Review: Foal Play by Kathryn O'Sullivan

A Mysterious Review of …

Foal Play by Kathryn O'Sullivan. A Colleen McCabe Mystery.

Review summary: From a mystery plot perspective, this Malice Domestic Contest-winning novel adopts a relatively simplistic, by-the-numbers approach. Indeed, the story itself is not nearly as important as the cast of characters playing in it. To be sure, however, what this mystery lacks in substance is more than made up for in entertainment. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Foal Play
Kathryn O'Sullivan
A Colleen McCabe Mystery
Minotaur Books (May 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Colleen McCabe is enjoying an uneventful summer in North Carolina's Outer Banks supervising her firefighters, making rounds with her Border collie, Sparky, and keeping an eye on the wild horses escaped from the local sanctuary. But when a dead body washes up on shore, she knows trouble has arrived in Corolla.

Colleen is ready to start work on the investigation, but much to her irritation, her best friend, Sheriff Bill Dorman, makes it clear he doesn’t want her butting her nose in or poking around. The stubborn Colleen, however, is not so easily deterred. When a man with a gun is spotted lurking around the lighthouse and her former school teacher’s house explodes, she adds arson and a second suspicious death to her informal investigation. Colleen soon finds herself juggling her job, amorous advances from the town’s developer, and intrusions from the local press, all while keeping information from Bill. Her secret sleuthing quickly comes to an end, however, when a bigger threat enters the picture.

      

Telemystery: Agatha Christie's Summer House in Devon to Serve as Setting for Last Poirot Episode to be Filmed

The final episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot to star David Suchet as the famous Belgian private detective are currently in production, and it was announced today that Christie's holiday home in Devon will play a pivotal role in the final episode, "Dead Man's Folly", which will be filmed on location. (This episode will not be the last to air; that will be "Curtain".)

The storyline is expected to closely follow the 1956 novel from which the screenplay is adapted, in which mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (Zoë Wanamaker) invites Poirot to her country house in Devon, where she is staging a "murder hunt"-themed party.

Suchet has now appeared in adaptations of all of Christie's novels and stories to feature Poirot, the achievement of which the actor called "a dream".

"But I'll also be gutted," he added, "because I will be saying a real farewell and a goodbye [to Poirot] and then I will have to bury him."

The first of the five episodes in this final season of the series — "Elephants Can Remember", which coincidentally also features Ariadne Oliver; trailer embedded, below — will premiere later this week on ITV in the UK. Dates for the remaining four episodes have not yet been set, nor have the US premiere dates been announced.

MystereBooks: The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon, Available this Month at a Special Price

Every month Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced $3.99 or less.

Today's featured title from the Mystery & Thrillers category is The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Tuesday, June 04, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET, and should be available at this price through the end of the month.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

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The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon
A Dan Gordon Thriller (3rd in series)
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

The master criminal and con man known as the Chameleon has eluded international law enforcement for twenty years. Dan Gordon was sure he finally had him, but he was left empty-handed. Now he won't rest until the Chameleon is stopped.

The Chameleon is actually more than a mere criminal — he's an undercover sleeper agent. But Gordon is more than he seems, too. He's an experienced hunter, trained by the Mossad, working now for the CIA.

  

Important Note: 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.

Telemystery: Copper Season 2 Trailer

A new trailer for the second season of Copper has been released by BBC America (embedded, below).

The season opens on the brink of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination — with shifts in politics and society altering the landscape for Irish immigrants and black Americans.

At the center, New York City Detective Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones) struggles to tame the wartime metropolis while wrestling with personal demons, including the betrayal of his wife and best friend.

And when Tammany Hall's outspoken General Brendan Donovan (Donal Logue) returns from the Civil War to restore law and order in the Sixth Ward, loyalties will be bought and sold both uptown and in the slums of the Five Points as Corcoran, and those around him, fight to find their places in an unforgiving city.

Copper Season Two premieres Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 at 10 PM ET/PT.

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The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief, a Mystery Adventure Game in 3 Chapters, Available to Pre-Order

Nordic Games has announced that its upcoming crime adventure, The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief, is available to pre-order.

Full of twists and turns, the game immerses you in both sides of the story, combining a thrill-of-the-chase whodunit with the risk and reward of a heist story.

