eHarlequin Silhouette Romantic Suspense Titles for August 2009

Sparked by danger, fueled by passion, eHarlequin.com has released the August 2009 titles in their Silhouette Romantic Suspense series. Let yourself be swept away with characters who fall in love under larger-than-life circumstances. In Silhouette Romantic Suspense, suspense, emotion and glamour combine to create these highly charged books! To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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His Personal Mission by Justine Davis (book cover shown)

Redstone computer genius Ryan Barton needed a favor from the last woman he wanted to see. Two years ago, stunning but cool Sasha Tereschenko left him without a word after a night of fiery passion. Now the missing-children expert was the only one who could help him find his sister. Was reuniting with Sasha worth the risk of losing his guarded heart for good?

Unwanted thrills shuddered through Sasha the second she'd heard Ryan's voice. Total opposites, she knew fun-loving Ryan had never wanted anything more than a casual romp—she was sure of it. Now she'd do anything to save his sister from an online predator, except fall for Ryan's carefree charms … again.

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Silent Watch by Elle Kennedy

Blake was tracking the Rose Killer in order to forget the woman he couldn't save. Now there was a new lead: a survivor. Convincing Samantha "Sam" Dawson to help was only half the battle. Resisting the allure of the fiery beauty was downright impossible.

Sam wanted nothing to do with men. With the city. With the fame of her former life as a model. Six months after the heinous attack, she still bore the killer's trademark scar. But if she was as tough as she thought, she'd have to face her fears to catch a killer—and dare to love again.

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Cavanaugh Pride by Marie Ferrarella (book cover shown)

Julianne White Bear prided herself on never needing anyone. Ever since the detective teamed up with fellow cop Frank McIntyre, she found herself opening up. The proud, irresistible member of the Cavanaugh clan clearly didn't want her invading his territory. But both were helpless to resist their simmering attraction….

Frank needed to find out what drove the beautiful loner—it was obvious Julianne had a secret past. Now their hunt for a serial killer threatened her future. All Frank wanted was to keep Julianne safe. How could they predict the passion that swamped their senses, exposing them to feelings far more dangerous?

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Her 24-Hour Protector by Loreth Anne White

Socialite Jenna Rothchild swooned when FBI Special Agent Lex Duncan swaggered across the stage during a charity bachelor auction. Winning a hot date with the stone-faced suitor was easy. Gleaning classified information about how her sister's homicide was linked to a priceless diamond required a lot more finesse.

Working her womanly wiles, Jenna bewitched Lex with a sultry slow dance. But her ploy backfired when the übercool lawman conned her into disclosing incriminating family secrets. Then danger struck, and the glamorous heiress fell for her protector! As the rising temperatures gave way to searing passion, would Lex risk his badge to shield Jenna from a power-hungry psychopath?

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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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New Mystery Prize Package Giveaway! Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan

Mystery Book Contests is thrilled to announce a new mystery book prize package giveaway! Timothy Hallinan's third Bangkok thriller featuring travel writer Poke Rafferty is published next month by Wm. Morrow and the author is generously providing 3 of our readers with a signed copy of the book, Breathing Water.

For American ex-pat writer Poke Rafferty, a late-night poker game delivers an unexpected prize: an "opportunity" to write the biography of Khun Pan, a flamboyant, vulgar, self-made billionaire with a criminal past and far-reaching political ambitions. The win seems like a stroke of luck, but as with so many things in vibrant, seductive, contradictory Bangkok—a city of innocence and evil, power and poverty—the allure of appearances masks something much darker. Within a few hours of folding his cards, Rafferty, his wife, Rose, beloved adopted daughter, Miaow, and best friend, Arthit, an honest Bangkok cop, have become pawns in a political struggle among some of Thailand's richest, most powerful, and most ruthless people.

Enter daily! Provide your name and e-mail address on the Breathing Water giveaway entry form and correctly answer the contest question for a chance to win 1 of 3 signed copies of Breathing Water courtesy of author Timothy Hallinan. Estimated prize package value: $35.

Remember to visit Mystery Book Contests regularly to check for new mystery book prize package giveaways.

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Games of Mystery: Midnight Mysteries and the Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy

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.

Download →

Use your famous mystery-writing skills to help solve an ancient homicide and capture Edgar Allan Poe's murderer! Follow your ghostly guides through Poe's classic tales as you meet the different suspects in this dark and haunting hidden object game. Find inspiration for your next book as you collect clues, interview witnesses, and crack the centuries-old crime in Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy.

