Games of Mystery: Travel League in The Missing Jewels, 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 →

Travel from the deserts of Egypt to the coasts of Japan and the entire world over and help Alex collect the Travel League's stolen jewelry in this fun and exciting hidden object game! Track down Isabella, the thief, and return the priceless jewelry to the right hands. Find important artifacts to trade for the jewels in clever hidden object scenes, and master tricky mini-games, to help keep the Travel League in business!

Also available: Travel League: The Missing Jewels Game Walkthrough

Travel League: The Missing Jewels, a Big Fish Game Club Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (130.80 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 Book Review: Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely
An Elizabeth Parker Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-53756-5 (0312537565)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-53756-2 (9780312537562)
Publication Date: September 2009
List Price: $24.99

Review: Tracy Kiely introduces amateur sleuth Elizabeth Parker in the lively and clever Murder at Longbourn.

Elizabeth needs a vacation from her lackluster job, her sisters who constantly call urging her to find a guy before it’s too late (she is, after all, 27 years old), a diet rich in everything but nutrition, and a boyfriend who has been two-timing her. In short, she needs a vacation from her life. It comes in the form of yellow post-it note from her great Aunt Winnie, inviting her to join a “How to Host a Murder Party” New Year's Eve. The party will be held at Aunt Winnie’s new Cape Cod bed-and-breakfast. Elizabeth gratefully and eagerly accepts. The guests at the party include a couple staying at the B&B, a family of three plus a friend, and two women new to the village. A cast of five actors are hired to perform and subsequently stage a “murder”. It is the role of the guests to identify the “murderer.” The guests and cast are able to mingle during the dinner party, with the actual “play” to begin at 9:00 p.m. and conclude at the stroke of midnight. Some are excited about the party, others not so much. When the lights go out and a scream is heard, there is excitement throughout the room. A “murder” has been committed! When the lights came back on, however, much to the surprise of everyone present, it was not a cast member that was “killed”, but one of the guests ... the family man is dead. As planned there has been a murder, but not the one anticipated. Now the cast are the spectators and the guests are the show.

The police are called immediately. The cast of actors are permitted to leave as they would have no motive to kill one of the guests. As it turns out every guest, save Elizabeth, intensely disliked the man, including his wife and daughter. They all had a motive for murder. The police sergeant in charge of the investigation centers his attention on Aunt Winnie, deciding she has most to gain. Elizabeth is determined to prove her aunt is innocent no matter what evidence the police believe they have. When another one of the guests is later found dead in her home, some pressure is taken off Aunt Winnie as a suspect. Still, despite two dead bodies, Elizabeth keeps hoping this is all some sort of prank. The police cannot see how the two murders are related, and it's only when Elizabeth looks into the matters further, that she jeopardizes not only her own life but the lives of those she loves.

The author effectively recreates a drawing room style mystery in a bed-and-breakfast on Cape Cod, complete with an eccentric cast of characters and plenty of motives for murder. Even the town setting has an English village quality to it. To keep things modern, a bit of unrequited romance in introduced with Aunt Winnie playing matchmaker and inviting Peter McGowan to be present, a boy Elizabeth knew as a teenager. Finally, the literary references (Aunt Winnie is a fan of Jane Austen) are also a welcome addition to the nicely developed plot of Murder at Longbourne, which should be on all cozy fans' "must read" list this year.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Murder at Longbourn and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. The suspects include the town gossip, a haughty rich woman, and an antiques business owner much enamored of his benefactress, a Mrs. Kristell Dubois. If that isn’t bad enough, Elizabeth must also contend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan--a man she suspects has only matured in chronological years--and her suspicions about his family’s interest in Winnie’s inn.

Yesterday, her only worry was of ever finding her Mr. Darcy. Now she has a murder to solve. Is it any wonder her resolution to achieve inner poise is in tatters?

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ABC Orders Pilot for New Detective Series Featuring Illusionists Penn and Teller

Variety is reporting that illusionists Penn and Teller will star in a new ABC comedy/drama for which the network has ordered a pilot, in which the duo play themselves, Las Vegas magicians, by night but become reluctant detectives by day.

