Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan as today's fifth 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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Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan
A Kiki Lowenstein "Scrapbooking" Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink

This is the second mystery (of five to date) in this cozy series.

About Cut, Crop & Die (from the publisher): All it took was one scone. When the hot-tempered (and widely hated) hobbyist Yvonne Gaynor eats a tainted pastry at Kiki's scrapbooking crop party, it triggers an allergy that leads to Yvonne's death. Even worse, the police suspect foul play when they realize that someone tampered with the treats and swiped the victim's allergy medication.

An expert at stealing design ideas, Yvonne had enough enemies to fill a memory album. Soon, the scrapbooking community pins her murder on Kiki's friends and our ace scrapper finds herself dealing with anti-Semitic threats at the shop, a quarrelsome pre-teen daughter at home, a meddlesome mother-in-law, and constant financial pressure. Despite help from the handsome yet annoyingly coy Detective Detweiler, Kiki has her work cut out for her in solving the crime.

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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine 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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Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine
A Solomon vs. Levine Legal Thriller
Publisher: Bantam/Nittany Valley

This is the first (of four) books in this series.

About Solomon vs. Lord (from the publisher): Steve Solomon is the sharpest lawyer ever to barely graduate from Key West School of Law. Victoria Lord is fresh from Yale, toiling for an ambitious D.A., before Solomon gets her fired. And Katrina Barksdale is a sexy former figure skater charged with killing her very wealthy, very kinky husband. With all three tangled in Miami's steamiest trial of the century, the case is sure to make sparks fly, headlines scream … and opposites attract.

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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

The Valley of Shadows by Mark Terry is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Valley of Shadows by Mark Terry 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 Valley of Shadows by Mark Terry
A Derek Stillwater Mystery
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

This is the fourth thriller to feature the troubleshooter for Homeland Security.

About The Valley of Shadows (from the publisher): A raid on a Pakistan Al-Qaeda cell recovers two laptops. When the computers' booby-traps are defused and the computers decrypted and translated, they indicate that Al-Qaeda has planned a series of simultaneous attacks in five U.S. cities involving potential dirty bombs, biological weapons and maybe even a nuclear weapon-on Election Day. Derek Stillwater is assigned to a multi-jurisdictional Special Terrorism Activity Response Team (START) to locate the weapon and terrorists in Los Angeles and prevent the attack. They have two days. But as they close in on their targets, Derek begins to think that the intelligence they gathered is a sideshow to distract them from the real target-one of the two candidates for President of the United States.

Read our review of The Valley of Shadows by Mark Terry.

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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

Deadly Aim by Patricia H. Rushford is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Deadly Aim by Patricia H. Rushford 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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Deadly Aim by Patricia H. Rushford
An Angel Delaney Mystery
Publisher: Revell

This new crime series is set in the cozy coastal hamlet of Sunset Cove, Oregon, and features a determined young police officer.

About Deadly Aim (from the publisher): When a police shootout results in the death of a 12-year-old boy, Officer Angel Delaney is blamed, convicted, and condemned by the media and the Sunset Cove community before the case even goes to trial. Angel will have her day in court, but before she has the chance to defend herself, the situation spirals out of control. Key evidence is missing, evidence that could have verified her claim of firing only one shot in self-defense. In short order, the body count rises, and suddenly Angel is a suspect in more than one murder investigation. Heartsick about the young boy's death, and questioning her judgment as a police officer, Angel joins forces with Detective Callen Riley to fight the mounting charges against her.

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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson 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 Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson
A Judy Cooper "Black Stiletto" Mystery
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

This is the first mystery in this series.

About The Black Stiletto (from the publisher): Could Martin Talbot's elderly, Alzheimer-stricken mother, Judy, really have been the Black Stiletto? When Martin discovers several volumes of her diaries hidden by his mother, he is stunned beyond all imagination. His mother, the underground heroine of yesteryear? The famed, still unidentified woman who battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and preyed on common crooks? The woman who exacted punishment on evildoers without mercy?

But it is all described, in great detail, in the diaries. What caused her to begin her quest for justice. Her decision to act outside the law. Her feats as the famed and feared vigilante. How her reputation exploded. In short, how it all played out.

Could it be true? Talbot is filled with doubt and disbelief. But the reappearance of one of the Stiletto's old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge makes the story more than real and could imperil the life of not only the Stiletto, but her son and granddaughter as well.

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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

New International Trailer for Total Recall

Sony Pictures released the first international trailer for Total Recall today; we've embedded it below.

Inspired anew by the famous short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick, the film welcomes you to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he's got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life — real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police — controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world — Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.

Directed by Len Wiseman from a screenplay by Mark Bomback, James Vanderbilt, and Kurt Wimmer, Total Recall opens in theaters August 3rd, 2012.

Review: Driven by James Sallis

We've just published our Review of Driven by James Sallis. Poisoned Pen Press Hardcover, April 2012.

Our rating:

Available to purchase from …

New Character Posters for Snow White & the Huntsman

Three new character posters have been released by the studio for Snow White & the Huntsman. The best of the lot is of Ravenna, the evil queen (right; click for larger version). The other two are of the titular characters (below; click for larger versions).

Here's the film's storyline: Snow White (Kristen Stewart), an astoundingly beautiful young woman, is in love with Prince Charmant (Sam Claflin), who has been long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power. When the evil queen, Ravenna (Charlize Theron), learns Snow White is the fairest in the land — even fairer than the queen herself — she sends Eric, a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), to kill Snow White.

