Monday, December 21, 2009

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 21, 2009

A new has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now available on our website.

Godoku is similar to Sudoku, but uses letters instead of numbers. To give you a headstart, we provide you a mystery clue to fill in a complete row or column (if you choose to use it!).

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 21, 2009

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A C D E G L M O R

The anthology The Mammoth Book of Legal Thrillers includes his short story “The Formula” (9 letters).

We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

   

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Sunday, December 20, 2009

Summit Sets Release Date for Film Adaptation of Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner

Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner

Variety is reporting that Summit Entertainment has set a date for the release of its adaptation of Red, the graphic novel thriller by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner: October 22, 2010.

The cast for this film is stellar: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren; it doesn't get much better than this. The adaption is written by brothers Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber (Whiteout).

About Red: Paul Moses (Bruce Willis) is a man with too much blood on his hands. For years, masquerading as a low-level clerk, he has travelled the world as a CIA agent, coldly and mercilessly killing America's enemies. Now, Moses is old, retired, and wants nothing more than to grow old and die in peace. But when a new, politically-appointed CIA director (Morgan Freeman) discovers Moses' existence and history, he gives the order for Moses' death, setting a chain of events in motion that nobody could have predicted.

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Mystery Book Review: A Magpie's Smile by Eugene Meese

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of A Magpie's Smile by Eugene Meese. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

A Magpie's Smile by Eugene Meese

by
Non-series

NeWest Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-897126-42-5 (1897126425)
ISBN-13: 978-1-897126-42-4 (9781897126424)
Publication Date: May 2009
List Price: $12.95

Review: Calgary, Alberta, the city many call Canada’s oil capital, is usually associated with happy times like those at its world-famous Calgary Stampede, its professional hockey and football games, and the still talked about 1988 Winter Olympics. But in Eugene Meese’s debut mystery, the city’s dark underside gets exposed - perhaps overexposed for some - as a crazed serial killer murders and scalps victims and a tormented Calgary Police Services homicide detective, John Jacob ( “Jake” to his friends, “J.J.” to his tormentors) Fry, struggles to find the perpetrator, always a maddening step or two behind.

Meese’s novel has an experimental overlay. He uses time slots instead of chapters to frame the story in a continuous run with back stories to fill in information about his broken marriage, his time spent with his son, his connection to his father, the death of his first police partner, and bits of background information about various characters. A quintessential anti-hero, forty-four-year-old Fry emerges throughout the novel as a hard-nosed, old school cop, wary of his colleagues, downright ornery with his supervisors, and impatient with his subordinates, peers and any others who fail to meet his lustily-opinionated standards. On his mostly hidden softer side, he relaxes with woodworking projects while his cat, “Lips,” watches. As well, he develops a relationship with Miyoko Fitzgerald, the Glenbow Museum’s Assistant Curator, “[p]articularly of the Native exhibits”, whose mixed race parentage and position at the museum play an important role in the plot of the story. Her Vancouver importer-exporter father, she says, “’imported’ my mother from Japan.”

Setting his novel in the Calgary of the 1970s economic boom allows Meese to introduce several situations of tension and drama. There’s the ongoing racial strain between Indians and whites, exacerbated by an inaccurate story leaked by Fry’s supervisor blaming an Indian suspect for the scalpings. Then there’s the suicide of an Indian lawyer frustrated with the lack of officials’ political will to change conditions for his people. Red-necked cops appear, too, and so do references to the influx of Coasters looking for Calgary’s streets of gold and jobs in the oil patch. Then there are the hookers, the homeless, and the addicts who populate Fry’s world. Bottom-feeding scribes and photogs from the Bulletin sensationalize the killings Fry tries to solve with help from a professor at the University of Calgary, Miyoko at the Glenbow and his own “blood into paper” police procedurals in the forensic sifting through clues of fingernail scrapings from a leather jacket and grass clippings from a crime scene. “ Big Nose,” a Lysol-sipping suspect he interviews, turns out to be a victim who narrowly escaped with his life. Others, though - a pretend prostitute, a mid-twenties junkie drummer, and a couple of Nova Scotian job-seekers – don’t get off as lucky. And even Fry and Miyoko come in for their share of hair-raising adventures in the story’s action-packed finale that reveals the demented perpetrator’s bizarre logic for his deaths by scalping.

A former journalist, then a professor of journalism at King’s College, Halifax, NS, and now a novelist, Meese sometimes strays into academic stylistics – strained strings of repetitive phrases, for example. Overall, though, he tells a good story, has created some credible characters, sprinkled his story with Calgary landmarks and icons, and left a number of openings for future adventures with the irascible and insubordinate John Jacob (“Jake” or “J.J.”) Fry and perhaps Miyoko and her carving of the good luck/bad luck smiling magpie for which he promised to build a pedestal.

