Mystery Godoku Puzzle for January 19, 2009

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 E G H I L N R T

This Christopher Fahy short story appeared in the 1993 anthology Santa Clues (with “The”, 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!

   

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Nominees Announced for 2009 Dilys Award

Robin Agnew announced today on the DorothyL bulletin board the nominees for the 2009 Dilys Award. The Dilys Award has been given annually since 1992 by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA) to the mystery titles of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The award is named in honor of Dilys Winn, the founder of Murder Ink, the first specialty bookseller of mystery books in the United States.

The nominees are:

Trigger City by Sean Chercover
The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler
Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow

The winner will be announced at Left Coast Crime in March 2009.

Previous winners of the Dilys Award can be found on our website Mystery Book Awards.

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Read Street Features Guest Posts on Edgar Allan Poe This Week

In honor of the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birth, Read Street asked authors, scholars and others to describe Poe’s influence on them -- and on the world. Starting today and for the coming week, Read Street will feature their replies as guest posts. And more, including a photo gallery of his Baltimore connections and The Baltimore Sun's 1949 front page article on Poe's death.

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Mystery Book Review: The King of Swords by Nick Stone

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The King of Swords by Nick Stone. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The King of Swords by Nick Stone
A Max Mingus Mystery

Harper (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-089731-7 (0060897317)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-089731-4 (9780060897314)
Publication Date: December 2008
List Price: $25.99

Review: Nick Stone's second Max Mingus thriller, The King of Swords, is a prequel that takes place over a two year period from late 1980 through late 1982 while Mingus was still a detective in the elite Miami Task Force division of the police department.

Max and his partner Joe Liston are initially assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a man found in a local primate zoo. But they are shocked to discover the man's family has also been brutally murdered, and the suspect in the killings was the dead man himself. A torn up tarot card in the man's stomach suggests the deaths may be related to the increasingly powerful Haitian drug traffickers, but Max and Joe are pressured to pin the murders on someone else. Deciding that the best approach to solving the crime is to work independent of their superiors, the two detectives embark on a dangerous trail following the elusive Solomon Boukman, a man so powerful and feared that few dare to cross him.

What constitutes ethical (or even legal) behavior in the Miami Police Department as depicted in The King of Swords is at the core of the story. Though Max and Joe are relatively free of corruption, at least in comparison to some of their co-workers, neither can claim the high moral ground here. And that's one of the strengths of the book: how these two, basically good cops, negotiate the treacherous politics of their department, knowing that some of what they are doing is as wrong as the actions of the criminals they are chasing, yet trying to achieve the greater good. It's not that the end always justifies the means, but that the means aren't always as clearly defined as one might want. The plot effectively weaves the mysterious world of voodoo into their investigation and the character of Solomon Boukman (if he even exists) is particularly well established. Though there is a considerable amount of violence (both on the part of the police and the criminal sector), much of it takes place off stage, leaving many of the gruesome details to the reader's imagination.

A superbly crafted thriller to be sure, and a well-written one at that, the last chapters of The King of Swords are nonetheless somewhat disquieting as the book really doesn't have clean ending. Without revealing too much here, the ambiguous conclusion may leave some readers wondering what happens next. Since this is a prequel, it's known Max leaves the police department to become a private investigator. Still, the unknown is unsettling. But maybe that's what the author intended.

Special thanks to Susan Schwartzman Public Relations for providing a copy of The King of Swords for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Miami, 1981 – aka: Cocaine Central, Murder Capital USA, the new Dodge City …

When Detective Max Mingus and his partner Joe are called to the scene of a death at Miami's Primate Park, it looks like another routine - if slightly bizarre - investigation. Until two things turn up: the victim's family, slaughtered; and a partly digested tarot card in the dead man's stomach - "The King of Swords".

An increasingly bloody trail leads Max and Joe first to a sinister fortune-teller and her scheming pimp son, then to the infamous Solomon Boukman. Few have ever met the most feared criminal in Miami, but rumors abound of a forked tongue, voodoo ceremonies, human sacrifice, zombies and friends in very high places.

Against a backdrop of black magic and police corruption, Max and Joe must distinguish the good guys from the bad - and track down some answers. What is the significance of the "King of Swords"? What makes those who have swallowed the card go on a killing spree just before they die? And can Max find out the truth about Solomon Boukman, before death's shadow reaches his own front door ...

