A Film Update on the Status of the Jack Ryanverse

The "Jack Ryan" film universe seems to be expanding just a bit.

We've known for a long time now that Paramount is trying to get a fifth "Jack Ryan" film made, an original screenplay featuring an origins storyline that takes place before the events of the first film to feature the character, The Hunt for Red October, released in 1990. (The later films are Patriot Games, 1992; Clear and Present Danger, 1994; and The Sum of All Fears, 2002. All four of these films were adapted from Tom Clancy novels.) Chris Pine has been attached to play the character for a couple of years now and that still seems to be true.

Last month we learned that Kennth Branagh had signed on to both direct and star in the as yet unnamed fifth film.

What is new is that Kevin Costner is considering a role in the film as Ryan's CIA recruiter. And here's where it gets even more interesting. He would play the same role in a separate film, an adaptation of Tom Clancy's Without Remorse. That book features ex-SEAL John Kelly — he's also known as John Clark, a black ops agent for the CIA — out for revenge after his girlfriend is murdered, keeping one step ahead of Emmett Ryan, Jack's father, who is also after the killer. (Tom Hardy seems to be the lead candidate to play the role of John Kelly/John Clark.)

This all sounds very exciting … if Paramount can pull it all together. But first they need to get the fifth "Jack Ryan" film made, and it does seem like some progress is being made on that front.

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Without Remorse
Tom Clancy

John Terence Kelly, former US Navy Seal, Vietnam veteran, civilian underwater demolition expert and diving instructor is emotionally lost after the death of his pregnant wife in a car accident. Six months afterwards he picks up a hitchhiker with an unsavory past and falls in love with her and she with him. But her past associates catch up with her and punish her for running away from them. She knows too much about their drug smuggling operations which they are about to expand dramatically. Kelly is injured in the kidnapping and, after finding out what they did to her, vows revenge.

In the meantime, the Pentagon has discovered that certain US POWs who have been reported as killed in action are in fact being vigorously interrogated at a secret camp in North Vietnam. Obviously, when the interrogations are complete, they will be disposed of, having already been officially declared KIA. They want those prisoners back, and the only person who knows the area around the camp is Kelly from a previous mission into the area. The government recalls Kelly to service, under the name of Clark, and gives him the mission to rescue the POWs.

John Kelly has to balance his personal mission, hunt down and destroy the drug pushers, with his official mission, rescue the prisoners from the secret North Vietnamese interrogation camp. And stay one step ahead of the police who are taking an interest in his personal form of justice. Failure of either mission could cause the failure of the other as well, besides cost Kelly his life.

      

The River Wild, an Action Suspense Thriller from 1994

We've noticed that several of the studios have been uploading trailers of their older films to their YouTube channels. We've seen most of the films that fall into the mystery, suspense, and thriller — and often action — categories. And those we haven't seen we've at least heard of. But occasionally one surprises us, like it did today.

The River Wild came out in 1994 and boasted a pretty impressive cast, led by Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. It was directed by Curtis Hanson — who went on to win an Academy Award the following year for writing L.A. Confidential, which he also directed — from an original screenplay by Denis O'Neill. And yet somehow we missed it at the time … and have to confess didn't even know existed before today. Here's the synopsis:

What was already a turbulent family vacation turns deadly when a fugitive (Kevin Bacon) and his crew kidnap river rafting guide Gail (Meryl Streep), her husband Tom (David Strathairn) and their son. As they steer toward a series of dangerous rapids, the criminals force Gail to abandon Tom, who immediately embarks on a courageous mission to save his family.

We've added it to our Netflix queue, but it's also available on DVD, Blu-ray disc, iTunes, and Amazon Instant.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120821)

Here is today's list of the Bestselling Free Kindle Crime Fiction: the top nine mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is updated hourly, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.

Telemystery: Synopsis, Casting for BBC's Remake of The Lady Vanishes

As a follow-up to our post last week about BBC remaking The Lady Vanishes, the network has now released (via a press release) a synopsis and more details about casting.

It is 1931. Beautiful and wealthy young socialite Iris Carr (played by Tuppence Middleton) is the heart of her social circle. Whilst holidaying with her friends in the Balkans their raucous behaviour escalates and Iris resolves to seek out some tranquillity and travel home alone.

Iris's expectations of peace are short lived when she faints on the platform of the railway station in the scorching heat. She wakes in time to be rushed on to the train but with a pounding head and a feeling of being almost in a dream.

