Harlequin Intrigue Titles for March 2010

eHarlequin.com has released the March 2010 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! For more information or to purchase any of the books below, click on the book title or book cover. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Under the Gun by HelenKay Dimon

A good agent never lets the job become personal …

Who wanted her dead? That's what Claire Samson wanted to know. On the run and alone, there was only one man she trusted to find her. Recovery agent Luke Hathaway was the best at locating and saving, and she needed the best if she wanted to live. But the handsome agent who promised salvation had some conditions of his own. If he were to help, she needed to stick close by his side. Very close. And the only thing more dangerous than her current situation was the way Luke made her feel. From the protective look in his green eyes, she could tell he felt the same. But every second that brought them closer together was also ticking toward an explosive confrontation that might tear them apart …

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Colby Justice by Debra Webb

With the deadline for his demands fast approaching, Victoria Colby-Camp's captor starts to exact the revenge he deems justice. Now in session: a mock trial sure to end in a death sentence for Victoria…unless Equalizer Ben Steele and Colby rookie Penny Alexander can pull off a daring, nearly impossible rescue.

The only problem is some serious friction between the two. Loner Steele travels with so much emotional baggage that he can't trust a woman partner. Alexander, new to the job and insecure, harbors a secret that could fatally jeopardize the mission. And once Steele finds her out, anger, resentment, lies and accusations trail their every heart-stopping move. Can this risk-all rescue operation—and The Colby Agency—be saved?

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Killer Body by Elle James

Texas was ablaze with murder and corruption, but Dawson Gray was used to the heat. High-pressure situations couldn't shake the ex-army heavy hitter; he was forged in them. Having no fear for his own life, he signed on with the Lone Star Agency.

Assigned as a bodyguard, Dawson was all over Savvy Jones—if that was her real name. Caught in a frame-up, Savvy didn't remember who she was, and his first task as her bodyguard was to jog her memory. His second? To make sure that the drug cartel targeting her didn't harm a hair on her sweet head.

But as Savvy began to mean more to him than just a case, Dawson found that there was one thing he did fear—losing her forever. And that wasn't going to happen on his watch.

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Rawhide Ranger by Rita Herron

Texas Ranger Cabe Navarro was full-blooded Comanche—his ripped frame even recalled history's greatest warriors. Raven haired and eagle-eyed, Cabe trespassed on sacred land to investigate ritual murders, only to fix his full attention on the daughter of a local rancher.

They were on opposite sides of the law, and their initial attraction could have killed the case dead. But when Jessie Becker became a prime target for foul play, all bets were off. Knee-deep in dangerous territory, Cabe made quick decisions to keep her alive—and almost at arm's length. He knew she needed his brand of protection, as a Texas Ranger and as a man. And that he was helpless to fight it when the line between the two started to blur …

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Indestructible by Cassie Miles

Drew Kincaid had always been in someone's crosshairs, and once again it was time to move on before his elusive tracker got too close. Only this time, he'd be leaving behind Melinda Winston. From the moment they met, Drew and Melinda shared a connection he'd never thought possible, thanks to his extraordinary—and secret—ability to self-heal. Now, with a baby on the way, Melinda needed protection, not a man trying to stay one step ahead. But after barely rescuing her from the hands of his enemies, Drew was ready to admit to his troubled past and its effect on their future. He knew self-healing was a powerful gift … but the damage would be irreparable if he lost Melinda and his baby.

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Cowboy Delirium by Joanna Wayne

He was a cowboy first, a former navy SEAL second … and a red-blooded male third …

Until he was forced to kidnap Jaime Collingsworth.

The sexy spitfire almost made Rio Hernandez forget his undercover assignment in a major cartel that threatened to destroy south Texas. Rio didn't know what the cartel wanted with Jaime; he only knew he had to protect her.

Keeping her alive was easy compared to keeping his hands off her. Each moment with Jaime brought him closer to temptation, just as the cartel moved relentlessly closer to its evil plan. With time running out, Rio had no choice but to put Jaime in danger. But at the last second which would he choose—sworn duty or the woman he'd come to love?

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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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Mystery Book Review: Silencer by James W. Hall

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

Silencer by James W. Hall
A Thorn Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-35959-4 (0312359594)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-35959-1 (9780312359591)
Publication Date: January 2010
List Price: $24.99

Review: Semi-retired Key Largo private investigator Thorn is unwillingly drawn into a case of corporate intrigue when he's kidnapped by a pair of rogue brothers looking to make a killing (as it were) in Silencer, the 11th mystery in this series by James W. Hall.

