Telemystery: Jason Lee Cast in CBS Pilot Second Sight

Last October, CBS ordered an adaptation of the BBC crime drama Second Sight as a potential series for Fall 2013. Now we're learning that Jason Lee (formerly of TNT's Memphis Beat) has been cast in the lead role of a New Orleans detective with an ocular disorder that causes him to have visually stimulating dreams and hallucinations. He's not at any risk of going blind, but he conceals what he comes to call his "second sight" from his colleagues. (Clive Owen played the part in the original British series.)

The pilot was written by Michael Cuesta (Dexter, Homeland) and Gerald Cuesta. A series decision is expected in May during the annual network upfront presentations.

Please Welcome Mystery Author John Perich

by John Perich

We are delighted to welcome novelist John Perich as our guest.

John's second mystery featuring Mara Cunningham — Boston's most dangerous photographer — is Too Hard To Handle (CreateSpace, October 2012 trade paperback and ebook formats).

Today John tells us what makes a great series protagonist.

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Jack Reacher. Jane Rizzoli. Harry Bosch. Stephanie Plum. Thriller readers like a good adventure, but they fall in love with a strong series protagonist. Make a character who's believable, entertaining, and memorable, and you have a series that readers will snap up as fast as they can find them. But the series protagonist is hardly a modern invention: readers have been falling in love with recurring heroes since James Bond, Mike Hammer, Philip Marlowe, and Sherlock Holmes.

Photo provided courtesy of
John Perich

What is it that makes a series protagonist stick, though? A struggling writer or curious reader could find plenty of essays, lists, or tutorials on how to write strong characters. But some protagonists seem a natural fit for a series while others don't. What compels the reader to come back for more? What (besides the author's name on the jacket) gets fans excited about further adventures?

As a lifelong reader of mysteries and thrillers, I think I've landed on three essential elements that turn an interesting character into a series protagonist. I've put these elements into practice with my own series protagonist, crimefighting photographer Mara Cunningham, heroine of Too Close to Miss and Too Hard to Handle. I'll walk through the list with some examples, both from my books and others.

Larger Than Life …

Every novel except the truly psychedelic demands some level of believability. Realism is especially key in thrillers, where the reader's ability to place themselves in the protagonist's skin is what injects the thrills. But at some point, realism must be discarded in favor of making a larger-than-life protagonist. The protagonist has to be bigger than the limits the readers face in daily living — keener of mind, stronger of will.

In the modern era, Jack Reacher is one of the best examples of this. He's not just big, he's unbelievably strong, capable of killing a man in a bear hug or breaking someone's neck with a punch. He's also supremely analytical, capable of getting a good read on someone's personality and behavior with just a few clues. As a super-detective, Reacher harkens back to the era of Sherlock Holmes, who could deduce a suspect's physique, profession, and attitude from just a few splashes of mud or piles of cigar ash.

Despite the gritty tone of both novels, Mara Cunningham certainly has some larger than life aspects. She's a very capable fighter, taking on larger and better-armed attackers in Too Hard to Handle. She also sustains a great deal of punishment in Too Close to Miss, yet still presses on. This, I suspect, is what endears readers to Mara: her pursuit of justice, even in the face of obstacles that would make most of us chicken out.

A Sense of Place …

You can't have a good novel without a strong setting, either a real place that readers might recognize or a fantastic location that's painted vividly enough to transport them. But with series protagonists, this is sometimes trickier. Often, the star of a series bounces from one place to the next. If the hero stays in the same locale, keeping the setting fresh in story after story can prove a challenge.

For heroes who travel around the world, the places they visit have to be interesting, depicted with color and a sense of adventure. The James Bond series is perhaps the best example of this, with the titular MI6 superspy jaunting from France to the Bahamas, from Jamaica to Japan. Even series protagonists who stay closer to home have to visit different segments of the same setting: high society and the gutters, cozy homes and glossy skyscrapers. Philip Marlowe covered every inch of Los Angeles, and was just as likely to visit a posh mansion in the hills as he was a seedy flophouse with peeling wallpaper.

Either way, the challenge is still to keep the setting vivid, no matter how many adventures the protagonist has. Mara Cunningham may spend all her time in New England, but it's such a broad swath of New England that any type of adventure could present itself. In Too Close to Miss, she finds herself in tony Back Bay brownstones, desolate shacks in western Massachusetts, and a lonely cabin on a New Hampshire lake. By seeing the same heroine in a variety of settings, the reader gets a chance to see a familiar character in a new light.