Leonard Dick (House) will write the project and co-produce with Penn and Teller.

Some of our favorite amateur sleuth TV shows have involved illusion, including Bill Bixby as The Magician, an NBC series from 1973 that is not (yet) available on DVD; and Jonathan Creek, a terrific UK series featuring Alan Davies as the titular character who solves "impossible" crimes.

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Harlequin Intrigue Titles for October 2009

eHarlequin.com has released the October 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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One Hot Forty-Five by B. J. Daniels (book cover shown)

A woman in trouble was like the call of a siren for any of the Corbett boys. And while Dede Chamberlain was in big trouble, she was off-limits to Lantry Corbett. But Dede was desperate and didn't have time to be levelheaded like Lantry. She needed his help and she'd get it at gunpoint if she had to.

With a wild Montana blizzard bearing down, they set out…only to make it as far as a deserted cabin. Cloistered away as the snow swirls outside, Dede finds the protection she needs in Lantry's strong arms. But with a killer and the law after them, Lantry will need a heapin' portion of Christmas blessings and the help of the whole Corbett clan to mete out justice in Whitehorse before it's too late.

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The Sharpshooter's Secret Son by Mallory Kane

As one of the premier sharpshooters in the world, Deke Cunningham never missed his mark. Only the onetime love of his life, Mindy, could knock him off target. And she just gave him the shock of his life: she's carrying his baby!

Now they are being tracked and hunted by the man they can only presume to be the infamous criminal Novus Ordo. Survival has to be their first priority. Mindy had been drawn to Deke the bad boy, but it's the good man—the protector, the father-to-be—that she needs by her side. A modern-day warrior to watch over her and her baby. Their baby… Now Deke has been given a second chance to get his family in order—and keep them all alive.

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Internal Affairs by Jessica Anderson (book cover shown)

The last time she saw him was at his funeral …

Until he turned up on her living-room floor with injuries he couldn't remember sustaining and no memory of where he'd been for the past few months. But Detective Romo Sampson's biggest problem is that Dr. Sara Whitney doesn't seem thrilled by his unexpected return. Unfortunately danger has followed him right to Sara's doorstep and outrunning the enemy isn't easy when Romo can't remember who to trust. Now, protecting Sara is all that matters, even if she claims not to need help from the man who broke her heart. But as his assigned mission wars with vivid memories of their entwined bodies, Romo knows a successful outcome could make a future together possible. However, the secrets he is keeping could make forgiving his actions all the more difficult.

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Christmas Guardian by Delores Fossen

Despite his dark past and dangerous edge, Jordan Taylor fell for the helpless infant left on his Texas doorstep with a frantic plea for help. The millionaire security agent had built a fortress around baby Gus…or so he thought until Kinley Ford showed up at Christmas fourteen months later.

Kinley wanted only to see her son; instead she'd led the killers on her heels straight to Gus. Killers who wouldn't hesitate to use him as the ultimate pawn. Kinley got to Jordan's heart, and after a lifetime of loss, he vowed to sacrifice everything to protect his surrogate son and the woman who'd ensnared him. Everything. Even his life.

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Colorado Abduction by Cassie Miles (book cover shown)

A city slicker like Burke had no business being on her Colorado ranch.

But Carolyn Carlisle knew she needed him. Not only was the Carlisle Ranch a target for sabotage just weeks before Christmas, but also her family had been threatened and danger lurked around every corner. Carolyn was used to being in charge, but incredibly sexy FBI agent J. D. Burke had other ideas. He was domineering, stubborn and vowed never to let an assignment turn personal. Still, with the enemy just as elusive as the agent's penetrating gaze, Carolyn secretly hoped Burke would let down his guard and act on their intense chemistry. Even if one amazing night ended up breaking her usually hardened heart.