Thorn has recently inherited the bulk of Bates International, a private company, from a grandmother he didn't know he had, but wants little to do with it. His lady friend Rusty Stabler, however, has taken a position with the company, and seizes on an opportunity to do something good for the state of Florida: transfer 200,000 acres of unspoiled land to the west of Lake Okeechobee to the state for preservation. It's a complicated arrangement as the land doesn't belong to Bates, but rather to the owners of Coquina Ranch; it's being exchanged for Bates land near the Peace River, for which the state is paying over $500 million, which will immediately be signed over by Thorn to the ranch owners. But things take an unexpected turn when the ranch owner is shot and killed by a ranchhand and Thorn is taken hostage. Someone clearly does not want the transaction to be completed, but who -- and why -- is unknown to all parties involved.

The pacing of Silencer is perfect for a suspense thriller, the tension being assuredly notched up with each succeeding chapter. A considerable number of well-drawn characters are introduced, some obviously the "good guys", some deeply disturbed "bad", but most in the gray area in-between that will keep readers guessing on which side they'll ultimately fall. Though Thorn has a pivotal role in the book's premise, he plays a relatively minor role in the story, being kept captive -- for reasons he doesn't understand and by men that to him have no obvious link to the real estate transaction -- most of the time on a wild game ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Mirroring to some extent the character of Thorn, the underlying theme of the book is one of tree-hugging anti-capitalism, which, in and of itself, wouldn't be an issue except that the author gets a little preachy on the subject at the end, even including (as fact within the context of the plot) the urban myth surrounding National City Lines into the story. Still, given the overall strength of the intricately crafted plot, Silencer is an intensely satisfying thriller that is strongly recommended.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of Silencer for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Earl Hammond, the wealthy patriarch of a family of ranchers, lies dead, shot just as he was to donate his Coquina Ranch to the state to preserve it from developers. Spearheading the plan to save this environmental treasure was Thorn, a reluctant heir to a secret family fortune, who now finds himself in terrible danger as well. A pair of deviant brothers, both contract killers, kidnaps him and drags him to a game preserve, surrounded by herds of exotic and very dangerous animals. He is entrapped in a sinkhole -- a geological dungeon from which there is no escape.

But Frisco Hammond, the dark sheep of the family, is drawn into the investigation of his father’s murder and Thorn’s disappearance. He suspects the crimes are related. Helping him is his brother’s beautiful, troubled wife, Clare. They uncover a trail that leads back to the 1930’s, to a cabal of powerful and rich men with a sinister plan.

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Games of Mystery: Carol Reed in the Black Circle Mystery, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed board, electronic and video games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual 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 →

Oscar, a retired doctor, discovers a dead man outside an old, run-down cottage while on his morning stroll. When the police show up, the body has mysteriously disappeared. Infuriated that the police don't believe him, Oscar asks Carol Reed, a private investigator, to find out what really happened.

Starting with a telephone number that she finds on a small piece of paper where Oscar found the dead body , Carol is soon in the midst of a sinister mystery involving much more than a missing dead body.

Black Circle is the 6th entry in this series; the previous games are Remedy, Hope Springs Eternal (not available at BFG), Time Stand Still, East Side Story, and The Color of Murder.

Also available: Black Circle: A Carol Reed Mystery Game Walkthrough.

Black Circle: A Carol Reed Mystery may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (88.74 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour; the full version is 418.47 MB.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard 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! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (Review), 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: Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

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

Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons
Non-series

St. Martin's Griffin (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-312-56707-3 (0312567073)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-56707-1 (9780312567071)
Publication Date: November 2009
List Price: $19.99

Review: Imagine a world in which your mind is but a toy -- one to be played with at a User's whim. Imagine a world where someone can merely touch you and at once be able to control your actions -- forcing you to commit horrible acts, but yet you are completely incapable of stopping it. This trance-like state is a mindrape, and it is the frightening focus of Dan Simmons' novel, Carrion Comfort. Nina, Willi, and Melanie are geriatric Users with the Ability. They've perfected the art of seizing another's mind and using it to their advantage, and through Feedings, they are given renewed youth and seem to be unstoppable. The three friends carry on a frightening game -- where they compare their Feedings and compete for honor. But, the onset of new players and old victims takes Nina's life and leaves the other two in a new game of horror.

