New Trailer for Snow White & the Huntsman

A new trailer for the fairy tale thriller Snow White & the Huntsman has been released, currently available exclusively on Xfinity. A second video is also on the site, a 5-minute extended first look at the film.

The tale of Snow White is turned on its head with this reimagining starring Kristen Stewart as the fair maiden who has to escape from her fantasy land's Evil Queen (Charlize Theron) with the help of the dashing huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who was once ordered to kill her.

The film is directed by Rupert Sanders from a screenplay by Evan Daugherty. Snow White & the Huntsman opens in theaters June 1st, 2012.

Short Preview of A&E's New Western Crime Drama Longmire

A&E has released a short (30-second) commercial for its new western crime drama Longmire; we've embedded it below.

Based on a character created by Craig Johnson, the series is scheduled to premiere this June. 10 episodes have been ordered.

Widowed only a year, Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) is man in psychic repair that buries his pain behind a brave face and dry wit. Struggling since his wife's death and at the urging of his daughter, Cady (Cassidy Freeman), Longmire knows that the time has come to turn his life around. With the help of Vic (Katee Sackhoff), a female deputy new to the department, he becomes reinvigorated about his job and committed to running for re-election. When Branch (Bailey Chase), an ambitious, young deputy decides to run against him for sheriff, Longmire feels betrayed but remains steadfast in his dedication to the community. Longmire often turns to close friend and confidant Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) for support as he sets out to rebuild both his personal and professional life, one step at a time.

There are currently seven books in the series by Johnson — we've read the most recent two, Junkyard Dogs and Hell Is Empty, both excellent — with the eighth (As the Crow Flies) scheduled to be published this May.

(Hat tip to Criminal Element for letting us know about this video.)

Fever Moon by Carolyn Haines is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Fever Moon by Carolyn Haines 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.

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Fever Moon by Carolyn Haines
Publisher: Tyrus Books

This stand-alone is by the author of the Sarah Booth Delaney "Southern Belle" mystery series.

About Fever Moon (from the publisher): Set in New Iberia, Louisiana, during World War II, Fever Moon begins when Deputy Raymond Thibodeaux discovers Adele Hebert covered in blood and hovering over the brutally eviscerated body of Henri Bastion, a wealthy plantation owner. In the aftermath of the murder, Adele claims to be the loup-garou, a legendary Cajun shape-shifter that traditionally takes the shape of a wolf, and panic ensues in this small town that already has been living under the pressures of wartime rationing and poverty. Raymond is determined to restore order, but to do so he’ll have to prove that Adele isn’t a murderer or a monster.

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.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for March 19, 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!).

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This week's letters and mystery clue:

A C E I P S T W Y

Father and son Charlie and Drummond Clark return in this second thriller by Keith Thomson (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!

The Loyal Servant by Eva Hudson is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Loyal Servant by Eva Hudson 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.

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The Loyal Servant by Eva Hudson
Publisher: Amazon Media

This thriller was the winner of the inaugural Lucy Cavendish College (University of Cambridge) Fiction Prize in 2011. The prize is awarded to an unpublished female author for a novel that "marries literary merit with unputdownability."

About The Loyal Servant (from the publisher): It's late. In Westminster a well-respected government minister lies dead in the Department of Education, scattered pills and whiskey bottle on his desk.

Low ranking civil servant Caroline Barber discovers his body, but is convinced the minister wouldn’t take his own life. When Martin Fox’s death is quickly forgotten by the press, Caroline fears the real reason for his death will be buried with him.

She embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, recruiting hard-nosed investigative journalist Angela Tate. But Tate only agrees to help in exchange for confidential government information.

Torn between her quest for justice and her loyalty to the department, Caroline reluctantly turns whistleblower, putting not just her career at risk, but the safety of her family.

As her enemies get closer to discovering her identity, she unearths a scandal powerful enough to bring down the government. But will she get the chance to expose the corruption before she is silenced permanently?

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.

Mosaic by John R. Maxim is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mosaic by John R. Maxim 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.

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Mosaic by John R. Maxim
Original Publisher: William Morrow

About Mosaic (from the publisher): The U.S. Government has sanctioned two top-secret scientific experiments overseen by a shadowy figure known for his brutal efficiency. The aim of these twin covert operations is dark, sinister, and potentially devastating: to use Multiple Personality Disorder to create the perfect assassin.

