyrus Kane Thriller by Tim Ellis

Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during November 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …

Chains of Illusion by Tim Ellis

Chains of Illusion by Tim Ellis

A Cyrus Kane Thriller (2nd in series)

Publisher: Koko Publishing

Price: $3.60 (as of 11/30/2015 at 6:30 PM ET).

Chains of Illusion by Tim Ellis, Amazon Kindle format

Detective Inspector Cyrus Kane's working holiday in Cornwall has come to an end. He has returned to Brick Lane Police Station in London to re-join his partner — Detective Sergeant Jenny Wells. As well as trying to solve the murder of his wife and unborn child three months' previously, on their first day back a top orthopaedic surgeon is murdered.

As they try to fit the pieces of the two murders together, it looks like the killer wants them both dead.

Chains of Illusion by Tim Ellis

See also the first mystery in this series, An Ill Wind, for $3.21 on Kindle.

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

One Mile Under, A Ty Hauck Thriller by Andrew Gross, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, William Morrow …

One Mile Under by Andrew Gross

One Mile Under by Andrew Gross

A Ty Hauck Thriller (4th in series)

Publisher: William Morrow

Price: $1.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 6:00 PM ET).

One Mile Under by Andrew Gross, Amazon Kindle format

Leading a tour down the rapids outside Aspen, Colorado, whitewater guide Dani Whalen comes upon the dead body of a close friend. Trey Watkins's death is ruled an accident. Finding evidence that seems to back up her suspicions that it wasn't, she takes her case to Wade Dunn, the local police chief and her ex-stepfather, with whom she shares some unresolved history. Wade insists the case is closed, but Rooster, a hot air balloon operator in town, claims he saw something from the air she should know. When he suddenly dies in a fiery crash, Dani threatens to take her suspicions public, goading Wade into tossing her in jail.

When an old friend contacts Ty Hauck and says his daughter is in trouble, he doesn't hesitate to get involved. Together, the two step into a sinister scheme running deep beneath the surface of a quiet, Colorado town that has made a deal with the devil to survive. But in the square off between giant energy companies and beaten-down ranchers and farmers, one resource is even more valuable in this drought-stricken region than oil. They both will kill for it — water.

One Mile Under by Andrew Gross

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

New This Week: Murder on the Roads Show, A Carlo Parigi Collectibles Mystery by Rudy Franchi

Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during November 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …

Murder on the Roads Show by Rudy Franchi

Murder on the Roads Show by Rudy Franchi

A Carlo Parigi Collectibles Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Henchman Press

Price: $3.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 5:30 PM ET).

Murder on the Roads Show by Rudy Franchi, Amazon Kindle format

Carlo Parigi is a rougish collectibles dealer given to puns, anagrams and non-PC comments, whose Greenwich Village shop is being battered by internet auction sites. In an attempt to save his flagging business, Carlo wangles his way as a pop culture appraiser onto the new TV show Antiques On The Road.

During the taping in the show's first city, Cincinnati, Carlos is plunged into the center of a murder mystery with a strange and long cast of characters: the victim, a mousy and very nervous owner of a rare sword; the pair of slick but knowledgeable Civil War memorabilia dealers who value the sword; Vanda, a large Romanian woman whose booming voice creates tsunami like waves across bowls of Won Ton soup in a Chinese restaurant; a petite, bizarre French member of the ground crew; a par boiled detective from the local police force who suspects Carlo as the murderer. And then there are the appraisers, led by the brilliant Bingo brothers.

The balance of the boffins on the show are a seemingly mild-mannered group of genial experts,while in reality they are scheming, backstabbing, viciously ambitious — their dark skills honed in the well carpeted hallways of major auction galleries and the glittering aisles of the highest- scale antiques shows.

Added to this mix and mis-match is Renata, Carlo's long-lost love, now the wife of a rare book appraiser on the show.

Trying to extricate himself from the web of suspicion woven about him by the murder, while spending long taping days evaluating treasures and trash, dodging an attempt on his life and pursuing Renata in the hope that the show's upcoming stop, Bismarck, North Dakota, with its romantic and seduction-saturated atmosphere, will provide the opportunity to rebed his former flame.

