Mystery Bestsellers for December 17, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending December 17th, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

As is typical of mid-December, there are no new titles on the list this week ... and we expect it to remain quiet through the end of the year.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson continues its run as the top bestselling hardcover, while last week's featured title, The Sherlockian by Graham Moore, which actually debuted out of the top 15, moves up to number 8.

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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.

Warner Bros. Options Film Rights to A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss

Variety is reporting that Warner Bros. has optioned the film rights to A Conspiracy of Paper, the first book in the Benjamin Weaver mystery series by David Liss. Ridley Scott and Tony Scott will produce a screenplay adaptation by Danny Strong.

A Conspiracy of Paper was the winner of several prestigious awards in 2001, including the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Novel.

The book introduces Benjamin Weaver, a Jew and an ex-boxer, and an outsider in eighteenth-century London, tracking down debtors and felons for aristocratic clients. The son of a wealthy stock trader, he lives estranged from his family -- until he is asked to investigate his father's sudden death. Thus Weaver descends into the deceptive world of the English stock jobbers, gliding between coffee houses and gaming houses, drawing rooms and bordellos. The more Weaver uncovers, the darker the truth becomes, until he realizes that he is following too closely in his father's footsteps -- and they just might lead him to his own grave.

eHarlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Titles for January 2011

eHarlequin.com has released the January 2011 titles in their Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Danger on Her Doorstep by Rachelle McCalla

Her father's death didn't seem suspicious. Yet Maggie Arnold can't deny that there's something odd about the old Victorian house he was working on when he died. The house that Maggie has now inherited. All she wants is to finish the renovations, sell the house and leave Holyoake, Iowa … but that's easier said than done. The only handyman in town who steps up to help her is Gideon Bromley—a man no one in Holyoake wants to trust. And just beyond every corner hides the person determined to keep them both away from the house … for good.

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Missing by Lynette Eason

Her daughter is the most important person in Lacey Gibson's world. So when the girl disappears, Lacey will do anything to find her. Even track down a man she hasn't seen in sixteen years—U.S. Marshall Mason Stone, the father of her child.

Mason was perfectly content with his life until Lacey arrived. Her confession that their daughter—the daughter he didn't know they had—is missing shakes his carefully controlled world. But there's no time to adjust as they race to find their child, catch the kidnappers … and learn whether they can have a second chance at happily-ever-after.

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Point of No Return by Susan May Warren

An American boy and a warlord's engaged daughter have disappeared—together—in an Eastern European border country. Only one man can find them in time to prevent an international meltdown—Chet Stryker. But Chet is taken aback when he realizes the boy is the nephew of Mae Lund, Chet's former flame. When Mae insists on rescuing her relative herself, Chet knows he has to protect her from the enemy on their trail. Yet can he protect himself from falling for Mae again?

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Daughter of Texas by Terri Reed

Texas Ranger Ben Fritz would give his life to protect Corinna Pike. After all, she's his captain's beloved daughter—and the only witness to her father's murder. When the assassin targets Corinna, Ben dedicates himself to her safety…while keeping his distance. The beautiful ballerina deserves better than a rough-and-tough ranger. Yet Corinna refuses to ignore the draw between them, just as she refuses to give in to fear as danger grows. Ben will need her courage—and love—to guide him through the line of fire when the killer strikes again.

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Calendar of Mystery Events Updated for 2011

We've updated our Calendar of Mystery Events with mystery-themed conferences and festivals to be held in 2011 (through August or thereabouts). See the sidebar on this page for a list of these events, dates, and venues.

If you know of an event not mentioned here, please e-mail us at info(@)omnimystery.com and we'll be pleased to add it to the list.

Conspiracy in Kiev by Noel Hynd is Today's Featured Free Kindle Mystery

Kindle Mysteries is pleased to feature a mystery title that is currently available in Kindle eBook format for free from Amazon.com. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so download it today!

