New Mysteries: HarperCollins Offers Sneak Peak at The Dakota Cipher by William Dietrich

HarperCollins is providing readers a sneak peak at the upcoming third Ethan Gage adventure, The Dakota Cipher by William Dietrich. The first 6 chapters (40 pages) are available to read online. The Dakota Cipher has a scheduled publication date of March 24, 2009.

Ethan Gage, the hero of Napoleon's Pyramids and The Rosetta Key, just wants to enjoy the fruits of victory after helping Napoleon win the Battle of Marengo and end an undeclared naval war with the United States.

But a foolish tryst with Bonaparte's married sister and the improbable schemes of a grizzled Norwegian named Magnus Bloodhammer soon send Ethan on a new treasure hunt on America's frontier that will have him dodging scheming aristocrats and hostile Indians.

In 1801 newly elected president Thomas Jefferson, taking office in the burgeoning capital of Washington, D.C., convinces Ethan and Magnus to go on a scouting expedition -- one that precedes that of Lewis and Clark -- to investigate reports of woolly mammoths and blue-eyed Indians.

The pair have their own motive, however, which they neglect to share with the president: a search for the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor, allegedly brought by fugitive Norsemen to the center of North America 150 years before Columbus. Can the hammer control thunder and lightning? Is there a core of truth to this myth?

Ethan's journey takes him across the Great Lakes to country no white man has seen, but not before he becomes entangled with a British temptress, a comely captive, a French voyageur, and a landscape as breathtaking as it is perilous.

Ancient Norse runes will lead him to his most fantastic discovery yet—and to wonder, danger, mystery, and sorrow that will test every ounce of wit and skill Gage can muster.

As an added bonus, HarperCollins is making the entire first book in the series, Napoleon's Pyramids, available to read online. We reviewed Napoleon's Pyramids, calling it a "thrill ride worth experiencing." Read our full review here: Mysterious Reviews: Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich.

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Games of Mystery Review: Nick Chase, A Detective Story

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is publishing a new review of asdf. For readers of Mystery Books News, we are printing it here first in advance of its publication on our website.

Mystery Game Review: Nick Chase, A Detective Story.

Nick Chase is a private investigator with too much time on his hands. But then he's offered an assignment to track down a missing manuscript purported to have been written by Leonardo da Vinci. Help Nick navigate the maze of clues that leads to its recovery in Nick Chase, A Detective Story.

Nick Chase, A Detective Story is an evolutionary step forward for the standard hidden object game. Objects still have to be found, but in some cases they have to be assembled or otherwise used in a specific order. The game also includes a wide variety of puzzles and arcade-type games, a refreshing break from searching dark rooms for dimly seen objects.

The story behind the game closely follows the format of hard-boiled detective novels. It's a compelling tale and will keep the player moving forward, if only to find out what happens next. The hidden object scenes are beautifully drawn, and have the noir-like quality to accompany the story. The dialog (and voice-over) is a bit clichéd, but in a good way. The background music, often forgettable, actually enhances the experience.

Each hidden object scene opens with a task, often one of several, to be performed before moving on. Finding the objects can be tricky. Fortunately, you're given a number of hints in the form of bullets. A hint "costs" one bullet, but bullets can be found in the scene to replenish your inventory. I was never able to find all the items in a scene without spending a bullet or two. Then again, I never expended all my bullets either.

Most transitions between scenes offer a puzzle to the player. Most of the puzzles are easy to understand, if not always easy to execute. They're not necessarily hard, but can be a bit tedious to complete. (If you're stumped, the puzzles can usually be skipped, albeit accompanied by a warning that you'll achieve a lower score.)

The cut-scenes are provided in a graphic novel style, setting the stage for the next part of Nick's investigation. A character typically introduces the following scene, sometimes providing a hint as to how to complete the following task. It's not always obvious how to proceed, though. Some items can be clicked on but you're preventing from doing anything with them. Nick will tell you that it's unnecessary to do that, but then, what's the point of having them active to be clicked. I was left wondering if I had missed something, even after successfully completing the task.

It should be noted that there is no timer on any of the scenes, so players can take as much time as they need to complete them.

The bottom line: Nick Chase: A Detective Story is as much an interesting mystery to follow as it is a game to enjoy. The striking graphics, interesting characters, creative puzzles, and the ease of playing the game without it being too simplistic (or too difficult) are all points in its favor. A sequel would be a most welcome development.

