Mystery Book Review: Mortal Friends by Jane Stanton Hitchcock

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

Mortal Friends by Jane Stanton Hitchcock
Non-series

Harper (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-117370-3 (0061173703)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-117370-7 (9780061173707)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $25.99

Review: Jane Stanton Hitchcock crafts a tale of high society and murder in the stand-alone thriller Mortal Friends.

The story is told from the perspective of Reven Lynch, an antiques dealer in Washington DC and best friends with Violet Bolten, who, with her husband Grant, is one of the city's most connected power couples. Reven and Violet are jogging when the latest victim of the Beltway Basher is found. The serial killings have the police stumped as there is little to connect the women other than they had all attended a society function at one point or another. But in a city where these events take place frequently, that's hardly a solid lead. Still, DC Detective Gunner asks Reven to be his eyes and ears at the dinners and gala events she attends.

While there is a murder, a suspect or two, a detective, and an amateur sleuth, there's no sense of urgency in dealing with the crime and the resolution, when it occurs, almost seems like an afterthought. Mortal Friends proceeds along at what can best be called a leisurely pace. Written almost in the style of a personal diary, Reven notes what functions she's attending and with whom, what happens before, during, and afterwards, and the secrets and lies that unfold as a consequence. Presumably the reader takes on the role of Detective Gunner here, sifting through all the information to extract the one or two details that will lead to the identity of the killer. But Reven's narrative is almost clinical in its approach, with little emotion ever shown, and no suspense is ever generated.

In the end, the cover is the most intriguing part of the book with Mortal Friends being more an insider's guide to Washington DC society than a mystery. And that's something of a disappointment, especially given the rich material the author had to work with.

Special thanks to HarperCollins for providing an ARC of Mortal Friends for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): When the latest victim of the "Beltway Basher" is found in the woods of Montrose Park, Reven Lynch's favorite jogging spot, her crime-loving antenna goes up. The murder makes Reven and her best friend, Violet Bolton, reconsider their running route—but that's not the only change in Reven's routine. Her chic Georgetown neighborhood isn't accustomed to brutal slayings, and when the smooth, enigmatic Detective Gunner shows up in her antique shop, asking pointed questions, Reven's left wondering how close to home the killings are.

Gunner is convinced the murderer is a society bigshot hiding in plain sight. But he is out of his element in the rarefied world of embassy dinners and symphony balls, and Reven is perfectly positioned to feed him the inside information he needs. She throws herself into her role as the detective's "ersatz Mata Hari," only to discover that the prominent skirt-chasing businessman for whom she's fallen tops Gunner's shortlist of suspects. And that's not the half of it: a philanthropic bombshell named Cynthia Rinehart has taken the city by storm, and Violet's steady marriage is suddenly encountering some major turbulence.

During the course of the investigation, the social world will unravel, an old friendship will be put to the test, scandalous secrets will be unleashed, and Reven will discover that nothing old or new, in high culture or low life, is what it appears.

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Mystery Book Review: Devil's Trill by Gerald Elias

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Devil's Trill by Gerald Elias. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Devil's Trill by Gerald Elias
A Daniel Jacobus Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-54181-3 (0312541813)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-54181-1 (9780312541811)
Publication Date: August 2009
List Price: $25.99

Review: Gerald Elias introduces Daniel Jacobus, an old, blind, cantankerous, crabby, chain-smoking violin teacher who takes on new students only to hope they leave him because of his argumentative and cranky disposition, but also a suspected killer, in Devil's Trill.

In the late 1700s, Antonio Stradivars produced a three-quarter sized violin for a diminutive, self-taught, brilliant musician. Called the "Piccolino", this most rare violin is now owned by the Grimsley family, founders of the prestigious Musical Arts Program (MAP) in New York City. Every 13 years, the Grimsley International Violin Competition is held, attracting the most talented young musicians from around the world. The winner is granted the honor of playing the Piccolino, on stage, with full orchestra. But then the violin is stolen. Daniel Jacobus, once a competitor himself, is not sympathetic. He has made it known over the years that he believes the MAP has become a den of corrruption and greed. He's known to have made the violin, a symbol of the competition, a target of his wrath. He's initially a suspect, but his old friend, Nathaniel Williams, who's company insured the violin, doesn't believe he did it. But who would steal it? It's unique and couldn't be sold without alerting someone. But then another violin teacher, Victoria Jablonski, is found brutally murdered. Daniel is suspected of this crime as well. Can Daniel discover who stole the Piccolino and committed a murder, the reasons why? And, not incidentally, clear his name?

