First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for August 2013

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series titles) scheduled for publication during August 2013, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens and young adults.

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September Sneakers
Ron Roy
Calendar Mysteries

These two Calendar Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy have taken care of the first-grade class hamster, Goldi, for the summer. But on the first day of school, when they plan to bring her back, Goldi is missing! In place of her cage is a green-and-orange sneaker key chain. Soon, the kids spot green-and-orange sneakers all over Green Lawn. And they find out other things have been disappearing around town, too. Can the four friends track down the sneaker sneak and get Goldi back?

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October Ogre
Ron Roy
Calendar Mysteries

There's a haunted house in Green Lawn! It's Halloween, and the Shangri-la Hotel has been transformed into a haunted house, complete with an ogre out front. Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy are ready for some scary fun, but then they notice that none of the kids who have gone in the hotel have come back out. What's happening to them? Ghosts and witches and ogres aren't real … right?

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The Case of the Locked Box
Lewis B. Montgomery
Milo & Jazz Mysteries

This series of mysteries featuring the best friends Milo and Jazz are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Someone stole 100 dollars from a locked cashbox … and almost everyone in school thinks the culprit is Jazz! When Jazz is put on trial in student court, it's up to Milo to prove her not guilty!

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Lights, Camera … Zombies!
Franklin W. Dixon
The Hardy Boys: Secret Files

This series of mysteries featuring a younger Frank and Joe Hardy are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Bayport is buzzing with excitement when a film crew sets up shop to film the latest zombie flick. Frank, Joe, and their friends are really psyched that there will be fake zombies running around town—not to mention a famous director and some of their favorite actors. They are hoping for a sighting or two, and maybe even an autograph, if they're lucky!

But things get a little too real when one of the boys' friends claims he saw an actual zombie in Bayport—nowhere near the shoot. Is someone just pulling a crazy prank? Or is the movie starting to take on a life of its own?

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Thea Stilton and the Spanish Dance Mission
Geronimo Stilton
Geronimo Stilton

The books in these series, both the regular and graphic, are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

The Thea Sisters are visiting friends at a lively festival in Spain. But the theft of a precious fan turns their trip into an investigation! They end up hot on the trail of a secret treasure … but they're not the only ones searching for it. Can the mouselets solve the mystery in time? It's a mission full of flamenco dance!

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Revenge of the Lizard Club
Thea Stilton
Thea Stilton Graphic

It's election time at Ratford College and the candidates from the Lizard and Gecko student clubs face some challenges if they want to get elected president. Certainly not helping matters is the arrival of a mysterious black ship off the shores of the island … and it's trying to pollute the beach! The girls must use all their investigative skills to root out the connection between the ship and the campaign. The fates of the election and their beautiful island home is at stake!

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Who Stole New Year's Eve?
Martha Freeman
Chickadee Court Mysteries

The Chickadee Court mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, College Springs has a winter carnival, complete with ice sculptures; however, this year someone has stolen all thirty-seven of them, including one on Chickadee Court. Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old sleuths, Yasmeen and Alex, are having friendship issues — Yasmeen thinks that she's being replaced by a new girl who has come to Chickadee Court. Then, the whole gang comes together to solve the frosty mystery. Believe it or not, the clues lead to a fracking operation and the laboratory of a professor who is racing to invent a new alternative fuel before his competitors do.

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The Case of the Bug on the Run
Martha Freeman
First Kids Mysteries

These mysteres set in Washington DC are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

On a visit to the National Zoo, First Kids Cammie and Tessa find themselves taking home an unwanted Madagascan hissing cockroach. They name her Maddie, but before long Maddie goes missing! Once she is returned, the FBI realizes that the bug has been bugged. Someone wants access to top secret White House business. As always, suspects are plentiful. With First Dog Hooligan's help, the First Kids are on the case.

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Cooper and Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake
Tamra Wight

This stand-alone, which could also be the first in a new series, is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Cooper thought living at a campground would be cool. But ever since his parents bought the lakeside campground, he's had more chores and less time to explore. And as if babysitting his little sister and cleaning the bathrooms weren't bad enough, his ex-friend Roy has chosen him as this summer's bullying target. Cooper's only bright spot this summer is his new friend, Packrat, a guy who carries the world in his coat pockets and leaves his troubles behind.