Reviewed on March 04, 2009 by Ms. Terri, game reviewer for Mystery Books News.

Nick Chase, A Detective Story may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A trial version may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

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Mystery Book Review: Fatal February by Barbara Levenson

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Fatal February by Barbara Levenson. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Fatal February by Barbara Levenson
A Mary Magruder Katz Mystery

Oceanview (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-933515-52-X (193351552X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-52-6 (9781933515526)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $22.95

Review: Senior judge for the circuit court in Miami-Dade County Barbara Levenson pens her first mystery, Fatal February, featuring criminal defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz who not only has a new high-profile case, but a new man in her life.

First the case: Socialite Lillian Yarmouth has been arrested for the stabbing murder of her husband. The press have already convicted her, but Mary isn't convinced. From all outward appearances, they were a happy, loving couple who adored their two college-age children. Most of the couple's assets were in her name, so money couldn't have been an issue. But there are other secrets in this family that may well provide a motive the prosecution can use. And it's up to Mary to discover what they are before her trial begins.

Then there's Carlos. Their first meeting is an inauspicious one: he rear-ends her car. But soon he's a client then a lover and then her fiercest protector. He's fallen for Mary, and she for him, but can their relationship stand the strain of everything going on around them?

It's hard not to like a mystery that opens with this paragraph:

Lillian Yarmouth murdered her husband. She stabbed him with her grandmother's antique silver letter opener. Right in the heart. At least, that's what everyone in Miami believed, including the Miami Herald, although they used the term "allegedly" several times.

Not surprisingly given the author's background, the strongest elements of Fatal February are the courtroom scenes and when Mary is being lawyerly. Mary is the kind of lawyer a defendant wants, whether they're guilty or not. She's tough, sympathetic, knowledgeable, and capable. She also knows how to balance work with pleasure. The other characters in the book are also well-developed. Carlos in particular provides a nice counterpoint to Mary and their scenes together are entertaining.

The plot, however, is somewhat thin and weakly developed. Only one credible suspect (other than Lillian) is introduced resulting in an either/or scenario, not much depth for a mystery. From a legal perspective, however, this probably makes sense. After all, the defense attorney simply has to provide a case for reasonable doubt to win a verdict of not guilty, not prove her client's innocence. Still, a red herring here and there would have helped generate some uncertainty in the reader's mind.

On balance, though, Fatal February, with its engaging characters and colorful setting, is an enjoyable way to while away that wintry afternoon.

Special thanks to Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity for providing an ARC of Fatal February for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing Fatal February from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): For half Jewish, half Southern Baptist Miami criminal defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz, life starts to spin completely out of control when a minor fender bender turns out to be an unlikely shot from Cupid’s bow.

Carlos Martin, the other car’s driver, isn’t just a distracted driver; he’s distracting. Carlos is charming, handsome, and mysterious. Hardly before she knows what hit her, Mary breaks off her engagement, jumps into a sizzling romance with Carlos, gets fired from her former fiancé’s highbrow law firm, starts her own practice, and lands her first client, Lillian Yarmouth.

But Lillian isn’t just any client; she’s the prime suspect in what’s become the Miami society murder of the year.

While investigating Lillian’s alleged crime of passion, Mary finds that this case, like all matters of the heart, is anything but black and white. And Mary has clearly stumbled onto something that has someone seeing red.

February may be the shortest month of the year, but Mary’s got some long days (and nights) ahead. This month could be a real killer.

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is 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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First Clues: The 39 Clues, The Sword Thief, Now Available

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 three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older), is pleased to announce the availability of the next book in The 39 Clues series.

Attention! Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, this time in the company of the notoriously unreliable Alistair Oh. Could they have been foolish enough to make an alliance? Spies report that Amy and Dan seem to be tracking the life of one of the most powerful fighters the world has ever known. If this fearsome warrior was a Cahill, his secrets are sure to be well-guarded ... and the price to uncover them just might be lethal.

The 39 Clues: The Sword Thief, the 3rd book in The 39 Clues series, follows the adventures of the Amy and Dan as they criss-cross the globe in search of the family's secret power. And it's up to you, the reader, to help find them find it.

The first two books in the series, Maze of Bones and One False Note, have been incredibly popular with readers. The 39 Clues: Card Pack contains 16 randomly assorted cards and a clue finders guide, and covers the first 3 books in the series.

