Games of Mystery: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, New on June 30th

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and getaway vacations including murder mystery weekends, is pleased to announce the availability of a new Harry Potter mystery game being released on multiple platforms this week.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information.

Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is currently scheduled for release on June 30th, 2009, on the following platforms: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Nintendo DS); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Nintendo Wii); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Windows PC); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Xbox 360);Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PlayStation 2); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PlayStation 3); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Sony PSP).

View the trailer below:

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

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First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Titles for July 2009

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12, and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older), is pleased to announce Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys books that are scheduled for release during July, 2009.

Double Take by Carolyn Keene
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (21st)

Uh-oh, the Clue Crew has competition! When a classmate's prized possession goes missing, Nancy and her friends know that this is a perfect case for the Clue Crew -- until snobby classmate Deirdre Shannon steps in with her rival sleuthing club, the Klue Krew. Nancy, George, and Bess agree to go head-to-head with Deirdre and her friends to see who can find the missing jacket first. The winner gets to be the only detective club at River Heights Elementary. Can Nancy solve the case first and keep the Clue Crew from going under?

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

City Under the Basement by various
Nancy Drew, Girl Detective Graphic Novels (18th)

Nancy and her father Carson find themselves in an ancient city long buried below a luxurious estate, the sale of which has brought them to Turkey. Thieves led by a mysterious rich man named Harold Severino search frantically for a priceless artifact somewhere in the city as Nancy and her father are taken prisoner. Severino, who previously attempted to purchase the estate with suspicious motives, has been led to the archeological treasure by none other than Professor David Sever, the crooked archeologist from Nancy Drew: Writ in Stone. It’s up to Nancy to halt the plundering of this living museum and somehow make it out in one piece!

Nancy Drew, Girl Detective Graphic Novels are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

X-Plosion by Franklin W. Dixon
The Hardy Boys, Undercover Brothers

The second book in the Galaxy X trilogy.

The Mission: It's the grand opening of Galaxy X and pro-skater and ultra-cool guy, Cody Zane is there for the big day. But Frank and Joe Hardy are hot on his trail to try and find out who wants to end his career just as it's about to explode …

The Hardy Boys, Undercover Brothers mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

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Games of Mystery: Margrave Manor 2, The Lost Ship, 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.

Help Edwina Margrave find her grandfather's hidden treasure in Margrave Manor 2: The Lost Ship, an exciting hidden object adventure game and a sequel to The Secret of Margrave Manor! Edwin Margrave was a famed treasure hunter, whose ship disappeared mysteriously over a decade ago. Now, the ship has reappeared and it’s up to Edwina to figure out what happened. Learn about the legendary treasure and follow the clues to discover the secret of Margrave Manor 2: The Lost Ship!

Also available: Margrave Manor 2: The Lost Ship Game Walkthrough.

Margrave Manor 2: The Lost Ship, a Big Fish Game Club World Premiere Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (75.76 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

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, Syberia and Syberia II, The Serpent of Isis, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: A Darker Shade of Grey, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).

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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Games of Mystery: Pahelika Secret Legends, 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 new 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.

Go on an immersive adventure in Pahelika: Secret Legends. There is an ancient secret so powerful, it was buried deep beneath a maze of puzzles and pitfalls to prevent anyone from ever laying a hand on it. Then one man discovered the existence of the secret. In doing so, his life changed forever. He resolved to seek the secret. Find out if the legends are true!

Pahelika: Secret Legends is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 74.5 MB).

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include the Mystery PI series of casual 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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January Magazine Interviews Mystery Author Clea Simon

January Magazine today published an author snapshot of, and interview with, Clea Simon, who writes the Theda Krakow mysteries of which the most recent, Probable Claws, the fourth in the series, was published in April by Poisoned Pen Press. Theda's cat, Musetta, frequently plays a prominent role in her books.

In the article, Simon says that despite the punny titles and the strong cat connections, the cats in her books don’t talk. In fact, she has referred to the books featuring Theda and Musetta as “kitty noir,” something she says with a smile but is only half-joking about.

Simon also talks about her new series, the first book of which, Shades of Grey, is scheduled for publication in September by Severn House. She says it is "slightly paranormal", but doesn't go on to explain what exactly that means!

