Mystery Book Review: Freezing Point by Karen Dionne

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Freezing Point by Karen Dionne. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Freezing Point by Karen Dionne
Non-series

Jove (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-515-14536-X (051514536X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-515-14536-6 (9780515145366)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $7.99

Review: Karen Dionne's debut thriller, Freezing Point, is a terrifying, yet mesmerizing, tale of good intentions gone terribly wrong when researchers try to tap the frozen Antarctic for pure, fresh water.

Water, the building block for all life on earth, is being wasted, or so it is believed by countless “Save the Earth” protesters. Derek MacCallister has a potential solution in a patent he has been granted providing for a method and apparatus for melting Antarctic icebergs into drinking water. Selling the process to Soldyne Company, he accepts $2 million in return. The process, however, requires a native, floating iceberg, not ice attached to the Antarctic continental shelf. Three years pass and the frozen giant has still not produced any fresh water leaving the corporate executives worried about a return on their investment. But it appears that global warming may produce just what is needed: a 1250-square-mile, 650-foot-high section of an Antarctica that may be calved as an iceberg. If it happened, it would unleash 700 billion gallons of pure fresh drinking water –- enough to fulfill the needs of 4.6 million families for a year. Cold winds and storms hamper the division of the ice cap. But not for long. Someone decides not to wait for the nature to take its course and blasts a crevice separating the huge iceberg. Some team members working on the mission are injured or killed. Horrendous nightmares are subsequently caused by the separation. How many of the team will get off the iceberg? And even if they do, how many will make it safely home?

Though clearly and firmly in the category of ecothriller with all that the label typically implies, the author actually presents a fairly balanced view of each side in Freezing Point. The characters could easily have been caricatures but are not, and are portrayed as sincerely believing that their approach is best. Solutions to the problem of fresh drinking water are not black and white, right or wrong, and extreme positions on either side are far from ideal. From a plot standpoint, the author probably takes it a step too far in relating the consequences of the iceberg cleavage, but that's part of what puts the thrill in thriller. In short, Freezing Point is a fast-paced novel with some thought-provoking themes.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Freezing Point and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing Freezing Point from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): As he faces the frozen behemoth of a giant iceberg, environmental activist Ben Maki sees Earth’s future. Clean drinking water for millions, waiting to be tapped from the polar ice. The Soldyne Corporation backs Ben’s grand philanthropic vision for a better today—while making its own plans for a very profitable tomorrow.

Rebecca Sweet lives for the cause—an eco-terrorist who will do whatever she must to protect the earth. And Ben Maki’s ideas have set her on the path to war …

All of them will be drawn into a battle between hope and helplessness, power and pride. But they are about to discover that deep within the ice waits an enemy more deadly than any could imagine—an apocalyptic horror mankind may not survive.

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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First Clues Review: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
The Alex Rider Series

Penguin Young Adult (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-240611-2 (0142406112)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-240611-3 (9780142406113)
Publication Date: February 2006
List Price: $7.99

Review written by Joey, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: Stormbreaker, written by Anthony Horowitz, is about a young teenager named Alex Rider. This is the first book in what could be a very excellent series.

This story takes place in many different places in England such as Chelsea. Alex Rider is the main character and is the “good guy”. There are also some bad guys such as Mr. Grin Nadia Vole. The main bad guy Herod Sayle a multi-millionaire with a very good company. That isn’t exactly what it seems. Alex Rider is trying to find out what Sayle enterprise is really up to. He is sent in to do this at such a young age because without knowing it his uncle Ian Rider was a spy and was training Alex for this day all his life without Alex knowing it.

I thought this was a very interesting book. I’ve never read a book like it. It always keeps you on the edge of your seat like when Alex is hanging on a flag pole at the top of a very tall building about to fall when suddenly. That is an example of when the author kept you on the edge of your seat. It is full of action, and it was really hard to put the book down because you never know what is going to happen next. This book is good for young adults like middle and high school kids. It isn’t very appropriate for younger kids because there is a little too much violence because a lot of people die. I thought it was cool how in some points in the book it shows both Alex’s and the bad guys points of view. Also I like the surprise at the end of the book. I would definitely suggest this book.

This book won the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award in 2004.

