Sesame Swallow, Private Investigator by D. Scott Meek is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Sesame Swallow, Private Investigator by D. Scott Meek as today's third free mystery ebook (A Sesame Swallow Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, January 27, 2014 at 7:00 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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Sesame Swallow, Private Investigator
D. Scott Meek
A Sesame Swallow Mystery
Publisher: D. Scott Meek

Looking for a chance to make a name for herself, Sesame Swallow, wanna-be Baltimore private eye, finds herself in the midst of her first real case and on a slipperier slope than usual to danger.

If Nancy Drew had come of age in the modern world, worn eye-popping short skirts and stilettos and drank Johnny Walker Black with the best of them, she would have been Sesame Swallow, a late-twenties party girl with an oral fetish straight from the not-so-hallowed halls of a local college and looking to make a splash in the shady world of private investigation.

After months of questioning her career move, Sesame finally lands her first case: find a missing person, the web-famous wife of a local entrepreneur and wealthy businessman, but she'll need to get her hands and her knees dirty to do the deed.

  

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.

Tracks by Niv Kaplan is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Tracks by Niv Kaplan as today's second free mystery ebook (A Mystery and Espionage Thriller; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, January 27, 2014 at 6:45 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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Tracks
Niv Kaplan
A Mystery and Espionage Thriller
Publisher: Niv Kaplan

The suspense never ceases as the flesh trade, divorce disputes, and child slavery are all being probed by Sam Baker and his team across the globe. The mystery builds as deep in the Sinai Desert, amongst immortal granite cliffs and The Gulf's breathtaking shades, there lays Sam's greatest fears. Hate, corruption, and greed threaten his organization and he turns to a secret outfit for help. Then a horrible scheme to use children to spread terror is revealed and the tracks lead to an inevitably lethal confrontation with a merciless terrorist group.

This is a tale of modern terrorism, international intrigue, diplomacy, and sacrifice, all in hopes of finding one small boy.

  

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.

Mona Lisa Eyes by M. D. Grayson is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mona Lisa Eyes by M. D. Grayson as today's free mystery ebook (A Danny Logan Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, January 27, 2014 at 6:30 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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Mona Lisa Eyes
M. D. Grayson
A Danny Logan Mystery
Publisher: Cedar Coast Press

Danny Logan has known for a while that his partner, Antoinette "Toni" Blair is an extraordinarily gifted woman. But when she tells him one morning that Sophie Thoms is looking right at her with her "Mona Lisa Eyes", speaking to her with her gaze alone, Logan starts to worry. And for good reason: Sophie Thoms was murdered three months ago.

The police are baffled by the case and they offer no objections when Sophie's father, billionaire industrialist Sir Jacob Thoms, hires Logan PI to represent the family. Danny, Toni, and the rest of the crew dive headlong into a foreign world — a world of wealth and privilege, a world of beautiful women and their superstar boyfriends, a world where normal boundaries and limits no longer seem to apply.

They soon learn that this is not your normal PI case. Then again, nobody ever accused Danny Logan and Toni Blair of being your normal detectives.

  

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 Kathleen Turner Series by Tiffany Snow is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Kathleen Turner Series by Tiffany Snow as today's Kindle Daily Deal. We're highlighting the first in the series, No Turning Back, below.

The deal price of $1.99 each is valid only for today, Monday, January 27, 2014.

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No Turning Back
Tiffany Snow
A Kathleen Turner Novel of Romantic Suspense
Montlake Romance

Being a bartender by night and law firm runner by day helps make ends meet for Kathleen Turner. Mostly. Being 23 and single in Indianapolis wasn't exactly a thrilling adventure, but then again, that's not what Kathleen wanted. At least, not until she met Blane Kirk.

Navy SEAL turned high-profile attorney, Blane is everything a woman could want. The only problem? He's her boss.

Blane is known for playing the field and the last thing Kathleen needs or wants is to get involved with him. But when her friend is murdered and it seems Kathleen will be next, she may not have a choice.

Now Blane is the only thing standing between her and people who want her dead, including assassin-for-hire Kade Dennon. Beautiful but deadly, he'll kill anyone who gets in his way, even the woman who makes him question everything he's become.

The deeper she sinks into the web of lies and murder, the more Kathleen realizes she can trust no one if she's going to survive. No one is innocent. Not even Blane.