Also available: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy Game Walkthrough.

Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, a Big Fish Game Club Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (142.17 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, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, 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), Enlightenus (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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Mystery Bestsellers for July 17, 2009

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending July 17, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Though there was considerable movement this week among the mystery bestsellers, Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich retains its position at the top of the list this week.

New this week in 13th position is the latest thriller by Greg Iles, The Devil's Punchbowl, the third to feature former Houston prosecuting attorney Penn Cage. Cage has sent hardened killers to death row. But it is as mayor of his hometown -- Natchez, Mississippi -- that Penn will face his most dangerous threat. Urged by old friends to try to restore this fading jewel of the Old South, Penn has ridden into office on a tide of support for change. But in its quest for new jobs and fresh money, Natchez, like other Mississippi towns, has turned to casino gambling, and now five fantastical steamboats float on the river beside the old slave market at Natchez like props from Gone With the Wind. But one boat isn't like the others. Rumor has it that the Magnolia Queen has found a way to pull the big players from Las Vegas to its Mississippi backwater. And with them -- on sleek private jets that slip in and out of town like whispers in the night -- come pro football players, rap stars, and international gamblers, all sharing an unquenchable taste for one thing: blood sport -- and the dark vices that go with it. When a childhood friend of Penn's who brings him evidence of these crimes is brutally murdered, the full weight of Penn's failure to protect his city hits home. So begins his quest to find the men responsible. But it's a hunt he begins alone, for the local authorities have been corrupted by the money and power of his hidden enemy. Publishers Weekly calls The Devil's Punchbowl "stellar", adding, "Iles brilliantly creates opportunities for his characters to demonstrate principle and courage, both on a large and small scale, making this much more than just an exciting read."

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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2009 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations Announced Today

The nominations for the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards were announced this morning. Since most visitors to this site are fans, as we are, of mystery, suspense, and crime dramas, we thought we'd simply focus on listing the nominations that include these series. In the interest of time and space, we're skipping over some of the more technical categories (not that they aren't important in and of themselves).

Outstanding Drama Series: Damages, Dexter, and Lost were nominated. It's a close call for us, but we like Damages here. All three series were nominated last year in this category.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk in Monk. Tony Shalhoub is Adrian Monk; it's hard to imagine the character being played by anyone else. He was also nominated last year in this category.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in Dexter, and Simon Baker as Patrick Jane in The Mentalist. Michael C. Hall is perfectly creepy as Dexter; we're less impressed with Simon Baker but that's probably because we don't like the series. Michael C. Hall was nominated last year in this category.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie: Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer in 24: Redemption, and Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander in Wallander: One Step Behind. Kenneth Branagh gave a fine performance as Kurt Wallander, but we didn't particular enjoy the three movies. We didn't see 24: Redemption, which was essentially a teaser episode for the series since the 7th season was delayed by the writers' strike.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close as Patty Hewes in Damages, Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson in The Closer. We were mesmerized by Glenn Close's performance in Damages. We're not fans of Law & Order, any of them. And we've never seen The Closer. All three actresses were also nominated last year in this category; Glenn Close won.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: William Hurt as Daniel Purcell in Damages, and Michael Emerson as Ben Linus in Lost. Both actors created interesting characters that added depth to their respective storylines; we're not sure either are Emmy-worthy though. Michael Emerson was nominated last year in this category.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook in Pushing Daisies. We enjoyed the series, but not enough to miss it after it was cancelled. This is a surprise nomination to us, not that Kristin Cheoweth doesn't deserve it; she was nominated last year as well.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor in 24, and Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons in Damages. Rose Byrne's role was nearly as prominent as Glenn Close's this season, but it simply wasn't memorable to us. We didn't watch 24 this year.

The Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live Sunday, September 24th at 8 PM (ET) on CBS.

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MySims Agents Interactive Mystery Case Website Goes Live

Several months ago we announced that Electronic Arts was developing a mystery-solving adventure game for the Nintendo Wii and DS called MySims Agents. Today, the MySims Agents website went live with an online "case", an interactive game that starts with a mysterious surveillance video and ends with details of a powerful, sinister plot.

