Review: Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron

A Mysterious Review of Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron. A Mike Bowditch Mystery.

Review summary: This is a superior mystery, from its riveting and rapidly moving storyline to its nearly nonstop action, which takes place over a couple of days. The suspects are many and diverse, the Maine environs are inviting and realistically depicted, and Mike Bowditch is a terrific series lead, conflicted (as many are) but not debilitated by it, dealing with his issues in a positive, pro-active manner. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Massacre Pond
Paul Doiron
A Mike Bowditch Mystery
Minotaur Books (July 2013)

Publisher synopsis: On an unseasonably hot October morning, Bowditch is called to the scene of a bizarre crime: the corpses of seven moose have been found senselessly butchered on the estate of Elizabeth Morse, a wealthy animal rights activist who is buying up huge parcels of timberland to create a new national park.

What at first seems like mindless slaughter — retribution by locals for the job losses Morse's plan is already causing in the region — becomes far more sinister when a shocking murder is discovered and Mike's investigation becomes a hunt to find a ruthless killer. In order to solve the controversial case, Bowditch risks losing everything he holds dear: his best friends, his career as a law enforcement officer, and the love of his life.

      

A New MystereBook: The Black Song Inside by Carlyle Clark

Here is a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers …

The Black Song Inside by Carlyle Clark is this author's debut thriller. It was first published in paperback in December 2012.

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The Black Song Inside by Carlyle Clark
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: September 10, 2013

Atticus Wynn and Rosemary Sanchez, newly engaged private investigators, have seen the dark and violent side of life. Nothing, though, has prepared them for an explosive murder investigation that threatens to tear their relationship apart as they struggle to solve a case that could leave them in prison or dead.

Atticus’s manipulative ex-girlfriend bursts back into their lives wielding a secret about Rosemary’s family that she exploits to force the couple into investigating the execution-style slaying of her lover. The case thrusts Atticus and Rosemary headlong into the world of human trafficking and drug smuggling, while rendering them pawns in Tijuana Cartel captain Armando Villanueva’s bloody bid to take over the cartel.

  

Telemystery: Fox Developing Series Adaptation of Man on Fire

Fox Television has renewed its interest in a series based of the film Man on Fire, itself an adaptation of the 1980 thriller by A. J. Quinnell, which stars Denzel Washington as an ex-CIA operative who takes on an assignment as a bodyguard for the daughter of a wealthy industrialist in Mexico City.

The project was first set up under Tony Scott, who directed the film, but was shelved following his death last year.

David DiGilio (Traveler) is writing and producing this latest iteration, which is expected to take place 18 years after the events of the film, with Creasy joining up with his former charge to take down the cartel responsible for the original crime.

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Man on Fire
A. J. Quinnell
A Creasy Thriller

Washed-up, a near alcoholic, ex-mercenary Creasy takes on the job of guarding the 11 year old daughter of an Italian industrialist. Delightful and intelligent, she penetrates his embittered cynicism to become his friend.

Then something terrible happens that fills Creasy with a deadly and unforgiving anger. And the story explodes in a phenomenal tale of training and preparation, vengeance and execution as, armed with a formidable weaponry, Creasy wages a personal war on a powerful and evil enemy.

    

The First Faux Pas, A Lora Weaver Mystery by Katy Leen, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The First Faux Pas by Katy Leen, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Katy Leen.

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 (09/11/2013 at 3:00 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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The First Faux Pas by Katy Leen
A Lora Weaver Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Katy Leen

When Lora Weaver relocates from New York to her boyfriend's hometown of Montreal, she expects to find a touch of Paris in North America — cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafés, fabulous shopping, and a little joie de vivre. Not dangerous liaisons. But, when she takes a job at a PI agency owned by a French brother and sister team, her life takes on more twists and turns than a Cirque du Soleil performance.

Her latest brush with danger kicks off the case of Piedro "Puddles" Bellinni —a deadbeat dad whose disappearance is linked to a dying girl, a socialite about to inherit a fortune, and a would-be thug whose ego ends up nearly as dented as his car. Amid stalkings, shootouts, and kidnappings, Lora must also survive an unexpected houseguest — a flirty old friend of her live-in boyfriend Adam.

  

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.