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Agent Daddy by Alice Sharpe

All hell broke loose when word spread that a vengeful serial killer was headed for the Triple T ranch. Fearing the worst, former FBI agent Luke Tripper entrusted his orphaned niece and nephew to Faith Bishop's tender loving care while he hunted down his prey. Their smoldering attraction chased away the winter chill, but the fiercely independent schoolteacher bristled when the brusque cattleman ordered round-the-clock protection. Despite the looming danger, Faith's unflinching courage stirred Trip's deepest emotions…and he hungered to hold her close. Now with the body count rising and his loved ones in peril, would this hometown hero lay his heart on the line?

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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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Games of Mystery: Buy One Game from Amazon, Get a Second Qualifying Game Free!

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 promotion available from Amazon Video Games.

Through October 1st, 2009, purchase any game download from the Amazon Game Download Store and get a second game from a list of selected titles for free. To qualify, purchase your game download and within two business days you'll receive an e-mail letting you know that a credit, good toward an additional game download, has been applied to your Amazon.com account. To use this credit, simply follow the link in the e-mail to return to this page and select your free game. The price of the qualifying free game will be deducted from your order at checkout. Offer valid until 11:59 p.m. Pacific time October 1, 2009. Free game must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time November 1, 2009. Limited to one free game per customer.

We add three new games to our Mystery Games: Amazon Download Games page this week, including our featured title, Insider Tales: The Stolen Venus.

It's the biggest art robbery in decades: Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" has been stolen! Just yesterday there were hundreds of visitors, elbowing their way through the crowd to have a glimpse at the masterpiece ... whereas today only the frame and the bare wall are waiting to be looked at. Help inspector Francesca di Porta solve her case in Insider Tales: The Stolen Venus, a mysterious hidden object game with an intriguing story of suspicion, prosecution and conspiracy!

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

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Castle Season 2 Premieres This Monday; Watch a Clip with Authors Stephen J. Cannell and Michael Connelly

Castle premieres its second season this Monday, September 21st, in an episode titled "Deep in Death" and featuring appearances by mystery authors Michael Connelly and Stephen J. Cannell.

When the new season begins, Castle (Nathan Fillion) is wrestling with how to repair his relationship with Beckett (Stana Katic), while struggling to finish his soon-to-be-published bestseller, Heat Wave. But circumstances force the pair back together to investigate the mysterious murder of a man found dead, tangled in the limbs of a tree.

Castle airs on ABC Mondays at 10 PM (ET/PT). Watch a clip of the scene with Castle talking to Connelly and Cannell from the second season opener below:

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Mystery Bestsellers for September 18, 2009

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 18, 2009 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

No change in the top 4 bestselling titles this week, but to no one's surprise, the third Robert Langdon thriller by Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol, enters the list this week. To those who might wonder why it isn't debuting in the top spot: we use a weighted calendar average of bestsellers on a Friday to Thursday schedule; The Lost Symbol wasn't available for purchase until Tuesday meaning that its sales for only 3 days count towards our ranking.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown does come in at number 7, about as high as any title debuts on our list. Until this past Tuesday, there hasn't been much known about the book but an official synopsis has been released.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation ... one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

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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John Curran Selects Top Ten Agatha Christie Titles

Agatha Christie expert John Curran published his selection of the top 10 titles from the author in an article in the Guardian earlier this week.

Curran provides a brief explanation for each of his choices, but reserves special mention for just a few titles, including Peril at End House ("[P]erfection; this is how the classic detective story should be written"), And Then There Were None ("Christie's greatest technical achievement"), Endless Night ("The best novel from her last 20 years"), and Five Little Pigs ("Christie's greatest achivement").

Curran is also the author of Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks, recently published in the UK but not widely available yet in the US. Subtitled "Fifty Years of Mysteries in the Making", the book is described as a fascinating exploration of the contents of Agatha Christie's 73 recently discovered notebooks, including illustrations, deleted extracts, and includes two unpublished Poirot stories.

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The Mystery Bookshelf: Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner, a Victor Legris Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery title we recently received from the publisher.

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Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner
A Victor Legris Mystery (1st in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-58161-9

About Murder on the Eiffel Tower (from the publisher): The brand-new, shiny Eiffel Tower is the pride and glory of the 1889 World Exposition. But one sunny afternoon, as visitors are crowding the viewing platforms, a woman collapses and dies on this great Paris landmark. Can a bee sting really be the cause of death? Or is there a more sinister explanation? Enter young bookseller Victor Legris. Present on the tower at the time of the incident, and appalled by the media coverage of the occurrence, he is determined to find out what actually happened.