The story gives you a glimpse into what it takes to become an agent, introduces you to some key characters like Morcubus, Brandi, Mayor Skip Rogers, Dr. F and Agent Walker, and to the overall plot of the Nightmare Crown. By solving cases, you will receive some exclusive background information on the main mystery in the MySims Agents video game (due to be released in September) as well as access to special downloads and cheat codes. Throughout the interactive experience, you will venture to popular destinations like YouTube, MySpace and Twitter where you’ll search for clues and gather intel.

To start your first case, visit MySimsAgents.com. Clicking on the exclamation point, which helpfully says Start Case 1, you're introduced to Agent Walker. "Welcome to the world of mystery-solving, new recruit! I'm Agent Walker, and I've dedicated my life to preserving justice in the MySims world. But a new threat is surfacing and I need your help now. Do you have what it takes to become a full-fledged agent?"

Watch the teaser trailer below, which, actually, is the surveillance video you watch to start your case:

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First Clues Review: Blood Fever by Charlie Higson

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.

Blood Fever by Charlie Higson
The Young Bond Series

Miramax (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-4231-0029-8 (1423100298)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-0029-4 (9781423100294)
Publication Date: March 2007
List Price: $7.99

Review written by Andrew, Age 14, Grade 8. Date of review: July 2009.

Review: A modern day pirate robbing expensive yachts -- thirteen year old young James Bond stumbles into this heist while on a school trip. Blood Fever is about James Bond’s marvelous adventures as he attempts to solve this mystery. This story will keep you at the edge of your seat and has a shocking ending. Blood Fever is the second in a series of five stories with young James Bonds solving the crimes.

Blood Fever takes place in England as well as in Sardinia. Sardinia is a city in Italy, on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. In the very beginning of the book before James Bond comes into the picture, a pirate that goes by the name of Zoltan the Magyar, was given orders to rob a boat called The Siren owned by Sir Cahill Goodenough. Zoltan wanted to take a bronze statue of a Siren from the boat to give to his employer Count Ugo Cornifex. Amy Goodenough who was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea at the time, came onto the boat and stabbed Zoltan in the right shoulder making his right arm useless. Because of this Zoltan killed everyone on the boat except Amy who was taken hostage, and he sunk The Siren. Young James Bond heard about the disaster from Mark Goodenough James Bond’s friend and Cahill Goodenough’s son. James sees one of his teachers acting strange and investigates. Will James be able to solve the crime in time? Will Amy be rescued? Will Zoltan live long enough to deliver the Siren statue that he stole from The Siren?

As the second book in the series, I thought that the book took right off from where the first book Silverfin left off. I was able to figure out who most of the criminals were very early in the book. However, there were two I was wrong about. One person I originally thought was the bad guy, but it was really the other person. James was very well liked by everyone, even Zoltan who befriended him. James met Zoltan while he was investigating why the teachers were acting bizarre. I would rate this book four and a half out of five stars because in the book the line “the name’s Bond, James Bond” was used a little too often, and it got kind of annoying. Other than that I thought the book was perfectly written and the book made me feel like I was actually James Bond.

This book has unfortunately not received any awards.

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

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories: New Sleuths (ages 4 to 6), Future Sleuths (ages 7 to 10), Sleuths in Training (ages 10 to 12), and Apprentice Sleuths (ages 13 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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First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: Bunnicula

A middle school teacher recently asked us if we were familiar with the Bunnicula series of mysteries for kids by James Howe. We had to admit we weren't, and apparently we were alone in this regard. Millions of books featuring this immensely popular character have been sold to date; we've just added all three of the Bunnicula series to our First Clues: Mysteries for Kids website.

In 1979, Deborah and James Howe published Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery to great acclaim. Since then, Bunnicula has made countless children laugh and carrots quake with terror.

It all begins when the Monroe family goes to see the movie Dracula. At the theater, youngest son Toby finds something on his seat -- a baby rabbit, which the family takes home and names Bunnicula. It proves to be an apt name, at least as far as Chester the cat is concerned. Well-read and observant, Chester soon decides that there is something odd about the newcomer. For one thing, he seems to have fangs. And the odd markings on his back look a bit like a cape. Furthermore, Bunnicula sleeps from sunup to sundown and is only awake at night. And then there are the vegetables ... the white vegetables.

Is Bunnicula really a vampire? Only Bunnicula knows for sure. But the story of Chester's suspicions and their consequences -- as told by his canine pal, Harold -- makes uproarious reading.

