Mr. E. Reviews: The Caveman's Valentine

The Caveman's Valentine
Director: Kasi Lemmons

Theatrical release: 03/02/2001.
DVD release: 07/17/2001.
Studio: Universal Studios.

Cast: Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson), David Leppenraub (Colm Feore), Moira Leppenraub (Ann Magnuson), Arnold (Damir Andrei), Officer Lulu Ledbetter (Aunjanue Ellis), Sheila Ledbetter (Tamara Tunie), Cork (Peter MacNeill).

Rating: R.
Running time: 106 minutes.

Based on the novel The Caveman's Valentine by George Dawes Green.

Review: The Caveman's Valentine has been on my to-watch list for quite some time now. It's about time I got around to it! The movie is an adaptation of the Edgar Award-winning first novel by George Dawes Green, published in 1994.

Samuel L. Jackson stars as Romulus Ledbetter, a former piano prodigy who attended the Juilliard School, and can still compose and play, but who now suffers from what seems to be a multitude of mental illnesses and lives in a shelter made of rocks, a "cave", in a Manhattan park. Called the Caveman by those who know him on the street, one day he finds the frozen body of a 20-year-old man perched in a tree outside his cave. He recognizes the man as someone who had written "Help Me" on a sidewalk poster promoting the art of photographer David Leppenraub, known for his works of depicting human suffering. Believing there to be a connection between Leppenraub and the dead man, but with no one -- not even his daughter, a police officer -- believing him, he sets out to prove that the young man was murdered and didn't simply die of exposure, as the authorities suspect.

Samuel L. Jackson's performance is brilliant in The Caveman's Valentine, but the same can't be said of the murder mystery plot. It seems to me this is more the fault of the screenwriter and director rather than the material on which it is based. From the screenwriter, the "whodunit" aspect isn't well developed; in fact, most viewers will have figured out who the culprit is well before the half-way point -- and they'd be right. They could even guess at the motive -- and likely be right again. In addition, there are far too many leaps of faith required on the part of the viewer in how the story progresses. I found myself mentally asking all sorts of questions as to how one scene led into another without something really important -- or at the very least, really credible -- happening in-between. I'm guessing these lapses would have been dealt with properly in the book, but are simply glossed over in the movie ... in favor of showing some mind-altering visuals intended to reflect the state of Romulus' being. And that's where the director fails. He seems so enamored with these scenes that much of the continuity of the story is sacrificed. We know Romulus has delusions, and not knowing when he's being rational and when he's not should have been a part of the story. Instead, we're hit over the head ... repeatedly ... with visuals to indicate Romulus is going through one of his irrational episodes. To be fair, though, the director tries to put the story back on solid ground during these scenes by inserting a number of tender (though imagined) conversations between Romulus and his wife.

Kind of a mixed review for me. I enjoyed the performances, Jackson's in particular, though really all the supporting cast were first rate as well, but the movie as a mystery left me somewhat disappointed. I would have appreciated more time spent on developing and maintaining a suspenseful environment for the viewer and less on recreating the psychotic episodes inside Jackson's character's head.

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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Copyright © 2010 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

Mystery Book Review: Dark Alley by Evan Marshall

Dark Alley
by Evan Marshall
An Anna Winthrop "Hidden Manhattan" Mystery

Severn House (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-7278-6835-7 (0727868357)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7278-6835-0 (9780727868350)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $27.95

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Review: Soon after Anna Winthrop, a supervisor with the New York City Sanitation Department, breaks up a fight between two men, one of them is found murdered in a courtyard along his route, spurring her to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death in Dark Alley, the third mystery in this series by Evan Marshall.

Garry Thomason had been moody lately, but his spat with a co-worker over a woman seemed hardly serious enough for the other to kill him. While cleaning out his locker, Anna discovers a couple of newspaper articles from Baghdad, where Garry had served a tour of duty, which describe the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the subsequent murder of the suspect while in custody. She considers that Garry's death may be linked to his time in Iraq -- but that theory seems unlikely when another body ... and still another ... are found in local mews. The headlines proclaim "Mews Murderer on the Loose!" and "Serial Killer 'Courts' Murder", yet Anna's curiosity about the events in Iraq intrigue her. It isn't until her own life is threatened that she realizes she's on to a ruthless killer -- one who doesn't want the truth about the past to come to light.