Paris, 1960. Europe is in the grip of the gentleman master thief The Raven. His burglaries are spectacular and he always emerges unscathed. Young hotshot investigator Nicolas Legrand stuns the public when he confronts the master thief and fatally wounds him.

London, 1964. An ancient ruby — one of the legendary "Eyes of the Sphinx" — is stolen from the British Museum. The only clue at the crime scene: a raven feather. Is somebody trying to follow in the Raven's footsteps? Legrand is back on the case.

At the same time in Zurich a phone rings. Constable Anton Jakob Zellner looks up from behind a mountain of files. He has no idea what lies hidden in a bank vault, just a few hundred meters away from him. As he reaches for the receiver his life takes a crucial turn …

The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief will be released in three chapters:

Chapter I: The Eye of the Sphinx (July 23rd, 2013)
Chapter II: Ancestry of Lies (August 27th, 2013)
Chapter III: A Murder of Ravens (eptember 24th, 2013)

The first chapter may be pre-ordered now (PC / Mac), and with a free upgrade to the deluxe edition that includes a soundtrack, storybook (with background information and art), a "Making of" booklet, and a digital poster.

More information about the game can be found at Raven-Game.com. Watch a teaser trailer for the game, below.

Save $20 on Kindle Fire HD, This Week Only!

Father's Day is later this month and to celebrate Amazon is discounting its popular Kindle Fire HD by $20.

This offer is valid on all combinations of the Kindle Fire (16 or 32 GB, with or without Special Offers), is for US customers only and expires this coming Saturday, June 8th, 2013 (or while supplies last).

Use this link to visit the Kindle Fire HD page and this code — DADSFIRE — at checkout to realize your savings.

A Conversation with Chris Grabenstein

with Chris Grabenstein

We are delighted to welcome back author Chris Grabenstein to Omnimystery News today.

Chris writes books for both adults and children … and we've had the pleasure of reading a few of each! We previously spoke to Chris last year when he published Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers and now he has a new book for young readers being published later this month, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Random House, June 2013 hardcover and ebook formats).

We recently had the chance to catch up with Chris to talk about his new book.

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Omnimystery News: It seems that most of what you've written to date, whether it be for adults or children, are series books. Is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library the first of a new series?

Photo provided courtesy of
Chris Grabenstein

Chris Grabenstein: It is … so far … a standalone puzzle mystery. I say "so far" because there are some very interesting characters in Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library who I wouldn't mind visiting again. For me, all books start with the characters. If they still have some "unresolved issues" to work out even though they solve the mystery or puzzle of the book, they have the potential to pop up again!

OMN: You called the book a "puzzle mystery". What does that mean for readers?

CG: There really isn't a crime to solve or a criminal to catch but there are several gigantic puzzles to unravel if my heroes are going to win Mr. Lemoncello's humongous prize. Some have called it a mash up of The Westing Game and Willy Wonka.

OMN: Did you base anything about the main character from your own experience?

CG: Kyle Keeley sprang from a childhood memory I had being the third of five boys: the only time I could beat my big brothers was when we were playing board games like Monopoly or Risk. Games leveled the playing field as flat as the boards they were printed on. This became the driving force for young Kyle. He loves games!!!

OMN: Tell us more about your writing process.

CG: I am more of a pantser than a plotter (as in flying by the seat of your pants). However, with Mr. Lemoncello's Library, the plotting needed to be as intricate as the rules to a complex board game. So I did much more outlining than usual and worked on the book for over two years. I even figured out a way to put one extra puzzle into the book even though it's not in the story (but a clue about how to solve it, is!) We're having a contest for readers who are clever enough to solve that Final Puzzle.

OMN: How did you go about researching some of the details for the plot?

CG: In my author travels, I've had the great good fortune to meet many brilliant librarians. Several consented to be my technical advisors on Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. I thanked my main helpers by naming characters in the book after them! I also do a lot of Internet research and cover the walls of my writing room with images of places and faces that will wind up in the book.

OMN: The premise for the book sounds like it would make for a terrific screenplay. Any thoughts on who you'd like to see play some of the key roles?

CG: I would love to see Bill Murray play Luigi Lemoncello! Or Johnny Depp. Or Will Ferrell!

OMN: Is the book set in a real place?

