Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending December 02, 2011

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending December 2nd, 2011 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

No change in the top two this week — The Litigators by John Grisham followed closely by V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton — with last week's featured title, Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich, coming in strong at number three. Two new titles debut this week.

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New at number 10 is the 17th Harry Bosch mystery, The Drop by Michael Connelly.

Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two.

DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court.

Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation.

Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.

Purchase Options:

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Two places lower at number 12 is the fourth Lord John Grey historical mystery, The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon.

London, 1760. For Jamie Fraser, paroled prisoner-of-war in the remote Lake District, life could be worse: He’s not cutting sugar cane in the West Indies, and he’s close enough to the son he cannot claim as his own. But Jamie Fraser’s quiet existence is coming apart at the seams, interrupted first by dreams of his lost wife, then by the appearance of Tobias Quinn, an erstwhile comrade from the Rising.

Like many of the Jacobites who aren’t dead or in prison, Quinn still lives and breathes for the Cause. His latest plan involves an ancient relic that will rally the Irish. Jamie is having none of it — he’s sworn off politics, fighting, and war. Until Lord John Grey shows up with a summons that will take him away from everything he loves — again.

Lord John Grey — aristocrat, soldier, and occasional spy — finds himself in possession of a packet of explosive documents that exposes a damning case of corruption against a British officer. But they also hint at a more insidious danger. Time is of the essence as the investigation leads to Ireland, with a baffling message left in “Erse,” the tongue favored by Scottish Highlanders. Lord John, who oversaw Jacobite prisoners when he was governor of Ardsmiur prison, thinks Jamie may be able to translate — but will he agree to do it?

Soon Lord John and Jamie are unwilling companions on the road to Ireland, a country whose dark castles hold dreadful secrets, and whose bogs hide the bones of the dead.

Purchase Options:

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For more mystery books news, please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

The Hunger Games Tribute Guide and Official Illustrated Movie Companion Available to Pre-Order

Over the last month or so Scholastic has announced that four books would be published to coincide with the release of the film adaptation of The Hunger Games.

Now the covers of two of these books — scheduled to be available February 7th, 2012 — have been unveiled; we're displaying them below.

The first of these is The Hunger Games Tribute Guide, described as the ultimate guide to the twenty-four Tributes participating in Panem's 74th annual Hunger Games. Follow the Tributes' journey from the Reaping to the Games, with a look at all the highlights along the way — the Tribute Parade, the stations of the Training Center, the interviews, and more. Get exclusive information about the Tributes' strengths and weaknesses, their weapons of choice, and their experience in the Capitol before entering the arena.

The second is The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Go behind the scenes of the making of The Hunger Games with exclusive images and interviews. From the screenwriting process to the casting decisions to the elaborate sets and costumes to the actors' performances and directors' vision, this is the definitive companion to the film.

The Hunger Games is adapted from the young adult thriller of the same title by Suzanne Collins and stars Jennifer Lawrence as 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, chosen to participate as a tribute in an annual live televised event that requires one boy and one girl from each of Panem's 12 districts to compete against each other … to the death. The film opens in US theaters March 23rd, 2012.

 

New International Trailer for The Raven

A month or so ago we posted the first US trailer for The Raven. Now a shorter, international version has been released; we've embedded it below (via TotalFilm).

The film stars John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe in a fictionalized account of the last days of his life, in which he is in pursuit of a serial killer whose murders mirror those in the writer's stories. Luke Evans plays Detective Emmett Fields, who enlists the author's help in stopping the attacks. But when it appears someone close to Poe may become the murderer's next victim, the stakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his own powers of deduction to try to solve the case before it's too late.

The Raven opens in US theaters on March 9th, 2012.

Tim Dorsey's Florida Roadkill is B&N's Spotlight Author Nook Deal

The Barnes & Noble Nook Spotlight is on crime novelist Tim Dorsey this month. To introduce readers to this entertaining author, the bookseller is offering the first book in his Serge Storm series, Florida Roadkill, for just 99 cents (for a limited time only).

Trivia buff Serge loves inflicting pain. Drug-addled Coleman, his partner in crime, loves cartoons. Hot stripper Sharon Rhodes loves cocaine, especially when purchased with rich dead men's money.

Then there's Sean and David, who love fishing — and helping turtles cross busy thoroughfares. Unfortunately, they're about to cross paths with a suitcase filled with $5 million in stolen money.