A critical and commercial success, Bunnicula was later adapted for an ABC Weekend Special on television and would go on to include 7 books in the original series. Deborah Howe, who co-wrote the first book with her husband James, died of cancer shortly after Bunnicula was published. James Howe continued to write the Bunnicula series, and the spin-offs, after her death.

The second book of the series, Howliday Inn, published in 1982, introduced a new character, Howie, a puppy, to the Monroe family. Twenty years later Howie got his own series, writing the Tales from the House of Bunnicula (but really written by James Howe).

In 2004, Howe reworked the original Bunnicula books into a series of picture books for beginning readers called Bunnicula and Friends. There are currently 6 titles in this series.

Bunnicula also appear in several other books published during the 1990s, including a pop-up adventure book and various activity books for kids.

Many thanks to school teacher Margo for introducing Bunnicula to us!

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Harlequin Intrigue Titles for August 2009

eHarlequin.com has released the August 2009 titles in their Intrigue, breathtaking romantic suspense series. Get these edge-of-your-seat reads today with characters who conquer everything from kidnappings to murder mysteries, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another! To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Stealing Thunder by Patricia Rosemoor (book cover shown)

They were strangers on Lakota land, and although a family curse prevented Tiernan McKenna from finding love, it couldn't stop him from rescuing Ella Thunder. The daughter of a shaman, Ella was fearful of the power within her…and of a killer she'd long thought dead. With the Lakota beauty in mortal danger, Tiernan offered himself up as her protector, insisting they stick together 24/7. Remembering his family history, Tiernan knew acting upon their intense attraction was a dangerous line that would be wrong to cross. Even though the thought of it felt so incredibly right.

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More Than a Man by Rebecca York

For seven centuries Noah Fielding had kept his secret, switching identities, staying one step ahead of those who would exploit him. But a chance meeting with a woman on the run changed everything. Olivia Stapler made Noah feel emotions he'd thought long dead, made him yearn for a chance at real life. He knew taking Olivia back to his secret enclave as his wife would be dangerous. In fact, Noah had given his pursuers the perfect weapon. Using Olivia to get to him, they would stop at nothing to gain the secret of his longevity. Even if they had to harm the only woman he loved to get it.

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Navajo Courage by Aimee Thurlo (book cover shown)

Like a cougar on the hunt, Tribal Officer Luca Nakai was one with the wild—steady, steely and fierce. Nothing like the cops Detective Valerie Jonas was used to. He didn't carry the usual accessories, but he was a more formidable force than she'd ever seen. Not to mention gorgeous.

They were on the trail of a dangerous skinwalker who'd killed twice before and was pursuing another victim. Luca's Navajo ways were invaluable to the investigation and casting a spell over the no-nonsense Valerie, who'd never believed anything but hard facts. So how could the mystery and magic of this quiet man single-handedly be cracking her protective shield right along with the case?

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Familiar Showdown by Caroline Burnes

Good thing I have nine lives…. But it's too bad Stephanie Ryan doesn't have as many lives as me. The humanoid horse gentler is up to her pretty neck in trouble—thanks to drifter cowboy Johnny Kreel. He shows up, and just like that, someone tries to kill her. Stranded on her ranch in Nowhere, South Dakota, she's a sitting duck. I'll just bet my next meal that dark-side Johnny knows more than he's telling. And unless my green eyes deceive me, are those sparks between them? Good thing for Stephanie I'm Familiar, Black Cat Detective. I haven't met a case I couldn't solve … yet.

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Showdown in West Texas by Amanda Stevens (book cover shown)

Cochise County needed a new deputy and Cage Nichols needed a cover—pronto. Unfortunately, Cage unknowingly assumed the identity of an undercover hit man who'd marked stand-in Sheriff Grace Steele to be murdered.

He was an ex-cop sidelined by a bullet. Now, Cage was embedded in the dusty West Texas border town with no choice but to assume the role of a double agent in order to expose a conspiracy and to protect his own hide. That was the plan. Until he met Grace.

Whether it was the isolation of the no-man's-land town of Jericho Pass or the intense desert heat, he couldn't say, but Cage was fast falling for Grace. He only hoped she wouldn't lock him up after he saved her.

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The Bride's Secrets by Debra Webb

Mission: Find a runaway bride. Expose her true identity.

Target: Eve Mattson, self-described "problem solver" for hire. Has been on the wrong side of the law most of her life. Recently showed signs of putting the past behind her, especially after leaving the wrong guy at the altar.

