Mystery Book Review: Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan

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

Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan
A Poke Rafferty Mystery

William Morrow (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-167223-8 (0061672238)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-167223-1 (9780061672231)
Publication Date: August 2009
List Price: $24.99

Review: Here's what Timothy Hallinan's third Bangkok thriller, Breathing Water, isn't: it isn't a murder mystery (there is no murder to solve), it isn't a police procedural (no crime has been committed to investigate), it most definitely isn't a cozy (no cats or recipes to try at home). It is, however, an exceptionally compelling novel of a man caught up in a sequences of events that are spiraling out of control for everyone involved ... with little chance that anyone can come out unscathed.

The man is journalist Poke Rafferty, who's participating in a staged poker game, though with real and unsuspecting players, at the request of his police buddies, which is being videotaped to teach casino owners how to spot cheaters. One of the players, however, takes exception when he apparently loses to Rafferty. He is Pan, the richest man in Thailand. He isn't pacified when he learns it was simply a training exercise, and challenges Rafferty to another game to save face. The stakes: if Pan wins, Rafferty must exit the country, leaving his wife and young daughter behind; if Pan loses, Rafferty gets to write a biography of Pan with Pan's full cooperation. The journalist in Rafferty understands that behind every great fortune is a great crime. Still, he really has no choice but to play.

Soon after winning the hand, Rafferty is threatened by two separate groups. One insists he not write the biography, the other insists he does. Both make it clear the consequences of his action -- or inaction -- are physical harm to him and his family. Rafferty's sure Pan is behind the "don't write" group, but Pan's sudden cooperation makes him doubtful. "I don't know what I think about him," Rafferty says at one point, "and a lot depends on who he really is." It seems inconceivable, but Rafferty suspects there might be a third, unknown, party involved. Soon it becomes obvious that Rafferty is in the middle of something much bigger than the stakes of a poker game, rather "a maze, an urban labyrinth with several ways in and probably only one safe way out."

The thrill in reading Breathing Water comes from the subtle, but relentless, escalation of tension in the story. A number of unexpected plot points, including Pan's apparent sudden change of heart with regard to the biography, keep the reader wary. There is also a separate subplot that is interweaved into the Rafferty / Pan storyline involving a woman and a child, and the street kids that were introduced in the first book of the series. Interesting and compelling in and of itself, the author does finally merge it into the main story as a way of getting the kids involved in Rafferty's scheme to salvage what he can of his situation; and while it's a welcome addition, it's not clear its inclusion is strictly necessary as it does tend to slow the pace at times. The poignant conclusion will no doubt bring a tear or two to one's eyes.

The title comes from a conversation Rafferty's police friend Arthit has with him. "Let me give you an image," Arthit says. "If it would clarify your situation to think about it visually, then imagine this: You're at the bottom of the Chao Phraya [River], wandering around on the riverbed without a map, and breathing water. You just haven't realized it yet." Breathing Water is really quite a remarkable and unusual novel and may be Hallinan's best to date.

Special thanks to Timothy Hallinan for providing an ARC of Breathing Water for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Behind every great fortune is a great crime ...

For American ex-pat writer Poke Rafferty, a late-night poker game delivers an unexpected prize: an "opportunity" to write the biography of Khun Pan, a flamboyant, vulgar, self-made billionaire with a criminal past and far-reaching political ambitions. The win seems like a stroke of luck, but as with so many things in vibrant, seductive, contradictory Bangkok—a city of innocence and evil, power and poverty—the allure of appearances masks something much darker. Within a few hours of folding his cards, Rafferty, his wife, Rose, beloved adopted daughter, Miaow, and best friend, Arthit, an honest Bangkok cop, have become pawns in a political struggle among some of Thailand's richest, most powerful, and most ruthless people.

