If you're in the St. Louis area next Tuesday — or plan to be — you won't want to miss crime novelist Robert Crais, who will be reading from and signing his latest Elvis Cole/Joe Pike thriller Taken. Presented by the St. Louis County Library Foundation and Left Bank Books, the event will take place on Tuesday, January 31st, at 7 PM at Library Headquarters Auditorium, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. It is free and open to the public.
In this 12th book of the series, when the police tell a wealthy industrialist that her missing son has faked his own kidnapping, she hires Elvis Cole and Joe Pike — and Cole soon determines that it was no fake. The boy and his secret girlfriend have been taken, and are now lost in the gray and changing world of the professional border kidnappers who prey not only on innocent victims but also on one another — buying, selling, and stealing victims like commodities. Fortunately, the kidnappers don't yet know who the boy is, but when Cole goes undercover to try to buy the two hostages back, he himself is taken and disappears. Now it is up to Pike to retrace Cole's steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers … before it is too late.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Robert Crais to Read from, Sign His Latest Thriller in St. Louis Tuesday, January 31st
Lilyhammer Premieres in Norway to Record Number of Viewers
In a little over a week, Netflix begins streaming its first original series, Lilyhammer. And they've got to be pleased with the reaction to the series in Norway: the premiere episode, which was shown this past Wednesday, scored a 56.3% market share, the largest ever for NRK1, the network on which the episode aired.
Lilyhammer stars Steve Van Zandt (The Sopranos) as Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano, a former mobster who is relocated to Lillehammer (Norway) via a federal witness protection program. A sports fan, Frank wants to make his new life in the town that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics — or as he calls it "Lilyhammer." Frank has visions of a paradise of "clean air, fresh white snow and gorgeous broads" far away from the temptations of the Big Apple and from mob hit men. Reality, of course, turns out to be spectacularly different.
On Tuesday, February 6th, 2012, Netflix will have available for streaming all eight episodes of the first season. A second season has already been commissioned.
Watch a trailer for the series below.
(Related article: The Hollywood Reporter.)
CBS Orders Pilots for Mommy Track Mysteries, Two Other Crime Dramas
Last September CBS acquired a television project to adapt the Ayelet Waldman "Mommy Track" mysteries. Yesterday, the network ordered a pilot for a potential series.
In the books, Juliet Applebaum — the series has a tentative title of Applebaum — has given up her career as a public defender to stay at home with her young children … but crime finds a way into her neighborhood giving her a chance to solve mysteries (or Nursery Crimes, as the first book in the series is titled).
CBS also gave the go-ahead to a pilot for Quean, featuring a Lisbeth "Dragon Tattoo" Salander-type character, who works with an Oakland (California) police detective to solve crimes. And a third pilot order goes to an untitled 1960s-era drama with a former rodeo cowboy-turned-Las Vegas sheriff.
BBC America to Co-Produce Next Season of Luther
BBC America announced yesterday that the cable network would be co-producing the next season of the crime drama Luther.
Idris Elba stars as Detective Chief Investigator John Luther, a near-genius detective, who might just be as dangerous as the depraved criminals he hunts. Luther follows his own moral code as much as the rules of criminal law.
"We're delighted that Idris' performance in Luther has been recognized this year with a Golden Globe Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination," said Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America. "His iconic role as John Luther has quickly become one of the most powerful detective characters television audiences have ever seen."
The season will consist of two episodes to be written by Neil Cross, each two parts, and will air later this year.
Last year, screenwriter Cross won the prestigious Edgar Award for Best Television Episode Teleplay.
(Related article: Press Release.)
Head Games by Craig McDonald is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Head Games by Craig McDonald as today's second free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Head Games by Craig McDonald
A Hector Lassiter Mystery
Publisher: Bleak House/Craig McDonald
Set mostly in 1957, this is the first mystery (of four to date) to feature pulp fiction crime writer Hector Lassiter.
About Head Games (from the publisher): Hector Lassiter has Pancho Villa's long lost skull. He's also got people on his trail. Competing fraternities, Mexican bandits, and US Secret Service are after him. But Lassiter is larger than life. He bedded Dietrich and boxed Hemingway, this can't be too bad. Can it?
