Night of the Assassin and its Prequel by Russell Blake is Today's Second Set of Featured Free MystereBooks

MystereBooks is pleased to feature King of Swords and its novella-length prequel, Night of the Assassin, by Russell Blake as today's second set of 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.

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King of Swords by Russell Blake
Publisher: Manana Publishing

About King of Swords (from the publisher): The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's preeminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico.

Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" – a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse.

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.

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Night of the Assassin by Russell Blake
Publisher: Manana Publishing

About Night of the Assassin (from the publisher): Framed against the backdrop of present-day Mexico's brutal narco-trafficking violence, this novella chronicles the making of a monster — a cold-blooded, ruthless killing machine. Raw, disturbing, edgy and unflinching, this epic saga defies convention to create a roller-coaster of intrigue, suspense and thrills that will leave even the most jaded thriller aficionados gasping for breath.

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 Fifth Avenue Series Boxed Set by Christopher Smith is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Fifth Avenue Series Boxed Set by Christopher Smith 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 Fifth Avenue Series Boxed Set by Christopher Smith
Publisher: Fifth Avenue Productions

About The Fifth Avenue Series Boxed Set (from the publisher): Look beneath all the power and all the wealth that represents New York City's Fifth Avenue, and you'll find greed, blood, revenge intermingled within a revered society that is unprepared for what's in store for it when one man finally strikes in an effort to destroy another man for murdering his wife thirty-one years ago.

Louis Ryan is that man. George Redman, his wife, two daughters and their close friends are his targets. Both men are self-made billionaires who came from nothing to stake their claim to Fifth Avenue. But when Louis Ryan hires an international assassin to literally rip the Redman family apart, a series of events that can't be stopped catapults them all through a fast-paced, hard-edged thriller in which nobody is safe.

Secrets are revealed. Sex lives are exposed. The Mafia get involved. And George's two daughters, Celina and Leana Redman, come to the forefront. More than anyone, it's they who are caught in the throes of their father's past as Louis Ryan's blind desire to kill them all takes surprising turns in his all-out effort to see them dead.

Also included in this set is the sequel, Running for the Bulls, and a novella-length prequel to the next in the series, From Manhattan with Love.

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.

A Feast of Ice & Fire: The Official Cookbook of Game of Thrones

Fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones will not want to miss this new companion book, published Tuesday, May 29th, by Bantam: A Feast of Ice & Fire, the official cookbook of the series.

Ever wonder what it's like to attend a feast at Winterfell? Wish you could split a lemon cake with Sansa Stark, scarf down a pork pie with the Night's Watch, or indulge in honeyfingers with Daenerys Targaryen? George R. R. Martin's bestselling saga "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the its adaptation on HBO are renowned for bringing Westeros's sights and sounds to vivid life. But one important ingredient has always been missing: the mouthwatering dishes that form the backdrop of this extraordinary world. Now, fresh out of the series that redefined fantasy, comes the cookbook that may just redefine dinner … and lunch, and breakfast.

A Feast of Ice & Fire lovingly replicates a stunning range of cuisines from across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond. From the sumptuous delicacies enjoyed in the halls of power at King's Landing, to the warm and smoky comfort foods of the frozen North, to the rich, exotic fare of the mysterious lands east of Westeros, there's a flavor for every palate, and a treat for every chef.

These easy-to-follow recipes have been refined for modern cooking techniques, but adventurous eaters can also attempt the authentic medieval meals that inspired them. The authors have suggested substitutions for some of the more fantastical ingredients, so you won't have to stock your kitchen with camel, live doves, or dragon eggs to create meals fit for a king (or a khaleesi).

Consider these kingdom favorites:

• The Wall: Rack of Lamb and Herbs; Pork Pie; Mutton in Onion-Ale Broth; Mulled Wine; Pease Porridge.

• The North: Beef and Bacon Pie; Honeyed Chicken; Aurochs with Roasted Leeks; Baked Apples.

• The South: Cream Swans; Trout Wrapped in Bacon; Stewed Rabbit; Sister’s Stew; Blueberry Tarts.

• King’s Landing: Lemon Cakes; Quails Drowned in Butter; Almond Crusted Trout; Bowls of Brown; Iced Milk with Honey.