Kansas City Public Library

CG: Ohio. I'm not sure why. Maybe because that's where my mom and dad met, although I have never lived in the state. It just seems to be the perfect "center" of the country. The gold domed Buffalo Savings Bank that I remember from my childhood in Buffalo, NY became the model for the shell of Mr. Lemoncello's library … crossed with this cool library Google found for me (image, right; click for larger version).

OMN: Where would we find you when you're not writing?

CG: I go jogging most mornings and walk my dog a lot. I also reward myself with one game on my PlayStation after I complete my writing goal for the day. The jogging and dog walking are where I dream up what I am going to write. The PS3 gave me some good video game experience to work with in Mr. Lemoncello's Library.

OMN: How to you engage with your readers?

CG: I have an active presence on Facebook, go to mystery conventions, attend children's book festivals, and, most importantly, do author visits at about fifty schools every year.

OMN: What authors do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

CG: Stephen King. Robert Crais. James Patterson — especially the books he and I write together!

Since I write fiction, a lot of my "fun time" reading is non-fiction.

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Chris Grabenstein used to write TV and radio commercials but now writes fiction for adults and children, winning the 2006 Anthony Award for his first mystery, Tilt a Whirl, and another Anthony and three Agatha Awards for his young adult "Haunted Mystery" series. Currently, Chris and his wife, JJ, live in New York City with three cats and a dog named Fred. To learn more about the author and his work, visit his website at ChrisGrabenstein.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Chris Grabenstein

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high …

      

The Hilltop Murder Mystery by Steve Demeree is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Hilltop Murder Mystery by Steve Demeree as today's third free mystery ebook (A Cy Dekker/Lou Murdock Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 04, 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 Hilltop Murder Mystery
Steve Demeree
A Cy Dekker/Lou Murdock Mystery
Publisher: Steve Demeree

Two grossly overweight detectives, who detest exercise in any form, and love to eat good fattening food, are called to the scene of a murder. When they arrive, they are appalled by what they see. They must climb fifty-two steps just to get to the front porch. While contemplating the situation, they spot the place halfway up the hill where they plan to pitch their tent the first night.

Days later, or at least a few minutes later, out of breath, they arrive at the front door of the house, and once inside, they find they must climb more steps to get to the victim who has been poisoned in her upstairs bedroom. Later, the medical examiner informs them of the approximate time the elderly woman was poisoned, but after talking to two witnesses who had been sitting on their porches watching the street, they learn that the last person to leave the woman's house left before the woman was poisoned. Evidence they gather backs this up.

It is up to them to learn all they can, sift through all the evidence, and question the suspects until they are able to solve the murder.

  

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.

Deadly Fun by P. M. Richter is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Deadly Fun by P. M. Richter as today's second free mystery ebook (A Murder Mystery at Sea; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 04, 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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Deadly Fun
P. M. Richter
A Murder Mystery at Sea
Publisher: Pamela M. Richter

Exotic luxury cruises to the Bahamas are supposed to be fun and relaxing. This trip starts as a routine investigative job for a woman who works in disguise and undercover, using her beauty to entice men to reveal their secrets. The exciting and sometime harrowing is expected, but this job will be like no other.

Her boss is aboard — as is a mafia enforcer with murderous ties to her own family. She chases suspects through the tropical islands, finds herself in physical confrontations with knife, fist and firearms. By the end of the cruise, the deck is awash in blood. Can she survive a deadly fun cruise — and her boss?

  

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 Good Knight by Sarah Woodbury is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Good Knight by Sarah Woodbury as today's free mystery ebook (A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, June 04, 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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The Good Knight
Sarah Woodbury
A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery
Publisher: Morgan-Stanwood Publishing

The year is 1143 and King Owain seeks to unite his daughter in marriage with an allied king. But when the groom is murdered on the way to his wedding, the bride's brother tasks his two best detectives — Gareth, a knight, and Gwen, the daughter of the court bard — with bringing the killer to justice.

And once blame for the murder falls on Gareth himself, Gwen must continue her search for the truth alone, finding unlikely allies in foreign lands, and ultimately uncovering a conspiracy that will shake the political foundations of Wales.

  

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.

Winners of the 25th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Announced

The winners of the 25th Annual Lambda Awards recognizing excellence in LGBT literature published during 2012 were announced last night by the Lambda Literary Foundation at a gala ceremony in New York City. Many categories are represented including two in the mystery genre.