Carlos threads his way through this crowd of characters, holding firm to his core obsessions: an abiding love for New York City, a passion for fine men's clothing and a fascination with the detritus of what had passed for culture during the 20th Century.

All of these will serve him well in finessing the machinations of fellow appraisers, making some major finds that are taped for TV and, ultimately, solving the murder of the sword's owner.

Murder on the Roads Show by Rudy Franchi

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

A Highland Christmas, A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by M. C. Beaton, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Mysterious Press …

A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton

A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton

A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (16th in series)

Publisher: Mysterious Press

Price: $1.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 5:00 PM ET).

A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton, Amazon Kindle format

Christmas is an ancient Roman festival, not to be celebrated by decent folk in the Scottish Highlands. Police Constable Hamish Macbeth has always loved the festivities, but this year his family is vacationing in sunny Florida. He is stuck with the long, lonely Christmas shift in freezing Lochdubh.

A cranky old lady kicks off the holidays by reporting her cat missing. Then the Christmas lights and tree in a nearby village disappear soon after the local council voted to allow decorations.

As Hamish finds a way to bring Christmas to the Highlands and make a little girl's dreams come true, he finds — to his delight — that he has the best Christmas ever.

A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

New This Week: Into the Magic Night, A John Logan Mystery by Rick Nichols

Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during November 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …

Into the Magic Night by Rick Nichols

Into the Magic Night by Rick Nichols

A John Logan Mystery (4th in series)

Publisher: Pro Se Press

Price: $2.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 4:30 PM ET).

Into the Magic Night by Rick Nichols, Amazon Kindle format

When a beautiful exotic dancer in danger turns to John Logan — former black-ops soldier turned Florida private investigator — he is all too willing to help. But she's scared and before she can meet with Logan to explain her problem, she's dead. Logan is left with more questions than answers. Who was Danni and who wanted her dead?

Logan's digging will take him into the seedier side of Coral Bay, get him wrapped up with a ruthless businessman and a venture capitalist, and could put him at odds with one of his dearest friends.

Into the Magic Night by Rick Nichols

See all four mysteries in the John Logan Series for $2.99 each on Kindle.

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Tempest in a Teapot, A Sophie Freemont, Teapot Collector Mystery by Amanda Cooper, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Berkley …

Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

A Sophie Freemont, Teapot Collector Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Berkley

Price: $1.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 4:00 PM ET).

Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper, Amazon Kindle format

Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for …

When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother's cozy shop, Auntie Rose's Victorian Teahouse, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antique teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of teahouse events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson's upcoming bridal shower.

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be's choice of venue — like Cissy's grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long-simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy's fiancé's mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list …

Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau, New on the Mystery Bookshelf during November 2015

New on the Mystery Bookshelf during November 2015 …

Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau

Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau, A Charlotte Brody Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Kensington

Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau, Amazon Kindle format

There's many who feel the Alaska Territory is no place for a woman on her own. But Charlotte Brody, suffragette and journalist, has never let public opinion dictate her life choices. She's come to the frontier town of Cordova, where her brother Michael practices medicine, for the same reason many come to Alaska — to start over …

Cordova is gradually getting civilized, but the town is still rougher than Charlotte imagined. And when a local prostitute — one of the working girls her brother has been treating — is found brutally murdered, Charlotte learns firsthand how rough the frontier can be. Although the town may not consider the murder of a prostitute worthy of investigation, Charlotte's feminist beliefs motivate her to seek justice for the woman. And there's something else — the woman was hiding a secret, one that reminds Charlotte of her own painful past.

As Charlotte searches for answers, she soon finds her own life in danger from a cold-blooded killer desperate to keep dark secrets from seeing the light of day …

Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau

To see more new paperback titles scheduled to be published this month, visit The Mystery Bookshelf for November 2015. For new hardcover mysteries, visit New Mysteries where for a list of November 2015 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers is provided.