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 Book Review: Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. Brody

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. Brody. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. Brody
Non-series

Martin & Lawrence Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9773898-7-1 (0977389871)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9773898-7-2 (9780977389872)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $14.95

Review: When lawyer Cameron Thorne stumbled into a troublemaking treasure hunter at his local library, he had no idea what the man could possibly be after, or the danger he was getting himself into. Like most readers of this novel, Thorne thought that there was nothing remarkable about his hometown of Westford, Massachusetts. He had barely heard the local legends surrounding the Westford Knight, the Newport Tower, and their mysterious past. A Templar Knight discovering America a hundred years before Columbus? A secret buried in America’s past, denied by historians and religious leaders alike? Unbelievable! Yet Thorne soon realizes there is more to these legends than meets the eye, and he is drawn into a complex web of mystery, danger and conspiracy, spiraling from local legend into historical fact and, finally, religious reality.

David S. Brody’s The Cabal of the Westford Knight is an excellent historical conspiracy thriller. It builds on its most famous predecessor, The Da Vinci Code, and takes it once step farther -- and across the Atlantic. Like Da Vinci, The Cabal of the Westford Knight uses existing people, places, and historical events, skillfully interweaving fact and fiction. Although Brody works hard to build the case for his premises, some mainstream history lovers will have to suspend their disbelief in the interests of a good story -- but it’s worth it.

Brody’s strength lies in his careful development of the facts he presents, slowly building his case and advancing his story. His character development likewise builds slowly, but works consistently and convincingly, and the book’s suspense draws readers in and keeps them hooked. History lessons are here mixed with thrilling chase scenes, double-crossings, and murder.

Body takes care to make his case as realistic as possible, spending time on historical explanations, including sources and photographs. As the book goes on, however, the puzzle becomes more and more complicated and difficult to follow, and Brody continues to introduce new twists but spends less time carefully convincing readers of facts. This significantly weakens the book’s conclusion, which can feel overly long and convoluted. In the end, however, The Cabal of the Westford Knight is a great story, fun to read, and smart, if slightly overambitious. Readers will love considering Brody’s facts and drawing their own conclusions about where fiction stops and reality begins.

Special thanks to Rebecca Henderson for contributing her review of Cabal of the Westford Knight and to Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity for providing a copy of the book for the review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Rebecca Henderson — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

If you are interested in purchasing Cabal of the Westford Knight from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): A modern-day mystery novel rooted in recently-discovered ancient artifacts left by Templar Knights during a secret mission to North America in 1398.

Attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. There is no shortage of people willing to maim and murder to prevent Cam from uncovering the shocking truths behind this ancient Templar mission. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices-unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient artifacts, or die trying.

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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John Mortimer Died Leaving Unfinished Rumpole Novel

In a follow-up on the death of mystery writer John Mortimer, the Telegraph is reporting that the author died leaving an unfinished Rumpole of the Bailey novel.

Tentatively titled Rumpole and the Younger Generation, the London barrister was to become a victim of crime, attacked by a gang following a concert in Oxford at which his niece performed.

"Sadly I don't think there is any hope of it being published now as there just wasn't enough of it, unless, of course, we could find a writer who might be prepared to take it on," said Tony Lacey, the publishing director at Penguin and Mortimer's long-standing editor.

Hmm. We are aware of several unfinished novels being completed, sometimes by a ghost writer, other times by well-known authors, and while for the most part it works out well, we would prefer that the body of Mortimer's work remain as it is. Though Rumpole was tireless in his efforts and his work was never done, the existence of an unfinished novel has its own charm and adds a quiet, ironic footnote to the series.

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Mystery Book Review: Blackbird, Farewell by Robert Greer

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

Blackbird, Farewell by Robert Greer
A C. J. Floyd Mystery

Frog Ltd. (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-58394-250-5 (1583942505)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58394-250-5 (9781583942505)
Publication Date: October 2008
List Price: $25.95

Review: As his summer vacation begins, Colorado State University basketball star Damion Flood aka “Blood” is looking forward to entering medical school after turning down a lucrative contract as an NBA professional. His best buddy, Shandell Bird, the “Blackbird” of the “Bird and Blood” duo, has signed a multi-million dollar contract with endorsements that will leave him set for life. But by summer’s end when a university professor asks Flood what he did for his summer’s vacation, Damion responds, “I tracked down the murderer of my best friend.” It’s a perfect summary for Robert Greer’s hard-hitting novel of a behind-the-scenes look at two young men considering the pursuit of their careers, with one openly making the right decisions, the other ending up dead while trying to take his life-long secrets to the grave.

