Mystery Book Review: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis

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

The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
The 39 Clues

Scholastic (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-545-06047-8 (0545060478)
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-06047-9 (9780545060479)
Publication Date: February 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: Fleeing the island of Java (Indonesia) following the fire that took the life of someone they thought was their nemesis, but who saved their lives while sacrificing hers, Amy and Dan Cahill use the lyrics to a song as a guide to their next destination and travel to South Africa in their search of another clue in The Viper's Nest, the seventh book in The 39 Clues series of adventure novels, this entry written by Peter Lerangis.

Amy and Dan quickly discover their grandmother, Grace, spent a considerable amount of time on the continent of Africa, and in particular the country of South Africa, leaving behind several documents, including a secret letter from Winston Churchill, that aid the children in their quest. But the letter is cryptic, giving only the location of a "realization", the Witbank Mines, where a young Churchill had once taken refuge during the Second Boer War. Heading off for the mines, Amy and Dan are convinced if they can find the key to help them decode the letter, they'll be able to learn the next clue in their bizarre hunt around the world, which will ultimately lead them to the greatest power ever known.

Though filled with the action and adventure that the books in the series are known for, The Viper's Nest also has an abundance of puzzles, codes, and secret messages for Amy and Dan (and the reader) to figure out. These add an interesting intellectual twist to the story. (And don't overlook the coded message printed on the page edges of chapters 7 through 11 for readers to decipher!) Finally, there is some subtle, and most welcome, misdirection in the plot, giving the story an element or two of a classic mystery.

Typical of books in the series, there are plenty of cliffhangers to keep readers in suspense, with the book ending -- somewhat appropriately -- with hints on where Amy and Dan may be heading next, but not revealing the exact location. And as promised in the previous book, In Too Deep, Amy and Dan do learn in which branch of the family they belong, though it isn't clear what this new knowledge may mean within the overall context of the series.

Book 8 of The 39 Clues, The Emperor's Code, is written by Gordon Korman (who also wrote the second book One False Note), and is scheduled for publication in April 2010.

Special thanks to Scholastic for providing a copy of The Viper's Nest for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing The Viper's Nest from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): It's no longer a game. The body count is rising. Shaken by recent events, Amy and Dan flee to a distant land and trace the footsteps of their most formidable ancestor yet: a military leader of mythic proportions. Yet just as the siblings begin to master the art of ancient warfare, they confront a dangerous enemy that can't be felled with a sword: the truth. With the stakes higher than ever, Amy and Dan uncover something so devastating it changes everything – the secret of their family branch.

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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones, a Karl Werthen Viennese Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones
A Karl Werthen Viennese Mystery (1st in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: January 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-60753-1

About The Empty Mirror (from the publisher): The summer of 1898 finds Austria terrorized by a killer who the press calls “Vienna’s Jack the Ripper.” Four bodies have already been found, but when the painter Gustav Klimt’s female model becomes the fifth victim, the police finger him as the culprit. The artist has already scandalized Viennese society with his erotically charged modern paintings. Who better to take the blame for the crimes that have plagued the city?

This is, however, far from an open-and-shut case. Klimt’s lawyer, Karl Werthen, has an ace up his sleeve. Dr. Hans Gross, the renowned father of criminology, has agreed to assist him in investigating the murders. Together, Gross and Werthen must not only clear Klimt’s name but also follow the trail of a killer that will lead them in the most surprising of directions. By uncovering the cause of the crimes that have shaken the city, the two men may risk damaging Vienna more than the murders did themselves.

About J. Sydney Jones: The author of twelve books, including the non-fiction Hitler in Vienna, 1907-1913, the guides Viennawalks and Vienna Inside-Out, and the suspense novel Time of the Wolf, J. Sydney Jones was a student in Vienna in 1968 and later returned to live there for almost two decades. He pours his astounding knowledge of Vienna into opulent and gripping mysteries featuring actual historical figures and real-life mysteries from the city's storied past. Jones currently lives near Santa Cruz, (CA). His web site is JSydneyJones.com.

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Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery / suspense category.

The Scroll of the Dead by David Stuart Davies. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Recommended for readers aged 12 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who wrote, "I think this is a fantastic book that Sherlock Holmes fans will devour!"

I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy. The 2nd book in the Sherry Holmes Baldwin series. Recommended for readers aged 12 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who wrote, "[A]n amazing book that continues to awe me to this day," adding that the book "is possibly one of the best books I have ever read."

For more reviews of children and young adult books, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you!

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Walter Mosley To Co-Write Pilot for HBO based on his novel The Long Fall

Deadline: Hollywood is reporting mystery author Walter Mosley and Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, The Manchurian Candidate) will co-write a pilot for HBO based on The Long Fall, Mosley's 2009 novel that introduces series character Leonid McGill, a private investigator in New York City. Demme will direct and co-executive produce with Mosley.