  

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.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for January 27, 2014

A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now available on our website.

Godoku is similar to Sudoku, but uses letters instead of numbers. To give you a headstart, we provide you a mystery clue to fill in a complete row or column (if you choose to use it!).

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This week's letters and mystery clue:

A D E H I K N R T

It happens here in the title of the 11th Kathleen Mallory mystery by Carol O'Connell (9 letters).

We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

Previous puzzles are stored in the Mystery Godoku Archives.

Enjoy the weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, and Thanks for visiting our website!

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (140127)

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

• The New Release is Mysterium: Lake Bliss.

• The Daily Deal is Shades of Death: Royal Blood, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden, just $2.99 through Sunday, February 02, 2014 only.

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

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The New Release today is Mysterium: Lake Bliss

Molly Huggins, a young bride-to-be, summons you to the beautiful resort town of Lake Bliss to find her missing groom. Is Tommy Drake seeing another woman, or is he the latest victim in a series of drownings plaguing the city? Be careful, or the siren's haunting melody may lure you into the dark waters next! Follow the clues, interview suspects, and uncover what's lurking along the shores of Lake Bliss in this intriguing 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 Shades of Death: Royal Blood

After your father dies, your sister Violet requests your help at the Family Castle. After arriving, things seem to be in disarray. Explore the castle and help Violet get to the bottom of a dark mystery. Use your Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure skills to explore the grounds and solve tricky puzzles. Discover what had frightened your father and find the truth behind his death.

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Monday, January 27, 2014 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden

Find your missing fiancé in the deepest parts of the ocean! Discover and investigate a forgotten underwater city that hides many spine-chilling secrets and supernatural forces which still lurk in every corner of this mysterious world. Face an ancient evil that is hiding in the deepest chambers of the once idyllic city of Eden. Hold your breath and dive into this breathtaking underwater Hidden Object adventure!

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, February 02, 2014.

Review: Once Upon a Lie by Maggie Barbieri

A Mysterious Review of Once Upon a Lie by Maggie Barbieri.

Review summary: This novel is far more family melodrama than thriller. The reader is probably supposed to feel sympathetic towards the central character, whose life is a mess, but she doesn't seem to welcome the attention. The murder mystery is wrapped up neatly (and rather unsurprisingly) at the end, but the journey there wasn't really an enjoyable one. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Once Upon a Lie
Maggie Barbieri
Minotaur Books (December 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Maeve Conlon's life is coming apart at the seams. Her bakery is barely making ends meet, and one of her daughters spends as much time grounded as the other does studying. Her ex-husband has a new wife, a new baby, and a look of pity for Maeve that's absolutely infuriating. Her father insists he's still independent, but he's slowly and obviously succumbing to Alzheimer's. And now, her cousin Sean Donovan has been found dead, sitting in his car in a public park in quiet Farringville, New York, shot through the head.

There was never much love lost between Maeve and Sean and she's not exactly devastated by his death, but suddenly the police are poking around asking the family questions. It's just one more hassle Maeve doesn't have time for, until she realizes that her father, whose memory and judgment are unreliable at best, is a suspect in the murder. Maeve is determined to clear his name, but is she prepared to cope with the dark memories and long-hidden secrets that doing so might dredge up?

      

A Kindle Countdown Deal: Born of Blood by Diana Collins

Amazon Kindle Countdown Deals, limited-time discounts on Kindle-exclusive books.

MystereBooks is pleased to present you with one of today's titles … but take advantage of this deal now as the price will go up to its digital list price soon! (See the countdown clock on the book product page to see how much time remains on this deal.)

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Born of Blood by Diana Collins
A Palmetto Moon Mystery
Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing
Price: $0.99 (as of 01/26/14 04:30 PM ET)

A young mother has vanished without a trace and Sophie D'Angelo has been hired to solve the cold case that left police stumped. Tensions are high between the local cops and the newly "out of the coffin" vampire community, landing Sophie smack in the middle of the toughest mystery she's ever faced and in the middle of a possible civil war. Her only allies are her loud, overbearing Italian family and her ex-fiancee turned-vampire, Caleb, who shares her house, her business, and generally gets on her nerves. If he wasn't already dead, she'd probably kill him.

