First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: The Liza Bill & Jed Series, the Samurai Detective, and Barnaby Grimes

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).

This week we added three series that were recommended to us.

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The Liza, Bill & Jed Mystery Series

Peggy Parish was the author of a number of children's books, including the popular Amelia Bedelia series. In the 1960s she also wrote 6 mysteries featuring three amateur sleuths: twins Liza and Bill, and their brother Jed. The books were recently reissued with new covers.

In their first adventure, Clues in the Woods, who or what is taking the kitchen scraps from the garbage every night? What starts out as a puzzle becomes a mystery. Every night Grandma leaves table scraps in a wrapped plastic bag in the garbage can where, according to plan, the McNellis children pick them up to feed their kittens. But the plan changes when the bag is gone in the morning. The children decide to investigate the matter. First they discover Liza's missing red sweater in a part of the woods she hadn't been to before, next they read about runaway children in the newspaper, and then their new puppy is lost. Finally they find a teepee in the woods with what seems to be Indians in warpaint dancing and shooting arrows! The young detectives must put all the clues together and solve the mystery.

The Liza, Bill & Jed mysteries are recommended for children aged 7 to 9.

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The Samurai Detective Series

Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler write a series of mysteries set in 18th century Japan and feature Seikei, the 14-year-old son of a tea merchant who dreams of being a samurai. Seikei uses the skills he is learning to solve mysteries in this historical adventure series. The first book, The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn, was a finalist for the Edgar Award in 2003.

In Seikei's most recent mystery, Seven Paths to Death, when a man with a tattoo covering his back is found floating in the water at the rice ceremony, Seikei and Judge Ooka know it’s a bad omen—but not how dangerous the mystery behind it is. Soon, there are seven of these men with partial tattoos on their backs. All different, all seemingly unrelated— except for the tattoos, and the fact they keep turning up dead. It becomes apparent these men are not just carrying body art, but a treasure map … to what? And why is carrying this map so mortally dangerous? Seikei must find and assemble all seven tattoos to find the answer—and the path to a most terrifying destination.

The Samurai Detective mysteries are recommended for children aged 10 to 12.

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The Barnaby Grimes Series

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell write the adventures of Barnaby Grimes, a self-described tick-tock lad by trade. He picks up things and delivers them all over his home city as quickly as possible because, "tick-tock", time is money. To save time, he takes the most direct route by "highstacking", leaping from rooftop to rooftop. And, oh by the way, he also solves mysteries. The first book in the series, Curse of the Night Wolf, introduces the character and his environment, a city resembling London in the early 20th century.

In Barnaby Grimes' second adventure published earlier this year, Return of the Emerald Skull, after collecting a strange parcel from a deserted ship in the fog of the docks, and delivering it to the local schoolmaster, Barnaby thinks he’s earned a moment to sit on the rooftops and eat his favorite pastry. But soon he realizes that all is not well at the school—but is the problem quite as he expects it? A gruesome tale of a school overrun by a terrible curse—who will survive?

A third title, Legion of the Dead, is scheduled for publication in March 2010.

The Barnaby Grimes adventure mysteries are recommended for children aged 10 and older.

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We are also pleased to offer First Clues Reviews, reviews of mysteries featured on our site written by students. These book reviews provide a unique perspective by their young readers, often insightful, always entertaining.

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Elmore Leonard's Freaky Deaky to be Filmed

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that writer-director Charlie Matthau is adapting Elmore Leonard's 1988 novel Freaky Deaky. Matthau, son of the late Walter Matthau, will also direct. Production is scheduled to begin in January.

From the jacket cover of the book: Electrifying, explosive, and unexpected, this is Elmore Leonard at his suspenseful best. Leonard starts and ends his latest page turner with a bang, and between explosions we meet a vivid group of characters who are mainly veterans of the youth rebellion of the 1960s. Chief among them are Chris Mankowski, 38-year-old Detroit police sergeant, newly transferred from the bomb squad to sex crimes; Woody Ricks, alcoholic auto scion; Donnell Lewis, ex-Black Panther who is acting as Woody’s driver, nursemaid and would-be swindler; Robin Abbott, ex-con, exfugitive (she bombed a federal office building) who has plans for a million dollar movie based on Woody’s life, with help from her old boyfriend and erstwhile bombing partner Skip Gibbs, now a movie dynamite expert. The only character who does not have ties to the ‘60s is Greta (“Who’s Huey Newton?”) Wyatt, stagenamed Ginger Jones, who meets Chris when she reports that Woody has assaulted her. When Chris pursues the investigation, he is suspended from the force, ostensibly for nonresidence in Detroit but really because of Woody’s clout. Now determined to get to the bottom of things, Chris is caught up in a web of scams plotted by Robin, Skip and Donnell.