But trouble has come to the Wilder Family Campground and Pine Lake, where a family of loons is building a nest. First, someone dams up the lake and floods the nest. Then, when Cooper and Packrat build a raft where the loons can make a new nest, it gets destroyed — by someone with big footprints. Someone is out to harm the loons. Is it the bully with a chip on his shoulder? The irritable camper with a shady past? Or the publicity-seeking reporter? It's up to the boys to figure out who, why, and how to stop the culprit — before it's too late.

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The Crook that Made Kids Cry
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries

These four mysteries set in various "field trip" locations are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Sam Archer and her friends are always ready to solve a mystery. When a trip to the children's museum with their Kindergarten Buddies is riddled with vandalism, the gang and their buddies are on the case.

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The Bowling Lane Without Any Strikes
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries

Cat Duran and her friends are suspicious when their classmate, a champion bowler, only bowls gutter balls during a bowling field trip.

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The Ballgame with No One at Bat
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries

Egg Garrison looks forward to taking some great action shots at a minor league baseball game. But when a cash register is stolen, the game shuts down and the kids have a mystery to solve.

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The Dinosaur That Disappeared
Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries

A trip to the natural history museum quickly turns into a case for Gum Shoo and friends when a dinosaur among other things go missing.

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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 200 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Junior Sleuths, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).

Dead Women Tell No Lies by Nora LeDuc is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dead Women Tell No Lies by Nora LeDuc as today's third free mystery ebook (A Novel of Suspense; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, July 28, 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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Dead Women Tell No Lies
Nora LeDuc
A Novel of Suspense
Publisher: Nora LeDuc

Two months after her disappearance, a young woman's body turns up on a New Hampshire riverbank hundreds of miles from home. Now the murder victim's identical twin, Rose Blue, tries to use her flawed psychic connection to her sister to solve the tragic case.

Homicide Detective Luke Lennox is skeptical of her abilities and finds the mysterious newcomer a distraction. As the department's latest hire, he has a lot to prove, and he's learned from past experiences a personal involvement with Rose will only end in disaster.

When a threatening message alerts Rose the murderer dreams of them together, Lennox must stay close to Miss Blue. With the clock ticking and a cunning killer always one step ahead, Luke reluctantly allows her close to him during his investigation. But can he protect her from the danger that lies ahead, or lose his heart and career in this deadly game of doubles?

  

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 Girl that Started Her Own Country by Holy Ghost Writer is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Girl that Started Her Own Country by Holy Ghost Writer as today's second free mystery ebook (A Zaydee Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, July 28, 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 Girl that Started Her Own Country
Holy Ghost Writer
A Zaydee Thriller
Publisher: Illuminated Publications

International playgirl Zaydee finds herself in the midst of a crisis fueled by international intrigue, multinational corporate greed, and a convoluted legal system.

Imprisoned for computer hacking, this brilliant jet-setter becomes an international media celebrity as she defends herself, an unknown girl labeled Princess Jane Doe, against unknown charges.

  

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.

Don't Look Away by Leslie Kelly is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Don't Look Away by Leslie Kelly as today's free mystery ebook (A Veronica Sloan Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, July 28, 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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Don't Look Away
Leslie Kelly
A Veronica Sloan Mystery
Publisher: Leslie Kelly

Detective Veronica Sloan isn't shocked by much. Having lived through the worst terrorist attacks in history — which destroyed much of Washington, D.C. — she's immune to even the most vicious brutality. But even she is stunned by the discovery of a murder in the basement of the under-reconstruction White House.

Sloan and FBI Agent Jeremy Sykes have been assigned to investigate the homicide because the victim was a participant in a top-secret experiment. Veronica has been training for just this kind of case, waiting to use her special skills, anxious to learn if a recording device implanted in a victim's head can help solve their murder … before the killer strikes again.

  

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.

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen is Today's Nook Daily Find

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen as today's Barnes & Noble Nook Daily Find.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Sunday, July 28, 2013.

