Telemystery: 87th Precinct, Grimm, Jesse Stone, The Rookies, and Strike Back, 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 and one made-for-television movie being released this week.

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87th Precinct
The Complete Series

Manhattan's 87th Precinct forms the backdrop for this grim and gritty police drama based on the long-running series of novels by Ed McBain.

Storylines focus on neighborhood crime, and the tight-knit lives of the officers of the 87th and their families: Steve Carella (Robert Lansing) and his deaf/mute wife, Teddy (Gena Rowlands), rookie Bert Kling (Ron Harper), long-time veteran Roger Havilland (Gregory Walcott) and the wryly philosophical Meyer Meyer (Norman Fell).

87th Precinct aired for just one season of 30 episodes on NBC during the 1960/1961 television season.

  

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Grimm
Season One

The classic Grimms' fairy tales come to life like never before in the first season of this imaginative series that aired on NBC from September 2011 to May 2012.

Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he's descended from a long line of "Grimms", who are charged with keeping balance between humanity and the creatures of myth. With newly awoken abilities to detect the evil lurking among us, Nick struggles to keep his old life separate and safe as he becomes ever more entrenched in the ancient rivalries of the Grimm world.

Grimm has been renewed for a second season. NBC is capitalizing on its Olympics coverage and starting several series seasons early this year, including Grimm, which premieres on Monday, August 13th at 10 PM ET/PT.

        

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Jesse Stone
Benefit of the Doubt

Based on a character created by crime novelist Robert B. Parker, the "Jesse Stone" series of made-for-television movies have proved popular with viewers … just the wrong kind of viewers, according to CBS.

This eighth movie in the series will be the last, unless the producers, which include Tom Selleck and Michael Brandman, who took over writing the "Jesse Stone" books following the death of Parker, can find another network to air them.

Benefit of the Doubt has Jesse Stone's involuntary retirement ending when the young sheriff who replaced him is blown up in the town police car. The loyal staffers who worked for Jesse have abandoned the department and Jesse must try to solve the case on his own. It originally aired on CBS in May, 2012.

  

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The Rookies
Season Two

Gerald S. O’Loughlin, Georg Stanford Brown, Sam Melville, Michael Ontkean, and Kate Jackson star in this crime drama that explores both sides of the badge worn by a group of young officers from the Southern California Police Department (SCPD).

With intense cases involving a cop killer, a serial rapist, a rogue officer and an escaped convict as well as the off-duty drama that comes with being a cop, this intensely human series is sensitive, sometimes humorous and always filled with action, suspense and excitement.

This second season (of four) aired on ABC from September 1973 through March 1974.

  

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Strike Back
Season One

A high-octane, globe-spanning thriller with storylines ripped from today’s headlines, this Cinemax original series focuses on two members of a top-secret anti-terrorist organization known as Section 20: Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester), a British sergeant in the ultra secret Section 20 anti-terrorist team, and Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton), a Delta Forces operative who was disgraced and discharged on the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Based on the UK drama of the same title, which itself is adapted from a 2007 thriller by Chris Ryan, this first season of the series aired on Cinemax from August through Occtober 2011. The second season premieres on Friday, August 17th at 10 PM ET/PT.

    

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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.

Line of Fire by Stephen White; Enter to Win a Copy of the Penultimate Alan Gregory Thriller

with Stephen White

We were dismayed to recently learn that crime novelist Stephen White has decided to bring his long-running series of "Alan Gregory" thrillers to an end. But that end is not quite here yet, with the next book in the series, Line of Fire (Dutton, August 2012 hardcover, large print paperback, audiobook and ebook formats), being published this week. And we are thrilled to be able to give away a copy of this book to one of our readers, courtesy of the publisher (details below).

Here's what Stephen has to say about his decision to close the chapter on the Alan Gregory books …

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Line of Fire is, literally, the beginning of the end, the penultimate book in the Alan Gregory series. The book that follows Line of Fire — once written, it will be number twenty — will bring the series to a planned conclusion.

Photo provided courtesy of
Stephen White; photo credit Reid Wilkening

Why am I ending the series? The easiest honest answer is that it's a good time to do so; I prefer to end the series too soon rather than to extend it too long. The complicated answer, also honest, is that publishing is changing in ways that are as unpredictable as they are exciting and revolutionary.

The uncertain dynamics of the modern book world have the potential to interfere with something I have long taken for granted — the ability to publish an eventual conclusion to the series in any and all current formats: paperback, hardcover, digital display and audio.

Why is that important? Although the numbers are increasing with each title, fewer than a third of the readers of my most recent book read it in a digital display format. A significant factor in choosing to end the series now has to do with my resolve not to extend the series beyond a horizon where I am confident that longtime series readers, especially those wary of publishing's digital transformation, will be able to enjoy the conclusion in their preferred format.