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Conspiracy in Kiev by Noel Hynd
The Russian Trilogy (1st in series)
Zondervan (Kindle eBook)
Download Link

About Conspiracy in Kiev (from the publisher): A shrewd investigator and an expert marksman, Special Agent Alexandra LaDuca can handle any case the FBI gives her. Or can she?

While on loan from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Alex is tapped to accompany a Secret Service team during an American Presidential visit to Ukraine. Her assignment: to keep personal watch over Yuri Federov, the most charming and most notorious gangster in the region. Against her better judgment—and fighting a feeling that she’s being manipulated—she leaves for Ukraine. But there are more parts to this dangerous mission than anyone suspects, and connecting the dots takes Alex across three continents and through some life-altering discoveries about herself, her work, her faith, and her future.

Read the first chapters of Conspiracy in Kiev below.

Help FBI Agent Nicole Bonnet Find a Ruthless Serial Killer in Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny, New from BFG

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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A mysterious package begins an epic duel of minds between FBI Agent Nicole Bonnet and a ruthless serial killer, who leaves playing cards by the bodies of his victims as signature. Does Nicole have what it takes to understand the mind of a psychopath, as complicated as his puzzles? If not, she might end up as his next trophy! Find crucial clues in gorgeous hidden object scenes and stop the murderer in this thrilling adventure! Warning: This game contains some graphic content.

See also the two previous games in this series, Art of Murder: FBI Confidential and Art of Murder: Hunt for the Puppeteer.

Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (333.62 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour; the full version is 1.78 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 Ms. Terri's reviews of the adventure and casual mystery games featured on this site, including Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses!, Enlightenus, and many more!

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!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Storyline Details Emerge

It's generally been known that the fourth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series is based, at least in part, on Tim Powers' 1987 adventure novel On Stranger Tides. Indeed, the title of the film is taken from the book.

Now, ComingSoon.net has some more details on the film's storyline, straight from the director, Rob Marshall, who spoke at a special event at Disneyland where the first trailer for the film was initially screened.

"The story takes us to some different places," Marshall explained, "which makes it nice that it's not the same old thing. The whole opening and the first third of the film takes place in London. So we start on dry land and there is an impostor that Jack is looking for. He then escapes from the palace, gets captured by King George and there is a huge carriage chase ... [W]e set sail and that is sort of the second act. It's a new ship, Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. Then Barbossa has a new ship called the Providence. The third act is this incredible jungle adventure through caves where they are looking for the Fountain of Youth."

Compare this to a synopsis of the book, which follows the exploits of John "Jack Shandy" Chandagnac, who travels to the new world after the death of his puppeteer father to confront his uncle, who has apparently made off with the family fortune. During the voyage, he befriends Beth Hurwood and her father Benjamin Hurwood, an Oxford professor. Before they arrive at their destination, their ship is waylaid by Blackbeard and his band of pirates. With the help of the professor and his assistant, the captain is killed and Chandagnac is pressed into piracy and sorcery as Blackbeard searches for the Fountain of Lost Youth. Chandagnac, newly dubbed "Jack Shandy," must stop the evil plot and save Beth Hurwood.

There are clearly some similarities here, though the film seems to be a loose adaptation of the book, at best.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, starring Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow (the Jack Shandy character in the book) and Ian McShane as Blackbeard, opens in theaters May 20th, 2011.

Sony Announces James Patterson: Catch a Killer, a New Facebook Game

In a press release today, Sony Online Entertainment announced James Patterson: Catch a Killer, a new free-to-play puzzle adventure game on Facebook.

In the game, players can search for clues and hidden items in gritty crime scene photos, and unearth the terrifying truths behind each clue by piecing together fingerprints or unlocking DNA sequences. James Patterson: Catch a Killer also features a virtual world where players can interact with friends and invite them to play the game, gift items and publish achievements in their News Feed. Energy packs and other in-game items can also be purchased through micro-transactions using Station Cash, SOE's virtual currency, to help in solving crimes.