Under orders from a troubled and secretive superior officer, Major Roger Grayson has launched an investigation into the goings-on behind the electrified gates of the Belfair mental health research facility. An operative with the uncanny ability to adapt to virtually any undercover situation, Grayson fears what this assignment will reveal about the nature and humanity of these projects … and about himself. And when his inquest brings an extraordinary woman into his life — an innocent civilian targeted by the government — the stakes become much higher, as the scope of the secret project becomes more apparent … and more horrifying.

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 Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs 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.

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The Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs
Original Publisher: Kensington

This standalone is by the author of two mystery series, one featuring amateur sleuth Kate Austen and the other criminal defense attorney Kali O'Brien.

About The Only Suspect (from the publisher): Dr. Sam Russell's trial for the murder of his first wife ended in a hung jury. Now his second wife is missing and Sam has no memory of the night she disappeared. Detective Hannah Montgomery knows the husband is always suspect, but as she investigates, she discovers that Sam's wife has secrets of her own.

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 Righteous Thrillers" by Michael Wallace is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature "The Righteous Thrillers" by Michael Wallace as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $0.99 each is valid only for today, Sunday, March 18, 2012.

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"The Righteous Thrillers" by Michael Wallace
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

About "The Righteous Thrillers" (from the publisher): The first three thrillers in this series — The Righteous, Mighty and Strong, and The Wicked — are included in this promotion. Below is a synopsis of the first in the series.

Deep in the Utah desert, the small polygamous community of Blister Creek has a history of protecting its own. Even when a young woman is brutally murdered just blocks from her home, the residents of the conservative enclave close ranks. But just because they don’t want outside law enforcement in their business doesn’t mean the murder will go unpunished.

More than a thousand miles away, Jacob Christianson, a medical student and son of a devout church elder, learns of his cousin Amanda’s murder. Though Jacob is skeptical of many of the community’s fundamentalist beliefs, his sharply analytical mind and family connection to the victim earns him the assignment of investigator into Amanda’s death.

Jacob heads to Blister Creek, accompanied by his inquisitive younger sister, Eliza, to probe the bizarre circumstances of their cousin’s violent death. It doesn’t take long for the pair to realize that Amanda’s murder was no random act; rather, it is part of a covert plot to overthrow the church’s leaders.

Important Note: Amazon.com updates its Kindle book deal every day at approximately midnight PT. The titles referenced above are available at a discounted price each for Sunday, March 18, 2012 only.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The Castro Gene by Todd Buchholz is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Castro Gene by Todd Buchholz as today's fourth 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.

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The Castro Gene by Todd Buchholz
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

At the conclusion of our review of this entertaining novel, we added, "And there's an unexpected bonus: yet another theory, as credible as any other, on who really assassinated John F. Kennedy."

About The Castro Gene (from the publisher): After killing a man in the ring, Luke Braden quits boxing. While toiling as a security guard and yearning to reinvent himself, Luke is swept up into the high-flying domain of Paul Tremont. Tremont, the hottest hedge fund hand around, has a penchant for the dramatic and a disquieting need to control. Being Tremont’s protégé has its perks — Luke trades in his ratty basement apartment for a penthouse view, his gym clothes for designer suits. But there are strings attached, and Tremont is pulling those strings.

Why does Tremont need a washed-up boxer? The answer lies not in what Luke is, but who he is. Luke Braden is the only man who can execute Tremont’s diabolical scheme.

Fidel Castro risks one last trip to the U.S., and one man will be forced to stand in his way. Luke Braden is in for the fight of his life — or the fight for his life.

Read our review of The Castro Gene by Todd Buchholz.

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.

No One To Hear You Scream by Julia Madeleine is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature No One To Hear You Scream by Julia Madeleine 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.

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No One To Hear You Scream by Julia Madeleine
Publisher: Black Heart Books

In our review of this thriller, we said, "Each of [the four principal] characters is seriously flawed in some way, but they also have their moments of goodness and tenderness, of which they are almost afraid to embrace for fear it will make them seem weak in the eyes of others. Readers will likely be torn between disliking Rory, Brett, Pamela, and Justine for their actions, but drawn to them as individuals."