About The Long Fall (from the publisher): His name is etched on the door of his Manhattan office: Leonid McGill, Private Investigator. It’s a name that takes a little explaining, but he’s used to it. “Daddy was a communist and great-great-Granddaddy was a slave master from Scotland. You know, the black man’s family tree is mostly root. Whatever you see above ground is only a hint at the real story.”

Ex-boxer, hard drinker, in a business that trades mostly in cash and favors, McGill’s an old-school P.I. working a city that’s gotten fancy all around him. Fancy or not, he has always managed to get by—keep a roof over the head of his wife and kids, and still manage a little fun on the side—mostly because he’s never been above taking a shady job for a quick buck. But like the city itself, McGill is turning over a new leaf, “decided to go from crooked to slightly bent.”

New York City in the twenty-first century is a city full of secrets—and still a place that reacts when you know where to poke and which string to pull. That’s exactly the kind of thing Leonid McGill knows how to do. With McGill calling in old markers and greasing NYPD palms to unearth some seemingly harmless information for a high-paying client, he learns that even in this cleaned-up city, his commitment to the straight and narrow is going to be constantly tested.

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Games of Mystery: Nightfall Mysteries, Curse of the Opera, New from Big Fish Games

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

Take on the role of a lowly stagehand in an opera company tasked with solving a deadly mystery over the course of a single terrifying night! The Opera troupe is invited by the reclusive Count Vladd Vansig III to his small hamlet to perform a special opera for him. Strangely, there are no villagers to speak of except for the Count and his caretaker. During the night, people go missing and are killed! Use your hidden object skills to find out the identity of the killer and escape the village alive!

Also available: Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera Strategy Guide and Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera Game Walkthrough.

Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera, a BFG Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (183.55 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (Review), 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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DreamWorks Acquires Film Rights to Locke & Key Suspense Graphic Series by Joe Hill

LatinoReview.com is reporting that writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and DreamWorks Pictures have acquired the film rights to the Locke & Key series of suspense comics written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguea. Hill is the son of bestselling author Stephen King. The second volume in the series, Head Games was published late last year. The third, Crown of Shadows, is scheduled for publication this July.

About the series (from the publisher): Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them ... and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all ...

Kurtzman and Orci, who will produce the Locke & Key films, are currently at work on a remake of Hawaii Five-O for CBS and a sequel to the feature film Star Trek, and serve as producers for the Fox series Fringe.

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The Mystery Bookshelf: Sweet Poison by Ellen Hart, a Jane Lawless Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

Sweet Poison by Ellen Hart
A Jane Lawless Mystery (16th in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: November 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37526-3

About Sweet Poison (from the publisher): Jane Lawless is at her wit’s end keeping her Minneapolis restaurants running while volunteering on her father’s campaign for governor. With an eleven-point lead, the race is Ray Lawless’s to lose, but all that changes when his rival posts a list of violent criminals that are back on the streets early, thanks to Ray’s work during his career as a defense lawyer.

Corey Hodge is one of the convicts that took Ray’s advice to plead guilty for a crime that he swears he didn’t commit. Bitter from time served, revenge lurks in the back of his mind. Then one of Ray’s young campaign volunteers is killed, and with the murder mirroring the crime Corey was convicted of, Jane has to bring the killer to justice to save her father’s political career and to keep Corey from going to prison again.

Old fans and newcomers to the series alike will be drawn in by the Lambda-winning author's political savvy and take-charge protagonist in Sweet Poison.

About Ellen Hart: Lambda Literary Award and Minnesota Book Award-winning author Ellen Hart has garnered acclaim and a huge fan base for her series featuring gay restaurateur and sleuth Jane Lawless. She is the author of 15 previous Jane Lawless mysteries as well as her series featuring food critic Sophie Greenway. She lives in Minneapolis (MN). Her website is EllenHart.com.

Mysteries by Ellen Hart reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: The Mortal Groove (2007), The Mirror and the Mask (2009).

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Mysteries on DVD Review: Surrogates

Mystery Books News is pleased to publish a review of a "Mystery on DVD", a movie or television series that has been adapted from or based on a mystery book, or an original screenplay written with characters created by a mystery author.

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Surrogates

Theatrical release date: 09/25/2009.
DVD release date: 01/26/2010.

Cast: Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), Agent Peters (Radha Mitchell), Maggie (Rosamund Pike), Agent Stone (Boris Kodjoe), Canter (James Cromwell), The Prophet (Ving Rhames).

Rating: PG-13
Running time: 89 minutes

Based on the graphic novel The Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele.

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Review: Set in an alternate reality present day, in which humans interact with each other via surrogates, robots that are controlled by the brain waves of their owners from the comfort and safety of their homes, the world is a peaceful, nearly utopian place. Violent crime is virtually non-existent. But then the seemingly impossible happens: a surrogate couple is destroyed, killing both its owners. Assigned to the case is FBI Agent Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), whose investigation leads him to a cell of humans who live in surrogate-free camps, led by The Prophet (Ving Rhames). But in order to interrogate The Prophet, Greer must leave his own home and venture into the "real" world, something he hasn't done in years. He learns of a device, a weapon if you will, that can bypass the fail-safe mechanisms of the surrogates; if used against one, it can kill the owner. To his surprise, the device is made by the same company that created the surrogates. With the lives of billions of people at stake, Greer must not only find the device, but uncover who is using it to commit murder.

