Mystery Book Review: The Demon of Dakar by Kjell Eriksson

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

The Demon of Dakar by Kjell Eriksson
An Ann Lindell mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-312-36670-1 (0312366701)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36670-4 (9780312366704)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $14.95

Review: Kjell Eriksson crafts a complex tale of international drug trade, illegal aliens, single parenting, greed and murder in The Demon of Dakar, the third mystery featuring Uppsala Police Inspector Ann Littell.

Much of the story revolves around the activities of two restaurants, Alhambra and Dakar, which are owned by drug lords Slobodan Andersson and his partner Armas. But it all begins with the Alavez brothers, Manuel, Angel and Patrico, whose simple meager lives in Mexico are now in ruin. After crossing from Mexico into California and waiting for someone to hire them for the day, they are approached by two men, the “tall one” Armas and the “fat one” Slobodan Anderson. All the brothers had to do was carry a bag from one place to another–overseas. Manuel refused, but his younger brothers, especially Patrico, who was always prepared to go just a little further to see what was concealed behind the next curve, hill or street corner, jumped at the chance to make more money with less work. So it was that Angel and Patrico began their lives as international drug runners. They were told if the drugs were delivered and if they were caught, they would still be given $10,000 for their efforts. Angel was killed while trying to escape arrest in San Sebastian, Spain. Patrico was arrested at the airport between Spain and Germany and was sentenced to fifteen years in a prison in Sweden. As the oldest, Manuel felt responsible for his brothers, even though they, too, could have said “No”, but he felt he should have done something to stop them. Now, he is going to the Swedish prison to visit his young brother and get the full story of what has happened.

When an almost naked body is discovered in the local river, Inspector Ann Lindell and her brain squad are given the case. The man had been killed before entering the water by a slash across his throat. On one arm a patch of skin had been cut out. Lindell suspects that a tattoo has been removed. She cam think of only two reasons for the deletion: to make the identification more difficult or that the tattoo could be a direct link to the murderer. The dead man is finally identified as Armas, a known drug traffiker. Does his death have anything to do with Manuel Alavez who has recently arrived in Sweden? If so, why was his tattoo cut off his arm? The mystery of Armas’ life is as questionable as is his death.

The multiple stories in The Demon of Dakar are woven together with such finesse and realism that, despite the complexity of the plot, which definitely has the potential to confuse but somewhat inexplicably and agreeably doesn't, the reader is riveted to the words on pages. Little is as it seems here and just as peripheral characters are caught up in the what happens at the restaurants and the subsequent investigation of the murder, so does the reader. For those unfamiliar with Swedish police procedurals, The Demon of Dakar would serve as a terrific introduction.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Demon of Dakar and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a trade paperback edition of the book for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Winner of the Swedish Crime Academy Award for Best Crime Novel, international sensation Kjell Eriksson has quickly built a name for himself in the United States. In this highly acclaimed follow-up to The Cruel Stars of the Night, Manuel Alavez’s life is in ruins. One of his brothers is dead, the other is in jail, and the man who double-crossed both men is running a high-class successful restaurant. A series of dramatic events inevitably leads to murder, and Inspector Ann Lindell is forced to sample many fine meals at the restaurant as she attempts to thwart a cunning killer.

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Charles Willeford's Crime Novel The Burnt Orange Heresy to be Filmed

Variety is reporting that Neil LaBute will direct his own adaptation of Charles Willeford's 1971 crime novel The Burnt Orange Heresy. The book was the author's first hardcover original.

Synopsis: Fast-talking, backstabbing, womanizing art critic Jacques Figueras will do anything -- blackmail, burglary, fencing, assassination -- to further his career. Crossing the art world with the underworld, Willeford expands his noir palette to include hues of sunny Florida and weird tints of Surrealism when Figueras takes a job for an art collector who doesn't care how his art is collected, even if it involves murder.

Three of Willeford's novels have previously been filmed: Cockfighter (for which Willeford also write the screenplay), Miami Blues, and The Woman Chaser.

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Harlequin Intrigue Titles for September 2009

eHarlequin.com has released the September 2009 titles in their Intrigue, breathtaking romantic suspense series. Get these edge-of-your-seat reads today with characters who conquer everything from kidnappings to murder mysteries, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another! To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Smokin' Six-Shooter by B. J. Daniels (book cover shown)

Russell Corbett was all cowboy and wasn't about to let a lady lasso him! But Dulcie Hughes had him tied up in knots from the moment she nearly collided with his combine. She rode into town with her fancy rental car and city clothes to claim her secret inheritance. And neither tall tale nor handsome rancher would deter her from exposing a years-old cover-up at the Beaumont property. She expected to find answers, not fall in love. But like the threatening thunderhead on the horizon, the truth would come fast and fierce, and there would be no escaping the consequences.