For more information about the series or to create an account, visit The39Clues.com. You can also read a student-written review of the first book, Maze of Bones, available at First Clue Reviews: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan.

And don't forget to check out the new 39 Clues Video Blog. In the first episode, The Sword Thief author Peter Lerangis says he's traveling the US to talk about his book, but don't believe him! Peter is really on the trail of a famous diamond that may be connected to a clue. Check back often. Peter is video blogging from the road ... and leaving lots of hints for you.

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Dark Chronicles, a new Digi-Novel Series, Announced Today

In a press release today, EQAL and CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker announced a partnership to launch a multiplatform series of "digi-novels", books that include a multimedia experience.

The first book in the series, Dark Chronicles, a crime novel to be published by Dutton, will have a companion website, DarkChronicles.com. Readers will be able to access cyber bridges every five chapters, allowing them to view videos, audio files and photos. All cyber bridges will be written by Zuiker.

The website is scheduled to go live in July with a blog and social network. The book is set for publication on September 09, 2009 at which time the cyber bridges will be added to the website.

[MBN note: This partnership was actually announced last summer, though no details were provided at the time. But this idea of a "cyber bridge" is new, at least to us. And try as we might, we cannot imagine what a cyber bridge is. It seems to be an integral component of the digi-novel, itself a coined term, but that's all we're getting from it. Maybe we're trying to be too literal in visualizing how it might work.]

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Mystery Book Review: Nutcase by Charlotte Hughes

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Nutcase by Charlotte Hughes. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Nutcase by Charlotte Hughes
A Kate Holly Case

Jove (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-515-14593-9 (0515145939)
ISBN-13: 978-0-515-14593-9 (9780515145939)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $7.99

Review: Everyone has days where it seems like everyone in their life is crazy. Unfortunately for Kate Holly, sometimes they actually are. It doesn’t help that she’s a therapist who can’t seem to turn away patients, no matter how potentially dangerous, but Kate seems to attract crazy people. From the transgender ex-marine her mother has taken in, to the old woman who promises to cure her dog of depression, Kate’s life is full of madness. And this doesn’t even factor in her exploded office, lecherous ex, estranged firefighter husband, overwhelming family, and the spate of arsons that are the talk of the town!

Charlotte Hughes has created a thoroughly engaging work of madcap fiction in Nutcase. It is fast paced, easy to read, written with a strong voice and a good sense of humor. The plotting is somewhat scattered, with characters and their conflicts moving in and out of the novel’s focus. This creates a thoroughly lively and entertaining story that is almost impossible to put down. My only complaint is that the work seems to focus in on what seems to be the central mystery somewhat belatedly, making this less a classic detective-style work than a funny novel with elements of mystery worked in.

Hughes’ strength is clearly her characters, and their strong voices are convincing and extremely funny. The plot is likewise strongly character driven, focusing on the humorous and ever-changing relationships between the numerous characters. Sometimes, however, things can feel a little over the top. Dialogue occasionally reads like a sitcom rather than a novel, and realism is sometimes sacrificed for humor, making the characters less deep then they might be. However, most readers will find it easy to get into the light-hearted spirit of the work, and will enjoy it for the fun an intensely engaging novel that it is!

Special thanks to Rebecca Henderson for contributing her review of Nutcase and to Charlotte Hughes for providing a copy of the book for the review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Rebecca Henderson — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

If you are interested in purchasing Nutcase from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Nutcase (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): The life of a psychologist is enough to drive anyone nuts …

Ever since she blew up her own office with nitroglycerin (she was sure the patient was bluffing -- until the vial exploded), psychologist Kate Holly has been one step away from going off her rocker. It doesn’t help that she’s still in love with her firefighter ex-husband. They both want to patch things up, but Kate has been using sex to avoid talking, and he wants to know; is there something she is not telling him?

Well yes, there is. Kate is about to get evicted from her office, and her best option may be to share space with her hot tub-loving ex-boyfriend, Dr. Thad Glazer. With her oddball patients, her meddling mother, and her eccentric secretary thrown into the mix -- not to mention a spate of suspicious fires- will Kate put her life back together before she ends up in a padded cell?

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is 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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James Patterson to Co-Author Thriller with Swedish Crime Novelist Liza Marklund

Publishers Weekly reported yesterday that James Patterson, who it says, in quite possibly the understatement of the year, is "no stranger to collaboration", will co-write with Swedish crime novelist Liza Marklund a thriller to be published in 2010. Marklund is a bestseller in her native Sweden but is little known in the US. Her mystery series features crime reporter Annika Bengtzon.

