MystereBooks: This Week's Update of Kindle Books Priced $2.99 or Less (120519)

Every month Amazon publishes a list of 100 Kindle books priced $3.99 or less. We thought we'd take that idea and improve on it, publishing a list of 100 Kindle mystery books priced $2.99 or less and updating it every week!

Here is our general criteria for selecting titles to include: books from major or specialty publishers of crime fiction and those written by authors familiar to us. There are far more than 100 to choose from, so we use our best judgment to narrow it down.

A few notes about today's update.

The M. C. Beaton Hamish Macbeth mysteries listed below — and on our site — are pre-order, to be delivered to your Kindle on June 1st. Here's a list of all 8 books — the first 7 in the series plus the 9th — if that's more convenient for you.

There is a special, limited-time only offer of a single book that includes two recent James Rollins SIGMA Force Adventures together with an excerpt from his new title to be published next month.

And it's always worth checking out the list of Poisoned Pen Press 99 cent titles. Books from the April list are still available as of today. (Make sure you click on the 99 cent editions from the publisher, not the far more expensive ReadHowYouWant editions.)

Shown below are some of the new titles we added today; click on the cover or title to purchase the Kindle edition.

Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice! We strongly urge you to confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase is the price of the book.

Death of a Gossip by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (1st).

Death of a Cad by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (2nd).

Death of an Outsider by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (3rd).

Death of a Perfect Wife by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (4th).

Death of a Hussy by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (5th).

Death of a Snob by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (6th).

Death of a Prankster by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (7th).

Death of a Travelling Man by M. C. Beaton.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (9th).

Rock Bottom by Erin Brockovich and C. J. Lyons.
An A. J. Palladino Mystery (1st).

The Eleventh Victim by Nancy Grace.
A Hailey Dean Mystery (1st).

The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton.

Murder Misdirected by Andrew MacRae.

Brotherhood of Blades by Linda Regan.
A Georgia Johnston and Stephanie Green Mystery (1st).

The Doomsday Key and The Last Oracle by James Rollins.
Two SIGMA Force Adventures (5th and 6th).

Cripple Creek by James Sallis.
A Turner Mystery (2nd).

Wake Up Dead by Roger Smith.

The White League by Thomas Zigal.

Set Photos of Characters from the Alex Cross Film

A number of character photos from the set of the new "Alex Cross" film have been released … though it still isn't clear what the title of the film actually is.

It was originally titled I, Alex Cross — indeed, several months ago a poster was released by the studio with this title and the studio website still lists this as the film's title — but news reports later indicated a change to just Alex Cross, presumably to avoid confusion with the James Patterson book I, Alex Cross, the storyline of which is not the basis for this film.

Here's the synopsis from the studio: Alex Cross meets his match against the psychotic, mob hit man Michael Sullivan aka The Butcher of Sligo. As Cross investigates the hit man's gruesome murders, Sullivan decides to send him a deadly message by murdering his wife in cold blood. Now enraged, Cross vows to hunt down the killer if it's the last thing he does. However, Sullivan is a serial killing mastermind and continues to evade Cross while pushing him to an ethical breaking point as a cop and father. As Cross closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable — a revelation that could change everything.

(This synopsis is fairly close to the plotline of the 12th "Alex Cross" book, which was published in 2006 as simply titled Cross.)

We just may have to wait until the trailer is released to find out what the producers have decided to title this film.

In the meantime, below are some of the photos released … Tyler Perry as Dr. Alex Cross, Edward Burns as Detective Tommy Kane, Rachel Nichols as Detective Monica Ash, and Matthew Fox as Michael Sullivan. Directed by Rob Cohen from a screenplay by Kerry Williamson and Marc Moss from a story by James Patterson, the film opens in theaters October 26th, 2012.

The Only Witness by Pamela Beason is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Only Witness by Pamela Beason 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 Only Witness by Pamela Beason
Publisher: WildWing Press

According to the author, "This book was inspired by my fascination with animal intelligence and my work as a private investigator. I have worked on various cases where the testimony of small children was crucial. If a five-year-old child can testify in a criminal case, could a signing gorilla?"

About The Only Witness (from the publisher): Seventeen-year-old Brittany Morgan dashed into the store for just a minute, leaving her sleeping baby in the car. Now Ivy’s gone and half the town believes Brittany murdered her daughter.

Detective Matthew Finn, a big-city fish out of water in small-town Evansburg, Washington, struggles with his wife’s betrayal as he investigates Ivy Morgan's disappearance. The clock is ticking and he can't find any witnesses.

Imaginative, manipulative, and volatile, with the intelligence of a five-year-old child, Neema cannot speak, but she knows enough sign language to invent jokes and insults. She can also hurl a grown man across the room. Neema is a gorilla.

After a psycho murdered one of her "talking" gorillas in Seattle, Dr. Grace McKenna relocated to the Evansburg area. Now with the economy on the rocks and her funding cut, her beloved gorillas Neema and Gumu are in jeopardy. When Neema repeats a story of a crying baby, a cucumber car, and a snake, Grace realizes her gorilla is the only witness to whatever happened to baby Ivy.

