The critical and commercial success of the recent film adaptation of John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has led to studio interest in developing other works by the author. Today we're learning that Philip Seymour Hoffman may star in an adaptation of the 2008 spy thriller A Most Wanted Man. Anton Corbijn (The American) will direct a screenplay by Andrew Bovell (Edge of Darkness).
Hoffman is expected to play the role of Günther Bachmann, a German intelligence officer watching over a "triangle of impossible loves". One of these is a half-starved young Russian man in a long black overcoat, who is smuggled into Hamburg at dead of night. He has an improbable amount of cash secreted in a purse round his neck. He is a devout Muslim. Or is he? He says his name is Issa.
Another is Annabel, an idealistic young German civil rights lawyer, determined to save Issa from deportation. Soon her client's survival becomes more important to her than her own career. In pursuit of Issa's mysterious past, she confronts the incongruous Tommy Brue, the sixty-year-old scion of Brue Frères, a failing British bank based in Hamburg.
Production on the film will begin in Hamburg this September. Watch a trailer for the book from its UK publisher, narrated by the author, below.
(Related article: Variety.)
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Casting News for Film Adaptation of A Most Wanted Man by John le Carré
Review: Thread of Hope by Jeff Shelby
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Thread of Hope by Jeff Shelby.
Alex Cross to Open in US Theaters October 26th, 2012
Summit Entertainment has set the release date for Alex Cross — yes, it has been renamed from the previously announced I, Alex Cross, an old poster of which is shown (right), and which was confusing for reasons we have previously written about — for October 26th, 2012.
The film stars Tyler Perry as the titular character in a storyline adapted in part (we believe) from the 7th book in the series by James Patterson. Matthew Perry co-stars as the villain, a serial killer who murders Cross's wife.
We're still lamenting the casting of Tyler Perry in this role over Idris Elba, who was at one time associated with the film. Morgan Freeman once played the character in two film adaptations of Patterson's novels, Along Came a Spider (2001) and Kiss the Girls (1997).
Telemystery: Network Prime Time Crime Pilots Ordered To Date
Over the past few weeks we've posted on a somewhat irregular basis information about prime time crime — mystery, suspense, and thriller — pilots being ordered by the broadcast networks for the 2012/2013 television season … primarily choosing to feature those that interested us the most. Last weekend, we scoured the entertainment sites and came up with a more comprehensive list of pilots ordered to date, which we've listed below. We don't have any information on what percentage of pilots actually make it to series orders, though it's almost certainly less than half. The networks usually have their Fall schedules in place by May, so we should know more then about which of these pilots we may see as series later this year.
• 666 Park Avenue: A young couple is hired to manage a historic apartment building in Manhattan. Based the "Jane Boyle" series of supernatural novels by Gabriella Pierce. (ABC)
• Applebaum: A stay-at-home mom becomes a suburban private investigator. Based the "Mommy Track" series of mysteries by Ayelet Waldman. (CBS)
• The Asset: A spy thriller centered on a female CIA agent in New York City. (Fox)
• Elementary: A contemporary update of the Sherlock Holmes stories set in Manhattan. (CBS)
• Golden Boy: The meteoric rise of a cop, from officer to detective to police commissioner. (CBS)
• Gotham: A cop discovers an unseen (by normal humans) world that exists within New York City. (ABC)
• Guilty: A defense attorney, stripped of his license to practice law for unethical behavior, continues to solve cases. (Fox)
• The Last Resort: The crew of a nuclear submarine escape to a NATO outpost, where they declare themselves an independent nation. (ABC)
• Midnight Sun: An FBI agent investigates the mysterious disappearance of a commune in Alaska. Based on the Israeli crime thriller Timrot Ashan (Pillars of Smoke). (NBC)
• Penoza: The widow of an assassinated crime boss takes over his role in the syndicate to protect her family. (ABC)
• Quean: A "Dragon Tattoo"-type computer hacker teams up with an Oakland (California) police detective to solve crimes. (CBS)
• Trooper: A common-sense mother becomes a New York State trooper. (CBS)
• Untitled: The story of Ralph Lamb, a rodeo cowboy who became the sheriff of Clark County (which includes Las Vegas) in the 1960s. (CBS)
• Untitled: The teenaged daughter of a slain CIA teams up with an rogue operative, who serves as her mentor. (Fox)
• Untitled: An FBI agent finds himself involved with a cult of serial killers. (Fox)
• Widow Detective: A police detective becomes the surrogate husband, lover, and father to families of three partners lost in the line of duty. (CBS)
• Zero Hour: The editor of a skeptics magazine is pulled into one of the most compelling conspiracies in human history. (ABC)
Thief of Thieves, a new Crime Comic, Publishes its First Issue Wednesday, February 8th
Tomorrow, February 8th, Image Comics publishes the first in a new series of crime comics, Thief of Thieves (cover right; click for larger version).
Written by Robert Kirkman and Nick Spencer with art by Shawn Martinbrough, the first issue of the comic introduces Conrad Paulson, who lives a secret double life as master thief Redmond. There is nothing he can't steal, nothing he can't have … except for the life he left behind. Now, with a grown son he hardly knows, and an ex-wife he never stopped loving, Conrad must try to piece together what's left of his life, before the FBI finally catch up to him … but it appears they are the least of his worries.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month, Kirkman — who is probably best known for his "The Walking Dead" series of comics that have been adapted into the AMC television series — said of his new comic, "It's going to be very grounded in the real world. No zombies, no space aliens, no superheroes. It's just going to be real human characters doing somewhat horrible things to each other."
You can find a preview (three pages) of the first issue of Thief of Thieves on the Image Comics website.