In this dazzling evocation of late nineteenth-century Paris, we follow Victor as his investigation takes him all over the city and he suspects an ever-changing list of possible perpetrators. Could mysterious Kenji Mori, his surrogate father and business partner at the bookstore Legris operates, be involved in the crime? Why are beautiful Russian illustrator Tasha and her colleagues at the newly launched sensationalist newspaper Passepartout always up-to-date in their reporting? And what will Legris do when the deaths begin to multiply and he is caught in a race against time?

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About the author: Claude Izner is the pseudonym of two sisters, Liliane Korb and Laurence Lefevre. Both are secondhand booksellers on the banks of the Seine and experts on nineteenth-century Paris.

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Mystery Book Review: Dying for Mercy by Mary Jane Clark

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Dying for Mercy by Mary Jane Clark. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Dying for Mercy by Mary Jane Clark
A Sunrise Suspense Society Mystery

William Morrow (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-128611-7 (0061286117)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-128611-7 (9780061286117)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $24.99

Review: Mary Jane Clark's latest Sunrise Suspense thriller, Dying for Mercy, is the third entry in this series featuring Eliza Blake, co-host of the KEY Television Morning News. Eliza Blake was also a semi-recurring character in the author's previous series of mysteries, which also featured members of the KEY News team.

Eliza is attending a party on the estate of Innis and Valentina Wheelock in Tuxedo Park, New York. The gala is in honor St. Francis of Assisi, who Innis has accepted as his own saint of redemption. The hosts were so gracious and overjoyed in welcoming their guests that no one suspected it was a sham. They had a secret ... an explosive secret. After Innis explained why they were honoring St. Francis of Assisi he left the gala festivities, disappearing through the estate's gardens and fountains, through the aviary and into the greenhouse. There he committed suicide in a ritualistic manner but did not leave a note explaining his action. Innis, always a lover of puzzles, had, however, left clues hidden throughout the house and grounds for someone to find.

When Eliza and her news team start looking through pictures that had been taken at the estate, they notice mysterious markings and numbers on objects and in various places. Eliza meets with Zachary Underwood, the architect who designed the restoration of the estate, but he has no knowledge why Innis wanted the letters and numbers. The next day, Zachary is found dead in his office. A coincidence? Who knew Eliza had talked with him? Eliza and her crew convene at her house to discuss some plans of action, not realizing that her house had been bugged. By the time they find out, Innis’s maid had been killed, as was Zachary’s secretary. Later, while driving around the lake at night, Eliza's car is forced off the road into a ravine, meaning she's now a target as well. But of whom and why? Was Innis’s secret really worth all the sorrow and death?

Dying for Mercy is an exceptional novel, superb in so many ways, combining the best of a manor house mystery with a life-size puzzle, the clues to the solution of which are in plain sight. The well-drawn characters, steady pacing, posh setting, and intriguing plot all contribute to a very satisfying, most enjoyable thriller.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Dying for Mercy and to Wiredset for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): When death shatters the serenity of the exclusive moneyed enclave of Tuxedo Park, New York, Eliza Blake, cohost of the country's premier morning television show KEY to America, is on the scene. While attending a lavish gala at her friends' newly renovated estate, Pentimento, Eliza's host is found dead—a grotesque suicide that is the first act in a macabre and intricately conceived plan to expose the sins of the past involving some of the town's most revered citizens.

Determined to find out the truth, Eliza and her KEY News colleagues—producer Annabelle Murphy, cameraman B.J. D'Elia, and psychiatrist Margo Gonzalez—discover that Pentimento holds the key. Nestled in the park's sprawling architectural masterpieces, picturesque gardeners' cottages, and lush, rolling landscape, the glorious mansion is actually a giant "puzzle house," filled with ingenious clues hidden in its fireplaces, fountains, and frescoes that lead them from one suspicious locale to another—and, one by one, to the victims of a fiendish killer.