If you are interested in purchasing Stormbreaker from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Games of Mystery: New PlayPass Program at PlayFirst.com

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, is excited to tell you of a new innovation at PlayFirst Games, the PlayPass.

With the PlayPass program, in exchange for signing up to receive PlayGold points in your account each month, you will get up to a 50% discount on games and also receive discounts on add-ons like the Diner Dash restaurant episodes. PlayFirst is pricing this program at $13.95 per month, which puts 1395 PlayGold points into your account. This means that each month you’ll have enough credit to select a full game to purchase plus some leftover. Just save that extra PlayGold – yes, it “rolls over” – and pick up another full game or two over the next months. Additionally, PlayPass gives you early access to newly released PlayFirst games.

PlayFirst Games has many mystery games that will bring out your inner sleuth. Popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include games in the Mystery PI series, Mystery P.I.: The Vegas Heist and Mystery P.I.: The Lottery Ticket, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet, and Private Eye.

Visit PlayFirst Games for more information about the PlayPass program.

Visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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Mystery Book Review: The Chocolate Snowman Murders by JoAnna Carl

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Chocolate Snowman Murders by JoAnna Carl. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The Chocolate Snowman Murders by JoAnna Carl
A Chocoholic Mystery with Lee McKinney 

New American Library (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-451-22506-6 (0451225066)
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-22506-1 (9780451225061)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $19.95

Review: Both chocolate shop manager Lee McKinney and her husband Joe Woodyard are implicated in the murder of a visiting art critic in The Chocolate Snowman Murders, the eighth mystery in this cozy series by JoAnna Carl.

WinterFest is the social event of the season for Warner Pier, the small resort town on the Michigan shore of Lake Michigan where TenHuis Chocolade, the chocolate shop for which Lee works and which is owned by Lee's aunt, is located. A major event during WinterFest is the annual arts festival drawing major artists and critics from around the country. When one of the judges of the festival has to drop out, the organizing committee recruits retired art professor Fletcher Mendenhall to be a juror. Lee is assigned to pick him up at the Grand Rapids airport but once there, he starts to make unwanted moves on her. She promptly dumps him at a local motel, returning home alone. When Joe goes to pick up Mendenhall the next morning, he's found murdered, his head bashed in. The police at first suspect Lee (being the last person to see him alive) and then Joe (the presumably jealous husband), but for lack of evidence they are released. When Mendenhall's missing cell phone turns up in Lee's jacket, she's the center of attention again. Later when the festival's public relations director found with her head bashed in, and the murder weapon found in Lee's car, she knows she's being framed and sets out to prove her innocence.

The Chocolate Snowman Murders is a pleasant if predictable mystery. Although the book probably doesn't have any more or less dialog than any other cozy, it just seems chatty, as if someone is always speaking. And as is typical when someone prattles on and on, it's not always interesting and it's fairly easy to tune it out. Still, the plot moves along at a brisk pace and there is no shortage of suspects for Lee to investigate. Subtitled "a chocoholics mystery", there is actually very little chocolate mentioned and it certainly isn't integral to the plot (though it does play a role when Lee defends herself against a mysterious attacker). The infrequent inclusions of chocolate historical trivia are, however, a welcome addition, informative and entertaining.

Special thanks to Penguin Group for providing a copy of The Chocolate Snowman Murders for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing The Chocolate Snowman Murders from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Lee McKinney Woodyard knows that being in the luxury chocolate business isn't all sweetness and light, and neither is the holiday season. But she tries to draw the line at cold-blooded murder.

As treasurer of WinterFest, Lee is up to her elbows in the arguments, egos, and last-minute mix-ups that happen behind the scenes. But she's coping, even when the guest juror of the art show shows up drunk. Lee leaves him to sleep it off, and is stunned the next day when her husband, Joe, discovers someone has put the visiting dignitary into a permanent state of repose ...

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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First Clues Review: Snatched by Pete Hautman and Mary Logue

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Snatched by Pete Hautman and Mary Logue
The Bloodwater Mysteries Series

Putnam Young Adult (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-399-24377-1 (0399243771)
ISBN-13: 978-0-399-24377-6 (9780399243776)
Publication Date: May 2006
List Price: $15.99

Review written by Gresa, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: Roni Delicata a nosy newspaper reporter for the school paper The Bloodwater Pump and an all time science lover Brian Bain have something in common, cracking a big case even the police can’t accomplish, and spending more time in the principal’s office then the principal herself! This suspenseful mystery is fiction and preferably not for the younger readers because some of the thrilling violence but a great book for middle scholars. However Pete Hautman and Mary Logue, National Book Award winners kept me on the edge of my seat as I read Snatched! This thrilling novel is one of the best I have ever read.