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of A Magpie's Smile.

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

Buy from Amazon.com

If you are interested in purchasing A Magpie's Smile from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): When the scalped remains of a Jane Doe are discovered within the rubble of a demolished house, Detective Jake Fry is assigned the task of hunting down Calgary’s most disturbed murderer. Working against a rising body count and police department politics, Fry must relentlessly pursue a murderer with an agenda no one but he can comprehend. During Calgary’s first economic boom, people flocked from all corners of the country to the city rumoured to have streets paved in gold. Explore the dark side of this boom in A Magpie’s Smile, a tautly chronological police thriller and cinematic portrait of the frenetic Calgary of the 1970s.

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Saturday, December 19, 2009

Mystery Book Review: The Legacy of Shadows by Daniel Boán

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

The Legacy of Shadows by Daniel Boán

by
Non-series

John Gordon Burke (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-934272-88-3 (0934272883)
ISBN-13: 978-0-934272-88-9 (9780934272889)
Publication Date: October 2009
List Price: $17.00

Review: Daniel Boan crafts a mysterious tale of a man seeking information on the circumstances surrounding the death of his friend in this first English translation of his work, The Legacy of Shadows.

Set in the small, remote, desolate mining town of Valle Viejo where time and place have been lost to the few remaining inhabitants, the story tells of Victor, a writer, who has received word that his best friend, Walter, an artist, has died while visiting the town, just a day before he was to return home. The local priest had found Victor’s address on mail that Victor had sent to Walter and wrote to him informing him of Walter’s untimely death. Victor makes a journey to Valle Viejo, a location that Walter had described as a perfect place for an artist to find inspiration. It is tranquil, relaxing and the surrounding mountains and rivers are ideal subjects. But Walter was a young, healthy man. So what happened? How did he die? When Victor arrives, Walter’s car, once bright and shiny, now covered with dirt, tires flat, is parked in front of a guest house. The owner of the house welcomed Victor, putting him up in the same room Walter had occupied. Victor was, as was Walter, the only guest. The room was discolored and had indications of humidity and moss. There was only one canvass of Walter’s in the room: a horrible painting depicting the shadows of the humidity contamination. Where were the paintings Walter had told Victor about in his many letters?

Victor decides he needs to learn more about this little town. The original settlers had high hopes of it becoming a thriving coal mining town. The railroad put in tracks and a station, homes and a church were built, including the two story rooming house in which Victor, and Walter before him, stayed. But long ago the mine collapsed and men died. When others went down to try to save them, they, too, died. Finally the mine closed and the residents started to leave. But some stayed on believing the town would build up again. Mrs. Grinsberg, the “casera” of the guest house, and her daughter Lucia, stayed vowing never to leave. Mrs. Grinsberg spends most of her time at the check-in counter waiting for guests to come. The station- master hired by the railroad years ago keeps the station open just in case the railroad brings a train through. The priest has services each Sunday for the few families who have sworn they will never leave Valle Viejo. Those who die there are buried in the church’s cemetery. But for some mysterious reason, whenever a resident now decides to leave, he disappears or dies suddenly before he can depart. Victor sees a story here, about this deserted, depressing town and the people who live here. But why do they stay? As Victor finishes his writing and decides to leave, he begins to wonder, will he die a sudden death, like his friend Walter?

The Legacy of Shadows is quite innovative in its style and content. One doesn't just read the story here, rather one seems drawn into the story's environment, just as Victor is. The characters have a well-worn feel to them, oddly familiar yet unknown at the same time. What makes this somewhat all the more remarkable is that it is accomplished in a novella of just 126 pages. The Legacy of Shadows is a most uncommon mystery, one well worth seeking.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Legacy of Shadows and to John Gordon Burke Publisher for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

Buy from Amazon.com

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): The English language translation of Legado de Sombras presents the reader with an enigma inside a mystery as a writer turns to the investigation of his artist friend's death. Set in a remote and largely uninhabited mining town in South America, totally unexpected developments overtake the principal character of the story. They will also prove to be a surprise to the reader of the book as well.

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Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends

Book Trends: Reviews of Young Adult and Children Books

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery / suspense category.

Grk Smells a Rat by Joshua Doder. The 4th book in the Grk series of mysterious adventures. Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who wrote, "Grk Smells a Rat has suspense, action, and information that made me want to never put it down. I wanted to follow the characters everywhere they went."

For more reviews of children and young adult books, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you!

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Games of Mystery: Templar Mystery, Mystery from Atlantis, and Murder She Wrote, New at PlayFirst Games

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, and more mysterious fun, is pleased to announce a list of recently released mystery and suspense games available for immediate download from PlayFirst Games.