Change Over Time …

This last element transports a series character from good to great: the ability to develop over the course of the series. Often this change comes as personal growth, where a hero confronts her demons, builds relationships, and learns maturity. Sometimes this change is tragic, however, where a hero loses the things most dear and has to dig deep for untapped sources of strength.

Mickey Haller, first appearing in Michael Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer, is an excellent example. He starts off as a shyster, cruising for jackpot clients in his Lincoln during the day and drinking hard at night. As his adventures continue, however, he grows more jaded with the seedy nature of his clients, and even takes on the role of the prosecution in one book. Jane Rizzoli, one half of Tess Gerritsen's famous Rizzoli and Isles duo, has definitely grown over time. From her debut as an impulsive troublemaker in The Surgeon, she's since married, had a child, and dealt with her parents' divorce. None of this has silenced her aggressive nature, to the delight of her fans.

Though Mara Cunningham has only had two adventures so far, readers have already noted changes in her personality and relationships. In Too Close to Miss, she was sleeping with a married man and pushing away friends who showed concern. In Too Hard to Handle, she's started to reconcile her troubled relationship with her family, particularly her criminal older brother. Future Mara Cunningham novels will see her settle into a serious relationship and take responsibility for her career. Some of Mara's choices may be satisfying, others heartbreaking, but my hope is that readers feel they're organic and believable.

To Be Continued …

Every good series leaves the door open for another adventure, and every good blog post leaves room for discussion. Do your favorite series protagonists share these elements? Is there anything essential I missed? Please let me know what you think!

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When he's not working at his day job, teaching jiu-jitsu, or blogging about pop culture, John Perich can be found writing gritty crime thrillers set in New England. Learn more about him and his work on his website, PeriscopeDepth.com.

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Too Hard To Handle
John Perich
A Mara Cunningham Mystery (2nd in series)

The last time Mara Cunningham saw her older brother Jimmy was ten years ago, when he jumped bail after robbing a bank in Salem. Tonight, he showed up on surveillance footage at the scene of a police officer's murder.

Now every cop in Boston wants his head. Every gangster in the city wants the money he stole. And Mara wants answers to the questions Jimmy ran from. But she'll have to find him first.

Too bad Jimmy Cunningham has plans of his own …

      

The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff as today's fifth free mystery ebook (A Parapsychology Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 20, 2013 at 7:50 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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The Unseen
Alexandra Sokoloff
A Parapsychology Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books

After experiencing a precognitive dream that shatters her engagement and changes her life forever, young California psychology professor Laurel MacDonald decides to get a fresh start by taking a job at Duke University in North Carolina. She soon becomes obsessed with the long-buried files form the world-famous Rhine parapsychology experiments, which attempted to prove if ESP really exists.

As she teams up with another charismatic professor, they uncover disturbing reports, including a mysterious case of a house supposedly haunted by a poltergeist, investigated by another research team in 1965. The two professors and two exceptionally gifted Duke students move into the grand, abandoned mansion to replicate the investigation, unaware that the entire original team ended up insane … or dead.

  

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.

Blank Slate by Zack Hamric is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Blank Slate by Zack Hamric as today's fourth free mystery ebook (A Kyle Jackle Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 20, 2013 at 7:40 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Blank Slate
Zack Hamric
A Kyle Jackle Thriller
Publisher: Zack Hamric

What happens when the Russian mob decides to go in business with the Columbian cartels in Miami? Nothing good, as Kyle Jackle quickly finds out in this tropical thriller.

His undercover investigation for the FBI takes him from the slums of Naples to the seamy nightlife of Miami in a mission to bring down the kingpin of a human trafficking organization.

After almost being beaten to death in an alley one evening, he awakens to find himself hunted by the mob, unable to trust anyone he meets, and with no memory of his past life.

  

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 Kappa File by Oliver Sands is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Kappa File by Oliver Sands as today's third free mystery ebook (A Legal Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 20, 2013 at 7:30 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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The Kappa File
Oliver Sands
A Legal Thriller
Publisher: Ebookoo Publishing

What does a mysterious file have to do with a commissioner's election in Florida? Attorney Mark Stone has weeks, if not days, to locate the file and find out. However, no one who has seen the content of the file has lived to tell about it.

The winner in a special election for County Commission casts a tie-breaking vote to award a multi-million dollar construction contract to the competitor of Mark Stone's client. However, Mark has some doubts about the circumstances of the contract award. Why did a commissioner abruptly resign to pave the way for the special election? If the new commissioner's win in that special election was a true upset, why did his opponent already know that the commissioner would win the election in spite of the commissioner being far behind in the polls?

