Warner Bros. launched the official Sherlock Holmes website this week. The action-adventure mystery film, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. John Watson, is scheduled to be in theaters Christmas Day.
The website has the latest trailer for the film (in both Quicktime and Windows versions, and multiple standard definition and high definition formats), a synopsis, photo gallery, and downloadable posters.
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The short-lists for the 2009 Davitt Awards have been posted to the Sisters in Crime (Australia) website. Awards are given annually to the best crime or mystery novel in several categories, written by an Australian woman. The short-list for best crime fiction is given below; the young adult fiction and true crime short-lists can be seen on the Sisters in Crime (Australia) website.
◊ A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn
◊ Alibi by Sydney Bauer
◊ As Darkness Falls by Bronwyn Parry
◊ Cooee by Vivienne Kelly
◊ Deep Night by Caroline Petit
◊ Fan Mail by P. D. Martin
◊ Harum Scarum by Felicity Young
◊ Hotel of Secrets by T. J. Joyce
◊ Many Happy Returns by Helen Denkha
◊ Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood
◊ Murder on the Apricot Coast by Marion Halligan
◊ Nocturne by Diane Armstrong
◊ Still Waters by Camilla Noli
◊ The Dark Mountain by Catherine Jinks
◊ The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell
◊ The Dead House by Maria Simms
◊ The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
◊ The Mystery of the Missing Masterpiece by Robin Bowles
◊ The Tattooed Man by Alex Palmer
◊ Voodoo Doll by Leah Giarratano
Visit Mystery Book Awards for more information on over 30 other awards recognizing outstanding mystery fiction.
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Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating this week's online book tour for Paul Martin Midden, author of the provocative political thriller Toxin.
Today, Saturday July 25th, Paul will be visiting 2 blog sites:
• Chick with Books where Paul is interviewed; and
• Petit Fours and Hot Tamales where Toxin is reviewed.
We're also thrilled to announce that Paul is giving away a signed copy of his new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Paul's tour page, which also has a complete schedule of his tour including a biography and more information about Toxin.
We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites this week to learn more about Paul and a terrifyingly-real storyline that deftly blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids, your source for information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older), is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery books (including series books) scheduled for publication during August, 2009.
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Lake Monster Mix-Up by Mary Labatt
Sam & Friends
Canine sleuth Sam is bored at the prospect of spending a cottage weekend at Sagawa Lake -- until she hears that the lake has a deep, dark secret. This is exactly what Sam wants to hear and sure enough, with help from Jennie and Beth, Sam finds an old diary hidden in the wall of their cabin and what they read there is chilling. Is it the key to the secret of Sagawa Lake? What about the strange face painted on the rock, near the water's edge -- and the creepy cave nearby? Something lurks in the depths of the lake. All they need is proof, which Sam is determined to obtain at all costs. The 2nd pop-up book in this series.
The Sam & Friends graphic novels are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9. See also the companion series, Sam: Dog Detective.
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Inspector Forsooth's Mini-Mysteries by Derrick Niederman
Mini-Mysteries
These fun mini-mysteries will captivate budding sleuths—and send them searching the pages carefully for clues. Luke Haynes eagerly awaits a visit from his favorite uncle Jeremy—the famous Inspector Forsooth. Together, Luke and Jeremy solve actual crimes, as well as some playful everyday conundrums. Though each engagingly clever story makes a satisfying who- and how-dunit on its own, when taken together they form an entertaining summertime novel, too.
Mini-Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 8 and older.
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Change-Up by John Feinstein
Steve and Susan Sports Mysteries
Teen reporters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are covering baseball’s World Series, and during the course of an interview with a new hot pitcher, they discover more than a few contradictions in his life story. What’s he hiding? An embarrassing secret? A possible crime? Let the investigation begin! The 4th book in this sports-themed series of mysteries.
