Telemystery: NBC Developing Project Based on Linwood Barclay's Never Look Away

NBC is developing an untitled drama project adapted from Linwood Barclay's 2010 thriller Never Look Away (more about the book, below).

Matt Venne will write the script, which will be produced by Sony Pictures TV.

Another of Barclay's books, Trust Your Eyes, is also being developed as a film project for Warner Bros.

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Never Look Away
Linwood Barclay
A Novel of Suspense

A warm summer Saturday. An amusement park. David Harwood is glad to be spending some quality time with his wife and their four-year-old son. But what begins as a pleasant family outing turns into a nightmare after an inexplicable disappearance. A frantic search only leads to an even more shocking and harrowing turn of events. Until this terrifying moment, David Harwood is just a small-town reporter in need of a break. Now the only thing he cares about is restoring his family.

Desperate for any clue, David dives into his own investigation — and into a web of lies and deceit. For with every new piece of evidence he uncovers, David finds more questions — and moves ever closer to a shattering truth.

      

Click on the Amazon.com button to check out the special Whispersync offer associated with this title.

A Conversation with Novelist Blake Crouch

with Blake Crouch

We are delighted to welcome novelist Blake Crouch to Omnimystery News today.

Blake's second thriller in his "Wayward Pines" series, Wayward (Thomas & Mercer; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats), was published yesterday, and we had the opportunity to talk with him about it.

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Omnimystery News: What is the backstory to the town of Wayward Pines?

Photo provided courtesy of
Blake Crouch; Photo credit Marc Wilkins and Paul Pennington

Blake Crouch: The town of Wayward Pines was inspired by an actual Colorado town near where I live called Ouray. In 2008, I was there for a few nights with my family, and as I was walking the eerily-empty streets, it occurred to me … what if someone owned this entire town? What if I couldn't leave no matter how hard I tried? Those two questions blossomed into this series.

OMN: The book's cover does a good job of setting an ominous mood for the book.

BC: Jeroen ten Berge, my wonderful cover artist, came up with the concept of the picket fence with the animal scratches down the posts.

OMN: Tell us about your writing environment.

BC: My office is in my home. It sits at 7000 feet overlooking fields and the La Plata Mountains of southwest Colorado.

OMN: What is the best advice — and harshest criticism — you've received as an author? And what advice might you offer aspiring writers?

BC: Best advice: No one single piece of advice, but more an observation gained slowly over years. Make sure the underlying idea of the book is sound, big, and amazing. And choose the idea you commit to very carefully. Because the best prose in the world can't elevate or make interesting a dull premise (see most literary fiction).

Harshest criticism: I don't read reviews anymore. I have a trusted group of writing-friends who serve as my editorial board. I trust their guidance and I trust myself. I understand not everyone is going to love my books, and I'm okay with that as long as I'm writing the kind of stuff that gets me excited.

Advice to aspiring authors: You don't need anyone's help. If you have what it takes and you put your ass in the chair for long enough, you'll get there. Also, write exactly the kind of books you want to read.

OMN: We've read that the series has been adapted for television. Are you involved in the production?

BC: Wayward Pines is filming in British Columbia right now for a 10-episode event series for FOX that will air next summer. I'm writing a couple of the episodes and helped plan out the series with the creator and showrunner Chad Hodge. The differences between the novels and the series are not as big as you might think. I can't go into detail about exactly how the show plays out but I will say that a lot of the changes we made for the series are things I wish I'd done in the books. In other words, smart changes. Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, and Juliette Lewis are starring. M. Night Shyamalan is directing the pilot and executive producing. It's an amazing team.

The difference between writing novels vs. for the screen? You have more leeway to screw around in novels, and of course the ability to describe people's thoughts. For the screen, all of the action, intention, and mood has to be right there on the page. Every scene has to pop on a million different levels. I find it enormously challenging but also a helluva lot of fun.

OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?

BC: I read a lot of fantasy ("Lord of the Rings", "Chronicles of Narnia") and in high school and college, I got more into thrillers (Thomas Harris). "Wayward Pines" is the first thing I've written that could be described as fantasy, and it's actually a pretty good mix of my influences. It's a fantasy, with thriller pacing.

