First Clues Review: Eyes of a Stalker by Valerie Sherrard

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.

Eyes of a Stalker by Valerie Sherrard
The Shelby Belgarden Series

Boardwalk Books (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-55002-643-7 (1550026437)
ISBN-13: 978-1-55002-643-6 (9781550026436)
Publication Date: September 2006
List Price: $12.99

Review written by Melinda, Age 13, Grade 7. Date of review: April 2009.

Review: Do you know what it’s like to be stalked by a mysterious, dreadful person? Well, you’ll find out if you read the book Eyes of a Stalker by Valerie Sherrard. In this book, a high school girl named Shelby Belgarden gets some mysterious packages in the mail, e-mails, and even some phone calls from an unknown person with a disturbing message. Although Shelby is being extremely careful about not going anywhere alone and he police are on the case, the stalker still manages to hide his identity. Shelby feels like nothing will ever be the same for her again, and it is all she thinks about. Not only could Shelby be in danger, but also her boyfriend, Greg. The stalker must be caught before he carries out his deadly scheme.

Overall, I liked this book. It isn’t the type of book I usually read, but it was pretty good. I liked the characters in the book. The main character is smart, realistic, and someone people can like. I liked the rest of the characters too. They had personalities that showed clearly throughout the story. The setting of this book is in a small town. I liked this because it seemed unexpected for there to be a stalker there. I liked the voice of the story because it sets a mysterious mood. If you like horror movies, you might like this book, because it combines scary and mysterious. That’s part of the reason I liked it. It isn’t quite as violent as a horror movie, but the concept of it is similar. Several of Valerie Sherrard’s books have won awards. Out of five stars, I would give this book a four. It isn’t amazing, since I don’t usually like reading mystery books, but it is a good book.

If you are interested in purchasing Eyes of a Stalker 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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Mysteries on TV: TNT Announces Summer Schedule

Mysteries on TV is your source for the most complete selection of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series now available or coming soon to DVD.

TNT announced today its summer schedule of original programming. Of interest to fans of crime dramas are two returning series and one new one.

The Closer returns for its 5th season starting Monday, June 8th at 9 PM (ET). It's going to be a year of change for Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (played by Kyra Sedgwick) and her Major Crimes unit. Johnson, a former Atlanta detective brought to Los Angeles to head a special LAPD homicide unit, is a top-notch investigator with unparalleled interrogation skills and a track record for closing nearly every case with a suspect's confession. The first 4 seasons of The Closer are available on DVD.

Leverage is also returning and will begin its second season on Wednesday, July 15 at 9 PM (ET). returns for its 5th season starting Monday, June 8th at 9 PM (ET). This summer the gang is back with more elaborate scams designed to exact revenge against those who use power and wealth to victimize people. Timothy Hutton stars as Nate Ford, a former insurance investigator determined to bring down the kind of corrupt bigwigs whose neglect led to the death of his son. He and his team put their energy, quick minds and keen intellects toward securing justice for society's underdogs. The 1st season of Leverage is not yet available on DVD but individual episodes are available video-on-demand (VOD).

The new series this summer on TNT is Dark Blue, which will follow Leverage on Wednesdays. This fast-paced, undercover police drama from prolific producer Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Without a Trace) stars Dylan McDermott as Carter Shaw, a deeply wounded character who has lost his wife and much of his former life as he struggles to bring down bad guys through complex undercover assignments. The series follows the exploits of his crack undercover team of police officers so covert, many of their own colleagues don't even know they are involved.

Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD.

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Mystery Book Review: Shadows Still Remain by Peter de Jonge

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Shadows Still Remain by Peter de Jonge. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Shadows Still Remain by Peter de Jonge
Non-series

Harper (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-137354-0 (0061373540)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-137354-1 (9780061373541)
Publication Date: April 2009
List Price: $25.99

Review: Peter de Jonge's debut thriller, Shadows Still Remain, introduces Detective Darlene O'Hara out of Manhattan's 7th Precinct in a dark, graphic and gripping mystery.

O'Hara was troubled teenager but is no less troubled as an adult. An unwed mother at 16, she worked to get her GED and with her mother’s support, she kept her son, straightened her life and became a cop working DUIs, sexual assaults, robberies, and the like. While working overtime on a Thanksgiving weekend, she and her partner, Serge “K” Krekorian, are called in on a missing persons case involving Francesca Pena, a 19-year-old sophomore at NYU. David MacLain, an old friend of Pena’s from Westfield (MA), had reported her missing. He had been preparing Thanksgiving dinner at Pena’s apartment but she never showed. When Pena's body is found it had been cut up like a totum pole. Since this was now a major case, homicide detectives are called in relieving O’Hara and Krekorian of their responsibility for this case. But O’Hara had already become much too involved to just step aside, so she goes off on her own to try to solve the crime. By doing so she is relieved of all her duties and put on report. But O’Hara continues to investigate, going from trashy bars and shoddy “houses of pleasure” to upscale strip clubs, from Brooklyn’s tattoo parlors to NYU’s ivory towers, uncovering secrets that were never meant to be revealed.