Features of the game include:

• Play Free or Upgrade: James Patterson: Catch a Killer is a free-to-play game, but players can further enhance their gameplay by unlocking new cases and purchasing a variety of items through micro-transactions.

• Solve the Puzzle, Crack the Case: Search crime scenes for evidence, examine clues, piece together fingerprints and match DNA to unlock secrets, advance gameplay and get closer to solving the case.

• Unique Enemies: Players will chase unique criminals inspired by James Patterson, such as The Changeling, Ladykiller and Anniversary Killer.

• Gritty, Realistic Graphics: Mature and edgy graphics depict gruesome scenes equivalent to what is featured in the Alex Cross novels and on crime TV shows.

• Immersive Virtual World: Create an avatar and chat with friends in the James Patterson: Catch a Killer city. Swap tips, gift items to friends or just brag about your sleuthing skills.

• Customization and Achievements: Advance through the game earning or purchasing special elite items that can be displayed or gifted to friends.

For more information about the game, visit the James Patterson: Catch a Killer website.

eHarlequin Silhouette Romantic Suspense Titles for January 2011

Sparked by danger, fueled by passion, eHarlequin.com has released the January 2011 titles in their Silhouette Romantic Suspense series. Let yourself be swept away with characters who fall in love under larger-than-life circumstances. In Silhouette Romantic Suspense, suspense, emotion and glamour combine to create these highly charged books! 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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Cowboy Deputy by Carla Cassidy

An unknown darkness walks the streets of Black Rock. With a killer at large, Deputy Benjamin Grayson knows that an elderly man's claims of a supernatural phenomenon won't help matters. Yet what he doesn't know is that summoning the man's only relative will make her a target … one in need of his protection.

Edie Burnett comes to the sleepy Kansas town for her grandfather's sake—not to let down her guard for a handsome lawman. But Benjamin seems determined to prove that her hard-knock life has been void of friendship, passion and security for too long. She wants to be safe in his arms, but when danger closes in she may not get the chance …

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Underground Warrier by Evelyn Vaughn

"He's your enemy."

Those three words echo in Sibyl Daine's mind. Trace Beaudry's father—a member of a powerful secret society, the Comitatus—is responsible for imprisoning her for a crime she didn't commit. She's a hacker, not some thug. She doesn't know where Trace's true loyalties lie, but she soon finds the line between love and hate blurring …

Trace Beaudry is finished paying for his father's sins. But he intends to find answers about the sword he's uncovered—a weapon tied to the Comitatus. All he knows is that he is painfully attracted to sexy Sibyl. Can he get close enough to keep her safe—or will the secrets of the sword kill them both?

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The Sheik's Lost Princess by Linda Conrad

Sheik Shakir Kadir, scarred by warfare and lost love, is ready for the ultimate confrontation. But his deadly mission to bring down his family's archenemy is compromised by the discovery that the princess who destroyed his heart is now a prisoner.

Held captive in a war-ravaged country, Nikki Olivier has her own life-or-death task to complete: bring her kidnapped son home alive. Her only hope is Shakir, the man she's never stopped wanting. Royal obligation had forced her to hurt Shakir and keep the volatile secret that her missing child is also his. Once the truth is revealed, will they create their own family legacy—or will it be their destruction?

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Danger in the Desert by Merline Lovelace

"She who finds it is a messenger from the goddess herself …"

When Jaci Thornton finds a seemingly worthless scarab in a Cairo street, the timid librarian morphs from vacationer to adventurer. Unwittingly, she's fulfilled an ancient Egyptian prophecy, and unless sexy OMEGA agent Deke Griffin can protect her from its consequences, she may end up in Cairo's City of the Dead! Convincing Deke that she's innocent—not a part of a terrorist plot against Egypt—isn't easy. Seducing him is.

Passion must wait, though. With the real terrorists in pursuit of the scarab, Jaci flees with Deke to a deliciously sensual desert hideout. Jaci knows she's playing with fire, but this is her dream trip. Why not take a few scorch marks home as a souvenir?

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