Sweet Tea Revenge, A Theodosia Browning, Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Berkley …

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

A Theodosia Browning, Tea Shop Mystery (14th in series)

Publisher: Berkley

Price: $1.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 3:00 PM ET).

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs, Amazon Kindle format

Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning may always be a bridesmaid, never a bride, but this groom is never going to make it to the altar …

Theodosia Browning's dear friend Delaine Dish has asked her to be a bridesmaid for her wedding. But when the big day arrives, everything seems to be going wrong. First, a massive storm is brewing over Charleston. A bad omen? Second, Delaine's sister is late for the ceremony. And finally, the groom not only has cold feet — his whole body is cold. A murderer has crashed the wedding.

As Theodosia comforts a devastated Delaine, she needs to sort out the suspects on the groom's side from the suspects on the bride's side. One thing soon becomes apparent — revenge won't be the only dish served cold at this wedding. And if Theodosia doesn't watch her step, a cold-blooded killer may have a rude reception in store for her …

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Death Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, New in Bookstores during November 2015

Today's featured new hardcover mystery, suspense, or thriller title scheduled to be published during November 2015 is …

Death Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd

Death Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, a Kurland Mystery (3rd in series)

Publisher: Kensington

Death Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, Amazon Kindle formatDeath Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, Nook formatDeath Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, iTune iBook formatDeath Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd, Kobo format

Lucy Harrington has returned to Kurland St. Mary to help with her friend Sophia Giffin's wedding. But her homecoming is made disagreeable by the presence of Major Robert Kurland, whose bungled proposal has ruffled Lucy's composure, and a meddling widow who has designs on her father, the village rector.

Wary of the cloying Mrs. Chingford from the start, Lucy has doubts about the busybody's intentions with her father. But everyone else seems to think they make an ideal match — until the courtship is curtailed when Mrs. Chingford is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. It's clear that it wasn't an accident, and in hopes of finding the culprit, Lucy and Robert call a truce and begin scrutinizing the wedding guests.

But the widow left behind plenty of enemies, and when one of them is the next to turn up dead, Lucy and Robert discover that the truth is far more scandalous than anyone could have imagined …

Death Comes To Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd

For a list of more new hardcover titles to be published this month, visit our New Mysteries page for November 2015. For new paperback mysteries, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where a selection of November 2015 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers are shelved.

Telemystery, the most complete selection of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series now available or coming soon to DVD

Telemystery, your source for one of the most comprehensive listings of crime drama, amateur sleuth, private investigator, mystery and suspense television series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available on or coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or Video-on-Demand, is profiling one series from our site being released this week.

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Zoo: Season One

Zoo

Season One

Zoo: Season One on DVDZoo: Season One on Blu-ray DiscZoo: Season One on Amazon Instant VODZoo: Season One on iTunes

Based on the suspense novel by James Patterson, Zoo is a global thriller about a wave of violent animal attacks against humans sweeping the planet.

Jackson Oz (played by James Wolk), a young, renegade American zoologist who spends his days running safaris in the wilds of Africa, notices the strange behavior of the animals. As the assaults become more cunning, coordinated and ferocious, he is thrust into the race to unlock the mystery of the pandemic before there's no place left for people to hide.

This first season of 13 episodes aired on CBS during Summer 2015. It has been renewed for a second season.

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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on and coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or video on demand.

Now That She's Gone by Gregg Olsen, New on the Mystery Bookshelf during November 2015

New on the Mystery Bookshelf during November 2015 …

Now That She's Gone by Gregg Olsen

Now That She's Gone by Gregg Olsen, A Waterman & Stark Mystery (2nd in series)

Publisher: Pinnacle

Now That She's Gone by Gregg Olsen, Amazon Kindle format

Notorious serial killer Brenda Nevins has cajoled, seduced, blackmailed, and left a trail of bodies all across Washington State. Now, after a daring prison escape, she is free to carry out her ultimate act of revenge. The targets: forensic pathologist Birdy Waterman and sheriff's detective Kendall Stark. The pawn: a television psychic hungry for fame, ratings, and blood. There's only way to stop a killer as brutal, brilliant, and twisted as this: beat her at her own game …

Now That She's Gone by Gregg Olsen

To see more new paperback titles scheduled to be published this month, visit The Mystery Bookshelf for November 2015. For new hardcover mysteries, visit New Mysteries where for a list of November 2015 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers is provided.

