A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending May 16, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website. Note: A bestseller list for the week ending May 09, 2008 was not published.
David Baldacci's The Whole Truth assumes the top position this week with several new titles entering the top 15.
Debuting at number 4 this week is Phantom Prey, the 18th mystery in the Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford. A widow comes home to her large house in a wealthy, exclusive suburb to find blood everywhere, no body—and her college-aged daughter missing. She's always known that her daughter ran with a bad bunch. What did she call them—Goths? Freaks is more like it, running around with all that makeup and black clothing, listening to that awful music, so attracted to death. And now this. But the police can't find the girl, alive or dead, and when a second Goth is found slashed to death in Minneapolis, the widow truly panics. There's someone she knows, a surgeon named Weather Davenport, whose husband is a big deal with the police, and she implores Weather to get him directly involved. Lucas begins to investigate only reluctantly—but then when a third Goth is slashed in what is now looking like a 'Jack the Ripper' series of killings, he starts working it hard. The clues don't seem to add up, though. And then there's the young Goth who keeps appearing and disappearing: Who is she? Where does she come from and, more important, where does she vanish to? And why does Lucas keep getting the sneaking suspicion that there is something else going onhere . . . something very, very bad indeed? Publishers Weekly calls Phantom Prey "solid" and adds, "Sandford delivers the kind of riveting action that keeps thriller fans turning the pages."
Coming in at number 5 this week is Careless in Red, the 14th mystery in the Inspector Thomas Lynley series by Elizabeth George. After the senseless murder of his wife, Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley retreated to Cornwall, where he has spent six solitary weeks hiking the bleak and rugged coastline. But no matter how far he walks, no matter how exhausting his days, the painful memories of Helen's death do not diminish. On the forty-third day of his walk, at the base of a cliff, Lynley discovers the body of a young man who appears to have fallen to his death. The closest town, better known for its tourists and its surfing than its intrigue, seems an unlikely place for murder. However, it soon becomes apparent that a clever killer is indeed at work, and this time Lynley is not a detective but a witness and possibly a suspect. The head of the vastly understaffed local police department needs Lynley's help, though, especially when it comes to the mysterious, secretive woman whose cottage lies not far from where the body was discovered. But can Lynley let go of the past long enough to solve a most devious and carefully planned crime? Publishers Weekly states that Careless in Red is a "stellar new suspense novel".
Finally, in 9th position is From Dead to Worse, the 8th mystery in the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris featuring telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse. After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone—human and otherwise—is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing. It's clear that things are changing—whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie—Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community—is caught up in the changes. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered. Library Journal states that "Sookie's fans will love this addition to the series."
On our bestseller page, we've added an icon 
next to every title that is available for immediate download onto the Amazon Kindle. To learn about this wireless reading device, visit the Amazon Kindle page for more information. And don't forget to check our Pre-Order Mysteries page where you can save an additional 5% when you purchase your mystery books prior to their publication date.
The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:
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