A hero to the poor and dispossessed, Pan is like a bone in the throats of the beautiful, sophisticated "good" people who own and control every facet of Thailand and want more. There are many who would prefer that a book, especially a sympathetic book, stay unwritten. And there are others who want to expose Pan's darker secrets, information useful in a preemptive strike against this profligate billionaire who can threaten their hold on power—a situation they will go to murderous lengths to prevent.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't, Rafferty is breathing water and sinking deeper in a sea of intrigue with each passing hour. The trouble multiplies when a missing young street friend of Miaow's reappears, needing Rafferty's help to protect an innocent village girl trapped in a baby-selling ring. Pushed ever closer to the abyss, Rafferty has one chance to get them all out alive. But to succeed, this foreigner must do the impossible—keep a cool Thai heart.

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Games of Mystery: Nancy Drew Dossier, Resorting to Danger, New for PC

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and getaway vacations including murder mystery weekends, is pleased to announce the availability of a new game for Windows PC.

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger! is the second game in this new series of casual games featuring the girl sleuth.

You, as Nancy Drew, must stop a bomber from ruining the Redondo Spa clients’ rejuvenation and relaxation. The high maintenance clients won’t be happy if they find that their retreat is about to explode, even if the bombs are more prankster gross-outs than dangerous.

Nancy Drew is undercover as the spa gopher catering to the customers’ eccentric requests while defusing bombs. From celebrities who escape here to the receptionist at the front desk—everyone is a suspect! Who is sabotaging the spa and can Nancy catch the culprit before the spa loses all of its clients?

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger! is currently scheduled for release for Windows PC platforms on August 25th, 2009, and may be pre-ordered now. It is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and older.

View the game trailer below:

Don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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The Daily Mail Begins Serialization of Lost Agatha Christie Poirot Story Today

Unseen for 60 years, the Daily Mail begins today the serialization of a lost short story by Agatha Christie featuring her Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Titled "The Capture of Cerberus" (which was also the title the author used for another, completely different story published in 1947), it features a Russian femme fatale, a crazed tyrant, and an assassination that shakes the world.

Her story notes had lain undiscovered for decades, gathering dust in a battered cardboard box. There were shopping lists and jottings, hastily scribbled notes, and page after page of virtually indecipherable handwriting in blue-lined notebooks. But author and dedicated Christie enthusiast John Curran painstakingly threaded together the notes and handwritten ingredients of an unseen story that eventually became a typed script.

The story is unusual in that Christie ventures into (then) contemporary politics, surely one of the reasons the story wasn't accepted for publication at the time, and it includes a hint of sex: Poirot is stirred into excitement by feminine beauty.

Curran writes of his discovery in a new book, Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: Fifty Years of Mysteries in the Making, to be published in the UK next month. In the meantime, visit the Daily Mail to read a serialized version of "The Capture of Cerberus" now.

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Nominations for the 2009 Shamus Awards Announced

Nominations for the 2009 Shamus Awards were posted last night on the Private Eye Writers of America blog. The awards are given annually to honor excellence in the private eye genre.

And the nominees are (with the series character in parentheses) ...

Best Hardcover:
• Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart (Carl Vanderveer)
• Empty Ever After by Reed Farrel Coleman (Moe Prager)
• The Blue Door by David Fulmer (Eddie Cero)
• The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (Ed Loy)
• The Ancient Rain by Domenic Stansberry (Dante Mancuso)

Best First P.I. Novel:
• Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer (Riley Spartz)
• Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg (Henry Swann)
• The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang (Mei Wang)
• In the Heat by Ian Vasquez (Miles Young)
• Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson (Crispin Guest)

Best Paperback Original:
• Snow Blind by Lori Armstrong (Julie Collins)
• Shot Girl by Karen Olson (Annie Seymour)
• The Stolen by Jason Pinter (Henry Parker)
• The Black Hand by Will Thomas (Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn)
• The Evil That Men Do by Dave White (Jackson Donne)

Best Short Story:
• “Family Values” by Mitch Alderman (Bubba Simms)
• “Last Island South” by John C. Boland (Meggie Trevor)
• “The Blonde Tigress” by Max Allan Collins (Nate Heller)
• “Discovery” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Pita Cardenas)
• “Panic on Portage Path” by Dick Stodghill (Jack Eddy and Bram Geary)

indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews.