Spider Woman's Daughter, A Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Mystery by Anne Hillerman, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Harper …

Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman

Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman

A Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Mystery (19th in series)

Publisher: Harper

Price: $1.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 1:00 PM ET).

Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman, Amazon Kindle format

Navajo Nation Police Officer Bernadette Manualito witnesses the cold-blooded shooting of someone very close to her. With the victim fighting for his life, the entire squad and the local FBI office are hell-bent on catching the gunman. Bernie, too, wants in on the investigation, despite regulations forbidding eyewitness involvement. But that doesn't mean she's going to sit idly by, especially when her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, is in charge of finding the shooter.

Bernie and Chee discover that a cold case involving his former boss and partner, retired Inspector Joe Leaphorn, may hold the key. Digging into the old investigation, husband and wife find themselves inching closer to the truth … and closer to a killer determined to prevent justice from taking its course.

Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

New This Week: Dizzy Spells, A Kitchen Witch Mystery by Morgana Best

Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during November 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …

Dizzy Spells by Morgana Best

Dizzy Spells by Morgana Best

A Kitchen Witch Mystery (2nd in series)

Publisher: Witches and Wizards Books

Price: $2.99 (as of 11/30/2015 at 12:30 PM ET).

Dizzy Spells by Morgana Best, Amazon Kindle format

Amelia's spells have improved, but her baking has not. She needs to make enough dough to save her crumbling cake store business. Yet that is soon the least of her worries, when a body is found on her porch and her new friend, Dianne, becomes the main suspect.

As Amelia tries to clear Dianne's name, she finds that some people in her life are not what they seem. Craig finally whisks Amelia away on a date, but Amelia's house has something to say about the matter, much to her distress.

The police say that solving the murder will be a piece of cake, but are they keeping her on a knead-to-know basis?

Will Amelia discover why Alder Vervain has been watching her? Will she rise to the occasion and solve the murder, or will she become the next victim?

Dizzy Spells by Morgana Best

See also the first mystery in this series, Miss Spelled, for 99¢ on Kindle.

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Today Only! Amazon's Kindle Daily Deal Features Over 160 Mysteries and Thrillers On Sale!

Amazon's Cyber Monday Sale

Today, Monday November 30th, 2015 only, Amazon is discounting over 800 Kindle books up to 85% as part of its Cyber Monday Kindle Daily Deal. Discounted books can be found in all categories, but of most interest to us (of course!) are the titles in the Mystery & Thrillers category, where you can find over 160 books from which to choose.

Don't miss this opportunity to fill your Kindle or Kindle-enabled device with plenty of books to read during the long winter months ahead!

A Conversation with Medical Thriller Writer John Benedict

Omnimystery News: Author Interview with John Benedict

We are delighted to welcome author John Benedict to Omnimystery News today.

John began his series of medical thrillers with Adrenaline (November 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats), first published in 2005 and reissued last year. His third novel, Fatal Complications, will be published next month.

We recently had the opportunity to spend some time with John to talk about his work.

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Omnimystery News: Tell us a little more about your books and their lead characters.

John Benedict
Photo provided courtesy of
John Benedict

John Benedict: I have written three medical thriller novels so far. The first two, Adrenaline and The Edge of Death are part of a series involving main character, Doug Landry. Fatal Complications is my third book and is a stand-alone with all new characters. In the series books, anesthesiologist Doug Landry, does definitely develop over time even as the genre of the second book evolves. Adrenaline is more of a classic medical thriller, which then morphs into a spooky dark medical thriller in The Edge of Death (with supernatural overtones). This cross-genre stuff wasn't planned or envisioned — the story just kept heading in that direction as it was being written.