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

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Her Royal Spyness
Rhys Bowen
Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie Mystery
Berkley

Her ridiculously long name is Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter to the Duke of Atholt and Rannoch. And she is flat broke. As the thirty-fourth in line for the throne, she has been taught only a few things, among them, the perfect curtsey. But when her brother cuts off her allowance, she leaves Scotland, and her fiancé Fish-Face, for London, where she has:

a) worked behind a cosmetics counter — and gotten sacked after five hours;
b) started to fall for a quite unsuitable minor royal;
c) made some money housekeeping (incognita, of course); and
d) been summoned by the Queen to spy on her playboy son.

Then an arrogant Frenchman, who wants her family's 800-year-old estate for himself, winds up dead in her bathtub. Now her most important job is to clear her very long family name.

 

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.

50 Mysteries and Thrillers is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature 50 exciting mysteries and thrillers as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. About half of the promoted titles are from Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. We're featuring a stand-alone thriller from May 2013 (below) that's still on our TBR list: The Accounting by William Lashner.

The deal price of $1.99 each is valid only for today, Sunday, July 28, 2013.

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The Accounting
William Lashner
A Suspense Thriller
Thomas & Mercer

Jon Willing was just a teenager when he and his pals Augie and Ben stole a fortune in drug money. Brazen with youth and stoned out of their gourds, they thought they had the perfect plan for getting away with it.

They were wrong.

Twenty-five years later, Jon's marriage is on the rocks, his kids are virtual strangers, and the recession has taken his job and decimated his finances. Worst of all, when he finds Augie murdered in Vegas, he knows the past has risen from its grave to grab him by the throat.

The battle that ensues will send Jon skittering across a landscape wracked by the Great Recession to confront the demons of his past: the grade-school bully who has terrorized him for decades, the grandfather that betrayed him, the girl that got away. And in the middle of a fight to death, with his daughter's life hanging in the balance, Jon Willing learns the most brutal of truths: The piper always gets paid, and sometimes he gets paid in blood.

Click on the Amazon button to see also the special Whispersync offer associated with this title.

Important Note: These books were 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.

Nominees for the 2013 David Award Announced

The nominees for the 2013 David Award have been announced by Deadly Ink Press for the best mystery published during 2012. The winners will be announced at a Saturday banquet during the Deadly Ink Mystery Conference, which is held next week.

• Confidential Bounty by Michael Altieri (PublishAmerica)
• Dolled Up for Murder by Jane Cleland (Minotaur Books)
• Food for the Gods by Karen Dudley (Ravenstone)
• A Fatal Debt by John Gapper (Ballantine Books)
• Opening Moves by Steven James (Signet Select)
• Unleavened Dead by Ilene Schneider (Dark Oak Mysteries)

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (130727)

Book Trends, a review site for young adult's and children's books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery/suspense/thriller category.

The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student, who writes, "This combination of a mysterious disappearance, clues in the form of puzzles, and the social drama of St. Bedes, work together to create a novel that young adults will enjoy." (Read the full review of this novel of suspense, here.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Amazon's The Big Deal: Legacy of the Dragon by J. Gregory Smith, Now Available at a Special Price

Amazon's The Big Deal is back, where you can save up to 85% on over 500 Kindle books.

We're featuring a title from the Mystery & Thrillers category: Legacy of the Dragon by J. Gregory Smith. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET, and should be available at this price through August 4th, 2013, when The Big Deal ends.

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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Legacy of the Dragon by J. Gregory Smith
A Paul Chang Mystery
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

For former NYPD and Delaware State Police detective Paul Chang, retiring to open his own agency with former partner Nelson Rogers should mean leaving behind politics and scapegoating. Instead, corrupt Colonel Byrd of the state police and his lackey Clyde Foley harass Chang at every turn, and their unwanted attention puts his fledgling business on the brink of bankruptcy.

With the police on his back and the agency taking sleazy cases he never thought he'd have to, Chang erupts under the job's pressures and sees his personal demon, an alter ego he calls the dragon, emerge. Only the training from his martial arts teacher and old friend Shu can keep Chang sane. But when someone tries to frame him for the stalking of his ex-wife and a journalist, the harassment turns deadly and the lives of everyone close to him are in danger. Unable to wait for events to take their course, Chang must unleash the dragon.