The intricate and sharply developed plot of Shadows Still Remain is compelling in its own way, but the character of Darlene O'Hara, yet another cop with a past who's trying to go straight but has to prove something in the meantime, is hard to like. She always seems to have a chip on her shoulder that gets more prominent the more she drinks. And she drinks a lot. Characters with an edge are all well and good but in this case, it doesn't work. Still, there's potential here for O'Hara to develop so it will be interesting to see how (or if) she's grown in her next case.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Shadows Still Remain and to HarperCollins for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): A Beautiful Woman, Missing

New York City, 2005. Thanksgiving weekend. A topless Kate Moss peers down from a billboard over rain-spattered Houston Street. Escaping a troubled past, Francesca Pena came to the city and reinvented herself. At New York University, her beauty and charisma are the envy of her privileged pals, yet none knows the real Francesca—who, after a night of drinking, is now missing.

A High-Stakes Gamble

Detective Darlene O'Hara of the Seventh Precinct and her partner, Serge "K." Krekorian, set out to find Pena. But when the case turns high-profile and Homicide is called in, O'Hara—who has an eighteen-year-old son she saddled with the name Axl Rose O'Hara, and whose binge drinking exacerbates the massive chip on her shoulder—refuses to let go. Risking both her and K.'s careers, she defies NYPD brass and Homicide legend Patrick Lowry to secretly pursue her own investigation.

A Desperate Chase—and a Chilling Twist

Following a deadly trail that leads from NYU's ivory towers to Brooklyn tattoo parlors, from a skanky strip club to a whitewashed boutique run by a Korean madam, O'Hara closes in on her prey. But she has to move fast, because Lowry and the NYPD are about to make a devastating mistake that will leave the real killer free.

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Mystery Savings: Save 10% on Any One Item at B&N.com

Mystery Savings periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a special offer recently received by us that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

Barnes&Noble.com is offering a 10% discount on any one item for non-members (15% discount for members) for online purchases made today through May 17, 2009.

The discount will be applied to the most expensive eligible item in the order -- not the entire purchase -- and will be deducted after all other discounts, including (if applicable) the standard Member discount, are applied. There are a number of exclusions including gift cards, textbooks, and more. See site for details.

Non-members should use coupon code N3K4N8W to get their 10% discount. Members should use coupon code P4W3B4A to get their 15% discount.

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First Clues Review: The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure by Jill Santapolo

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.

The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure by Jill Santapolo
The Alec Flint Series

Orchard Books (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-439-90352-1 (0439903521)
ISBN-13: 978-0-439-90352-3 (9780439903523)
Publication Date: July 2008
List Price: $15.99

Review written by Jade, Age 14, Grade 8. Date of review: April 2009.

Review: Do you find mystery books that include suspense, character, and a hint of history captivating? If you do, the book The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure would be a good book for you. In this book, Alec Flint is a fourth grader trying to follow in his fathers footsteps by becoming a sleuth. At the time a Christopher Columbus exhibit is stolen from a local museum, his father works on the case and Alec gains a special interest in figuring out mysteries. When his art teacher suddenly goes missing, he calls on a new student, Gina Rossi, to help him solve the intriguing mystery. Her special secret code assists them with delivering secret messages, while his sleuthing skills and extraordinary pen that can do special tricks help solve the real mystery at hand. Somehow, the two 4th graders believe that the Christopher Columbus exhibit and the missing art teacher can be related!

Readers of a young age will enjoy The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure but this book is mainly directed at people from 3rd to 5th grade. Young readers can easily relate to characters of their own age, as well as being able to understand the vocabulary used in the book. This book can also be geared to people who enjoy learning about Christopher Columbus, because this book refers back to the history of this famous explorer. In addition, this book will keep readers asking questions and begging for more. The characters are admirable and their persistency and hard work will be a good role model for children. All in all, this book would be especially good for eight to twelve year olds.

If you are interested in purchasing The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure 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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USA Today has an Early Look at Sherlock Holmes

USA Today has published an early look at the upcoming film Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. as the famous consulting detective and Jude Law as Dr. John Watson.

Reporter Susan Wloszczyna talked to director Guy Ritchie about the film. When asked if he considered that he might be asking for trouble my messing with a literary icon, he replied, "I didn't really think of the downside as much as I thought about the upside. I was a Holmes fan when I was a child. They are the first stories I remember. I also liked the approach the studio was coming at. To me, it was the perfect segue from small independent films to something more ambitious and quintessentially English. So I've got my cake and I can eat it."

She notes that many of the Holmesian conventions remain, such as Sherlock's keen eye for case-cracking details and a playful fondness for disguises. Tradition is also upheld. There is a mystery afoot, naturally, as an industrialist who holds sway over a cult of dark-arts practitioners and claims to possess supernatural powers is linked to a series of murders.

Of possibly more interest to potential theater-goers, the article also includes a slideshow of images from the film.

A companion article by the same reporter provides an overview of Downey as a shabbier Holmes.

The first trailer for Sherlock Holmes is expected to be available May 21, 2009. The film itself opens Christmas Day, 2009.