Winners will be announced at this year's Bouchercon in October.

Congratulations from everyone at MBN to the nominees!

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Games of Mystery: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, New for Nintendo DS

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and getaway vacations including murder mystery weekends, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game for the Nintendo DS. More mystery games for this platforms are available on our recently updated Games of Mystery: Nintendo DS webpage.

The highly anticipated second game in the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, is released this week!

In the world of Professor Layton, puzzles hide in every corner. When the professor's mentor is mysteriously murdered, a cursed artifact called the Elysian Box appears to be behind it. With a ticket to the Molentary Express as their only lead, Professor Layton and Luke embark on an adventure that will test their wits and work their brains.

With tons of in-game puzzles of different types and difficulties, there's something for everyone from kids to adults. As Professor Layton, you'll open doors with sliding puzzles, uncover clues with logic puzzles, and find answers by solving riddles. A cinematic experience! This large-scale sequel to Professor Layton and the Curious Village features three times the voiced dialogue and movies of its predecessor. The fully voiced movies, hand-drawn art style, and cast of eccentric characters bring the story to life and are sure to charm puzzle fans young and old.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is currently scheduled for release for the Nintendo DS on August 24th, 2009.

Watch a story trailer for Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box below:

Don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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Mystery Book Review: Leaden Skies by Ann Parker

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

Leaden Skies by Ann Parker
An Inez Stannert Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-577-1 (1590585771)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-577-1 (9781590585771)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $24.95

Review: Former President Ulysses S. Grant's visit to the mining town of Leadville, Colorado, sets off a cascade of events that start with the murder of a prostitute in the town's "red light" district in Leaden Skies, the third mystery in this series by Ann Parker.

The dead woman is Lizzie, one of the girls who worked for Florence "Frisco Flo" Sweet, a woman striving to provide exclusive and discreet services for discriminating clients willing pay a little more than what her competitors are charging. Lizzie didn't quite fit in, being a little too forward and a little too indiscreet, but it is still a shock when she turns up dead. Meanwhile, Silver Queen Saloon owner Inez Stannert, concerned about the future of her establishment, strikes a private deal with Flo that should benefit both parties. But there are other secrets in this small town and clearly someone is afraid one of them will be exposed. Inez believes she must solve the mystery of Lizzie's death lest her own secret arrangement become public knowledge.

Leaden Skies seems to have all the right ingredients for a rousing mystery yet in the end it seems incomplete, somewhat unsatisfactory. The characters are interesting and well drawn, the sense of time and place outstanding. The murder of Lizzie is well staged and a credible list of suspects presented. The narrative is colorful and entertaining, and exceptionally well written. And yet there isn't a sense of urgency or suspense, of engaging the reader in the investigation as to who murdered Lizzie and why.

There's really quite a lot here to appeal to mystery readers, with its historical background, colorful characters, and well plotted story, but Leaden Skies is ever so slightly disappointing nonetheless.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Leaden Skies for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): In the summer of 1880, the siren song of a lucky silver find in the mining boomtown of Leadville, Colorado, isn't the only thing that leads folks into temptation. Although possible investment in Leadville's silver mines is a main reason that former president and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant is now touring this city at the top of the Rockies, others in his retinue and in town are enticed by other visions. Political aspirations fuel the dreams of young John Quincy Adams Wesley and his mother, while itinerant fire insurance mapmaker Cecil Farnesworth struggles against the seductive call of State Street, Leadville's red-light district.

As part owner of the Silver Queen Saloon, Inez Stannert has often observed the ruination that comes from yielding to temptation. Still, that knowledge hasn't stopped Inez from taking Reverend Justice Sands as her lover, in the absence of news of her missing husband. Nor does it stop her from striking a backroom deal with upscale brothel madam Frisco Flo, a deal that Inez gambles will make her financially independent.

