Last month we learned that Tom Cruise was being considered for the role of Jack Reacher in a film adaptation of One Shot, the 9th book in a series of crime novels by Lee Child. There was a considerable amount of discussion — debate — online as to whether he was right for the part, what with Reacher being (according to his own biography on the author's website) 6'5", 220-250 lbs. with 50" chest ... and Tom Cruise being, well, not.
Still, the author supported the choice, saying in part that, "Reacher's size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way." And now we're learning tonight that the studio producing the film adaptation and the actor have closed a deal. Production is expected to begin early this fall.
About One Shot: Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me.
And sure enough, Jack Reacher is coming. He knows this shooter — a trained military sniper who never should have missed a shot. Reacher is certain something is not right — and soon the slam-dunk case explodes.
Now Reacher is teamed with a beautiful young defense lawyer, moving closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. Reacher knows that no two opponents are created equal. This one has come to the heartland from his own kind of hell. And Reacher knows that the only way to take him down is to match his ruthlessness and cunning — and then beat him shot for shot.
(Source: Deadline|Hollywood)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Tom Cruise Confirmed to Play Jack Reacher in Film Adaptation of One Shot by Lee Child
Friday, July 15, 2011
County Line by Bill Cameron is Today's Featured Free Kindle MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature County Line by Bill Cameron as today's free mystery ebook. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so we urge you to download it while it is still available for free.
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County Line by Bill Cameron
Non-Series
Tyrus Books
Note: Earlier this week we featured County Line as a free Nook Book, which as of the date of this post, it still is; it's now available as a free Kindle edition.
About County Line (from the publisher): When the steadfast Ruby Jane Whittaker drops out of sight, dogged ex-cop Skin Kadash sets out to discover what drove the woman he loves to leave her life behind so suddenly and without explanation. The discovery of a dead man in her apartment followed by an attack from a mysterious stalker leads Skin first to California, then across the country on a desperate journey deep into Ruby Jane's haunted past — and toward an explosive confrontation which will determine if either has a future.
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See Preview Pages from Richard Castle's Deadly Storm Graphic Novel on EW.com
Richard Castle's Deadly Storm won't hit bookstores until September 21st, but you can get a preview of several pages from the graphic novel on EW.com.
The storyline features Castle's fictional private investigator Derrick Storm, who leaves Manhattan behind when he enters the globe-hopping intrigue of the CIA. (Just to remind everyone, Richard Castle is a fictional writer, a character on the ABC crime drama Castle, who has written several crime novels featuring NYPD homicide detective Nikki Heat ... having bumped off previous series character Derrick Storm in the premiere episode of the show. So we have a real actor playing a fictional writer, who writes real books featuring a fictional character. This graphic novel, incidentally, is a prequel. No matter how you slice it, it's entertainingly complicated and very clever marketing for both the television series and the published books.)
And if you're at Comic-Con next weekend, Richard Castle — that is, Nathan Fillion — will be in Room 6BCF from 11:45 to 12:45 on Sunday, July 24th.
New Trailer for Blitz, Adapted from the Crime Thriller by Ken Bruen
A new trailer for the film Blitz, adapted from crime thriller of the same title by Ken Bruen, has been released by the studio We've embedded it below.
In the book, the fourth in the Detective Sergeant Tom Brant series, the cops are on the trail of a serial killer, known as "The Blitz", who has been targeting police officers. Jason Statham plays Brant in the film.
Blitz was released theatrically a month or so ago in Europe, but will go straight to video here in the US; the scheduled release date is August 23rd, 2011 (DVD and Blu-ray disc).
(Source: Yahoo! Movies)
Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending July 15th, 2011
A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending July 15th, 2011 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.
No change at the top, with Janet Evanovich's 17th numbered Stephanie Plum mystery, Smokin' Seventeen still the bestselling mystery in the country. Two titles move up into the top 15.
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Moving up 10 positions to number 8 is the 9th Rizzoli & Isles mystery, The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen.
Every crime scene tells a story. Some keep you awake at night. Others haunt your dreams. The grisly display homicide cop Jane Rizzoli finds in Boston’s Chinatown will do both.
In the murky shadows of an alley lies a female’s severed hand. On the tenement rooftop above is the corpse belonging to that hand, a red-haired woman dressed all in black, her head nearly severed. Two strands of silver hair — not human — cling to her body. They are Rizzoli’s only clues, but they’re enough for her and medical examiner Maura Isles to make the startling discovery: that this violent death had a chilling prequel.