Readers will quickly take to Anna Winthrop, a down-to-earth amateur sleuth in an unusual profession, one that allows the author to explore some of the lesser known areas of Manhattan (hence the series subtitle). Both the character and the setting are well drawn and appealing. The murder mystery plot also plays out nicely, is properly paced with an abundance of red herrings, but ultimately disappoints as it relies too heavily on an improbable sequence of events that are really only disclosed in the final pages. Part of the attraction of a whodunit-style murder mystery -- which this is -- is when the reader is engaged in the investigation, able to figure out, together with the protagonist, the culprit and motive. That really doesn't happen here. So while the journey is enjoyable, the ending is a bit of a letdown.

Special thanks to Evan Marshall for providing a copy of Dark Alley for this review.

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): When sanitation worker Garry Thomason vanishes on his way to collect the trash, he is the first in a series of people discovered brutally murdered in the middle of hidden mews in New York. As Anna, Garry’s boss, works to expose this "Mews Murderer", she first uncovers Garry’s murky past of crime and drugs, and then becomes a target herself; for this cold-blooded killer will do anything to escape detection and keep hidden a shocking secret of his own ...

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Mystery Book Review: Abandon by Blake Crouch

Abandon
by Blake Crouch
Non-series

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-53740-9 (0312537409)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-53740-1 (9780312537401)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $25.99

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Review: Blake Crouch’s novel is a masterfully crafted blend of an historical back story and a modern-day search to explain the mysterious disappearance of the citizens of a Colorado mining town over Christmas 1893. Truly, a raw, rapid fire action-adventure whether in elucidating the past or in describing the present, the story sweeps along to expose both the worst and the best of its characters in their pursuit of lost souls and hidden gold.

A chilling scene of a murder committed by a child on December 28, 1893 in the town of Abandon opens the story, and sets the tone for what follows as the action surges ahead to 2009 when several individuals, each with their own motivations, come together to explore the deserted ghost town. Twenty-eight year-old Abigail Foster is there to do a magazine story. Her estranged father, Lawrence, is there to further his academic career as a historian. And a husband and wife team, one a photographer of the paranormal, the other a psychic, round out the group, that is led by a couple of back country guides. But the readers quickly learn this is no ordinary expedition when mysterious events begin to occur and a trio of brigands appears to violently hijack the search for their own devious reasons.

The focus for both stories is the search for gold. In 1893, the tale involves the vicious killing of a gold mine magnate, the hiding of the loot, a deranged preacher, and the disappearance of everyone from Abandon, as regular or unusual as they may be – and some are quite extraordinary, indeed. In 2009, the scenes concern the unravelling of the past but they also focus on the search for the gold that went missing along with the townsfolk 113 years ago. The protagonists here aren’t quite as colourful as their historical counterparts but they exhibit the same universal characteristics of good and evil, cruelty and courage, and the all-consuming desire to find the cache of gold. Crouch’s clever interplay between the two gripping narratives keeps the suspense at its maximum and the reader wanting to know more at every page. He is also adept at portraying credible characters, whether a deranged preacher, an addled widow, cold-blooded killers of any era, or a young woman trying to repair a damaged relationship with her father even as they struggle through a series of kill or be killed episodes with their captors to finally resolve at tremendous cost the mystery of the missing townspeople. Admittedly Crouch’s "most research-intensive project [that he’s] ever undertaken," his story bears the stamp of authenticity in the details of the mining sites, the images of the region and the language, dialogue and slang of the times.

Abandon is the third of Crouch’s novels, the previous two being the two-volume series, Desert Places and Locked Doors. His next novel due for release in June 2010 involves "a separated family, a rogue FBI agent, human-trafficking, ex-Mexican paramilitary soldiers turned cartel enforcers, and a hedonistic lodge in the wilds of Alaska." Crouch promises it will be equally "pedal-to-the-metal fun."

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of Abandon and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — M. Wayne Cunningham — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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Synopsis (from the publisher): On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman and child in a remote gold mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins; and not a single bone was ever found. One hundred thirteen years later, two backcountry guides are hired by a history professor and his journalist daughter to lead them into the abandoned mining town so that they can learn what happened. With them is a psychic, and a paranormal photographer—as the town is rumored to be haunted. A party that tried to explore the town years ago was never heard from again. What this crew is about to discover is that twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they are not alone, and the past is very much alive.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Mr. E. Reviews: Armchair Thriller Set 2

Armchair Thriller Set 2
Director: Various

Original air date(s): April 1978, April 1980, and December 1981.
DVD release: 03/16/2010.
Studio: Acorn Media.