Elmore Leonard is no stranger to the big screen. Several of his novels have been adapted and filmed, including Be Cool and Get Shorty (with John Travolta as Chili Palmer), The Big Bounce (with Owen Wilson as Jack Ryan), Cat Chaser, Rum Punch (released as Jackie Brown with Pam Grier), and Out of Sight (with George Clooney).

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Games of Mystery: Paradise, 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.

Download →

After her plane is shot out of the sky, a young woman named Ann Smith wakes up in the heart of Africa safely, but is unable to remember why she was traveling through the continent. Help her piece together her past and discover her true identity in this mysterious Adventure game. Track down Ann's father and learn all the secrets of Paradise by figuring out not only the past, but the future as well.

Also available: Paradise Game Walkthrough.

Paradise, a Big Fish Game Club Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Due to its large size, a demonstration version is not available.

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 Book Review: Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson

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

Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson
A Walt Fleming Mystery

Putnam (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-399-15572-4 (0399155724)
ISBN-13: 978-0-399-15572-7 (9780399155727)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $24.95

Review: Ridley Pearson's third mystery to feature Walt Fleming, Killer Summer, has the Sun Valley sheriff trying to prevent the theft of a rare collection of wines that are being auctioned off at an event that has drawn the rich and famous. But why would someone steal something that others assert may be worthless fakes?

The wines are a set of three bottles believed to have been presented by Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. Though they have been authenticated by an expert (unfortunately, since murdered), a graduate student who has studied Jefferson's obsessive record keeping with respect to his wine believes they are fake and is determined to prove it. Yet someone seems to think they are real: the courier who brought the bottles to Sun Valley is kidnapped and ultimately dies. Only a chance sighting by Walt of the courier's vehicle, in which the wine was secured, being towed prevents the theft from actually occurring. Walt begins to take extraordinary measures to protect the bottles but also has doubts about both the wine and the purported theft thereof.

Sometimes a mystery's plot, characters, inter-character relationships, setting, narrative, and dialogue all come together in perfect harmony to produce an exceptional novel; Killer Summer is one such novel. The story is told from multiple perspectives with occasional overlapping timelines but is never omniscient. Pearson is a master at misdirection here, even to the point of using film references to help steer the readers into guessing (possibly incorrectly) how the plot might unfold. Walt is rather sure that this isn't a simple theft of some rare wine, but he doesn't know the whos, whys, whats, or hows of those involved. Rather than think of them by generic terms (i.e. suspect), he imagines the theft to be worthy of the plot in the film Oceans 11 so calls the leader behind the wine theft "George Clooney". What follows is all rather clever (but really quite impossible to summarize without giving away too much).

As good as the plot is, it depends heavily on its setting, which is described in wonderful detail and often has an oxymoronic quality to it (think of the phrase "stark beauty"). Consider this passage, when Walt and Fiona, his crime scene photographer with whom he may have a more personal relationship, are in a glider:

The view of the terrain from above was wondrous. The ragged landscape of ever-larger mountains and more dense wilderness rose in a progression of deformations like shark's teeth. North and east of Croy Canyon, where Democrat Gulch laid like a dirt ribbon on the valley floor, there was not a structure to be seen. The barren floor of wax weed and rabbit bush gave way to aspen groves, intermingled with fir and lodgepole pine, from where a blanket of green conifers rose toward the jagged rock and the lifeless realms of gravel fields and ice -- all that remained above the tree line. Fiona struggled for words to convey her awe, or at least her appreciation, without sounding stupid of overly spiritual. But failing to find any, she raised her camera and recorded the moment instead.

Their relationship is somewhat ambivalent at this point, but this exchange of dialog between the two tells far more about the characters than any lengthy backstory ever could:

"I need to hanger the glider," [Walt] said.
"I'll help you."
"It's light. One person can do it."
"Consider this: maybe it's easier with two. You think that's possible?"
Their eyes met.
"I'd appreciate the help," he said.
"That's better," she said, moving behind the wing and awaiting instructions.

Perfect. Pitch perfect.

There are numerous passages that brilliantly convey the excitement of the moment. Here's an example of the tension felt by one character:

The river had appeared languid, even tranquil, from the raft, like a single sheet of molten gray glass sliding past the dramatic landscape. In the water, it revealed its power and speed. Its cold paralyzing [his] lungs, its unrelenting energy flinging him headlong downstream, the river revealed his attempts at swimming as perilously slight and ineffective. He pulled and kicked against the deceptively strong current while attempting to keep an eye on his destination, some tumbled rocks at the base of a gap in the rock face oiled by a small silver waterfall.

