Telemystery: The Murder, She Wrote Movie Mysteries, New This Week on DVD

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

— ◊ —

The legacy of one of television's most beloved and acclaimed series continues with 4 full-length Murder, She Wrote movies.

Angela Lansbury returns as mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, the iconic role for which she received 12 consecutive Emmy nominations, one for each season the series aired. (Inexplicably, she never won.)

In "South by Southwest" (1997), a chance meeting on a train embroils Jessica with foreign spies and stolen government secrets. Then, a getaway to Los Angeles becomes deadly when she tries to solve the murder of a former Soviet KGB officer in "A Story to Die For" (2000). Jessica travels to Virginia — and into her own family history — in "The Last Free Man" (2001), where she discovers that she inherited her sleuthing skills from a relative who worked to abolish slavery. And finally, it's off to the Emerald Island in "The Celtic Riddle" (2003), where Jessica tries to claim an inheritance but faces opposition from a potential killer who's trying to do anything to get the fortune.

Murder, She Wrote: 4 Movie Collection is available on DVD and consists of the above-referenced episodes that originally aired on CBS.

— ◊ —

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

The Devil's Right Hand by J. D. Rhoades is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Devil's Right Hand by J. D. Rhoades as today's second free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

The Devil's Right Hand by J. D. Rhoades
A Jack Keller Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books

North Carolina bounty hunter Jake Keller is introduced in this first of four mysteries in this series.

About The Devil's Right Hand (from the publisher): Ex-cons DeWayne and Leonard thought it was a simple plan: Swipe the payroll from a local construction company and make off with easy cash. Pity they left the owner dead. Bigger pity is that the owner's son is a violent drug-dealer who's crazier than the low-caliber ex-cons he's vowed to nail — along with anyone else who gets in his way.

Bounty hunter and war vet Jack Keller is the perfect man for his job. With a brain full of combat nightmares, he's primed for every hunt, keen for the heady scent of gunfire, and high on the release each takedown brings. His new quarry is bail-jumper DeWayne, but even Keller isn't prepared for where this chase is going to take him.

Caught in a violent vendetta between two trigger-happy rednecks and a psycho blinded by rage, Keller's soon spiraling into a revenge plot set to explode in the North Carolina backwoods. Add to this murderous mix a local cop with his own agenda and his beautiful partner who's hot for men on the edge, and someone's bound to see hell before the night is over.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.

Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney as today's free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney
An Ellen McKenzie Mystery
Publisher: PublishAmerica

This is the second (of four to date) mystery to feature the California real estate agent.

About Give First Place to Murder (from the publisher): Murder at a small county fair Arabian horse show? Not possible. But Ellen McKenzie is staring at the body of a young groom, pinned to a hay bale by a pitchfork. Who could have wanted him dead?

It seems several people, and they are all connected to the show barn where Ellen's daughter has taken a summer job. Worried that somehow Susannah might be in danger, Ellen starts asking questions. It isn't until the barn's trainer is found dead in the bathroom at the prestigious Region 11 Arabian show in Santa Barbara that Ellen realizes she had better find the murderer fast, before he or she strikes again.

She's too late. Ellen and Susannah end up locked in a horse van, hurtling through the night to what looks like almost certain death.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for February 13, 2012

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!).

— ◊ —

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A C D H I K P R T

This 2011 thriller by Steven Sidor is set in a remote Minnesota town on Christmas Eve (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!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Wins BAFTAs for Best British Film, Adapted Screenplay

The British Academy Film Awards — the BAFTAs — were given out earlier today in a ceremony at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy taking two of the top awards.

The film was honored for Outstanding British Film and for Adapted Screenplay.

Based on the 1974 Cold War spy thriller of the same title (but with commas) by John le Carré, the film stars Gary Oldman as George Smiley, who is tasked with finding a mole, a double agent, within MI6 … or the Circus as it is known within the agency. Supported by younger agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley parses Circus activities past and present. In trying to track and identify the mole, Smiley is haunted by his decades-earlier interaction with the shadowy Russian spy master Karla.

The mole's trail remains cold until maverick field agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) unexpectedly contacts Lacon. While undercover in Turkey, Ricki has fallen for a betrayed married woman, Irina, who claims to possess crucial intelligence. Separately, Smiley learns that Control narrowed down the list of mole suspects to five men. They are the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), whom he had code-named Tinker; suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), called Soldier; officious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), dubbed Poor Man; and — Smiley himself.