As if that wasn't enough, Sophie has become the fixation of a twisted killer who is leaving a trail of bodies straight to her door.

Can Sophie uncover the truth behind the strange disappearance and unmask her stalker before she, or someone she loves, becomes his next victim?

  

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.

Double Whammy, A Davis Way Crime Caper by Gretchen Archer, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Henery Press.

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 (01/26/2014 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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Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer
A Davis Way Crime Caper (1st in series)
Publisher: Henery Press

Davis Way thinks she's hit the jackpot when she lands a job as the fifth wheel on an elite security team at the fabulous Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. But once there, she runs straight into her ex-ex husband, a rigged slot machine, her evil twin, and a trail of dead bodies. Davis learns the truth and it does not set her free — in fact, it lands her in the pokey.

Buried under a mistaken identity, her hot streak runs cold until her landlord Bradley Cole steps in. Make that her landlord, lawyer, and love interest. With his help, Davis must win this high stakes game before her luck runs out.

      

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

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 Lunch Lady Graphic Novel: Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

We are pleased to present you with one of this month's new First Clues: Mysteries for Kids books: Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, a Lunch Lady Graphic Novel.

For more information about the book, which is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12, see a synopsis, below.

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Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Series: Lunch Lady
Publisher: Knopf Books
Format(s): Paperback, eBook

Lunch Lady and Betty have been unceremoniously cut from the school budget, and the timing couldn't be worse — the villains from all nine of her previous adventures are worming their way back into Thompson Brook with a masterfully devious plan.

Will the Breakfast Bunch still be able to count on Lunch Lady's superhero gadgets and abilities to save the school, or are they on their own?

Don't miss Lunch Lady's swashbuckling finale!

      

Stolen, A Lucy Kincaid Mystery by Allison Brennan, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Stolen by Allison Brennan, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Minotaur Books.

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 (01/26/2014 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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Stolen by Allison Brennan
A Lucy Kincaid Mystery (6th in series)
Publisher: Minotaur Books

Nothing is more important to private investigator Sean Rogan than his relationship with FBI trainee Lucy Kincaid. But when his past catches up with him, Sean faces an ultimatum: clear his name and help the FBI take down a rogue agent, or go to prison and lose everything he holds dear. With only Agent Noah Armstrong as his back-up and forced to keep Lucy in the dark, Sean steps back into his old world. But the longer he's undercover, the more dangerous the game becomes. More than Sean's future with Lucy is at stake — so is his life.

Lucy can't imagine Sean would keep secrets from her — until an FBI agent casts doubt about who he really is … and who he used to be. Why did Sean quit his job with his brother and move to New York? Why hasn't he told her anything about his new job? With more questions than answers, Lucy doesn't know who to believe or who she can trust. All she knows is that Sean is in grave danger, and this time, it's personal.

      

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.

An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris, New in Bookstores in January 2014

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published during January 2014 by Knopf, is An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris.

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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An Officer and a Spy
Robert Harris

Paris in 1895. Alfred Dreyfus, a young Jewish officer, has just been convicted of treason, sentenced to life imprisonment at Devil's Island, and stripped of his rank in front of a baying crowd of twenty-thousand. Among the witnesses to his humiliation is Georges Picquart, the ambitious, intellectual, recently promoted head of the counterespionage agency that "proved" Dreyfus had passed secrets to the Germans.

At first, Picquart firmly believes in Dreyfus's guilt. But it is not long after Dreyfus is delivered to his desolate prison that Picquart stumbles on information that leads him to suspect that there is still a spy at large in the French military.

As evidence of the most malignant deceit mounts and spirals inexorably toward the uppermost levels of government, Picquart is compelled to question not only the case against Dreyfus but also his most deeply held beliefs about his country, and about himself.

        

Telemystery: Denise Mina's Alex Morrow Crime Novels to be Adapted for Television

Director and producer Ridley Scott is developing an as yet untitled television crime drama based on the "Alex Morrow" mysteries by Denise Mina.

"It's a series of five books set in the contemporary Glasgow underworld," said the author, "and is being developed for a big series which will be like a Glasgow version of The Sopranos."

Mina introduced Detective Inspector Alex Morrow in 2010's Still Midnight. The most recent book to be published in the US, The Red Road, hits bookshelves next month.