Cast: The Chelsea Murders: Dave King, Anthony Carrick, Christopher Bramwell, and Michael Feast. The Circe Complex: Trevor Martin, Alan David, and Beth Morris. Quiet as a Nun: Maria Aitken, Renee Asherson, and Brenda Bruce.

Rating: Not Rated.
Running time: 547 minutes.

The Chelsea Murders is based on the novel of the same title by Lionel Davidson. The Circe Complex is based on the novel of the same title by Desmond Cory. Quiet as a Nun is based on the novel of the same title by Antonia Fraser.

Review: I was somewhat excited to receive this set of three made-for-television novel adaptations, in particular since I had read one of the books from which one of the movies was based. Each of the films was originally commissioned as 6 episodes (approximately 25 minutes each in length), but one, The Chelsea Murders actually was slightly re-edited and aired as a feature-length movie. However, both versions of this latter title are included in this set, hence the four discs.

I watched them in the order suggested by the disc numbers, but strongly suggest that you do not. The Chelsea Murders is, in a word, dreadful. Nearly unwatchable. The plot involves a series of murders (in Chelsea) that have the police baffled. The only clue is a number of letters that arrive at the police station that seem to be identifying the next victim … but in some sort of cryptic manner. The victims are all associated in some way to the producers and actors of a silent film being made in the area, one involving clowns and cops played in the manner of the era’s Keystone Kops. The acting in The Chelsea Murders is alternately wooden and over-the-top. It would be comical if it weren’t so awful. Little money was spent on sets, which appear to be a random mix of rooms left over from some other production. The plot isn’t all that terrible as a whodunit, but the pacing is all wrong and there seem to be some continuity issues.

I confess I had never heard of Lionel Davidson, the author of the book on which the movie is based, and had to do a little research. Originally published in 1978 in the UK (and later published under the title of Murder Games in the US), it went on to win the prestigious Crime Writer Association Gold Dagger Award for that year. I have to believe some substantial liberties were taken by the screenwriters in adapting this book.

My fear is that anyone starting this set of Armchair Thrillers with The Chelsea Murders will abandon the effort within 10 minutes. And that would be too bad because the other two movies are much better.

The Circe Complex starts out with a man who has just committed a crime (we soon learn he stole his own inventory of jewels from a shop he managed), and kills a policeman trying to get away. In prison for 18 months, he still refuses to tell the authorities where he stashed the jewels. His wife, who was in on the crime from the beginning, is unwilling to wait any longer and schemes to break her husband out of jail so they can live happily ever after on the proceeds. Needless to say, things don’t go exactly as planned. The plot here is well developed, intricate without being overly complicated, though this movie, at 149 minutes, could easily have been cut by a third without sacrificing anything. The acting is much more credible when compared with The Chelsea Murders, and the production values appear to be higher as well.

The third and final entry in this set is adapted from the first book in the Jemima Shore mystery series by Antonia Fraser, Quiet as a Nun – and the only one of the three books I have read (albeit many years ago). Jemima Shore is a newswoman and host of a popular television show. A former classmate from the Catholic school Jemima attended as a teenager, now a nun at that same convent where the school is located, is found dead, locked in a tower, a presumed suicide. The Mother Superior of the convent asks Jemima to look into the circumstances surrounding her death, especially since the dead woman was heir to a large fortune – and her intentions with respect to its proceeds in doubt. Quiet as a Nun is clearly the best of the three movies here, though it, too, is a little overlong at 2½ hours.

Given that two of the three Armchair Thrillers are definitely worth seeing, it’s unfortunate that The Chelsea Murders is so bad that it makes recommendation of the overall set difficult – especially since it’s included as two versions. Consider renting the set for The Circe Complex and Quiet as a Nun.

Below is a synopsis of each movie provided by the studio:

The Chelsea Murders

Episode 1: Three murders in Chelsea yield only one clue: a poem mailed to the police before the latest crime. As the cops search for a connection, a reporter looks for a scoop.

Episode 2: A second letter arrives, mocking the police with the identity of the next victim. Somehow, the Gazette writer also knows about the letters—could she be involved?

Episode 3: The police zero in on a hard-pressed filmmaking team. Their suspicions mount when the killer attacks again, dressed in a theatre costume.

Episode 4: The police grow increasingly frustrated, especially after one of their main suspects gets assaulted himself.

Episode 5: The police find a video of the most recent killing, but the reporter is a step ahead. Then a vital piece of evidence allows them to close the net.

Episode 6: The police finally figure it out, but the journalist puts herself in harm’s way trying to solve the case.

