Dracula Once Again to be Re-Imagined in Film

Deadline|New York is reporting that Warner Bros. is set to acquire a script for the film Harker, featuring the Scotland Yard detective Jonathan Harker, a character in the classic novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, on the trail of the infamous vampire. (Harker is a solicitor in the book, hence the film will be a "re-imagining" of the tale.) Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, Unknown) is set to direct a screenplay written by Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevy, the latter having just sold his first thriller, Hemlock Grove, to Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1897, the character being the source of countless retellings and interpretations since then.

Anton Yelchin Cast as Odd Thomas in Film Adaptation of Dean Koontz Novel

Last November we reported that the film adaptation of Dean Koontz's novel Odd Thomas was moving forward, with Stephen Sommers (The Mummy movies) directing his own screenplay.

Now we're learning (via Collider) that the role of the titular character has been cast: Anton Yelchin (Chekov in the Star Trek prequel).

Here's what 21-year-old Odd Thomas has to say about himself (from the author's website): "I see dead people, spirits of the departed who, each for his own reason, will not move on from this world. Some are drawn to me for justice, if they were murdered, or for comfort, or for companionship; others seek me out for motives that I cannot always understand. This complicates my life."

In the first book of the series -- there are four to day, plus two graphic novels -- a mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.

You can read the first chapter(s) of Odd Thomas below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

Lifetime Orders Two Crime Drama Series

Lifetime Television (via The Hollywood Reporter) has ordered two 13-episode crime dramas, both of which are expected to premiere later this year.

Ally Walker (Profiler, Sons of Anarchy) stars as an LAPD homicide detective in Exit 19, who is raising two sons with the help of her troubled brother (Chris Payne Gilbert).

Rachel Carpani (The Glades, McLeod's Daughters) stars as a Chicago police detective, who decides to join the department's internal affairs division in Against the Wall. Loyalties are tested within her close-knit, blue-collar family of cops; Treat Williams (Heartland, Everwood) and Kathy Baker (Jesse Stone, Medium) co-star.

Mr. E. Reviews The American

Adapted from a novel by Martin Booth, this is a quiet film; there is little action, minimal dialog, and a subdued soundtrack. It is most certainly a great film to look at -- the Italian village setting both quaint and mysterious -- but I'm not at all certain it's a great film to watch. The main character is complex, but George Clooney portrays him as simple and one-dimensional, often appearing on screen as if he doesn't understand the role he is playing at all.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews The American.

Available on: DVD | Blu-ray | VOD

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

New Carina Press Mysteries for February 2011

Each month, Omnimystery News is pleased to list new mystery and suspense titles from Carina Press, an ebook only publisher. Links are provided to purchase the ebook from, where available, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, or Kobo Books; click on the banner to the right to be taken to the CarinaPress.com website to browse for other titles.

New books of mystery and suspense for February 2011 from Carina Press include:

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Dangerous Secrets by Katie Reus
Non-series

Isabelle Ballantine has been fighting for independence since she was old enough to walk. Now that she's finally out from under her father's shadow, she won't let anyone stand in her way. It's tough living on her own, working in a bar and keeping her true identity a secret, but things start to look up when a sexy new stranger walks into her life. After working side by side for weeks, Izzy can't figure out why he won't make a move ...

To cinch the deal of a lifetime, Adam Marcellus agrees to help Izzy's eccentric father convince his daughter to move home. He'd assumed Izzy would be another spoiled rich princess, but he's surprised to discover his feelings for her are stronger than anything he's ever experienced. When a deranged stalker targets her, Adam finds himself fighting not only an unknown threat—but an unexpected attraction to the one woman he can't have ...

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Carina Press, a division of Harlequin, is a digital-first publisher offering ebooks in a variety of genres, including mystery. eBooks from Carina can be read on the Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, B&N Nook, Borders Kobo, BlackBerry and mobile phones.

For more mystery, suspense and thriller ebooks, visit MystereBooks.com.

Telemystery: Columbo, New This Week on DVD

Telemystery, your source for one of the most comprehensive selections of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available on or coming soon to DVD or Blu-ray disc, is profiling one series being released this week.

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Peter Falk stars as LAPD homicide detective Columbo in this long-running series, which initially aired on NBC then later on ABC. (The DVD collections are designated as "seasons" for the NBC episodes and "movie collections" for the ABC made-for-television movies.)

The six movies that comprise the Columbo: The Movie Collection 1991-1993 DVD set include the following: "Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health" (1991, guest starring George Hamilton); "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star" (1991, Dabney Coleman); "Death Hits the Jackpot" (1991, Rip Torn); "No Time to Die" (1992, based on an 87th Precinct novel by Ed McBain); "A Bird in the Hand ..." (1992, Steve Forrest, Greg Evigan, Tyne Daly); "It's All in the Game" (1993, Faye Dunaway, who won an Emmy for her performance, with a script written by Peter Falk).

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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on and coming soon to DVD and Blu-ray disc.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for February 07, 2011

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 C D E L O R T W

This describes the corpse in the third Luanne Fogarty mystery by Glynn Marsh Alam (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!

Watch the Super Bowl Commercial for Cowboys & Aliens

For those of you who simply can't wait for the Super Bowl to begin, if only to watch the commercials, here's a preview.

The official YouTube page for Cowboys & Aliens has posted the commercial that will air later today; you can watch it below.

Directed by Jon Favreau, the film is set in 1875, New Mexico Territory. A stranger (Daniel Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

Cowboys & Aliens opens in theaters July 29th, 2011.