The untitled book is expected to be set largely in Stockholm. No details about publication in the US are currently available.

As we reported a week or so ago, Patterson is also co-writing a "chain thriller" with 28 other contributing writers to be published in Australia. Each chapter of this book will be available to read online starting March 20, 2009.

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Jesse Stone: Thin Ice Leads CBS to Sunday Ratings Win

The headline of the press release says it all: Jesse Stone Leads CBS to Sunday Win in Viewers. From 9 to 11 PM, Jesse Stone: Thin Ice, starring Tom Selleck as the Paradise (MA) police chief, was first in households and viewers in the ratings.

The reason we think this is important: it may mean more movies are on the way, and that would be wonderful news. Selleck himself said he's "perfectly willing, for the record, to do 20 or 25 of these just because the character’s so much fun."

As we reported last November, the 6th movie in the series, Jesse Stone: No Remorse, wrapped up production in Nova Scotia. The story picks up where Jesse Stone: Thin Ice ended, with Jesse having been suspended by the Paradise town council and working for the state investigating a series of murders in Boston. Selleck co-wrote the script.

No air date for Jesse Stone: No Remorse has been set by CBS, but let's hope they don't make us wait another two years before it's shown.

Four previous movies in the series are currently on DVD, and are available from Mysteries on TV: Jesse Stone.

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Finalists Announced for 2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize

In a press release today, the Los Angeles Times announced the finalists for the 29th annual Literary Awards. The winners will be announced in a ceremony on April 24, 2009.

In the Mystery / Thriller category, the finalists are:

• The Finder by Colin Harrison (Farrar Straus & Giroux)
• Envy the Night by Michael Koryta (St. Martin's Minotaur)
• Bad Traffic by Simon Lewis (Scribner)
• The Age of Dreaming by Nina Revoyr (Akashic Books)
• Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith (Grand Central Publishing)

For a complete list of the finalists in all categories, visit the LATimes.com website.

For a list of previous mystery book winners, visit our website Mystery Book Awards: Los Angeles Times Book Prizes.

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First Clues Review: Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams
The Echo Falls Mysteries

HarperCollins (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-06-073710-7 (0060737107)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-073710-8 (9780060737108)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $6.99

Review written by Kevin, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: March 2009.

Review: Into the Dark, being the third book in the Echo Falls series, is a thriller of a book. With infinite fiascos and situations that will make you jump out of your seat and bite your nails waiting anxiously what is going to happen next! Written by Peter Abrahams, this novel is a wonder.

The book begins on a lazy Saturday where Ingrid is alone at home. Her best boy friend Joey calls her up and asks if she wants to go snowshoeing with him. Joey just got brand new snowshoes for Ingrid the day before. As Ingrid and Joey are out snowshoeing they see the old Indian trail and decide that it would be fun to go on it for a while. This particular trail goes through Grampy’s property. Grampy is Ingrid’s grandfather. Joey and Ingrid are having a pleasant experience when Ingrid stumbles over something clogged in the sinkhole. Ingrid observes closely from one side what the thing in the hole is, but when she turns to the other side of the object, it turns out to be a murdered man. The police arrive and look for evidence as usual, but there is something different about this case than all the others to Ingrid. The police are questioning her grandfather for murder or even manslaughter! Ingrid, the youth sleuth, will persevere to find the right evidence and clues to prove to the police and the judge that her grandfather is innocent. But can the youth sleuth pull it off again? Read on to find out.

This book deserves a standing ovation and a round of applause. This was a marvelous novel, packed with spine tingling predicaments and laugh-your-lungs-out situations. The back story plot (with the father getting into some deep trouble) was a very well fortified and strong plot story and it followed along with the story tying in very satisfactorily at the end with the primary plot. The primary plot (the murder of Mr. Thatcher) was very well thought out and well put into place. The flow of events moves very smoothly. Every piece of evidence that Ingrid finds somehow lead into an important event (I won’t mention any because that would give away the story.) It was an excellent novel, very well-written and I just love the characters in the stories. Thank you, Mr. Abrahams for a great read!

Books in this series have been nominated for Edgar Awards, and Down the Rabbit Hole won the Agatha Award in 2005 for Best Children/Young Adult.

If you are interested in purchasing Into the Dark from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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