I had a choice to make. I could continue to write the next book(s) in the series while ignoring the variables in publishing's evolving calculus, or I could embrace a fine opportunity that few writers of long series are given: the chance to plan an ending on my terms. After consideration, and with the support of my longtime publisher, Dutton, I chose to write the conclusion to the saga of Alan Gregory and friends.

The ride is not over. There are two books yet to read. I have one new series title to write after Line of Fire. But, for the first time, I can see the end from where I stand. Or sit. The decision may be bittersweet, but it is not at all reluctant. It is the right thing to do at the right time.

My sincere thanks to all of you who have helped me enjoy the opportunity to make a living writing these Boulder stories. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for the privilege.

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Line of Fire
Stephen White
An Alan Gregory Mystery (19th in series)
Publisher: Dutton (August 2012)

Clinical psychologist and Boulder resident Alan Gregory is finally beginning to feel settled, hopeful that a long period of upheaval in his private life is behind him. He refocuses his energy on his clinical psychology practice, where a beguiling new patient is challenging his values. The interlude of calm doesn't last, of course: Alan's dear friend Diane is showing signs of a long-simmering emotional collapse, and Alan's greatest fear — the exposure of his most dangerous secret — has become something he can't ignore.

A new witness has surfaced, causing authorities to reopen their investigation into the suicide death of a woman named J. Winter Brown. When Alan and his equally culpable friend Sam Purdy inadvertently disclose details of their involvement in her death to a desperate drug dealer, any confidence they felt about riding out the new investigation evaporates. The trail that leads back to Alan and Sam, once cold, has turned white-hot.

With his vulnerability mounting daily, Alan begins to fear that his mesmerizing new patient may be the catalyst that can cause everything he treasures — his marriage, family, friendship, and future — to implode. As the authorities close in, the story hurtles toward a conclusion that will set the stage for the most unexpected of outcomes: the final act of the Alan Gregory saga.

        

For a chance to win a copy of Line of Fire, courtesy of the author, visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Stephen White: Alan Gregory Thrillers" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code — 4923 — for a chance to win! (One entry per person, US residents only; contest ends August 13th, 2012.)

Blood and Bone by Austin S. Camacho is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Blood and Bone by Austin S. Camacho 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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Blood and Bone
Austin S. Camacho
A Hannibal Jones Mystery
Publisher: Intrigue Publishing

An eighteen-year-old boy lies dying of leukemia. Kyle’s only hope is a bone marrow transplant, but no one in his family can supply it. His last chance lies in finding his father, who disappeared before Kyle was born. His family has nowhere to turn until they learn of a troubleshooter named Hannibal Jones.

His search for the missing man leads Hannibal down a twisting path of deception, conspiracy, greed and murder, but with each step the danger grows.

  

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.

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

Without Trace by Katherine John is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Without Trace by Katherine John 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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Without Trace
Katherine John
Publisher: Accent Press

Originally published by Century in 1990 in the UK, and later by St. Martin's Press in the US, this is the first mystery in the Inspector Trevor Joseph series.

In the chilly half-light of dawn a bizarre pierrot figure waits in the shadows of a deserted stretch of motorway. The costumed hitchhiker’s victim is a passing motorist. The murder, cold-blooded, brutal. Without motive.

Doctors at the local hospital, Tim and Daisy Sherringham are blissfully happy. The perfect couple. When an emergency call rouses Tim early one morning, he vanishes on the way from their flat to the hospital and Daisy is plunged into a nightmare of terror and doubt …

  

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.

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

The Dime Museum Murders by Daniel Stashower is Today's Nook Daily Find

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Dime Museum Murders by Daniel Stashower as today's Barnes & Noble Nook Daily Find.

The deal price of $1.59 is valid only for today, Monday, August 06, 2012.

Note: The price has been matched by Amazon.com for today only.

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The Dime Museum Murders
Daniel Stashower
The Harry Houdini Mysteries
Publisher: Mainly Murder

This is the first in the series of mysteries featuring Harry Houdini and his brother Dash, originally published in 1999 but recently reissued by Titan Books.

New York City in 1897 and young escapologist Harry Houdini is struggling to get the recognition he craves from the ruthless entertainment industry. When toy tycoon Branford Wintour is found murdered in his Fifth Avenue mansion, detectives call upon Houdini to help solve this mysterious crime. When Harry and his brother Dash reach the scene of the murder, they discover that Wintour was killed seemingly by a magic trick …

 

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above 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.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for August 06, 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 E J M N O S T W

Marilyn Clay writes a series of historical novels of romantic suspense set in this Virginia town (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!

This Week's Bestselling Large Print Mystery and Suspense Books (120805)

Here is this week's list of the top ten bestselling mystery and suspense books in large print format from Amazon.com.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is frequently updated, 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.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120805)

Here is today's list of the Bestselling Free Kindle Crime Fiction: the top nine mysteries, novels of suspense, 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 click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.