Snatched is the first of the three in this short series that also have Skullduggery and Doppelganger. In Snatched Roni and Brian team up to crack the case of who beat up and then kidnapped Alicia Camden, the victim in the story. Roni’s tough and pushy attitude get her clues to where Alicia might be and lead to the one place that they least suspected. They then soon found out not to underestimate the little island people call home! These two great investigators hit a few stumps on the road, and the authors keep the readers on their toes as Roni and Brian get closer to solving the mystery.

Overall this book was suspenseful, funny, and one of the best books I have ever read. Snatched is a great novel and highly recommended to those who do not mind a heart stopper and very interesting/investigative thriller of a novel! In my opinion this book is very good and I give two thumbs up to the authors Pete Hautman and Mary Logue and the book Snatched that they both wrote so well. In Snatched there are some chapters that give off clues that are sometimes hard to find and have to read closely and others are there bringing Roni, you, and Brian closer to cracking the case (easy to find). Don’t let Roni’s mean attitude fool you though she just wants to get the scoop on the Camden case that seems to have the police stumped. In Snatched you will find things that are funny, scary, and downright weird but makes you want to keep reading more! The other two books in the series are just the same so you should read more in this short series!

If you are interested in purchasing Snatched from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Mystery Book Review: Buffalo Bill's Defunct by Sheila Simonson

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Buffalo Bill's Defunct by Sheila Simonson. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Buffalo Bill's Defunct by Sheila Simonson
A Latouche County Mystery

Perseverence Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-880284-96-0 (1880284960)
ISBN-13: 978-1-880284-96-4 (9781880284964)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $14.95

Review: Sheila Simonson embarks on a new series featuring residents of the small town of Klalo along the Columbia River Gorge in south-central Washington State, introducing county librarian Meg McLean and sheriff's investigating officer Rob Neill in Buffalo Bill's Defunct.

Meg had left the hustle and bustle of southern California for a quieter life in the Pacific Northwest. Her new home is a 19th century farmhouse with a 1920's era garage addition. Rob happens to live in a neighboring house. While airing out the garage prior to moving in her possessions, another neighbor's dog runs in and begins digging, exposing a buried body in what appears to be a storage bin for illegal "hooch". Next to the body is a piece of an Indian petroglyph that may be part of a collection of artifacts that was stolen 10 years earlier. The original owner of the house, a prolific bootlegger a hundred years earlier, must have used the storage bin until his hooch was ready to be delivered to his clients. But how a body came to be buried there is a mystery. His grandchildren owned the house most recently, selling it to Meg. Rob, realizing Meg's skills in computer research, deputizes her and together they begin to reconstruct the events leading up to what was found in Meg's garage. The body turns out to be the nephew of the current chief of the local Klalo tribe, Madeline Thomas, from which the artifacts were originally stolen. The search for more clues leads to exposing a case of corruption, greed, and two more murders.

The appealing characters and picturesque setting in Buffalo Bill's Defunct overcome some of the more pedestrian aspects of the story. There is camaraderie, conflict, and even a touch of romance between the main characters with the addition of the colorful Klalo chief to mix things up a bit. It's entertaining and fun and, though a little light on the mystery plot, a good start to a new series. The title is taken from a poem written by E. E. Cummings, published in 1920.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Buffalo Bill's Defunct and to Perseverence Press for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing Buffalo Bill's Defunct from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Sheriff’s investigator Rob Neill made a mess of his first case, the theft of sacred artifacts belonging to the Klalo, a Native American tribe from the western end of the Columbia River Gorge. Ten years later, a stolen petroglyph emerges—along with a body buried in a garage. Neill sees a chance to redeem himself, with the help of his new neighbor, librarian Meg McLean. Her information-retrieval skills work together with the police investigation—but the partnership threatens to turn unprofessionally romantic. Meanwhile, two more people are murdered, and the Klalos’ feisty chief, Madeline Thomas, has her own agenda that seems to hinder as much as help. Can a kind of justice finally come to Latouche County?