Eric's beloved wife, Sara, was killed by the White Wolf, and he spends his days drinking heavily and searching tirelessly for her killer. When he later discovers that the White Wolf works for Ravenna, he redirects his focus: he becomes Snow White's protector and mentor, and they train together to defeat the evil queen.

Directed by Rupert Sanders from a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and John Lee Hancock, Snow White & the Huntsman opens in theaters June 1st, 2012.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120430)

Here is today's list of the top bestselling free Kindle mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is updated hourly, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.

Mystery and Suspense Films, New This Week on DVD (120501)

Checking through our list of films currently scheduled for release this week on DVD and/or Blu-ray disc, shown below are those that fall into the mystery, suspense, thriller and adventure categories.

See also a list of current mystery and suspense DVD, Blu-ray, or VOD deals on Amazon.com.

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Purchase/Rental Options

Haywire (2012)

Film Synopsis (from the studio): Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive. Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

The film also stars Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, and Michael Douglas.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Lem Dobbs, Haywire runs 93 minutes and is rated PG for boxing action, some bullying and language.

Watch a trailer for the film below:

Telemystery: Covert Affairs and Kojak, 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 two series being released this week.

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Piper Perabo stars as Annie  Walker, a young CIA operative in Covert Affairs. Her exceptional linguistic skills and spot on instincts make her invaluable to the Agency.

In this second season, Annie's personal and professional lives crash into one another, and the balance of her relationships are forever changed.

The series also stars Christopher Gorham, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Anne Dudek, Kari Matchett and Peter Gallagher.

Covert Affairs: Season Two is available on DVD and consists of episodes that originally aired on USA Network during the Summer and Fall of 2011. The third season premieres July 10th.

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Telly Savalas is back as NYPD detective Theo Kojak in Kojak.

He's got style, street smarts and a penchant for lollipops, and he's hitting the gritty streets of New York City in pursuit of some of television's toughest criminals.

Kojak's cases in this penultimate season involve the kidnapping of Kojak's niece, the search for "The Grim Reaper" serial killer, a body found in the trunk of a Rolls-Royce, a vengeful nun, a diplomat molester and a murderous wife. Like no one else, Kojak cuts through the depths of the criminal mind and solves cases with unparalleled guts and determination.

Kojak: Season Four is available on DVD and consists of episodes that originally aired on CBS during the 1976/1977 television season.

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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.

Kristina Ohlsson's Crime Novels Optioned for Television

Three of Swedish crime novelist Kristina Ohlsson's "Fredrika Bergman" mysteries will be adapted for television. Nice Drama has optioned the books and will produce the 90-minute adaptations.

The first of these titles, Askungar, was published in 2009. It introduced the investigative analyst, who assists the Swedish police solve crimes. An English translation, Unwanted, was published earlier this year by Atria.

"Kristina Ohlsson has written three brilliant books, with complex and credible characters, strong plots and Stockholm as the backdrop," said Patrick Nebout, CEO of Nice Drama. "As we have seen from the likes of The Killing, this kind of realistic crime has powerful international appeal."

The other two titles optioned are Tusenskönor (2010) and Änglavakter (2011). Ohlsson will publish the fourth in the series, Paradisoffer, this year.

After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by Marilyn Bardsley is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by Marilyn Bardsley as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $0.99 is valid only for today, Monday, April 30, 2012.

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After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by Marilyn Bardsley
Publisher: RosettaBooks

About After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (from the publisher): Clint Eastwood’s movie and the book from which it was made — Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — put the grand historic city of Savannah on the map. Tourists flocked to see the gorgeous mansion where flamboyant designer and antiques dealer Jim Williams, played by Kevin Spacey, killed his young gay lover, played by Jude Law. While the movie portrayed the natives of Savannah as remarkably decadent, exotic characters, it missed the amazing dark side of Jim Williams himself.

Savannah owes Jim Williams an enormous debt of gratitude for his remarkable restoration of historic houses. A brilliant and intensely interesting, charismatic figure, he brought a style and sophistication to the city that it did not have before. Rich and famous people, like Jacqueline Onassis and Rockefellers, made special trips to bargain for his extraordinary antique treasures. However, he was also a smooth predator, whose crimes could have put him behind bars long before he shot his lover.

The wonderful world of Jim Williams came crashing down on him one night after he killed Danny Hansford. Williams stood trial four times for premeditated murder. Between the passionate and dedicated prosecution and the best defense lawyers money could buy, precisely what happened that night is still a mystery. The prosecution’s documents, never published before, reveal its highly effective strategies and the intrigue that caused the Georgia Supreme Court to overturn two convictions.

Important Note: Amazon.com updates its Kindle book deal every day at approximately midnight PT. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price for Monday, April 30, 2012 only.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for April 30, 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:

C E I K L N O R T

The third Buster Hightower mystery by Gary Alexander 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!

Mr. E. Reviews Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

Purchase/Rental Option(s)

I really enjoyed this fourth film in the series based on the late 1960s/early 1970s television show as a smart action film that moves along quickly, keeps the focus on a story that actually makes sense … or as much sense as this kind of film can make, and has a cast of actors that seem to really enjoy playing their roles and making this film. Definitely recommended.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

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