Wiley's Lament by Lono Waiwaiole is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Wiley's Lament by Lono Waiwaiole 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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Wiley's Lament by Lono Waiwaiole
A Wiley Mystery
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Wiley, a loner in Portland (Oregon), is introduced in this first of a trilogy of thrillers.
About Wiley's Lament (from the publisher): Wiley is a man who's drifting through the remains of his torn-up life like a ghost, playing poker to make ends meet but always on the edge of the abyss, not quite sure whether his minimal efforts at life are worth the trouble.
When the estranged daughter he hasn't spoken to in a year turns up gutted with a sharp knife in a cheap motel room, Wiley's solitary life spins out of control and a violent showdown with both the killer and with his own bloody conscience becomes inevitable. He stalks the nasty underside of Portland's sex industry, jumping at every shadow and taking two steps back for every forward stride. But Wiley is determined to do this one thing right, perhaps to make amends to his lost daughter, or maybe to make peace with his own battered soul.
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.
Favorite Kills, a Short Story Anthology, is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Favorite Kills, a Short Story Anthology, 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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Favorite Kills, a Short Story Anthology
Publisher: Top Suspense Books
About Favorite Kills (from the publisher): Twelve stories are included in this anthology, major prize-winning tales and personal favorites, each one a knock-out punch of suspense. They are: "A Matter of Principal" by Max Allan Collins, "Top of the World" by Bill Crider, "Restraint" by Stephen Gallagher, "Jack Webb's Star" by Lee Goldberg, "Knife Fight" by Joel Goldman, "Angie" by Ed Gorman, "House Rules" by Libby Fischer Hellmann, "Sweet Dreams" by Vicki Hendricks, "Number 19" by Naomi Hirahara, "Solomon & Lord Drop Anchor" by Paul Levine, "Night Nurse" by Harry Shannon, "Archie's Been Framed" by Dave Zeltserman.
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.
Jade Lady Burning by Martin Limón is Today's Barnes&Noble Nook Daily Find
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Jade Lady Burning by Martin Limón as today's Barnes&Noble Daily Find. The deal price of $2.99 is valid only for today, Tuesday, February 07, 2012.
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Jade Lady Burning by Martin Limón
A George Sueño and Ernie Bascom Mystery
Publisher: Soho Crime
This first book in a series of seven — the most recent, Mr. Kill, was published this past December — introduces military policemen George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, who are stationed in South Korea.
About Jade Lady Burning (from the publisher): Almost twenty years after the end of the Korean War, the U.S. Military is still present throughout South Korea, and tensions run high. Koreans look for any opportunity to hate the soldiers who drink at their bars and carouse with their women. When Pak Ok-Suk, a young Korean woman, is found brutally murdered in a torched apartment in the Itaewon red-light district of Seoul, it looks like it might be the work of her American soldier boyfriend. Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the U.S. 8th Army, are assigned to the case, but they have nothing to go on other than a tenuous connection to an infamous prostitute. As repressed resentments erupt around them, the pair sets out on an increasingly dangerous quest to find evidence that will absolve their countryman.
Important Note: Barnes&Noble updates its Nook Daily Find every day at approximately midnight PT. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price for Tuesday, February 07, 2012 only.
Download Link(s):
Monday, February 06, 2012
The River Premieres Tuesday, February 7th on ABC
Tomorrow, Tuesday February 7th, ABC's paranormal thriller The River premieres with two episodes starting at 9 PM (ET/PT).
In the first hour — the series pilot — Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), beloved adventurer and television personality, goes missing deep in the Amazon. After a fruitless search for him, his family and friends abandon hope and hold a memorial service to commemorate his amazing life. His grieving wife, Tess (Leslie Hope), reluctantly tries to face the reality that her husband is gone, while her son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson), is more than ready to bury his past. Six months later Emmet's location beacon mysteriously begins to relay a signal. Tess persuades Lincoln to join her and Emmet's film crew on a journey through the Amazon to find him, a journey on which horrifying and almost mythical events will push them to their limits.
In the second hour — "Marbeley" — when the spirit of Emmet Cole mysteriously enters Jahel Valenzula (Paulina Gaitán), the message is clear … go home! Instead, Tess is determined to go into the jungle to find clues to Cole's whereabouts. While on their mission, they discover a tree draped in children's dolls that they suspect is there to ward off the "spirit of the abandoned girl" who drowned in the river. Then, when a member of the crew goes missing, the group realize they'll have to endure a nightmare in order to appease an angry spirit and get their loved one back.
Take a first look at The River below.
Mystery and Suspense Films, New This Week on DVD (120207)
Checking through our list of films currently scheduled for release this week on DVD and/or Blu-ray disc, shown below are those that fall into the mystery, suspense, thriller and adventure categories.
See also a list of current mystery and suspense DVD, Blu-ray, or VOD deals on Amazon.com.
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Purchase/Rental Options
Anonymous (2011)
Film Synopsis (from the studio): Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds … Who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare?
Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for power were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.
Rated PG-13. 130 minutes.
Watch a trailer for the film below:
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Purchase/Rental Options
Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011)
Film Synopsis (from the studio): After their wedding, Bella and Edward (Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison) travel to Rio de Janeiro for their honeymoon, where they finally give in to their passions. Bella soon discovers she is pregnant, and during a nearly fatal childbirth, Edward finally fulfills her wish to become immortal.
But the arrival of their remarkable daughter, Renesmee, sets in motion a perilous chain of events that pits the Cullens and their allies against the Volturi, the fearsome council of vampire leaders, setting the stage for an all-out battle.
Adapted from the fourth and final novel in the "Twilight Saga" by Stephenie Meyer. Rated PG-13. 118 minutes.
Watch a trailer for the film below:
