Good Cop, Dead Cop by Jennifer Petkus is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Good Cop, Dead Cop by Jennifer Petkus as today's fourth free mystery ebook (An AfterNet Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 20, 2013 at 7:40 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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Good Cop, Dead Cop
Jennifer Petkus
An AfterNet Mystery
Publisher: Mallard Mysteries

Alex Munroe hated being dead, but he hated not being a cop even more. Luckily the discovery of the afterlife means death isn't quite the disability it once was and new technology has allowed him to partner with rookie cop Linda Yamaguchi. Of course technology still can't give him a physical body or the ability to interact with the billions of other dead people, except through the Internet. But technology has allowed Alex to expand his mind and access the world of information in ways he would have never thought possible when alive, which is a useful skill when the dead start to go missing, and it's up to Alex and Linda to solve the mystery of their disappearance.

  

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.

Blue Fall by B. B. Griffith is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Blue Fall by B. B. Griffith as today's third free mystery ebook (The Tournament Series; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 20, 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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Blue Fall
B. B. Griffith
The Tournament Series
Publisher: Griffith Publishing

There was a time, long ago, when wars were won and lost based on the outcomes of single battles between heroes. Entire countries were moved. Empires rose and fell.

That time has come again.

A routine investigation throws a hapless insurance agent down the rabbit hole, into a world where the rich and powerful place wagers on the greatest game on Earth. They call it the Tournament. It offers competition without limits. It is beholden to no man, constrained by no law, and it is extremely dangerous. But where does the true power lie in this World Cup of Warfare? With those who place the bets, or with the deadly players themselves? And how much longer can it possibly remain a secret?

  

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 Lance by Alex Lukeman is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Lance by Alex Lukeman as today's second free mystery ebook (The PROJECT Series; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 20, 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 Lance
Alex Lukeman
The PROJECT Series
Publisher: Alex Lukeman

In the frozen wastes of Antarctica the Lance, an ancient weapon of unthinkable power — once lost and legendary — has been recovered. In the terrorized streets of Jerusalem, devastation is unleashed upon the eve of international peace.

In the halls of power of Washington, D.C. a desperate plot set in motion during the final days of World War II has begun to unfold. Now Nick Carter and his team of deep black operatives from the PROJECT must race against time to prevent the next World War … but first they must first stop those who already wield the Lance …

  

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.

An Option on Death by Michael W. Sherer is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature An Option on Death by Michael W. Sherer as today's free mystery ebook (An Emerson Ward Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 20, 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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An Option on Death
Michael W. Sherer
An Emerson Ward Mystery
Publisher: Michael W. Sherer

Emerson Ward is in love. The kind of old-fashioned love that makes him want to carve "EW Loves JP" on a tree. He's known Jessica Pearson for a long time. They almost made it work once, but she wasn't ready. Now she's back, ready for love, for Emerson. But just as suddenly she's gone again, accidentally killed by a stray bullet that comes bursting through Emerson's living room window. Or is it murder?

The only way Emerson can get on with his life is to find out who killed Jessica, and why. He does have clue: When Jessica reappeared on his doorstep, one of her suitcases contained a quarter of a million dollars — in cash — and a pile of confirmation statements revealing a tangled web of stock transactions.

His quixotic search for the truth leads Emerson to the Bahamas, Florida, New York and back to Chicago on a trail strewn with dead bodies, smuggling, missing persons and too many people who aren't what they appear or who they say they are. All have something to hide and everything to lose if Emerson uncovers their secrets. And they'll do anything to stop him.

  

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.

Winners of the 2013 Macavity Awards Announced

The winners of the 2013 Macavity Awards, so named for the "mystery cat" of T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, were announced last night by Mystery Readers International at Bouchercon.