Whilst in this malaise she is comforted by Miss Froy (Selina Cadell), whose tweed suit and bookish looks belie a jovial and adventurous spirit. Miss Froy talks at length about her desperation to return home to her family; but when Iris falls asleep she awakes to find Miss Froy has vanished and her fellow passengers denying she ever existed.

With only the allegiance of handsome English traveller Max Hare (Tom Hughes) for support, Iris maintains her conviction that Miss Froy has somehow been abducted.

As fellow passengers refute Iris's story her conviction appears increasingly to be madness. Iris will have to rely on a strength of character she never knew she had to battle doubt and overcome danger as she strives to solve the mystery of why the lady vanished.

Fiona Seres — who is adapting the screenplay from its original source material, The Wheel Spins by Ethel White (see below) — said: "I am very excited to have such a brilliant cast for The Lady Vanishes not just the key characters played by Tuppence Middleton and Tom Hughes but also a dynamic supporting cast that includes Danish actors Benedikte Hansen and Jesper Christensen."

Production begins on the 90-minute made-for-television movie in Budapest this month. It is scheduled to air on Christmas Day on BBC One.

— ♦ —

The Wheel Spins
Ethel White

The protagonist of the story is Iris Carr, who suffers a blackout just before boarding a train that is traveling across Europe to London. On board the train, the still-woozy Iris befriends a certain Mrs. Froy, a fellow Englishwoman who is perhaps a bit eccentric but seems to be for the most part agreeable and benign. Mrs. Froy is the "vanishing lady" of Alfred Hitchcock's film adaptation, and it is Mrs. Froy who mysteriously disappears while Iris is napping. Her inexplicable departure throws Iris into a mind-bending mystery that will make her alternately question her sanity and the designs of the people around her. When Iris asks about Mrs. Froy, everyone on board the train denies ever having seen the old woman. Although Iris could perhaps be swayed due to the knock on her head that Mrs. Froy was merely a vivid hallucination, a few stray details suggest that something more sinister is happening, and Iris resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery.

      

Telemystery: Kenneth Branagh Talks about Playing Wallander

It is still a few weeks yet until Wallander Series 3 premieres on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! But the network has just released a video (below) in which Kenneth Branagh talks about playing police inspector Kurt Wallander in the series. "He's genuine," Branagh says. "There's an authenticity to the person that I like."

Three episodes are featured this season, all adapted from crime novelist Henning Mankell's work: a "Wallander" novel, a "Wallander" short story, and a novel in which Wallander shares the stage with his daughter, a newly graduated police officer.

We'll have more about the series before the season premiere on September 9th, 2012.

French Crime Fiction Novels Coming to the US Thanks to Le French Book

This recent headline caught our eye: "French Crime Fiction Novels Coming to the US Thanks to Le French Book, a New Digital-First Publisher".

Crime novels from Europe written in the author's native language — but translated into English — have been hitting our shores at a fast and furious pace … but we haven't seen many from France. So we contacted Le French Book to learn more, and we were thrilled when Anne Trager, the founder of Le French Book, offered to tell us — and our readers — about the publisher.

— ♦ —

"I live in France, I love French crime fiction novels, and I thought it was time the American public discover them as well!" This idea dawned on Anne Trager, founder of Le French Book, about a year ago, she founded the company in December of last year and voilà, the first books have come out. The Paris Lawyer by Sylvie Granotier, the first French novel translated into English by the company is published, as is Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, both now available on Kindle, Nook and iBooks.

Of course, it's not only about translation. Far from it. "The idea is to give people a feel for the great variety of creative work happening in France today," explains Anne. That's why Le French Book is going digital first, riding the wave of electronic publishing to introduce readers to new authors. But it's also about entertainment, about just plain good reads. Their slogan is "If we love it, we'll translate it."

Each of the company's first books was chosen to give a different view of modern France, with an entertaining and gripping twist only the crime fiction genre can give you. How are the books chosen? Anne has been living in France for more than 25 years, she definitely has a foot in each country and knows what can appeal to readers on both sides of the Atlantic! During all these years, she developed many contacts with the French publishing world. That's why major French publishing houses, like Albin Michel and Fayard, immediately embarked on this adventure. They were particularly drawn to the new approach offered by Le French Book: being digital-first means the books can reach the American public very quickly after being published in France.