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Jane Angel: Templar MysteryDownload and Buy Jane Angel: Templar Mystery

Jane Angel: Templar Mystery

Help FBI agent, Jane Angel, discover the Holy Grail! When a case of medieval coins contraband points to clues leading to the lost treasure, Jane must find the answers. Search through 24 unique locations, scroll through scenes too big to take in one glance, and play through 30 levels of hidden object mystery!

Windows Vista / XP (64.2 MB download).

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Samantha Swift and the Mystery from AtlantisDownload and Buy Samantha Swift and the Mystery from Atlantis

Samantha Swift and the Mystery from Atlantis

Join Samantha Swift as she returns to race across the globe in a daring search for the missing pieces to an Atlantean treasure. Find clues and solve clever puzzles in this hidden object adventure! Dire consequences for humanity are at stake from a calculating new villain who crosses her path at every turn.

Windows Vista / XP (162.9 MB download).

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Murder, She WroteDownload and Buy Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

Play the hidden object game based on the beloved TV series, Murder, She Wrote! Join crime novelist Jessica Fletcher and solve 5 mysteries in sleepy (but lethal) Cabot Cove. Remember, the culprit is never who you think it is.

Windows Vista / XP (288.3 MB download).

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All games are available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayFirst PlayPass program. Trial versions for most games may be downloaded and played for one hour for free.

A complete list of downloadable mystery games is available on our Games of Mystery: PlayFirst Game Download page.

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Friday, December 18, 2009

Games of Mystery: Dark Fall, Blood of Betrayal, and Jack Keane, New from Amazon Video Games

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, and more mysterious fun, is pleased to announce this week's new mystery and suspense games available for immediate download from Amazon Video Games.

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Dark Fall
Download and Buy Dark Fall

Dark Fall

A cryptic voice message left by your brother, a talented architect redeveloping an old train station and hotel in a now abandoned area, draws you into a strange new world. Armed with your wits and ghost hunting gadgets, embark on a frightening journey with the aid of clues left behind by the ancients to uncover the mystery of Dark Fall.

Windows Vista / XP (247 MB download).

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Masters of Mystery: Blood of Betrayal
Download and Buy Masters of Mystery: Blood of Betrayal

Masters of Mystery: Blood of Betrayal

It's late one night and Carrie Chase's dinner plans get interrupted by two grisly murders in a nearby condominium penthouse. Taking her new detective with her, Chase begins unravelling the clues behind these deaths and what she discovers leads to an unravelling of her past she never imagined possible. Enter the shoes of Carrie Chase as she works her way through deception, heartache, interoffice romance and a betrayal so deep it will change her life forever!

Windows Vista / XP (146 MB download).

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Jack Keane
Download and Buy Jack Keane

Jack Keane

The British Empire is bogged down in difficulties. Trouble is brewing in the Indian colonies. Tooth Island, an island cloaked in mystery, is ruled by the strange Doctor T., a tea-grower and trader obsessed by a sinister cat-and-mouse game with England. He has been accused of using self-bred plant pests to ruin the tea harvests all over India. Yet the truth is: Could there be a lot more at stake? And what can be done against his plans? Queen Victoria decides to send off one of her best men to find out.

Windows Vista / XP (696 MB download).

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A complete list of downloadable mystery games is available on our Games of Mystery: Amazon.com Game Download page.

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Mystery Bestsellers for December 18, 2009

Mystery Bestsellers

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

A quiet week, with little change among the top 9 bestsellers. A new title enters the list this week, one that has lurked just below our cutoff for the past several weeks.

Hollywood Moon by Joseph Wambaugh

Joseph Wambaugh's third Nathan "Hollywood Nate" Weiss mystery, Hollywood Moon moves into 13th position this week.

There's a saying at Hollywood station that the full moon brings out the beast -- rather than the best -- in the precinct's citizens. One moonlit night, LAPD veteran Dana Vaughn and "Hollywood" Nate Weiss, a struggling-actor-turned cop, get a call about a young man who's been attacking women. Meanwhile, two surfer cops known as Flotsam and Jetsam keep bumping into an odd, suspicious duo -- a smooth-talking player in dreads and a crazy-eyed, tattooed biker. No one suspects that all three dubious characters might be involved in something bigger, more high-tech, and much more illegal. After a dizzying series of twists, turns, and chases, the cops will find they've stumbled upon a complex web of crime where even the criminals can't be sure who's conning whom.

The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

The Lost Symbol by Dan BrownU is for Undertow by Sue GraftonI, Alex Cross by James PattersonPirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Thursday, December 17, 2009

eHarlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Titles for January 2010

eHarlequin.com has released the January 2010 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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Storm Warning by Linda Hall

Storm Warning by Linda Hall

1st mystery in the Whisper Lake series.

