Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (140109)

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

• The New Release is Cruel Collections: The Any Wish Hotel.

• The Daily Deal is City of Fools, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Dark Parables: The Red Riding Hood Sisters, just $2.99 through Sunday, January 12, 2014 only.

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

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The New Release today is Cruel Collections: The Any Wish Hotel

Get to the bottom of a perplexing mystery! When a guest at a local hotel goes missing, the owner calls you in to solve the case. But from the moment you arrive, you realize that this is no ordinary hotel. The guests seem to be afraid of you, and a strange man with unusual powers is following you around the building. Can you uncover the secrets of the Any Wish Hotel and escape before you become a permanent guest? Find out in this rousing 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 City of Fools

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

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Thursday, January 09, 2014 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Dark Parables: The Red Riding Hood Sisters

Play as the fabled detective and defeat the Wolf Queen! Centuries ago, the first Red Riding Hood defeated the wolf and established the Order of Red Riding Hood Sisters. Recently, the nefarious Wolf Queen entrapped the sisters and planned to unleash legions of ravaging wolves onto our world. Assist the Red Riding Hood Sisters 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, January 12, 2014.

A New MystereBook: Dead on Her Feet by Lisa Fernow

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 during January 2014 priced $4.99 or less …

Dead on Her Feet by Lisa Fernow is the author's first book in a planned series set in the tango world, one she knows quite well. She has danced Argentine tango since 1996, studying with such legendary masters as Cacho Dante, Susana Miller, and Brigitta Winkler, and other inspiring instructors in Atlanta, Seattle, and Portland.

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Dead on Her Feet by Lisa Fernow
An Antonia Blakeley, Tango Mystery
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: January 06, 2014
Price: $2.99 (as of 01/08/14 05:30 PM ET)

When a much-hated member of the Atlanta tango community is stabbed in the middle of a dance, the last thing tango instructor Antonia "Ant" Blakeley wants to do is help the police work out how someone could have struck the fatal blow unseen.

Her troubled nephew is first on the list of suspects, and she'll do anything to protect him. Unfortunately for her, she's up against Detective Sam Morrow, a former marine who will do anything to get to the truth. Only one of them will get what they want.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for the price indicated on the date and time as shown. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Review: Deadly Catch by E. Michael Helms

A Mysterious Review of Deadly Catch by E. Michael Helms. A Mac McClellan Mystery.

Review summary: This is an enjoyable mystery, one that gets more complicated as the story progresses. The series character quickly learns that the charm of small town life on the coast of Florida masks some very serious crimes and hides those that commit them. Strong characters and an interesting setting make for a most satisfying read. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Deadly Catch
E. Michael Helms
A Mac McClellan Mystery
Seventh Street Books (November 2013)

Publisher synopsis: After twenty-four years in the U.S. Marines, recently retired Mac McClellan is happy to be a civilian again. He is enjoying a leisurely fishing vacation in the Florida panhandle when he hooks a badly decomposed body.

Then, when a bag of rare marijuana is discovered stashed aboard his rental boat, he realizes someone is setting him up to take the fall for murder and drug smuggling. Mac’s plans for a more laid-back life must be put on hold while he works to clear his name as the number one suspect.

Mac launches an investigation with the help of Kate Bell, a feisty saleslady at the local marina with whom he has struck up a promising relationship. Along the way he must butt heads and match wits with local law enforcement officials, shady politicians, and strong-armed thugs from the Eastern Seaboard to sniff out and bring the real smuggler and killer to justice.

      

A New MystereBook: A Venetian Moon by Bill Rogers

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 during January 2014 priced $4.99 or less …

A Venetian Moon by Bill Rogers is the ninth mystery in this series featuring Manchester DCI Tom Caton. Part police procedural, part crime thriller, all nine can also be read as stand-alones.

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A Venetian Moon by Bill Rogers
A Tom Caton, Manchester Mystery
Publisher: Caton Books
Publication Date: January 07, 2014
Price: $2.99 (as of 01/08/14 04:30 PM ET)

DCI Tom Caton's honeymoon on the enchanting island of San Clemente in the Venice Lagoon is disturbed by the discovery of a corpse, risen from a watery grave. A corpse that will return to haunt him.