The Steve and Susan Sports Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
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Murder at the Lake by Bren Gaudet
The Amanda Christie Series
When 17-year-old Amanda Christie is invited to a cousins-only weekend retreat at her aunt's Austin, Texas, estate, she doesn't know what to expect. She soon finds though, that the weekend will be anything but boring. One of the guests is responsible for the death of Amanda's uncle and when a dangerous storm traps the teens inside the secluded mansion, Amanda becomes determined to uncover the killer. But when their cell phones go missing and guests begin to disappear, Amanda realizes that the killer isn't finished. With time running out and no way of knowing who to trust, she must either uncover the murderer or risk being the next victim. The 1st book in this series.
The Amanda Christie Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 13 and older.
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Rescuing Seneca Crane by Susan Runholt
The Kari and Lucas Series
When Kari and Lucas first see Seneca Crane up on stage, playing the piano in front of hundreds of people, they are in awe. She is beautiful. She is amazingly talented. And she is only thirteen! But then they get to know her at the Edinburgh Arts Festival and realize that she envies them. Soon the three are becoming friends . . .until Seneca disappears. There’s no stopping Kari and Lucas from jumping on the trail and tracking her down. Even when it leads to the heart of the Scottish highlands! The 2nd book in this series.
The The Kari and Lucas Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 13 and older.
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Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.
An ancient and priceless piece of jewelry, the Moonstone, has been stolen, and it's up to you to track it down! Investigate every person who was in the mansion at the time of the crime to solve the mystery and catch the crook, in this exciting hidden object game! Explore every room of the mansion to find valuable clues in Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone, and return the jewel to its rightful owner.
Also available: Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone Strategy Guide and a Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone Game Walkthrough.
Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone, a Big Fish Game Club Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (145.71 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.
Watch a preview video below:
Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.
Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).
Big Fish Games: Bestsellers
Big Fish Games: New releases
And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!
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AMC TV released a new preview for its upcoming miniseries The Prisoner, based on the British series of the same name that aired from September 1967 through February 1968. This new series stars Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel and is called a "reinterpretation" of the original.
The Premise: A man, known as "Six," finds himself inexplicably trapped in "The Village" with no memory of how he arrived. As he explores his environment, he discovers that his fellow inhabitants are identified by number instead of name, have no memory of any prior existence, and are under constant surveillance. Not knowing whom to trust, Six is driven by the need to discover the truth behind The Village, the reason for his being there, and most importantly -- how he can escape.
The Prisoner is scheduled to air on AMC TV this November.
At Comic Con in San Diego this week, the network announced an exclusive The Prisoner Comic Con Marvel comic for the series, and released a 9 minute preview for the miniseries, which can be viewed below:
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Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating this week's online book tour for Paul Martin Midden, author of the provocative political thriller Toxin.
Today, Friday July 24th, Paul will be visiting 2 blog sites:
• Cafe of Dreams where Toxin is reviewed; and
• Jen's Book Thoughts where Paul is a guest blogger discussing the challenges of book marketing.
We're also thrilled to announce that Paul is giving away a signed copy of his new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Paul's tour page, which also has a complete schedule of his tour including a biography and more information about Toxin.
We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites this week to learn more about Paul and a terrifyingly-real storyline that deftly blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
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Alloy Entertainment has launched a new online series based on the "Private" novels by Kate Brian. The series stars Evan Tauberfeld and Kelsey Sanders, with a third lead to be cast during a 6-part reality competition called Private: The Casting Call. The first two episodes of this competition are now online at PrivateNovels.com.
The series itself will begin in mid-August with three 4-minute episodes airing each week. Up to 20 episodes may be filmed based on the first four books of the series (which are being republished as book tie-ins).
Though the books span multiple genres, the webisodes are expected to follow a murder mystery plot.
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Showtime released three new trailers this week during Comic Con in San Diego for its popular series Dexter, starring Michael C. Hall as the titular character and based on the character created by Jeff Lindsay. Dexter returns for a fourth season on September 27th. Until then, the network is airing previous episodes on Sunday evenings. The third season of Dexter on DVD will be released on 08/18/2009.
Dexter is a guy who will charm fellow officers with a doughnut, wile away a Sunday with his girlfriend Rita, or chop up a victim and package their body parts in plastic bags. Hiding beneath the mundane exterior and contrived façade of Dexter, a charming blood spatter expert for the Miami Police Department, is an obsession with meting his own twisted brand of justice: stalking and murdering the guilty.