Carrion Comfort begins in the concentration camps in Chelmno in 1942. Saul Laski is but a boy searching for a way to survive the Holocaust. This is when he first experiences a mindrape. He is placed as a pawn in a chess game -- literally. The Oberst (Willi) Uses prisoners in the most violent chess game imaginable. In Saul's description (40 years later) he recalls, "The Oberst nodded again and the pawn to my left, a gaunt, older man with gray stubble on his cheeks, lurched two squares forward. The Old Man responded by advancing his own king's pawn. I could tell by watching the way the poor, confused prisoners moved that they were not in control of their own bodies." When two pieces come together, death is imminent -- either through murder or suicide -- all the while those with the Ability are controlling the minds of the "playing pieces". Ultimately, Saul escapes and lives a respectful life of a psychiatrist in America where he meets the daughter of a victim murdered as a result of the same unspeakable acts Saul had witnessed 40 years before. He shares his stories and together Saul and Natalie pledge to end this madness forever. But, they quickly realize that more people hold the Ability to mindrape and the stakes become increasingly higher. Nevertheless, they will not give up; they are willing to risk their lives to rid the world of these horrifying people who could potentially be at the center of all evil in the world.

At first glance, Carrion Comfort is intriguing. Horror, suspense, "mind vampires," all sound like perfect components to a great "sit up with a flashlight until it's finished" book. But, unfortunately it isn't that at all. Instead it is a relatively predictable 767 page epic that has moments of suspense, but ends up failing in the end. First off, something about geriatric villains is difficult to take. It is honestly hard to be afraid of a little old lady who ends up on life support. Oddly, her weakened physical state somehow strengthens her Ability, which should in itself be more frightening, but it isn't. The heroes of the story are likeable people, and generally well developed, but they too lack the spark to make the readers really care. The most interesting character is Tony Harod, who in fact changes throughout the story from an evil User who commits unspeakable crimes against women, to a man who actually falls in love and ultimately seems to convert. The depth of Harod's character is needed from all characters. The novel is also divided into chapters from 3rd person point of view, to chapters in the 1st person where Melanie (the evil old woman) recounts what's happening. Unfortunately, the same scene is too often interpreted in two different chapters. This is often very effective, but after so many chapters of repeats, it gets belaboring, and skimming takes over. Actually, Melanie's chapters are the most interesting and added the most insight into the plot. Finally, the plot is fascinating, but because of the length and back stories, it gets lost somewhere around page 300. Dan Simmons hit on a gem when he developed the ideas present in Carrion Comfort, but the gem needs polishing -- shave off a few layers (say 400 pages) and he'd have a perfect stone.

Special thanks to Margo Nauert for contributing her review of Carrion Comfort and to St. Martin's Griffin for providing a trade paperback edition of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — Margo Nauert — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): The past … Caught behind the lines of Hitler’s Final Solution, Saul Laski is one of the multitudes destined to die in the notorious Chelmno extermination camp. Until he rises to meet his fate and finds himself face to face with an evil far older, and far greater, than the Nazi’s themselves …

The present … Compelled by the encounter to survive at all costs, so begins a journey that for Saul will span decades and cross continents, plunging into the darkest corners of 20th century history to reveal a secret society of beings who may often exist behind the world's most horrible and violent events. Killing from a distance, and by darkly manipulative proxy, they are people with the psychic ability to 'use' humans: read their minds, subjugate them to their wills, experience through their senses, feed off their emotions, force them to acts of unspeakable aggression. Each year, three of the most powerful of this hidden order meet to discuss their ongoing campaign of induced bloodshed and deliberate destruction. But this reunion, something will go terribly wrong. Saul’s quest is about to reach its elusive object, drawing hunter and hunted alike into a struggle that will plumb the depths of mankind’s attraction to violence, and determine the future of the world itself …

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Mystery Book Review: Virtually Dead by Peter May

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

Virtually Dead by Peter May
Non-series

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-670-0 (1590586700)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-670-9 (9781590586709)
Publication Date: January 2010
List Price: $24.95

Review: Peter May creatively connects murders in real world with "murders" in the virtual world in Virtually Dead, a stand-alone thriller.