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie as today's free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie
A Kate Lawrence Mystery
Publisher: Mainly Murder Press
We called this third book of the series "delightful", adding, "The straight-forward plot has some clever twists and readers will quickly relate to the endearing old ladies living in a mysterious mansion with a secret past."
About A Skeleton in the Closet (from the publisher): Everyone has a skeleton or two in their pasts, but the one that turns up at 185 Broad Street in Old Wethersfield is all too real. Afraid that the discovery of a corpse on their property might put off potential buyers, the elderly owners of the historic Victorian house turn to Wethersfield realtor and reluctant amateur sleuth Kate Lawrence to solve their problem.
As if that weren’t enough to contend with, Kate and her longtime love Armando are moving in together. Kate’s partner Strutter has a secret that sends everyone reeling. Best friend Margo sets her cap for a local police officer. And every last one of them is being threatened by an anonymous poison pen.
Read our review of A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
City of Masks by Daniel Hecht is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal
MystereBooks is pleased to feature City of Masks by Daniel Hecht as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Friday, January 27, 2012.
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City of Masks by Daniel Hecht
A Cree Black Mystery
Publisher: Bloomsbury
About City of Masks (from the publisher): Parapsychologist Cree and her partner take a case in New Orleans's Garden District that leaves them fearing for their own lives.
The 150-year-old Beauforte House has long stood empty, until Lila Beauforte resumes residence and starts to see some of the house's secrets literally come to life. Tormented by an insidious and violent presence, Lila finds herself trapped in a life increasingly filled with childhood terrors. It takes Cree's unconventional take on psychology and her powerful natural empathy with Lila to navigate the dangerous worlds of spirit and memory, as they clash in a terrifying tale of mistaken identity and murder.
Important Note: Amazon.com updates its Kindle book deal every day at approximately midnight PT. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price for Friday, January 27, 2012 only.
Download Link(s):
Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending January 27, 2012
A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending January 27th, 2012 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.
P. D. James's stand-alone novel Death Comes to Pemberley has regained the top spot this week … and by a fairly comfortable margin. Elmore Leonard's Raylan takes the biggest jump of the week, from 17 to 4.
One new title debuts.
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Coming in at number 8 is the latest mystery to feature private investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, Taken by Robert Crais.
When the police tell a wealthy industrialist that her missing son has faked his own kidnapping, she hires Elvis Cole and Joe Pike — and Cole soon determines that it was no fake. The boy and his secret girlfriend have been taken, and are now lost in the gray and changing world of the professional border kidnappers who prey not only on innocent victims but also on one another-buying, selling, and stealing victims like commodities.
Fortunately, the kidnappers don't yet know who the boy is, but when Cole goes undercover to try to buy the two hostages back, he himself is taken and disappears.
Now it is up to Pike to retrace Cole's steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers … before it is too late.
Purchase Options:
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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, January 26, 2012
Jesse Stone: Benefit of Doubt to air May 20th, 2012 on CBS
CBS has announced that the next Jesse Stone made-for-television movie, Benefit of the Doubt, will air on Sunday, May 20th, 2012 at 9 PM (ET/PT).
Tom Selleck reprises his role as (former Paradise Chief of Police) Jesse Stone, who is "forced to rely on his skills and intuition to sort through a maze of misleading clues and hidden meanings in a bid to crack a shocking and horrifying mob-related double homicide." Benefit of Doubt was filmed last year in Nova Scotia from a script co-written by Selleck.
The character is based on one created by the late crime novelist Robert B. Parker, though the last few telemovies — including this one — have been original screenplays, not adapted from any of the books in the series.
(Related article: The Hollywood Reporter.)
Nominees for the 2012 Dilys Award Announced
The nominees for the Dilys Award have been announced by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Named in honor of Dilys Winn, the founder of specialty bookshop Murder Ink, this award recognizes the titles booksellers most enjoyed selling during 2011.
The winner will be announced at Left Coast Crime in Sacramento this March.
• Faithful Place by Tana French (Penguin)
• Wicked Autumn by G. M. Malliet (Minotaur Books)
• Tag Man by Archer Mayor (Minotaur Books)
• A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)
• Ghost Hero by S. J. Rozan (Minotaur Books)
(Hat tip to Mystery Fanfare for alerting us to this news.)