Second Watch by J. A. Jance, New in Bookstores This Week

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published this week by William Morrow, is Second Watch by J. A. Jance.

For a list of more new hardcover mysteries published this month, visit our New Mysteries page for September 2013. For new paperback mysteries, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where a selection of September 2013 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers are shelved.

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Second Watch
J. A. Jance
Series: J. P. Beaumont (21st)

Getting old is hell. J. P. Beaumont is finally taking some time off to have knee-replacement surgery. But instead of taking his mind off work, the operation plunges him into one of the most perplexing and mind-blowing mysteries he's ever faced.

A series of dreams takes him back to his early days on the force with the Seattle PD, and then even earlier, to his days in Vietnam, reminding him of people and events he hasn't thought about in years. Are they just drug-induced hallucinations? Beaumont isn't so sure. When tugging on those threads from long ago leads to present-day murders, Beau's suspicions are confirmed. Some bodies from the second watch just won't stay buried.

      

MystereBooks: Kill Your Darlings by Max Allan Collins, 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 Kill Your Darlings by Max Allan Collins. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, September 11, 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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Kill Your Darlings by Max Allan Collins
A Mallory Mystery
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Roscoe Kane is one of the last — and, in Mallory's opinion, best — of the old-school mystery writers. Back in the day, he turned out crime thrillers filled with babes, bullets, and tough-guy banter. But today Kane is filled with bitterness over the nosedive his career took after he sued a publisher. For Mallory, who learned his craft at Kane's knee, it's tough watching his literary hero drown his sorrows in booze—but it's a million times tougher finding the old master drowned in a hotel bathtub.

Some call it ironic that Kane meets his end in the middle of Bouchercon, the famed convention that's a mecca for mystery writers. The Chicago coroner calls it a drunken mishap. But Mallory spies treachery mingled with the tragedy.

Just like a classic whodunit, there's a gallery full of suspects — from a scorned ex-wife and an ostracized gay son to an underhanded publisher and a roster of rival writers with axes to grind. Throw in a knockout dame who gives Mallory a private eyeful, an alluring widow who's not too sad to be seductive, and a clutch of thugs who let their knuckles do the talking, and Mallory has his hands full finding justice for his hero.

  

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.

Senior Snoops, An Agnes Barton, Senior Sleuth Mystery by Madison Johns, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Senior Snoops by Madison Johns, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Outrageous Books.

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 (09/11/2013 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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Senior Snoops by Madison Johns
An Agnes Barton, Senior Sleuth Mystery (3rd in series)
Publisher: Outrageous Books

True to his words, Sheriff Clem Peterson sends Agnes Barton and Eleanor Mason packing to Florida via a Cessna, but things go haywire when during a fuel stop, two men shoot the pilot. Agnes springs into action slamming the door just as shots are fired while Frank Alton jumps into the cockpit flying them out of there.

When they land in Florida, they're asked tough questions by Putner and Palmer from Homeland Security. They keep asking if they found a packet on board the plane, a packet that Agnes has tucked in her purse, but they never mention what's in the packet. She decides to hold onto it; after all it contains twenty-five thousand in cash.

Sheriff Calvin Peterson, Sheriff Clem Peterson's brother, picks them up from the airport in Florida, but tells them the bad news. His brother Clem made arrangements for them to stay at Sunny Brooke Retirement Village and work as the hired help to pay for their room and board. They go unwillingly, but discover in town that two maids have disappeared at Sunny Brooke.

It's a race against the clock; will Agnes and Eleanor solve the case of the missing maids and finally figure out what happened to their pilot before they also show up on a milk jug?

  

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.

A New MystereBook: Odd Jobs by Ben Lieberman

Here is a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers …

Odd Jobs by Ben Lieberman is potentially the first in a series. The author states that he wanted "to write a fun and exciting crime thriller incorporating odd jobs and practically make the jobs characters in the book." It was first published in trade paperback by Sterling House in November 2010.

