Mandarin Plaid by S. J. Rozan is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mandarin Plaid by S. J. Rozan as today's free mystery ebook (A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, May 10, 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.

— ♦ —

Mandarin Plaid
S. J. Rozan
A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Mystery
Publisher: S. J. Rozan

Lydia Chin, a Chinese-American P.I. who lives in New York City's Chinatown, is hired for a simple job. She's to deliver the ransom for a set of stolen sketches that comprise the inaugural collection of fashion designer Genna Jing and her new label, Mandarin Plaid. But everything on this simple job goes terribly wrong. The ransom is stolen out from under Lydia, her sometimes partner, Bill Smith, is arrested, and just as she is trying to sort out exactly what is really going on, the client fires her. Lydia, however, isn't about to just let it go.

Determined to find answers and preserve her pride, Lydia and Bill follow a confusing trail that leads from the sweatshops of Chinatown to the drawing rooms of Manhattan's wealthy Upper East Side and into a dark underworld of prostitution, drugs, and murder. All they need to uncover is: who stole the sketches, who hijacked the ransom payment, and, most important, who would kill to keep them from the truth.

  

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.

Judgment Call by J. A. Jance is Today's Kobo Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Judgment Call by J. A. Jance as today's Kobo Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, May 10, 2014.

Note: The price has been matched by Amazon.com for today only.

— ♦ —

Judgment Call
J. A. Jance
A Joanna Brady Mystery
William Morrow

When Joanna Brady's daughter, Jenny, stumbles across the body of her high school principal, Debra Highsmith, in the desert, the Cochise County sheriff's personal and professional worlds collide, forcing her to tread the difficult middle ground between being an officer of the law and a mother. While investigating murders has always meant discovering unpleasant facts and disquieting truths, the experienced Joanna isn't prepared for the knowledge she's about to uncover. Though she's tried to protect her children from the dangers of the grown-up world, the search for justice leads straight to her own door and forces her to face the possibility that her beloved daughter may be less perfect than she seems — especially when a photo from the crime scene ends up on Facebook. A photo only one person close to the crime scene could have taken.

The gruesome picture is just the tip of the iceberg. Even a small, close-knit town like Bisbee has its secrets. Navigating her way through the unfamiliar world of social media, Joanna discovers shocking — and incriminating — information. The details build, from a hushed-up suspension, to a group of teenagers with a grudge against the late Ms. Highsmith, to a hateful video calling for the principal's death. The video evidence points to one particular privileged boy, who's already lawyered up thanks to his father, a well-to-do doctor determined to protect his son's reputation. Yet the deeper Joanna digs, the more complications she uncovers. It seems the quiet, upstanding principal had a hidden past, full of mysterious secrets she'd successfully kept buried for years.

As the seasoned sheriff juggles professional constraints and personal demands — budget cuts, new team members, an arrogant coroner, a confused teenager, a precocious toddler, and a high-maintenance mother — she finds herself walking a fine line between justice and family that has never been so blurred.

    

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.

Find Me by Romily Bernard is Today's Teen Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Find Me by Romily Bernard as today's Teen Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, May 10, 2014.

— ♦ —

Find Me
Romily Bernard
A Suspense Thriller for Teens
HarperTeen

When teen hacker and foster child Wick Tate finds a dead classmate's diary on her front step, with a note reading "Find me", she sets off on a perverse game of hide-and-seek to catch the killer. But things get even more personal as Wick's deadbeat dad returns and the killer points to Wick's sister Lily as the next target.

With the help of oh-so-cute hacker-boy-next-door Griff, can Wick find her tormenter and save her sister?

  

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.

Help for the Haunted by John Searles is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Help for the Haunted by John Searles as today's Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, May 10, 2014.

— ♦ —

Help for the Haunted
John Searles
A Novel of Suspense
William Morrow

Sylvie Mason's parents have an unusual occupation — helping "haunted souls" find peace. After receiving a strange phone call one winter's night, they leave the house and are later murdered in an old church in a horrifying act of violence.

A year later, Sylvie is living in the care of her older sister, who may be to blame for what happened to their parents. Now, the inquisitive teenager pursues the mystery, moving closer to the knowledge of what occurred that night — and to the truth about her family's past and the secrets that have haunted them for years.

  

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (140510)

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

• The New Release is Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom.

• The current Catch of the Week is Death Upon an Austrian Sonata: A Dana Knightstone Novel, just $2.99 through Sunday, May 11, 2014 only.