"But it doesn't mean we rush them to market," insists Anne Trager. "There is nothing worse than a book that is poorly translated and full of mistakes and typos." That's why Le French Book put together a team of professionals to make sure the translations and final e-books are world-class. And it's only the first step. Le French Book is a digital-first publisher, not digital-only. "Our goal is to expand a book's reach, not to choose between digital or paper," says Fabrice Neuman, the company's Chief Technology Officer. "In our model, ebooks pave the way to all the other formats."

The company's first three books are crime fiction and will be officially launched this fall. The already mentioned The Paris Lawyer is a fast-paced legal procedural set between the sophisticated world of Paris and the rural outreaches of France. The second, Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, is the first of a 20-book series following Benjamin Cooker, a world-renowned wine specialist using his know-how to solve strange mysteries in the wine region. The third book, The 7th Woman by Frédérique Molay, takes you into the inner-workings of the crime investigation team in Paris. All these books won prizes and were critically acclaimed in France. Le French Book also announced a collection of 52 short-stories and is already working on several other books.

— ♦ —

Below is more information about the two books already published by Le French Book: The Paris Lawyer, originally published as La Rigole du diable and the winner of the Prix du Sang d’Encre in 2011; and Treachery in Bordeaux, originally published as Mission à Haut-Brion in 2004, which has been adapted for French television. And keep an eye out for The 7th Woman, which is expected to be published in early fall.

— ♦ —

The Paris Lawyer
Sylvie Granotier

As a child, Catherine Monsigny was the only witness to a heinous crime. Now, she is an ambitious rookie attorney in sophisticated modern-day Paris. On the side, she does pro bono work and hits the jackpot: a major felony case that could boost her career. A black woman is accused of poisoning her rich farmer husband in a peaceful village in central France, where the beautiful, rolling hills hold dark secrets. While preparing the case, Catherine’s own past comes back with a vengeance.

      

— ♦ —

Treachery in Bordeaux
Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen
A Benjamin Cooker, Winemaker Detective Mystery (1st in series)

In modern-day Bordeaux, there are few wine estates still within the city limits. The prestigious grand cru Moniales Haut-Brion is one of them. When some barrels turn, world-renowned winemaker turned gentleman detective Benjamin Cooker starts asking questions. Is it negligence or sabotage? Who would want to target this esteemed vintner? Cooker and his assistant Virgile Lanssien search the city and the vineyards for answers, giving readers and inside view of this famous wine region.

      

Please Welcome Mystery Author Sandra Brannan

by Sandra Brannan

We are delighted to welcome back mystery author Sandra Brannan to Omnimystery News. Sandra last visited us on September 1st, 2010, when In the Belly of Jonah, the first book in her "Liv Bergen" series, was published.

Sandra's new mystery is Widow's Might (Greenleaf Book Group Press, August 2012 trade paperback and ebook formats), the third book in the series.

Today Sandra writes about how grains of sand can be worked into pearls …

— ♦ —

Have you ever had something you hear in the news or see in your daily lives bother you enough to stick with you for a few days? For me, it's like when I'm on a picnic and I take a bite of sandwich only to discover an annoying grain of sand that gets in your mouth tumbling around with all that good food as I struggle to isolate it before I swallow. Those little grains of sand that stick with me the longest are always the pearls that readers later tell me were the best parts of a book.

Photo provided courtesy of
Sandra Brannan

For example, when I worked for Boeing right out of school, I really did encounter and experience the carpet cutting room, a wickedly effective tool that I showcase in In The Belly Of Jonah. And the masterpiece known as Nutrition by the famous artist I reference and plays a key role in the book, really does exist. And that painting very much creeps me out. A grain of sand I most definitely worked into a pearl.

In Lot's Return To Sodom, the motorcycle gangs most certainly do exist and conduct their initiations as I depicted. Sick and disturbing, but the 1%ers (a term originally defined as the m.c. gangs compared to the 99% of bikers who weren't criminals) are moving amongst us up at the Sturgis Rally, so watch yourselves! I learned about the initiations back when I was a teenager, thanks to a wonderful FBI agent and a coach of mine who worked the rally. So I had a unique insight to the world of bad bikers.

And in Widow's Might, the obvious grain of sand for me that causes much irritation is the common belief that conservation groups only exist through 501(c)(3)'s and that they are at odds with multiuse on public lands or conserved lands. Not true. The longest surviving conservation groups are the folks in this country who have dedicated their lives and many generations to be stewards of our land — the farmers, the ranchers, the timber harvesters, and the miners — those who work night and day to preserve our land.