Mark knows that the answer may reside in a mysterious file, called the Kappa file, that his client's former attorney was looking for. Knowing what's in the file or who created it may solve the mystery. However, if made public, the content of the file may shake the political establishment. As a result, a killer is out there determined to stop Mark. He has already killed the previous attorney handling the case and is now coming after Mark.

  

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 Inquiry Agent by William King is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Inquiry Agent by William King as today's second free mystery ebook (A Dark Detective Tale Set in the Early Victorian Period; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 20, 2013 at 7:20 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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The Inquiry Agent
William King
A Dark Detective Tale Set in the Early Victorian Period
Publisher: William King

London 1841: a city on the edge. Corruption is everywhere. The poor are starving in the streets. The wealthy fear an explosion of anarchy and insurrection.

Amidst the turmoil, a wealthy merchant and his spoiled, beautiful ward hire former Bow Street Runner Jack Brodie to recover incriminating documents from the lawless rogues that robbed them. It is no easy task even for a man with Brodie's criminal connections because an old and vicious enemy has returned from the penal colony of New South Wales seeking vengeance for the slaying of his brother.

As Brodie hunts through the thieves dens hidden in the rookeries of Dickensian London, it is only a matter of time before their paths cross and murderous violence ensues.

  

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.

Death by Sarcasm by Dani Amore is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Death by Sarcasm by Dani Amore as today's free mystery ebook (A Mary Cooper Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 20, 2013 at 7:10 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Death by Sarcasm
Dani Amore
A Mary Cooper Mystery
Publisher: Dani Amore

Mary Cooper is a Los Angeles area private detective, who masks her true, caring nature with a razor-sharp, heavily sarcastic sense of humor.

In this, her first case, Mary learns that her uncle, a former stand-up comedian has been murdered. She is asked to assist in finding the killer by both the police and family members. Mary quickly discovers that her uncle's death was just the opening act for a bloody rampage. As Mary investigates, she exposes a dark and deadly legacy with mysterious links to her own past.

  

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 500 by Matthew Quirk is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The 500 by Matthew Quirk as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

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The 500
Matthew Quirk
Little, Brown

They're the 500 most powerful people in Washington, and they'll stop at nothing to keep it that way …

A year ago, fresh out of Harvard Law School, Mike Ford landed his dream job at the Davies Group, Washington's most powerful consulting firm. Now, he's staring down the barrel of a gun, pursued by two of the world's most dangerous men. To get out, he'll have to do all the things he thought he'd never do again: lie, cheat, steal-and this time, maybe even kill.

Mike grew up in a world of small-stakes con men, learning lessons at his father's knee. His hard-won success in college and law school was his ticket out. As the Davies Group's rising star, he rubs shoulders with "The 500", the elite men and women who really run Washington — and the world. But peddling influence, he soon learns, is familiar work: even with a pedigree, a con is still a con.

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.

Review: Killer's Art by Mari Jungstedt

A Mysterious Review of …

Killer's Art by Mari Jungstedt. An Anders Knutas Mystery.

Review summary: For the most part, this murder mystery is an engrossing police procedural. The overall story arc is nicely conceived and constructed, and plays out in an appropriate manner with the requisite red herrings and false steps all contextually relevant. Two elements of the story don't quite work, however, and for very different reasons. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Killer's Art
Mari Jungstedt
An Anders Knutas Mystery
Stockholm Text (January 2013)

Publisher synopsis: A cold Sunday morning, a man is found murdered and hanged on the old city wall that surrounds Visby, capital of Gotland. The victim is art gallery owner Egon Wallin. When the famous painting “The Dying Dandy” is stolen in Stockholm, disturbing links to the murder of Egon Wallin slowly start to surface, taking the reader into the exquisite Swedish art world and underworld of prostitution and drugs.

      

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (130219)

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; as an alternative, you can click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com, which includes a list of both the Top 100 Paid and Top 100 Free Kindle Mysteries and Thrillers.

MystereBooks: Three Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mysteries by Deborah Crombie, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Deborah Crombie's Macavity Award-winning mystery Dreaming of the Bones, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Scribner. (Two other books in the series have also been newly discounted; see below.)

The ebook format of these titles were priced at $3.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (02/19/2013 at 1:00 PM ET). 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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Dreaming of the Bones by Deborah Crombie
A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery (5th in series)
Publisher: Scribner

Winner of the 1998 Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel.

It is the call Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid never expected — and one he certainly doesn't want. Victoria, his ex-wife, who walked out without an explanation more than a decade ago, asks him to look into the suicide of local poet, Lydia Brooke — a case that's been officially closed for five years. The troubled young writer's death, Victoria claims, might well have been murder.