Serge wants the suitcase. Sharon wants the suitcase. Coleman wants more drugs … and the suitcase. A hitman wants Satan to reign supreme. A slimy, insurance-frauding dentist wants his fingers back. In the meantime, there's murder by gun, Space Shuttle, Barbie doll, and Levi's 501s.

Welcome to Florida!

There are currently 13 books in the series, plus a new holiday-themed entry, When Elves Attack: A Joyous Christmas Greeting from the Criminal Nutbars of the Sunshine State. ( Amazon | B&N )

It's ho, ho, ho time in this hilarious and wacky Florida holiday tale, featuring bighearted psychopath Serge Storms and his sidekick, Coleman. Like Santa, Serge knows who's been naughty and who's been nice. Few can give with the generosity and creativity of Serge, and as December 24 rolls around, he is filling up the Serge sleigh with an unforgettable bag of presents.

But before that, it's all a big free-range Christmas office party, where Serge will be spreading his special cheer. And there's that last-minute go-for-broke spree at the mall (just beware of those attacking elves—they bite). While you're there, skip the lame photo on Santa's lap—Serge will give you a lap ride you'll never forget. As for that addled elf Coleman, there's nothing like a white Christmas. Let it snow!

So grab a six-pack, spike the eggnog, and hit the dunes on the beach as Serge and Coleman roast some nuts on an open fire and prove that reindeer really do know how to fly.

Harlequin Worldwide Mystery Titles for December 2011

eHarlequin.com has released the list of December 2011 titles for its Worldwide Mystery imprint, your partner in crime. Amateur sleuths, traditional cozies, police procedurals and private-eye fiction, written by award-winning authors.

For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the title or cover.

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 Red, Green, or Murder by Steven F. Havill
A Posadas County Mystery (16th in series)

In Posadas County, New Mexico, retired undersheriff Bill Gastner understands two things: most criminals aren't as smart as they think they are, and human nature is fairly predictable. When a full cattle truck and trailer go missing along with the ranch hand driving it, and the herd and its cow dog are found roaming the highway, Gastner suspects the young driver was the victim of a hijacking. After the truck is spotted crossing the border without its original occupant, things look grim.

Tragedy mounts when an old friend of Gastner's drops dead after eating a green chili burrito. The current undersheriff doesn't believe it was just the old man's time to go—and toxicology reports confirm he was poisoned. Gastner assists in both cases doing what he does best: following a blood trail only a seasoned hound dog like him can sniff out.

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 A Hard Bargain by Jane Tesh
A Madeline Maclin Mystery (2nd in series)

Former beauty queen turned P.I. Madeline "Mac" Maclin has a freshly painted office in Celosia, North Carolina, and clients pouring in. First up: a missing persons case involving an eccentric inventor who vanished, but left behind ten thousand dollars in small bills. Then events turn sinister when the cast and crew of Curse of the Mantis Man arrive to shoot their horror film in her sleepy Southern town—and somebody murders the director.

Add a decades-old mystery about the fire that killed her almost-boyfriend's parents, and Mac has more excitement than this former pageant pro ever asked for. Especially now that the rabid "Pageantoids" are hounding her to rejoin the world of big hair and wide smiles as a consultant. But Mac is determined to stick with murder and mayhem—the competition isn't nearly as brutal.

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Squall Line by Nancy Gotter Gates
Non-Series

Emma Daniels's lazy morning on the beach outside her Sarasota, Florida, condo is interrupted by a charming stranger. The gentleman, a gallery owner, appears so earnest that Emma agrees to deliver his note to a local artist known for her beach paintings. But when the message turns out to be a ransom note, Emma feels like a fool. Now she's determined to help the note's recipient secure her grandmother's safe return, and insists on contributing to the ransom amount.

Sinister events turn deadly, though, when the artist's body washes ashore only hours after the money delivery. Worse, there's still no clue to the whereabouts of the elderly woman. Galvanized into action, Emma looks for clues in the young artist's life and discovers she's been played in a brilliant con game. The only real part is the lifeless body on the shore. And the terrible awareness that somebody wants Emma dead, too.

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Means to an End by Michael Hachey
A Dexter Loomis Mystery (2nd in series)

Death and theft strike the rural community of Higgins Point, Wisconsin, and police chief Dexter Loomis has his hands full. The events are seemingly unrelated. The home of a famous local artist is burglarized; a reporter dies in a car crash; and one of the artist's business associates drops dead of a possible heart attack. But as Dexter investigates, he links all incidents to a twenty-year-old unsolved murder.