The Circe Complex

Episode 1: Tom Foreman kills a policeman after stealing jewelry worth a fortune. Caught and incarcerated, he refuses to reveal the loot’s whereabouts, even to prison psychiatrist Ollie Milton.

Episode 2: Ollie and Tom’s wife, Val, enlist the help of ex-con “Cat" Devlin in their plot to locate the hidden jewels.

Episode 3: Ollie takes harsh measures to get Tom to talk, but things go dreadfully wrong. Cat realizes it’s his word against that of the respected Dr. Milton.

Episode 4: The case against Cat looks watertight, but Detective Bannister has doubts. Why does Cat stick so doggedly to his story—and insist his relationship with Val wasn’t strictly business?

Episode 5: Bannister remains suspicious about Tom’s death but starts an affair with Val, who is more than happy to provide an easy out for the conflicted detective.

Episode 6: Ollie finally learns where the jewels are stashed, but his quest to recover them spirals out of control.

Quiet as a Nun

Episode 1: Television journalist Jemima Shore investigates the death of her old friend, a nun who starved herself to death in her convent’s tower.

Episode 2: Shore learns that Sister Miriam had recently inherited a fortune. While one nun warns Shore to get out while she can, another is all too eager to confide her suspicions.

Episode 3: Shore hears of an apparition that haunts the hallways at night and seems to portend death. Flashlight in hand, she goes off in search of the “Black Nun."

Episode 4: The schoolgirls speculate that Sister Miriam wanted to leave the convent and had recently changed her will.

Episode 5: Shore finds an underground passageway from the crypt to the tower and discovers a link between the dead nun and a missing schoolgirl. Unfortunately, the Black Nun is also on the hunt.

Episode 6: With Shore’s life in danger and the future of the convent at risk, help arrives from an unexpected source.

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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Copyright © 2010 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

The Mystery Bookshelf: The Man from Hell by Barrie Roberts

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 Man from Hell by Barrie Roberts
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Titan Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: March 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-84856-508-1

About The Man from Hell (from the publisher): In 1886, wealthy philathropist Lord Backwater is found beaten to death on the grounds of his estate. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must unravel the mystery by pitting their wits against a ruthless new enemy, taking them across the globe in search of the killer.

By turns both thrilling and daring, The Man from Hell, originally published in 1997 and reissued as part of The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Titan Books, braves dark new territories in the Holmes mythology and is an invaluable addition to the library of any Holmes fan.

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About Barrie Roberts: A writer, human rights activist, musician, artist and advisor, Roberts wrote ten Sherlock Holmes pastiche novels from 1995 until his death in 2007.

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Save 10% on BedandBreakfast.com Gift Cards, Perfect to Use for a Murder Mystery Weekend!

Games of Mystery is pleased to provide our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services. Below is a special offer we recently received that may be of interest to you.

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Looking to get away for a few days? Why not consider a mystery weekend at one of the many bed-and-breakfasts and inns across the country that offer this entertaining event! We've recently updated our Murder Mystery Weekend page with those establishments that provide information about their mystery weekend or event packages on their websites. Most of the listings are associated with BedandBreakfast.com, and that's where the special offer comes in.

From now through May 10, 2010, you can save 10% on any BedandBreakfast.com Gift Card purchase of $100 or more! Simply enter coupon code BBMOM10 at checkout. BedandBreakfast.com gift cards may be used at any inn on the site that welcomes gift cards, including many that offer mystery weekend packages.

For more information about BedandBreakfast.com, click on the banner below.

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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic, and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations!

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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers

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 Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Titan Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: March 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-84856-509-8

About The Stalwart Companions (from the publisher): Before Sherlock Holmes formed his longstanding alliance with the inimitable Dr. Watson, one of his earliest investigations was alongside the future President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. These "stalwart companions" must together solve a most complicated case that could herald the death of the American Dream.

The Stalwart Companions, one of Holmes’ most exciting and unusual chronicles, originally published in 1978 and subtitled "Heretofore unpublished letters and papers concerning a singular collaboration between Theodore Roosevelt and Sherlock Holmes", is being reissued as a title in The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series by Titan Books.

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About H. Paul Jeffers: An established military historian and author of seventy books, Jeffers died late last year at the age of 75. He was the author of several mystery series as well as books and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.

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Games of Mystery: Haunted Manor Lord of Mirrors, New from Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual game from Big Fish Games released today and available to BFG Club members. 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.

