Monday, January 31, 2011

Set the Night on Fire by Libby Fischer Hellmann (Mystery Book Review)

Set the Night on Fire by Libby Fischer Hellmann
More information about the book

Set the Night on Fire by Libby Fischer Hellmann. Non-series. Allium Press Hardcover, December 2010.

The unknown elements from the past, from the people Lila Hilliard meets to the items she finds among her late father's effects, and how they relate to the present events -- including attempts to kill her -- add to the overall intrigue of the story. But a lengthy, and largely unnecessary, backstory introduced midway through disrupts the flow of the story.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Set the Night on Fire by Libby Fischer Hellmann.

Purchase Options: Amazon.com Print Edition | Amazon.com Kindle Edition | Barnes&Noble NookBook

Read the first chapter(s) of Set the Night on Fire below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

Mystery and Suspense TV and Films, New This Week on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (110201)

Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller Films on DVD and/or Blu-ray Disc

Checking through our list of films currently scheduled for release this week on DVD and/or Blu-ray disc, shown below are those that fall into the mystery, suspense, and thriller categories.

Available on DVD Available on DVD
Available on Blu-ray Disc Available on Blu-ray Disc
Available on VOD Available on Video on Demand (via Amazon.com)

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The Long Good Friday

The Long Good Friday (1980) The Long Good Friday on DVDThe Long Good Friday on Blu-ray DiscThe Long Good Friday on Video on Demand

Entrepreneurial mob boss Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) runs an underworld empire but his dreams are much bigger. He and his sophisticated wife (Helen Mirren) aspire to partner with American mobsters to turn the barren docklands of London into a development for the upcoming Olympics. But their perfect plan begins to unravel when a string of deadly bombings leads Shand to the stunning realization that he is being targeted by the IRA. A bloody race to hold on to his crumbling schemes brings him to an explosive climax in this taut, riveting thriller. (R, 1:53)

Purchase Options: DVD | Blu-ray | VOD

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Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa (1986) Mona Lisa on DVDMona Lisa on Blu-ray DiscMona Lisa on Video on Demand

An ex-convict, thug and a high-class call girl make for an unlikely and dangerous couple in a tale of frustrated love on the cruel streets of London's underworld. Bob Hoskins stars as George, a working class hood whose growing obsession with the exotic and cunning Simone (Cathy Tyson) will lead him down a dark and bloody path. The supporting cast includes Robbie Coltrane, Sammi Davis, and Michael Caine. (R, 1:14)

Purchase Options: DVD | Blu-ray | VOD

Telemystery: Blue Murder and Single-Handed, New This Week on DVD

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 selections of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available on or coming soon to DVD or Blu-ray disc, is profiling two series being released this week.

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Blue Murder: The Complete Collection, a Mystery TV Series
Information on Blue Murder: The Complete Collection

Caroline Quentin stars as DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Murder, a British crime drama that aired for four seasons on an irregular schedule on ITV from 2003 through 2008.

On the job, Lewis deals with the ugly side of human nature, investigating Manchester’s most gruesome crimes. At home, she's a harried but devoted single mother of four, struggling to balance her challenging career with the stresses and rewards of family life.

Caroline Quentin perfectly captures Lewis's strength and vulnerability as she balances work and family, aided by her handsome, dedicated partner (Ian Kelsey).

The Blue Murder: The Complete Collection DVD set of 9 discs contain all 19 episodes of this series that follows the gritty realities of Lewis’s career from her initial promotion through personal and professional ups and downs — always presented with a touch of wry humor and keen observations about modern motherhood.

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Single-Handed: Set One, a Mystery TV Series
Information on Single-Handed: Set One

When Garda Sergeant Jack Driscoll (Owen McDonnell) returns home to the windswept west coast of Ireland, his father — and predecessor at his new post — warns: "Out here, it’s a team of one." As chief law-enforcement officer in this insular community, Jack soon learns the hard truth in those words in Single-Handed, a series that premiered on RTE in Ireland and ITV in the UK in 2007.

Small-town life presents challenges he never faced in Dublin — among them, winning the respect of the villagers and escaping the shadow of his father (Ian McElhinney), whose methods relied more on pragmatism than principle.

The Single-Handed: Set One DVD set of 3 discs contain the three multi-part episodes "Natural Justice", "The Stolen Child", and "The Drowning Man".

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

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for January 31, 2011

A new has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now available on our website.

Godoku is similar to Sudoku, but uses letters instead of numbers. To give you a headstart, we provide you a mystery clue to fill in a complete row or column (if you choose to use it!).

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for January 31, 2011

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A E G H I M N W Y

PI DD McGil is hunting for this author in the 2nd mystery in this series by Diane Gilbert Madsen (9 letters).

We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Mr. E. Reviews RED

RED (DVD Cover)

All the principal actors have an easy rapport with each other, and seem to be enjoying the roles they're playing. But the story takes an awfully long time to get going, despite plenty of action scenes in the first hour of the film. It really isn't until about sixty minute mark that the plot starts to gel and get interesting.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews RED.

Available on: Available on DVDDVD | Available on Blu-rayBlu-ray | Available on Video-On-DemandVOD

Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Find a Fortune in Gold in Mystery P.I.: Stolen in San Francisco, New for PC/Mac

Mystery P.I.: Stolen in San Francisco (Windows PC / Mac)
More Information about the Game

Explore the city by the bay in Mystery P.I.: Stolen in San Francisco, a stunning new episode of the popular Mystery P.I. series!

You're the world famous Mystery P.I. and you've been hired to find and return a fortune in stolen gold. You'll have to track down clues before the trail goes cold and it’s lost forever. Seek and find over 2,100 hidden objects in 25 amazing settings -- from Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz, to Haight-Ashbury and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Collect special hidden objects in each scene for a perfect investigation and unlock two bonus game modes. You have just 17 hours to solve the case -- if you find the gold in time, you'll collect a $20 million reward! Are you up to the job?