Does Grace dare go public with Neema’s sketchy clues? Can she afford not to?

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 Man on the Istanbul Train by Maria Hudgins is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Man on the Istanbul Train by Maria Hudgins 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 Man on the Istanbul Train by Maria Hudgins
Publisher: Maria Hudgins

This stand-alone is by the author of the Dotsy Lamb Travel mysteries.

About The Man on the Istanbul Train (from the publisher): Dr. Lacy Glass is traveling by rail to an archaeological dig in central Turkey when she sees a man she befriended hours earlier fly past the window of the train. Dead. If not for her, he wouldn't have even been on the train so she feels responsible.

When she arrives at the dig she learns that the dig's backer, a wealthy American, has died there that same morning. Problem? Both men seem to have been named Maxwell Sebring.

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 Restorer by Amanda Stevens is Today's Barnes&Noble Nook Daily Find

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Restorer by Amanda Stevens as today's Barnes&Noble Nook Daily Find. The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, May 19, 2012.

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The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
The Graveyard Queen
Publisher: Mira Books

About The Restorer (from the publisher): My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to these rules passed down from my father … until now.

Detective John Devlin needs my help to find a killer, but he is haunted by ghosts who shadow his every move. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the headstone symbols lead me closer to truth and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

Important Note: Barnes&Noble updates its Nook Daily Find every day at approximately midnight PT. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price for Saturday, May 19, 2012 only.

Download Link(s):

B&N Nook Daily Find.

Character Posters for Lawless

Last month we featured the first trailer for Lawless, adapted from Matt Bondurant's 2008 true-story based novel The Wettest County in the World. Today the studio released seven character posters for the film (right and below; click for larger versions).

Directed by John Hillcoat from a screenplay by Nick Cave, the film stars Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke, and Tom Hardy as brothers in a Depression-era story of brotherhood, greed, and murder.

The Bondurant Boys were a notorious gang of roughnecks and moonshiners who ran liquor through Franklin County, Virginia, during Prohibition and in the years after. Howard (Jason Clarke), the eldest brother, is an ox of a man besieged by the horrors he witnessed in the Great War; Forrest (Tom Hardy), the middle brother, is fierce, mythically indestructible, and the consummate businessman; and Jack (Shia LaBeouf), the youngest, has a taste for luxury and a dream to get out of Franklin. Driven and haunted, these men forge a business, fall in love, and struggle to stay afloat as they watch their family die, their father's business fail, and the world they know crumble beneath the Depression and drought.

Lawless is currently scheduled to be in theaters August 31st, 2012.

Anthony Bourdain's Culinary Caper Bone in the Throat to be Filmed

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's 1995 culinary caper Bone in the Throat will be adapted for film.

Announced today in Cannes, Graham Henman will direct a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Townsend. In contrast to the Manhattan setting of the book, the film will be set in London.

"With the exception of a few gems, Hollywood has been deficient in making a good restaurant film," said Henman. "With Bone in the Throat I am looking forward to doing just that and setting the film in London will allow me to take advantage of a city where the food scene is simply on fire. This film will capture my passionate love of food and the restaurant world in what I expect to be a riveting 'culinary noir.'"

Bone in the Throat is one of two mysteries written by Bourdain. (The other is Gone Bamboo, published in 1997.) The storyline follows up-and-coming chef Tommy Pagana, who settles for a less than glamorous stint at his uncle's restaurant in Manhattan's Little Italy when he unwittingly finds himself a partner in big-time crime. And when the mob decides to use the kitchen for a murder, nothing Tommy learned in cooking school has prepared him for what happens next. With the FBI on one side, and his eccentric wise guy superiors on the other, Tommy has to struggle to do right by his conscience, and to avoid getting killed in the meantime.

Final Episode of Sherlock Season 2 Airs this Sunday on PBS

The third and final episode of the second season of Sherlock airs this coming Sunday, May 20th, on PBS. The series has already been renewed for a third season.

In "The Reichenbach Fall" — inspired by "The Final Problem", the famous Arthur Conan Doyle story in which Sherlock Holmes "dies" — Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is lauded throughout Britain for his numerous triumphs of detection, the most famous of which was the recovery of Turner's masterpiece, "Falls of the Reichenbach." The media love him, his deerstalker hat, and his friend, "confirmed bachelor" John Watson (Martin Freeman). But wary of a tabloid culture that devours its own, John warns Sherlock to keep a low profile. Meanwhile, Sherlock's arch-nemesis, the criminal mastermind Moriarty (Andrew Scott), emerges from the shadows and into the spotlight with a menacing vow and a cat-and-mouse game conceived entirely for the object of his obsession. While John worries about a pending tabloid exposé of his friend and Moriarty's promised final problem, Sherlock continues to assist Lestrade (Rupert Graves) solving crimes. But eventually even Sherlock must turn his absolute attention to the unhinged, evil genius' threat, "I owe you a fall."

If you missed the first two episodes, they are available to view online at PBS.org. (Episode 1 is available through June 5th, episode 2 through June 12th, and presumably starting this coming Monday episode 3 through June 19th.)

