Mystery Book Review: Sham Rock by Ralph McInerny

Sham Rock
by Ralph McInerny
A University of Notre Dame Mystery

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-58265-X (031258265X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-58265-4 (9780312582654)
Publication Date: April 2010
List Price: $24.99

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Review: The circumstances surrounding the disappearance 20 years earlier of a Notre Dame student attract the attention of Professor Roger Knight and his brother Philip, a retired private investigator, in Sham Rock, the 13th mystery in this series by the late Ralph McInerny.

At the height of the financial bubble prior to 2009, investment banker David Williams pledged millions to fund the Williams Center for Ethics on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Now, a year later and nearly broke, he returns to the university from which he graduated to inform the officials that his donation would be delayed. Separately, a former classmate of David's and once a close friend, Patrick Pelligrino, who is now a monk at a Trappist monastery in Kentucky, donates a lifetime of papers to the university archives. Included among these papers is a cryptic note that suggests David may have been involved in the disappearance of another classmate, Timothy Quinn, the third of the so-called "trinity" of friends, who left the campus while a student and was never seen again. Roger and Philip Knight are intrigued by the puzzle presented and set out to determine if there is any truth to the allegation that David Williams may have gotten away with murder so many years ago.

Sham Rock is not a typical mystery. About three-quarters of the book, the first 200 pages, is basically a setup to a murder that finally takes place and is resolved in the final 70 pages. To be sure, there is a lot of credible misdirection in the plot, which would seem to involve whether Timothy Quinn was killed or not and whether David Williams was involved or not. But it's clear from the various subplots that something else is going on. And there is some appeal, from a mystery reader's perspective, to not knowing exactly where the story is going. Yet the resolution is not all that satisfying. One would think that given the length of time spent on setting up the murder, the outcome would have more punch. Fans of the series will no doubt enjoy what is likely to be its final entry, but newcomers expecting more of a traditional mystery may be disappointed in Sham Rock.

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

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): The University of Notre Dame relies on Roger Knight, the rotund professor of Catholic Studies, and his brother Philip, a semiretired PI, to investigate certain delicate situations that could put the school in a bad light. Students, faculty, and alumni, like David Williams, are all fair game.

Having been a successful financial adviser until recently, David has returned to campus to renege on a pledged donation to the university’s ethics program. While he’s there, one of his former classmates sends a letter confessing to the murder and a secret burial of one of their closest friends, a student who had gone missing decades before and was never found. As students, David, Patrick, and Timothy made up the “Trinity,” an irreverent nickname for three close friends and fierce rivals -- be it for on-campus prestige or the affections of a beautiful St. Mary’s student from across the road.

Ready to help the school put the whole sordid tragedy behind them, Roger and Philip set about the sad task of unearthing Timothy’s body, only to find that they have a much bigger mystery with which to contend.

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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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Film Adaptation of Mystery Adventure Game The Last Express may be in Development

The folks over at /Film have speculated that Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers), who said in an interview that he was "working on a movie now that is … situated in 1914, basically, Indiana Jones-ish you could say, but also Hitchcockian" and adapted from another medium, may be working on a film adaptation of the video game The Last Express.

Released in 1997, the storyline in the game is thought to be loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 film The Lady Vanishes. The artwork and characters are drawn in an art nouveau style, and the setting is the Orient Express, both of which evoke Agatha Christie. Unfortunately, the game received very little marketing at the time as the publisher was acquired by another company and its game division shut down.

More information about the game can be found on designer Jordan Mechner's website.

About The Last Express (from the publisher): Paris, 1914. The world is on the brink of war and your life is about to change forever.

You are Robert Cath, a young American who is urgently summoned by his friend Tyler Whitney to join him on the train departing the Gare de l'Est, Paris, 24 July for Constantinople.

Arriving late, you are overcome with the heavy feeling of danger. Something has gone terribly wrong. Before you can grab hold of your senses, the adventure overtakes you, and you are plunged into a world of suspense, romance, international intrigue, and murder.

The Last Express allows you to move freely through the rich and detailed 3D environment of the world's most luxurious train, circa 1914, during its final European crossing prior to the outbreak of WWI.

Gameplay involves interacting with characters, exploring objects, engaging in action sequences and uncovering multiple story threads -- with your perspective shifting from 1st person to 3rd person for maximum dramatic effect.

The fluid, constantly-changing way the other characters react to you -- and the fact that the train moves relentlessly onward -- creates a sense of real-time suspense and unpredictability beyond that of a traditional adventure game.

Information gained is used to piece together a series of interrelated puzzles which advance you through the story. If you are clever enough, you ultimately discover the shocking secrets of The Last Express ... before it's too late!