Clues point to secrets in the artist's past. Two decades ago, his secretary—and mistress—was poisoned. No arrests were made. But when the two modern-day deaths are linked to the same poison that killed his secretary, the artist becomes the obvious suspect. Too obvious, Dexter thinks. Digging into a deeper, more convoluted motive, Dexter hunts an experienced killer who has the ability to hide in plain sight.

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Firsts on the 1st: New Series Characters Being Introduced in December 2011 Mysteries

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books recently updated its list of December 2011 hardcover mysteries as well as shelved new December paperbacks on The Mystery Bookshelf.

In this series of monthly posts, which we call Firsts on the 1st, we're introducing readers to new series characters who will make their mysterious American debut in print during December. (Purchase options include Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and the iTunes iBookstore, which are indicated by icons under the cover image.)

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Title: Endangered
Author: Pamela Beason
Series Character: Sam Westin
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the character: Sam Westin is an internet writer/reporter.

Her first case: A child has gone missing, and Sam Westin knows it's her fault. She nudged the boy down a dark path toward a man she presumed was his father. Now there's a media campaign targeting the cougars she helped rehabilitate and release a year ago, blaming them for the boy's disappearance. It's only when FBI Agent Chase Perez joins the case that human suspects are considered.

Clues lead Sam and Chase to the high country, where they comb the rocky canyons for evidence of the boy and for the one man who may be a vital witness. But as hours pass, and the media frenzy escalates, Sam fears they won't uncover the truth in time to save both the boy and the big cats …

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Title: Double Booked for Death
Author: Ali Brandon
Series Character: Black Cat Bookshop
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the characters: The Black Cat Bookshop mysteries feature a bad-tempered black cat named Hamlet with an unwitting bookstore owner named Darla Pettistone.

Their first case: As the new owner of Pettistone's Fine Books, Darla is determined to prove herself a worthy successor to her late great-aunt Dee … and equally determined to outwit Hamlet, the smarter-than-thou cat she inherited along with the shop.

Darla's first store event is a real coup: the hottest bestselling author of the moment is holding a signing there. But when the author meets an untimely end during the event, it's ruled an accident — until Hamlet digs up a clue that seems to indicate otherwise …

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Title: Soft Target
Author: Stephen Hunter
Series Character: Ray Cruz
Format: Hardcover

What we know about the character: Ray Cruz is a retired Marine sniper, who was a supporting character in the Bob Lee Swagger mystery Dead Zero (2010).

His first case: Black Friday America’s largest shopping mall Suburban Minneapolis 3:00 P.M.

Ten thousand people jam the aisles, the corridors, the elevators, and the escalators of America, the Mall — a giant Rubik’s Cube of a structure with its own amusement park located in the spacious center atrium. Of those people, nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight have come to shop. The other twelve have come to kill.

The gunmen open fire in the mall corridors, driving the pack before them. Those on the upper floors take cover or get out any way they can; but within a few minutes the gunmen have herded more than a thousand hostages into the amusement park.

Ray Cruz is in the mall with his fiancée and her family. The retired Marine sniper thought he was done with stalking and killing — but among the trapped thousands, he’s the only one with a plan and the guts to confront the self-proclaimed “Brigade Mumbai.” Now all he needs is a gun.

FBI Sniper Dave McElroy has a gun. But positioned on the roof of the vast building, looking down through one of its thickly paned Great Lakes–shaped skylights, and without explosives or fuses — or the go-ahead from his superiors — he is effectively cut off from his targets and forced into the role of witness to the horror unfolding below.

Having learned the lessons of Columbine, the feds believe that immediate action is the only solution. But Douglas Obobo, the charismatic and ambitious commandant of the state police, orders cooperation, tolerance, communication, and empathy for the gunmen. He feels that with his superior negotiating skills, he can make contact with the shooters and gently nudge them into surrender. But what if their goal all along has been unparalleled massacre — and they’re only waiting for prime time?

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Title: Freezing
Author: Clea Koff
Series Character: Jayne Hall and Steelie Lander
Format: Hardcover

What we know about the characters: Jayne Hall and Steelie Lander are forensic anthropologists in Los Angeles.