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Help Stan Riddle escape the Haunted Manor! After being trapped by the Lord of Mirrors, Stan needs you to guide him to safety. Use your hidden object skills to find valuable items and piece together perplexing puzzles. Discover why a beautiful mansion has been abandoned and what caused the owner to disappear. Come up with a clever escape plan to reach your friends!

For a more in-depth game experience, see also Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Collector's Edition.

Also available: Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Strategy Guide and a Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Game Walkthrough.

Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (242.82 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

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

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Mystery Bestsellers for April 09, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending April 09, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Harlan Coben's non-series thriller Caught retains the top spot this week, but four new titles -- more than we've seen in many months -- move into the top 15.

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Moving from just off the list last week to 7th position this week is the 25th Alex Delaware thriller, Deception by Jonathan Kellerman.

Her name is Elise Freeman, and her chilling cry for help—to whoever may be listening—comes too late to save her. On a DVD found near her lifeless body, the emotionally and physically battered woman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at one of L.A.’s most prestigious prep schools. With Elise now dead by uncertain means, homicide detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to probe the hallowed halls of Windsor Prep Academy. And if ever he could use Dr. Alex Delaware’s psychological prowess, it’s now.

From the get-go, this case promises to be an uphill climb for truth and a down and dirty fight for justice. Allegations of rape, assault, and possibly murder at this esteemed institution renowned for molding Ivy Leaguers make for a social and political time bomb—especially given that one of the students has connections high up in City Hall. As the scandal-conscious elite of L.A. close ranks around Windsor Prep, Alex and Milo must penetrate the citadel of wealth and scholarship to expose the hidden anguish, dirty secrets, and deadly sins festering among society’s manor-born. But power and position are not easily surrendered, for that’s when the best and the brightest turn brutal and ugly. Searching for predators among the privileged, Alex and Milo may well be walking into a highly polished death trap.

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Also moving up is Known to Evil, the second Leonid McGill mystery by Walter Mosley.

McGill has split up with his girlfriend, Aura, because his new self won't let him leave his wife—but then Aura's new boyfriend starts angling to get Leonid kicked out of his prime, top-of-the­skyscraper office space. Meanwhile, one of his sons seems to have found true love-but the girl has a shady past that's all of sudden threatening the whole McGill family—and his other son, the charming rogue Twilliam, is doing nothing but enabling the crisis.

Most ominously of all, Alfonse Rinaldo, the mysterious power-behind- the-throne at City Hall, the fixer who seems to control every little thing that happens in New York City, has a problem that even he can't fix—and he's come to Leonid for help. It seems a young woman has disappeared, leaving murder in her wake, and it means everything to Rinaldo to track her down. But he won't tell McGill his motives, which doesn't quite square with the new company policy—but turning down Rinaldo is almost impossible to even contemplate.

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New this week in the 12th spot is the 22nd Richard Jury mystery, The Black Cat by Martha Grimes.

Three months have passed since Richard Jury was left bereft and guilt- ridden after his lover's tragic auto accident, and he is now more wary than ever. He is deeply suspicious when requested on a case far out of his jurisdiction in an outlying village where a young woman has been murdered behind the local pub. The only witness is the establishment's black cat, who gives neither crook nor clue as to the girl's identity or her killer's.

Identifying the girl becomes tricky when she's recognized as both the shy local librarian and a posh city escort, and Jury must use all his wits and intuition to determine the connection to subse­quent escort murders. Meanwhile, Jury's nemesis, Harry Johnson, continues to goad Jury down a dangerous path. And Johnson, along with the imperturbable dog Mungo, just may be the key to it all.

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Finally, also new this week coming in at number 13 is A River in the Sky, the 19th mystery in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.

August 1910. Banned from the Valley of the Kings by the Antiquities Service, Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, are relaxing at home in Kent, enjoying the tranquil beauty of summer. But adventure soon beckons when they are persuaded to follow would-be archaeologist Major George Morley on an expedition to Palestine, a province of the crumbling, corrupt Ottoman Empire and the Holy Land of three religions. Searching for the vanished treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, Morley is determined to unearth the legendary Ark of the Covenant.

The skeptical Emerson wants no part of the scheme until a request from the War Office and Buckingham Palace persuades him to reconsider. The Germans are increasing their influence in Palestine and British intelligence insists that Morley is an agent of the Kaiser, sent to stir up trouble in this politically volatile land. Emerson can't believe that the seemingly inept Morley is a German spy, but could he be mistaken?

