Highway 61 by David Housewright. A Rushmore McKenzie Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, June 2011.
A "badger game" is just the start to an investigation that expands into multiple crimes outlined in this somewhat unevenly executed mystery, one that starts strong and ends with a lot of action, but spends much of the middle restlessly moving sideways rather than pushing forward.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Highway 61 by David Housewright.
Purchase Options:
A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason. A Women of Justice Mystery. Revell Trade Paperback, May 2011.
The twisty murder mystery storyline plays out well, and the small college town setting offers an interesting contrast to the horror of the crimes. Many readers will also appreciate this character- and story-drive suspense novel that is written without any coarse language.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason.
Purchase Options:
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Cash Burn by Michael Berrier as today's 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.
— ◊ —
Cash Burn by Michael Berrier
Non-Series
Tyndale House
About Cash Burn (from the publisher): Billions of dollars flow through Jason Dunn’s banking office each year. When he suffers a series of career setbacks and his marriage begins to crumble, he and his attractive new assistant devise a plan to disappear with a slice of the bank’s cash flow.
The unwelcome appearance of his brother on the scene, just released from prison, threatens to sidetrack Jason’s plans. But Jason’s brother “Flip” has his own problems with a parole officer who isn’t fooled by this dangerous parolee.
In the race to the jackpot between Jason and Flip, and the unwinding of their troubled history, the question soon becomes, Who will get burned?
Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
Harrison Ford will star as an older Wyatt Earp in a film adaptation of Black Hats by Max Allan Collins (who published the 2007 book as written by Patrick Culhane). Kurt Johnstad will write the adapted screenplay.
Wyatt Earp made his name in his younger days, serving as a lawman who was well known for bending the law where he saw fit, and shooting first and asking questions later. But it's a little-known fact that Earp spent the last twenty years of his life as a private detective in Los Angeles. So when Doc Holliday's mistress implores the aging lawman to track down her and Holliday's errant son in Manhattan, Earp willingly takes the case. His task: to convince the young man to give up his ill-advised involvement in organized crime and boot-legging. Earp enlists his old friend, Bat Masterson, who's now a sportswriter, and delves deep into the world of the New York mafia, where he comes across a young Alphonse Capone. Earp and Masterson, men who earned their names in the rough and tumble, lawless world of decades before, set their sights on liberating a young man from the ruthless thug Capone and his gang.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
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.
Rotters by Daniel Kraus. A stand-alone thriller recommended for readers aged 13 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade teacher, who writes, "Daniel Kraus has woven together a tale of adolescence, a tale of grave-robbing, and a tale of death ... [that builds] up enough suspense and is just enough unsettling to make readers keep turning pages until they reach the end." (Read the entire review here.)
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.
Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of new mystery, suspense and thriller adventure and casual games from Big Fish Games released during this past week. 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.
— ◊ —
Nancy Drew heads for Japan where she’s staying at a traditional ryokan (inn) for a little rest and relaxation with friends Bess and George, but when reports of a vengeful ghost start scaring away the guests, Nancy's vacation takes a turn for terror! Along with the rumor of a ghost she also finds a family torn by a recent death, two sisters with very different attitudes toward the family business, a grandmother firmly rooted in traditional Japanese culture, and more. Is there a shadowy specter haunting the placid inn or is something far more sinister driving away business? It'll be up to you, playing as Nancy Drew, to uncover the secret that lies beneath the surface, before the ghost can take its revenge.
— ◊ —
Five explorers have disappeared while searching for evidence of Ancient Astronauts! Join the Unsolved Mystery Club in the hunt for the missing explorers and unlock ancient secrets of the past. Explore exotic locations around the world and uncover artifacts supporting the existence of visitors from other worlds!
This is a special Collector's Edition with features not available in the standard edition, including bonus gameplay, an integrated strategy guide, character art, screensavers and concept art, musical soundtrack, and early access.
See also the previous game in this series, Unsolved Mystery Club: Amelia Earhart.
— ◊ —
Use your Paranormal Crime Investigation skills to solve a string of bizarre murders plaguing the city of New Orleans and stop an ancient magical cult from summoning their monstrous snake god. Called in by Louisiana's PCI central command to investigate a murder using dark magic rituals, you quickly discover the strange and worrying recent happenings in the city are all connected to a strange and ancient cult, the Brotherhood of the Crescent Snake.
This is a special Collector's Edition with features not available in the standard edition, including bonus gameplay, an integrated strategy guide, wallpapers, mini-games, musical soundtrack, and early access.
— ◊ —
Venice. The moon is in the sky. A gondola leaves a mansion where evidence of just finished masquerade ball is in evidence. There are two young ladies in the gondola with umbrellas. The gondola is led by a man in a black long coat and a mask of Medico della Peste. But as soon as the gondola goes under a bridge there are screams ... and then on the other side of the bridge there is the slowly floating gondola ... but with no passengers. There is only a face covered with the mask of Medico della Peste; it is laughing scarily in the darkness ...
For a more in-depth playing experience, see Grim Facade: Mystery of Venice Collector's Edition.
— ◊ —
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 our 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
— ◊ —
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!
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Gathering by William X. Kienzle as today's 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.