About No One To Hear You Scream (from the publisher): In upstate New York, Brett and Pamela Jameson find the house of their dreams on twenty acres of land. Bucolic and serene, it is the answer to all of their prayers. But their dream soon turns into a nightmare when violent ex-gang member Rory Madden, the property’s former owner returns, and will stop at nothing to reclaim the home he lost to foreclosure. Rory unearths the secrets hidden within the Jameson family, and begins to leverage his knowledge to slowly drive wedges between them. When their seventeen year-old daughter Justine falls prey to Rory’s advances, she becomes a co-conspirator, setting about a series of increasingly treacherous events that could forever tear the Jameson family apart.

Read our review of No One To Hear You Scream by Julia Madeleine.

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 Concrete Maze by Steven Torres is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Concrete Maze by Steven Torres 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.

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The Concrete Maze by Steven Torres
Publisher: Leisure Books

This stand-alone thriller is by the author of the "Luis Gonzalo" mystery series.

About The Concrete Maze (from the publisher): The Bronx can be a tough place. And Luis Ramos can tell you it’s even tougher to raise a daughter there. How can he keep her safe when every street leads to a new threat, an unseen danger? Now his daughter, Jasmine, is missing, and Luis will stop at nothing to get her back. He’s a desperate man, willing to do whatever it takes to find her in the endless maze of the city. Nothing — and no one — will stand in his way. Whoever took Jasmine is about to find out just how tough the Bronx can get.

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.

Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony 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.

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Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

In our review of this stand-alone thriller, we made note of "a series of unexpected twists and turns that are hit-and-miss; some work within the context of the plot, some don't. Fortunately, the ending works, and provides an element of surprise that will have the reader thumbing back through the pages to see how they missed anticipating this startling conclusion."

About Ladykiller (from the publisher): In the city that never sleeps, evil is wide awake.

From the bright lights of Times Square to the dark alleys of New York, the Ladykiller is at work — and at prey.

Four women savagely murdered on the mean streets of New York. The Ladykiller leaves no trail, no clues.

The pressure is on for NYPD detective Dave Dillon: either he solves the crime, or he can kiss his job goodbye. When Dave joins forces with Megan Morrison, a beautiful young social worker, the search for a cold-hearted killer leads to a hot romance. But a host of forces threaten to intrude: Nita, Megan’s jealous mentor, would delight in derailing the romance between Dave and Megan, as would Jamie, a determined detective with her own not-so-hidden agenda. And Dave’s shadowy past is never far behind. The clock is ticking for Dave and Megan. Will they close in on the shocking truth behind the crimes, or will it close in on them?

In the world of the Ladykiller, passion can turn deadly in a New York minute.

Read our review of Ladykiller by Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony.

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.

NBC's Grimm Renewed for Second Season

Earlier this week CBS announced a large number of series renewals, including many — but not all … yet — of its prime time crime dramas.

Today we're hearing (via a tweet from a screenwriter) that Grimm is getting a second season. No official word from NBC, however it's likely we'll have that soon enough.

We've probably seen half of the episodes of Grimm aired to date and have found it to be a generally entertaining diversion from the standard police procedurals that dominate network television.

New UK Quad Poster for Martial Arts Thriller The Raid

Several weeks ago we posted the US trailer and poster for the martial arts thriller The Raid: Redemption. The studio has now released a UK quad poster for the film, adding a helicopter, some flames, and shortening the title to The Raid (right; click for larger version). This poster's tagline: "20 elite cops. 30 floors of hell."

The film stars Iko Uwais as Rama, a member of a special forces team, who arrives at a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord. The building has become a sanctuary to killers, gangs, rapists and thieves seeking accommodation in the one place they know they cannot be touched by the police. When a spotter blows their cover, Rama and his team must fight their way through every floor and every room not just to complete their mission … but to survive their bloody ordeal.

Also known by its original Indonesian title Serbuan maut, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, where it won the Midnight Madness Award. It is directed by Gareth Evans from his own screenplay. It opens in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on March 23rd, 2012, and in the UK on May 18th, 2012.

Get a Free Ron Roy Mystery Book Club Starter Kit for Your Kids

Get a free Mystery Book Club Starter Kit and help to encourage your kids to read and explore books together as part of the Roy Roy Summer Literacy Program courtesy of Random House Children's Books.

Visit the Whodunit? Mystery Book Club page on the Random House website (or click on the banner below) to register. Your free kit includes:

• One book by Ron Roy from one of his early chapter mystery book series (A to Z Mysteries, Capital Mysteries, or Calendar Mysteries);

• A Mystery Book Club Activity book; and

• A set of membership cards.

Quantities are limited. Kits will begin shipping May 22nd, 2012.