Nineteen years earlier, a horrifying murder-suicide in a Chinatown restaurant left five people dead. But one woman connected to that massacre is still alive: a mysterious martial arts master who knows a secret she dares not tell, a secret that lives and breathes in the shadows of Chinatown. A secret that may not even be human. Now she’s the target of someone, or something, deeply and relentlessly evil.
Cracking a crime resonating with bone-chilling echoes of an ancient Chinese legend, Rizzoli and Isles must outwit an unseen enemy with centuries of cunning — and a swift, avenging blade.
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Alice LaPlante's debut suspense novel, Turn of Mind, moves up to number 14 on the list.
As the book opens, Dr. Jennifer White’s best friend, Amanda, who lived down the block, has been killed, and four fingers surgically removed from her hand. Dr. White is the prime suspect and she herself doesn’t know whether she did it. Told in White’s own voice, fractured and eloquent, a picture emerges of the surprisingly intimate, complex alliance between these life-long friends — two proud, forceful women who were at times each other’s most formidable adversaries. As the investigation into the murder deepens and White’s relationships with her live-in caretaker and two grown children intensify, a chilling question lingers: is White’s shattered memory preventing her from revealing the truth or helping her to hide it?
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For more mystery books news, 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.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Review: The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane
The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane. Non-series. Mira Books Hardcover, May 2011.
This exciting novel of suspense introduces a remarkable cast of characters, a company of experts with specialized skills called Forensic Instincts, whose presence takes a rather ordinary kidnapping story and elevates it into an extraordinary investigative tale.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane.
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Telemystery: Second Season of Haven Premieres Friday, July 15th, on SyFy
SyFy's sci-fi thriller Haven returns this Friday, July 15th, at 10 PM (ET/PT).
The series, loosely adapted from the novella The Colorado Kid by Stephen King, stars Emily Rose as shrewd and confident FBI agent Audrey Parker, who has a lost past, and arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine on a routine murder investigation. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people that are affected by a range of supernatural afflictions.
We have no episode information about the second season opener, which is tantalizingly titled "A Tale of Two Audreys".
Telemystery: Prime Time Crime 2011 Emmy Nominations
The Emmy nominations were announced this morning, and we've collected those that fall under the category of "prime time crime" below.
The Closer: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Mary McDonnell)
Dexter: Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Michael C. Hall), Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Julia Stiles)
Harry's Law: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Kathy Bates), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Paul McCrane)
Justified: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Timothy Olyphant), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Walton Goggins), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Margo Martindale), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Jeremy Davies)
The Killing: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Mireille Enos), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Michelle Forbes), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Veena Sud), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Patty Jenkins)
Law & Order SVU: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Mariska Hargitay)
Luther: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries (Idris Elba)
Sherlock: Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries (Steven Moffat), Outstanding Music Composition (David Arnold and Michael Price)
True Blood: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Alfre Woodard)
The following series received technical nominations: Burn Notice (Sound Mixing), The Cape (Prosthetic Makeup), CSI NY (Sound Editing), Dexter (Single-Camera Picture Editing, Sound Mixing), Fringe (Interactive Media), Hawaii Five-O (Stunt Coordination), The Killing (Casting, Single-Camera Picture Editing), Sherlock (Single-Camera Picture Editing, Special Visual Effects), Southland (Stunt Coordination), True Blood (Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Editing), The Walking Dead (Prosthetic Makeup, Sound Editing, Special Visual Effects)
OMN Welcomes Ray Flynt, Author of the Political Thriller Kisses of an Enemy
Omnimystery News is pleased to welcome Ray Flynt, author of the political thriller Kisses of an Enemy (May 2011 Trade Paperback, 978-0-615-48130-2), which earlier this week was featured on the Huffington Post as one of the five best summer indie beach reads.
Today Ray writes about plot and character development. And he's also providing our readers with an opportunity to win an autographed copy of his book. Visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Ray Flynt: Kisses of an Enemy" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (6718) for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends 07/28/2011.)
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Photo provided courtesy of
Ray Flynt
Every writer knows that, even in fiction, the action has to seem real. As I created the character of Dave O'Brien, the protagonist in Kisses of an Enemy, I was nervous about a few scenes. Dave is chief of staff to Congressman Noah Sebring. He hasn't had much success with anything else in his life (marriage, fatherhood, relationships) but he's at the top of his political game and driven to rise even higher. However, late at night—from the privacy of his bedroom—I had him trolling Internet chat rooms for sexual thrills. That was before the latest Washington DC sex scandal involving a Congressman tweeting images of his erect penis. Once more, real life has taken a bizarre turn that is two or three steps ahead of what any writer would feel comfortable fictionalizing. I had nothing to worry about.