• Dorne: Stuffed Grape Leaves; Duck with Lemons; Chickpea Paste.

• Across the Narrow Sea: Biscuits and Bacon; Tyroshi Honeyfingers; Wintercakes; Honey-Spiced Locusts.

There's even a guide to dining and entertaining in the style of the Seven Kingdoms. Exhaustively researched and reverently detailed, accompanied by passages from all five books in the series and full-color photographs guaranteed to whet your appetite, this is the companion to the blockbuster phenomenon that millions of stomachs have been growling for. And remember, winter is coming — so don't be afraid to put on a few pounds.

New Green Band Trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

A new "green band" trailer — one suitable for all audiences — has been released by the studio for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter; we've embedded it below. Although it takes a bit over a minute to get started, the trailer does provide some additional footage from the film that we haven't seen before.

Adapted by Seth Grahame-Smith from his 2010 novel of the same title and directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the film explores the secret life of our greatest president, and the untold story that shaped our nation … imagining Abraham Lincoln (played by Benjamin Walker) as history's greatest hunter of the undead.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens in theaters June 22nd, 2012.

Mystery and Suspense Films, New This Week on DVD (120529)

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

Gone (2012)

Film Synopsis (from the studio): Jill Parrish (Amanda Seyfried) comes home from a night shift to discover her sister Molly (Emily Wickersham) has been abducted. Jill, who had escaped from a kidnapper a year before, is convinced that the same serial killer has come back for her sister. Afraid that Molly will be dead by sundown, Jill embarks on a heart-pounding chase to find the killer, expose his secrets and save her sister.

Directed by Heitor Dhalia from a screenplay by Allison Burnett, the film runs 94 minutes and is rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some sexual material, brief language and drug references.

Watch a trailer for the film below:

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Purchase/Rental Options

Man on a Ledge (2012)

Film Synopsis (from the studio): Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) makes a desperate and life-threatening move to prove his innocence after he is framed for the theft of a rare, prized diamond from cutthroat businessman David Englander (Ed Harris). Recently escaped from prison and with nowhere else to go, Nick climbs onto the ledge of a towering skyscraper, inviting the eyes of New York City to anxiously watch as one wrong step could mean plunging to his death. But as one police negotiator soon learns, Nick's daredevil stunt, captivating the eyes of the public and media, masks a dangerous ploy to reveal the truth about his tarnished name. With the help of his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and with time running out, Nick's intricate plan must work perfectly, but when you're on the 25th floor ledge of a building, going down takes on an entirely more hair-raising meaning.

Directed by Asger Leth, the film runs 102 minutes and is rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language.

Watch a trailer for the film below:

Henning Mankell's Wallander Series Two, New on DVD

The second series of the Swedish-language crime drama Wallander is released on DVD tomorrow, Tuesday May 29th, 2012. The 13 feature film length episodes were originally broadcast on Sweden's TV4 through 2009 and the first six months of 2010. (It aired in the UK during the summer of 2011 though to our knowledge none of these episodes have previously aired in the US.)

Krister Henriksson reprises his role as Inspector Kurt Wallander, based on a character created by crime novelist Henning Mankell.

As series opens, Wallander is growing increasingly disillusioned with his work, often wondering whether he should have become a police officer at all. Still living with the fallout and memories of some of his past actions, coupled with a failing state of health, Wallander hopes to put himself at ease in a new home by the sea. But any thought of peace and quiet is quickly shattered when he is pulled into a murder investigation...and then another … until he comes to understand that applying his brilliant detective's mind in the pursuit of truth and justice is indeed his destiny.

Wallander is in Swedish with English subtitles. Watch a promo for the series below.

This television series of original stories should not be confused with the nine Swedish-language theatrical film adaptations of the novels by Mankell — Rolf Lassgård played the character in these — nor the English-language versions produced by BBC starring Kenneth Branagh as Wallander.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120528)

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.

Telemystery: Commissario Brunetti, Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, and True Blood, 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 four series being released this week.