And the winners are …

• Gay Men's Mystery: Lake on the Mountain, a Dan Sharp Mystery by Jeffrey Round (Dundurn)

• Lesbian Mystery: Ill Will, a Micky Knight Mystery by J. M. Redmann (Bold Strokes Books) 

 indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews; click on the icon to visit the site.

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130604)

Here is today's mystery and suspense update from Big Fish Games …

• The New Release is Detective Agency 3: Ghost Painting.

• The Daily Deal is Amazing Adventures: Riddle of the Two Knights, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is City of Fools, just $2.99 through Sunday, June 09, 2013 only.

Visit the Omnimystery Entertainment Network for more games of mystery and suspense!

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Today's New Release is Detective Agency 3: Ghost Painting

A terrible chain of mysterious events and cold blooded murders is revealed during the investigation of an old haunted mansion. Investigate the reason behind the disappearance of a painter and solve a cold case that has left a frightening trail to the present!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour.

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Today's Daily Deal is Amazing Adventures: Riddle of the Two Knights

An ancient chessboard is unearthed and the missing pieces need to be found. A curious trail leads you from the crowded bazaars of Morocco to the snow-swept summits of the Swiss Alps. With each new piece, a strange tale of two Medieval Knights is revealed. Complete 25 missions by finding hidden items and solving unique puzzles. Good luck!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Tuesday, June 04, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is City of Fools

Play as a newspaper journalist and investigate the small town of Tundel where a UFO is rumored to have landed. The local mayor seems to be trying to cover up the event and it's your job to track him down and learn the truth. The way to the mayor will challenge your courage, selflessness and wit. Overcome all the incredible obstacles, find the mayor and become a hero in this charming adventure game!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game at the special price of $2.99 through Sunday, June 09, 2013.

New Poster for The Frozen Ground

A new poster for the thriller The Frozen Ground has been released (right; click for larger image), a film that apparently was completed a couple of years ago but is only now getting a release date.

The Frozen Ground follows Alaskan detective Jack Halcombe (Nicholas Cage) as he sets out to end the murderous rampage of Robert Hansen (John Cusack), a serial killer who has gone unnoticed for 13 years. As the bodies of street girls start to add up in Anchorage, fear strikes a chord with the public. Risking his life, Halcombe goes on a personal manhunt to find the killer before the next body surfaces. When Cindy Paulson, a 17-year-old escapee (Vanessa Hudgens), reveals key information about the case, Halcombe is finally able to trail the killer. But will he catch him in time to save the next victim?

Written and directed by Scott Walker, the screenplay is based on a true story of the serial killer Robert Hansen, who murdered between 17 and 21 women and was convicted of his crimes in 1983. Alaska State Trooper Glenn Flothe — renamed Jack Halcombe in the film — led the investigative team that ultimately resulted in Hansen's arrest. The Frozen Ground opens in theaters August 23rd, 2013.

New Poster for Burn Notice Season 7

Spies don't get fired … they get burned …

USA Network has released a poster for the seventh — and final — season of Burn Notice (right; click for larger version). The tagline: "Final notice".

Jeffrey Donovan stars as Michael Westen, a formerly blacklisted spy. As he continues to piece his life back together, he's watching out for anyone that still has him in their crosshairs. And all the while he uses his unique skills and training to help people in desperate situations.

The seventh season premieres later this week on Thursday, June 6th at 9 PM ET/PT.

Bet You Can't … Find Me, a Catherine Mans Mystery by Linda S. Prather, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Bet You Can't … Find Me by Linda S. Prather, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, CreateSpace (Red Adept Select).

The ebook format of this title was priced at $0.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (06/03/2013 at 3:30 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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Bet You Can't … Find Me by Linda S. Prather
A Catherine Mans Mystery
Publisher: CreateSpace (Red Adept Select)

Catherine Mans has the ability to see and hear what others can't. With the help of Homicide Sergeant Cody Allen, she's turned that talent into a successful profession as a psychic consultant.

But Catherine's past is coming back to haunt her. Someone is threatening the lives of everyone she loves. Nine bodies have been discovered, and Catherine is the FBI's prime suspect. To prove her innocence, she must unravel the secrets of her past, and answer the challenge of a deranged psychic.

    

Important Note: This book was 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.