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Games of Mystery: Art of Murder, Hunt for the Puppeteer, 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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Nicole Bonnet is a young, but experienced, FBI agent following a series of mysterious and brutal murders. This time she has to face new challenges and solve another dark mystery that will take her to two continents –- from France and Spain to exotic Cuba. Her investigation requires courage, devotion and logical thinking. Find out why the perpetrator leaves mysterious dolls in 18th century costumes by the corpses of the murdered people. Determine what connects the victims, seemingly chosen by random, and discover this ruthless killer's motive. This point-and-click adventure game is full of intricate intrigue, interesting characters, absorbing dialog, and complicated puzzles.

See also the previous game in this series, Art of Murder: FBI Confidential.

Art of Murder: Hunt for the Puppeteer may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (256.47 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour; the full version is 1.87 GB.

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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Disney's The Great Mouse Detective, Restored and Remastered, New on DVD Today

Available today is the newly restored, digitally remastered special edition of the 1986 Disney classic The Great Mouse Detective. Subtitled the "Mystery in the Mist Edition", the storyline borrows heavily from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and is based on Eve Titus's book Basil of Baker Street.

Bonus features on this DVD include a new "So You Think You Can Sleuth?" game, "The Making of The Great Mouse Detective", "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" sing-along song, and more!

About The Great Mouse Detective (from the studio): From the creators of The Princess and the Frog and The Little Mermaid comes the story of a clever little hero on a great big adventure. Join the Sherlock Holmes of Mousedom on a heroic journey unraveling clues through London. If you like Sherlock Holmes, you'll love The Great Mouse Detective. When the diabolical Professor Ratigan kidnaps the city's master toymaker, the brilliant Basil of Baker Street and his trusted sidekick Dawson set off to track down Basil's lifelong nemesis. Little do they know that the evil rat's trail leads all the way to The Queen at Buckingham Palace! Get on the case with Basil, the master of disguise, as he tries to elude the ultimate rattrap and foil the perfect crime.

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David Suchet Wants to Complete Filming Hercule Poirot Adaptations, but on His Own Terms

In a press release today, David Suchet stated that he wants to star in additional film adaptations of Hercule Poirot stories ... but on his own terms.

He said: "I only have six more stories to do and that will be the complete works of Hercule Poirot. I'm desperate to do it, while God gives me life."

But he added: "I'd probably say no if they asked me to film the final six on a limited budget."

Hercule Poirot appeared in 33 novels and 51 short stories by Agatha Christie from 1920 to 1975, and David Suchet has starred in the television adaptations since 1989 of all but six. To many people, he is Hercule Poirot.

Suchet also revealed that "[t]he word is, unofficially, some scripts may be in development. I'd like to think that over the next 18 months we could do six films and then I think he should hang up his spats. When he does I'll have two reactions. Thrilled to have achieved that -- a complete works of such an iconic literary figure. Then devastated, as it will be a death."

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NBC Orders Law & Order: Los Angeles for Fall 2010 Season

Deadline.com is reporting that NBC is not only leaning towards renewing Law & Order for a record-setting 21st season (with some financial help from TNT), but that the network has also picked up a 13-episode order for yet another spin-off of the series, Law & Order: Los Angeles. Brotherhood creator Blake Masters is on board to write the new series with creator Dick Wolf, to be set in (probably obviously) Los Angeles.

In addition, according to the article, Law & Order: SVU has been cleared for a 12th season, which, together with Law & Order: Criminal Intent on USA Network, will mean Wolf will have four Law & Order series on the air at the same time (and maybe five, if one counts Law & Order: UK).

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Ridley Scott to Produce Mini-Series Adaptation of Pompeii by Robert Harris

The Guardian is reporting that Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Body of Lies) is on board to produce a 4-hour mini-series adaptation of Pompeii by Robert Harris. Harris is the author of the thriller The Ghost, which was adapted into the recently released film The Ghost Writer starring Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor.

Scott described Pompeii as "a strong and compelling character drama set against a backdrop of a flourishing but ultimately doomed civilisation – exactly what makes great event television."

About Pompeii: All along the Mediterranean coast, the Roman empire's richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas, enjoying the last days of summer. The world's largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii.

But the carefree lifestyle and gorgeous weather belie an impending cataclysm, and only one man is worried. The young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples. His predecessor has disappeared. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta's sixty-mile main line -- somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.

Attilius -- decent, practical, and incorruptible -- promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. His plan is to travel to Pompeii and put together an expedition, then head out to the place where he believes the fault lies. But Pompeii proves to be a corrupt and violent town, and Attilius soon discovers that there are powerful forces at work -- both natural and man-made -- threatening to destroy him.

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Crippen and Landru Announces Its Newest Short Story Collection, Appleby Talks About Crime by Michael Innes

Specialty mystery publisher Cripper and Landru notified us today that its latest collection of short stories, Appleby Talks About Crime by Michael Innes, is now available.