Devil's Trill is as much about character as it is about plot. Daniel Jacobus is a rather unique amateur sleuth, the kind of character one loves to hate. "It seems as though the competitions for child musicians, especially violinists, are no less cruel to them than cockfighting is to its bloody contestants," he says. "And cockfighting is illegal." But the supporting characters are equally memorable. Daniel has a student, Yumi Shinagawa, who was in the concert hall when the Piccolino was stolen. She sees right through him and recognizes him for the gifted teacher he is. She's willing to help, but when it looks like Daniel is about to be arrested, he arranges for her and Nathaniel to accompany him to Canada, and then on to Japan. His flight makes him appear guilty but he's only trying avoid being arrested in order to identity the culprit.

Devil's Trill is a tautly constructed mystery, one that not only provides a behind-the-scenes look at the high stakes world of music competition but will keep readers guessing, and serves as a terrific introduction to this series.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Devil's Trill and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Daniel Jacobus is a blind, reclusive, crotchety violin teacher living in self-imposed exile in rural New England. He spends his time chain-smoking, listening to old LPs, and occasionally taking on new students, whom he berates in the hope that they will flee.

Jacobus is drawn back into the world he left behind when he decides to attend The Grimsley Competition at Carnegie Hall. The young winner of this competition is granted the honor of playing the Piccolino Stradivarius, a uniquely dazzling three-quarter-size violin that has brought misfortune to all who possessed it over the centuries. But the violin is stolen before the winner of the competition has a chance to play it, and Jacobus is the primary suspect.

With the help of his friend and former musical partner, Nathaniel Williams, his new student, Yumi Shinagawa, and several quirky sidekicks, Jacobus sets out to prove his innocence and find the stolen Piccolino Strad. Will he be successful? The quest takes him through the halls of wealth and culture, across continents to Japan, and leads him to a … murder.

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Primetime Crime: Law & Order SVU, 11th Season Opener

The 2009/2010 Season for Primetime Crime returns this week with new series and episodes!

The 11th season premiere of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit airs Wednesday on NBC at 10 PM ET/PT with an episode titled "Unstable". A victim who bonds with the officer who rescues her forces Benson and Stabler to work with the volatile officer to close the case. Unfortunately, the case becomes more complicated, and extends the unhappy team, when the Executive ADA brings evidence that their case may have been committed by a serial rapist.

Watch a sneak peek of the season premiere of Law & Order: SVU below:

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Primetime Crime: CSI NY, 6th Season Opener

The 2009/2010 Season for Primetime Crime returns this week with new series and episodes!

The sixth season premiere of CSI: NY airs Wednesday on CBS at 10 PM ET/PT with an episode titled "Epilogue". Following a spray of machine gunfire, the CSI team rises from the chaos. But when one member's life is significantly changed, it proves to be the emotional motivation they need to piece together their lives and ultimately find the shooter.

Watch a preview of the season premiere of CSI: NY below:

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Primetime Crime: Criminal Minds, 5th Season Opener

The 2009/2010 Season for Primetime Crime returns this week with new series and episodes!

In an episode titled "Nameless, Faceless", Hotch's unexplained absence quickly becomes apparent when the team is called back together to profile a killer who is targeting an emergency room doctor, on the fifth season premiere of Criminal Minds (Wednesday, 9 PM ET/PT on CBS).

Evil hits home in the first episode of the season. Watch a preview of the season premiere of Criminal Minds below:

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Games of Mystery: Women's Murder Club in Twice in a Blue Moon, New for Windows 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.

Women’s Murder Club: Twice in a Blue Moon is the third game in this series based on the Women's Murder Club novels by James Patterson.

Women’s Murder Club: Twice in a Blue Moon continues the adventures of the Women’s Murder Club in San Francisco. The bizarre clues left behind at a murder scene lead Lindsay to a hundred year old murder by the famed Jack the Ripper. The WMC suspects a copy-cat killer as new murders mirror those of famous serious killers of the past. The tension heightens as they try to catch the copy-cat killer before he kills again.

Women’s Murder Club: Twice in a Blue Moon is currently scheduled for release for Windows PC platforms on September 24th, 2009, and may be pre-ordered now. It is rated T for Teen. The previous games in the series are Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet and Women's Murder Club: A Darker Shade of Grey.