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Odd Jobs by Ben Lieberman
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: September 10, 2013

Since his father's murder, Kevin Davenport has worked every odd job known to man to support himself and his widowed mother. But when he signs on to haul beef at Kosher World Meat Factory, what he thought was just another lousy part-time gig turns out to be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Kevin discovers that the meatpacking business is a front for a treacherous criminal syndicate. While working at the corrupt meat factory he finds out who killed his father and now all bets are off. Kevin has the chance to settle the score and he'll tackle any job — club fighting, bookmaking, even drug dealing — to earn his revenge. But can he do it all without sacrificing his soul … or, God forbid, flunking out of school?

  

Jurassic World To Open In Theaters June 2015

Coming soon — well, in 2015 — to theaters near you: Jurassic World.

Universal Pictures has announced that the fourth film in the franchise will open in theaters on June 12th, 2015. Colin Trevorrow will direct an original screenplay he co-wrote with Derek Connolly. Storyline details have not been released, but earlier this summer JoBlo wrote that the film is "set in present day Isla Nublar, [and Jurassic Park] is now an actual theme park as originally intended by John Hammond in the first film. It garners 10 million visitors per year and is completely safe … until it's not. The park itself is described as very Sea World-esque and includes an area called the Isla Nublar Lagoon." If true — and, to be sure, sources have since denied some of these details — the new dinosaurs promised by the producers in advance publicity are thus likely to be sea-dwelling creatures.

The original Jurassic Park, based on a novel by Michael Crichton, is a long-standing member of our top ten list of favorite movies. The sequel was, in our opinion, absolutely dreadful, but the third wasn't so bad. We're actually kind of looking forward to this fourth film and will keep you posted.

Telemystery: AMC Cancels The Killing … Again

"We have made the difficult decision not to move forward with a fourth season of The Killing," AMC said in a statement late yesterday. "We want to thank our … extraordinary cast and the dedicated fans who watched."

And so this promising — at least for one season — crime drama has been canceled for a second time. It was first canceled after the second season following the misguided decision of showrunner Veena Sud to not reveal whodunit at the end of the first season, despite suggesting otherwise in promos for the show. The second season finale resolved the open issues, but by then it was too late. A third season was eventually ordered in a deal with Netflix, but once burned, twice shy viewers largely stayed away despite a promise by the network to resolve a new crime within a single season.

Keep up to date on the status of your favorite mystery and suspense television with our Telemystery Scoresheet. We've updated it with today's news.

The Collineau Covenant by Sam Clinton is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Collineau Covenant by Sam Clinton as today's third free mystery ebook (A Suspense Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 11, 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 Collineau Covenant
Sam Clinton
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Sam Clinton

A massive act of terrorism against the Vatican destroys St Peter's and kills the new pope elect. Rome's Carabinieri anti-terror chief faces an enigmatic mix of the criminal underworld and ostensibly legitimate groups driven by ruthless greed, historical feuds and delusions of heavenly glory.

The Collineau Covenant, with its origins dating back to the 14th century, is the Holy Grail inspiring the collaborators, but what does it mean? Is there a hereditary connection and vendetta mandating the current Pope's assassination? Can the billionaire American fundamentalist, prepared to risk everything he possesses, take control of the New Catholic Church — its doctrines and its riches — like Richelieu succeeded in doing centuries before him?

Rome's anti-terror chief soon learns that powerful enemies have him in their sights. His adversaries are immensely wealthy and widely influential. Are some high in the Church, or those he has long trusted, among them? The Collineau Covenant reveals the outgrowth of hateful retribution, rooted in centuries past, that festers into grandiose crime.

  

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 White Vixen by David Tindell is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The White Vixen by David Tindell as today's second free mystery ebook (A Suspense Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 11, 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 White Vixen
David Tindell
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: David Tindell

November 1981. Captain Jo Ann Geary, USAF Special Operations, is on a Chinese island, sent there to rescue a captured British secret agent. An expert linguist and martial artist, the Korean-American officer has volunteered to assist UK Royal Marines in the operation, a decision that will lead to the most dangerous mission of her career.

April 1982. A shadow government in Argentina is pushing the country to capture the Falkland Islands, in order to lure the British fleet into a trap. Once again, MI6 calls upon Geary for help. She is to go undercover deep inside Argentina, to find the man behind the plot, confront a terror thought long dead, and prevent an attack that could touch off World War III.

  

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.