As Pentimento gives up its secrets, it becomes clear that no amount of wealth or privilege will keep the residents of Tuxedo Park safe. But just when Eliza unearths one final surprise, she comes face-to-face with a murderer who believes that some puzzles should never be solved.

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Games of Mystery: Lost City of Z, 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 →

Explore the exotic rainforest to find valuable clues and follow the trail of a missing National Geographic researcher! Using the tools you discover along the way, trace the paths of past explorers who searched for an ancient civilization and find the missing adventurers. Use your hidden object skills to decipher mysterious messages and uncover the trails of generations of explorers in Lost City of Z.

Lost City of Z may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (138.35 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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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan, a Charlie Howard "Good Thief's Guide" Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

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The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan
A Good Thief's Guide Mystery (2nd in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-57805-3

About The Good Thief's Guide to Paris (from the publisher): Charlie Howard -- globe-trotting mystery writer and the most disarming burglar since Cary Grant in It Takes a Thief -- is flush with the success of his Paris book reading and a few glasses of wine when he agrees to show a novice how to break into an apartment. The next day, Charlie is hired to steal a painting -- from the same address. Coincidence? Perhaps, but then why does a dead body turn up in his living room? And what is he going to do when his charming literary agent, Victoria (who is trusting enough to assume he looks like his author photo), decides they should finally meet face to face?

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About Chris Ewan: Born in Taunton, he is a lawyer who now lives on the Isle of Man with his wife Jo and their labrador Maisie. Visit his website at TheGoodThief.co.uk.

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Jordan Ainsley's Yet to be Published Vampire Thriller, The Passage, to be Filmed

Variety is reporting that Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions and Fox 2000 will produce Jordan Ainsley's yet to be published vampire thriller The Passage. John Logan (Gladiator) will write the adaptation; Scott may direct.

Jordan Ainsley (a pseudonym of Justin Cronin) sold the three book series to Ballantine in 2007 for $3.75 million. A film deal awaited the completion of the first book, The Passage, which is believed to run some 1200 pages.

Book synopsis: Terminally ill patients become healthy after they are bitten by bats in South America, and the government conducts secret tests on human subjects to see if the virus can cure illness. The result is an apocalyptic unleashing of bloodthirsty vampire test subjects that include death row inmates.

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New Details on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Opening Next Spring at Universal Orlando Resort

In a press release yesterday, Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Studios revealed details on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new environment opening next spring at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando.

Inspired by J. K. Rowling's compelling stories and characters -- and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films -- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will provide visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience complete with multiple attractions, shops and a signature eating establishment. This completely immersive environment will transcend generations and bring the wonder and magic of the amazingly detailed Harry Potter books and films to life.

The official webcast on the opening can be seen on the UniversalOrlando.com website together with a map of the park and some concept art (one image of which is presented below).

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The Mystery Bookshelf: Black Ship by Carola Dunn, a Daisy Dalrymple Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

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Black Ship by Carola Dunn
A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery (17th in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-59865-5

About Black Ship (from the publisher): In September 1925, Scotland Yard DCI Alec Fletcher inherits a large house on the outskirts of London, from a recently deceased great-uncle. Fortunately so, as he and his wife, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher, are the recent proud parents of twins and their house is practically bursting at the seams. Though in need of a bit of work, this new, larger house seems a godsend -- set in a small circle of houses, with a communal garden and Hamstead Heath nearby, the setting is idyllic.

Idyllic, that is until a dead body shows up half-hidden under the bushes of the communal garden. Now rumors of bootleggers, American gangsters, and an international liquor smuggling operation via black ships have turned everything in their new neighborhood upside down. Alec is assigned by Scotland Yard to ferret out the truth behind the dastardly dead -- but it's up to Daisy to find out who the dead man is, what his relationship to her new neighbors is, why he was murdered and who did him in!

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About Carola Dunn: Born and raised in England, she is the author of the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries as well as numerous historical novels. She currently lives in Eugene, Oregon. For more information about the author, visit Carola Dunn's website.

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