Michael Kapinsky has taken a leave of absence from his job as a crime scene photographer to deal with the death of his wife from cancer, though he agrees to fill in on an as-needed basis. He's not only troubled by losing his wife, but also losing their multi-million dollar home in Newport Beach. He's behind on the payments, the bank is on the verge of foreclosing, and to make matters even worse, his wife's family is suing him for the reminder -- what little is left -- of his assets. Not able to continue paying his therapist, she suggests he join her online in a virtual world called Second Life, where he can discuss his feelings in a group session without fear of revealing his identity. Skeptical of the idea, he joins Second Life using an avatar named Chas Chesnokov, and is quickly drawn into an environment that offers excitement and intrigue but also anonymity. It helps that one of his co-workers in real life also has an avatar in Second Life, a private investigator named Twist O'Lemon, who is able to get him started. It isn't long before a real mystery presents itself to them: two murders in real life that their department is investigating have connections to two "murders" in Second Life; both victims had avatars, all information of which have been erased, leaving behind only the bloody images of their former selves. As incredible as it may seem, Michael starts to believe that the "murders" in Second Life are somehow linked to the murders in real life.

Second Life is a "real" destination online, and the author renders the environment in striking detail in Virtually Dead. But probably more telling is how "real" the virtual character of Chas becomes, and his connection to the reader. A passage from about a third of the way through the book illustrates this from Michael's perspective:

Michael sat staring at Chas on the screen. And made the slow transition from night-time Second Life to the morning sun of real life streaming through his office window. He looked at the clock on the wall. He had spent nearly three hours in this other world where he had become someone else. For the first time in months, the pain of losing [his wife] Mora had not been the foremost thing on his mind. What surprised and disturbed him most, however, was how Chas had in some way taken over, like some hidden part of himself that he barely knew existed. He was not Chas, and Chas was not him. But they shared feelings, and memories, and pain. They were one, and at the same time, two. It had been an extraordinary, whirlwind experience, and it was a little scary.

Clearly part of, and maybe much of, the appeal of Virtually Dead is trying to figure out how the Second Life and real life murders are linked. Somewhat surprisingly, it's not the virtual mystery that's the weaker aspect here, but the one set in reality. Maybe it's easier to be flexible with actions and consequences in Second Life, but in real life some of the things Michael does are simply not credible. It might have been better to downplay Michael's activities in real life, focusing more on what is clearly the stronger element of the book, his time as Chas in Second Life.

Still, it's an interesting premise for a murder mystery and even those readers unfamiliar with Second Life (or any other kind of virtual reality) will likely find Virtually Dead to be quite enjoyable.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Virtually Dead for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Crime-scene photographer Michael Kapinsky is a man whose first life is in a mess. But his second life is about to get a whole lot messier. Staggering under the financial burden left by his recently deceased wife, Michael struggles to come to terms with her death -- until his psychologist persuades him to enter a virtual world called Second Life to participate in a new kind of group therapy.

Once there, his persona, Chas Chesnokov, discovers that victims whose crime scenes Michael has attended in the wealthy Southern California resort of Newport Beach have had their avatars clinically executed in the virtual world.

Co-opted into the Twist of Fate Detective Agency, Chas embarks on an investigation with an exotic dancer and escort girl. They uncover a series of killings and a financial scam that is netting the murderer millions of dollars.

And when Michael is tempted by money that mysteriously appears in Chas’s Second Life account, both his real and his virtual lives are in danger.

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Games of Mystery: Ace Attorney Investigations, Crime Scene, and Nancy Drew in The Model Mysteries, New This Week for Nintendo DS

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed board, electronic and video games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of several new mystery games for the Nintendo DS. More mystery games for this platforms are available on our recently updated Games of Mystery: Nintendo DS webpage.

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Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth takes the Ace Attorney series from the courtroom to the crime scene, leaving the legal battle behind. This time around, players take on the role of famed prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, a memorable rival of charismatic legal eagle Phoenix Wright. Edgeworth actively investigates crime scenes in search of the truth behind each case. By solving the challenging puzzles presented to him, Edgeworth will work with the police to bring criminals to justice.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is composed of a number of episodes. In the first episode, an argument in Edgeworth's office results in a mysterious murder. Edgeworth, coming back from a one-month business trip, enters his office and encounters the body of the man who was shot. In the second episode, Edgeworth's plane journey takes a nasty turn when he wakes up after being knocked out during heavy turbulence. Shaken by the flashback of nightmarish past memories, he opens the onboard elevator's door to find a male corpse. At this very moment a cabin attendant witnesses the scene and Edgeworth is made a suspect of murder.