Even before the startling truth is revealed, the emotional and physical tolls on the players enmeshed in the deadly international spy game will escalate …

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK last month, but won't be available to us in the US until March; it is available to pre-order. Watch a trailer for the film below.

Review: Clobbered by Camembert by Avery Aames

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Clobbered by Camembert by Avery Aames.

Stein, Stoned by Hal Ackerman is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Stein, Stoned by Hal Ackerman as today's third free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

Stein, Stoned by Hal Ackerman
A Harry Stein Mystery
Publisher: Tyrus Books

This is the first mystery in this series featuring the Southern California private investigator.

About Stein, Stoned (from the publisher): In the sixties, Harry Stein was the foremost authority on cannabis; writing the book on indoor cultivation, inventing thirteen different hybrids, and planting "Victory Gardens" across America behind police precincts, legislature courtyards, and legendarily in the rose garden of the Nixon White House.

Flash forward to the 20th anniversary of John Lennon’s death and Stein is now employed by a "product liability re-insurance firm" and spending his 50th birthday counting a warehouse full of shampoo bottles. Although not the revolutionary of the future he once imagined himself to be, staying on the path of the straight and narrow allows Stein to keep that which he holds most precious in his life: joint custody of his teenage daughter, Angie. When Stein comes up 1,000 shampoo bottles short in his count and his investigations lead him to stumble upon the body of a brutally murdered supermodel, he is forced down a trail littered with old friends, new enemies, and one final journey into the world he long since left behind.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

B&N Free Nook Book Download Link.

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

Three Charlie Parker Mysteries by Connie Shelton are Today's Second Featured Free MystereBooks

MystereBooks is pleased to feature three entries in the Charlie Parker series of mysteries by Connie Shelton as today's second free mystery ebooks.

These titles were listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

Honeymoons Can Be Murder by Connie Shelton
A Charlie Parker Mystery (6th in series)
Publisher: Secret Staircase Books

About Honeymoons Can Be Murder (from the publisher): It's Christmas and Charlie and Drake are finally able to go on their honeymoon. It's a mixed blessing--they get to spend three months at the famed Taos Ski Valley, but Drake will be working as he shuttles skiers to the top of the mountain with his helicopter. When Drake's assistant, Eloy Romero, is accused of killing his own brother, a Catholic priest, Charlie offers to help sort out the clues. Drawn into the art world for which Taos is known, Charlie begins to uncover connections between the murdered priest and the theft of millions of dollars in religious artifacts. As the pieces click into place, she finds that she and Drake are placing their lives on the line.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

— ◊ —

Reunions Can Be Murder by Connie Shelton
A Charlie Parker Mystery (7th in series)
Publisher: Secret Staircase Books

About Reunions Can Be Murder (from the publisher): An unpleasant female lawyer barges into Charlie's office and demands that the firm immediately drop everything and find her elderly father, who has gone missing-all because there is a big family reunion coming up. Charlie knows she's going to regret this, but she gives in. The hunt takes her on a wild chase when she learns that Willie McBride was an avid gold prospector.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

— ◊ —

Stardom Can Be Murder by Connie Shelton
A Charlie Parker Mystery (12th in series)
Publisher: Secret Staircase Books

About Stardom Can Be Murder (from the publisher): It's a terrible case of mistaken identity when a gang of bank robbers think that Charlie is a famous movie star. Disappointed with their take from the bank, they decide that a hefty ransom will be their ticket to riches. But what will happen when the real star steps forward? Charlie knows that only her wits will save her from this band of desperate men. Meanwhile, in a race against the clock, Charlie's husband Drake is working with the FBI and local authorities to get Charlie back before her captors realize their mistake.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.

Bobby's Diner by Susan Wingate is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Bobby's Diner by Susan Wingate as today's free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

Bobby's Diner by Susan Wingate
A Georgette Carlisle Mystery
Publisher: False Bay Books

This first in a series introduces Georgette Carlisle, who runs the titular establishment in Sunnydale, Arizona.

About Bobby's Diner (from the publisher): Running a diner ain't always a piece of cake. When both wives of Bobby's, his widow and his ex, inherit Bobby's Diner that's when the trouble begins. They will either have to run it together … or sell … but not before greedy contractors and a dirty politician try to steal the land out from under them. Will they fight under the turmoil? Or, will they buckle.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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: The Evil Penguin Plan by Maxwell Eaton III

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The Evil Penguin Plan by Maxwell Eaton III.

Mr. E. Reviews The Double

Purchase/Rental Option(s)

This suspense thriller doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is, a good balance between intellectual exercise — how is it all going to play out — and entertainment. Short and with credible performances by the principal cast, I enjoyed it probably more than I expected to.