Under the pseudonym of Michael Innes, Oxford don John Innes Macintosh Stewart (1906-1994) was a dominant figure in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, when the mystery story was an elegant and witty entertainment, when all the clues were given so that the reader (if quick-witted enough) could reach the solution at the same time as the detective.

Innes’s sleuth, Inspector Appleby (later, Sir John Appleby, Commissioner of Scotland Yard), who first appeared in 1936, is sophisticated and educated, just as capable of making an obscure allusion to an English poet as he was to read the clues left by the criminal. The cases Appleby investigates are often convoluted but with a touch of the fantastic, set often in the aristocratic world of country estates and gentleman’s clubs.

Appleby Talks About Crime includes 18 previously uncollected stories, often told by Appleby himself to the six-member Mystery Club, and all have the marvelous gloss of superb storyteller. The book includes an introduction by the editor, an essay on Appleby by Michael Innes, a reminiscence of her father by Dr. Margaret Macintosh Harrison, and a complete list of all the Appleby short stories. It is edited by John Cooper, who has previously compiled collections by Michael Gilbert and Julian Symons.

Two editions of the book are available: Appleby Talks About Crime (Hardcover) and Appleby Talks About Crime (Trade Paperback).

And a quick look at what's ahead for the publisher: The Columbo Collection, 12 original stories by William Link, the co-creator of Lietuenant Columbo, is currently in press and should be available next month!

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Harlequin Intrigue Titles for May 2010

eHarlequin.com has released the May 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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Man Undercover by Alana Matthews

A cabin in the Colorado mountains promised Tara Richards a break from reporting … until a stranger sent her life into a tailspin. Rough and tumble in those blue jeans, Matt Hathaway brought trouble to her door. There was no mistaking the pistol tucked at his waist, or his urgent need for a hostage.

Deep undercover, Matt had less than a day to stop a bombing, and Tara was his last lifeline. Entrenched in the biggest story of her career, Tara could control her own destiny, but not the man by her side. After all, he promised the most thrilling night of her entire life!

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Stranger in a Small Town by Kerry Connor

The mysterious blue-eyed stranger who showed up in the middle of the night wasn't just looking for work. No, when "John Samuels" signed on with Maggie Harper to restore the decrepit old house, he was hoping for answers and a chance to face the demons of his past. But then strange happenings started threatening his beautiful new boss—and disrupting the passion that sparked between them. Someone didn't want them in that house. Someone who knew the truth about what had happened there thirty years before, about the brutal murder that destroyed John's family.

John never expected redemption. But danger waited in the old house, haunting them both …

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Stranded with the Prince by Dana Marton

Can a royal bachelor and a meddlesome matchmaker ignore their attraction while stranded—with killers?

Prince Lazlo knew he'd been tricked when he wound up stranded on a remote island with a nosy "marriage consultant" who'd been hired to find him the perfect princess bride. And the worst part was, she was the one woman he'd tried—and failed!—to seduce, claiming she never fell for a client. But the squabbling stopped once Lazlo realized they weren't alone, and in order to elude the desperate killers stalking them, they had to work as a team. Imminent danger had a surprising upside, he discovered. Out of her element, Milda let down her hair and her guard. Now if only she'd break her number one matchmaking rule …

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Hitched! by B. J. Daniels

Following a trail of secrets back to his family ranch, Jack Winchester needed a cover to solve a decades-old mystery. And Josey Smith offered him the perfect one—if she would agree to pose as his wife for a week. The gorgeous redhead was up to her neck in trouble, and Jack protected what was his, pretend marriage or not.

On the run from a killer, Josey had no choice but to accept Jack's proposal. She no longer trusted herself to tell the good guys from the bad, but the handsome, blue-eyed cowboy made her feel safe. Yet it soon became apparent that the sparks that flew between them were anything but fake, and the danger they faced was all too real …

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Her Bodyguard by Mallory Kane

Always stubborn and independent, Angela Grayson thought she could take care of herself. Lucas Delancey knew better. Someone was stalking his best friend's little sister, and Lucas wasn't going to leave her side until he knew she was safe. Even though that meant he'd spend torturous hours resisting the curve of her lips.

Angela didn't want a bodyguard. Especially one who'd rejected her after one soul-melting kiss a lifetime ago. But she was in over her head. And she knew she could trust Lucas to protect her. She just didn't know if she trusted him not to break her heart again …

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The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen

In the past twenty-four hours Sabrina Carr had been shot at, kidnapped and held hostage. As if being eight months pregnant wasn't stressful enough!

Now, after narrowly escaping the clutches of masked gunmen, Sabrina and her baby needed a protector. That's when hot Texas cop Shaw Tolbert came to her rescue. As the surrogate mother to his child, Sabrina couldn't help the sizzling attraction to Shaw that the danger stirred up … or the kiss that told her she meant more to him than she ever realized. With her attackers still on the loose, Sabrina's priority was keeping the baby safe. But how could she keep her cool when things were so hot?