But when the body of Lizzie, one of Flo's women, is discovered and Inez learns that Flo has another silent business partner, whose identity she will not divulge, Inez begins to have second thoughts. Inez, in a race against time to untangle the dealings of the high and the low during Grant's visit, must also face her own demons from the past, even as she fights to save her reputation and her life.

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Paramount Moves Release Date of Shutter Island to February 2010

Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Paramount is pushing back the release of Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island from November 2009 to February 2010, effectively eliminating it from any award consideration this year. The reason given: Paramount can't afford the tens of millions of dollars needed to promote the movie at this time. Also, star Leonardo DiCaprio won't be available to promote the film this fall.

Shutter Island is adapated from the thriller of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film takes place in the year 1954 with U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and his new partner, Chuck Aule (played by Mark Ruffalo) arriving on Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this remote and barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades -- with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. But then neither is Teddy Daniels.

Watch a trailer for the film below:

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eHarlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Titles for September 2009

eHarlequin.com has released the September 2009 titles in their Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

— ◊ —

A Silent Fury by Lynette Eason (book cover shown)

Tragedy strikes Palmetto Deaf School—twice. With one student murdered and another missing, it's up to homicide detective Catelyn Clark to find the killer—and probable kidnapper—fast. She'll even work with her ex-boyfriend, FBI agent Joseph Santino, to solve the case…while keeping her distance. Relationships between cops never work; her parents taught her that. They also taught her that the only one she can rely on is herself. But when the killer starts targeting Catelyn, it's only by opening her heart to faith—and love—that she can finally bring the silent fury to an end.

— ◊ —

Final Exposure by Roxanne Rustand

Safety. Serenity. That's what Jack Matthews wants, and what he seeks in Lost Falls, Montana. A quiet retreat is just what Jack and his orphaned nephew, Max, need—especially with gentle, beautiful Erin Cole as their host. But when sirens in the night leave Max screaming, Jack's faced with the harsh truth. They're not safe—not him, not Max and especially not Erin. What is she hiding? What does the shadowy figure stalking her want? And how much will Jack have to risk to keep her safe?

— ◊ —

Race to Rescue by Dana Mentink (book cover shown)

"Help … murder."

Those were her brother's last words before their phone connection was lost. So Anita Teel rushes to Arizona to find her only relative right away. But no one—from his employer to the police—will take her seriously. Except for Booker Scott, the hardened rancher whose heart she broke. Now, Anita has no choice but to put her fragile trust in Booker once again. As they race across the deadly desert, the rescue mission becomes a test—a challenge to see if they can overcome their pride, and their past, in time to save her brother's life.

— ◊ —

Protector's Honor by Kit Wilkinson

It's instinct. When NCIS agent Rory Farrell hears a woman scream, he reacts. But even after he saves her from abduction, Rory can't get the beautiful and fragile Tabitha Beaumont out of his mind. Especially when he finds a connection between Tabitha and his latest murder investigation. She needs protection—Rory's protection—while Rory needs answers Tabitha doesn't even realize she holds. Yet how can he find the truth without betraying Tabitha's trust? Soon, Rory must decide what matters most—keeping his objective distance, or keeping Tabitha, in his arms and under his protection, forever.

— ◊ —

If you enjoy the suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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 Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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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Mystery Bestsellers for August 21, 2009

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending August 21, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Just a bit of shuffling among the top 7 bestsellers this week with The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson retaining the top spot again this week. One new title and two that debuted last week move into the top 15 this week.