Determined to prevent a catastrophically unprofessional excavation that could destroy priceless historical finds as well as cause an armed protest by infuriated Christians, Jews, and Muslims who view the Temple Mount, also known as the Dome of the Rock, as sacred, Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine. Though it is not to her beloved Egypt, the trip to Jerusalem will also reunite her with her handsome and headstrong son, Ramses, working on a dig at Samaria, north of the holy city.

Before Ramses can meet his parents, however, he is distracted by an unusual party of travelers who have arrived in Samaria, including a German woman archaeologist and a mysterious man of unknown nationality and past. Unfortunately, Ramses's insatiable curiosity and his knack for trouble lead him to a startling discovery: information he must pass on to his parents in Jerusalem—if he can get there alive.

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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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Mystery Book Review: Drink the Tea by Thomas Kaufman

Drink the Tea
by Thomas Kaufman
A Willis Gidney Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-60730-X (031260730X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-60730-2 (9780312607302)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $24.99

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Review: Washington DC private investigator Willis Gidney searches for a buddy's 25-year-old daughter -- a girl he never knew existed until a few days ago -- in Drink the Tea, the first mystery in this series by Thomas Kaufman and winner of the 2008 PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest.

The buddy is Steps Jackson, who plays sax in a local jazz band, and the girl's name is Bobbie. Her mother may have been a former girlfriend of Steps, first name Colette, last name and current location unknown; and the last known reference to Bobbie is from a high school classmate. Not much to go on. Still, Gidney starts his inquiry and shortly after finding Colette and speaking to her, she's murdered, Gidney arrested for the crime. Released on bail by Colette's husband, who hires him to find the real killer, Gidney then finds himself pursued by a couple of thugs determined to interfere with his investigation -- permanently. Gidney teams up with Lilly, a computer programmer and internet whiz, and together they uncover a number of seemingly random facts related to the case, but none of which seem to help them in finding Bobbie.

Drink the Tea is a very good mystery, but first and foremost, at least in this initial book in the series, it's about introducing Willis Gidney -- which isn't even his real name. Refusing to give his name to the authorities when he's arrested as a youth, they assign him the last names of the two cops that brought him in. There are lengthy passages on Gidney's time spent in a "residential youth center", his criminal activities as a pre-teen, and of the foster home of a D.C. detective in which he lived for an extended period. As an adult, Gidney is brazenly self-confident, an honorable cad (if that's not too much of an oxymoron). For example, unable to find a parking spot near a government building, he lifts a police placard from a nearby parked cruiser for his own car. Here's a passage on what happens next.

I returned to the Capitol Hill police lot in time to see a D.C. tow truck remove the unmarked police cruiser from which I had removed the cardboard POLICE slip. I really had intended to return it, but now it might raise a few eyebrows if I did. Oh well. I could make much better use of the POLICE slip than they could.

Much of the appeal of this book depends on whether one takes to the character of Willis Gidney.

As for the plot, strip away all the personal backstories and there's not much left. Which is a little disappointing, because it's a first rate, multi-faceted mystery with all sorts of interconnecting threads that will challenge readers to untangle. At one point Lilly says, "We start with a right-wing ideologue, then a multinational conglomerate, and now we're, like, on to hemp and the EPA. I hope you don't mind me asking, but a girl gets a little curious."

While getting to know Willis Gidney is important, much of the historical context that is presented could have been spread over several books, leaving a little more time here to spend with him on what is quite a clever investigative journey.

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

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): Willis Gidney is a born liar and rip-off artist, an expert at the scam. Growing up without parents or a home, by age twelve he is a successful young man, running his own small empire, until he meets Shadrack Davies. That’s Captain Shadrack Davies, of the D.C. Police. Davies wants to reform Gidney and becomes his foster father. Though he tries not to, Gidney learns a small amount of ethics from Shad -- just enough to bother a kid from the streets for the rest of his life. Now Gidney is a PI, walking those same streets. So it's no surprise that when his closest friend, jazz saxophonist Steps Jackson, asks Gidney to find his missing daughter, Gidney is compelled to say yes -- even though she's been missing for twenty-five years. He finds a woman who may be the girl’s mother -- and within hours she turns up dead. The police accuse Gidney of the murder and throw him in jail.

Maybe Gidney should quit while he’s behind. But when his investigation puts him up against a ruthless multinational corporation, a two-faced congressman, and a young woman desperate to conceal her past, Gidney has no time left for second thoughts. In fact, he may have no time left at all.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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ABC Announces Summer Premiere Dates for its Crime Dramas The Gates, Scoundrels, and Rookie Blue

In a press release, the ABC Television Network announced its 2010 summer schedule, which includes three new scripted series, all crime dramas.