We've had the pleasure of reviewing two of Simon's mysteries, Cries and Whiskers and Probable Claws, both of which can be found on Mysterious Reviews.

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Mystery Book Review: Voodoo Laws by Jim Michael Hansen

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Voodoo Laws by Jim Michael Hansen. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Voodoo Laws by Jim Michael Hansen
A Bryson Coventry Mystery

Dark Sky (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9769243-7-4 (0976924374)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9769243-7-1 (9780976924371)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $13.95

Review: A relatively routine homicide investigation Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry quickly escalates into a complex web of crime that may also include elements of the black arts in Voodoo Laws, the seventh mystery in this series by Jim Michael Hansen.

The dead man is an attorney with a law firm familiar to Coventry; a year ago an employee with the firm was found dead, a screwdriver thrust through her eye. But the connection between the two is even stronger to Coventry; in the dead attorney's home he finds a doll with a needle stuck through its eye. Separately, an attack on two women, one of whom was killed, the other kidnapped, also attracts Coventry's attention. As he investigates the murder of the attorney, he discovers links to the kidnapped woman and he knows that the longer she remains missing, the lower the chances he has of finding her alive.

Voodoo Laws alternates between three points of view: Coventry's, Mackenzie Lee (a practicing attorney, who is also trying to become a full-time mystery writer), and Dalton Wrey (a marketing executive, who does contract murder on the side). Eventually it is revealed that the common thread between each of their stories is the law firm of the dead attorney. And though the author is known for his carefully constructed, intricate plots, in Voodoo Laws the storyline is overly elaborate, complicated to the point of being nearly incomprehensible. Coventry actually has very little to do, being rather obsessed with the new woman in his life; his story arc is the least interesting of the three. Some of the events that take place seem unusual, random even, but are eventually explained. But that's part of the problem here; it's not possible for the reader, or even any of the main characters, to figure out why they're happening; secondary, minor characters have to, in the end, explain what went on and why.

The characters themselves are well-developed and interesting, but all share a most annoying trait: they chuckle. All the time, and at the most inappropriate times. Every 3-4 pages someone chuckles. Not laughs, or giggles, or snickers. Chuckles. Occasionally someone grins, but almost always just before or after they chuckle. There's something quite incongruous, for example, when two killers are having a discussion about their next victim and one chuckles. And unlike "said" or "asked", which are often easily overlooked by readers, "chuckled" is a verb that is hard to ignore. Especially when it's most often used in a two word paragraph. "Coventry chuckled." "Mackenzie chuckled." "The pirate chuckled."

Though Voodoo Laws isn't Hansen's best novel in the series, it still has quite a lot going for it. There's very little extraneous narrative or dialogue to weigh it down, the characters frequently do unexpected things that keep the reader's attention and interest, and the plot, though unnecessarily complex, is still gripping and absorbing. This is a fine series and one worth checking out.

Special thanks to Jim Michael Hansen for providing a copy of Voodoo Laws for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is thrust into his most haunting and eerie case yet in Jim Michael Hansen's stunning new thriller, Voodoo Laws. As Coventry frantically searches for a missing woman and finds himself pulled deeper and deeper into an edgy world of voodooism and death curses, beautiful young attorney Mackenzie Lee takes on a terrifying case--a case born of shadowy origins; a case prone to shift with the night; a case that is destined to sweep everyone who touches it into the spiraling vortex of a deadly thriller.

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Hostile Makeover, Based on the Crime of Fashion Mysteries by Ellen Byerrum, Airs This Sunday on LMN

This Sunday, June 28st, at 8 PM ET/9 PM PT, Lifetime Movie Network airs Hostile Makeover, the second of two made-for-television movies based on the Crime of Fashion mysteries by Ellen Byerrum. (The first, Killer Hair, aired last weekend and can be seen in its entirety on MyLifetime.com.)