The first video below is a preview of the 4th season of Dexter. The second is for a new series of animated shorts called Dexter: Early Cuts, which will focus on the character as a teenager and be shown as webisodes. The third is for the Dexter game, to be available initially on the Apple iPhone. These videos, and much more about the series, are available on the official Dexter website.
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Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.
Take on the role of a seasoned lawyer in Defenders of Law. Someone has murdered sweet Miss Rosendale and your client has been falsely accused. It's up to you to prove your client innocent by gathering evidence at crime scenes, analyzing evidence, and using it in court. Convince the jury by presenting the facts you find by scouring gorgeously hand drawn scenes.
Also available: Defenders of Law: The Rosendale File Strategy Guide and a Defenders of Law: The Rosendale File Game Walkthrough.
Defenders of Law: The Rosendale File, a Big Fish Game Club Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (145.00 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.
Watch a preview video below:
Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.
Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).
Big Fish Games: Bestsellers
Big Fish Games: New releases
And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!
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A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending July 24, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.
The top 6 mystery bestsellers are the same from last week with Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich remaining at the top of the list this week.
Debuting last week but moving up to 10th position this week is Rain Gods, the second mystery to feature Sheriff Hackberry Holland by James Lee Burke; the first was published in 1971. When Hackberry Holland became sheriff of a tiny Texas town near the Mexican border, he'd hoped to leave certain things behind: his checkered reputation, his haunted dreams, and his obsessive memories of the good life with his late wife, Rie. But the discovery of the bodies of nine illegal aliens, machine-gunned to death and buried in a shallow grave behind a church, soon makes it clear that he won't escape so easily. As Hack and Deputy Sheriff Pam Tibbs attempt to untangle the threads of this complex and grisly case, a damaged young Iraq veteran, Pete Flores, and his girlfriend, Vikki Gaddis, are running for their lives, hoping to outwit the bloodthirsty criminals who want to kill Pete for his involvement in the murders. The only trouble is, Pete doesn't know who he's running from: drunk and terrified, he fled the scene of the crime when the shooting began. And there's a long list of people who want Pete and Vikki dead: crime boss Hugo Cistranos, who hired Pete for the operation; Nick Dolan, a strip club owner and small-time gangster with revenge on his mind; and a mysterious God-fearing serial-killer-for-hire known as Preacher Jack Collins, with enigmatic motives of his own. With the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and a host of cold-blooded killers on Pete and Vikki's trail, it's up to Sheriff Holland to find them first and figure out who's behind the mass murder before anyone else ends up dead.
Entering the list in 15th position is the 9th Gabriel Allon thriller, The Defector by Daniel Silva. Six months after the dramatic conclusion of Moscow Rules, Gabriel has returned to the tan hills of Umbria to resume his honeymoon with his new wife, Chiara, and restore a seventeenth-century altarpiece for the Vatican. But his idyllic world is once again thrown into turmoil with shocking news from London. The defector and former Russian intelligence officer Grigori Bulganov, who saved Gabriel’s life in Moscow, has vanished without a trace. British intelligence is sure he was a double agent all along, but Gabriel knows better. He also knows he made a promise. In the days to come, Gabriel and his team of operatives will find themselves in a deadly duel of nerve and wits with one of the world’s most ruthless men: the murderous Russian oligarch and arms dealer Ivan Kharkov. It will take him from a quiet mews in London, to the shores of Lake Como, to the glittering streets of Geneva and Zurich, and, finally, to a heart-stopping climax in the snowbound birch forests of Russia. Faced with the prospect of losing the one thing he holds most dear, Gabriel will be tested in ways he never imagined possible. And his life will never be the same.
On our bestseller page, we've added an icon 
The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:
Please 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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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith
A Holmes on the Range Mystery
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-37942-0 (0312379420)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37942-1 (9780312379421)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $24.99
Review: A Crack in the Lens is the fourth engaging mystery in the Holmes on the Range series by Steve Hockensmith, this time with brothers Gustav ("Old Red") and Otto ("Big Red") on a quest to settle a score.