I chose to do a stand-alone for the third book because I wanted to get back to a more conventional medical thriller and this would've been tough given the turn of events in The Edge of Death (plus too many characters were killed off and I needed a fresh start). I may well make Luke Daulton (protagonist from Fatal Complications) into a series character in my 4th book.

OMN: How do you go about finding the right voice for your characters?

JB: In all my books, I have several main characters and tell the stories from multiple points of view. I believe you can more accurately define a character when you not only see inside their head, but also get to view them as other characters around them do. I have always enjoyed reading these types of books, and so this is how I write. Consequently, I have main characters of both genders in all three books. It may be slightly easier for me as a male to write the male leads, but I definitely don't shy away from depicting female characters/heroines in my books. Witness Kristen Duffy in The Edge of Death and Kim Daulton in Fatal Complications. Both these strong resourceful women play pivotal roles in the stories alongside their male protagonist counterparts. I think readers like to see that the author can realistically draw characters from either gender and that this makes the book more interesting.

OMN: Into which genre would you place your books?

JB: I consider my books to be medical thrillers at heart — they always contain stories of medical intrigue in a hospital setting with abundant physician/nurse characters. However, I believe they go beyond this simple label. As I mentioned above, The Edge of Death, is a dark spooky medical thriller with supernatural overtones. It explores the concept of what happens to a person when the soul is triggered to leave the body at the moment (edge) of death, but the body is resuscitated with advanced medical technology. Fatal Complications tells the tale of rookie anesthesiologist Luke Daulton, who gets caught up in a murder-for-hire plot at his new hospital. But the story is much broader than this — there is some steamy romance, political conspiracy and FBI involvement before it's all over. So the label of medical thriller can be a bit confining. I try to pack a lot into my books and make them interesting studies of human behavior — good and not so good — as well as page-turning suspense stories.

OMN: Tell us something about Adrenaline that isn't mentioned in the synopsis.

JB: I am an anesthesiologist in real life and Adrenaline is a classic medical thriller told from the anesthesiologist's viewpoint. To illustrate the real inspiration behind this book, I will need to relate a true story from my life from 20 years ago:

One day it struck me — at 2:00 in the morning in the midst of another grueling 24-hour shift. I had just finished interviewing a nice lady with an appendix about to burst — we'll call her Linda. I had done my best not to yawn as I went through the routine questions that an anesthesiologist is obliged to ask. She appeared nervous, which soon gave way to tears. I did my best to comfort her, took her hand, told her I would take good care of her. That I would watch over her carefully in the operating room and see her through surgery. And be there when she woke up in the recovery room. She appeared to calm down a bit. I wrapped up my pre-op assessment and asked her to sign the anesthesia consent form, while assuring her the risks would be minimal. She raised her eyebrows at this and the fearful look returned. I wondered: What the hell does minimal mean when you're talking about life and death? More tears. She told me of her two young daughters at home that desperately needed a mommy. I felt my own throat tighten. I quickly buried my emotions, tried not to think about my wife and three sons, and focused on the task at hand as we wheeled her litter back down the hall to the OR.

After Linda was safely tucked in the recovery room, operation a success, anesthetic uncomplicated, I lay down in the call room to try to catch a couple of z's. My mind wandered as I lay there. Rarely, I thought, does a person willingly surrender control of their mind and body to a virtual stranger. Yet, this is exactly what happens when the person is a patient being wheeled in for surgery and the stranger is their anesthesiologist, whom they have just met minutes beforehand. Talk about an extraordinary amount of trust. This degree of trust made a distinct impression on me that night, some twenty years ago.

Other thoughts followed soon thereafter. What if the trust Linda had exhibited earlier was ill-conceived and her doctor was actually bad? Not just incompetent or sleepy, but downright evil. Being an avid reader of thrillers, I thought this chilling concept would make for a good story. Too bad I wasn't a writer. (Disclaimer time: I don't want to scare people here. All the docs I have known in my 30 years of medical practice are highly competent professional people, who would never purposely hurt anyone.) But I still couldn't shake the evil concept; it kept gnawing at me until eventually I had to put it down on paper — lack of writing experience be damned. So Adrenaline was birthed, my first medical thriller novel that explores this issue of absolute trust implicit in the anesthesiologist-patient relationship — specifically, what happens when that trust is abused and replaced by fear. Adrenaline was finally published twelve years after my encounter with Linda.