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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First Clues Review: The Garden of Fear by Paul Shipton

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

The Garden of Fear by Paul Shipton
The Bug Muldoon Series

Penguin Young Adult (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-230242-2 (0142302422)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-230242-2 (9780142302422)
Publication Date: January 2003
List Price: $5.99

Review written by Kevin, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: If you are looking for a good book to brighten up your day, or perhaps just need some entertainment, then Bug Muldoon and the Garden of Fear is the book for you. Written by Paul Shipton, expert sleuth of the garden Bug Muldoon goes on various adventures throughout the 1st Bug Muldoon book of an excellent series.

Bug Muldoon first encounters a few earwigs looking for Bug to solve a tricky mystery. As Bug is looking around for clues, he meets up with an old buddy Jake the housefly. Jake is an excellent source of helpful information, but has a sugar addiction. Bug hears that the missing earwig was found by the compost heap where the spider lives. The spider will eat anything in its path. Bug soon solves the mystery, and the news is dreadful. Little does Bug know this is only a minor mystery. Soon after the encounter with the 3 earwigs, Bug overhears a couple of roaches talking about the ant colony, so Bug goes to check it out. Bug hears a lot of fishy information from the ant queen and workers. Later in the story Bug finds out that the case the head worker ant wanted Bug to solve was a decoy so Bug wouldn’t see the head ant’s evil plan coming. Eventually Bug gets a couple of good friends together to gather up and fight the evil ant’s army. Fortunately Bug makes it out alive, but there were many casualties. At the end of the story Bug makes a very brave decision and turns down a greatly generous offer.

I really liked the way the author took the things people use and do, and put them in a way an insect would use and do certain things. This is a good action book but also has a very good, solid story behind it. The way the author worded everything and the different mysteries and cases that need to be solved, but behind those mysteries was another mystery. This book kept me thinking all the time, trying to solve all the mysteries and figuring everything out just kept me entertained. This book would be a good read to age group 9 years old to adult .For the younger kids, all the insects and different characters are just a splash of emotion. This book would also help the littler kids understand how to solve a mystery better because of all the bugs and beetles. For adults this is a good read because there are solid stories behind all of these characters and cases. There are also some “mature-ish” jokes that kids wouldn’t get, but would skip right over. There is also some violence toward the end, but not too much. Overall I would recommend it to the age group listed above, and perhaps even others.

Some awards Bug Muldoon has won:
 • Edgar Allan Poe Award
 • CWA Dagger Award
 • Editors Choice Award.

If you are interested in purchasing The Garden of Fear from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Games of Mystery: New Nancy Drew and Veronica Rivers Games Available from Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of two new mystery games from Big Fish Games that were released this past week. You can find out more about these games from our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Two days ago we reported that Her Interactive had released a downloadable demo version of the latest Nancy Drew game. Yesterday, Big Fish Games made available Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy for download and purchase on their site.

Mystery is afoot at Castle Malloy! A groom has disappeared and the townsfolk are whispering of a malevolent banshee! Are ghosts to blame, or is it merely a case of cold feet? Immerse yourself in the haunted legendry of the Emerald Isle, gathering clues and information from the terror-stricken wedding guests. It's up to you and Nancy Drew to unravel the mystery in this chilling adventure game.

Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version is not available from Big Fish Games. A short video trailer for the game is, however, available as is the Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy Strategy Guide.

Explore the Portals to the Unknown with rescue pilot Veronica Rivers in the mysterious hidden object game Veronica Rivers: Portals to the Unknown. Uncover equipment and clues as you search the world for a missing team of geologists. Exciting mini-games challenge you to unlock the secret power of the portals. Exotic and dangerous locations will test your eye and your courage as you draw closer to solving the puzzle of the Portals!

Veronica Rivers: Portals to the Unknown, a Big Fish Games exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version (46.60 MB) may be downloaded and played for one hour for free. A short video trailer for the game is also available.

Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie games, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet, The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes, Righteous Kill (inspired by the movie of the same name), and Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas.

Visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for October 20, 2008

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!).

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A B H I L N R T Y

The spy was in this complex in a 1978 Ellery Queen Magazine short story by Edward D. Hoch (9 letters).