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His Best Friend's Baby by Mallory Kane

Former air forces special ops soldier Matt Parker is a weather and survival expert. So when he found out his best friend's widow's baby boy was being held for ransom, he vowed to stop at nothing to put the child safely back into his mother's arms.

Aimee Vick didn't want help from the man who let her husband die. But the kidnapper was holding her baby on a remote mountain peak, making Matt her best hope for the reunion that she ached for.

As they followed the kidnapper's trail, Matt and Aimee discovered that the baby was merely a pawn in an international game of terror. Aimee trusted Matt with her son's life, but could she trust him with her heart?

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An Unexpected Clue by Elle James (book cover shown)

Special Agent Ben Parrish had been thought dead for two months. So when he suddenly reappeared, bruised and battered on his pregnant wife's doorstep, claiming he'd been working deep undercover, even the FBI had trouble believing him. Before he could be debriefed, though, he had to convince Ava to trust him with her safety and that of their unborn baby. But with his captors hot on his trail, Ben had little time to explain to Ava how much he'd missed her. Now, even as they barely stayed one step ahead of the danger and protecting Ava became his top priority, Ben had never felt happier to be home.

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Peek-a-Boo Protector by Rita Herron

Police chief John Wise admired Samantha Corley's courage when she discovered her remote cabin ransacked and an adorable baby girl in need of a bottle. The only clue to her identity was the note pinned to her blanket, stirring John's protective instincts like nothing before. Agreeing to help Sam find out the truth, he claimed it was a purely professional pairing. But he couldn't ignore the way his heart clenched watching Sam care for the innocent child, or the feelings baby Emmie stirred in his soul. With the danger escalating, John knew he was in way too deep. Bad guys he could handle. Caring about the fate of both baby and guardian was out of his jurisdiction.

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His Secret Life by Debra Webb (book cover shown)

Mission: Find the hero who doesn't want to be found.

Client: A wealthy businessman who won't rest until he repays the man who saved his family from a car crash—and fled the scene.

Investigator: Jane Sutton, former army counterintelligence officer, is the proverbial "plain Jane." Smart, tenacious, tough as nails, but longing for love. Didn't bargain for the danger that surrounds her target, Troy Benson … or her irresistible attraction to him.

Supervisor's Comments: On the lam from witness protection, Troy lives with a devastating secret from his past and trusts no one. Unwilling to let Jane help him reclaim his true identity. Reluctant to believe that what she really might find is the hero of her dreams.

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Covert Cootchie-Cootchie-Coo by Ann Voss Peterson

"Please hide and protect my baby boy, Troy."

Those few words told Reed Tanner all he needed to know about the infant left on his boat: the baby was in danger and it was his job to keep him safe. But trying to find answers only led to more questions, forcing Reed to accept the help of Josie Dionne, a way too sexy—and way too secretive—P.I. Together they tracked down clues while never leaving each other's side, slowly closing in on the truth. Unfortunately, they also awakened a vicious enemy, someone willing to shoot first, ask questions later. Safeguarding both baby and beauty became the only focus of this once-dedicated bachelor. Losing either would be his undoing.

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If you enjoy the romantic suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Harlequin Intrigue books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Intrigue books and mystery gifts places you under no obligation to buy anything. You may keep the books and gifts and return the shipping statement marked cancel. If you do not cancel, about two months later, and then every other month, eHarlequin will send you four additional Intrigue books.

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner below to subscribe for free:

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Suspense Thriller Outland to be Remade

Another remake has been announced. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the classic science fiction suspense thriller Outland, written and directed by Peter Hyams in 1981, is being reimagined by Warner Bros. Michael Davis will direct the Chad St. John script.

Original synopsis: Marshal W. T. O'Niel (Sean Connery) is assigned to a mining colony on Io, one of Jupiter's moons. During his tenure miners are dying usually violently. When the marshal investigates he discovers the one thing all the deaths have in common is a lethal amphetamine-type drug, which allows the miners to work continuously for days at a time until they become "burned out" and expire. O'Niel follows the trail of the dealers, which leads to the man overseeing the colony. Now O'Niel must watch his back at every turn, as those who seek to protect their income begin targeting him.

In this updated version, the story takes place on a city orbiting the moon, where a cop uncovers a murderous conspiracy endangering the entire city. With a week before his retirement back to Earth, he has to choose between walking away with his wife, or taking on a private army.