OMN: As a practicing anesthesiologist yourself, what other experiences have made their way into your books?

JB: No question about it, a lot of my experiences over the years with patients and colleagues do find a way to make it into my books. And yes, some of the characters are based loosely on some real people. But usually, if I use characteristics from real people, I'll try to blend some properties of one person with others to make sure the characters aren't recognized as real people.

OMN: Tell us a little more about your writing process.

JB: I do not use outlines or biographies. I simply have a general idea for the premise of the story. As far as the ending or how to get there, I usually don't know. (Exception: For my first novel, I actually wrote the climax scenes first and then developed the necessary story and characters to eventually get there. This was a novice approach — probably not recommended, and definitely not the most efficient way to do things.) I let the story and characters develop as I write it over time. The cast usually expands as I work in secondary characters to fill plot needs.

OMN: Where do you most often find yourself writing?

JB: I like to write in the morning in the medical center library with a large coffee and treat. During my 8 years of medical training, I spent countless hours there studying — so the place always puts me in a focused frame of mind. I like to spread my laptop and chapter file folders out on a large table — this allows me to better visualize the plot sequence and temporal relations of the chapters — better than looking at a single page on a computer screen.

OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories?

JB: Luckily, since I'm a practicing anesthesiologist, I don't usually need to fact check my material. In fact, my niche in the medical thriller world is the authenticity I can bring to a story, drawing on my background and real life experiences.

OMN: How true are you to the settings in your books?

JB: I usually set my books in real places in Central Pennsylvania where I live. Sometimes though, I'll put a fictional hospital, lets say, in the midst of a real locale. I think readers like to identify landmarks and geography they are familiar with.

OMN: If we could send you anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, to research the setting for a book, where would it be?

JB: How about Hawaii or some islands in the South Pacific — these sound particularly nice. I don't really know why, but if you're gonna send me all expenses paid, I'll find a way to incorporate these locales into my next story!

OMN: What advice might you offer to aspiring authors?

JB: My advice for would-be novelists is fairly straightforward. Nothing worthwhile in life is quick or easy. Writing is no different. Expect to spend a long time learning the craft and improving upon it. Don't expect to become famous overnight or make a lot of money easily. The best advice I can give is this: You shouldn't write because you want to make millions or become a household name — you'll likely be disappointed. Rather, you should write because you enjoy the process and feel the need to tell a story. Let the results take care of themselves.

Other things I've learned along the way: I've learned to believe in myself even when no one else seemed to. I've also learned the power of perseverance and patience. The path to successful book publication is notoriously long and arduous for most. Developing a thick skin is also helpful to protect oneself against the many rejection letters and obligatory nasty reviews that will come your way. Finally, I've learned that writing a good book is probably only half the battle. Getting it published and successfully marketing it may be the most difficult part. Good luck and keep writing!

OMN: Tell us how your books came to be titled.

JB: 1) Adrenaline was an easy and especially fitting title because the book centers around the actual drug/hormone "adrenaline" (have to read the book to find out just how), but also, since it's a medical thriller, the word is highly appropriate. The cover is a cool rendition of a stylized medical radiologic image put together by Jonah Lloyd of Sterling House Publishers.

2) The Edge of Death deals with what happens to patients and their souls as they approach death — sometimes tricky things can happen at the boundary, i.e. the edge of death. I ran across the photo that I used for the cover while browsing the internet. As soon as I saw the photo in a collection of travel photos, I knew it was perfect for my novel. I contacted the photographer in Britain and purchased the rights to his photo.

3) Fatal Complications deals with a murder-for-hire ring operating out of a hospital, so the title encompasses the idea well. Fire is a recurring theme of the book, so that's where the flames on the cover come from. The syringe with green contents signifies the sinister medical thriller nature of the book.