  

Click on the Amazon button to see also the special Whispersync offer associated with this title.

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.

New Hardcover Mysteries for August 2013

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of new hardcover mysteries with books scheduled for publication in August 2013. Please note that some titles may publish early, and may already be available, and some may be delayed, published at a later date.

Below we're listing those authors with returning series characters, new series characters, and non-series or stand-alone mysteries in separate sections. All titles are available on our August new mystery books page, which will become the default home page for the site on August 1st.

• Authors with mysteries featuring returning series characters (in italics) this month:

Laurien Berenson (Melanie Travis, 16th) —  Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne, 10th) —  Benjamin Black (Quirke, 6th) —  Robin Blake (Titus Cragg and Luke Fidelis, 2nd) —  Gail Bowen (Joanne Kilbourn, 14th) —  Rhys Bowen (Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, Royal Spyness, 7th) —  Chelsea Cain (Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell, 6th) —  Alys Clare (Aelf Fen, 5th) —  Barbara Cleverly (Joe Sandilands, 11th) —  Cheryl Crane (Nicki Harper, 3rd) —  Bill Crider (Sheriff Dan Rhodes, 20th) —  Judith Cutler (Lina Townend, 6th) —  Arne Dahl (Paul Hjelm, 2nd) —  Diane Mott Davidson (Goldy Schulz, 17th) —  Anna Dean (Miss Dido Kent, 4th) —  Vicki Delany (Molly Smith, 6th) —  Carole Nelson Douglas (Midnight Louie, 25th) —  David Ellis (Jason Kolarich, 4th) —  Chris Ewan (Charlie Howard, Good Thief's Guide, 5th) —  Conor Fitzgerald (Alec Blume, 4th) —  Ed Gorman (Dev Conrad, 4th) —  David S. Goyer and Michael Cassutt (Heaven's Shadow, 3rd) —  W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV (Badge of Honor, 11th) —  Sophie Hannah (Simon Waterhouse and Charlie Zailer, 7th) —  Ed Ifkovic (Edna Ferber, 4th) —  Faye Kellerman (Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, 21st) —  William Kent Krueger (Cork O'Connor, 13th) —  Al Lamanda (John Bekker, 2nd) —  Jon Land (Caitlin Strong, 5th) —  Tom MacDonald (Dermot Sparhawk, 2nd) —  Nancy Martin (Blackbird Sisters, 9th) —  Priscilla Masters (Joanna Piercy, 11th) —  Laurie Moore (Dainty Prescott, Debutante Detective, 3rd) —  Carol O'Connell (Kathleen Mallory, 11th) —  Michael Pearce (Mamur Zapt, 17th) —  Louise Penny (Armand Gamache, 9th) —  Anne Perry (William Monk, 19th) —  Robert J. Randisi (Rat Pack, 8th) —  Kathy Reichs (Temperance Brennan, 16th) —  David Rich (Rollie Waters, 2nd) —  Todd Ritter (Kat Campbell, 3rd) —  Karen Robards (Charlotte Stone, 2nd) —  Sheldon Russell (Hook Runyon, 4th) —  Lynn Shepherd (Charles Maddox, 2nd) —  Brad Smith (Virgil Cain, 3rd) —  Robert K. Tanenbaum (Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi, 25th) —  Charles Todd (Bess Crawford, 5th) —  Stephen White (Alan Gregory, 20th)

• Authors with mysteries introducing characters in a new series (in italics) this month:

David Riley Bertsch (Jake Trent) —  Zoe Burke (Annabelle Starkey) —  Douglas Corleone (Simon Fisk) —  Ellen Crosby (Sophie Medina) —  Karin Fossum (Konrad Sejer) —  Melodie Johnson Howe (Diana Poole) —  Holly Menino (Tink Elledge)

• Authors with non-series or stand-alone mysteries, novels of suspense, or thrillers this month:

Steve Alten —  Kelley Armstrong —  Linwood Barclay —  Dennis Bock —  Kelly Braffet —  Sam Cabot —  Thomas H. Cook —  Frederick Forsyth —  David Handler —  Richard Helms —  Gregg Hurwitz —  Carolyn Jess-Cooke —  Allison Leotta —  Javier Marias —  Joyce Maynard —  Len McDougall —  John D. Nesbitt —  James Patterson and David Ellis —  Marisha Pessl —  Andrew Rosenheim —  Charles Salzberg —  Ferdinand von Schirach —  Erica Spindler —  Jason P. Stadtlander —  Whitley Strieber —  Anne Sward —  Lawrence Thackston —  Danny Tobey —  Steve Yarbrough

For more information on any of these titles, please visit the August new mysteries page on our website. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where you can discover a library of new mystery, suspense and thriller books, also updated with August 2013 releases.

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

A Conversation with Mystery Author Natalie Buske Thomas

with Natalie Buske Thomas

We are delighted to welcome mystery author Natalie Buske Thomas to Omnimystery News today.

Natalie's third book in her second trilogy of Serena Wilcox mysteries is Bluebird Flown (Independent Spirit Publishing; May 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats). The trilogy theme of the series is a closely guarded secret for now!

We recently had a chance to talk to Natalie about her books.

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Omnimystery News: Tell us more about your trilogy of trilogies featuring Serena Wilcox.

Photo provided courtesy of
Natalie Buske Thomas

Natalie Buske Thomas: I wrote Gene Play as a stand-alone when I was in my twenties. It wasn't professionally edited. It fell so short on word count that what I thought was a "novel" is really a "novella", or even a longer short story! The writing is too green to be taken seriously. However, I was full of moxie and I put it out there anyway. The character of Serena Wilcox popped up about three-fourths of the way through Gene Play. Serena was an after-thought, written in because I needed an investigator to wrap up the case. The best feedback from my first book was that readers loved my private detective character Serena Wilcox. "The Serena Wilcox Mysteries" was born.

I wrote two more short mysteries in the series while still too inexperienced to do anything more than dabble. Those first three books are now sold as a collection of short stories in e-book form only. I have but one copy left of Gene Play, wine-stained from a booksigning that was held at a winery (I spilled an entire glass of wine when my jacket sleeve caught the rim of my glass!). Now of course I'm kicking myself for not holding on to a few more copies of those books, especially since my mother has since passed away. Mom loved Gene Play best of all because it was my first book. I always disagreed with her, but now she's gone and I regret not having a single clean copy of that little red monstrosity. Funny how life works.

I returned to the publishing scene with Angels Mark, book one in The Serena Wilcox Dystopian Trilogy, over a decade after the first three books were published. Serena Wilcox had changed so much from the early books that I had to either drop her or find a way to separate the early amateur-effort novellas from the new novel-length hard-hitting professionally-edited thrillers.

Young single one-dimensional Serena Wilcox is now a woman in her forties. She's a former private detective, having left that life behind to focus on her three children. But once a sleuth, always a sleuth. Her skills are requested by none other than American President Ann Kinji. Futuristic America is corrupt and at the point of collapse. Kinji trusts no one but government outsider Serena Wilcox and her motley crew of rogue agents and vigilantes to bring the traitors to light.

The trilogy (Angels Mark, 2011, Covert Coffee, 2012, and Bluebird Flown, 2013) is now complete. The character Serena Wilcox is once again going through a transition before emerging in the new trilogy The Serena Wilcox Time Travel Trilogy.

A private company investigates science and technology crimes. Time travel is now possible, and naturally unscrupulous power-grabbers have already found a way to use the new technology for their own gain. Serena investigates corruption in the past, present and future in Project Scarecrow, in progress. Besides Serena, several other characters are returning. Readers were invited to vote for which characters should receive immunity from being bumped off the series. Favorites were spared an untimely, and potentially absurd, death and are still alive and well to return in Project Scarecrow.

OMN: This series would seem to span several mystery genres. Would you agree?

