Discover a Mysterious Secret in Victorian Mysteries: Woman in White, New from AVG

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce this week's new mystery and suspense casual and adventure games available for immediate download from Amazon Video Games.

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

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Victorian Mysteries: Woman in White

Who is this woman in white and where did she come from? What is her secret? Walter Hartright, a poor drawing teacher, finds himself in the middle of an inexplicable mystery. Somehow his future is intertwined with an elusive woman in white who harbors a dreadful secret. A secret so damaging her life is in danger. Explore Victorian mansions, search for clues, uncover diabolical plots, root out the lies, and discover the truth!

Based on the classic suspense novel by Wilkie Collins.

ESRB Rating: Not Specified.

Windows Vista/XP (262 MB download).

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

New Clip from the Thriller The Mechanic

CBS Films has released a short clip to its 2011 thriller, The Mechanic, a remake of the 1972 action thriller that stars Charles Bronson.

The Mechanic follows an elite assassin (Jason Statham) with a strict code and unique talen for cleanly eliminating targets. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed -- he wants those responsible dead.

His mission grows complicated when Harry's son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop's trade. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.

The Mechanic opens in theaters January 28th, 2011. More information about the film can be found on at CBS Films; watch the trailer below (via Yahoo! Movies):

Fear for Sale: Mystery of McInroy Manor, a Dark and Mysterious Game, 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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Emma Roberts has been assigned to write a story about an old haunted manor for Fear for Sale Magazine. The estate has been locked up for years, but a sizable donation from Emma’s editor has opened up the home for exploration. Unravel the tale of the demise of the McInroy family, and set their souls free in this dark and mysterious hidden object adventure game.

For a more in-depth gaming experience, check out the Fear for Sale: Mystery of McInroy Manor Collector's Edition, which features exclusive extras not available in the standard version including bonus gameplay, an in-game strategy guide, screensavers and wallpapers.

Fear for Sale: Mystery of McInroy Manor may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (143.34 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 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!

Mystery Bestsellers for December 24, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending December 24th, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Not unexpectedly, given that few new titles are released by publishers during late December, there few changes on the list this week compared to last week.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson looks as strong as ever, and will likely end 2010 as the bestselling mystery of the year.

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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.

New Trailer for The Lincoln Lawyer, Adapted from the Novel by Michael Connelly

About a month ago a teaser trailer was released for The Lincoln Lawyer, adapted from the bestselling novel by Michael Connelly.

The studio has now released a more complete trailer for the film, which you can watch below.

Matthew McConaughey stars as Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller, who has spent most of his career defending garden-variety criminals, operating from the back of his Lincoln Town Car. And then he lands the case of his career: defending Louis Roulet, a Beverly Hills playboy accused of rape and attempted murder. But the seemingly straightforward case suddenly develops into a deadly game of survival for Haller.

More information about the film can be found on the The Lincoln Lawyer website; watch the trailer below:

CBS Announces Its Mid-Season Schedule

In a press release today, CBS announced some mid-season changes in its television schedule.

Beginning January 19th, 2011, Blue Bloods will move to Wednesdays at 10 PM (ET/PT) for four consecutive weeks, after which it will return to its current Friday 10 PM (ET/PT) timeslot on February 11th. (We're big fans of this series and the reasoning for this temporary move completely escapes us.)

On Wednesday, February 16th, the new crime drama Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, a spin-off of the series Criminal Minds, premieres at 10 PM (ET/PT).

The Defenders moves to Fridays at 8 PM (ET/PT) starting February 4th. It will be succeeded on April 1st with CHAOS, a dramedy about a group of rogue CIA spies in the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services. (Not sure where the "H" comes into play here.)

Justified Returns for a Second Season, February 9th on FX

FX Networks has announced that its critically acclaimed series Justified will return for a second season run of 13 episodes on February 9th, 2011, at 10 PM (ET/PT).

The series stars Timothy Olyphant as Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens, a character created by crime novelist Elmore Leonard, who enforces the law his way in his Kentucky hometown, where he's exiled after killing a gun thug under questionable circumstances in Miami. ("It was justified," Raylan insists.)

The first season of Justified will be out on DVD and Blu-ray disc on January 18th, 2011; it may be pre-ordered from Telemystery: Justified.

Dan Brown Now Adapting His Own Novel, The Lost Symbol, for Film

The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business blog is reporting that author Dan Brown has assumed control of the screenplay being adapted from his bestselling novel The Lost Symbol. Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Emma's War) has already written a draft for Columbia Pictures, which hopes to have the movie in theaters in early summer 2012.

The film versions of Brown's previous first two novels featuring Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, were megahits by any standard. Tom Hanks played the principal character in the first two films, but has not yet committed to this third entry in the series.

If you haven't already read The Lost Symbol, you can read the first chapter or so below.

New Trailer for Spring 2011 Thriller Hanna

Focus Features has released a trailer for its upcoming thriller Hanna, starring Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) as a 14-year-old cold-hearted killing machine.

Raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna's upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative (Cate Blanchett) with secrets of her own. As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

Hanna opens in limited release on April 08, 2011. Watch the trailer below (via Yahoo! Movies):

Save 35% on Your First eBook Purchase from Kobo

A couple of days ago we announced that Kobo eBooks were now available to purchase from MystereBooks.com.