Moving up 16 places to number 8 is The Eleventh Victim, the debut thriller by Atlanta Fulton County District Attorney Nancy Grace. As a young psychology student, Hailey Dean's world explodes when Will, her fiancé, is murdered just weeks before their wedding. Reeling, she fights back the only way she knows how: In court, prosecuting violent crime ... putting away the bad guys one rapist, doper, and killer at a time. But dedicating her life to justice takes a toll after years of courtroom battles and the endless tide of victims calling out from crime scene photos and autopsy tables. Just as she grows truly weary, a serial killer unlike any other she's encountered begins to stalk the city of Atlanta, targeting young prostitutes, each horrific murder bearing his own unique mark. This courtroom battle will be her last. Hailey heads for Manhattan to pick up the pieces of the life she had before Will's murder, training as a therapist. In a vibrant new world, she finally leaves her ghosts behind. But then her own clients are brutally murdered one by one by a copycat using the same M.O. as the Atlanta killer she hunted down years before. As the body count rises across Manhattan, Hailey is forced to match wits not only against a killer, but the famed NYPD. Unless she returns to her former life and solves the case, still more innocent people will die at the hands of a killer who plans to get her, before she can get him!

Jumping from 26 to 13 this week is 18th mystery in the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series, Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman. As a lieutenant in the LAPD, homicide detective Peter Decker doesn't get many calls at 3 a.m. unless a case is nasty, sensational—or both. Someone has broken into the exclusive Coyote Ranch compound of billionaire developer Guy Kaffey and viciously gunned him down, along with his wife and four employees. A well-known figure on both the business and society pages, Kaffey, with his sons and his younger brother, Mace, built most of the shopping malls in Southern California and earned a reputation for philanthropy, donating millions to worthy causes. It doesn't take long for Peter, his trusted detectives Scott Oliver and Marge Dunn, and the rest of his homicide team to figure out that the gruesome killings must be an inside job. Things become even more entangled when they discover that Kaffey's largesse had included organizations that extended second chances to delinquents, many of whom Kaffey had hired for his personal security. But was the job pure murder/robbery or something even more twisted? A developer of Kaffey's magnitude doesn't make billions without making more enemies with blood grudges. With leads taking the team across L.A., up and down the Golden State, and into Mexico, Decker is plenty busy—and plenty thankful not to have to worry about his wife, Rina Lazarus, getting caught up in this deadly case. Rina is out of harm's way, serving on a jury at the courthouse. But then a chance encounter with a court translator who needs her help leads Rina into the terrifying heart of her husband's murder investigations—and straight into the path of a gang of ruthless killers. To protect Rina, Decker must find his prey before death unites his two worlds.

Debuting in 15th position is Vanished, a new series featuring Special Forces intelligence investigator Nick Heller by Joseph Finder. Nick Heller is tough, smart, and stubborn. And in his line of work, it's essential. Trained in the Special Forces, Nick is a high-powered intelligence investigator--exposing secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden. He's a guy you don't want to mess with. He's also the man you call when you need a problem fixed. Desperate, with nowhere else to run, Nick's nephew, Gabe makes that call one night. After being attacked in Georgetown, his mother, Lauren, lies in a coma, and his step-dad, Roger, Nick's brother, has vanished without a trace. Nick and Roger have been on the outs since the arrest, trial, and conviction of their father, the notorious "fugitive financier," Victor Heller. Where Nick strayed from the path, Roger followed their father's footsteps into the corporate world. Now, as Nick searches for his brother, he's on a collision course with one of the most powerful corporations in the world--and they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

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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New Sherlock Holmes Movie Viral Website

Warner Bros. has launched a new viral website for its upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie using only an IP address to identify it: 94.236.57.221.

It opens requesting a password, which is I-R-E-N-E (after Irene Adler, the only woman who ever impressed Sherlock Holmes). A short video follows, then the omninous statement "Do not underestimate the gravity of coming events" and a request for your e-mail address. (The Warner Bros. privacy policy is in tiny print at the bottom of the screen.)

That's all there is for now, but presumably games or puzzles will be presented in the future, and given this is Sherlock Holmes, maybe a mystery to solve. The film opens in theaters Christmas Day.

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