Sunday, June 20th at 9 PM (ET/PT): The Gates premieres. Nestled inside a private mountain community are The Gates. The image of perpetual suburban bliss, each street is lined with perfectly manicured homes protected by the massive iron gates, but a dark and delicious secret is buried just beneath the surface of this picturesque neighborhood.

Like most families that settle inside The Gates, the Monahans are unmoored from a complicated life they abandoned in Chicago. Named the new police chief of The Gates, Nick Monahan is expecting a change of pace in this quiet suburb. Nick's wife, Sarah, and their children, Charlie and Dana, are embarking on new adventures as well. Their house is to die for, but amidst the excitement, Sarah is still burdened with the revelation that her husband may not be the man she thought he was. Charlie and Dana will also face some challenges of their own: Along with navigating the trials and tribulations of adolescence, they'll also face the daunting task of fitting into their new upscale school, where their new friends run in tight-knit packs.

There's something very different about this place, almost ... haunting. Unions will be complicated by friends with unnatural influence, insatiable housewives will struggle with ravenous cravings, and teenagers will be cursed with keeping their beastly instincts in check. The Monahans are facing an uncertain fate. Nick is about to be tangled up in a mystery where he will begin to piece together the dark truth about their new home, and the supernatural elements that lurk behind the shadows of The Gates.

The Gates stars Frank Grillo as Nick Monohan, Marisol Nichols as Sarah Monahan, Rhona Mitra as Claire Radcliff, Luke Mably as Dylan Radcliff, Travis Caldwell as Charlie Monohan, Skyler Samuels as Andie Bates, Colton Haynes as Brett Crezski, Chandra West as Devon, Victoria Platt as Peg Mueller, Justin Miles as Marcus Jordan and Janina Gavankar as Leigh Turner.

Sunday, June 20th at 10 PM (ET/PT): Scoundrels premieres. Based on the New Zealand series Outrageous Fortune, Scoundrels focuses on a family of small-time criminals who try to go straight after the father is sent to prison. Virginia Madsen plays Cheryl West, the mother who must take charge and try to keep her kids on the straight and narrow.

The series also stars David James Elliott as Wolfgang "Wolf" West; Patrick Flueger as Logan West/Calvin "Cal" West; Leven Rambin as Heather West; Vanessa Marano as Hope West and Carlos Bernard as Sergeant Mack.

Thursday, June 24th at 9 PM (ET/PT): Rookie Blue premieres. A fun, fresh, high-stakes drama with a twist of danger follows the lives of five young, ambitious cops right out of the Academy. From their very first day on the job, these rookies are plunged into the world of big city policing, a world where even the smallest mistake can have life-or-death consequences and serious emotional fall-out. The soul of this close-knit group is 26-year-old perfectionist Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym). Honest to a fault, all Andy has ever wanted to be is "good police." Her father was a cop, and while he wasn't the best cop -- or the best father - Andy knows she'll never find this sense of family, loyalty and excitement in any other job. The series explores the trials, triumphs, competition and camaraderie of Andy and her rookie family -- boyfriends, best friends, mentors and competitors -- who are about to learn that no amount of training can prepare them for life.

The series also stars Gregory Smith as Dov Epstein, Charlotte Sullivan as Gail Peck, Enuka Okuma as Traci Nash and Travis Milne as Chris Diaz.

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Adaptation of At Risk by Patricia Cornwell Premieres This Saturday on Lifetime

This Saturday, April 10th at 9 PM (ET/PT), Lifetime presents the premiere of its made-for-television movie adaptation of At Risk by Patricia Cornwell. The film stars Andie MacDowell as Massachusetts District Attorney Monique "Money" Lamont and Daniel Sunjata as State Police Investigator Win Garano, who investigate a cold case, an unsolved crime that took place more than 20 years ago.

The characters return the following Saturday in an adaptation of The Front, the second book in the series by Cornwell. We'll have more on that movie next week.

Watch a preview for both films following the synopsis of At Risk below.

About At Risk (from the publisher): A Massachusetts state investigator is called home from Knoxville, Tennessee, where he is completing a course at the National Forensic Academy. His boss, the district attorney, attractive but hard-charging, is planning to run for governor, and as a showcase she's planning to use a new crime initiative called At Risk-its motto: "Any crime, any time." In particular, she's been looking for a way to employ cutting-edge DNA technology, and she thinks she's found the perfect subject in an unsolved twenty-year-old murder-in Tennessee. If her office solves the case, it ought to make them all look pretty good, right?