The October Killings by Wessel Ebersohn (Mystery Book Review)

The October Killings by Wessel Ebersohn. An Abigail Bukula Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, January 2011.

Introducing a new character, who enlists the aid of another of the author's series leads, a well-constructed, complex plot that includes plenty of subtly integrated misdirection provides a strong foundation for what happens in this mystery that is both captivating and enriching.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The October Killings by Wessel Ebersohn.

Purchase Options:  |  |  | 

Read the first chapter(s) of The October Killings below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.

The Chicago Code Premieres Monday, February 7th, on Fox

Tomorrow, Monday February 7th, the crime drama The Chicago Code premieres on Fox at 9 PM (ET/PT).

Jason Clarke stars as Jarek Wysocki, a local legend and a larger-than-life veteran of the Chicago Police Department who wields considerable power thanks to his relationship with Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals), his ex-partner and the city's first female superintendent, now in charge of a 10,000-member police force. While Teresa diplomatically governs amidst the complicated landscape of Chicago politics, Jarek works the streets on a crusade to clean up corruption and crime and avenge his brother's murder.

In the pilot, Colvin lobbies for a city corruption task force to investigate Alderman Ronin Gibbons, a building-magnate-turned-politician. Meanwhile, Wysocki investigates a suspicious murder in Grant Park alongside his new partner Caleb Evers (Matt Lauria).

Watch a short behind-the-scenes preview to The Chicago Code below:

Enter a Dark, Mysterious and Captivating World in Black Mirror II: Reigning Evil, New for Windows PC

Twelve years ago, an unspeakable darkness was banished from Black Mirror Castle … or so they thought! It's time to re-enter a dark, mysterious and captivating world in the sequel Black Mirror II: Reigning Evil.

When solitary Darren Michaels befriends the beautiful Angelina, he has no idea what the fates hold in store for him. The alluring Angelina has also attracted the eye of several others; and when she suddenly disappears, Darren finds himself questioning what has happened to her while he is haunted by a series of torturous and ever-intensifying nightmares.

Darren's search for his missing friend and his own sanity take him on a chilling expedition from his small New England town to Willow Creek, England - and the reigning evil of Black Mirror Castle. Darren's journey will immerse him in the dark secrets and turbulent history of the castle's ill-fated Gordon Family. Legend has it that the Gordon's were haunted by an ancient curse that ultimately led to their demise more than a decade earlier. Will Darren be able overcome these demons and find Angelina? Or will he become the curse's next victim?

Black Mirror Castle is reincarnated with over 100 atmospheric locations to explore and 40 different characters to interact with. Will Darren's search lead him to redemption or the hell of insanity? The answers can only be found in the Black Mirror -- for once you gaze into it, you won't be able to look away.

Black Mirror II: Reigning Evil is scheduled to be released on February 8th, 2011, and may be pre-ordered. It is indicated as Rating Pending, but the original is rated M for Mature.

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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!

I-play to Release Dying for Daylight February 11th

Last November, I-play announced a collaboration with crime novelist Charlaine Harris to produce a casual game based on one of her characters.

The game developer has now released a new trailer for its upcoming PC title, Dying For Daylight and announced the date the game will be available: February 11th. (The new trailer is embedded below).

In the game, created in collaboration with the author, players to take on the role of Dahlia Lynley-Chivers, a vampire with a devastating sense of fashion and a razor-sharp wit, who appears in several of Harris' short stories.

The trailer introduces viewers to Dahlia, as well as the vivid and eerie environments she must explore while uncovering clues in a journey to procure a legendary sun potion that allows vampires to survive in daylight.

Available for PC download beginning February 11, 2011, every vampire will have their day!

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (110205)

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery/suspense/thriller category.

Scared to Death by Norah McClintock. The third mystery in the Chloe & Levesque series, recommended for readers aged 13 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student, who writes, "I think this book is an amazing story with interesting characters and ominous tension rising throughout the book. Chloe is a smart character who is open to new ideas which, is one of my favorite things about her." (Read the entire review.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Solve the Dark Mystery of a Submerged Town in Phantasmat, 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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After crashing your car in the middle of nowhere, you stumble upon The Drowned Dead Hotel, a lonely forgotten structure leaning from a cliff. Beneath lies a dark and cold lake that used to be a lively town, submerged after a dam accident. What secrets are buried at the bottom of the muddy waters? Who are the mysterious inhabitants of the hotel? Uncover the dark mystery of a sunken town in this beautifully hand-drawn adventure game, that blends multiple game modes with an engaging and stirring storyline, and get to the bottom of a long forgotten tragedy.

For a more in-depth playing experience, check out the Phantasmat Collector's Edition, full of exclusive extras not available in the standard game, including a bonus adventure, wallpapers, replayable levels, and more.

Phantasmat (Standard Edition) may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (175.48 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!

CBS Films Acquires Rights to Futuristic YA Thriller Legend by Marie Lu

The Wrap is reporting that CBS Films has pre-emptively acquired the film rights to Legend, a futuristic young adult thriller, and the first of an expected trilogy, by Marie Lu. The book is scheduled to be published by Putnam in November 2011.

Set in 2130, the United States is gone, along with its flooded coasts. North America's two warring nations, the western Republic and the eastern Colonies, have reached a breaking point. In the midst of this broken continent and dark new world are two teenagers who will go down in history ...

Born into the slums of the Republic's Lake sector, fifteen-year old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family's door with an X -- the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it.

Born to an elite family in the wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic's most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country's highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country -- until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital.

Only one person could be responsible. Day. And now it's June's mission to hunt him down. The truth they'll uncover will become legend.