Investigator: J. T. Baxley, new employee who's mistaken his bride-to-be for an honest woman. Superior investigative skills, emotionally vulnerable, willing to take a bullet in the name of justice. (Extremely handsome!)

Supervisor's Comments: Twists and turns no one saw coming. Attraction again developing between Baxley and Mattson? Neither ever trusted anyone. Reports that the two have been spotted in passionate embraces in the midst of lethal situations!

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If you enjoy the romantic suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Harlequin Intrigue books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Intrigue books and mystery gifts places you under no obligation to buy anything. You may keep the books and gifts and return the shipping statement marked cancel. If you do not cancel, about two months later, and then every other month, eHarlequin will send you four additional Intrigue books.

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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CWA Announces Dagger Award Winners

The Crime Writers' Association announced Dagger Award winners today. The CWA Dagger Awards celebrate the very best in crime and thriller writing, and are the longest established literary awards in the UK.

Colin Cotterill won the Dagger in the Library, an award given to the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users;

Fred Vargas and translator Sîan Reynolds triumphed in the International Dagger for the third time in four years for the first in her series of Adamsberg novels, The Chalk Circle of Man;

Sean Chercover won the Short Story Dagger for his story "One Serving of Bad Luck", originally published in Killer Year edited by Lee Child; and

Catherine O’Keefe the Debut Dagger for her novel The Pathologist.

Congratulations from MBN to the winners!

Visit Mystery Book Awards for more information on over 30 other awards recognizing outstanding mystery fiction.

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BBC Commissions New Programming, including a Crime Drama and a Sherlock Holmes Adventure Series

In a press release yesterday, the BBC announced that the network has commissioned over 20 hours of original authored drama for BBC One next year, including a crime dramas and an adventure series which features a 21st century Sherlock Holmes.

Luther (working title) is a 6 episode (60 minutes each) psychological crime drama in which John Luther is a detective struggling with his own terrible demons; he might just be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts. Each week, the killer's identity will be known to the audience, making every story both a ticking clock and a psychic duel between hunter and quarry – who have more in common than either would like to think.

Sherlock is a 3 episode (90 minutes each) contemporary take on the classic stories, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Dr John Watson. Sherlock is a thrilling, funny, fast-paced adventure series set in present-day London.

There's also a 5 episode series called The Deep. From the overview, it's hard to tell if this is a thriller or simply science fiction / horror. Set far below the Arctic ice, the action follows the crew of an oceanographer's submarine as they search the final frontiers of Earth for unknown and remarkable life forms. When inexplicable circumstances cause catastrophe to strike, the crew find themselves stranded with no power, limited oxygen and no communication with the surface. And they are completely alone – or so they think.

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The Trial of Sherlock Holmes, a Comic Book Series

We recently learned of a new comic book series featuring the legendary consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. The third book in the five book series is available online and in stores today.

Called The Trial of Sherlock Holmes, it is a locked room-style mystery in which Holmes appears to be the only possible murder suspect when he is found with a very dead former police commissioner, a man who claimed to have evidence that Holmes himself was the infamous criminal mastermind, Professor Moriarty. The series is written by Leah Moore and John Reppion and illustrated by Aaron Campbell with covers by John Cassaday and Laura Martin; it is published by Dynamite Entertainment.

Though the first issue is sold out by the publisher, it may be available at your local comic book store. The fourth issue publishes next month with the series concluding in September.

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ABC Airs a Year in the Life of J. K. Rowling This Thursday

This Thursday, July 16th, ABC airs J. K. Rowling: A Year in the Life.

The woman who created an imaginary world for millions, J. K. Rowling, allowed cameras extraordinary access during the year before the seventh and final Harry Potter book was published. From the one bedroom apartment in Scotland where it all began to a hotel room where viewers watch her type the last words of the Potter saga, Rowling lets millions of fans into her world. The documentary exposes her childhood sorrows, visits the church where she and her sister worked after school as janitors, and allows people to see her now as both the queen of a magical, alternate universe and an everyday mom. Cameras also travel back to her hometown and discover where many of the characters of Harry Potter originated.

A day after the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in theaters, Elizabeth Vargas takes viewers on a journey into the life of the woman who came from "nothing" and created all of her own success. J. K. Rowling: A Year in the Life airs July 16 at 8 PM (ET/PT) on ABC.