There are numerous other examples of fine writing here, from the relationship Walt has with his father and nephew, to the subtle narrative differences when the perspective shifts from an adult to a teenager, to the twists and turns the plot takes as it propels the reader forward. Killer Summer is not only a superb thriller in and of itself, it is one of the best novels of the year. Do not miss it.

Special thanks to Putnam for providing an ARC of Killer Summer for this review.

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

If you are interested in purchasing Killer Summer from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Killer Summer (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Sun Valley, Idaho—playground of the wealthy and politically connected—is home to an annual wine auction that attracts high rollers from across the country, and Blaine County Sheriff Walt Fleming is the one who must ensure it goes off without a hitch. The world’s most elite wine connoisseurs have descended on Sun Valley to taste and bid on the world’s best wines, including three bottles claimed to have been a gift from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. With sky-high prices all but guaranteed for these historic items, it’s no wonder a group of thieves is out to steal them. Walt is responsible for all aspects of the glitzy event, from security of the dignitaries to the physical safety of the auction site to the transportation and safeguard of the wines themselves.

Walt is enjoying a rare afternoon of freedom, fly-fishing with his nephew, Kevin, when a passing truck catches his eye— his suspicions throwing him headlong into the discovery of a complicated plan to steal the rare wine. When a bomb detonates just as the auction revs up, the investigation explodes as well, pulling Walt in a dozen different directions. It seems Walt is caught in the middle of a heist of epic proportions—and not the heist he had prepared for—all orchestrated by the ingenious mind of Christopher Cantell, a man who appears to have covered everything, including the way Walt’s own sheriff’s office will react.

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Ubisoft and CBS Announce New Video Game, CSI Deadly Intent

Ubisoft and CBS announced in a press release yesterday a new video game based on the crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

In CSI: Deadly Intent, players help solve Las Vegas' most gruesome crimes with the brand new characters and cast from the latest season of CSI. The video game features five shocking cases written with CSI television writers and will be available in Fall 2009 for the Nintendo DS and Wii, the Xbox 360, and for Windows PCs.

The Nintendo DS version will have an exclusive feature called the Hidden Cases in which players solve additional bizarre cases through an enhanced questioning system and game mechanics with unique touch gameplay. Players will feel like a real CSI character with heart-pounding interrogations, stylish visuals and a unique story structure that unveils the shocking truth when all the cases are linked together.

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eHarlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Titles for August 2009

eHarlequin.com has released the August 2009 titles in their Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love. 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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Final Warning by Sandra Robbins (book cover shown)

"Let's play a game …"

One e-mail, and radio show host C. J. Tanner becomes a pawn in a madman's game. Only by solving his riddles can she stop the murders. And only Mitch Harmon, her ex-fiancé, can help her put an end to the killer's plans.

Mitch knows he has to discover the killer's true identity. Otherwise the man's obsession with C.J. will have her following his steps to become his final victim. Mitch won't allow anyone to harm the woman he let slip away. He'll keep her safe—even if he has to put his own life on the line.

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Fugitive Family by Pamela Tracy

Six months ago, Alexander Cooke's life was wrecked. His wife was killed, his workplace was robbed…and the evidence pointed to him. He saw one way out—he grabbed his daughter and ran. Now he's got a new life. Yet even with his new identity as Greg Bond, he's still looking over his shoulder. Still waiting for danger to reappear. Then he meets charming schoolteacher Lisa Jacoby, and forgets to keep his distance or protect his heart. When the killer returns, Alex won't run again. He's found a love—a family—he'll face anything to protect.

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Moving Target by Stephanie Newton (book cover shown)

The police arrive too late—coffee shop owner Sailor Conyers's business partner has been murdered. What's worse, the bullet may have been meant for her. Her only protection is self-appointed bodyguard Officer Gabe Sloan. He'd be perfect defender material—if he weren't her ex-boyfriend.

Dealing with flying bullets tests Sailor's faith, but her dependence on Gabe tests her resolve. She'd turned away from him before out of fear. Now, desperation is drawing them together. Can she let go of the painful past and accept Gabe's love and protection? Or will the killer's aim shatter their chance at a future together?

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Speed Trap by Patricia Davids

The fatal crash was no accident. The killer's only mistake was leaving behind a survivor … a four-month-old boy. For his sake—and for his murdered mother's—Sheriff Mandy Scott will see justice served. And she already has her prime suspect: the boy's father, Garrett Bowen. Yet despite the evidence against him, something about the reclusive rancher makes Mandy question his guilt. Nothing is as it seems as crime starts spiraling out of control in Timber Wells. If Mandy lets herself trust Garrett, will he shield her from danger, or send her racing into another lethal trap?

