Harry's Law Premieres Monday, January 17th on NBC

The mid-season for television's prime time crime has begun, and tomorrow, Monday January 17th, Harry's Law premieres on NBC at 10 PM (ET/PT). (Yes, it's at the same time as Castle on ABC and Hawaii Five-0 on CBS; your DVRs will be working overtime!)

Kathy Bates stars as Harriet "Harry" Korn, who doesn't believe things happen for a reason, but she discovers that they sometimes do. A curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer, Harry is abruptly fired from her blue chip law firm, forcing her to search for a fresh start. She finds it when her world unexpectedly collides, literally, with Malcolm Davies (Aml Ameen), a kind-hearted college student who desperately needs Harry's help with his pending court case, and he subsequently goes to work for her.

Harry soon finds her balance as well as new offices in an abandoned shoe store just as legal hotshot Adam Branch (Nate Corddry) accidentally hits her while driving. Inspired by Harry's no-nonsense understanding of the law, Adam decides to take leave of his shiny corporate firm to go and work with her. Harry, Adam and Malcolm -- unlikely but kindred spirits -- along with the help of Harry's shoe-savant assistant, Jenna (Brittany Snow), are now ready for whatever walks in through the doors of their unique establishment: Harriet's Law and Fine Shoes.

Watch a sneak peek at the series below:

Bitter Legacy by H. Terrell Griffin (Mystery Book Review)

Bitter Legacy by H. Terrell Griffin. A Matt Royal Mystery. Oceanview Publishing Hardcover, December 2010.

It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement as retired attorney Matt Royal and his high-powered friends employ a "take no prisoners" approach to dealing with the bad guys, and the historical element to the story is quite interesting. But the link between these two strong points seems tentative, the overall mystery plot rather muddled.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Bitter Legacy by H. Terrell Griffin.

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Read the first chapter(s) of Bitter Legacy below:

More Details Emerge for Interactive Crime Novel L.A. Noire

Rockstar Games has a Spring 2011 release date for L.A. Noire, its game-changing (if you will) approach to solving crimes on the PS3 and Xbox 360. But surprisingly little is actually known about the gameplay itself ... though that's quickly changing.

L.A. Noire is an interactive crime novel featuring LAPD homicide detective Cole Phelps (voiced by Aaron Staton) and set in the late 1940s. A blend of action, detection and complex storytelling are part of this open-ended challenge to solve a series of gruesome murders. Set in a perfectly recreated Los Angeles before freeways, with a post-war backdrop of corruption, drugs and jazz, L.A. Noire attempts to blend cinema and gaming.

The LA Times Hero Complex blog from earlier this week has a brief article about the game, though focuses more on the amazing technology used to create it. And Playstation Magazine will feature the game on its February 2011 issue (see a preview of the cover here), which hits newsstands this Tuesday.

But probably the most revealing details come from the developer itself, in a Q&A with IGN readers.

For example, when asked if a player can send the wrong guy to jail: "There is an overarching plot that governs the story of the game, but how you get there is up to you. There are definitely situations in the game where you can arrest the wrong suspect. It's a player choice and adds an interesting challenge, especially if the evidence is compelling for both suspects."

And how open is the game world? "The world is completely open for you to travel through at all times ... the city is a backdrop for the incredibly accurate real-world locations and crime scenes that Cole Phelps explores on his way to solving each case. The game has been crafted to seamlessly blend classic cops-and-robbers style action with dynamic interrogations and searching for suspects in a way that one doesn't distract from the other."

Watch a trailer for the game, and a behind-the-scenes look at the technology, below:

Boiling Point by Karen Dionne (Book Review)

Boiling Point by Karen Dionne. Non-series. Jove Mass Market Paperback, December 2010.

There's adventure aplenty in this eco-thriller, yet the book succeeds in large part due to its principal characters and their sincere efforts to thwart a foe who is as equally as passionate in a quest to do something about global warming. Readers need not take a stand, one way or the other, to enjoy this novel of suspense.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Boiling Point by Karen Dionne.

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Read the first chapters of Boiling Point below.

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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.

New Behind-the-Scenes Featurette for The Eagle

Last November, the first trailer for The Eagle, adapted from the young adult historical thriller The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, was released.