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

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Warner Bros. Planning a Sequel to Sherlock Holmes?

The Risky Biz blog on The Hollywood Reporter website is reporting that, three months before its theatrical release, Warner Bros. is planning a sequel to Sherlock Holmes.

It is expected that Robert Downey Jr. would return as the consulting detective and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. And it's possible that all the buzz this past summer regarding Brad Pitt appearing as Moriarty in the film might actually refer to the sequel instead.

Nothing concrete on the sequel yet, nor is it likely to be, until Sherlock Holmes hits theaters on December 25th, 2009.

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Primetime Crime: NCIS, 7th Season Opener, and the Premiere of NCIS Los Angeles

The 2009/2010 Season for Primetime Crime returns this week with new series and episodes!

The 7th season opener of NCIS airs on CBS Tuesday night at 8 PM (ET/PT) with an episode titled "Truth or Consequences". As the hunt for Ziva's replacement begins, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and his remaining team members must head back to work with the past still weighing heavily on their minds.

Immediately following at 9 PM (ET/PT) is the series premiere of NCIS: Los Angeles with an episode titled "Identity". Newly located in a Los Angeles mission, the NCIS Office of Special Projects (OSP) welcomes Special Agent G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell) back to the team and races to solve a kidnapping case.

Watch a sneak peak for the 7th season of NCIS below, followed by a behind-the-scenes introduction to the characters of NCIS: Los Angeles:

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Primetime Crime: The Forgotten, New Series Premiere

The 2009/2010 Season for Primetime Crime returns this week with new series and episodes!

ABC premieres a new series on Tuesday at 10 PM (ET/PT), The Forgotten. In the pilot, viewers are introduced to Alex Donovan (Christian Slater) and the rest of The Forgotten Network, a team of dedicated amateurs who work on murder cases involving unidentified victims. They must first solve the puzzle of the victim's identity in order to then help catch the killer. Their initial case is of a "Highway Jane", a young woman murdered and left in the woods.

Take a first look of The Forgotten below:

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Mysteries on TV: Castle, Law & Order SVU, and The Mentalist, Season DVDs Available This Week

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 three series that have season DVDs being released this week.

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A bestselling novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and a New York City detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) delve into real world crime in Castle.

In the premiere episode, a copycat killer recreates the murder scenes depicted in Castle's novels. Finding true life mysteries more stimulating than fiction, Castle continues to offer his professional insights to Detective Beckett -- whether she wants them or not. Sparks fly and a hint of romance hangs in the air as these two strong personalities investigate some of the most puzzling crimes on the NYPD's docket.

The Castle: Season One DVD set of 3 discs contain the 10 episodes that aired on ABC in spring 2009 as a mid-season replacement series. The DVD also features bloopers and outtakes, and featurettes showing which classic detective shows inspired the series and a write-along with Nathan Fillion. The second season opener airs tonight at 10 PM (ET/PT).

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Follow dedicated detectives Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) as they work with New York City's most heinous criminals, including abusive foster parents, neglectful doctors, vicious smugglers and sadistic kidnappers in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Compelling guest stars this season include the return of Stephanie March as ADA Alexandra Cabot, Carol Burnett, Carol Kane, Hilary Duff, Cicely Tyson, Alex Kingston, Dabney Coleman, Martin Mull, and Ellen Burstyn, who won an Emmy for her guest appearance as Stabler's mother Bernadette.

The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season Ten DVD set of 5 discs contain the 22 episodes that aired on NBC from September 2008 through June 2009. The 11th season premieres Wednesday, September 23rd, at 10 PM (ET/PT).

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The Mentalist is Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), a celebrity psychic whose wife and child are viciously murdered by an elusive serial killer called Red John. Devastated, Patrick admits his paranormal act is fake, renounces his earlier life and uses his astonishing skills of observation and analysis -- talents that made him appear psychically gifted -- to bring killers to justice.

At crime scenes across California, Patrick now helps an elite team of detectives break their toughest cases. But no matter how many criminals he catches, Patrick never forgets his central goal: Find Red John. And bring him down.

The Mentalist: Season One DVD set of 6 discs contain the 23 episodes that aired on CBS from September 2008 through May 2009. The second season premieres Thursday, September 24th, at 9 PM (ET/PT).

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

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