— ◊ —
The Gathering by William X. Kienzle
A Father Koesler Mystery (24th and final in series)
Andrews McMeel
About The Gathering (from the publisher): Way back in the 1940s, they had all been young together. Inseparable pals Mike and Manny, both preparing for the priesthood ... Mike's beautiful twin sister, Rose, and her best friend Alice, sharing a dream of becoming nuns ... shy altar boy Stanley and everybody's good friend, Bob Koesler, also headed for the priesthood. Six Detroit adolescents moving step by measured step into the bosom of the church. Or so they believed.
Now, more than fifty years later, one of the six has died a sudden, violent death, and Father Bob Koesler — these days a retired parish priest — is sadly suspicious that someone in this tiny band of lifelong friends may be responsible. But who and why? Before long, Koesler has reason to believe he knows the shocking answer.
Download Link(s):
AMC announced today the premiere date for the second season of The Walking Dead — October 16th, 2011 — and also released a new, four-plus minute trailer for the series, which we've embedded below.
The storyline is expected to pick up where the first season ended, with Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) waking up from a coma to discover that the world as knows it is gone, ravaged by a zombie epidemic.
The series is adapted from "The Walking Dead" graphic novels by Robert Kirkman.
Earlier today (this evening, UK time) at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the Crime Writers' Association announced the winners of several of its annual "Dagger" awards.
The International Dagger (best translated crime novel) was given to Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström. It was originally published in 2009 as Tre Sekunder in Sweden.
Other Daggers went to Phil Lovesey for his short story "Homework", Michele Rowe for her debut novel What Hidden Lies, and Douglas Starr for the non-fiction work The Killer of Little Shepherds.
The Dagger in the Library went to Mo Hayder for her body of work, rather for than a single title.
Longlists for its other Daggers (Gold, Ian Fleming Steel, and New Blood) were also announced and can be found on the organization's website. Shortlists for these awards will be announced in late August, with the winners announced on October 7th, 2011.
Purchase/Rental Option(s)
The first hour or so of this film, adapted from the young adult thriller of the same title by the pseudonymous Pittacus Lore, is largely character- and plot-driven. But Alex Pettyfer's dreadful performance as the titular Number Four and a rather poorly executed series of action scenes towards the end mar what could have otherwise been a pretty decent film.
Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews I Am Number Four.
— ◊ —
Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.
Independent publisher of mystery, suspense and thriller books Poisoned Pen Press has announced the recipients of their 2011 Library Book Giveaway. The libraries, chosen by four randomly selected attendees to the American Library Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, will receive $500 in the publisher's titles.
The libraries are ...
St. Charles Parish Library in Destrehan (LA); Lake County Public Library in Merrillville (IN); Chazy Public Library in Chazy (NY); and Bristol Area Library in New Harbor (ME).
Robert Rosenwald, Poisoned Pen Press Publisher and President, commented, "In this age of budget cuts and library staff reductions, Poisoned Pen Press felt compelled to offer a special promotion for libraries. It was an honor to give back to the library community, a community that has supported Poisoned Pen Press, its mission, and its catalogue of titles, for nearly 15 years. We extend our congratulations to each of these winners and our special thanks to the loyal and dedicated librarians for their service to readers and communities across the country."
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Bluejay Shaman by Lise McClendon as today's 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.
— ◊ —
The Bluejay Shaman by Lise McClendon
An Alix Thorssen Mystery (1st in series)
Thalia Press
Note: Earlier this week we featured One O'Clock Jump by this same author as a free Kindle book ... which as of the date and time of this post, it still is.
About The Bluejay Shaman (from the publisher): Traveling the back roads of Montana, not-quite-fearless art gallery owner Alix Thorssen is far from home and up to her Ray-Bans in shaman's secrets, mysterious deaths, madness, and – ah yes – passion among the pine needles. Whoever killed Shiloh Merkin hated her and wanted her dead. But did Wade Fraser, Alix's brother-in-law and University of Montana anthropology professor, do the deed? What happened to the petroglyph of the bluejay shaman? Alix follows a trail of sex, moonlit rituals, and legendary artifacts as another murder leads her to a chilling confrontation with the killer.
Download Link(s):
Showtime has released a two minute trailer for the sixth season of Dexter, which we've embedded below.
The series, based on a character created by crime novelist Jeff Lindsay, stars Michael C. Hall as forensic blood spatter expert Dexter Morgan. The basis for his expertise? Dexter is also a ruthless serial killer. (The opening scene in the trailer confirms this.)
Dexter returns on October 2nd, 2011.
A promotional (teaser) poster for next year's The Raven has been released (right; click image for larger view). Though it doesn't say much about the movie itself, it is an arresting image nonetheless.
The Raven stars John Cusak as Edgar Allan Poe, who teams up with Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) to stop a serial killer, who is using Poe's own work as inspiration for his crimes.
Directed by James McTeigue, The Raven opens in theaters March 9th, 2012.
Yesterday, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival opened in Harrogate. As part of the opening day festivities, the winner of the Crime Novel of the Year Award was announced ... and is Lee Child for 61 Hours, the 14th book in his series featuring Jack Reacher. "I remember when I was writing 61 Hours that I felt it had come out nicely," the author said, "but to have the recognition is great."
Crime novelist P. D. James was also honored with the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award.
Like and Follow Omnimystery News on Facebook to see more television and film mystery news as well as additional new and discounted mysterebooks!