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Venice provides the backdrop for The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, the lush film adaptations of the bestselling novels by Donna Leon, which feature the singular Commissario Guido Brunetti, canal boat rides instead of car chases, fine cuisine and crime investigations in one of Europe s most beautiful locations.

Uwe Kockisch stars as Brunetti, a police inspector with a keen mind, razor-sharp wit, and a touch of melancholy. He strives to bring criminals to justice, but experience has taught him that countless things work against that human frailty, corruption, and police incompetence being chief among them. He takes refuge from the job in the company of his loving wife Paola, a university literature professor, and two teenage children, Raffi and Chiara.

The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries: Episodes 13 and 14 are available on DVD and consists of the adaptations of "Willful Behavior" and "Blood from a Stone". In German with English subtitles.

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Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) of the Toronto police department pushes the boundaries of Victorian-era criminal science to solve baffling murders in The Murdoch Mysteries. The series is based on a character created by crime novelist Maureen Jennings.

Season 4 pits the kindhearted cop against a would-be vampire, a costumed killer, and ruthless mobsters, inspiring him to whip up a slew of innovative crime-fighting techniques along the way. But while Murdoch nabs the culprits with the help of politically ambitious inspector Thomas Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) and eager constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris), he struggles to subdue his feelings for former sweetheart Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy).

The Murdoch Mysteries: Season Four is available on DVD and Blu-ray disc and consists of episodes that originally aired on Canadian television during the Spring of 2011.

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Five young and ambitious rookie cops continue to navigate the emotional trials and tribulations of their professional and personal lives in Rookie Blue.

In this second season, the training wheels are off — more experienced, they're ready to kick some serious butt. But these rookies are just beginning to realize there are no shortcuts to becoming good at this job. And when you're a rookie officer, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Rookie Blue: Season Two is available on DVD, Blu-ray disc, and Amazon Instant Video and consists of episodes that originally aired on ABC during the summer of 2011. The third season is currently airing on Thursdays.

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Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, True Blood tells the continuing tale of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a human waitress with telepathic gifts — and a so-far irresistible attraction to 174-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).

In this fourth season of the series, based on the mysteries in the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris, Sookie faces some new otherworldly threats in this season — as if vampires, werewolves, werepanthers and shapeshifters weren't enough!

True Blood: Season Four is available on DVD and Blu-ray disc and consists of episodes that originally aired on HBO during the Summer of 2011. The fifth season premieres on June 10th.

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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.

Lifetime Developing Series based on Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs

NBC is developing a crime drama based on characters in Thomas Harris's 1981 novel Red Dragon, and now we're learning that Lifetime Television is taking a similar route, developing a series around FBI profiler Clarice Starling, introduced in the author's second "Hannibal Lecter" thriller, the 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs, and played so memorably by Jodie Foster in the film adaptation. (She won an Academy Award for her performance.)

Clarice — the tentative name for the Lifetime series — would follow the character soon after she graduates from the FBI academy.

No casting or further production details are known at this time.

(Related article: TV Guide.)

Gabriella Pierce's 666 Park Avenue at a Special eBook Price

As part of its Fall 2012 prime time schedule, ABC has announced a series adaptation of Gabriella Pierce's 2011 supernatural novel 666 Park Avenue. (It will follow Revenge on Sundays.) And today — as of the date and time of this post — we noticed that the publisher, HarperCollins, has reduced the price of the ebook edition of the book to just 99 cents!

This is undoubtedly a limited-time offer, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction. 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.

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666 Park Avenue
Gabriella Pierce
Series: A Jane Boyle Mystery (1st in series)




Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York.

But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan's most feared and revered families, Jane's fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world — and herself — is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.

Now … with respect to the new television series, the storyline provided by ABC seems quite a bit different from that of the book. Here's what the network had to say when the series was announced:

At the ominous address of 666 Park Avenue, anything you desire can be yours. Everyone has needs, desires and ambition. For the residents of The Drake, these will all be met, courtesy of the building's mysterious owner, Gavin Doran (Terry O'Quinn). But every Faustian contract comes with a price. When Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) and Henry Martin (Dave Annable), an idealistic young couple from the Midwest, are offered the opportunity to manage the historic building, they not only fall prey to the machinations of Doran and his mysterious wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams), but unwittingly begin to experience the shadowy, supernatural forces within the building that imprison and endanger the lives of the residents inside. Sexy, seductive and inviting, The Drake maintains a dark hold over all of its residents, tempting them through their ambitions and desires, in this chilling new drama that's home to an epic struggle of good versus evil.