If Looks Could Kill by Michael Blair is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature If Looks Could Kill by Michael Blair 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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If Looks Could Kill
Michael Blair
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart

Vancouver photographer Thomas McCall’s summer gets off to a rocky start when his hearing-impaired 12-year-old daughter arrives for a visit (with pet ferret in tow), his parents’ marriage hits the rocks, his assistant unaccountably botches a batch of film, his girlfriend pushes for a commitment he can’t make, and the houseboat he lives on starts to sink. In other words, the usual complications of a busy life. Nothing he can’t cope with. That is, until Carla, his stunningly beautiful, former lover, walks back into his life, unapologetic for having ripped off his stereo, computer, and expensive (albeit broken) Hassleblad camera when she walked out on him two years earlier. Worse, she now needs McCall to find her a place where she can hide away for a few days, no questions asked. McCall, still hopelessly in lust with her, reluctantly agrees. But Carla never turns up at the hideaway. And now her menacing new boyfriend, Vince, is frantic to find her — so frantic that he turns to McCall for help.

What has Carla done to make her run away? What would Vince do to her if he found her? And why, against all sense, does McCall start searching for her — finding so much more than he ever wanted 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.

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

Buried in Benidorm by L. H. Thomson is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Buried in Benidorm by L. H. Thomson 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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Buried in Benidorm
L. H. Thomson
A Max Castillo Mystery
Publisher: J. I. Loome

Ex-priest and newly minted agnostic Max Castillo ekes out a living as a private investigator from his houseboat in Benidorm, Spain. He finally has a little free time … until a big-shot turns up dead at a local golf course. Now, his former employer is calling in an old debt, and Max is neck-deep in gangsters, grifters and girls with grudges.

A decades-old secret could hold the key to solving the case, but can Max figure it out before one of them leaves him buried in Benidorm?

      

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.

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

The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins 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 Betrayal
Jerry B. Jenkins
A Precinct 11 Mystery
Publisher: Tyndale House

This is the second in this trilogy of thrillers.

Detective Boone Drake has just pulled off the most massive sting in Chicago history, bringing down the heads of not only the biggest street gangs in the city but also the old crime syndicate. The story is the biggest in decades, and the Chicago Police Department must protect the key witness at all costs. Yet despite top secret plans to transfer the witness ahead of his testimony before the grand jury, an attempt is made on his life.

It soon becomes apparent that someone inside the Chicago PD leaked information to the shooter. As evidence mounts and suspicion points too close to home, Boone doesn’t know whom he can trust. An investigation reveals that the turncoat might be someone very close to him, even someone he loves—or is the guilty party just trying to cover up corruption at the highest level of the police department? Trusting the wrong person could prove fatal.

    

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.

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

Vengeance Lies in Wait by Janice B. Scott is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Vengeance Lies in Wait by Janice B. Scott 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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Vengeance Lies in Wait
Janice B. Scott
A Polly Hewitt Mystery
Publisher: Beasant Books

This is the third book in the Polly Hewitt series, but the first murder mystery.

When Rev. Polly Hewitt arrives as rector in a new parish, disturbing things happen to her. It seems that someone is out to get her, but who is targeting her and why?

The culmination is when Polly is taking a funeral, but discovers there is already a body in the grave. Who is the murder victim and who is the murderer?

When Polly tries to find out for herself, events escalate and she is soon in danger.

  

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.

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

Mama Does Time by Deborah Sharp is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mama Does Time by Deborah Sharp as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Sunday, August 05, 2012.

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Mama Does Time
Deborah Sharp
A Mace Bauer Mystery
Publisher: Mainly Murder

Meet Mama: a true Southern woman with impeccable manners, sherbet-colored pantsuits, and four prior husbands, able to serve sweet tea and sidestep alligator attacks with equal aplomb. Mama's antics — especially her penchant for finding trouble — drive her daughters Mace, Maddie, and Marty to distraction.

One night, while settling in to look for ex-beaus on COPS, Mace gets a frantic call from her mother. This time, the trouble is real: Mama found a body in the trunk of her turquoise convertible and the police think she's the killer. It doesn't help that the handsome detective assigned to the case seems determined to prove Mama's guilt or that the cowboy who broke Mace's heart shows up at the local Booze ‘n' Breeze in the midst of the investigation. Before their mama lands in prison — just like an embarrassing lyric from a country-western song — Mace and her sisters must find the real culprit.

Read our review of Mama Does Time by Deborah Sharp.

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above 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.

This Week's Bestselling Mystery and Suspense Games to Download (120804)

Here is this week's list of the top ten bestselling games to download from Amazon.com, many of which have a mystery or suspense theme.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is frequently updated, 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.

See also these pages: Mystery Games to download to your PC and Mystery Games available as Android Apps.