Review: A Bad Night's Sleep by Michael Wiley

A Bad Night's Sleep by Michael Wiley. A Joe Kozmarski Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, June 2011.

This complicated crime novel involves a convoluted scheme for the good guys to catch the bad guys. Except that it's never quite clear which is which. That ambiguity is certainly part of its appeal, together with all sorts of wrong turns and dead-end alleys in the plot. But it's a little depressing that most everyone seems to have more bad in them than good.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: A Bad Night's Sleep by Michael Wiley.

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Review: The 34th Degree by Thomas Greanias

The 34th Degree by Thomas Greanias. A Sam Deker Mystery. Atria Books Hardcover, June 2011.

This paranormal thriller, a cross between the Indiana Jones movies and the film Inception, is fast-paced and, yes, thrilling but while immersed in the narrative, it's easy to forget the purpose of Deker's assignment and the reason he's tethered to a machine that allows him to relive events from decades ago.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The 34th Degree by Thomas Greanias.

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Harlequin Romantic Suspense Titles for August 2011

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

For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the title or cover; other purchase options (Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and The Book Depository) are also provided.

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Best Man for the Job by Meredith Fletcher

The Warrior ...

A soldier by profession, a lone wolf by choice, Callan Storm doesn't believe in coincidence. So when the groom—his baby sister's fiance—is snatchec at gunpoint he looks to the one other unexpected element at the bachelor party: the entertainment.

The Dancer ...

Suddenly Eryn McAdams's favor for a friend has landed her in real trouble. Pulled along by the strong, silent, intense hunk of a man, the security expert is torn between showing Callan just what she can do—and figuring out a way just to stay close.

The Team?

The clock is counting down, the bullets are flying, and secrets are being uncovered—but what else will happen once the night is over?

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Cold Case Reunion by Kimberly Van Meter

A passion that's anything but cold …

Fifteen years ago, Mya Jonson thought her life had ended. Pregnant and alone, she found strength in her people and the beauty of the Pacific Coast reservation. Now her lover has returned, chasing a killer, and she doesn't dare trust him.

For Angelo Tucker, every memory is proof of his failings. Not strong enough to lead the tribe, not smart enough to catch his brother's killer …

Coming back was the last thing he wanted. Especially when he sees Mya—and feels a passion he'd long since set aside. But when a fellow FBI agent is murdered and Mya's life is in danger, Angelo knows he must track the killer whatever the cost.or risk losing Mya forever …

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Special Ops Bodyguard by Beth Cornelison

"I have a mission—and you're not it."

Is it the honey-blond hair? The blue eyes? Gage Prescott can't put his finger on it, but something about the Maple Cove waitress is both sexy and innocent. Not that it matters. The battle-scarred ex-Army Ranger has come to this Montana town as bodyguard to Senator Kelley, not to let a pretty face distract him.

Kate Rogers has her own mission. If, while on assignment, the handsome Gage can assist with her sister's abusive husband, she'll accept that gratefully. But will their growing passion interfere when their duties involve life and death?

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Double Deception by Merline Lovelace

As sharp-witted as his code name Blade implies, spy Clint Black is used to having the upper hand. But now he's a prisoner, trapped by dangerous criminals and a gorgeous woman who just might be a double agent—or his only chance to stay alive.

Special Agent Victoria Talbot is as icy as the St. Petersburg that surrounds her—she needs to be to succeed in her quest. That means racing against time to find a mysterious treasure and keep her reluctant hostage safe. But she's not above torturing her handsome captive, stoking flames of a desire that's hardly covert. Will this be their last mission together, or just the beginning of a lifelong partnership?

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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 to subscribe for free.

One O'Clock Jump by Lise McClendon is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature One O'Clock Jump by Lise McClendon as today's second free mystery ebook. 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 we urge you to download it while it is still available for free.

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One O'Clock Jump by Lise McClendon
A Dorie Lennox Mystery (1st in series)
Thalia Press

About One O'Clock Jump (from the publisher): Halfway around the world, war has begun, but for Dorie Lennox, a newly-minted private eye on her first tail, danger is more immediate. The dark streets of Kansas City of 1939 offer swing music, fast cars, gangsters, and the chance to forget about the Depression and her own murky past. But first she must conquer her fears and save a woman on a bridge high above the muddy Missouri. Dorie is thrown into a quickly unraveling scam that offers salvation to few — and misery to plenty — in the high stakes world of machine politics and desperation deals.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

Trailer Released for ABC Family Series The Lying Game

We haven't heard much recently about the television series adaptation of the young adult thriller The Lying Game by Sara Shepard, but maybe we just haven't been paying attention. Because a trailer for the ABC Family series was released a couple of weeks ago, and we completely missed it! We've embedded it below. (The Lying Game is the first of an expected four book series by Shepard; Never Have I Ever, the second book in the series, is published next month by HarperTeen.)

From the same team that brought Shepard's other series to television — that would be Pretty Little Liars — comes The Lying Game, in which Emma (Alexandrea Chando), a kind-hearted foster kid, who learns she has an identical twin sister, Sutton (also played by Chando). Sutton, unlike Emma, was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on the mysterious identity of their birth mother. After Sutton inexplicably fails to return to the girls' designated meeting place, Emma must decide whether to come clean about her identity and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister's whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place.

The Lying Game premieres on ABC Family on August 15th, 2011. Watch a preview for the series below.

New Motion Poster for The Hunger Games

A new "motion poster" has been released on the Yahoo! Movies site for the film adaptation of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; we've embedded it below.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a teenager living in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem. According to the Capitol, the law of the land, every year each district must participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Katniss, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games opens in theaters March 23rd, 2012.

New International Poster for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

A few weeks ago we posted the international trailer for the film adaptation of John le Carré's 1974 thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Now, the dramatic first (also international) poster for the film has also been released (right; click for larger version). Just visible are the red coded numbers indicating the release date in the UK (September 16th, 2011); the film is released here in the US on November 18th, 2011.

Gary Oldman stars as retired MI-6 agent George Smiley, who is drawn back into the game when another agent claims that there is a mole within their organization ... and he needs to identify which of his trusted colleagues has betrayed them.

The film also stars Colin Firth (Bill Haydon, "Tailor"), Mark Strong (Jim Prideaux), Benedict Cumberbatch (Peter Guillam), Ciarán Hinds (Roy Bland, "Soldier"), Toby Jones (Percy Alleline, "Tinker"), and Kathy Burke (Connie Sachs).

Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie Poirot Set 6, The Movie Collection

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All three of the made-for-television movie adaptations of Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie in this set are worthy additions to this long-running series, but one in particular, "Three Act Tragedy", with the Belgian detective in fine form, is among the best ever filmed.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie: Poirot Set 6, The Movie Collection.

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