The arrival of Commissario Bonifati and his beautiful yet unfathomable colleague Sovrintendente Caterina Volpe, signals the beginning of an investigation that will delve into the hidden world of the Mafia in Britain. An investigation in which nobody, friend or foe alike, is entirely as they seem. What begins as a simple yet intriguing murder case will have explosive consequences that only one man can have foreseen, and none can avoid.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for the price indicated on the date and time as shown. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Two Isobel Spice Mysteries by Joanne Sydney Lessner, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Two Isobel Spice Mysteries by Joanne Sydney Lessner, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Dulcet Press. We're highlighting the first in the series, The Temporary Detective, below.

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 (01/08/2014 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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The Temporary Detective by Joanne Sydney Lessner
An Isobel Spice Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Dulcet Press

Phones, light typing … and murder.

Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That's the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint.

After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she's a trouble-magnet.

His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, Isobel sets out to prove her innocence by investigating the crime herself.

While learning to juggle phone lines and auditions, she discovers an untapped talent for detective work — a qualification few other office temps, let alone actresses, can claim.

      

Use this link to see more discounted titles by this author on Amazon.com.

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.

Rosarito Beach, A Kay Hamilton Mystery by M. A. Lawson, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Rosarito Beach by M. A. Lawson, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Blue Rider Press.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $2.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (01/08/2014 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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Rosarito Beach by M. A. Lawson
A Kay Hamilton Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Blue Rider Press

Bold, brash, and beautiful, Kay Hamilton is not your average DEA agent — she's as infuriating as she is irresistible. Having recently been transferred to San Diego after a case in Miami brought her more notoriety than medals, Kay once again finds herself embroiled in an international bust.

Tito Olivera, younger brother of drug czar Caesar Olivera, is within her grasp. If she takes down Tito, Kay is positive that Caesar will follow — and when Caesar falls, so does the largest and most vicious cartel in Mexico.

But when a mysterious stranger shows up on her doorstep, all of Kay's carefully laid plans are thrown out the window. The Olivera case suddenly becomes far more personal — not to mention dangerous — and Kay must be willing to sacrifice everything to get her man.

        

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.

The Kept by James Scott, New in Bookstores in January 2014

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published during January 2014 by Harper, is The Kept by James Scott.

For a list of more new hardcover mysteries published this month, visit our New Mysteries page for January 2014. For new paperback mysteries, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where a selection of January 2014 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers are shelved.

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The Kept
James Scott

In the winter of 1897, a trio of killers descends upon an isolated farm in upstate New York. Midwife Elspeth Howell returns home to the carnage: her husband, and four of her children, murdered.

Before she can discover her remaining son Caleb, alive and hiding in the kitchen pantry, another shot rings out over the snow-covered valley.

Twelve-year-old Caleb must tend to his mother until she recovers enough for them to take to the frozen wilderness in search of the men responsible.

        

Multiple Wounds, A Psychlogical Thriller by Alan Russell, at a Special Price during January 2014

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 Multiple Wounds by Alan Russell. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, January 08, 2014 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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Multiple Wounds by Alan Russell
A Psychlogical Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Holly Troy's mind is a complex maze of myth and reality, multiple personalities vying for time in the spotlight. As an artist, she is creative and compelling. As a witness, she is painfully unreliable, unsure of even which person she was the night of the murder. Even Holly can’t be sure of her own innocence.

Homicide detective Orson Cheever never thought he would find himself playing psychologist to a Greek goddess in a modern-day murder investigation, but many of Holly's personalities come straight from classical mythology, from Cronos and Pandora to the Fates.

As Cheever attempts to unravel truth from myth, he learns that there is even more to Holly than meets the eye. One personality in particular — that of a five-year-old girl — hits a little too close to home, and Cheever is forced to finally pull back the dark curtains of his own past in order to uncover the truth.

  

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.

Four Nikki Heat Mysteries by Richard Castle, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Four Nikki Heat Mysteries by Richard Castle, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Hyperion We're highlighting the first in the series, Heat Wave, below.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $2.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (01/08/2014 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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Heat Wave by Richard Castle
A Nikki Heat Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Hyperion

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat.

Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them.

        

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

Use this link to see more discounted titles by this author on Amazon.com.

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.

New from Witness Impulse: The Darkness and the Deep by Aline Templeton

Every week, Witness Impulse — an imprint of William Morrow — releases new suspense and thriller digital originals, typically priced at just $2.99 each.

MystereBooks is pleased to present you with one of this week's titles …

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The Darkness and the Deep by Aline Templeton
A Marjory Fleming Mystery
Publisher: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: January 07, 2014
Price: $2.99 (as of 01/08/14 12:30 PM ET)

A lifeboat crashes on the shore of a small fishing village, leaving all three of its passengers dead. A tragic accident — perhaps — but Detective Marjory Fleming is not so sure …

The steep decline of the fishing industry has brought a new and bustling drug trade to town. Were the victims in over their heads? Or was this the work of a person so determined to kill one of the crew that he took two innocent lives?