Mystery P.I.: Stolen in San Francisco is scheduled to be released on February 1st, 2011, and may be pre-ordered. It is ESRB rated E for Everyone. (Game includes versions for Windows and Mac.)

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is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, and more mysterious fun!

TNT Extends Final Season of The Closer to Introduce Spin-Off

Telemystery: Mystery and Suspense on Television

Good news for fans of The Closer! As previously hinted at, Inside TV is reporting that TNT has now officially extended the final season of its popular series by an additional six episodes, which are intended to introduce both new characters and a new storyline for a spin-off.

Kyra Sedgwick will appear in these additional episodes, now scheduled to air during Summer 2012. (The current season begins airing its 15 episodes later this summer.)

The spin-off is tentatively titled Major Crimes, and will focus on the behind-the-scenes deal-making that happens when convicted criminals aren't sent to death row.

Enter a World of Danger and Suspense on Murder Island: Secret of Tantalus, New from BFG

Games of Mystery

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual game from Big Fish Games released today and available to BFG Club members. 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.

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Murder Island: Secret of Tantalus
Murder Island: Secret of Tantalus

Welcome to a world of danger and suspense in this thrilling hidden object adventure game! You're invited to a gorgeous, isolated Greek island for your high school reunion. Upon arrival, you notice that something isn't right. One by one, your former classmates get killed—all the murders mirroring tragic Greek myths. Discover clues, locate missing objects, and solve dangerously perplexing puzzles to avoid being next on the mysterious killer's list!

Murder Island: Secret of Tantalus may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (111.15 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read Ms. Terri's reviews of the adventure and casual mystery games featured on this site, including Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses!, Enlightenus, and many more!

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic, and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

India Black by Carol K. Carr (Mystery Book Review)

India Black by Carol K. Carr
More information about the book

India Black by Carol K. Carr. An India Black Mystery. Berkley Prime Crime Trade Paperback, January 2011.

Set in 1876, this adventure of espionage features a delightful cast of characters, headlined by Madam India Black, who keeps the reader entertained at all times. Deftly blending historical facts with a fictional story, this most enjoyable mystery is not to be missed.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: India Black by Carol K. Carr.

Purchase Options: Amazon.com Print Edition | Amazon.com Kindle Edition

Read the first chapter(s) of India Black below:

Mr. E. Reviews Pie in the Sky Series 4

Pie in the Sky Series 4 (DVD Cover)

In any series set, it's highly unlikely that every episode will be to one's liking. But I found five of the six episodes of Pie in the Sky Series 4 (1996), starring Richard Griffiths as Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, who is also chef of his wife's titular restaurant, to be quite good, one of these rather exceptional, and only one episode sub-par, a fine score overall.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Pie in the Sky Series 4.

Available on: Available on DVDDVD

Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (110129)

Book Trends: Reviews of Young Adult and Children Books

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery/suspense/thriller category.

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner. The first thriller in the Keepers Trilogy, recommended for readers aged 10 to 12. Lexile measure: 640L. Reviewed by a 6th grade student, who writes, "Museum of Thieves is a great adventure. The ending will keep you asking for more! If you love the action-adventure genre, this book is for you." (Read the entire review.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Friday, January 28, 2011

All Three New Angels Cast in ABC's Reboot of Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels (ABC)

Last week we got word that the first "angel" had been cast in ABC's reboot of Charlie's Angels.

Now we're learning (via Inside TV) that Annie Ilonzeh's two partners will be Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) and Rachel Taylor (Transformers).

The characters' names seem to be in flux here, previously reported as Kate (Ilonzeh), Marisa (Kelly) and Abby (Taylor), but now Kate, Kelly and Abby (we think).

Kate is listed as a smart, athletic ex-cop and a master of martial arts. Marisa/Kelly is a former US Marine and an expert in hand-to-hand combat, while Abby is a con artist, the privileged daughter of a disgraced Wall Street tycoon.

Robert Wagner will provide the voice of Charlie.

The series will be set in Miami, with production expected to begin late this spring.

Mr. E. Reviews Prison Break Season One

Prison Break Season One (DVD Cover)

An enthralling series! If you're willing to allow for the occasional scene that stretches credulity, or in several lapses in continuity, you'll be rewarded with a season of 22 suspenseful, incredibly exciting episodes that are remarkable in how they capture the carefully devised plan of a brilliant strategist planning to break his wrongly convicted brother out of prison.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Prison Break Season One.

Available on: Available on DVDDVD | Available on Video-On-DemandVOD

Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Historical Crime Novelist Ariana Franklin Has Died

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
More information about the book

The BBC is reporting that Diana Norman, who wrote a series of historical mysteries under the pen name Ariana Franklin, has died. She was 77.

Her first mystery, Mistress of the Art of Death, introduced Adelia Aguilar, a medieval coroner in 12th century England. It was recognized with the Crime Writers' Association Ellis Peters Historical Award in 2007. She was also honored last year with the CWA Dagger in the Library, an annual award given to "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users."

She went on to write three additional books in the series. She also wrote other books under her own name.

NBC Orders Crime Drama Pilot with Characters Inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales

Telemystery: Mystery and Suspense on Television

Here's a literary-inspired crime drama with a twist: Inside TV is reporting that NBC has ordered a pilot in which the characters are adapted from those that appear in Grimm's Fairy Tales. The title, appropriately enough, is simply Grimm.

Jim Kouf (Ghost Whisperer) and David Greenwalt In Plain Sight, Moonlight, Kidnapped) developed the project.

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