Just Evil by Vickie McKeehan is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Just Evil by Vickie McKeehan as today's free mystery ebook (The Evil Trilogy; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 11, 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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Just Evil
Vickie McKeehan
The Evil Trilogy
Publisher: Beachdevil's Press

Despite growing up together in their trendy Beverly Hills neighborhood, three best friends hide dark childhoods. The lives of Kit, Baylee and Quinn have been anything but perfect. Little do they know a stranger is about to unravel long, buried secrets, bringing the past back to life with a vengeance.

Kit Griffin has finally overcome a painful childhood at the hands of her mother, former actress Alana Stevens. No longer living in the grasp of the cold, tyrannical woman, Kit's life is finally on track. That is, until Alana is found brutally murdered on Mother's Day, pulling Kit back to the dark horrors of her past. To make matters worse, the police consider Kit the prime suspect.

Jake Boston is an old family friend and the man Kit has loved since she was a teen. He's fighting his own demons as a suspect in his wife's murder two years earlier. Despite his past, he's determined to win Kit over once and for all. But before that can happen they need to convince the police there's a killer working his way down a list with cold-hearted vengeance in mind.

Forced to delve into Alana's dark past, Jake and Kit uncover a forty-year-old double murder leading them straight to the door of a legal dynasty. Soon they find out just how far the heirs will go to keep the past buried.

  

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.

Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes by Nancy Naigle is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes by Nancy Naigle as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Wednesday, September 11, 2013.

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Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes
Nancy Naigle
An Adams Grove Novel of Romantic Suspense
Montlake Romance

Welcome to Adams Grove … where the wedding cakes are sweet, but the recipe is murder …

For years, Carolanne Baxter dreamed of a life beyond Adams Grove. Being the daughter of the town drunk was no picnic, so when college offered her a chance for escape, she took it. Now Carolanne has returned home, finally ready to make amends with her father, Ben, and to celebrate the wedding of her best friends Jill and Garrett. Of course, the fact that Connor Buckham, her sexy new law partner and Garrett's best man, happens to be the same guy the town matchmaker named as Carolanne's perfect match … well! That's just icing on the cake.

But Carolanne's hopes for a fresh start are dashed when a dead body surfaces during Jill and Garrett's wedding reception … and Ben Baxter becomes the prime suspect. The murder throws the town into uproar, threatening to destroy the tentative peace between father and daughter — and to derail the budding romance between Carolanne and Connor. Has the matchmaker's perfect streak come to end? Or will the truth finally bring Carolanne the happy ending she's dreamed of for so long?

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 (130911)

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

• The New Release is Jane Austen's: Estate of Affairs.

• The Daily Deal is I Spy: Spooky Mansion, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Flux Family Secrets: The Book of Oracles, just $2.99 through Sunday, September 15, 2013 only.

• Today's Special Deal — Huge One Day Sale! Collector's Editions are just $6.99 each with coupon code BIG while Standard Edition gamess are just $3.49 each with coupon code DEAL. Offer valid today only, September 11th, 2013 until 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 Jane Austen's: Estate of Affairs

The Austen estate is in trouble! Take on the role of Christiana, the niece of beloved novelist Jane Austen. Explore actual locations from Austen's life, such as Chawton House, as you search Hidden Object scenes for Austen's missing novel! The game faithfully mimics Regency period culture as the characters both real and imagined. Follow in Austen's footsteps, hoping to uncover the lost manuscript. Will you help Christiana find her beloved aunt's book, as well as Christiana's true love?

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

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Today's Daily Deal is I Spy: Spooky Mansion

Through the creaking gates, you'd best beware. A spooky mansion awaits … enter if you dare! Go on an adventurous journey while trapped inside a dark, mysterious house! Explore the creepy rooms of the house using an intuitive hint system. Solve the Hidden Object puzzles and reveal thrilling secrets as you uncover different and surprising ways out of the house in this family friendly game.

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Wednesday, September 11, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Flux Family Secrets: The Book of Oracles

Immerse yourself in the secret world of a time traveling family as they fight to save their future in the final chapter of the Flux Family Secrets trilogy. Follow Jesse as she navigates through time helping historical figures and unraveling a mysterious plot that involves her families' future. It's time to board this thrilling hidden object puzzle adventure that answers all the lingering questions and concludes the Flux Family Secrets trilogy.

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, September 15, 2013.