OMN: What's next for you?

BC: I'm writing the third book in the "Wayward Pines" series and working on the last episode for Wayward Pines the TV series.

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Blake Crouch was born in the North Carolina piedmont in 1978. He earned his undergraduate degrees in English and creative writing from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, publishing his first two novels within five years of graduation. His stories have appeared in Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Thriller 2, and other anthologies, and many of his novels have been optioned for film. He lives today in Durango, Colorado.

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Wayward
Blake Crouch
A Wayward Pines Thriller (2nd in series)

Welcome to Wayward Pines, population 461. Nestled amidst picture-perfect mountains, the idyllic town is a modern-day Eden … except for the electrified fence and razor wire, snipers scoping everything 24/7, and the relentless surveillance tracking each word and gesture.

None of the residents know how they got here. They are told where to work, how to live, and who to marry. Some believe they are dead. Others think they're trapped in an unfathomable experiment. Everyone secretly dreams of leaving, but those who dare face a terrifying surprise.

Ethan Burke has seen the world beyond. He's sheriff, and one of the few who knows the truth — Wayward Pines isn't just a town. And what lies on the other side of the fence is a nightmare beyond anyone's imagining.

    

The Museum of Sudden Disappearances by Thomas Davidson is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Museum of Sudden Disappearances by Thomas Davidson as today's third free mystery ebook (A Jurassic Jim Fleetwood Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 18, 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 Museum of Sudden Disappearances
Thomas Davidson
A Jurassic Jim Fleetwood Thriller
Publisher: Thomas Davidson

Technology reshapes our world at warp speed.

Each day, what's considered retro creeps closer and closer to the chronological present. Throughout it all, embattled retro-deejay "Jurassic Jim" Fleetwood seeks his spot in a throwaway world where everything gets crushed like a paper cup.

Nothing lasts, Jim knows. Unforgettable pop songs go … poof! Bands break up. Vinyl records vanish. And half the world can't recall last week. But transience turns deadly when a car soars into a moonlit river and parks on the bottom, its radio tuned to Jim's show. The police report an accident. Jim's cousin, an ex-felon and friend of the drowned woman, suspects otherwise and tries to prove it, but disappears. Loyalty should last, Jim knows, and vows to get him back. His quest leads to a latter-day Bonnie and Clyde (larcenists in love), a stolen gold record, and fraternal triplets (The Midnite Men) — incendiary pop singers who redefine personality disorders with a 4/4 beat. Revenge, redemption, riots, and rock 'n' roll are set to scorch the stage.

How do you find your place in a world where nothing stays in place? Stay tuned.

  

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 Ring by James Sperl is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Ring by James Sperl as today's second free mystery ebook (A Sci-Fi Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 18, 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 Ring
James Sperl
A Sci-Fi Thriller
Publisher: James Sperl

It was viewed by over 12,700 people and captured on more than 8,200 cameras, cell phones and video recorders.

The event over Viking Stadion in Stavanger, Norway would go down as one of the largest mass sightings in recorded history, but a sighting of what no one could be sure. There was no UFO. Not really. In fact, there was no actual object, nor was it flying. For most, the event would simply register as a remarkable atmospheric anomaly, the incident fading from memory as quickly as the mysterious and inexplicable skyborne artifact that had created it.

Then it happened again.

For 15-year old Eva Morris of Phoenix, Arizona, the "ring" provided a welcome diversion from the recent and tragic abduction of 10-year old Rory Bastione, a close friend from Eva's Copper Creek Estates community. But as reports of casualties from the site of the Norway ring hit the news cycle days later, Eva can't help but feel that time is of the essence to locate the missing girl in a way she can't yet comprehend. Driven by a secret motivation to find Rory at all costs, Eva's quest leads her into a nightmare from which there is no waking. A place where fear and survival converge, the horror made all the more sinister by the presence of the ring.