Makeovers can be real murder. Fearless Washington D.C. fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian (played by Maggie Lawson) sashays right back into trouble when her interview with reality TV makeover star turned fashion designer Amanda Manville reveals Amanda's been receiving death threats. When the uber diva, whose bratty behavior and tendency to take credit for her sister Zoe's designs have ruffled more than a few feathers, is gunned down at her own runway show, Lacey jumps in to investigate, one fashion clue at a time. But the one thing that can knock Lacey off her stilettos is the sudden appearance of her mother and sister who are convinced Lacey should move home to Colorado. Not only does Mom think DC is too dangerous, she doesn't like that the vintage-loving Lacey has recycled the man who broke her heart the first time, gorgeous cop Vic Donovan. With her best friends, Stella, a punky hairstylist, and Brooke, an upper crust Georgetown lawyer, and her mother and little sister in tow, Lacey foils the murderer and solves the fashion felonies, all while meeting the deadline for her column. Hostile Makeover is a funny, fashionable, and fabulous murder mystery set against our nation's capital. (MBN note: Hostile Makeover is the third title in the Crime of Fashion mystery series.)

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First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for July 2009

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids, your source for information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12, and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older), is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery books (including series books) scheduled for publication during July, 2009.

Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery
by David A. Adler
The Young Cam Jansen Series

It's the 100th day of school and Cam and her classmates are celebrating. They are supposed to have pretzels, popcorn, pineapple juice, and pizza at their party--but someone has pilfered the pizza! Will Cam find the pizzas before the thief eats them? The 15th book in this series.

The Young Cam Jansen Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 4 to 6. For older readers, please also see The Cam Jansen Mystery Series also by David A. Adler.

Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective: Bad Bugs Are My Business
by David Biedrzycki
The Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective Series

When Scratch Murphy's flea bag full of dough goes missing, Ace Lacwing is on the case. With friends Xerces and Zito at his side, Ace searches Six Legs Park for clues. From the Termite Tower of Terror to Queenie Bee's Hive Rise Honey Stand, the place is crawling with suspects. This 2nd book in the series is a hilarious, witty tribute to the classic detective story.

The Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective Series are recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

The Man from Pomegranate Street
by Caroline Lawrence
The Roman Mysteries

September AD 81. Returning from Ephesus to Rome, Flavia and her friends learn of the mysterious and sudden death of the Emperor Titus. Was his death natural? Or was it murder? As the four detectives investigate this mystery, they little dream how much their lives—as well as the future of Italia—will be changed as a result. At last, many of the questions Roman Mysteries fans have been burning to have answered are revealed in this 17th, and final, book of the series.

The Roman Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

And Then Everything Unraveled
by Jennifer Sturman
Non-series

Delia Truesdale has no idea her life's about to change forever. She's too busy enjoying the California summer. Her internet tycoon mother, T.K. Truesdale, is out of town, and that means Delia can spend all her time at the beach, surfing. That is, until everything unravels. Her mother suddenly goes missing, and everyone thinks she's dead - excpet Delia, who knows T.K.'s way too organized to simply disappear. But Delia's still sent to New York to live with her two aunts -- a downtown bohemian and an uptown ice queen. And in case that's not bad enough, she also has to deal with a snooty new school and trying not to fall for the wrong guy. Oh, and finding her mother. As she delves deeper into the tangle of conspiracies and lies surrounding T.K.'s disappearance, Delia begins to suspect that the wrong guy may be the right guy ... and that some secrets -- especially the dangerous ones - were never meant to be unraveled. Read our review of And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman at Mysterious Reviews.

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Games of Mystery: CLUE Accusations and Alibis, 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 new 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.

Use your powers of perception and ace detective skills to solve a riveting mystery in CLUE: Accusations and Alibis, an original new hidden object game inspired by everyone's favorite board game. Featuring fashionable updates to your favorite CLUE characters, addictive hidden object gameplay, an all-new mansion to search, and more than 400 unique cases to solve, you'll want to return to the scene of the crime again and again. Accept your invitation to murder today!

CLUE: Accusations and Alibis is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 72.9 MB).

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include the Mystery PI series of casual 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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Mystery Bestsellers for June 26, 2009

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending June 26, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Some minor shuffling among the top four bestselling mystery this week, but a new title destined for the top spot entered the list this week.

It's the 15th outing (if you don't count the between-the-number entries) for New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum in Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. Unbuckle your belt and pull up a chair. It's the spiciest, sauciest, most rib-sticking Plum yet. Here's the recipe: Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head --literally. Throw in some spice: Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli. Pump up the heat: Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers. Stir the pot: Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah. Add a secret ingredient: Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur. Enough said. Bring to a boil: Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, A.K.A. Ranger, during the day. Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones? Warning: Habanero hot. So good you’ll want seconds.