• Today's Special Deal — Mother's Day Sale! This weekend only All Collector's Editions are $8.99! Use coupon code MOTHER at check-out to purchase any Collector's Edition game for just $8.99. Offer valid through May 11th, 2014 only until 11:59 PM PT.

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

— ♦ —

The New Release today is Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom

Inspired by the timeless tales of the Brothers Grimm, this game offers an experience rich with magic and wonder. From its breathtaking opening scene, in which a hunter saves a princess from an uncertain fate at the hands of a Snow Knight, to its stunning conclusion, this game will captivate you with a world abounding in beauty and detail, puzzles and mini-games unlike any you have solved, and a story of unprecedented depth.

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

Also available for this game:

• Get the Strategy Guide
• Check out the Blog Walkthrough
• For a more in-depth experience, see the Collector's Edition

— ♦ —

The current Catch of the Week is Death Upon an Austrian Sonata: A Dana Knightstone Novel

Return to Europe in a brand new adventure as Dana Knightstone, the best-selling novelist who can see ghosts. When your cousin, famed musician Sebastian Knightstone, starts hearing eerie violin music in his Austrian manor, he asks for your help to investigate. But you're not the only one digging up the ghost's secrets — and you find yourself falling headlong into danger! Solve challenging puzzles as you trek through snowy Austrian landscapes in search of missing clues. Can you follow the ghost's trail before time runs out?

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, May 11, 2014.

Also available for this game:

• Get the Strategy Guide.
• Check out the Blog Walkthrough.
• For a more in-depth experience, see the Collector's Edition.

Review: Death Runs Adrift by Karen MacInerney

A Mysterious Review of Death Runs Adrift by Karen MacInerney. A Natalie Barnes, Gray Whale Inn Mystery.

Review summary: This is a wonderfully entertaining mystery, effortlessly (and often quite creatively) interweaving the multiple plot threads together in a way that is completely unexpected for the reader. The characters are well drawn and Maine island setting ideal for a murder investigation. All in all, a charming, solidly plotted and executed entry in this enjoyable series. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Death Runs Adrift
Karen MacInerney
A Natalie Barnes, Gray Whale Inn Mystery
Midnight Ink (May 2014)

Publisher synopsis: With her own wedding fast approaching and her mother-in-law dating an unexpected beau, the last thing Natalie Barnes needs is to find a young man shot dead in a dinghy. A note she finds with the body suggests the dearly departed had a secret rendezvous planned with somebody on the island.

But when suspicion is cast on a fisherman Natalie believes to be innocent, she begins to wonder if the murder was the result of a lover's quarrel … or a lobsterman's disagreement gone horribly wrong.

      

Chimera, A Jim Chapel Mission by David Wellington: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Chimera by David Wellington. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Friday, May 09, 2014 at 5:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

— ♦ —

Chimera by David Wellington
A Jim Chapel Mission (1st in series)
Publisher: William Morrow

Afghanistan veteran Jim Chapel has been enlisted in a new war. This time it's in his own backyard … and even more deadly.

A small band of fugitives escapes from a secret upstate New York military facility, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Each fugitive has a target — an innocent civilian — and will not stop until that target has been eliminated.

Wounded Special Forces veteran Jim Chapel has been stuck behind a desk rather than out in the field, but medical technology has finally caught up with his ambitions. Coupled with his unstoppable determination, it will take him back to where he thrives: the thick of the action.

Drafted into a new war, this time in our homeland, Chapel is tasked with hunting a group of escapees from a top secret military compound — all extremely deadly, genetically modified killers — and unraveling the mystery behind their existence. Aided by an enigmatic woman named Angel and a courageous, beautiful veterinarian, Chapel begins a cross-country hunt to stop the murders. But are the killers really rogues, or are they part of a sinister conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels?

  

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 MystereBook: Spirit Me Away by Aaron Paul Lazar

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 May 2014 priced $4.99 or less …

Spirit Me Away by Aaron Paul Lazar is a thrilling romantic mystery set against the colorful backdrop of the sixties — with an unforgettable conclusion at the greatest rock festival of all time.

— ♦ —

Spirit Me Away by Aaron Paul Lazar
A Gus LeGarde Mystery
Publisher: Aaron Paul Lazar
Publication Date: May 08, 2014
Price: $2.99 (as of 05/09/14 4:30 PM ET)

Boston, Massachusetts: It's the summer of '69 — the parks are flooded with flower children and a hot new band called Led Zeppelin is set to appear at the Boston Tea Party. But for one newlywed couple just beginning their lives together, there will be no peace.