  

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 Endorphin Conspiracy by Fredric Stern is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Endorphin Conspiracy by Fredric Stern as today's 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 18, 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 Endorphin Conspiracy
Fredric Stern
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Fredric Stern

In the late 1950s, the CIA, at the height of communist paranoia, established PROJECT MK ULTRA to develop drugs that could be utilized to effectively brainwash foreign enemies. In 1963, the project came to an abrupt halt when several of the CIA's own agents were unwittingly given high doses of LSD at a weekend retreat, and later suffered severe flashbacks, depression, and in one case, suicide as a result.

Thirty-five years have transpired since the fateful MK ULTRA project was shut down. A group of zealots, including several of the original participants, now in highly placed government and academic positions, has kept the program, known as the SIGMA PROJECT, alive. Shifting their focus to the development of highly potent synthetic endorphins and utilizing PET (positron emission tomography) scan technology, they are on the threshold of a major breakthrough in the ability to understand and control the brain's thought processes. And they will let no one get in their way.

Dr. Geoffrey Davis, a former medic in the Navy Seals, is the chief resident on the neurosurgery service at the New York Trauma Center. From his first day back on the job after spending a year in the PETronics Research Laboratory of Dr. Josef Balassi, strange events begin unfolding. A crazed janitor, a former head injury patient at the NYTC, explosives in hand, takes a little girl hostage at the Central Park Zoo. A respected Hasidic rabbi opens fire with a machine gun on a crowded subway train. Several of Geoff's patients die under mysterious circumstances while on his neurosurgery service, and key aspects of their medical records, including their PET scans, vanish, leading Geoff inexorably toward the frightening conclusion that all of these events are in some way connected to activities at the NYTC's PETronics Institute.

As the deadly conspiracy swirls around him, Geoff becomes increasingly isolated, on the run from the CIA, the police and his own medical staff. At stake is the ability to control the human brain, and Dr. Geoffrey Davis is the only one with the knowledge, courage, and ability to stop the SIGMA PROJECT.

  

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.

Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Wednesday, September 18, 2013.

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Footsteps in the Dark
Georgette Heyer
A Novel of Suspense
Sourcebooks Landmark

What begins as an adventure soon becomes a nightmare …

Locals claim it is haunted and refuse to put a single toe past the front door, but to siblings Peter, Celia, and Margaret, the Priory is nothing more than a rundown estate inherited from their late uncle — and the perfect setting for a much-needed holiday.

But when a murder victim is discovered in the drafty Priory halls, the once unconcerned trio begins to fear that the ghostly rumors are true and they are not alone after all! With a killer on the loose, will they find themselves the next victims of a supernatural predator, or will they uncover a far more corporeal culprit?

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 (130918)

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

• The Daily Deal is The Dreamatorium of Dr. Magnus, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Shattered Minds: Encore, just $2.99 through Sunday, September 22, 2013 only.

• Today's Special Deal — One day only: 40% Off All PC and Mac Games! Use coupon code SAVE40 at check-out to save 40% on all PC and Mac games, standard and collector's editions. Offer valid September 18th, 2013 only until 11:59 PM PT.

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

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Today's Daily Deal is The Dreamatorium of Dr. Magnus

Step into the shoes of detective Sarah Green and solve the mystery of a missing town doctor. Dr. Magnus withdrew from society following the tragic death of his wife and daughter in a car accident. In his despair, Dr. Magnus became obsessed with the idea of contacting the souls of his loved ones. He began conducting ever more dangerous experiments ruinous to his own health until he himself, disappears. What secrets will be revealed in your investigation?

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Wednesday, September 18, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Shattered Minds: Encore

Reveal the twisted plan of a deranged magician! You are a detective with a knack for dealing with strange cases and your Chief has a new case for you to investigate. After a series of vanishing famous monuments the world over, you are sent to Paris, France to investigate a possible link between the disappearances and a calling card left behind at the crime scenes. Play through challenging hidden object games and perplexing puzzles in an attempt to unravel the mystery in this thrilling hidden object 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, September 22, 2013.

Mark Rubinstein and Live Chat at BookTrib, September 18th at 7 PM ET

Suspense novelist Mark Rubinstein will be our guest this coming Friday, but in the meantime he will be participating in a Live Chat at BookTrib tomorrow, September 18th at 7 PM ET.

