Mystery Godoku Puzzle for October 17, 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 D E I K M R S T

The second "Lost Slayer" tie-in novel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer has this title (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!

Professor Layton Returns for His 4th Mysterious Adventure in The Last Specter, New for Nintendo DS

Professor Layton is back with a puzzling prequel and the start of a second trilogy of adventures collectively known as "Professor Layton's London Life" in Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Three years before the events in the Professor Layton and the Curious Village game, Professor Layton receives a letter from his old schoolmate Clark Triton telling him that a "mysterious giant" is destroying his town. The professor heads to the town of Misthallery to investigate, and is joined by Emmy, his new assistant. What is the meaning of all the destruction, and is it related to the village's folklore legend of a "specter?"

The unfolding story also details how Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke Triton, met.

See also the other two games in this series, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box and Professor Layton and the Unwound Future.

Professor Layton and the Last Specter is scheduled to be released on Monday, October 17th, 2011, for Nintendo DS. It is ESRB rated E10+, Everyone, 10 and older.

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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!

Review: Trick of the Dark by Val McDermid

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Trick of the Dark by Val McDermid.

Sony to Adapt John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep Crime Novels?

File this under pure speculation.

Two days ago Sony registered dozens of domain names consisting of variations on book titles by John Burdett, with the notable exception of the first in the series, Bangkok 8, which was optioned separately back in 2007 by Millennium Films (though no film adaptation was ever made).

This is leading some to conclude that a deal has been struck between Sony and the author to adapt the subsequent books in the series, including the yet to be published fifth book, Vulture Peak (Knopf, January 2012 hardcover), though there has been no confirmation of such from the studio or the author.

Burdett's crime novels feature Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep.

(Source: Fusible.)

Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Sunday, October 16, 2011.

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Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney
A Natalie Barnes Mystery
Midnight Ink

This is the third mystery in this series, featuring the owner of the Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine.

About Dead and Berried (from the publisher): Developers have returned to Cranberry Island and this time they're planning to wipe out a natural cranberry bog, along with the island's namesake berries, to build a luxury subdivision. Natalie Barnes isn't sweet on the idea of commercial interests souring their cozy oasis, but the single innkeeper has other problems on her plate: a withering relationship with her best friend Charlene, the sudden appearance of her ex-fiancé with a tempting proposal, and eerie bumps in the night suggesting the Gray Whale Inn is haunted. Worst of all, there's a killer on the loose, picking off people like ripe fruit.

When Charlene's lover — the handsome chaplain with a stake in the development — is stabbed to death, Natalie promises to find the murderer for her grief-stricken friend … who's also the number-one suspect.

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):

Amazon Kindle Daily Deal 10/16/2011 Download Link.

Julius Katz Mysteries by Dave Zeltserman is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Julius Katz Mysteries by Dave Zeltserman 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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Julius Katz Mysteries by Dave Zeltserman
A Julius Katz and Archie Collection of Short Stories
Top Suspense Books

About Julius Katz Mysteries (from the publisher): These award-winning Julius Katz mysteries have delighted thousands of mystery fans since first appearing on the pages of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in 2009.

"Julius Katz" introduced readers to Boston's most brilliant, eccentric and possibly laziest detective, Julius Katz, as well as his sidekick, Archie, a tiny marvel of whizbang computer technology with the heart and soul of a hard-boiled PI.

In Julius and Archie's second adventure, "Archie's Been Framed", the little guy is framed for murder and Julius needs to use all his wits to keep his inimitable assistant out of the slammer.

"Julius Katz" attracted a devoted following from mystery readers when it first came out, and has since won the Shamus Award for best story from the Private Eye Writers of America, as well as the Derringer Award for best novelette from the Short Mystery Fiction Society. "Archie's Been Framed" won 1st place in Ellery Queen's Readers Choice Award, with their readers choosing it as their favorite story published by the magazine in 2010. If you haven't had a chance to meet Julius and Archie yet, now's your chance to get caught up in these charming, delightful and very unusual mystery stories.

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):

Smashwords Free Book Download Link.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues by Randall Peffer is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues by Randall Peffer 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.

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Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues by Randall Peffer
A Cape Islands Mystery
Tyrus Books

This first in a series that currently numbers five introduces Michael DeCastro, a Massachusetts public defender on Cape Cod.

About Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues (from the publisher): Tuki Aparecio did not kill her lover. She did not burn down the Painted Lady — at least, not with fire. Tuki lit up the stage nightly, with her hair in braids and her glorious costumes; glittering, smoldering, singing her heart out for an audience who loved her. She brought the house down with her performances. But she's innocent of murder, innocent of arson.

How can Michael DeCastro possibly hope to defend this beautiful drag queen, who brings with her a whole pack of nasty little secrets, straight from Bangkok's notorious tenderloin district? She speaks in aphorisms, the wisdom of the Buddha combined with the lyrics of Whitney Houston. She is fascinating. And Michael can't let her go to jail.

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):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Review: Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely.

Case Histories Premieres Sunday, October 16th on Masterpiece Mystery!