Her investigator is not so sure-not sure about anything to do with this woman, really-but before he can open his mouth, a shocking piece of violence intervenes, an act that shakes up not only both their lives but the lives of everyone around them. It's not a random event. Is it personal? Is it professional? Whatever it is, the implications are very, very bad indeed ... and they're about to get much worse.

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Mystery Book Review: Water Hazard by Don Dahler

Water Hazard
by Don Dahler
A Huck Doyle Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-38353-3 (0312383533)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38353-4 (9780312383534)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $24.99

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Review: Los Angeles private investigator and on-again/off-again golf pro Huck Doyle finds himself playing a practice round at a course near Honolulu when one of his playing partners slumps to the ground, not from a heart attack as originally thought, but from a gunshot wound to the back, in Water Hazard, the second mystery in this series by Don Dahler.

The dead man is Sing Ten Wong, father of one of Huck's law school buddies, and CEO of a prominent bank in Hawaii. What's most surprising about the crime is that the shooter had to have been positioned behind Wong, yet from Huck's perspective, there was nothing but ocean to be seen. Wong's executive assistant subsequently meets with Huck and asks him to investigate, leading him to discover no shortage of suspects who may have had a reason to see the bank executive not finish his round of golf alive.

Water Hazard is written in a rather unusual manner. There are, for instance, no "he said"s or "she said"s. In fact, not only are there no character references to indicate who says what, there aren't even quotation marks. Instead, all dialog is in the form of indented paragraphs. To distinguish it from standard paragraphs, all narrative is not indented. And all paragraphs have an extra line of white space between them. It takes a little getting used to, but somewhat surprisingly, it seems to work. The dialog is typically in the form of short sentences, not unlike natural speech, so it's fairly easy to follow, even without the "said"s. Here's a brief sample:

The voice was as silky as the jet black hair.

Manhattan, please.

I gave a nod to the barman, who returned the nod and got to work on the drink. My new friend held out a hand.

Lisa Tan.

Huck Doyle.

I know.

You know?

I'm with the bank. Mr. Ching asked me to meet with you.

Damn.

Of course. And here I thought one of my groupies had caught up with me.

She smiled again, but it was that indulgent smile beautiful women pull out when they're deflecting a flirtatious comment.

That being said (so to speak), Water Hazard is, as a mystery, more superficial than substantial. It has all the requisite elements of a crime novel but lacks a sense of urgency, the competitive spirit, as it were. For example, one has the impression that almost as much time is devoted to discussing the game of golf as is investigating the murder of Wong. This may be no different in concept than what occurs in a crafty or culinary cozy, but for some reason it seems more casual, even leisurely, here. Still, the plot plays out well, the characters generally interesting and appealing. Readers looking for something a bit different and not too demanding in the way of a mystery to take along on vacation this summer may find Water Hazard to be a good choice.

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

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): Golf is a game of consistency, and after too many missed fairways, missed putts, and missed cuts, Huck Doyle’s career as a Tour pro is on life support. The sometime private eye has lost his full-time PGA player status and is back to scraping it out on minor tournaments. So it’s only by the generosity of the father of an old law-school pal, Rick Wong, that Huck finds himself in paradise with a rare sponsor’s exemption, gearing up to play in the Sony Open in Hawaii. But when his benefactor keels over dead from a gunshot during a practice round, Huck is obligated to find out who killed the millionaire banker and pillar of the community. Is it the young wife? A competitor trying to stop a secret bank merger? Or was it an assassination ordered from some distant shores?

With his brother undergoing an experimental spinal-cord treatment and his relationship with a beautiful medical examiner showing some strain, Huck has more than enough on his mind as he tees off in a career-changing match. As the investigation carries him into the murky waters of international finance, computer encryptions, and the dark side of paradise, Huck finds himself playing the game of his life, on and off the golf course.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Games of Mystery: Dominic Crane's Dreamscape Mystery, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual game from Big Fish Games released today and available to BFG Club members. 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.

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Dominic Crane has been having recurring dreams about places he has never been to. He doesn't know what to make of it, and goes to his shrink hoping he will help him figure it out. Jump into this hidden object adventure game and begin a journey through places you’d never imagine. Travel through eerie worlds and navigate through a maze of puzzles to uncover the meaning behind the mysterious dreams.

Dominic Crane's Dreamscape Mystery may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (128.97 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

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

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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic, and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations!

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