NBT: My books cross-over with so many intersections that my series is "its own thing"! Yes, there are big disadvantages to this. I have a hard time explaining what my books are like, and some readers are thrown when my books don't match their expectations. It seems people either love me or hate me, there's no "meh" option. The downside to being original is that it's easy to be misunderstood. The upside to being original is that when readers "get" me, they are intensely loyal and oftentimes become personal friends who have wonderfully quirky projects to share with me in return.

OMN: We often hear that you should write what you know. How much of you or your experience is in the series?

NBT: I was taught the same rule, yes. I definitely put my own experiences into my books. I even put real people into my books, with their permission. Beav, Agent Estep and Lehman are all based on personal friends. The character of Serena Wilcox wasn't ever intended to be based on me, but readers insisted that she must be me. Eventually I gave up trying to convince readers otherwise. I got into the character of Serena Wilcox to the point of dipping back into a couple of early books to edit out a little of her past that doesn't fit with my real life history or personality. Now that I've given into the whole Serena identity I'm having more fun with her. Of course she's not me, and I take liberties with my super hero alter ego, but at future booksigning events I'll be wearing the signature scarf, pilot's hat, and wrist band worn by Serena in Project Scarecrow. (Remember, I'm a theater person!)

OMN: Describe your writing process for us.

NBT: I let the story develop as I write, as that is when the fun takes over. But I do make notes; many, many scribbles and scrabbles. I keep multiple writing journals. Some of the pages may be interrupted by numbers I couldn't add in my head or one of my infamous to-do lists. If anyone wanted to have me committed, my writing journals would offer up enough probable cause.

OMN: What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of writing? And do any of these find their way into your books?

NBT: I sing, play the drums, and tap dance if my knees allow it. Too many years of tap dancing on concrete floors have done me in (and the fact that I'm not as young as I used to be). I'm also an oil painter. Yes, these activities find their way into my novels. If I have to be Serena Wilcox, then it's only fair that she has to be me!

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Natalie Buske Thomas is an author, artist and entertainer. She was born in upstate New York and spent most of her childhood in Indiana. She also lived in Germany for three years when her husband was stationed in Bamberg with the U.S. Army. After the military-spouse years Natalie graduated from Ball State University with a BA. She currently lives near the Twin Cities with her husband and three children.

To learn more about the author and her books, visit her website at NatalieBuskeThomas.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Bluebird Flown
Natalie Buske Thomas
A Serena Wilcox Mystery

President Ann Kinji trusts no one, except for government outsider, former private detective mother-of-three Serena Wilcox and her motley crew of vigilantes, burned agents and the criminally insane.

As the United States continues to spiral out of control, can Serena stop all of the traitors before they kill the President? As the layers of betrayal are peeled, will anyone remain standing?

Operation Covert Coffee left more questions than answers.

      

Going Nowhere Fast by Gar Anthony Haywood is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Going Nowhere Fast by Gar Anthony Haywood as today's free mystery ebook (A Joe and Dottie Loudermilk Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, July 27, 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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Going Nowhere Fast
Gar Anthony Haywood
A Joe and Dottie Loudermilk Mystery
Publisher: Gar Anthony Haywood

Joe and Dottie Loudermilk are all set for the perfect early retirement. Joe's an ex-cop, and Dottie's a former English teacher, and as soon as the "SOLD" sign goes up on the lawn in front of their longtime Los Angeles home, they intend to take their brand new Ford pickup truck and Airstream trailer wherever the great American highway leads. Unfortunately, fate is determined to have two forms of trouble dog their every step: murder and their five incorrigible grown children.

In Dottie's own words, the Loudermilk brood "go to school, but take pains not to learn anything remotely useful; date weird people and adhere to Mickey Mouse religions … and give birth to grandchildren from hell (whom they raise) like goldfish won at a church carnival."

In this introductory adventure, Joe and Dottie visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona, where they're immediately confronted by a corpse in their bathroom, the FBI, an All-Pro lineman from the Los Angeles Raiders — and most frightening of all, their reprehensible son Bad Dog.

  

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.