— ♦ —

Much like her character Liv Bergen, Sandra has spent her career in the mining industry. Working her way up from day laborer in the company her grandfather founded to a top executive in the family business wasn't easy, as Sandra often received threats from those opposed to mining. These life experiences gave her a first-person perspective into the high-stakes scenarios of which she writes.

After living in Colorado, Wyoming, Washington D.C. and Washington state, Sandra returned to her hometown of Rapid City, South Dakota, where she lives with her husband. Their budding family consists of four boys and three grandchildren.

For more information about the author, visit her website at SandraBrannan.com, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

— ♦ —

Widow's Might
Sandra Brannan
A Liv Bergen Mystery (3rd in series)
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

This third Liv Bergen mystery picks up right where the second one left off. The murder of Liv's sister-in-law has been solved, but an older rancher has been bludgeoned to death in a style eerily reminiscent of a long-inactive killer known only as the Crooked Man.

FBI agent Streeter Pierce, still on assignment in Sturgis, South Dakota, must now turn his sights on tracking down the killer, who happens to be his nemesis from ten years earlier. Pierce doesn't complain, though; he's falling in love with Liv Bergen and sets in motion an unconventional way to recruit her for the FBI's training camp in Quantico, Virginia, as they work the case together. But is Liv falling for the brilliant, exotic-looking agent Jack Linwood instead?

Once again, Liv's vast knowledge of the Black Hills of South Dakota — the territory General Custer made famous — and the modern day ranchers and environmentalists who live there leads her to unearth critical clues about the Crooked Man. Aided by her elfin sister with rainbow-colored hair, a sad-eyed bloodhound, and a terminally ill Norwegian widow, Liv ultimately identifies the deranged killer. But will her barrage of questions be enough to fend off a fatal blow from the very cane he used to crush the skulls of thirteen other victims?

        

The Book of 21 by Todd M. Ohl is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Book of 21 by Todd M. Ohl as today's fourth free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. 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.

— ♦ —

The Book of 21
Todd M. Ohl
Publisher: CreateSpace

John McDonough is a Philadelphia detective who just wants a night off. Instead, when the on call detective goes missing, John is assigned to investigate a grisly murder that will change his world.

After realizing the victims were researchers at a local university, he uncovers information that links their deaths to a hidden source of great power, and an ancient plan to make a verse from the Book of Revelation ring true.

In a danger-filled search for the culprits, he learns he is as much the hunted as the hunter. Soon, the only way out is to solve the riddles the victims left behind and find The Book of 21.

  

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.

Uneasy Spirits by M. Louisa Locke is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Uneasy Spirits by M. Louisa Locke as today's third free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. 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.

— ♦ —

Uneasy Spirits
M. Louisa Locke
An Annie Fuller, Victorian San Francisco Mystery
Publisher: CreateSpace

This is the second mystery in this series.

It is the fall of 1879 and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, has a problem. Despite her growing financial success as the clairvoyant Madam Sibyl, Annie doesn’t believe in the astrology and palmistry her clients think are the basis for the domestic and business advice she dispenses, which is making her feel increasingly uncomfortable. Kathleen Hennessey, Annie Fuller’s young Irish maid, has a plan.

When her mistress is asked by one of the people in Annie’s boarding house to investigate and expose a fraudulent trance medium, Arabella Frampton, Kathleen is determined to assist in this investigation, just like the Pinkerton detectives she has read about in the dime novels.

Nate Dawson, the up-and-coming San Francisco lawyer, has a dilemma. He wants to marry the unconventional Annie Fuller, but he doesn’t feel he can reveal his true feelings until he has figured out a way to make enough money to support her.

Annie Fuller, with the help of Nate Dawson and Kathleen Hennessey, delves into the intriguing world of 19th century spiritualism, encountering true believers and naïve dupes, clever frauds and unexplained supernatural phenomena, and she will soon find there are as many secrets as there are spirits swirling around the Frampton séance table. Some of those secrets will threaten the foundation of her career as Madam Sibyl and the future of her relationship with Nate Dawson, and, in time, they will threaten her very life itself.

  

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 Threat by Jonas Saul is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Threat by Jonas Saul as today's second free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. 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 Threat
Jonas Saul
Publisher: Imagine Press

Drake Bellamy doesn't want to break the law.

His mother is dying of cancer and his father has sent him out to purchase medical weed from an unknown dealer. Things go bad fast. During the deal on the fourteenth floor of an apartment building, the dealer disappears, and Drake is stuck in the apartment with a dead woman. The police are at the door. He has nowhere to go.