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Young Adult Mystery Book Review: The Hollow Bettle by Susannah Appelbaum

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

The Hollow Bettle by Susannah Appelbaum
The Poisons of Caux Trilogy

Knopf (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-375-85173-9 (0375851739)
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-85173-5 (9780375851735)
Publication Date: August 2009
List Price: $16.99

Review: “A very long time ago, a girl was poisoned ... [and her father] the king turned his back on Caux and doomed his people to a life of misery under the Deadly Nightshades.” So begins Susannah Appelbaum’s first book in The Poisons of Caux series, The Hollow Bettle. Poisons have become a way of life in the kingdom of Caux, and without a proper taster, people are dying left and right. However, eleven-year-old Ivy Manx is worried about a lot more than simply being poisoned. Cecil, her uncle who has loved and cared for her since her birth, has disappeared. Cecil is not just an ordinary may–he is the last apotheopath healer in the entire kingdom–an outlawed profession by the evil King Nightshade. Ivy makes it her quest to return her uncle to the safety of their home. Little does she know there is a greater quest out there for her, and there are evil people that are looking to destroy her chances of success–and possibly even destroy her in the process. With the help of her newfound friend, Rowan–a failure of a taster–Ivy begins the adventure of a lifetime.

The Hollow Bettle is a well-crafted novel filled with plenty of adventure, humor, and a fantastical setting that is enhanced with interesting characters. Ivy is a wise girl who is a gifted student of apotheopathy but prefers to concoct poisons instead. At her side is Rowan, an accredited taster who manages to kill an entire group of sentries by incorrectly approving a poisoned soup. And, there is the evil Verjouce who ripped out his eyes so his other senses would be enhanced. Leading the country is Queen Nightshade who poisons her entire staff for fun and King Nightshade who has a bizarre urge to break into poetry at any given moment as is seen in this exchange:

“‘What kind of thoughtless buffoon do I have in my service? Are you even qualified to dispense this advice? Perhaps you have a diploma, then? From the school of Quackery? Who even authorized you to speak, you vulgarian?!’ The king looked around the room, fuming. He paused theatrically. He felt a poem coming on–and instinctively, everyone in the room cringed.”

The struggle with The Hollow Bettle is not with the story itself, for it is very well written and crafted. However, I am not entirely confident that it will reach the intended audience. According to the publisher, “(The Poisons of Caux series is) the perfect way to introduce young readers to the magical world of middle grade fiction.” This is supported by the age of the main character, Ivy, who turns 11 early on in the book. Typically, children enjoy reading books about characters that are slightly older than themselves. With that in mind, it can be assumed that the series is intended for children who are 9-10 years old. The story is very appropriate for that age group–and may in fact at times be seen as trite by older readers. However, the vocabulary the author uses, particularly in the first half of the book, is very challenging. For example, the author describes Verjouce in the following:

“Even if Verjouce weren’t such a frightening apparition, his glowering countenance and vicious tongue were enough to give children nightmares. He stood head and shoulders above his cowering subrectors, with a mane of long hair parted severely down the center of his scalp–its shade one that was hard to pinpoint, almost devoid of color, as if the pigment were somehow leached out of it.”

This excerpt demonstrates a fairly typical vocabulary, though there are several more complex words–most of which seem to be associated with apotheopathy, which itself appears to be a profession fabricated specifically for this series. Unlike the Lemony Snicket series to which The Poisons of Caux has been compared, the author does not consistently offer definitions of complex words, and does not always supply enough context clues to help the early-middle school reader decipher unfamiliar words. For this reason, The Hollow Bettle is probably best suited for gifted readers, for whom the vocabulary may quite possibly still pose a challenge. Nonetheless, Appelbaum has done a commendable job with her first book in the series, and assuredly many children will look forward to her second installment.

Special thanks to Margo Nauert for contributing her review of The Hollow Bettle and to Random House for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Margo Nauert — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): There's little joy left in the kingdom of Caux: the evil King Nightshade rules with terrible tyranny and the law of the land is poison or be poisoned. Worse, eleven-year-old Ivy’s uncle, a famous healer, has disappeared, and Ivy sets out to find him, joined by a young taster named Rowan. But these are corrupt times, and the children—enemies of the realm—are not alone. What exactly do Ivy and Rowan’s pursuers want? Is it Ivy’s prized red bettle, which, unlike any other gemstone in Caux, appears—impossibly—to be hollow? Is it the elixir she concocted—the one with the mysterious healing powers? Or could it be Ivy herself?

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Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle To Be Filmed

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting Michael Douglas' production company Further Films is developing an adaption of Shirley Jackson's 1962 novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Mark Kruger (The 4400) has written a draft of the screenplay.

Synopsis: Merricat, Constance and Uncle Julian Blackwood reside at their family estate. Once there were seven Blackwoods in the affluent family, until four of them were poisoned by arsenic in the sugar bowl. The survivors are snubbed, even openly reviled, by the not-so-wealthy townspeople, who believe that Constance did the killing. One day their cousin Charles arrives to stay, and Merricat perceives his too-mercenary interest in Constance and the location of their valuables. Only Merricat can see what's really happening.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle has previously been adapted for Broadway, but this is its first film treatment. Several of Jackson's other novels have been adapted for film including The Bird's Nest (released in 1957 as Lizzie) and The Haunting of Hill House (released as The Haunting both in 1963 and 1999). Probably the most famous work by Shirley Jackson is her short story The Lottery, which has been adapted several times for television.