The depressed, impoverished community is clamoring for justice, and Fleming is determined to unravel the mystery before the body count rises.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for the price indicated on the date and time as shown. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Telemystery: Fox Orders Backstrom to Series

Fox has ordered a 13-episode season of Backstrom, based on a character created by Swedish crime novelist Leif G. W. Persson. The pilot, written by Hart Hanson and starring Rainn Wilson as police detective Evert Backstrom, was originally ordered by CBS, which passed on the project. (The setting has been moved from Stockholm in the books to Portland, Oregon for the television series.)

"Hart Hanson and Rainn Wilson are the perfect combination of creative vision and on-screen talent to bring this one-of-a-kind character and story like Backstrom to Fox," said Fox chairman Kevin Reilly.

Hanson is also the executive producer of Fox's Bones, itself based on a series character created by mystery author Kathy Reichs.

Please Welcome Suspense Novelist B. A. Morton

with B. A. Morton

We are delighted to welcome author B. A. Morton to Omnimystery News today.

B. A.'s latest novel of suspense, Bedlam (Taylor Street Publishing; August 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats), is a haunting tale of obsessive love, ultimate sacrifice and deadly consequence.

Today the author tells us about "researching the story". And she's also giving our visitors a chance to win one of five mobi copies of Bedlam and one paperback copy; details below.

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Photo provided courtesy of
B. A. Morton

Writing both crime and historical fiction allows me the opportunity to employ a variety of research techniques. In crime writing it's vital to get the facts right, particularly police procedural terminology and hierarchy but equally important to allow the story room to breathe. I use research to underpin the story, but only if it's crucial to the plot. I'm fortunate in having a serving Scene of Crime Officer as a valued friend to offer advice re evidential procedures. I also have many books written by professionals within crime related fields, bought after attending seminars at crime festivals. Being an expert in any field isn't necessary, knowing where to access the information definitely is. The internet is a valuable tool, not only to source up to date information, but you can hop onto Google earth and research your crime scene almost anywhere in the world. My horror, thriller Bedlam begins with the discovery of a particularly gruesome multiple, murder. It was important to understand initial UK murder scene procedure and hierarchy, in order to present it as accurately as possible without the story becoming bogged down in unnecessary detail.

My research for my medieval trilogy "The Wildewood Chronicles" is slightly different. I have an advantage in that I live in an area steeped in history and my own home is built on the foundations of a medieval chapel and crypt. Research in this field is definitely a labour of love. I still use the internet, but there's also a lot of footwork, visiting sites of interest and lots of reading. It's not just about the facts, the historical events; you also have to capture the feel of the period, the language, culture and behaviours. And you have to do it all with a careful hand so that the story, that wonderful creation, isn't swamped by historical data. In the case of my historical novels I create a research document, a timeline to underpin the plot. A skeleton if you like which supports the muscle and flesh of the story. Once it's in place, I'm quite ruthless in removing all but the absolutely necessary. It's a fine balance. The amount of research shouldn't be obvious to the reader, it should in my opinion, be seamless to the story.

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Born in the North East of England, B. A. Morton writes across a number of genres including crime, romance, horror and historical fiction. After a twenty year civil service career, she and her family escaped the rat race and relocated to the remote beauty of the Northumberland National Park. She now works part time in the village GP surgery and lives in a cottage built on the remains of a medieval crypt. Her debut novel Mrs Jones, a fast paced, romantic, crime thriller set in New York, was runner up in the Yeovil Literary Prize 2011, published by Taylor Street Publishing and closely followed by the sequel Molly Brown, and the first in a medieval trilogy "The Wildewood Chronicles".

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Bedlam
B. A. Morton

Love hurts. Obsession kills.

Joe loves Kit. Everyone thinks she's dead. Joe knows she's not.

If you lost the love of your life, how far would you go to get them back? Detective Joe McNeil would do absolutely anything.

When Joe breathes life into a killer's victim, he discovers what anything really means.

Nell will use whatever is necessary to ensure she survives, including Joe. Is she really a victim or merely the weapon being wielded by a much more cunning foe?

As Joe struggles between his love for missing Kit and his growing obsession with the enigmatic Nell, he plunges headlong into a spiralling nightmare of kidnap, murder and betrayal. His relentless search for the truth jeopardises his career, his sanity and his life.

But for Nell, the risk is even greater.

    

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