Now, Yahoo Movies! has posted a "Behind the Scenes" featurette for the film ... which we have to say looks great. You can watch it below.

The Eagle stars Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell as two men — Marcus Aquila and Esca, master and slave — who embark on a quest to solve the mystery of what happened to the Ninth Roman Legion when, under the command of Marcus Aquila's father, it marched north into the wilds of Britain beyond Agricola’s Wall and disappeared without a trace.

But the highlands of Caledonia are a vast and savage wilderness, and Marcus must rely on his slave to navigate the region. When they encounter ex-Roman soldier Guern, Marcus realizes that the mystery of his father's disappearance may well be linked to the secret of his own slave's identity and loyalty — a secret all the more pressing when the two come face-to-face with the warriors of the fearsome Seal Prince.

The Eagle will be in theaters February 11th, 2011.

The Strand Magazine to Publish Previously Unknown Short Story by Dashiell Hammett

The Associated Press is reporting that the Strand Magazine will publish a previously unknown short story by Dashiell Hammett in its Winter/Spring issue.

"So I Shot Him" is a 19-page crime thriller written in the clipped style Hammett made famous in The Maltese Falcon and other works. Strand Magazine managing editor Andrew F. Gulli found the undated story, and 14 others by Hammett, while looking through archives at the University of Texas in Austin.

Hammett died 50 years ago at age 66.

Robert Wagner to Play Charles Townsend in ABC's Remake of Charlie's Angels

Here's the first bit of good news we've heard with respect to ABC's order for a pilot for a remake of Charlie's Angels: according to Inside TV, Robert Wagner has agreed to take on the role of Charles Townsend, previously played by the late John Forsythe.

When asked if he'll continue to use a speakerphone to communicate with the angels, he said, "I would imagine it will probably be quite different because the technology is quite different. I would imagine it would be on cell phones wherever these gals are." Though Wagner hasn't seen any scripts yet, he adds, "I could be tweeting them, I could be doing a lot of things with them, you know."

With Wagner on board, maybe this remake won't be as bad as we fear!

Ron Howard Talks about the Multi-Platform Adaptation of The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King

Ron Howard, who is attached to the multi-platform adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series, recently spoke briefly on the project during an interview with Howard Stern.

We've previously that the overall plan is to produce a theatrical film followed by a television series, with Howard committed to directing both. A graphic novel/comic book series is planned to provide continuity. Now Slashfilm has more details from Howard's interview.

"[A] movie idea is there," said Howard. "And if I have my way, and if everything goes according to plan — which is of course a big if — we'll be doing movies, we'll be doing television, and all of that isn't just [to make money] but all of that is to be as comprehensive as possible. The idea of doing part of it on the big screen and part of it on television is to try to include absolutely as much of the books, and even the graphic novels, as possible."

Howard added that the television element would likely be a 6-hour mini-series, to be aired on NBC or one of NBC's cable properties.

"The Dark Tower" is a series of seven novels by Stephen King. The first, The Gunslinger, was first published as a limited edition release in 1982; a revised and expanded edition by King was published in 2003. The gunslinger is Roland of Gilead, who is on a quest for a man in black, one step in the path to the Dark Tower.

Read the first chapter(s) from The Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger below:

Michael Riesman's Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper to be Adapted for Film

Deadline|New York is reporting that Walden Media has optioned the film rights to Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper, the 2008 young adult fantasy adventure by Michael Reisman. Adam F. Goldberg will write the screenplay.

In the book, sixth-grader Simon Bloom can't believe his luck when he finds a book that enables him to control the laws of physics. By simply reciting the formulas it contains, he can cancel gravity to fly around his bedroom, or decrease friction so he can slide down the street as if he were on Rollerblades. When two thugs with evil intentions come after Simon, he must use the formulas to save himself -- and the book -- from falling into their hands.

Read the first chapter(s) from Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper below:

IFC Acquires US Rights to Film Adaptation of Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

In a press release today, IFC Films announced it has acquired the US rights to the film adaptation of the classic Graham Greene thriller Brighton Rock.