And the winners are …

• Best Mystery Novel: The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)

• Best First Mystery Novel: Don't Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman (Minotaur Books)

• Best Mystery-Related Non-Fiction: Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels by John Connolly and Declan Burke, editors (Atria Books)

• Best Mystery Short Story: "The Lord Is My Shamus" by Barb Goffman (Chesapeake Crimes: This Job Is Murder, Wildside Press)

• Sue Feder Historical Memorial Award: An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd (HarperCollins)

Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending September 20, 2013

A list of the top 15 Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers for the week ending September 20th, 2013 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

For the first time in a long time, we have a statistical tie for the top spot: Never Go Back by Lee Child and W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton. Many other titles shifted place this past week, both up and down.

Three new titles enter the list this week (rank in [brackets]).

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[9]: Deadly Heat
Richard Castle
— 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.

Purchase Options

          

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[10]: The Final Cut
Catherine Coulter and J. T. Ellison
— Nicholas Drummond (1st)

Scotland Yard's new chief inspector Nicholas Drummond is on the first flight to New York when he learns his colleague, Elaine York, the "minder" of the Crown Jewels for the "Jewel of the Lion" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was found murdered. Then the centerpiece of the exhibit, the infamous Koh-i-Noor Diamond, is stolen from the Queen Mother's crown. Drummond, American-born but raised in the UK, is a dark, dangerous, fast-rising star in the Yard who never backs down. And this case is no exception.

Special Agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich from Coulter's bestselling FBI series don't hesitate to help Drummond find the cunning international thief known as the Fox. Nonstop action and high stakes intensify as the chase gets deadly. The Fox will stop at nothing to deliver the Koh-i-Noor to the man who believes in its deadly prophecy. Nicholas Drummond, along with his partner, FBI Special Agent Mike Caine, lay it on the line to retrieve the diamond for Queen and country.

Purchase Options

          

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[14]: Thankless in Death
J. D. Robb
— Eve Dallas (37th)

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke's big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it's a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren't as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned — and heartbroken by the evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn't made a great impression on the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him — but they didn't think he was capable of this.

Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he's stolen from his parents and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry's going to strike next.

Purchase Options

          

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130920)

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

• The New Release is Surface: The Pantheon (Collector's Edition).

• The Daily Deal is Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper, just $2.99 today only!

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

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

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Today's New Release is Surface: The Pantheon (Collector's Edition)

It should have been a tremendous achievement, but the tunnel through the Ridge of Leviathan became the site of a great disaster. What really happened that day? You were supposed to have been on the train with your husband and daughter, but you missed it. And then they disappeared from your life forever. It's one year later, and a strange man — a scientist who thinks this is just like the Bermuda Triangle and other such vanishings — invites you to take part in his greatest experiment: To recreate the conditions of that fateful day!

This is a special Collector's Edition release full of exclusive extras you won't find in the standard version, including: Unlock puzzles in the Pantheon Treasury; Gorgeous wallpapers and concept art; Bonus soundtracks and screensavers; and an Integrated Strategy Guide.

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

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Today's Daily Deal is Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper

Unmask the mysterious identity of England's most violent and notorious killer! The year is 1888 in the Whitechapel district of London's East End and a sinister series of crimes have taken place. The bodies of several women have been found and the police have been unable to find any leads. Sherlock Holmes, England's greatest detective sets out to find clues in the dark and gloomy streets of Whitechapel, following a macabre trail to shed light on the true identity hiding behind the terrifying nickname!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Friday, September 20, 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.

A New MystereBook: She Can Scream by Melinda Leigh

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 …

She Can Scream by Melinda Leigh is the third novel of romantic suspense in this series that do not feature a recurring character, but rather strong female leads in thriller-inspired storylines.

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She Can Scream by Melinda Leigh
A She Can … Thriller
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication Date: September 17, 2013

In one moment, high school teacher and single mother Brooke Davenport interrupts a vicious assault, saves a young woman's life, and attracts the attention of a serial killer.