The rustic lakeside homestead is supposed to be a refuge for widow Nori Edwards. However, the moment the single mom arrives, strange and frightening things start happening. Former police officer Steve Baylor—the only resident who'll step foot on the "cursed" property—vows to protect Nori. And catch the shadowy someone dead set on terrorizing her. For the first time, she feels safe. But danger won't stay hidden forever … and neither will Nori's stalker, who's waiting for a chance to let a deadly storm roll in.

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Twin Targets by Marta Perry

Twin Targets by Marta Perry

1st mystery in the Protecting the Witnesses series.

The Witness Protection Program was supposed to keep Jade Summers's sister safe. So why is U.S. Marshal Micah McGraw saying her twin is dead? Jade doesn't get the chance to ask because their meeting is interrupted by Ruby's killers. The Mob is after Jade…but neither Micah nor Jade know why. Somehow, it's connected to a decades-old crime. Finding the truth could be disastrous, but lives depend on it. Several women are in danger … and Jade is the first one in the killer's sights.

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Smoke Screen by Stephanie Newton

Smoke Screen by Stephanie Newton

First, his fiancée was murdered. Next, a dear friend. Is an arsonist targeting firehouse chaplain Jake Rollins through his loved ones? FBI agent Chloe Davis is on the case—even though it brings her far too close to the handsome pastor. Chloe has always worked undercover, trusting only herself. How can she believe a man who says he knows her—and loves her—for who she is? Only when the smoke begins to clear will Chloe learn to see past her doubts and fears … and find the vengeful killer closer than anyone realizes.

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Endless Night by Dana Mentink

Endless Night by Dana Mentink

On the run, Jackie Swann returns to the last place anyone would look for her: Alaska's Delucchi Lodge. The retreat was the site of her brother Danny's fatal accident—and is home to pilot Roman Carter, the man she once loved. The man she still blames for Danny's death. But the Delucchis have secrets of their own that throw her back into Roman's path. With no one to trust, Jackie finds danger closing in on all sides, and the final showdown could leave her lost in an endless night … or bring the truth to light.

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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:

Sign up for email newsletters from eHarlequin.com

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Dreamworks Animation to Adapt Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez

Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez

Variety is reporting that Dreamworks Animation will film an adaptation of Gil's All Fright Diner, the 2006 debut comic / thriller / fantasy / horror novel by A. Lee Martinez. Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) is set to direct.

About Gil's All Fright Diner: Welcome to Gil's All Night Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurrence and you never know what might be lurking in the freezer ...

Duke and Earl are just passing through Rockwood county in their pick-up truck when they stop at the Diner for a quick bite to eat. They aren't planning to stick around-until Loretta, the eatery's owner, offers them $100 to take care of her zombie problem. Given that Duke is a werewolf and Earl's a vampire, this looks right up their alley. But the shambling dead are just the tip of a particularly spiky iceberg. Seems someone's out to drive Loretta from the Diner, and more than willing to raise a little Hell on Earth if that's what it takes. Before Duke and Earl get to the bottom of the Diner's troubles, they'll run into such otherworldly complications as undead cattle, an amorous ghost, a jailbait sorceress, and the terrifying occult power of pig-latin. And maybe -- just maybe -- the End of the World, too.

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Games of Mystery: Dark Tales, Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue Collector's Edition, New from Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends 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 page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue Collector's Edition
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue Collector's Edition

Be the first to play Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder in the Rue Morgue with this special Collector’s Edition. Use your hidden object and adventure game talent to solve a dreadful murder in the Rue Morgue! Experience all the exclusive Collector’s Edition extras including additional adventure and hidden object scenes, puzzles, and a preview of the next game in the series! The integrated Deluxe Strategy Guide also includes exclusive music files, concept art, screensavers, and desktop wallpapers.

The standard version of the game, without the extras included in the Collector’s Edition, will be released in 2 to 3 weeks.

Also available: Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue Game Walkthrough.

Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue Collector's Edition, a Big Fish Games exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $19.95 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version is not available.

Watch a preview video below:

gcads_80x80

Get any game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card!

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: , , , , and .

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

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

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Sony in Discussions to Option English Language Film Rights to The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy) by Stieg Larsson

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Sony Pictures is in final discussions to option the English language film rights for the thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the other two books of the Millennium trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson. Swedish language film versions of the books have already been released, the first of which will open in the US in March 2010; MBN featured a clip from the film last week.

The article is quick to point out that the Sony films would not be remakes per se, but adaptations from the original books.

About The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to get to the bottom of the disappearance -- and possible murder -- of a Harriet Vanger, a young woman from one of the wealthiest families in Sweden who vanished 40 years ago. He's assisted by world-class computer hacker Lisbeth Salander in his investigation, and together, this unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism—and an unexpected connection between themselves.

Read our review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on Mysterious Reviews.

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