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If you enjoy the suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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 Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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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Games of Mystery: Journey to the Center of the Earth, 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.

Take a Journey to the Center of the Earth in this adventure game inspired by the classic Jules Verne book. Spend hours exploring the lost underground world in real-time 3D with Ariane, a young reporter who finds herself lost thousands of feet below ground. Discover strange landscapes, find unusual objects, solve puzzles, and complete two possible story endings. Find your way back to the surface now!

Journey to the Center of the Earth is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is not available for this game.

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 Book Review: Nowhere-Land by A. W. Hill

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Nowhere-Land by A. W. Hill. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Nowhere-Land by A. W. Hill
A Stephan Raszer Mystery

Counterpoint (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-58243-498-0 (1582434980)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58243-498-8 (9781582434988)
Publication Date: June 2009
List Price: $25.00

Review: If you enjoy participating in Internet role-playing games and take pleasure in reading a challenging mystery set in exotic locales in the Middle East and Asia, then A. W. Hill’s Nowhere-Land is the novel for you. However, this novel is no easy beach read, and it will make you question what you believe in. This is Hill’s third novel, which continues to feature P.I. Stephan Raszer as the lead character.

A leader of the Jehovah’s Witness, whose daughter Katy is missing, contacts Stephan Raszer and asks him to find her. Raszer is a private investigator that specializes in rescuing young adults kidnapped by cults. In addition, a triple homicide has also occurred the night of the abduction. The murders and the kidnapping appear to be related, and all clues lead to a possibility that Katy was sold into a sex or terrorist ring. Raszer travels to Turkey, Iran and Iraq in his quest to find her. Katy’s sister Ruthie, a rogue CIA agent and a group of gamers aid Raszer. Raszer has to enter and play the game in order to find Katy. But can he trust them? Who is the “Old Man” that is in charge of this sex ring? The answers will amaze and surprise you.

I enjoyed reading this novel, and it earned 4 out of 5 stars. It was challenging to read because I was unfamiliar with RPGs (Role Playing Games) and the terminology involved. Originally I thought that this would not be a book that I would like, but I was wrong! Stephan Raszer is a person who puts his own life on the line to save young adults and bring them back to their parents. His young daughter, Brigit and his assistant Monica are both minor characters, but they are developed and add a sense of humanity to a novel filled unfamiliar realities. Their support and input help Raszer solve the mystery. The ending had two surprises and both kept me guessing. My main criticism was that some sections of it dragged on, and I also had trouble reading parts of it due to my unfamiliarity with RPGs. However, I look forward to reading the other two Stephan Raszer novels.

Special thanks to Ruth Miller for contributing her review of Nowhere-Land and to Counterpoint for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Ruth Miller — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): After a young member of the Jehovah’s Witness Church is abducted in conjunction with a ritualistic triple homicide in the mountains outside of Los Angeles, the church engages cult specialist Stephan Raszer to find her perilous trail. Based on evidence that the girl may have been trafficked into a sex and terrorism ring with a Middle Eastern nexus, Raszer soon unveils an inside-out reality that begins on the Internet and ends in a fabled fortress on the borderlands of Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, where a powerful figure known only as the Old Man is said to hold the strings.

With the dubious aid of the abductee’s wayward sister, along with a renegade CIA agent and a fraternity of sojourning gamesters, Raszer journeys far from the rational world and deep into a dangerous and erotically charged netherland. Piece by piece, he gathers evidence of a world-altering criminal conspiracy linked to an ancient Persian sect that uses an Internet role-playing game to recruit its foot soldiers. To solve the puzzle and find the girl, Stephan Raszer must play the game and try to hold on to his soul and his sanity in a world turned on its head.

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New Trailer for Sherlock Holmes

A second trailer for the new Sherlock Holmes movie has been released by Warner Bros. It is substantially similar to, though in some ways better than, the first Sherlock Holmes trailer, which was released in May.

In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, Sherlock Holmes sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

The film's screenplay is adapted from a graphic novel story idea by producer Lionel Wigram (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and is directed by Guy Ritchie (Revolver). It stars Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective, with Jude Law stepping into the shoes of his sidekick, Dr. Watson. Heading up the rest of the cast are Mark Strong as the film's villain, Blackwood, and Rachel McAdams portraying the love interest, Irene Adler.

Sherlock Holmes will be in theaters Christmas Day.

See the second trailer for the film below:

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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:

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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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