New! We now have our puzzles 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!

   

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First Clues Review: Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman
The On the Run Series

Scholastic (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-439-65136-0 (0439651360)
ISBN-13: 978-0-439-65136-3 (9780439651363)
Publication Date: April 2005
List Price: $4.99

Review written by Jacob, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: In the book On the Run Chasing the Falconers Book 1 by Gordon Korman imagine this, your parents are locked up in prison because they have been framed. You and your sister are forced to stay at a juvenile detention center because nobody else will take you in. This is the life of Aidan and Meg Falconer. These brave teens escape from juvi when Aidan burnt it to the ground, now the fugitives are on a quest to save their parents, clear their name and become a family once again.

The kids are at Sunnydale Juvenile Detention center. Aidan is at the barn cleaning up after the animals. He was with a friend who couldn’t open a hay bag. When Aidan went to help him open it he kicked his oil lamp and set the place on fire. Aidan went back in the building and helped Meg get out. When they finally got out the kids took advantage of the opportunity and fled the house like prison. Now, the Falconers travel halfway across the country with the Sunnydale bully Miguel Reyes, searching through the Midwest all the way from Sunnydale, Nebraska to Colchester, Vermont in search of the man who framed their parents.

This book is a good example of realistic fiction. It was uplifting and showed bravery in two young kids. The Falconers were just as surprised as the reader when a series of unfortunate events occurred. You will never know what is going to happen next. This is a good novel for kids looking for adventure in a story. It is very inspiring in how these two children travel in a Tahoe across the U.S just to save their parents. It may be unsuitable for younger children because of the enormous amount of violence that is in this novel. Overall this novel was an exciting tale with some humor included. Any reader seeking adventure and has a keen eye will love this one of a kind story.

If you are interested in purchasing Chasing the Falconers from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Mystery Book Review: Mix, Match and Murder by Raymond John

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Mix, Match and Murder by Raymond John. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Mix, Match and Murder by Raymond John
Non-series

North Star Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-87839-289-0 (0878392890)
ISBN-13: 978-0-87839-289-6 (9780878392896)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $14.95

Review: When twenty-two-year-old Jason Dumont was seven years old in November 1993, he suffered a mind-numbing tragedy. His mother, Melanie, sometimes known as “Lottie,” was stabbed to death in the Minneapolis hotel room they shared and where she was having sex with a stranger. Since the killer’s knife belonged to Jason’s modelling kit and he was found incoherent but naked and covered in blood, he was the primary suspect, although never convicted much to the chagrin of Detective Lieutenant Dan Arnold. Now, fifteen years later Jason has returned to Minneapolis and the scene of the crime so he and Jennifer Cahill, a specialist in child psychology, can unlock the repressed memories of Jason’s selective traumatic amnesia and determine his guilt or innocence. Raymond John’s thriller, Mix, Match and Murder, follows the psychological analysis of Jason’s case, with side trips into a couple of Cahill’s files for her delinquent clients and encounters with a couple of adults with mental health issues of their own.

With psychological jargon kept to a minimum, John still manages to create an atmosphere of a troubled young man, obsessed with amnesia and troubled with guilt both for what he may have done and for not being able to protect his mother from murder. Extended family relationships are well-developed both for Melanie’s relatives and for her husband, Lawrence’s. And several kin on either side emerge as potential suspects as Jason unravels his skein of disruptive memories with help from Jennifer, prodding from Detective Arnold, and three boxes of his mother’s belongings, her diary, and a long-forgotten plush toy rabbit of his own. Clues are strategically placed and uncovered at just the right time, such as the bloodied knife at the bottom of the stairwell in the hotel Jason is revisiting. There are sufficient historical facts and references to Minneapolis landmarks to flavour the story as well. There’s even an overseas search in French Guiana for some missing evidence. And as the story comes closer to exposing Melanie’s killer, new homicides and near-homicides occur to heighten the tension, including an accident with Jason’s private aircraft.