The first of three episodes of Case Histories airs tomorrow, Sunday October 16th, on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! Check your local listings for time(s). Episodes 2 and 3 will air, respectively, on the following two Sundays. The series was recently honored with a TV Dagger for best crime drama at this year's Crime Thriller Awards.

Based on a character created by crime novelist Kate Atkinson, the series stars Jason Isaacs as private investigator Jackson Brodie. Set in brooding, beautiful Edinburgh, the crimes are a mix of cold cases and fresh bloodshed that only a maverick ex-cop like Brodie can solve.

In the opening episode titled "Case Histories", which gives the series its title and is adapted from the first book in the series, Jackson takes on the cold case of a girl who went missing thirty years earlier. He is also talked into helping a grieving father find the man who murdered his daughter, and tracking down the niece of a mysterious seductress.

This episode will be available to watch online from October 17th through November 29th, 2011. The DVD for the series is released on November 8th.

Dove Season by Johnny Shaw is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dove Season by Johnny Shaw as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, October 15, 2011.

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Dove Season by Johnny Shaw
A Jimmy Veeder Mystery
AmazonEncore

The author subtitles this first in a presumed series "A Jimmy Veeder Fiasco".

About Dove Season (from the publisher): Twelve years have passed since Jimmy Veeder set foot in the Imperial Valley of southern California. The only person that could bring him back is his father, Jack, who is dying of cancer. Jimmy is prepared to spend Jack’s final days joking and reminiscing, but the old man has other plans. He needs Jimmy to cross the border into Mexico and find a prostitute named Yolanda. It’s a strange final request to be sure, but Jimmy’s not one to argue with a dying man. With his childhood buddy Bobby Maves in tow, he heads south, looking for Yolanda among the seedy bars and neighborhoods along the Calexico/Mexicali border.

Their search leads them to Tomás Morales, a rising star in the Mexican underworld. While dangerous to most, his childhood friendship with Jimmy brings out his loyalty and spurs him to help. But just when Jimmy thinks his quest has ended, an unexpected murder sucks him further into the violence and danger of Mexicali. In his fight for survival and search for truth, what he uncovers calls into question everything he thought he knew about his father—and will determine just what kind of man he himself truly is.

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):

Amazon Kindle Daily Deal 10/15/2011 Download Link.

Telemystery: TNT Cancels Memphis Beat

Over on the cable networks, TNT has elected not to renew Memphis Beat for a third season … which surprises us just a bit, as we thought the ratings were decent, if not stellar.

"The network thanks everyone involved in the production of Memphis Beat for their work on the series, including the great cast and crew" was pretty much all TNT had to say on the subject.

Jason Lee stars as quirky Memphis police detective Dwight Hendricks in the series, with the always excellent Alfre Woodard as his by-the-book boss Tanya Rice.

Telemystery: ABC Cancels Charlie's Angels

ABC has canceled its reimagining of Charlie's Angels. We can't say we're sorry, as we never saw a single episode of the series this season. Once Robert Wagner bailed on it (as the voice of Charlie), we lost whatever little interest we had in it to start with.

Eight episodes (of the original 13 ordered) have been produced and four have aired to date. ABC has indicated that the remaining episodes will air at some point, but not when.

The CWA Announces the 2012 Debut Dagger Competition

The Crime Writers' Association has announced that the 2012 Debut Dagger Competition will be open from October 22nd, 2011 through January 21st, 2012.

The Debut Dagger is open to anyone who has not yet had a novel published commercially. All short-listed entrants will receive a generous selection of crime novels and professional assessments of their entries. The first prize is £700 plus two tickets to the CWA Awards, which will be held in July 2012.

Entrants are required to submit the first 3000 words of their crime-themed novel plus a 500-1000 word synopsis of the rest of the novel. The short-listed entries are circulated to all the editors and agents who are members of the Association, and also to an increasing number who contact the CWA asking to see the list. Since its inauguration, over two dozen winners and short-listed authors have obtained publishing contracts.

For more information, including the application form, visit the Debut Dagger page on the CWA website.

New UK Trailer for The Woman in Black

Last August we posted the first US trailer for the supernatural thriller The Woman in Black, adapted from the 1983 Gothic novel by Susan Hill.

Now a UK trailer is available and, while not as creepy as its US cousin, it is still decidedly chilling. Watch it below.

The Woman in Black stars Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House. Working alone in the mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town's tragic and tortured secrets and fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been dying under msyterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.

The film is scheduled to be in US theaters on February 3rd, 2012.

Nominees for the 2011 CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award Announced

The nominees for the 2011 CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award have been announced by the Crime Writers' Association. This annual award is given to the best crime novel set at least 35 years prior to the current year, and is sponsored in part by the Estate of Ellis Peters, who wrote many historical crime novels including the popular Cadfael series.

The winner will be announced on November 30th, 2011 at the Athenaeum in London.

• Prince by Rory Clements (John Murray)
• The Red Coffin by Sam Eastland (Faber & Faber)
• The Hanging Shed by Gordon Ferris (Corvus)
• The Somme Stations by Andrew Martin (Faber & Faber)
• The Cleansing Flames by R. N. Morris (Faber & Faber)
• Island of Bones by Imogen Robertson (Headline)