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Games of Mystery: The Mystery of the Mary Celeste, New at Big Fish 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 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.

Download →

Follow Mary Morehouse as she joins the guests and crew of the Mary Celeste II on its maiden voyage. Shortly after the boat leaves the dock strange events start to happen and Mary must work to escape this ill-fated ship and solve The Mystery of the Mary Celeste. Explore the mysterious theories behind the disappearance of the original Mary Celeste while trying to save yourself from a similar demise! Take to the seas in this haunting hidden object game!

Also available: The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Game Walkthrough

The Mystery of the Mary Celeste may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (107.41 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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Patricia Highsmith's Suspense Novel Deep Water To Be Filmed

Variety is reporting that Mike Nichols (The Graduate, The Birdcage, Charlie Wilson's War) will direct the film adapation of Patricia Highsmith's 1957 suspense novel Deep Water. Joe Penhall will write the script.

Synopsis: Set in the small town of Little Wesley, Vic and Melinda Meller's loveless marriage is held together only by a precarious arrangement whereby in order to avoid the messiness of divorce, Melinda is allowed to take any number of lovers as long as she does not desert her family. Eventually, Vic tries to win her back by asserting himself through a tall tale of murder—one that soon comes true.

Patricia Highsmith is probably best known for her Tom Ripley thrillers, two of which were filmed: The Talented Mr. Ripley and Ripley's Game.

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NBC Orders Adaptation of Graphic Series Midnight, Mass. by John Rozum

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that NBC has ordered a live-action adaptation of the graphic novel series Midnight, Mass. by John Rozum. Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts, who produced Pushing Daisies and Women's Murder Club, will write the script.

The series features the wealthy and glamorous Julia and Adam Kadmon (think Jennifer and Jonathan Hart of Hart to Hart), the first couple of paranormal investigations, who live in the coastal Massachusetts town of Midnight. Six comics were published from June through November 2002.

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Mysteries on TV: Dexter, Dirty Sexy Money, and Simon & Simon, New This Week on DVD

Mysteries on TV, 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, is profiling one series that has a season DVD being released this week.

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Dexter is back and more killer than ever. The Emmy-nominated series returns for an all-new season -- and this time Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has a new take on taking life.

Having faced some of his darkest demons, Dexter's ready to put the past behind him. Now, with family life, a day job catching killers, and an uncontrollable urge to do away with the ones that get away, Dexter’s got his work cut out for him. And when a high-profile case sides him with powerful Assistant DA Miguel Prado (special guest star Jimmy Smits), the pressure might be too great for even our beloved Dexter to hack.

The Dexter: Season Three DVD set of 4 discs contains the 12 episodes that originally aired on Showtime from September through December 2008.

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Family secrets so shocking even unlimited wealth and power can't keep them hidden burst forth in Dirty Sexy Money.

Scandals rock the privileged world of the Darling family during the second season. Nick George's (Peter Krause) efforts to uncover the truth about his father's death play second fiddle to his job as all-purpose fixer for the Darlings, whose little difficulties include keeping politician Patrick’s transgendered mistress under wraps, four-time divorcee Karen’s ill-advised engagement to her father’s most dangerous enemy and Letitia's upcoming trial -- for the murder of Nick’s father. Nola Lyons (Lucy Liu) hounds Letitia in and out of the courtroom, and scheming businessman Simon Elder (Blair Underwood) hatches a scheme that threatens to destroy Darling Enterprises.

The Dirty Sexy Money: Season Two DVD set of 3 discs contain the 13 episodes that were scheduled to air on ABC during the 2008 / 2009 television season. The series was cancelled in November 2008 and some unaired episodes were shown during the summer of 2009.

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Explosions, bar fights, stakeouts, bikini-clad blondes, car chases and more explosions: Simon and Simon was prime-time 80s action at its best.

The series featured Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as private eyes Rick and A. J. Simon, a dueling sibling detective duo who, despite their differences in style, demeanor and just about everything in between, managed to thwart criminal activity in the pursuit of justice from week to week.

The third season finds Rick and A. J. facing trouble again in beautiful San Diego on the trail of missing radio personalities, crooked magicians, gamblers, horse smugglers and murderers. Together the Simons put their street smarts and book sense to good use in a brotherly one-two punch, leading to some action that is not always pretty and, for sure, not always friendly, but ultimately gets the case solved. Season three also introduces Tim Reid as Detective Marcel "Downtown" Brown

The Simon and Simon: Season Three DVD set of 6 discs contain the 23 episodes that aired on CBS from September 1983 through March 1984.

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

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