See the press release of the acquisition on Abebooks' website.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
BookFinder.com Acquired by Abebooks
See the press release of the acquisition on Abebooks' website.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers (11/11/2005)
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Mini-Mysteries (Minute Mysteries)
Mini-mysteries or minute mysteries are short mystery stories that can be read in as little as two minutes and end with a question challenging the reader to solve the mystery; the solution is given separately. Most mini-mysteries involve crimes, though mini-mysteries written for children may involve a puzzling situation instead. Mini-mysteries typically include all the essential elements of the traditional whodunit such as suspects, clues, alibis, etc.
Many schools use mini-mysteries as an effective resource in the classroom. Students become intrigued by the elements that comprise detective fiction and learn to use critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and logic to analyze the clues given and propose a reasonable solution based on the facts presented in the story.
Mini-mysteries appeal to readers of all ages and abilities for the simple reason that everyone enjoys a puzzle and there's satisfaction in following the clues and coming up with the solution.
Although there are several websites that offer mini-mysteries to read online, the best way to enjoy these stories is in print form where they can be shared together with your family. Though mini-mysteries are popular, they can be difficult to locate in your local bookstore. Amazon.com offers many mini-mysteries that can be purchased online and delivered to your doorstep.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Hyperion to Publish "Lost" Fictional Mystery Manuscript
Read the original Variety article here, and a related article from the Honolulu StarBulletin here.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Featured Mystery: Cover Your Assets by Patricia Smiley
After discovering the lethal side of climbing the corporate ladder, Tucker leaves her fast-track career at Aames & Associates and opens her own management consulting firm. But four's a crowd at the beach cottage she shares with her actress mother, Pookie, Pookie's twenty-pounds-and-counting Westie terrier, and Pookie's new aging hippie boyfriend, Bruce.
With life as normal as it's ever going to get, Tucker's totally blindsided when a cop appears on her doorstep one sunny, spring morning. His news is even more shocking: Evan Brice has just been found stabbed to death. An aspiring poet-turned-agent-to-wannabe-stars, Brice was once the love of Tucker's life. Until he dumped her and married her best friend-now the prime suspect in his murder. With the media dogging her every step and celebrity hounds out for blood, it's up to Tucker to find out who wanted Brice dead.
Between the feng shui-ing of her home, a persistent homicide detective on her tail, and the trials of landing a date for her ex-husband's wedding, Tucker uncovers a Hollywood A-list of enemies and lovers…and a secret life that leads her into the dark underbelly of the drug and porn industries. Speeding in her silver Boxster from the scene of the crime into the sordid detritus of one man's past, she will have to make sure she's got her back covered-or a determined murderer will cancel her account for good.
Cover Your Assets is featured as a new mystery hardcover title for November 2005 on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.
Monday, November 07, 2005
New Mystery Hardcovers for November 2005 (updated)
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Author Profile: William G. Tapply
William G. Tapply is married to Vicki Stiefel, herself an author of crime fiction, and together run The Writers Studio at Chickadee Farm. They live in Hancock, NH.
The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books carries many hardcover first editions of William G. Tapply's books. Visit Amazon.com to find all of our featured author's works.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Sarah Graves Nail Biter Repair Tips Sweepstakes
Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers (11/04/2005)
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Featured Mystery: Delete All Suspects by Donna Andrews
The fourth entry in Agatha Award winner Donna Andrews' Turing Hopper mystery series, Delete All Suspects, has been published by Berkley Prime Crime. Turing Hopper is a most unusual lead character in a mystery, being an almost-sentient computer.
After a hit-and-run leaves a young techie named Eddie in the hospital, Turing tries to help her PI friend Tim find out who did it. While Turing tries to break into Eddie's computers, her human friends do the legwork. It seems Eddie lets his seedy friends use his computers-and some are running highly unsavory websites. Others are using spam to con people out of their credit card numbers. Then the feds show up, looking for an online vigilante who's also using Eddie's computers. Now Turing and her friends are caught in the middle. They can't let the vigilante continue-but they also can't tell the FBI everything without revealing Turing's identity to the world.
Delete All Suspects is featured as one of the new mystery titles for November 2005 on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Self-Publishing FAQ: an article by Moira Allen
Moira Allen is the editor of Writing-World.com (http://www.writing-world.com) and the author of more than 300 published articles. Her books on writing include Starting Your Career as a a Freelance Writer and The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals. She has graciously agreed to allow the republication of some of her articles on related websites.
The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has added her comprehensive article on self-publishing (Self-Publishing FAQ) to its growing list of articles and books on writing and self-publishing, emphasizing those that feature writing or self-publishing mystery and/or detective fiction. Please visit the HSMB self-publishing home page for more information.
Monday, October 31, 2005
New Monthly Mystery Book Contest
Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books to enter this contest as well as check out the other features on the website: mystery book reviews, mystery trivia, new hardcover mystery titles, mystery bestsellers, mystery author and publisher links, and more!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
St. Martin's Press Mystery Book Contest Winners
Friday, October 28, 2005
Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers (10/28/2005)
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Featured Mystery: Sacred Cows by Karen E. Olsen
After a late night on the town, New Haven police reporter Annie Seymour is yanked from her bed by an early morning phone call from her editor. Soon she's shivering on a wet, dark city street, staring down at the once beautiful, now broken, body of a Yale University coed.
Paid to observe and get just the facts before writing up her stories for the New Haven Herald, Annie finds herself drawn to the story of an Ivy League sophomore whose secret moonlighting led to her violent murder. But after Annie links the girl's death to a network of vice and fraud buried deep in the city's shadows, the cynical reporter is shocked to discover her own mother is involved.
With help from a sexy private investigator, Annie investigates but stumbles upon one obstacle after another. Her cop lover stonewalls her, her editor pulls her off the assignment to cover a surreal parade of fiberglass cows grazing throughout the city, and an overeager cub reporter nips at her heels to get the scoop for himself.
Caught in the center of a treacherous scheme, Annie must take the biggest gamble of her career-outwit a dangerous con man to uncover the truth that could win her that elusive Pulitzer…or a mention in the next day's obituary.
Sacred Cows is featured as one of the new mystery titles for September 2005 on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.