Watch a trailer for the ABC series below.

The Savannah Project by Chuck Barrett is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Savannah Project by Chuck Barrett 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 Savannah Project by Chuck Barrett
A Jake Pendleton Mystery
Publisher: Switchback Publishing

This thriller introduces NTSB investigator Jake Pendleton.

About The Savannah Project (from the publisher): Terrorism, duty, and personal safety collide when Jake Pendleton is called to investigate an aircraft accident in Savannah, Georgia during the St. Patrick's Day celebration. The accident, which at first appears to be quite run-of-the-mill, turns out to be anything but. Since Jake is not willing to pretend there are no suspicious circumstances and more than the usual share of rather unlikely "coincidences," he sets off a veritable avalanche of secrets, violence and treachery. Aided by an unlikely partner, Gregg Kaplan, the air traffic controller who was the last person in contact with the airplane that crashed, Jake sets out to untangle the webs of deceit and to find a vicious 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 Kindle Edition Download Link.

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

Gallows Pole by J. D. Rhoades is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Gallows Pole by J. D. Rhoades 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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Gallows Pole by J. D. Rhoades
Publisher: J. D. Rhoades

This stand-alone thriller is by the author of the Jack Keller mysteries.

About Gallows Pole (from the publisher): Someone is killing entire families, forcing fathers to hang their wives and children before taking their own lives. How does the killer do it? And what is the meaning of the small iron horse the killer leaves at every murder scene? FBI agent Melissa Saxon and her handpicked team are racing against time to solve the mystery before more families die.

Former anti-terrorist operative Colonel Mark Bishop and the survivors of his command think they know. One of their own, a stone killer who calls himself the Hangman, has come out to play, and he's trying to draw out not only Bishop, but his former comrades—the elite team known as Iron Horse.

Only the Horsemen can stop one of their own. But the team is disbanded, the survivors scattered. Bishop himself is tormented by guilt for the things he had to do to keep one of his men from suffering an agonizing death. Their adversary is not only a skilled assassin, but a master at creating fear. Behind the scenes, shadowy and powerful figures pursue their own plans for Bishop and the Hangman.

Mark Bishop, Melissa Saxon, and the last of the Iron Horsemen will have to use all their courage and every resource, including an array of high-tech weapons, to stop the Hangman. What they have to do will put everything they ever believed in to the ultimate test and push Bishop to the edge of sanity.

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.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for May 28, 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 D E I O S T W Y

Lawrence Block’s fifth Matthew Scudder mystery says there are 8 million of these (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!

Second Trailer for True Blood Season 5

The fifth season of True Blood premieres in just a couple of weeks, and today HBO released the second trailer for the season; we've embedded it below.

We don't think there has been an official synopsis released, but the storyline this season is expected to loosely follow the fifth book in the series by Charlaine Harris, Dead as a Doornail. (A new paperback tie-in edition of the book was published earlier this week.)

Make plans to catch the fifth season premiere of True Blood on June 10th … or at the very least, remember to set your DVR! (We'll make a note to remind you a day or so ahead of time.)

Sherlock Wins 2012 BAFTA Supporting Actor Award

The 2012 BAFTA Television Awards were handed out this evening and we are absolutely thrilled that Andrew Scott won the Supporting Actor award for his electrifying performance as James Moriarty in Sherlock. (We had hoped to have our review of the second season up by now, but suffice it to say that the third episode, "The Reichenbach Fall", is made all the more exceptional by Scott's brilliant portrayal of Sherlock's arch-nemesis.)

It is a tad disappointing that this was the only award won by the series. Benedict Cumberbatch — who plays Sherlock Holmes in the series — lost to Dominic West (Appropriate Adult) and Martin Freeman — John Watson — lost to Andrew Scott. The series itself was not even nominated in the Drama category, something we're still having a hard time coming to terms with … and we're here in the US!