Although the novel is one in the CJ Floyd mysteries, the master bail bondsman is away on his honeymoon, leaving his partner, ex-marine Flora Jean Benson to look after the business and keep his godson Damion on the straight and narrow. It’s no mean feat for Flora Jean as Damion sets about on a determined effort to find Bird’s killer, sometimes enlisting her help, at others flying solo. As he follows the clues and tracks teammates, coaches and trainers, Blood discovers particulars he’d sooner not know about his former best friend, like allegations of points shaving, connections to gamblers, and suspicions of using and peddling performance enhancing drugs. And when it seems it can’t get any worse, it does as Blood uncovers the worst secret of all for a professional male athlete, which raises additional allegations of blackmail and involves Bird’s gold digging girlfriend, his manipulative dead-beat father, a college sports psychologist, various locker room hangers-on, a former Pulitzer prize-winning author and a gambling czar with an MBA and a sidekick with an itchy trigger finger. A midget hitman with a .30-06 makes a cameo appearance as well. Damion’s team has its own heavy hitters, however, such as Flora Jean, and the 84-year-old Mafia Don and family friend, Mario Satoni and his enforcer “Pinkie,” and Damion’s lawyer mother, Julie, as well as the occasional bits of sage advice from the honeymooning, CJ Floyd. They all get their chance to play as Damion solves not only Bird’s untimely farewell but a copycat killing as well before he heads on to his medical career.

An intriguing read with an authentic setting in college athletics, Blackbird, Farewell, racks up another winner for author Robert Greer.

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of Blackbird, Farewell and to Caitlin Hamilton Marketing for providing a copy of the book for the review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — M. Wayne Cunningham — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Shandell “Blackbird” Bird has everything going for him, or so he thinks. Recently selected number two overall in the NBA draft, the 6'8", 250-pound superstar has a gleaming new ride and a salary and athletic shoe contract that make him an instant millionaire. What he doesn’t have is the ability to bury secrets from his past.

When Shandell is found shot to death at mid-court, his best friend and college teammate Damion Madrid sets out to find the killer. Damion is well meaning but naïve; luckily his godfather is gumshoe CJ Floyd. Floyd and his partner, Flora Jean Benson, are there to watch his back as Damion stumbles down a shadowy trail that leads to Shandell’s purported peddling of steroids and big-game point shaving. When he discovers a “Blackbird” he never knew and is able to put a face on Shandell’s killer, Damion finds himself in over his head. Will CJ be there in time to prevent his godson from joining Shandell?

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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The MWA Announces Nominations for the 2009 Edgar Awards

In a press release today, The Mystery Writers of America announced the nominees for the 2009 Edgar Awards honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television and film, published or produced in 2008. The awards will be presented to the winners at the 63rd Gala Banquiet, April 30, 2009, in New York City.

The Grand Masters this year will be James Lee Burke and Sue Grafton.

For a list of the nominees in the major categories, visit our updated website Mystery Book Awards: The Edgars, or click on the press release link above for a list of all nominees.

Mystery Books News offers our congratulations to all!

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NBC Offers an Online Behind the Scenes Look at The Last Templar

In a press release from earlier this week, NBC Universal announced the availability of a special video produced to showcase its upcoming miniseries The Last Templar. Based on the bestselling novel by Raymond Khoury, The Last Templar stars Mira Sorvino as Tess Chaykin, a Manhattan archaeologist who reluctantly teams up with FBI agent Sean Daley (played by Scott Foley) in a fast-paced, romantic adventure as they attempt to uncover the lost secrets of the legendary medieval Knights Templar.

The miniseries airs on NBC Sunday and Monday, January 25-26, from 9-11 PM (ET) both nights. A preview as well as a 30-minute sneak peek titled "Making The Last Templar" is available on the NBC website, now through February 24th.

Watch the trailer below:

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Mystery Author John Mortimer Dies

Just yesterday we reported that John Mortimer had received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Strand Magazine. Today we were saddened to read in the Times Online that he has died. He was 85.

Mortimer, a barrister himself, was the author of the Rumpole of the Bailey mysteries. He was also an accomplished screenwriter, adapting his own novel Summer's Lease as a made-for-television movie, among others.

We had the pleasure of reviewing two of his more recent Rumpole mysteries for Mysterious Reviews, Rumpole and the Reign of Terror and Rumpole Misbehaves. Though he will be missed, his curmudgeonly character will continue to delight us.

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Games of Mystery: Mystery P.I., The New York Fortune, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games by visiting our Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

A fun loving and eccentric New York billionaire has hidden the will to his vast fortune somewhere in New York City! His family only has 17 hours to locate the will or their Grandpa's entire estate will be given to his cat and dog.You are the world famous Mystery P.I. and the family has hired you to track down the clues hidden all over NYC. Search the city that never sleeps in this clever hidden object game.