Today we've learned that Kobo is offering readers 35% off their first purchase from a list of select titles, just for registering as a free member on the site. Choose from dozens of mysteries and thrillers, or other popular fiction ebooks.

And here's another special offer: Purchase any Kobo wireless eReader and get $20 off with coupon code Kobo20. This offer ends on December 31st, 2010, and is available to US residents only.

First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for January 2011

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series books) scheduled for publication during January 2011, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens.

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Penny and Pepper 
Jeanne Betancourt
Series: The Pony Mysteries: 1st in series

Penny is visiting her grandparents out in the country for the summer. They have a surprise for her -- a pony named Pepper! Along with their new friends, Tom and Tina, Penny and Pepper solve mysteries in the neighborhood, and rescue a frightened kitten!

The Pony Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

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The Case of the Missing Moose 
Lewis B. Montgomery
Series: A Milo and Jazz Mystery: 6th in series

While Milo and Jazz, detectives-in-training, are at summer camps on the same lake, the mascot built by Milo's team for the color wars disappears.

The Milo and Jazz Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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Time Thief 
Carolyn Keene
Series: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: 28th in series

No summary available.

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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Fear Itself 
Andrew Clements
Series: Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers School: 2nd in series

Benjamin Pratt and his friend Jill make new contacts and uncover more clues in their effort to save their historic New England school from amusement-park developers. As the plot unrolls, the villain, a school janitor who actually works for the developers, is revealed to be even more unsavory than the kids initially suspected, and Benjamin becomes friends with another, retired janitor, who turns out to be a valuable source of information.

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers School books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Elizabeth's San Antonio Sleuthing 
Renae Brumbaugh
Series: A Camp Club Girls Adventure: 13th in series

Kate and Elizabeth connect in San Antonio, Texas, and participate in mission activities and performances at the Fiesta Noche Del Rio on the Riverwalk. During one of their presentations, a tourist boat runs amok and wrecks into the performance platform—frightening the kids, tourists, and the boat tour guide. The girls quickly pick up on rumors that this boating company has encountered a recent string of unfortunate incidents ... and suspect that foul play is afoot. Will Kate and Elizabeth, with help from the Camp Club Girls, uncover the source of the trouble before the River City Cruise Boat business goes bust?

The Camp Club Girls Adventure books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Sydney and the Wisconsin Whispering Woods 
Jean Fischer
Series: A Camp Club Girls Adventure: 14th in series

Something strange is taking place in the northern woods of Wisconsin. Sydney and Alexis are getting back to nature with Sydney’s aunt, on assignment as a park ranger. During their stay in the forest, an eerie purple glow appears in the distance from their cabin—not to mention mysterious whispering coming from the local caves. Could this have anything to do with the local lore of missing fur trapper, Jacques Chouteau? Or is it something even more menacing? Sydney and Alexis, along with fellow Camp Club Girls, are determined to solve this mystery before their time in the woods is up!

The Camp Club Girls Adventure books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Forever Lost 
Franklin W. Dixon
Series: The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers

The third title in the Lost Mystery trilogy.

No synopsis available.

The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers thrillers are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 200 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).

First Look at AMC's Crime Drama The Killing

Earlier this month we learned that AMC-TV had begun production on its upcoming crime drama The Killing. Now the network has released a first look at the series; you can watch it below.

The Killing is based on the successful Danish television series Forbrydelsen and tells the story of the murder of a young girl in Seattle and the subsequent police investigation. Season one will consist of thirteen one-hour episodes and is slated to premiere in March 2011.

"The Killing marks the first foray into a crime mystery genre for AMC. We were drawn to the project immediately after viewing the original format. Veena Sud's (Cold Case) adaptation has everything we loved about the original and more -- it is compelling and addictive storytelling,” said Susie Fitzgerald, AMC’s SVP of scripted development and current programming.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 20, 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!).

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This week's letters and mystery clue:

A B C D E G I M R

Charlie Cochrane writes a series of mysteries featuring students attending this university (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!

Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen (Book Review)

Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen. A DD McGil Mystery. Midnight Ink Trade Paperback, September 2010.

The compelling plot of this murder mystery is its strongest selling point. Based on a real event -- the lost Hemingway manuscripts were never located -- the author weaves a creative story around the known facts.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen.

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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.

Kobo Ebooks Now Available from MystereBooks.com

We are pleased to announce that, in addition to Kindle editions from Amazon.com and Nookbooks from Barnes & Noble, we've added links to purchase mystery, suspense, and thriller ebooks from Kobo to our MystereBooks website.

Kobo is a global ebook retailer backed by Borders Group (US), Indigo Books & Music (Canada), and others worldwide. Kobo also manufactures an eReader; more information about that device can be found by clicking on the banner below.

MystereBooks.com is a frequently updated website that lists bestselling mystery, suspense, and thriller ebooks. Also included, where available, are links to reviews from Mysterious Reviews.

If you have an ereader (or if Santa puts one in your stocking this Christmas), please stop by and browse our selection of books!