Mark will be discussing his new book, Love Gone Mad, and during the chat — which is available through this link — you can ask him questions directly and have a chance to win a free copy of the book.

And remember to return to Omnimystery News on Friday, September 20th, to read our interview with him.

Kathy Reichs and Five Fascinating Things You Can Learn from Bones

With Bones beginning a new season last night, we were delighted to see a companion article by crime novelist Kathy Reichs on the Bookish site. Kathy is the inspiration for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan on the series, for which she also serves as a producer.

"You don't want to sit next to bones on a train," she writes. "They are talky, talky creatures. They can't keep secrets, they remember youthful indiscretions you'd rather forget, they tattle about your embarrassing weight issues. Basically, you'd de-friend them if you could. The good news is that they don't usually tell their stories until you're gone. And they tell them only to people skilled at listening. Like me. (Of course, then I write it down and share the information with anyone who wants to know, but that's not the point.)"

To read about the five most fascinating things you can learn from bones, see her complete article, "Shocking Facts About Human Remains" by Kathy Reichs for Bookish.com. And for more information about the most recent book in Kathy's series, Bones of the Lost, see below.

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Bones of the Lost
Kathy Reichs
A Temperance Brennan Mystery

When Charlotte police discover the body of a teenage girl along a desolate stretch of two-lane highway, Temperance Brennan fears the worst. The girl's body shows signs of foul play. Inside her purse, police find an airline club card bearing the name of prominent local businessman John-Henry Story, who died in a horrific fire months earlier. How did Story and the girl know each other? Was she an illegal immigrant turning tricks? Was she murdered? Was he?

Tempe must also examine a bundle of Peruvian dog mummies confiscated by U.S. Customs. A Desert Storm veteran named Dominick Rockett stands accused of smuggling the objects into the country. Could there be some connection between the trafficking of antiquities and the trafficking of humans?

As the complications pile on, Tempe must also grapple with personal turmoil. Her daughter, Katy, grieving the death of her boyfriend in Afghanistan, impulsively enlists in the army. Meanwhile, Katy's father, Pete, is growing frustrated by Tempe's reluctance to finalize their divorce. As pressure mounts from all corners, Tempe soon finds herself at the center of a conspiracy that extends all the way from South America to Afghanistan and right to the center of Charlotte.

      

A New MystereBook: Boiling Point by Karen Dionne

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 …

Boiling Point by Karen Dionne is the author's second thriller, originally published in paperback by Jove in 2010. In our mysterious review of the book, we said, "Thrills abound and there's adventure aplenty … yet the book succeeds in large part due to its principal characters, Ross and Sheila, and Ross's sister Rebecca, who joins the team."

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Boiling Point by Karen Dionne
A Science Thriller
Publisher: Karen Dionne
Publication Date: September 14, 2013

As Chaitén sleeps …

Two microbiologists monitor the effects of global warming in the shadow of the long-dormant volcano.

A celebrity scientist and his film crew arrive at the caldera to capture Chaitén’s spectacular scenery for a television audience.

And a Nobel Prize-winning scientist sits in his apartment in Paris, monitoring data on fifty-six volcanoes around the world — waiting for the one sign that his diabolical plan is about to be put into motion.

Soon, their destinies will converge. For the Earth has become a pawn in the biggest gamble ever played with humanity’s future …

And Chaitén is about to blow.

  

Dial C for Chihuahua, A Geri Sullivan and Pepe, Barking Detective Mystery by Waverly Curtis, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dial C for Chihuahua by Waverly Curtis, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Kensington.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $1.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (09/17/2013 at 4:00 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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Dial C for Chihuahua by Waverly Curtis
A Geri Sullivan and Pepe, Barking Detective Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Kensington

Pepe may have soft white fur, big brown eyes, and mucho attitude — but he's no furry fashion fad. Pepe can talk — even if his new owner, Geri Sullivan, seems to be the only person who can understand him.

When Geri takes on her first assignment for a quirky investigator named Jimmy G and stumbles over a Seattle millionaire's corpse, Pepe proves to be worth his weight in liver treats. Suspicion falls on the not-so-grieving widow, who wants to finance a reality TV show, Dancing With Dogs.