Although the action-reaction between the characters works for the most part, Jennifer’s willingness to have a sexual relationship with her client, Jason, and immediately declare her love for him is a bit of a stretch, given the potential loss of her license to which she admits is a cause for concern. As a professional therapist, she seems somewhat flighty as well in her daydreaming about, and flirting with, other male characters in the story although to her credit her reference to one of them as having “the personality of a wet tennis shoe” is one of the best lines in the book. Her repartee with her problem-child clients is solid as well and insightful of situations real life psychiatrists might face. Jason’s ambivalence over his guilt is nicely illustrated, too, and his explosions of anger and frustration are believable outcomes even if shattering to Jennifer. Equally credible is the ending, although both the villain of the piece and the hero of the moment come as well-kept surprises.

Mix, Match and Murder follows Raymond John’s earlier book, The Cellini Masterpiece, and is an entertaining, well-constructed psychological thriller.

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of Mix, Match and Murder and to Raymond John for providing an uncorrected proof reader's copy of the book for review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — M. Wayne Cunningham — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

If you are interested in purchasing Mix, Match and Murder from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): For fifteen years Jason suffered from an amnesic event which blocked out about an hour of his life when he was seven years old. Unfortunately, that particular hour was precisely the time of the brutal murder of his mother with his own Exacto knife. He needs to remember, knowing that those memories might reveal he was the murderer. What could only be worse than that was that someone else murdered his mother and didn’t want him to remember.

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Mystery Savings: Murder Mystery Weekends at BedandBreakfast.com

Mystery Savings periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a special offer recently received by us that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

BedandBreakfast.com is a comprehensive worldwide listing of bed and breakfasts, B&B homestays, country inns, urban bed and breakfasts, guest houses, lodges, cabins, historic hotels, small resorts, guest ranches, farmhouse accommodations, and working farm and ranch vacations. B&B database searches allow you to find the ideal bed and breakfast inn, whether you are looking by location, amenities, online bookings, recipes, special packages, last-minute availability, and more.

Enough of the marketing pitch. What we found most interesting was their list of Murder Mystery Weekends and upcoming Halloween specials. From the home page click on the orange Search tab near the top and select Special Packages. From the drop down menu, select Halloween Happenings or our favorite category Murder Mysteries. Bed and breakfasts featuring these mysterious events are listed from A (Arkansas) to Z ... er ... W (Wisconsin) as well as some in Canada and Italy. Click on the banner below to explore the possibilities of acting out your inner sleuth at one of the bed and breakfasts listed on their website.

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Mystery Book Review: Night Kill by Ann Littlewood

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Night Kill by Ann Littlewood. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Night Kill by Ann Littlewood
An Iris Oakley Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-504-6 (1590585046)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-504-7 (9781590585047)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $24.95

Review: Ann Littlewood introduces zookeeper Iris Oakley in Night Kill, a well-crafted mystery in which the small community zoo across the river from Portland (Oregon) in Vancouver (Washington) has already claimed one victim and she may be next.

The victim is Iris' husband, Rick, who also worked at the zoo. Just a week earlier they had split over his drinking. He had moved out of their home and was staying with a friend when the two meet up at a party held by one of the zoo's staff, Rick drinking nothing stronger than root beer. Rick is adamant about remaining sober and the they agree to a reconciliation, one day at a time. Iris returns home alone only to return to work the next day to discover that Rick had been found in the lion's cage, mauled and drunk. Iris is outraged, both at Rick's duplicity and that he was stupid enough to wander into a dangerous area while drinking. The authorities rule his death an accident, but Iris can't understand what could have possibly happened after their reconciliation meeting that would have caused him to start drinking again and then inexplicably return to the zoo in the middle of the night. As she starts asking questions, accidents -- potentially deadly accidents -- begin to occur that put her life in danger. It isn't until by chance she comes across a piece of evidence that suggests Rick's death wasn't an accident, but murder.