Five years ago Gustav's fiancée Adeline was murdered, brutally killed while he was on a cattle drive. She worked as a lady of the night so the authorities didn't spend much time looking for her killer and no one was ever arrested for the crime. The brothers have a little money in their pockets, Otto having sold a story, so they decide to leave California for Texas where Adeline died. Gustav is an admirer of Sherlock Holmes, whose exploits have been recently chronicled. He believes he and Otto can do a little sleuthing themselves, possibly "deducify" what happened. But before they even reach their destination they're met by three hooded men who hang them from a tree. They escape, of course, but as Otto explains, they were meant to. If the men had intended to kill them, why hide their identities? Old Red and Big Red continue into town, but it's very different than what they remember, and they're considered unwelcome outsiders by the community. There's law and order ... and religion. But there's still crime outside city limits. Someone who fancies himself as Jack the Ripper has been targeting prostitutes. Old Red and Big Red try to investigate but are tossed into jail for crimes they've allegedly committed. But locked up, how will they be able to use Old Red's "Sherlockery" to close the cases of the murdered women?
A Crack in the Lens is a wonderful, funny story wrapped around a clever murder mystery. The influence of the famous consulting detective is clearly felt throughout, albeit with a Texas twang and swagger. The characters and setting all have an authentic ring to them, and the narrative and dialog will have the reader grinning shamelessly. This delightful novel should be on everyone's summer reading list.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Crack in the Lens and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing The Crack in the Lens from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
Synopsis (from the publisher): In 1893, Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer and his brother Gustav, "Old Red" find themselves in a situation that they never expected. They have a bit of money and time to do something other than scramble. It's enough to confound even that most unconfoundable of men, their mutual inspiration, Sherlock Holmes.
So Old Red decides that it's time for the for the two of them to head off to the Texas Hill Country, to San Marcos, and deal with the greatest tragedy of Old Red's life. Five years ago, when Old Red was a cowpoke in San Marcos, he had a sweetheart—a fallen woman at the local house of ill repute. They had made plans but before they made their big move, his fiancée was murdered and the case swept under the rug by the local authorities. Now, Old Red is determined to find out what really happened and to finally find a measure of justice for his beloved. But Big Red and Old Red find themselves facing a wall of silence and in some of the worst situations of their lives: ensnared in a riot at the local cathouse, on the wrong end of a lynching party and perhaps worst of all—having to do the one thing you never want to do in the state of Texas: steal horses.
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The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival opened today in Harrogate. As part of the opening day ceremonies, the winner of the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year was announced.
And the winner this year is:
◊ Death Message by Mark Billingham.
Thanks to Euro Crime for posting this breaking news.
Congratulations from all of us at MBN! Visit Mystery Book Awards for more information on over 30 other awards recognizing outstanding mystery fiction.
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Winners of the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Awards have been announced by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Awards are given in many categories, including Mystery / Suspense, for books published in the previous calendar year.
And the winner this year is:
◊ Head Wounds by Chris Knopf 
We had the pleasure of reviewing Head Wounds, calling it "an exceptional novel, in both character and setting, but most importantly in how the plot develops." We also included the book in our list of the best mysteries of 2008.
Also winning this year in the Literary Criticism category, and of interest to mystery readers who may be considering becoming mystery writers, is Chris Roerden for her book Don't Sabotage Your Submission: Save Your Manuscript from Turning Up D.O.A., an all-genre version of her Agatha Award-winning title Don't Murder Your Mystery.
Our congratulations to all the winners this year!
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Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating this week's online book tour for Paul Martin Midden, author of the provocative political thriller Toxin.
Today, Thursday July 23rd, Paul will be visiting 2 blog sites:
• Allie's Musings where Paul is interviewed; and
• Bookish Ruth where Paul is a guest blogger discussing plot development.
We're also thrilled to announce that Paul is giving away a signed copy of his new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Paul's tour page, which also has a complete schedule of his tour including a biography and more information about Toxin.
We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites this week to learn more about Paul and a terrifyingly-real storyline that deftly blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
Return to Mystery Books News ...
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