No one is more surprised than Kincaid himself when he agrees to investigate — not even his partner and lover, Sergeant Gemma James. But it's a second death that raises the stakes and plunges Kincaid and James into a labyrinth of dark lies and lethal secrets that stretches all the way back through the twentieth century — a death that most assuredly is murder, one that has altered Duncan Kincaid's world forever.

    

Also available at a discounted price …

All Shall Be Well (2nd in series): Amazon | iTunes

Leave the Grave Green (3rd in series): Amazon | iTunes

Important Note: These books were listed at the above mentioned price 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.

Two Norwegian Film Thrillers to be Distributed by Magnolia in US

Two Norwegian films are headed to the US after being picked up by Magnolia Pictures from TrustNordisk.

The first is the thriller Pioneer, directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg from an original screenplay co-written with Hans Gunnarsson and Nikolaj Frobenius. Set in the early 1980s, at the beginning of the Norwegian oil boom, enormous oil and gas deposits are discovered in the North Sea and the authorities aim to bring the oil ashore through a pipeline from depths of 500 meters. A professional diver, Petter (Aksel Hennie), obsessed with reaching the bottom of the Norwegian Sea has the discipline, strength and courage to take on the world's most dangerous mission. But a sudden, tragic accident changes everything. Petter is sent on a perilous journey where he loses sight of who's pulling the strings. Gradually he realizes that he is in way over his head and that his life is at stake.

The second is the action-adventure film Ragnarok, directed by Mikkel Brænne Sandemose from an original screenplay by John Kåre Raake. Archeologist Sigurd Svendsen (Pål Sverre Hagen) has for years been obsessed with the Oseberg Viking ship. The only inscription found on the ship is the enigmatic "man knows little" written in runes. Sigurd is sure that the Oseberg ship contains the answer to the mystery of Ragnarok, the end of days in Norse mythology. When his friend Allan finds similar runes on a stone from the north of Norway, Sigurd becomes convinced that the runes are in fact a treasure map. Together they mount an expedition group and their adventure leads to "No Man's Land" between Norway and Russia, which has been deserted for decades. Here Sigurd learns the true meaning of the runes — a secret more terrifying than he could possibly imagine.

"After the excellent reception to Headhunters here in the US, we're very excited to be working with the producers and Aksel Hennie again on Pioneer, which is shaping up to be a terrific thriller," said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. "We are [also] very excited about Ragnarok, which has all the makings of a terrific action adventure. We are especially pleased to be working with our friends at TrustNordisk again to bring more great Scandinavian cinema to US audiences."

TrustNordisk plans on releasing Pioneer in Fall 2013 and Ragnarok in October 2013 to its domestic market.

The Mystery Bookshelf: All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming, a Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a world of mystery and suspense, is pleased to feature a new crime novel we recently received from the publisher.

Julia Spencer-Flemining was the winner of the 2001 SMP Best Traditional Mystery Novel Contest for In the Bleak Midwinter, which introduced Anglican priest Clare Fergusson and Chief of Police Russ Van Alstryne. Published by Minotaur Books in 2002, it went on to win numerous literary mystery awards.

Last year Minotaur Books began reissuing the books in this series, in order, in new trade paperback editions. This is the fifth, first published published in 2006, and the winner of the 2007 Nero Award for Literary Excellence in the Mystery Genre.

— ♦ —

All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming
A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery (5th in series)
Minotaur Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: February 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1-250-01855-7

One horrible murder. Two people destined for love or tragedy. Emotions explode in Millers Kill, where nothing is as it seems …

About All Mortal Flesh (from the publisher): Russ Van Alstyne figures his wife kicking him out of their house is nobody's business but his own. Until a neighbor pays a friendly visit to Linda Van Alstyne — and finds the woman's body, gruesomely butchered, on the kitchen floor.

To the state police, it's an open-and-shut case of a disaffected husband silencing his wife and putting a stop to the murder investigation he controls. To the townspeople, it's proof that the whispered gossip about the police chief and the priest was true. To the powers-that-be in the church hierarchy, it's a chance to control their wayward cleric once and for all.

Russ and Clare must struggle against the reach of the law, the authority of the church, and their own guilty hearts.

Purchase Options for All Mortal Flesh:

        

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About the author: Julia Spencer-Fleming was born at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, spending most of her childhood on the move as an army brat. She studied acting and history at Ithaca College, and received her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. She lives outside of Portland, Maine. Two of the books in this series — In the Bleak Midwinter and All Mortal Flesh — have won multiple literary mystery awards. For more information about the author and her books, visit her website at JuliaSpencerFleming.com.