Normally, Pepe wouldn't be caught muerte in a sparkly costume. However, he has to sniff out the real killer and keep Geri safe. Lesser dogs might flinch. But Pepe isn't the kind to turn tail and run …

      

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.

Review: Unleashed by David Rosenfelt

A Mysterious Review of Unleashed by David Rosenfelt. An Andy Carpenter Mystery.

Review summary: This is a clever mix of high finance and courtroom drama. The case is complicated though straight-forward to follow as a reader and includes a nice balance of humor and suspense. Typical of books in the series, dogs play an important role here and this one is rather special. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Unleashed
David Rosenfelt
An Andy Carpenter Mystery
Minotaur Books (July 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, is stunned to receive a phone call out of the blue from Barry Price, a high school friend he hasn't spoken to in years, pleading for help with something too frightening to discuss on the phone. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and lawyer Andy Carpenter's legal expertise — and he needs them immediately. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog lying in the road on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help to arrive. By the time Sam makes it, Barry's already taken off on a private airplane headed who-knows-where.

Assuming their help is no longer needed, Sam and Andy turn their full attention to helping the dog Sam found recover from his injuries. Then they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Barry was in far more serious trouble than either of them knew, and for Sam and Andy, the trouble is only beginning.

      

A New MystereBook: The Scum of All Fears by Christy Barritt

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 Scum of All Fears by Christy Barritt is the fifth "squeaky clean" mystery in this series featuring crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire. Christy Barritt is also the author of the "suburban sleuth" mysteries.

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The Scum of All Fears by Christy Barritt
A Squeaky Clean Mystery
Publisher: River Heights Press
Publication Date: September 14, 2013

Gabby St. Claire is back to crime-scene cleaning, at least temporarily. With her business partner on his honeymoon, she needs help after a weekend killing spree fills up her work docket. She quickly realizes she has bigger problems than finding temporary help.

A serial killer her fiancé, a former prosecutor, put behind bars has escaped. His last words to Riley were: I'll get out, and I'll get even. Pictures of Gabby are found in the man's prison cell, and Riley fears the sadistic madman has Gabby in his sights.

Gabby tells herself there's no way the Scum River Killer will make it across the country from California to Virginia without being caught. But then messages are left for Gabby at crime scenes, and someone keeps slipping in and out of her apartment.

When Gabby's temporary assistant disappears, Gabby must figure out who's behind these crimes. The search for answers becomes darker when Gabby realizes she's dealing with a criminal who's more than evil. He's truly the scum of the earth, and he'll do anything to make Gabby and Riley's lives a living nightmare.

  

Deadly Heat by Richard Castle, New in Bookstores This Week

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published this week by Hyperion, is Deadly Heat by Richard Castle.

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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Deadly Heat
Richard Castle
Series: Nikki Heat (5th)

Determined to find justice for her mother, top NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat continues to pursue the elusive former CIA station chief who ordered her execution more than a decade ago. For the hunt, Nikki teams once again with her romantic partner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Jameson Rook, and their quest for the old spy and the motive behind the past murder unearths an alarming terror plot, which is anything but ancient history. It is lethal. It is now. And it has already entered its countdown phase.

Complicating Heat's mission to bring the rogue spy to justice and thwart the looming terror event, a serial killer begins menacing the Twentieth Precinct, and her homicide squad is under pressure to stop him, and soon. Known for his chilling stealth, the diabolical murderer not only singles out Nikki as the exclusive recipient of his taunting messages, he names her as his next victim.

      

New Trailer for Nancy Drew: The Silent Spy

A new trailer has been released by Her Interactive for the 29th Nancy Drew mystery game, The Silent Spy (embedded, below).

Nearly a decade ago Agent Kate Drew left home to neutralize a biochemical weapon in Scotland. While her assignment was a success, Kate died in a car accident. Or so we were told. Now the echoes of a similar plot reverberate and it's up to you, as detective Nancy Drew, to thwart the sleeper cell and expose the truth about your mother's tragic demise.

The Silent Spy, for both PC and Mac platforms, is expected to begin shipping in mid-October 2013. No product information is yet available on Amazon for the game.

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