Mystery P.I.: The Lottery Ticket may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version (33.54 MB) may be downloaded and played for one hour for free.

Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, the Carol Reed mystery Remedy, Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow, Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends, and Lost Realms: Legacy of the Sun Princess.

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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Mystery Bestsellers for January 16, 2009

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending January 16, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

For the first time in many weeks a new book has not only cracked the top 4 but landed in the top spot: the third between-the-numbers mystery featuring New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich.

New this week at number 14 is Thomas Perry's sixth Jane Whitefield mystery, Runner. After a nine-year absence, the fiercely resourceful Native American guide JaneWhitefield is back. For more than a decade, Jane pursued her unusual profession: "I'm a guide ... I show people how to go from places where somebody is trying to kill them to other places where nobody is." Then she promised her husband she would never work again, and settled in to live a happy, quiet life as Jane McKinnon, the wife of a surgeon in Amherst, New York. But when a bomb goes off in the middle of a hospital fundraiser, Jane finds herself face to face with the cause of the explosion: a young pregnant girl who has been tracked across the country by a team of hired hunters. That night, regardless of what she wants or the vow she's made to her husband, Jane must come back to transform one more victim into a runner. And her quest for safety sets in motion a mission that will be a rescue operation -- or a chance for revenge. Publishers Weekly says, "Blending the frenetic pacing of a top-notch thriller with Native American mysticism, this entry will more than satisfy longtime fans."

On our bestseller page, we've added an icon next to every title that is available for immediate download onto the Amazon Kindle. To learn about this wireless reading device, visit the Amazon Kindle page for more information.

The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

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.

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Games of Mystery: Mr. Biscuits, The Case of the Ocean Pearl, New at PlayFirst Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce a special price for a mystery game available from PlayFirst Games. You can find out more about these games from our Mystery Games: PlayFirst Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Come on board the cruise liner the Ocean Pearl as you work to unravel its latest mystery in Mr. Biscuits, Private Investigator: The Case of the Ocean Pearl. Something has happened to Mrs. Cambridge, and it is up to you and her lovable pug, Mr. Biscuits, to figure it out! Travel throughout the ship as you search for evidence and collect clues to solve your case. But be careful as the suspects involved will work to distract you and remove evidence from the scene. Who did it? Why did they do it? How does a dog know so much? Answer these questions and many more in this pooch-smart hidden object game.

Mr. Biscuits, Private Investigator: The Case of the Ocean Pearl is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for a 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 43.7 MB).

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include both Mystery PI games, 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.

And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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MediaBlvd Magazine Interviews Mystery Author Jason Pinter

MediaBlvd Magazine published an interview with thriller writer Jason Pinter today. Pinter is the author of the Henry Parker mysteries, two of the most recent of which we've had the pleasure of reviewing for Mysterious Reviews, The Guilty and The Stolen.

Henry Parker is a young investigative journalist in New York City. In the interview, Pinter reveals a little about the next in the series. "The Fury is the most personal story Henry has had to face yet. Through the first three books, we’ve learned a little bit about his life before he came to New York, but in this book he finds out that there’s one massive skeleton in his family’s closet that is now coming back to haunt him. But, what he finds out is just the tip of the iceberg, and the start of a big storyline that will continue into the next Henry Parker novel, The Darkness, which will be out in November 2009, just a month after The Fury hits shelves."

And his sage advice to aspiring writers? "The most important thing is to write what you love and write the kind of book that you would want to read."

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The Strand Magazine Honors John Mortimer with a Lifetime Achievement Award

In a press release, The Strand Magazine announced that the 2009 Strand Critics Lifetime Achievement Award goes to John Mortimer. Mortimer is probably best known for his Rumpole of the Bailey mysteries (some of which have also been adapted as made-for-television movies.)

"I think that John Mortimer has made an excellent contribution to crime writing," said Andrew Gulli, managing editor of The Strand. "When you think about larger-than-life mystery characters, you think of iconic characters like of Holmes, Poirot, Marlowe and Rumpole."

"I feel honoured to be chosen to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Horace Rumpole," said Mortimer, 85, in a statement Wednesday. "He is, of course, a truly British character and I am delighted that he has come to be appreciated so much by his American cousins."

The award is sponsored by The Strand Magazine and judged by several critics from top daily papers in the US. The award will be presented at an invitation-only cocktail party hosted by The Strand in July, in New York City.

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