OMN: What kind of feedback have you received from readers?

JB: The best feedback is clearly an unsolicited 5-star rave review from a reader you don't know, in which they profess their love for your work and an overwhelming desire to read your other books. The worst is a 1-star review that's incomprehensible and begs the question whether they indeed read the book or quite possibly are talking about a different book.

OMN: Suppose one or more of your books were to be adapted for television or film. Who do you see playing the key roles?

JB: From Adrenaline: Doug Landry could easily be played by Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey or Matt Damon.

From Fatal Complications: Rob Gentry could be played by Hugh Jackman or Robert Downey, Jr and Gwen Miller could be played by Scarlett Johansson.

OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young? And have any specific authors influenced how and what you write today?

JB: I read mostly science fiction (Isaac Asimov, Roger Zelazny, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury) and fantasy books (JRR Tolkien, Stephen Donaldson) while growing up. Later on in college, I read a lot of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. After medical school, I read medical thrillers by Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, and Michael Palmer.

I believe Stephen King and Stephen Donaldson and Dan Brown had the biggest impact on my future writing. Also Robin Cook influenced my decision to become a writer in a left-handed compliment kind of way. I always liked his ideas for stories, and was impressed by his intimate medical knowledge and authenticity. However, I never thought his actual writing was outstanding. I thought to myself, I could probably do that — and so I was off and running. Never did I stop to think how hard it is to actually produce good fiction. Ignorance is bliss, as they say, and sometimes naiveté is a good thing.

OMN: What kinds of books do you read today for pleasure? And if you read books in a series, do you have any favorite characters?

JB: I still read any kind of thriller, especially by Stephen King or Dan Brown.

But I mix in a lot of other authors like Nelson DeMille, Khaled Hosseini, Scott Turow, John Grisham, Laura Hildebrandt, Ken Follet, and Robert Dugoni to name a few off the top of my head.

My favorite series character were 1) Thomas Covenant from Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series (6 books) 2) Frodo Baggins from Tolkien's LOTR and 3) Angus Thermopyle from Donaldson's classic sci-fi adventure epic The Gap Series (5 books).

OMN: Create a Top Five list for us on any topic.

JB: Top Five favorite authors: Stephen King, Stephen Donaldson, JRR Tolkien, Ken Follet, and Khaled Hosseini.

OMN: What's next for you?

JB: I'm hoping to retire in the next couple of years after spending over 30 years in the trenches as a front line anesthesiologist (physician). Then I'll finally have ample time to devote to my writing. I have lots of ideas at the moment, some drawing from my personal experiences — some entirely fictional — I just don't seem to have the time to get them all down. Stay tuned!

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Dr. John Benedict, husband and father of three sons, graduated cum laude from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and entered post-graduate training at Penn State University College of Medicine. There, he completed medical school, internship, anesthesia residency and a cardiac anesthesia fellowship. He currently works as an anesthesiologist in a busy private practice in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has been writing stories since high school, but his writing was put on hold to pursue a medical education and start a family. Finally, after a 15-year pause, he returned to the keyboard to scratch the writing itch again and thus Adrenaline — a gritty medical thriller with a realism borne of actual experience — was born.

For more information about the author, please visit his website at JohnBenedictMD.com and his author page on Goodreads, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

— ♦ —

Adrenaline by John Benedict

Adrenaline by John Benedict

A Medical Thriller

Publisher: CreateSpace

Amazon.com Print/Kindle Format(s)BN.com Print/Nook Format(s)

When patients start dying unexpectedly in the O.R. at Mercy Hospital, anesthesiologist Doug Landry finds himself the focus of the blame. Is he really incompetent or is there something more sinister going on?

As Doug struggles to clear his name and unravel the secret of the mysterious deaths, it becomes clear that someone will stop at nothing to keep him from exposing the devastating truth. Doug becomes trapped in a grisly race against time to prevent more deaths — including his own.

Adrenaline by John Benedict

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