Sixteen years ago, Brooke lost her roommate to a brutal murder. Now she teaches women's self-defense, still trying to heal from the guilt and grief that plague her. Convinced the predator knows his victims and is stalking his prey online, she is determined to find him before he strikes again. Her brother's friend, Luke has the computer expertise to help. But Brooke's unexpected desire for Luke complicates her investigation, and her fixation with the case provokes a deadly reaction from the killer.

Injured in terrorist bombing overseas, computer expert Luke Holloway is still haunted by flashbacks of his young assistant's death in the explosion. But Luke can't refuse the request of a deployed friend to look after his sister, Brooke. Taking on responsibility for Brooke's safety threatens Luke's tenuous recovery, especially after he develops feelings for her that transcend a promise to a friend. When Brooke saves a young girl from a brutal assault and becomes a killer's obsession, Luke vows to protect her at all costs.

  

Telemystery: BBC America Cancels Copper After Two Seasons

BBC America has canceled Copper after two seasons.

"Copper has been a fascinating and exciting experience for everyone involved," said BBC America general manager Perry Simon. "[The] vision to retell the immigrant experience through the melting pot of New York City was an original and fresh idea that melded well with the essence of BBC America's programming. After 23 episodes, with Lincoln dead and the nation starting to heal, it seems a fitting moment to conclude this American story."

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

Review: A Dangerous Fiction by Barbara Rogan

A Mysterious Review of A Dangerous Fiction by Barbara Rogan. A Jo Donovan Mystery.

Review summary: This is a nicely crafted murder mystery, one in which the reader is sure who the killer is until … maybe it isn't. That's just one of the many twists in the book, which in addition to its human characters features a memorable ex-police dog. A fine and strong start to a most promising series. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

A Dangerous Fiction
Barbara Rogan
A Jo Donovan Mystery
Viking (July 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Jo Donovan always manages to come out on top. From the backwoods of Appalachia, she forged a hard path to life among the literati in New York City. At thirty-five, she's the widow of the renowned author Hugo Donovan and the owner of one of the best literary agencies in town. Jo is living the life she dreamed of but it's all about to fall apart.

When a would-be client turns stalker, Jo is more angry than shaken until her clients come under attack. Meanwhile, a biography of Hugo Donovan is in the works and the author's digging threatens to destroy the foundations of Jo's carefully constructed life. As the web of suspicion grows wider and her stalker ups the ante, she's persuaded by her client and friend — FBI profiler-turned-bestselling-thriller writer — to go to the police. There Jo finds herself face-to-face with an old flame: the handsome Tommy Cullen, now NYPD detective.

      

New Year Island, A Suspense Thriller by Paul Draker, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature New Year Island by Paul Draker, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Mayhem 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 (09/19/2013 at 3:00 PM ET). Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.

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New Year Island by Paul Draker
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Mayhem Press

Camilla Becker is a survivor. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake took her parents from her when she was seven and left her buried under a collapsed freeway. Twenty three years later, she's a producer of acclaimed animated films for children and runs a foundation to brighten orphans' lives. The invitation to be a contestant in a new reality show is not really Camilla's thing, but the studio promises funding and publicity for her charity.

Ten strangers meet aboard a luxury megayacht in San Francisco. They come from all walks of life and very different backgrounds. The show's hosts screened thousands of possible candidates in utmost secrecy before choosing these specific ten. Their destination is an island off the coast of California, abandoned for decades, where nature's own grand spectacle of survival plays out year after year. An island that has already claimed lives. The contestants will be marooned, cut off from all other human contact for two weeks, to compete for the five million dollar grand prize.

But nothing is what it seems. Everyone is hiding secrets. And each of them has, in the past, already survived something that would kill most people.

Now they find themselves trapped in a game where the stakes are even higher. Camilla must choose whom to trust as they are forced to confront each other, their own darkest impulses, and nature in violent revolt against a game so deadly that the most terrifying experiences of their lives were only its qualifying round.

Maybe there isn't meant to be a winner …

    

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.