Watch a scene from the final episode below.

The 8th Jesse Stone Movie Airs May 20th on CBS

This Sunday, May 20th, Benefit of the Doubt, the 8th — and presumably final — Jesse Stone made-for-television movie will air on CBS at 9 PM (ET/PT).

Starring Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone, a character created by Robert B. Parker, the storyline follows the ex-Paradise (Massachusetts) police chief struggling to get his job back. Separately, he is forced to rely on his cop intuition to sort through a maze of misleading clues and hidden meanings as he attempts to solve a shocking and horrifying mob-related double homicide.

Other actors reprising their roles are Kathy Baker as Rose Gammon, Kohl Sudduth as Luther "Suitcase" Simpson, Stephen McHattie as State Homicide Commander Healy, William Devane as Dr. Dix, William Sadler as Gino Fish, Gloria Reuben as Thelma Gleffey and Saul Rubinek as Hasty Hathaway. Guest stars for this film are Robert Carradine and Jeff Geddis.

Selleck, who co-executive produced and co-authored the screenplay with crime novelist Michael Brandman, has repeatedly said he wants to continue playing the character but thinks Benefit of the Doubt will the last in the series for CBS.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120518)

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.

Time Riders by Alex Scarrow is This Week's Amazon Deal Vote Winner

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Time Riders by Alex Scarrow as this week's Amazon Deal Vote Winner. The deal price of $1.99 is valid this weekend only.

Visit the deal page to see this week's winners in all four categories — Instant Video, MP3 Album, Kindle Book, and Game Download — and to vole for next week's winner.

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Time Riders by Alex Scarrow
Publisher: Walker

About Time Riders (from the publisher): Maddy should have died in a plane crash. Liam should have died at sea when the Titanic sank. Sal should have died in a tragic fire. But a mysterious man whisked them away to safety.

Maddy, Liam, and Sal quickly learn that time travel is no longer just a hope for the future; it is a dangerous reality. And they weren't just rescued from their terrible fates … they were recruited for the agency of TimeRiders created to protect the world from those seeking to alter the course of history for personal gain. By reliving the highly documented events in New York City on 9/11, they can closely monitor history for any deviations-large or small. When just such a change is detected, they are alerted that a threat is at hand unleashing the evil of the Nazis to wreak havoc with Earth's present and future. Can Maddy, Liam, and Sal fulfill their destinies as keepers of time to save the world from utter destruction?

An exhilarating adventure that shifts readers back in time to Nazi Germany and then forward into an ever-changing present.

Important Note: Amazon.com updates its weekly deal vote winners every Friday. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price of $1.99 from Friday, May 18, 2012 through Sunday, May 20, 2012 only.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Weekly Deal Vote Winner.

New Trailer for Literary Thriller The Words

CBS Films has uploaded a new trailer for its literary thriller The Words (embedded below).

Young writer Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There's only one catch — he didn't write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man's work, and for placing ambition and success above life's most fundamental three words.

Also starring Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde and Zoë Saldana, The Words is directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal from their own screenplay. It opens in theaters September 21st, 2012.

Baby Shark by Robert Fate is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Baby Shark by Robert Fate 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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Baby Shark by Robert Fate
A "Baby Shark" Mystery
Publisher: Capital Crime Press

This first in a series introduces PI Kristin "Baby Shark" Van Dijk.

About Baby Shark (from the publisher): In a roadside pool hall out west of Abilene, Kristin Van Dijk, 17, is forced by four thugs to watch the murder of three men, including her pool hustler father. She’s assaulted and beaten and left for dead as Henry Chin, a Chinese immigrant whose grown son was one of those murdered, saves her and secretly helps her recover. Because the local police show no interest in solving the pool hall crime, Henry hires a private investigator more set on justice than law to start a search for the nomadic killers. Then Henry hires two vets to teach Kristin how to protect herself. She develops into one tough package of trouble as she also perfects her pool. At eighteen, she looks for the thugs as she hustles pool in west Texas and earns the nickname Baby Shark. Revenge is difficult, but satisfying.

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.

Armed and Fabulous by Camilla Chafer is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Armed and Fabulous by Camilla Chafer 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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Armed and Fabulous by Camilla Chafer
A Lexi Graves Mystery
Publisher: Audacious Press

This first in a new series is by the author of the Stella Mayweather paranormal mysteries.

About Armed and Fabulous (from the publisher): All Lexi wants to do is get through the day at her boring temp job with Green Hand Insurance. That’s until she discovers the vice president, Martin Dean, in a pool of blood and herself at the center of an investigation into insurance fraud.

Millions of dollars are missing, the chief suspect is dead and her mysterious, sexy, new boss is not what he seems.

Recruited by the joint task force working on the case, all Lexi has to do is work out who killed Dean and where the missing millions are. That’s easier said than done when her sister insists upon the baby shower to end all baby showers, her wise-ass cop family just wants to keep her safe, someone keeps leaving her creepy gifts, and all the clues point to a seedy sex club on the wrong side of town.

As the bodies start to pile up, Lexi is on a race against time to find the killer and the money, before she’s the next one in the murderer’s sights.

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.