Their first case: When a bundle of frozen body parts tumbles out the rear door of a van on a Los Angeles freeway, FBI agent Scott Houston knows just where to go for an off-the-record analysis: Agency 32/1, a non-profit missing persons identification resource center run by Jayne Hall and Steelie Lander. Jayne and Steelie quickly determine that the remains are human, though from several women. But Scott’s call has unintended consequences for the two women, putting their lives in jeopardy, as their unique skills uncover evidence leading directly to the killer …

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Title: Matrimony and Murder
Author: Lois Lamanna
Series Character: Marlene Webb and Bethany Cunningham
Format: Hardcover

What we know about the characters: Marlene Webb and Bethany Cunningham are amateur sleuthing sisters.

Their first case: Marlene and Bethany attend the wedding of a distant cousin hoping to find information for the family tree. What they discover is a body in the church basement, a tactless police officer, a cosmetic case containing fifty thousand dollars and a hidden family secret.

Self described as being over-fifty, over-weight, and over-educated, the sisters have obvious personality differences. Bethany is generous of heart and, well, let’s just say, Marlene is not.

When the groom is arrested at the reception, the sisters are challenged with the task of proving his innocence, after all, no family member of theirs would commit murder … or would they?

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Title: Trashy Chic
Author: Cathy Lubenski
Series Character: Bertie Mallowan
Format: Trade Paperback

What we know about the character: Bertie Mallowan is a reporter in Southern California.

Her first case: Bertie has drifted away from hard news stories and into the shallows of "fluff" features, the kind you find buried in the back of the newspaper. Writing about preschool fashion shows and the latest in designer garbage bags bores her so she amuses herself by inventing naughty passwords for her computer and pushing the envelope when it comes to creative lying to management types.

When she interviews greedy, nasty Robert Bellingham, the king of must-have luxury items for the rich of Southern California — like monogrammed airbags for "The Crash with Panache" and mink coats pre-streaked with red paint to foil PETA kamikazes. Over the years, his products have become de rigueur for the class that has two of everything and is seeking the one and only of something else. He's made a lot of money and a lot of enemies.

Two days after Bertie's interview, Bellingham's body is found on the floor of the foyer in the family mansion; someone has aerated his skull with the stereotypical blunt object. Thanks to her interview, Bertie has inside information about the life and times of a rich and powerful murder victim and is thrust into a big story again.

Bertie is convinced that the family's bizarre emotional ticks make them all uniquely capable of committing murder. A second murder and an attack on Bertie herself brings her face-to-face with the kind of danger she's only ever written about, never experienced first-hand.

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Title: A Bespoke Murder
Author: Edward Marston
Series Character: Harvey Marmion
Format: Hardcover

What we know about the character: Inspector Harvey Marmion is a police officer in London during the early days of The Great War.

His first case: May 1915. As zeppelin bombs fall on London and with the sinking of the Lusitania, anti-German hysteria reaches fever pitch and attacks on German immigrants surge. Not even the West End of London is immune. Jacob Stein's bespoke tailoring business comes under brutal attack, leaving his safe ransacked, his daughter, Ruth, raped and traumatized and Jacob dead.

Inspector Harvey Marmion is detailed to the case and faces an uphill struggle to track down the perpetrators, even up to the chaos of the Front Line. But was the murder as opportunistic as it first appears, or did someone with a deadly grudge plan the attack?

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Title: Morgue Drawer Four
Author: Jutta Profijt
Series Character: Martin Gänsewein
Format: Trade Paperback

What we know about the character: Dr. Martin Gänsewein is a coroner in Cologne, Germany.

His first case: Coroner is the perfect job for Martin, who spends his days in peace and quiet autopsying dead bodies for the city of Cologne. Shy, but scrupulous, Martin appreciates his taciturn clients — until the day one of them starts talking to him. It seems the ghost of a recently deceased (and surprisingly chatty) small-time car thief named Pascha is lingering near his lifeless body in drawer number four of Martin’s morgue. He remains for one reason: his “accidental” death was, in fact, murder. Pascha is furious his case will go unsolved — to say nothing of his body’s dissection upon Martin’s autopsy table. But since Martin is the only person Pascha can communicate with, the ghost settles in with the good pathologist, determined to bring the truth of his death to light. Now Martin’s staid life is rudely upended as he finds himself navigating Cologne’s red-light district and the dark world of German car smuggling. Unless Pascha can come up with a plan — and fast — Martin will soon be joining him in the spirit world.

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For a list of more hardcover mysteries scheduled for publication during December, please visit our New Mysteries home page. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, also updated with December 2011 releases. See also our regularly updated eBook site for new mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers, MysterEbooks.com.

Please also visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.