Viewed as a murder mystery, Surrogates works reasonably well -- a police procedural more than anything else. Though clearly set in a futuristic world, the science fiction elements are played down, as are the visual special effects, which serve to enhance the film rather than overwhelm it. If you're looking for an action thriller, this isn't it. (The few CGI action sequences that do appear, however, seem quite amateurish.) Unfortunately, the film gives away too much of the "whodunit" aspect so the plot centers more on allowing Greer to piece together the clues that will lead him to the killer.

Bruce Willis is terrific in his role here. It actually reminded me of his performance in The Sixth Sense, a somewhat vulnerable character played in a quiet, understated manner. Ving Rhames and James Cromwell, who plays the surrogates creator Canter, have fairly minor parts to play, but manage to bring some depth to their characters' relatively brief time on screen.

For the most part, all the other actors play as surrogates in an oddly compelling mechanical fashion, as one might expect robots to behave. Their skin is flawless, their bodies toned, their facial expressions limited, their body movements often stiff and, well, robotic. It's an interesting contrast to the flawed but expressive humans in the story, principally Greer (after he sheds his surrogate), The Prophet, and Canter.

At 89 minutes, the film is quite short, and though I'm usually of the opinion that films tend to be too long rather than too short, Surrogates could have really used some more time here. I would have spent it on further character development and maybe a little more background on the surrogate culture that would have, in the end, helped support the killer's motive.

Fans of Bruce Willis, of which I count myself, will definitely want to add Surrogates to their DVD or Blu-ray collection. It is certainly worth a second viewing, if only to take in some of the more subtle aspects of the story that may have been missed the first time through.

My rating: 3 (of 4) stars.

 

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Formats and/or viewing options:
Purchase Surrogates on DVD
Purchase Surrogates on Blu-ray Disc

Reviewed on 02/04/2010 by Mr. E., television and film critic for Mystery Books News

Review Copyright © 2010— Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

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IFC To Screen Red Riding Trilogy, based on the Crime Novel Quartet by David Peace

Beginning today, the Independent Film Channel will screen at the IFC Center in New York City the three films adapted from David Peace's Red Riding Quartet of crime novels. Originally aired as a mini-series on Channel 4 in the UK in March 2009, the films (1974, 1980, and 1983) will open nationwide on February 19th. (The fourth book in the quartet, 1977, was not adapted.)

About 1974 (from the network): It's Yorkshire in 1974, and fear, mistrust and institutionalised police corruption are running riot. Rookie journalist Eddie Dunford is determined to search for the truth in an increasingly complex maze of lies and deceit surrounding the police investigation into a series of child abductions.

When young Clare Kemplay goes missing, Eddie and his colleague, Barry, persuade their editor to let them investigate links with two similar abductions in the last decade.

But after a mutilated body is found on a construction site owned by a local property magnate, Eddie and Barry are drawn into a deadly world of secrecy, intimidation, shocking revelations and police brutality.

About 1980 (from the network): It's 1980 and the 'Ripper' has tyrannised Yorkshire for six long years. Senior Manchester detective Peter Hunter is brought in by the Home Office to conduct a secret review of the Ripper investigation to date.

Hunter's been involved with West Yorkshire before; he failed to complete an investigation into a shooting involving Yorkshire coppers back in 1974.

But this time Hunter's determined not to leave without getting results.

About 1983 (from the network): Nine years on, another Morley child has gone missing on her way home from school.

Detective Chief Superintendent Maurice Jobson is forced to remember the very similar disappearance of Clare Kemplay, who was found dead in 1974, and the subsequent imprisonment of local boy Michael Myshkin.

Washed-up local solicitor John Piggott becomes convinced of Myshkin's innocence and begins to fight on his behalf, unwittingly providing a catalyst for Jobson to start to right some wrongs.

Vintage has issued new trade paperback editions of the books; click on the book covers for more information:

   

Trailers for each of the films are available, and can be seen below:

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Games of Mystery: Epic Adventures, La Jangada, New at Big Fish Games

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

La Jangada, based on the 1881 Jules Verne adventure novel of the same name, opens with Minha travelling with her family through the Amazon River to Brazil where she is going to marry an army physician Manuel Valdez. Minha's father Joam is still haunted by his dark past in Brazil where he was falsely accused of murder. A scoundrel named Torres offers Joam absolute proof of his innocence but in return he wants Minha's hand in marriage! When Joam refuses, Torres reports his arrival in Brazil to the police and Joam is arrested. Can Minha find evidence to save her father from the gallows? Or will she give in to Torres' evil plan?

Also available: Epic Adventures: La Jangada Game Walkthrough.

Epic Adventures: La Jangada may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (153.63 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (Review), 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!

Return to Mystery Books News ...