42 Books, Many Mystery and Suspense, is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature 42 books as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. We're highlighting one of these titles, Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson, below, but there are many mystery, suspense and thriller books from which to choose, including Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham; Ricochet by Sandra Brown; Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais; Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane; Dead in Red by L. L. Bartlett; Stalin's Ghost by Martin Cruz Smith; and many others priced from $0.99 to $2.99, valid only for today, Saturday, July 27, 2013.

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Before I Go To Sleep
S. J. Watson
A Psychological Thriller
Harper

Winner of the 2011 CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award for best first novel.

Christine wakes up every morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man. She looks in the mirror and sees an unfamiliar, middle-aged face. And every morning, the man she has woken up with must explain that he is Ben, he is her husband, she is forty-seven years old, and a terrible accident two decades earlier decimated her ability to form new memories.

But it's the phone call from a Dr. Nash, a neurologist who claims to be working with Christine without her husband's knowledge, that directs her to her journal, hidden in the back of her closet. For the past few weeks, Christine has been recording her daily activities — tearful mornings with Ben, sessions with Dr. Nash, flashes of scenes from her former life — and rereading past entries, relearning the facts of her life as retold by the husband she is completely dependent upon. As the entries build up, Christine asks many questions. What was life like before the accident? Why did she and Ben never have a child? What has happened to Christine's best friend? And what exactly was the horrific accident that caused such a profound loss of memory?

Every day, Christine must begin again the reconstruction of her past. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more unbelievable it seems.

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.

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130727)

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

• The New Release is Witches' Legacy: Lair of the Witch Queen.

• The Daily Deal is Fallen: The Flowers of Evil, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Jewel Quest Mysteries: The Oracle of Ur, just $2.99 through Sunday, July 28, 2013 only.

• Today's Special Deal — This weekend only, all games are Half Off! Use coupon code HALFOFF for Collector's Edition games and WEEKEND for Standard Edition games at check-out to save 50% off the retail price. Offer ends July 28, 2013 at 11:59 PM PT.

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

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Today's New Release is Witches' Legacy: Lair of the Witch Queen

A few years have passed since you rescued Lynn from Elizabeth, the witch who murdered her family, and now Lynn has grown into a young woman with awakened magical powers. When she receives a letter from Germany about Elizabeth, Lynn opens a portal to chase after her. Her thirst for revenge has enraged her, and an evil force is using that to pull Lynn deep into the darkness. You must find your young ward and stop her before the Witch Queen's evil plan comes to pass in this cunning Hidden-Object Puzzle Adventure game.

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

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Today's Daily Deal is Fallen: The Flowers of Evil

You've seen a lot as a doctor, but after making a simple house call, you stumble into a supernatural investigation. A little girl is suffering a high fever after being attacked by a monster, and she's not the only one. The city is quarantined as mysterious flowers begin to sprout all over Blackburn. Who's behind this? How are all the clues connected? There's only one way to find out, in this mysterious Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game.

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Saturday, July 27, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Jewel Quest Mysteries: The Oracle of Ur

Rupert is back along with his two best friends, Emma and Sebastian. The three heroes are on a quest to find the most coveted jewel board of all, the Oracle of Ur. All facts about this legendary object are lost in time until Rupert discovers a clue to the 4,000-year- old story and starts his quest for the most coveted jewel board of all. He enlists the help of his two best friends, Emma and Sebastian, in this exciting Hidden Object game. Can they succeed in retrieving the Oracle of Ur?

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, July 28, 2013.

Three Kelli Storm Thrillers by Kenneth Hoss, Now Available at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature three Kelli Storm thrillers by Kenneth Hoss mysteries, now available at a special price.

The ebook formats of these titles were priced at $0.99 each from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (07/26/2013 at 5:30 PM). 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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Storm Rising by Kenneth Hoss
A Kelli Storm Thriller (1st in series)
Publisher: Kenneth Hoss

Purchase Options …
Amazon.com

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Storm Warning by Kenneth Hoss
A Kelli Storm Thriller (2nd in series)
Publisher: Kenneth Hoss

Purchase Options …
Amazon.com

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Deadly Storm by Kenneth Hoss
A Kelli Storm Thriller (3rd in series)
Publisher: Kenneth Hoss

Purchase Options …
Amazon.com

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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.