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First Clues Review: Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

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.

Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz
The Alex Rider Series

Puffin (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-240738-0 (0142407380)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-240738-7 (9780142407387)
Publication Date: April 2007
List Price: $7.99

Review written by Alex, Age 14, Grade 8. Date of review: April 2009.

Review: Espionage, murder, and terrorism all intertwine as Alex Rider returns in the 6th installment of the "Alex Rider" series. In Ark Angel, written by the compelling author Anthony Horowitz, Rider once again has to outsmart and outlive his enemy, Force Three, as they terrorize the world.

While Alex is recuperating from the sniper's bullet at St. Dominics Hospital in London, four gigantic armed men come with only one mission, to kidnap the boy in the room next to his. The boy's name is Paul Drevin. The four men were coming for Paul and they needed him badly. Alex's attempt at saving Paul put him into the middle of an action packed thriller involving a war between Force Three - an insane group of environmentalists who will do anything, even murder just to save the environment, and Nikolai Drevin - one of the richest men on the planet and the creator of the project Ark Angel, the very first hotel in space. Will Alex Rider be able to save Ark Angel and stop Force Three from destroying Drevin's greatest accomplishment ever? Nothing is what it seems.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I feel that this book truly shouldn't be considered a mystery. There wasn't a mystery style in the writing, but instead it was much more like an action or thriller genre. Anybody who is picking up this book expecting a traditional mystery will be disappointed. I personally enjoy these types of books, however, and if I hadn't been reading it with the preconceived notion that it should have been a mystery it would have gone up as one of the best books I've ever read. There really isn't a major question that Rider had to find out. Most of the puzzling questions Rider has are usually answered in the upcoming chapters and are not questions like you see in "whodunits" which can span throughout the entire book. On the other hand, any Alex Rider fans or people who just love action packed page turners will love this book. It is jam packed with action and adventure that comes to life in the author's descriptions. Readers will find themselves thoroughly engrossed in the masterpiece that time will slip away. Like other Alex Rider books, you never wanting to put it down.

As I've said this book is mainly for action lovers and from an action view point it would be a five star book. But from a mystery stand point, it would be two stars because of the lack of mystery content. The total rating that this book gets is a four star rating, not because the book's quality is that of four stars, but because it really wasn't a true hardcore mystery such as Sherlock Holmes. I would recommend this book to any person who just adores action and adventure over mystery.

If you are interested in purchasing Ark Angel 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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Save up to $10 on Books, Music, and Movies at Alibris.com

Mystery Savings periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a special offer recently received by us that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

Save up to $10 off books, music, and movies at Alibris.com. From now through May 31, 2009, the following coupon codes can be used to save on all your purchases from one of the largest online retailers with an inventory of over 80 million books, music, and movies.

DOLPHY to save $3 off $30 or more;
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Click on the Alibris banner below to start shopping. For even more savings, search for books that are eligible for free shippping. When Alibris is listed as a book's seller, it ships from their warehouse and is eligible for free shipping to U.S. addresses. Click on the Free Shipping link on the right side of the home page to browse for books that qualify.

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Games of Mystery: Laura Jones and the Gates of Good and Evil, New at PlayFirst Games

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 a new mystery game available from PlayFirst Games. You can find out more about these games from our Mystery Games: PlayFirst Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Help Laura Jones discover the mysteries surrounding an ancient talisman in this challenging adventure game. Laura must get through the gates of good and evil, balance the sacred powers and restore world harmony. Solve thought-provoking puzzles, search for clues, play lots of mini-games, and save the world from total destruction!

Laura Jones and the Gates of Good and Evil is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for a 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 47.0 MB).

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include the Mystery PI series of casual games, Mystery P.I.: The Vegas Heist and Mystery P.I.: The Lottery Ticket, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet, and Private Eye.

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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Nominees Announced for 2009 Macavity Awards

Mystery Readers International has announced the nominees for the 2009 Macavity Awards. Each year the members of MRI vote for their favorite mysteries in several categories, three of which are listed below.

For Best Mystery Novel the nominees are:

Trigger City by Sean Chercover (William Morrow)
Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie (William Morrow)
The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (William Morrow)
The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indridason (St. Martin's Minotaur)
Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (Simon & Schuster)
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (St. Martin's Minotaur)
The Fault Tree by Louise Ure (St. Martin's Minotaur)

For Best First Mystery Novel the nominees are:

Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (Knopf)
Death of a Cozy Writer by G. M. Malliet (Midnight Ink)
Calumet City by Charlie Newton (Simon & Schuster)
An Innocent Client by Scott Pratt (Onyx)
A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley (Harper)
The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell (St. Martin's Minotaur)

For the Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery the nominees are:

A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (Berkley Prime Crime)
Stealing Trinity by Ward Larsen (Oceanview)
The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss (Random House)
Compary of Liars by Karen Maitland (Delacorte)
Nox Dormienda by Kelli Stanley (Five Star)
Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson (St. Martin's Minotaur)

indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews.

The winners will be announced during Bouchercon in October.

Congratulations from everyone at MBN to the nominees!

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