On the run from the police and the maniacal killers intent on framing Drake for murder, he must uncover the truth before it is too late. He discovers there is a reason behind the madness that has become his life. That information takes him back twelve years to when he was hospitalized with a concussion and his fiancée went missing.

The only way out now is to clean up someone else's mess. The only way out is murder.

Drake Bellamy didn't want to break the law, but now he is out for blood.

  

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.

A Dead Red Oleander by R. P. Dahlke is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature A Dead Red Oleander by R. P. Dahlke as today's free mystery ebook.

This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. 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.

— ♦ —

A Dead Red Oleander
R. P. Dahlke
A Lalla Bains Mystery
Publisher: Dead Bear Publishing

This is the third mystery in this series.

When a late in the season emergency forces Lalla Bains to accept a greenhorn ag pilot for her dad's cropdusting business, she sighs in relief . After all, he comes highly recommended, his physical is spotless, and with a name like Dewey Treat, what could possibly go wrong?

Then her quirky relatives arrive from Texas and things go south in a hurry: Dewey Treat drops dead, his tearful widow claims he was murdered, clobbers Sherriff Caleb Stone with his own gun, and makes a run for it. Lalla, convinced the widow is innocent, sets out to prove it — against the express wishes of fiancé Caleb Stone.

Feds, local law, suspicious ag-pilots, nutso relatives, and her daddy's new sidekick, Bruce the goat, make life a living hell for Lalla. Will her nosey nature solve the crime and save the day? Or put them all in mortal danger?

  

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.

New Poster for Homeland Season 2

Last week we featured the first trailer for the second season of Homeland. Today we have the first poster (right; click for larger image). The tagline: "The obsession continues".

Claire Danes stars as CIA operative Carrie Mathison, who believes that a former Marine officer (Damian Lewis), missing for eight years in Afghanistan, might have come home a traitor.

The second season of Homeland premieres on Sunday, September 30th at 10 PM (ET/PT) on Showtime.

Review: Deadly Politics by Maggie Sefton

A Mysterious Review of …

Deadly Politics by Maggie Sefton. A Molly Malone Mystery.

Review summary: This solidly written murder mystery/thriller features a large cast of characters, led by the strongly developed Molly Malone, a Washington D.C. insider who knows what happens behind the scenes and uses that knowledge to investigate the death of her niece. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Deadly Politics
Maggie Sefton
A Molly Malone Mystery
Midnight Ink (August 2012)

Publisher synopsis: Molly Malone was driven from Washington, D.C., by political back-stabbing, scandals, and personal heartbreak. But now she’s starting a new life in the one place she swore she’d never come back to.

When Molly’s only Washington job prospect falls through, her politico niece, Karen, sets her up with a position in the office of a freshman senator. As the former wife of a congressman, Molly is alarmed to hear that Karen is having an affair with her boss, congressional chief of staff Jed Molinoff. Just days later, Molly finds Karen shot to death. Discovering that Molinoff has ransacked Karen’s apartment, Molly investigates further … and finds herself in the crosshairs of a shadowy political group that’s killing anyone who gets in its way.

  

This Week's Bestselling Mystery and Suspense Audiobooks (120820)

Here is this week's list of the top ten bestselling mystery and suspense audiobooks (books on CD).

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is frequently updated, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.

Telemystery: Finn & Sawyer, the Classic Characters as Investigators in New Orleans

Here is some news we missed from late last week … ABC has ordered a pilot script for Finn & Sawyer, a contemporary update of the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, based on characters created by Mark Twain. The two characters will meet in while in their 20s and form an investigation firm in New Orleans. (THR mentions that the logline includes the descriptive adjective "steampunk", but that's hard to reconcile with the term "contemporary".) Jason Richman and David Zabel (Detroit 1-8-7) will co-write the screenplay.

In the same THR article, a second mystery-themed pilot script has also been ordered by the network, Gothica, featuring a modern woman in San Francisco, who is led into a world of the supernatural by the enigmatic — and presumably literary — Dorian Gray.

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The Complete Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain

"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" are the best known adventures of Mark Twain's famous characters — but therir adventures didn't stop with those books. This collection, along with Twain's best known Sawyer / Finn books, features two other novels with the popular characters, "Tom Sawyer Abroad" and "Tom Sawyer Detective".

    

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120820)

Here is today's list of the Bestselling Free Kindle Crime Fiction: the top nine mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is updated hourly, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.