Please Welcome Mystery Author Matt Ingwalson

by Matt Ingwalson

We are delighted to welcome novelist Matt Ingwalson as our guest.

Matt's new locked room mystery novella is The Single Staircase (CreateSpace, January 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats).

Today Matt tells us about three classic novels that provided the inspiration for his own book.

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America is obsessed with new. New cars. New celebrities. Even new detective fiction. The result is that the books that defined the genre are either out-of-print or available only on the Internet. Here are three that are more than great reads. They're the building blocks for today's best stories. And they inspired my own locked-room mystery, The Single Staircase.

Photo provided courtesy of
Matt Ingwalson

1. The Friends of Eddie Coyle: George V. Higgins is a polarizing writer. His books are pretty much all dialogue. Bad men talk about the crimes they've just committed. About the crimes they're about to commit. About their girlfriends. The lack of action irritates some. But Higgins' feel for the rhythms of speech is better than anybody not named David Mamet. And he proved that great dialogue can carry a story. The Friends of Eddie Coyle was made into a 1973 film with Robert Mitchum, but it's unlikely to be on the shelf at your local bookstore.

When I wrote The Single Staircase, I wrote almost all the dialogue first. I totally intended to go back and flesh my story out with page after page of glorious prose. Then I thought about The Friends of Eddie Coyle and decided to just let it alone.

2. He Who Whispers: John Dickson Carr is inseparably attached to the locked-room genre. His books are filled with unlikely coincidences, rare psychosexual neuroses, and infuriating detectives who simply refuse to share their hypotheses with anyone at all. Fortunately, they're also filled with something else. Clues. Tangible evidence and eyewitness reports that only the nimblest minds can knit together. He Who Whispers is one of Carr's best. A man is stabbed through the back on top of a empty tower in England. It's an irresistible puzzle. One which the reader can — but won't — solve. And it's only being printed on-demand. Boo.

I wanted the climax of my novella to have the same sort of sensation you get from He Who Whispers — that creepy feeling that the solution was unguessable, but inevitable.

3. Last Seen Wearing: The CWA and the MWA both list Hillary Waugh's 1952 novel as one of the best 100 ever. But it's inexcusably out of print. The book is a hypnotizing recounting of a painstaking investigation. There's no foreshadowing; a co-ed wanders away from her dorm on the very first page. And there's no soft landing; the book ends with the grim but satisfying command, "Go get him." It is the classic procedural, told through the eyes of two small town policemen whose nonstop bickering hides their tireless work ethic and mutual respect.

The Single Staircase is also a story about two cops searching for a missing child. Their instincts scream "murder" and all the clues point directly at the girl's parents. But as the hours fly by and no body turns up, their humanity leads them to consider a different solution. It's the type of story that Waugh practically invented.

If you have already read these books and want to buy The Single Staircase, it is $8 on Amazon or $4 on Kindle. I am giving 100% of any profits to a charity that helps find missing children, so I hope you'll give it a shot.

— ♦ —

About Matt Ingwalson: I like to find blank spaces and fill them. I write screenplays and poetry. I am a musician and political blogger. I've competed at almost every sport you can name. And by day and night, I am the creative director of one of Denver's most awarded advertising agencies.

I like to write spartan, dialogue-driven mysteries about impossible crimes and the people who have to solve them.

Learn more about Matt and his work by visiting his website.

— ♦ —

The Single Staircase
A Novella by Matt Ingwalson

A baby vanishes from a carefully watched third-floor nursery.

Did her parents kill their only child and hide the body? What other solution could there be?

This is a modern police procedural about a singularly disturbing crime. It's also a classical locked-room mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the end.

  

Identity Issues by Claudia Whitsitt is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Identity Issues by Claudia Whitsitt as today's fifth free mystery ebook (A Samantha Stitstill Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, February 19, 2013 at 7:50 AM ET. 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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

— ♦ —

Identity Issues
Claudia Whitsitt
A Samantha Stitstill Mystery
Publisher: Blue Jay Media Group

I teach. I raise a gaggle of kids. And my husband's out of town … most of the time. This is my normal, and I'm used to it. I can handle the missing passport … the threatening letter … the late night phone calls … even the potential stalker.

No problem. I've got it.

Then my life takes a sharp left turn, and I'm speeding down a one way street to hell.

No longer sure who is friend and who is foe, one truth remains--I've placed myself and my family in mortal jeopardy. Trust me, I'll do whatever it takes to save my family.

  

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.