By solving the challenging puzzles presented him, Edgeworth will work with the police to bring criminals to justice. Users will be able to directly control the character avatar’s movement on the scene with the arrow key or touch screen and investigate the crime scenes freely. If, during the course of an investigation, users find contradictions, they will be able to obtain new information by presenting decisive evidence. In some cases, users will identify clues and conduct examinations of material witnesses. On these occasions, users will have to uncover the truth behind the crimes using collected information, the evidence, and logic.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth for Nintendo DS is scheduled for release on February 16, 2010, and is available for pre-order. It is ESRB rated T for Teen.

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A city where crime runs rampant …
A corrupt justice system …
Illegal human test subjects …
A dead cop …

Matt Simmons is a fresh recruit as a forensic detective in the police force. Hitting the ground running, Matt is faced with his first case -- the horrific double murder of a fellow detective and his wife. Using his arsenal of advanced forensic technology, Matt must comb the crime scene, picking up clues and trying to piece together what happened.

In this thrilling mystery adventure, you will help Matt unravel the clues in intriguing murder mysteries and clean up the town in a corrupt city where justice is a rare event.

Crime Scene for Nintendo DS is scheduled for release on February 16, 2010, and is available for pre-order. It is ESRB rated M for Mature.

Visit the game website, CrimeScene-TheGame.com, for more information.

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In Nancy Drew: The Model Mysteries, Nancy Drew has been asked to be a bridesmaid in what is sure to be no ordinary wedding. The blushing bride is marrying a reality TV star so the entire ceremony and its preparation are being filmed. Unfortunately, the plans go off-script when an unknown villain is bent on sabotaging the wedding.

As Nancy, players will use their investigative skills to interrogate more than 15 wily suspects across the three mysteries as they attempt to unravel a knot of scattered clues.

The game is based on the Nancy Drew Model Mystery Trilogy of books.

Nancy Drew: The Model Mysteries for Nintendo DS is scheduled for release on February 16, 2010, and is available for pre-order. It is ESRB rated E10+, Everyone 10 and older.

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

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Mysteries on TV: Barnaby Jones and Cannon, New This Week on DVD

Mysteries on TV, your source for the most complete selection of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series now available or coming soon to DVD, is profiling two series that have season DVDs being released this week.

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Buddy Ebsen starred as Barnaby Jones, a retired private investigator who returns to the business after his son Hal is murdered. The series ran on CBS from January 1973 (as a mid-season replacement) to April 1980 and consisted of 178 episodes over 8 seasons.

Lee Meriwether played Barnaby's daughter-in-law and assistant, Betty Jones. Later in the series, Mark Shera joined the cast as Barnaby's cousin, Jedediah Romano (J. R.) Jones.

Early episodes of the series featured William Conrad as Frank Cannon (who had his own series, Cannon, see also below). The premiere of Barnaby Jones was originally intended as a 2-part episode of Cannon but when a mid-season replacement series was urgently needed, it was spun off into a separate series.

The Barnaby Jones: Season One DVD set of 4 discs contain the 13 episodes that aired on CBS during the spring of 1973.

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As mentioned above, William Conrad starred as Frank Cannon in Cannon, a crime drama that ran on CBS from September 1971 to March 1976 and consisted of 124 episodes over 5 seasons. A made-for-television movie based on the series, The Return of Frank Cannon, aired in 1980.

Cannon was a wealthy private investigator and gourmet chef who lived in a penthouse on the Sunset Strip. His services were expensive but he got results. The episodes of the series were beautifully filmed, having very high production values. Due to Conrad's rather large size, episodes relied more on plot than action.

The Cannon: Season Two (V2) DVD set of 3 discs contain the final 12 episodes of the second season that aired on CBS from late December 1972 through March 1973.

At least 9 book tie-ins were written by several authors over the series run, starting with Murder by Gemini (1971) by Richard Gallagher.

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Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD.

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Crime Novelist Dick Francis Has Died

The Telegraph is reporting that crime novelist Dick Francis has died. He was 89.

Francis, a former professional jockey, wrote over 40 thrillers set in the world of horse racing, in the process collecting a mantel-full of awards including multiple Daggers from the Crime Writer Assocation and three Edgars plus the title of Grand Master from the Mystery Writers of America.

His last three books were co-written with his son, Felix. Even Money was published last September and their fourth collaboration, Crossfire, will be published this August.

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for February 15, 2010

A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle 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!).

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A E G K L N R S T

Patricia A Bremmer introduced this Denver homicide detective in Murder’s a Cinch (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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