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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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MBN Receives the Sunshine Award from In Reference To Murder!

What a pleasant surprise to learn this morning that the BV Lawson over at In Reference to Murder had given us the Sunshine Award, recognizing our "contagious positivity and creativity [that] inspire others in the blogging universe." We can imagine the eyes of our family and friends rolling already, but it's nice to be recognized by one of our peers. If you haven't read In Reference to Murder, subscribe now; her regular features include Media Murder (on Mondays), Mystery Melange (on Wednesdays), and Forgotten Books (on Fridays), all must-read posts for mystery lovers. Thanks so much, BV!

Ah, but with recognition comes responsibility. We're asked to post the rules, and more importantly, follow them!

1. Put the logo (image) on a post;
2. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers;
3. Link to the nominees within the post;
4. Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blogs; and
5. Link to the person from whom you received this award.

Herewith are our choices for 12 bloggers that we read regularly, in no particular order; we're trying not to include those that may not have already received the award, even though we consider them notable as well:

1. Book Trends
2. Scene of the Crime
3. EuroCrime
4. YA Sleuth
5. Mystery Reader Discussion
6. Bookish Ruth
7. Classic Mysteries
8. Mysterious Matters
9. Shhh I'm Reading
10. Murder by 4
11. Cafe of Dreams
12. Wendy's Minding Spot

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Mystery Book Review: On Deadly Ground by Michael Norman

On Deadly Ground
by Michael Norman
A JD Books Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-692-1 (1590586921)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-692-1 (9781590586921)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $24.95

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Review: John David "J. D." Books returns to his hometown in Utah as a law enforcement ranger only to be immediately faced with a controversial murder in On Deadly Ground, a stand-alone mystery, or possibly the first in a series, by Michael Norman.

J. D. had served 11 years as a homicide detective in Denver, but was forced to resign after an ill-fated incident. When he was offered a job in Kanab as a ranger for the new Bureau of Law Enforcement, he jumped at the chance. But Kanab is a town in turmoil, a community deeply divided over the politics of land management. The Escalante Environmental Wilderness Alliance (EEWA), led by activist David Greenbriar who wants to save what is left of the land for future generations, is opposed by the Citizens for a Free West (CFW), led by wealthy rancher Neil Eddins who maintains the land should be used to support its citizens. When Greenbriar is found hanging from a barn rafter -- after being shot -- Sheriff Charley Sutter turns to J. D. for help in solving the crime. A prime suspect is quickly identified, Lance Clayburn, a man having an affair with the dead man's wife who also happens to own a rifle identical to the one used to kill Greenbriar. And if that weren't enough, evidence places Clayburn at the scene of the crime. But J. D. isn't convinced. Something simply doesn't add up. He has the support of the sheriff, but for how long? Long enough, he hopes, for him to try to sort out some of the conflicting facts contributing to this case.

On Deadly Ground is a perplexing mystery, but in the good way that draws readers into the investigation surrounding the circumstances of Greenbriar's murder. J. D. is an appealing, solidly developed character with something of a mysterious past himself; one isn't quite sure if he's allowing his past to dictate his present train of thought or not. He's quick to point out there were plenty of other people who may have wanted the EEWA leader dead, including any of the members of the CFW who thought him inflexible in his dealing with them, members of his own EEWA who thought him too lenient in his dealings with the CFW, even his young widow who stands to inherit a large amount of money and land ... none of whom seem to be considered by others to be potential suspects. And why are people so anxious to pin the crime on Clayburn? J. D. has been given a short amount of time to offer an alternative to Clayburn, and this factor helps quicken the pace of the story while ramping up the suspense. On Deadly Ground is a real page-turner, to see if J. D. can out-maneuver the person -- or persons -- unknown who seem to be both manipulating the investigation ... and possibly J. D. himself.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of On Deadly Ground and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): Kanab, Utah is bitterly divided by the politics of land management. When environmentalist David Greenbriar is found dead, County Sheriff, Charley Sutter, seeks help from newly appointed Law Enforcement Ranger, J. D. Books. Books discovers that the victim’s widow has been having an affair with Lance Clayburn. Physical evidence links Clayburn to the killing. Books connects Greenbriar’s murder to a corrupt Kane County Sheriff’s deputy and a Las Vegas business conglomerate with ties to organized crime. Enter Peter Deluca, a very dangerous mob contract killer, who will eliminate anyone who can link him or his employer to Greenbriar’s murder.

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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 Godoku Puzzle for April 12, 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 K M O P R S T

This John Flanagan mystery introduced ex-Denver police detective Jesse Parker (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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