Kisses of an Enemy is a tale of political suspense set on Capitol Hill, but at the heart of the story is a struggle for power. After all, isn't that what Washington, DC is all about; getting power, holding on to it, trying to take it away from the other guy? I developed my love of politics from my father during many kitchen table conversations. He also engendered a healthy cynicism about politicians, and which I've reinforced in my own observations over the last twenty-five years working in Washington, DC and Pennsylvania's state capital.
I've discovered that plotting and character development are the aspects of writing most important to me. I write the kind of story that I enjoy reading. Since mystery/suspense is my genre, developing a complex—at times intersecting—plot, while keeping the reader guessing with page-turning twists and turns is my goal. I figure my job is to entertain, and if the reader has fun, I've scored a hit.
You will recall the tragic case, a few years back, of the Congressional intern who was having an affair with a congressman, and her body was later discovered in Rock Creek Park. For the plot of Kisses of an Enemy I tried to re-imagine how a Congressional aide would deal with threats after an intern was kidnapped.
Another challenge of writing a DC-based story with a contemporary feel is that the average reader is familiar with the real Washington politicians. I refer to the President, Vice President, and Speaker only by their positions, believing that if the novel mentioned President Obama, it would lock the story in time. If I had referenced President James Whitfield (not a bad sounding name for a president) the reader might have a more difficult time suspending disbelief.
On the other hand, creating fictional members of Congress is less daunting. Surveys show that a majority of Americans can't name their own representative. Another deliberate choice was to not assign political parties to the politicians. Why? Our politics has become so polarizing that I feared sticking a party label on characters could alienate at least half the readers. Remember, this is a story about power, and neither party has a monopoly on grasping for power. Recently, a friend of mine, who has worked as a staffer and lobbyist on Capitol Hill on and off for the last fifty years read my book. In what I considered high praise, she said, “You certainly got the Hill right.”
While it has been a long time since “Mr. Smith” came to Washington, it's my belief that we all try to hold on to the notion that our elected representatives are there to accomplish the public good. Not giving away any of the plot, there is a scene late in the book in which a Congressman is eulogized. That scene was my effort at grasping for the too-often elusive “idealism” of politics.
If you like following the machinations of politicians in Washington, DC, I think you'll enjoy Kisses of an Enemy. You can read the first four chapters at www.rayflynt.com/kisses_of_an_enemy.
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Ray Flynt is the CEO of a Washington DC-based national social service association. He is the author of Kisses of an Enemy, a tale of political suspense. A native of Pennsylvania, Ray's first mystery novel, Unforgiving Shadows was published in 2005 by Five Star, featuring series detective Brad Frame. Transplanted Death, the next in the Brad Frame series, will be published in late 2011.
Ray is a member of Mystery Writers of America. He lives in Anne Arundel County, Maryland with his wife and their two cats. Learn more about the author and his books at RayFlynt.com.
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About Kisses of an Enemy: Congressional chief of staff Dave O'Brien is salivating at the prospects for advancement in the wake of a tragic plane crash that has opened the way for his boss, Congressman Noah Sebring, to take over the powerful chair of the House Appropriations Committee. But Dave has a problem: he's received a threatening e-mail accompanied by a photo of a young intern, bound and gagged.
The missing girl's father, unhappy with Dave's explanations about his daughter's whereabouts, hires a reporter, Nick DaPrato, to go to Washington and “shake things up.” DaPrato has his own credibility issues, since his newspaper fired him for making up sources on an exposé of local corruption. As the battle for the chairmanship heats up, Dave tries to protect his job, while Nick struggles to keep the search for the intern on the front burner in this epic tale of duplicity and deceit in the nation's capital.
Kisses of an Enemy is available in Trade Paperback and popular eBook formats (Kindle edition, Nook Book).
For a chance to win a signed copy of Kisses of an Enemy, courtesy of the author, visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Ray Flynt: Kisses of an Enemy" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (6718) for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends 07/28/2011.)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
New Trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Embedded)
Yesterday we announced that Warner Bros. had released a new trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows exclusively on the Apple iTunes trailers website.
Today, the studio has uploaded the trailer to YouTube, and we're pleased to embed it below.
The film, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as the consulting detective, and Jude Law as his partner in crime (solving) Dr. John Watson, opens in theaters December 16th, 2011.