In the cradle of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll, Gus and Elsbeth LeGarde are music students attending the New England Conservatory of Music, after a wedding kept secret from their families. When they discover a bruised and sobbing teenage girl on the Boston Commons who can't remember who she is, or how she got there, the couple decides to “adopt” her to help find her identity.

But Gus and Elsbeth aren't prepared to be plunged into a violent world of rape, abuse, and a ring of white slave traders who'll stop at nothing to take back their property — or to acquire new flesh in the form of Gus's beautiful young bride.

  

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.

Marfa Blues, A Brett Baldwin Mystery by John DeMers: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Marfa Blues by John DeMers. This Kindle book was listed at $0.99 as of the date and time of this post, Friday, May 09, 2014 at 4:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

— ♦ —

Marfa Blues by John DeMers
A Brett Baldwin Mystery (3rd in series)
Publisher: Bright Sky Press

Acclaimed chef Brett Baldwin and his Native American friend Jud Garcia are called to the scene of a gruesome torture-homicide in the funky border town of Terlingua. The victim is Jud's adopted uncle, craggy-faced, ponytailed Texas blues legend T.J. Rattlesnake Garcia.

Rattlesnake has lived for years in a kind of holy poverty, but his recordings have sold millions, reaching back to the 1950s. He was a beloved icon, an eccentric piece of Texas fauna who performed live only once a year attracting thousands to close out Terlinguas storied chili cook-off. There were always rumors of a secret surrounding Garcia, however, some say going back to the witch hunts of Sen. Joe McCarthy. Everything about his murder implies that something he had was something somebody wanted. Real bad.

In the hours and days after Garcias mangled body is discovered, the international news media fill Terlingua and nearby Marfa with the circus for which they are famous. The spotlight shifts, however, to a refined older woman abandoned by Garcia long ago, who claims shes still his wife and heir. And if she werent complication enough, her sexy wild-child of a daughter also shows up. Each is looking to claim Garcia's fortune, if one can be found. And each sees Brett as something else worth claiming along the way.

Suddenly, the chef and the love of his life, Marfa-born Hollywood star Meridyth Morgan, have a lot more on their menu than a spicy bowl of red.

  

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 Fancy Nancy Mystery: Secret of the Silver Key by Jane O'Connor

We are pleased to present you with one of this month's new First Clues: Mysteries for Kids books: Secret of the Silver Key by Jane O'Connor, a Fancy Nancy Mystery.

For more information about the book, which is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9, see a synopsis, below.

— ♦ —

Secret of the Silver Key by Jane O'Connor
Series: Fancy Nancy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format(s): Hardcover, eBook

Nancy and her best friend, Bree, must go back in time to solve their latest mystery. While Nancy's class learns about time capsules in school, another relic from the past pops up in the present. Nancy buys an old desk at a tag sale and soon finds out that someone left behind a key.

Nancy and Bree set out to unlock the secret of the silver key in the hopes of finding some treasure along the way. But unlocking the mystery soon proves to be more difficult than they had thought, and when the answer isn't what they had expected, Nancy and Bree learn there are some things that remain timeless forever.

  

Midnight Alley, A Miles Corwin Mystery by Miles Corwin: Amazon's The Big Deal Promotion

Every so often Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced up to 85% off as part of The Big Deal Promotion.

Today's featured mystery, suspense, or thriller title is Midnight Alley by Miles Corwin. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Friday, May 09, 2014 at 3:00 PM ET, and should be available at this price through Sunday, May 11, 2014.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

— ♦ —

Midnight Alley by Miles Corwin
A Miles Corwin Mystery (2nd in series)
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Ash Levine, the top detective in the LAPD's elite Felony Special Squad, is called out to solve the murder of two young black men found shot to death in a Venice alley. The case is a high priority because one of the victims is the son of City Councilman Isaac Pinkney, a frequent critic of the LAPD.

Searching for the killer throws Levine into the world of Los Angeles's Russian Mafia, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, and Middle Eastern archeologists. Ash's history as a child of a Holocaust survivor gives him a unique perspective on murder, redemption, and justice. His background as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, and his relentless, single-minded focus on his investigations make him a thoroughly absorbing character.

As Ash closes in on the killer, the investigation becomes increasingly complex - and personal. Ash soon discovers that he is not just an investigator, but a target.

  

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 Disposables by David Putnam, New in Bookstores in May 2014

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published during May 2014 by Oceanview Publishing, is The Disposables by David Putnam.