Night Kill is a terrific whodunit in that the identity of the killer remains a surprise to the reader until the very end. False leads and red herrings abound -- even Iris is presented as a credible suspect by Rick's friend Denny -- but the clues to the killer's identity are readily available to those readers looking for them. The book is well written and has an intricately constructed plot involving relatively few characters. The setting is atmospherically wonderful; zoos have all sorts of hidden passages and alcoves and back rooms off-limits to visitors. It's all very mysterious, as it were. If there is a weakness it's in the characters themselves who aren't as fully realized as they might have been. Iris, as the widow, suspect, and potential victim, is the most well-rounded but even she comes across flat at times. The supporting characters are largely interchangeable; that may add to the ability of the author to keep the killer hidden in plain sight as long as possible, but ultimately makes for a less interesting book overall. Though presumably the first of a series, and an interesting series it would likely be, the conclusion of Night Kill casts that conjecture somewhat in doubt.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Night Kill for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing Night Kill from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Iris Oakley, a young zookeeper at the Finley Memorial Zoo in Vancouver, Washington, hopes to reconcile with her newly sober husband, Rick. But when he’s found dead—and dead drunk—in the lion exhibit, a paralyzing mix of grief and anger at his betrayal keeps Iris from questioning the assumptions around his death.

But Iris’ friends motivate her to prove that her husband could not have died the way it appears. Soon, however, these same friends impede her progress as she follows ambiguous clues and sorts through unlikely motives.

Meanwhile, Iris must also adjust to losing her beloved job as feline keeper and instead learn to be a bird keeper. The zoo’s veterinarian respects her skills, but the foreman would far rather she get a job elsewhere—and the senior bird keeper seems to agree. After Iris survives a series of near-fatal “accidents,” she begins to understand what really happened to Rick. But Iris must survive to prove it.

For more mystery book reviews visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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First Clues Review: Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway by Wendelin Van Draanen

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Sammy Keyes Series

Random House (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-440-41911-5 (0440419115)
ISBN-13: 978-0-440-41911-2 (9780440419112)
Publication Date: May 2007
List Price: $5.99

Review written by Tiffany, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: Have you ever wanted to read a thrilling story with lots of twist and turns, as well as mayhem and adventure? Well if so then Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway by Wendelin Van Draanen is the right book for you! This book is full of adventure with my all time favorite Character, Sammy Keyes and of course along with her, her many friends and adventures! Sammy is a wild and kooky girl who loves adventures and mysteries! She can’t help but to get into trouble once again, only this time it’s dangerous! There are many thrills, spills and conflicts in this book! This is book number 10 and follows after book number 9, Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen.

This book has many different exciting and interesting locations where it takes place, like an old house full of parts of trains and cars, a school, Sammy’s home and more! Sammy’s been working hard this year and her old enemy Heather still bugs her to this day, and for once Heather gets in trouble, only this time it really was Sammy! Sammy was wandering through the classroom early to drop off her books and bags and who does she see flying towards her full speed ahead? Tango! Mrs. Ambler’s new lovebird, so what does Sammy do she forces the door shut, and as she opens it slowly she hears a small thud. The main mystery of this story involves figuring out why someone is trying to get Sammie’s favorite dog killed!

Overall this is a great book that is very stimulating and keeps you up for hours and hours reading more! It has many twists and turns with unexpected surprises! I think children with better understanding of mysteries would be well suited to read this book, but the readers should be a little more mature due to some language, and very minor violence. I would suggest age groups 9-12+. It is just as good a book as the others in the series if not better! I would advise all readers who love a good book to start cracking on this one!

Wendelin Van Draanen has had numerous awards: State Award Master, Christopher Medal, Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Children’s Mystery four times in the past six years, and California Young Reader Medal. This author is highly skilled and I would suggest any of her books any day!

If you are interested in purchasing Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Games of Mystery: Demo Version of the Latest Nancy Drew PC Game Now Available

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, is pleased to announce a demonstration version of the latest Nancy Drew mystery game that is available to download from its developer, Her Interactive.

The Haunting of Castle Malloy, the 19th game in the hugely popular series, was released to retailers this past week. (MBN note: Visit the Games of Mystery: Nancy Drew page for more information, or to purchase, all Nancy Drew games for the PC or Nintendo DS. Also available are strategy guides for many of the games.)

In the game, Nancy Drew is in Ireland to attend the most romantic event ever to grace the ruined halls of Castle Malloy. The Simmons-Malloy wedding was supposed to be a fairytale beginning, but now the groom is missing! Can you, as Nancy Drew, unravel the knot of scattered clues and scary superstitions?

To download the demonstration version, right click on this link (Nancy Drew 19: Demo) and save the file to your computer. It's 270MB so it may take a while! Unzip the file and double click on CastleMalloy.exe to install the game.

Her Interactive has also released two video trailers for the game. The most recent can be viewed below:

Don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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