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Mystery Book Review: Lords of Corruption by Kyle Mills

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

Lords of Corruption by Kyle Mills
Non-series

Vanguard Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59315-499-2 (1593154992)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59315-499-8 (9781593154998)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $25.95

Review: A slam-bang action adventure with an extremely plausible scenario about foreign aid, corruption and cover-ups, including murder, Lords of Corruption by Wyoming author Kyle Mills explodes like a karate kick to the solar plexus.

Now in his mid-twenties and with a criminal record staining his resume, Kentuckian Josh Hagarty has just completed an MBA. Frustrated by dead-end job searches, he thinks he’s headed to heaven when the representative of a federally funded charitable organization labelled New Africa offers him employment in Africa to oversee the charity’s “sustainable agricultural projects.” But reality sets in when he realizes he’ll have to leave his 17-year-old step sister behind in an abusive household to travel to a continent he knows nothing about to perform a job for which he’s not really qualified. But the promises of money and the chance to whitewash his blemished cv outweigh his better judgement. So, he’s soon winging his way into an African country with poverty, military control, disease and despair worse than anything he’s ever imagined.

On the job, Josh learns fast. A hard lesson teaches him not to travel alone. He’s quickly made aware of whom he can trust at a fake job site, at other charitable organizations in the vicinity, and in the gated compound where he lives in relative luxury and cleanliness compared to the starkness of the nearby AIDS-ridden villages. He gets to know the lay of the land politically, as well, when he sees and hears about the atrocities and genocide committed by the country’s president, Umboto Mtiti. To further complicate his life, he must deal daily with Mtiti’s brother-in-law, a ruthless sycophant assigned as Josh’s assistant, but whom Josh catches running a black market in goods stolen from the New Africa job site. Josh may have stumbled in the past, but he’s not about to buy into the corruption he unearths at his so-called agricultural project -- in reality, a front for funnelling money for a variety of national and international criminals and crimes. But as he becomes increasingly aware of his employers’ contacts and their illegal activities, Josh finds allies in a cynical American journalist, JB Flannary, and a 26-year-old Scandinavian aid worker, Annika Gritdal, both of whom sign on to help him expose the political and financial corruption around them, and to solve the mystery of a death that is so compellingly detailed in the Prologue to the novel. Annika more than willingly helps him expose his love life, as well.

As the omniscient author, Mills cleverly manipulates his story to gain the maximum in tension and suspense. The family drama with Josh and his beleaguered sister in Kentucky plays out via the uncertainties of international cell phone connections before she is kidnapped to coerce Josh into compliance for the New Africa money-laundering endeavours. Then, there are the well-paced switches from one character’s version of events to another’s, with each change contributing a surprise or a resolution for moving the story forward. In one sadistic scene innocent lives are lost gangland style while in others the depictions of political spin photo-ops for foreign aid could have been ripped straight from the front pages of any of today’s newspapers. The rapid fire action scenes and the often staccato-style dialogue contribute positively to the pacing, too, as the characters race headlong through realistic armoured vehicle chases, rebel uprisings, bloody tribal retributions, and on to the cathartic relief of the novel’s conclusion.

A high-octane thriller about dark deeds on a troubled continent, Lords of Corruption is a rapid-fire, eye-opening read.

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of Lords of Corruption.

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): When an obscure charity recruits Josh Hagarty to manage their activities in a war-torn region of Africa, he is eager to sign on and atone for a past he regrets. After a lifetime of bad luck, someone is finally giving him a chance. All he has to do now is not blow it.

He tries to lose himself in his new job, but soon the precariousness of his situation becomes impossible to ignore. Gideon, the man assigned to guide him through the dangerous and exotic world he’s been thrust into, is revealed to be a psychotic thug with ties to the country’s genocidal dictator. And Josh’s predecessor didn’t quit as he’d been led to believe, but was found dismembered in the jungle after asking questions no one wanted answered.

When the life of his young sister in the United States is threatened by the organization, Josh is forced to face the fact that his employer may not be the benevolent charity it claims to be. Worse yet, Josh realizes he has become an unwitting player in a billion-dollar conspiracy with tentacles snaking across the globe. Escape is impossible – the only way out is to bring the whole institution down.

With the help of Annika Gritdal, a beautiful Scandinavian aid worker, and journalist JB Flannary, Josh pits himself against an American criminal organization backed by a dictator who is virtually omnipotent within the borders of his own country. As his own survival becomes less and less likely, Josh realizes that his life is just one of thousands – perhaps millions- at stake.

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