At the heart of the story is Pinkie (played by Sam Riley), a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager with a religious death wish, and his relationship with Rose (Andrea Riseborough), an innocent young waitress, who stumbles on evidence linking Pinkie and his gang to a revenge killing. After the murder, Pinkie seduces Rose, first in an effort to find out how much she knows and later to ensure she will not talk to the police. A love story between a murderer and a witness, can Pinkie trust Rose or should he kill her before she talks to the police? Can Rose trust Pinkie, or is she next in line?

The film, which also stars Helen Mirren and John Hurt, opens in the UK on February 4th, 2011. Watch a trailer for the film below:

James Gray to Direct Film Adaptation of Mark Greaney's The Gray Man

Deadline|New York is reporting that James Gray (We Own the Night) will direct the film adaptation of Mark Greaney's debut thriller, The Gray Man. Adam Cozad wrote the screenplay.

In the book, Court Gentry is known as The Gray Man -- a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible, and then fading away. And he always hits his target. But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness.

Now, he is going to prove that for him, there's no gray area between killing for a living -- and killing to stay alive.

Read the first chapter from The Gray Man below:

Two More Prime Time Crime Pilots Announced

Two more potential prime time crime series are moving forward to the pilot stage.

At ABC, the network has ordered a pilot for Partners, featuring two female homicide detectives who are secretly sisters. (via THR)

And at SyFy, the British series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) is getting an Americanized pilot. The storyline here is private investigator Hopkirk, who was murdered while working a case, has returned as a ghost, which can only seen by his ex-partner Randall. (via THR)

Plot Details Emerge for Sherlock Holmes 2

The Los Angeles Times Hero Complex blog has some new information on the plotline of the sequel to 2009's film Sherlock Holmes.

"Set in 1891 — a year after the last film's events — the sequel shows Holmes continuing his pursuit of Professor Moriarty, who, if the investigator's instincts are correct, might be the world's first supervillain. Watson, meanwhile, is still trying to be a good partner to his love, Mary Morstan, while keeping Sherlock alive."

Sherlock Holmes 2 (for lack of a better title; it is currently untitled at this point) stars Robert Downey Jr. as the famous consulting detective and Jude Law as his sidekick Dr. John Watson. The film also stars Noomi Rapace as a gypsy woman, Sim, Stephen Fry as Holmes's brother Mycroft, and Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty.

"Unlike last time, where Holmes kept getting Watson into trouble," says Downey, "this time Watson is getting Holmes out of trouble, and they're both in deeper trouble than I think the audience could have imagined we could go … All manner of nastiness has just occurred."

Directed by Guy Ritchie, who also directed the original, Sherlock Holmes 2 opens in theaters December 16, 2011.

Telemystery: Prime Time Crime Series at Risk for Renewal

Inside TV takes a look as all the major network shows on television, and gives us a list of those that are sure to be renewed for next season, and speculates on those that may not. (Cable series are not mentioned here.)

We'll look at the latter here (it's a much shorter list) and focus exclusively (and not surprisingly) on "Prime Time Crime", excluding those that have already been canceled. If any of the shows below are among your favorites, now is the time to start campaigning for their return in the fall.

ABC: Detroit 1-8-7.

CBS: None; all are expected to be renewed.

Fox: Fringe, Human Target, Lie To Me.

NBC: Law & Order LA, The Cape (it just started!), Chase, The Event.

Stop a Mysterious Curse in Haunted Legends: The Queen of Spades, 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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Once upon a time, a countess, having lost a fortune playing cards, made a deal with a great magician and illusionist. She received a set of magical cards that allowed her to win, regaining her wealth and incurring the wrath of the local people. But now Lieutenant Pierre Disparu has disappeared searching for a missing young lady, and Captain Gerard Froussard has reached out to you for help. It is up to you to search a haunted mansion to discover the secret behind the cards, and put a stop to the curse before it claims another victim.

For a more in-depth playing experience, check out the Haunted Legends: The Queen of Spades (Collector's Edition), which is full of exclusive features you won't find in the standard version, including bonus gameplay, an integrated strategy guide, wallpapers and screensavers, and more!

Haunted Legends: The Queen of Spades may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (433.40 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!