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

— ◊ —

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

The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton to be Adapted for Film

Karen Walton (Flashpoint) will adapt the first Ava Lee mystery by Ian Hamilton, The Water Rat of Wanchai, to be produced by Strada Films and possibly developed into a franchise.

Ava Lee is a forensic accountant, who specializes in recovering massive debts that aren't likely to be recovered through traditional methods. In her debut — there are currently three mysteries in the series — Ava is persuaded by an old friend of the elderly Hong Kong-based "Uncle" for whom she works to help his nephew, who is owed $5 million from a seafood company. The nephew's business financed purchase orders for a company that was producing cooked shrimp for a major U.S. retailer. The deal went sideways. The money disappeared.

On a journey that takes her from Toronto to Seattle to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands, Ava encounters everything from the Thai katoey culture to corrupt but helpful law enforcers. But it's in Guyana where she meets her match: Captain Robbins, a huge hulk of a man and godfather-like figure who controls the police, politicians, and criminals alike. In exchange for his help, he decides he wants of piece of Ava's $5 million action and will do whatever it takes to get his fair share …

Of the three books in the series (to date), which were all originally published in Canada, only the most recent — The Wild Beasts of Wuhan — will be directly available to purchase later this month in the US; it is available to pre-order.

(Related article: The Hollywood Reporter.)

The Hell Screen by I. J. Parker is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Hell Screen by I. J. Parker as today's third free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

The Hell Screen by I. J. Parker
A Sugawara Akitada Mystery
Publisher: Stony Creek Press

Set in 11th century Japan, this is the second mystery (of eight to date) to feature Sugawara Akitada, a minor official in the Ministry of Justice during the Heian Period.

About The Hell Screen (from the publisher): Akitada is on his way to the bedside of his dying mother when bad weather forces him to take refuge in a temple whose central treasure is a brilliantly painted hell screen. Perhaps its violent imagery influences his dreams: that night he is awakened by a scream. It’s only after Akitada returns to a scene of domestic unhappiness and scandal that the significance of that cry becomes clear. For while he slept, a woman was murdered, and now he must find her killer.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.

The Gathering Storm by Barbara Warren is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Gathering Storm by Barbara Warren as today's second free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

The Gathering Storm by Barbara Warren
Publisher: Jireh Publishing/Lighthouse Publishing

About The Gathering Storm (from the publisher): Stephanie Walker lives a peaceful life until her undependable and dishonest father, Marty Walker, suddenly arrives at her home pleading with Stephanie to come with him to his Harrington Lodge in the beautiful Ozarks. Stephanie, suspicious of her father’s motives declines her father’s invitation.

After his departure, Stephanie discovers the diamond necklace she borrowed from her aunt is missing. Racing through a raging thunderstorm, Stephanie drives to the lodge to reclaim the stolen item.

But when she arrives, Stephanie finds her father dead, her aunt’s diamond necklace gone and a pair of handcuffs fitted just for her. Stephanie’s claims of innocence fail to sway the local sheriff, who produces several pieces of evidence linking her to the murder. With a shaky alibi and a vindictive stepmother, Stephanie turns to a lodge employee for help. But will Brad Wilson’s assistance lead Stephanie to the real killer or prove to be her undoing? Like a gathering storm on a warm summer evening, Stephanie’s world darkens until she’s forced to turn to the one true source of knowledge. But what she learns about her father, family and her own inner demons is more horrifying than the lies she’s come to believe. The truth can set you free. It can also kill you.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.

A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing by Lou Allin is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing by Lou Allin as today's free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

— ◊ —

A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing by Lou Allin
Publisher: Five Star/Tekno Publishing

This stand-alone — which could also serve as the first of a new series — is by the author of two other mystery series.

About A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing (from the publisher): For Maddie Temple, a literature professor at a small Michigan university, the new school year gets off to a rocky start, with the death of a student (who plummeted from one of the library's top floors). Then a top university administrator dies under suspicious circumstances, with the disliked coordinator of the English department becoming the prime suspect.

Allin, author of the popular Belle Palmer series, has written a novel that's about as British cozy as it's possible for a book to be without actually being British. It stars a professor who is a fan of Sherlock Holmes and whose father was a policeman; it's set in and around a university; and its cast is mostly made up of students and faculty. Literary references abound, from Dickens to Frank Norris to Truman Capote. It's a very gentle story, told at an unhurried pace, and readers who like to settle into a comfy chair with a nice cup of well-sugared tea will be in seventh heaven.

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. 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.