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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NBC Announces Its Fall 2009 Prime Time Schedule

NBC announced its Fall 2009 prime time schedule today. There are only three crime dramas airing on the network this season, all returning series.

On Wednesday, September 23rd, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit returns for its 11th season at 9 PM (ET/PT). An encore broadcast of the episode airs on Saturdays at 10 PM (ET/PT).

On Friday, September 25th, the original Law & Order enters its 20th season with its premiere episode airing at 8 PM (ET/PT). It will be followed by the 2nd season premiere of Southland at 9 PM (ET/PT).

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eHarlequin's Free Book Friday: The Texan's Tennessee Romance by Gina Wilkins

eHarlequin.com gives you another reason to love Fridays! Buy two or more books this Friday and they'll give you their weekly featured book absolutely free! That's right, every Friday, enjoy a featured free book with the purchase of two or more other titles! Your free book will automatically be added to your cart. Sometimes it's a mystery or suspense title, sometimes (alas) not, but it's always a great way to start your weekend!

This Friday's free book (06/26/2009) is a Harlequin Silhouette Special Edition.

The Texan's Tennessee Romance by Gina Wilkins
Non-series

After being falsely accused of breaking her sacred lawyer-client vow, Natalie Lofton's main priority was clearing her name and getting her life back. That didn't include taking in an irresistible mutt. Or falling for the sexy handyman who'd come to fix a leaky pipe in her secluded Tennessee cabin.

But Casey Walker wasn't your ordinary fixer-upper. The native Texan had his own reasons for retreating to the remote Smoky Mountain resort. There he found a fellow attorney with a soft spot for strays. But what about the tender feelings Natalie was awakening in him?

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner below to subscribe for free:

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ITV Orders Second Series of Law & Order UK

The Guardian is reporting that ITV has ordered a second series of 13 episodes of Law & Order UK. Based on the US series Law & Order, which was recently renewed for a 20th season by NBC, the UK version follows a similar format with Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, and Harriet Walter representing the "law" and Bill Paterson, Ben Daniels, and Freema Agyeman the "order".

"Audiences clearly loved the first series which featured the cream of British acting talent with gripping 'torn from the headlines' storylines and this will again be at the heart of the new series," said Laura Mackie, ITV Director of Drama. ITV is currently airing the 13 episodes that comprise the first series of the crime drama.

Despite cutbacks in its programming, ITV also recently ordered 4 additional episodes of Inspector Lewis.

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The Murdoch Mysteries to Air on US Public Television

A few weeks ago, a press release announced that 6 episodes of the Canadian series The Murdoch Mysteries have been sold to US public television stations, with episodes to begin airing June 30, 2009 (though we haven't seen anything in our local listings yet).

The Murdoch Mysteries are based on characters created by Maureen Jennings, whose novels are set in the mid- to late-1890s and feature young Toronto detective William Murdoch who investigates crimes using "radical" forensic techniques such as fingerprinting and trace evidence.

Three made-for-television movies, adapted from the first three books of the series, aired on Canadian television in 2004 and 2005 and are now available on DVD as The Murdoch Mysteries: The Movie Collection. The first season of the television series, The Murdoch Mysteries: Season 1, was recently released on DVD. The series has been renewed for a third season in Canada.

Beginning June 30th, check your local public television station listings for airings in your area of episodes in The Murdoch Mysteries.

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Games of Mystery: DinerTown Detective Agency, 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 new 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.

Something's not right in DinerTown! Help Bernie the Bookworm become a "real detective" in DinerTown Detective Agency. Hunt for vital clues in major mysteries like "who stuck their finger in all the jelly donuts?" and "who’s been partying like a rock star with the zoo animals?" Use the items you find in the crime scenes to narrow your list of suspects and ID the culprits as you search out the fun in this lighthearted spoof on traditional hidden object games.

DinerTown Detective Agency is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 49.1 MB; Mac 57.6 MB).

Watch the DinerTown Detective Agency teaser trailer below:

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include the Mystery PI series of casual 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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