Warner Bros. has optioned the film rights to William Landay's 2012 mystery novel Defending Jacob.
In the book, Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.
Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He's his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own — between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he's tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.
Defending Jacob is Landay's third novel. His first, Mission Flats, won the prestigious CWA New Blood Dagger Award in 2003.
(Related article: The Hollywood Reporter.)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Warner Bros. Options Film Rights to Defending Jacob by William Landay
Tough Dames: How to Write Believable Hardboiled Heroines
Starting next Monday, March 19th, crime novelist Christa Faust will be conducting a 4-week workshop in "How to Create Believable Hardboiled Characters", or more specifically, how to write about "tough dames".
Character is paramount in this genre, Faust says, because the best hardboiled and noir fiction isn’t really about the heist or the murder. It’s about the way the people involved come apart or become stronger.
In this four-week online class, author and industry pro Christa Faust will lead you through the steps of creating stronger, more believable characters, plots, and settings for hardboiled, noir, and crime fiction.
Here's a week-by-week synopsis:
• Week 1: Beyond the Femme Fatale: creating believable female characters in hardboiled and noir fiction;
• Week 2: Dialog and the Female Voice: shut up and listen;
• Week 3: Bad Sex, Well Written — how flawed, awkward, ugly sex can reveal character;
• Week 4: Kicking Ass in High Heels: women and action.
A maximum of 16 students will be allowed to enroll, and seats are still available (as of the date of this post). Visit the workshop page for more information on how the classes are structured and course fees.
Review: Raffles, The Gentleman Thief by Richard Foreman
Read our … Review of Raffles: The Gentleman Thief by Richard Foreman. A "Raffles" Short Story. Endeavour Press Ebook, February 2012.
Available to purchase from …
Mr. E. Reviews Above Suspicion Set 1
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I was disappointed by these made-for-television adaptations from two of Lynda La Plante's "Anna Travis" mysteries. One is significantly better than the other — which is faint praise, indeed — but both suffer from poor lead casting, weakly developed storylines, and the appearance of an absolute minimum production budget.
Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Above Suspicion Set 1.
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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.
Telemystery: Breakout Kings and The Killing, New This Week on DVD
Telemystery, your source for one of the most comprehensive listings of crime drama, amateur sleuth, private investigator, mystery and suspense television series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available on or coming soon to DVD or Blu-ray disc, is profiling two series being released this week.
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In order to catch an escaped convict you have to think like one. That's the premise of Breakout Kings.
Laz Alonso stars as Deputy US Marshal Charlie Duchamp, who leads a team of convicts, who are master escape artists themselves. Their incentive: a month's reduction in their sentence for every con they capture.
He is assisted by former Deputy US Marshal Ray Zancanelli (Dominick Lombardozzi), who — unknown to the other team members — is also a former convict himself.
Breakout Kings: Season One is available on DVD and consists of episodes that originally aired on A&E from March through May 2011. The second season of the series is currently airing on Sundays on A&E.
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Based on the Danish crime drama Forbrydelsen, The Killing moves the murder investigation to Seattle and spends the entire season solving the mystery of "Who killed Rosie Larsen?"
Or not.
Mireille Enos stars as homicide detective Sarah Linden, a single mother trying to balance her professional and personal lives. She is teamed with detective Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman), who is an enigma to Linden.
The Killing: Season One is available on DVD and consists of episodes that originally aired on AMC from April through June 2011. The second season premieres on Sunday, April 1st on AMC.
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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on and coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or video on demand.
Hose Monkey by Reed Farrel Coleman is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Hose Monkey by Reed Farrel Coleman 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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Hose Monkey by Reed Farrel Coleman
A Joe Serpe Mystery
Publisher: Tyrus Books
This first in a series of three mysteries introducing the ex-NYPD cop was originally published in 2006 as written by Tony Spinosa, a pen name of Reed Farrel Coleman.
About Hose Monkey (from the publisher): When former NYPD detective Joe Serpe hit bottom, he just kept on going. Having lost his career to charges of corruption, his family to divorce, his partner to suicide, and his fireman brother to the tragedy of 9/11, Serpe's world is nearly empty but for his cat, Mulligan. Living in a basement apartment in a blue collar town on Long Island, Joe spends his days filling tanks with home heating oil and his nights filling his belly with vodka.
But when a young retarded man who worked for Joe's oil company is cruelly murdered, Joe Serpe rediscovers purpose and grasps for a last chance at redemption.
Along with his former Internal Affairs Bureau nemesis, Bob Healy, and Marla Stein, a brave and beautiful, group home psychologist, Joe wades into the world of street gangs, anti-immigration organizations, and the Red Mafia.
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.
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For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos is Today's Barnes&Noble Nook Daily Find
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos as today's Barnes&Noble Daily Find. The deal price of $2.99 is valid only for today, Monday, March 12, 2012.
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Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos
A Derek Strange and Terry Quinn Mystery
Publisher:
About Hell to Pay (from the publisher): In their second case, the private investigating team of Derek Strange and Terry Quinn are hired to find a 14-year-old white girl from the suburbs who's run away from home and is now working as a prostitute. The two ex-cops think they know D.C.'s dangers, but nothing in their experience has prepared them for Worldwide Wilson, the pimp whose territory they're intruding upon.
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 Monday, March 12, 2012 only.
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The Flatey Enigma by Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Flatey Enigma by Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $0.99 is valid only for today, Monday, March 12, 2012.
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The Flatey Enigma by Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson
Publisher: AmazonCrossing
This Glass Key-nominated mystery, the author's fourth novel, was originally published in 2002 under the title Flateyjargáta.
About The Flatey Enigma (from the publisher): Near a deserted island off the western coast of Iceland in 1960, the dawning of spring brings new life for the local wildlife. But for the body discovered by three seal hunters, winter is a matter of permanence. After it is found to be a missing Danish cryptographer, the ensuing investigation uncovers a mysterious link between the researcher and a medieval manuscript known as The Book of Flatey.
Before long another body is found on the tiny island. This time, in the ancient Viking tradition, the victim’s back has been mutilated with the so-called blood eagle. Kjartan, the district magistrate’s representative sent to investigate the crime, soon finds himself descending into a dark, dangerous world of ancient legends, symbolism, and secret societies to find a killer.
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 Monday, March 12, 2012 only.
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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for March 12, 2012
A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now available on our website.
Godoku is similar to Sudoku, but uses letters instead of numbers. To give you a headstart, we provide you a mystery clue to fill in a complete row or column (if you choose to use it!).
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This week's letters and mystery clue:
A D G H I L N T W
The first Aelf Fen mystery by Alys Clare has this title (9 letters).
We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.
Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.
Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Review: Kill Shot by Vince Flynn
Read our … Review of Kill Shot by Vince Flynn. A Mitch Rapp Mystery. Atria Books Hardcover, February 2012.
Available to purchase from …