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

— ♦ —

The Disposables
David Putnam

Bruno Johnson, a tough street cop, member of the elite violent crime task force, feared by the bad guys, admired by the good, finds his life derailed when a personal tragedy forces him to break the law. Now he's an ex-con and his life on parole is not going well. He is hassled by the police at every opportunity and to make matters even more difficult, his former partner, Robby Wicks, now a high-ranking detective, bullies him into helping solve a high profile crime — unofficially, of course.

Meantime, Bruno's girlfriend, Marie, brings out the good, the real Bruno, and even though they veer totally outside the law, he and Marie dedicate themselves to saving abused children, creating a type of underground railroad for neglected kids at risk, disposable kids. What they must do is perilous they step far outside the law, battling a warped justice system and Bruno's former partner, with his own evil agenda.

        

Weddings Can Be Murder, A Novel of Romantic Suspense by Christie Craig, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Weddings Can Be Murder by Christie Craig, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Love Spell.

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 (05/09/2014 at 2:00 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.

— ♦ —

Weddings Can Be Murder by Christie Craig
A Novel of Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Love Spell

Katie Ray was about to marry a man she didn't love — and who didn't love her. Even losing her $8,000 engagement ring wasn't enough of a sign to call things off. What did it take? Being locked in the closet with a sexy PI, and being witness to murder.

Carl Hades hardly wanted to be shackled with another man's soon-to-be-wife, especially when the gorgeous redhead stirred emotions he'd avoided for years. He'd been hired by an elite Houston wedding planner to investigate some missing brides. When those brides turned up dead, Carl saw where the whole situation was headed: just like Katie's wedding ring and her ceremony, right down the toilet. Because, while Katie was suddenly and delightfully available, he had a feeling she was next in line to die. And before he could ask her to say "I do," he had to know who would say "I did it."

  

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.

Dante's Poison by Lynne Raimondo, New on The Mystery Bookshelf in May 2014

Today's featured paperback original mystery title, scheduled to be published during May 2014 by Seventh Street Books, is Dante's Poison by Lynne Raimondo.

For a list of more new paperback mysteries, thrillers, and novels of suspense published this month, visit our Mystery Bookshelf page for May 2014. For hardcover titles, visit New Mysteries for a selection of books published during May 2014.

— ♦ —

Dante's Poison
Lynne Raimondo
Series: A Mark Angelotti Mystery

Blind psychiatrist Mark Angelotti has just enrolled in a drug trial that holds out hope of restoring his eyesight when he again becomes entangled in a case that is rocking the Chicago legal community …

After defending the manufacturer of the powerful antipsychotic drug Lucitrol against product-liability claims, attorney Jane Barrett has become somewhat of an expert on the controversial medication. So when her lover, investigative journalist Rory Gallagher, collapses from a fatal dose of the same drug, it falls to Hallie Sanchez, Barrett's oldest friend, to defend her on murder charges.

Amid growing doubts about her friend's innocence, Hallie recruits Mark Angelotti to help her discredit the testimony of a crucial eyewitness. The pair succeeds in obtaining Barrett's release, but at a dreadful price.

Mark sets out to investigate who else may have wanted the journalist out of the way. As he gets closer to the truth, he realizes the killer is still on the loose. But two questions remain for Mark: Will the drug trial succeed in restoring his eyesight? More important, will he live long enough to see this case to its end?

  

Body of Evidence, The Evidence Series by Rachel Grant, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Body of Evidence by Rachel Grant, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Janus Publishing.

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 (05/09/2014 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.

— ♦ —

Body of Evidence by Rachel Grant
The Evidence Series
Publisher: Janus Publishing

And she thought facing a firing squad was bad …

When archaeologist Mara Garrett traveled to North Korea to retrieve the remains of GIs lost in combat, she never imagined she'd be arrested, convicted of spying, and sentenced to death. Her only hope is Curt Dominick, the powerful, ambitious, and infuriatingly sexy US attorney prosecuting her uncle, a former vice president of the United States.

What starts off as a rescue mission quickly morphs into a race across the Pacific. Someone is after Mara, and they'll risk everything to stop her from reaching Washington DC. With betrayal around every corner, Curt and Mara have little reason to trust each other and every reason to deny the sparks between them that blaze hotter than the Hawaiian sun. Still, desire clashes with loyalty when they discover a conspiracy that threatens not only their lives but the national security of the United States.

  

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.