Friday, August 11, 2006

Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers (08/11/2006)

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending August 11, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Very little change at the top of all the lists this week. New on the Barnes&Noble.com list is the 12th mystery in the Deborah Knott series by Margaret Maron, Winter's ChildWinter's Child by Margaret Maron. When the ex-wife of Deborah's husband of one month disappears, she travels to Virginia with Dwight to aid in the investigation. Now, as a stranger in another woman's house, she sees a side of Dwight she never knew, contends with feelings she doesn't want to confront, and senses something dangerous stalking a boy and his mother. But while she and Dwight pry open the most intimate secrets of a life, the one thing Deborah is not prepared for is the ferocious darkness lurking just beneath the surface of a seemingly genteel life-or the danger that is waiting just for her. Publishers Weekly calls Winter's Child "outstanding" and adds, "Maron brilliantly connects the unconnected, hides one killer in plain sight and tucks another into a most unexpected position."

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Thursday, August 10, 2006

Mystery Book Contest: Win a Set of Signed Mysteries by Diana Killian

New MysteriesNew! The Poetic Deaths Contest is now available on The Mystery Book Contest Website. Enter daily through October 16, 2006, for a chance to win a complete set of all three published Grace Hollister Poetic Death mysteries by Diana Killian, each personally signed by the author!

The mysteries featured in this prize package are:

High Rhymes and Misdemeanors, the first Grace Hollister mystery, whose adventures lead straight into the heart of a caper of the highest order, one that might lead to a spectacular literary discovery and poetic justice for all.

Verse of the Vampyre, where it seems a real vampire may be roaming the village in England's Lake District where Grace is staying.

Sonnet of the Sphinx, with Grace discovering an old letter that refers to a lost Shelley sonnet and unless she can unravel an inscrutable riddle, her story might be at an end.

High Rhymes and Misdemeanors by Diana KillianVerse of the Vampyre by Diana KillianSonnet of the Sphinx by Diana Killian

The Poetic Deaths Contest is sponsored by Diana Killian, author of the Grace Hollister Poetic Death mysteries, and Mysterious Reviews.

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. Omnimystery keyword(s): lake district, cumbria

Profile: Writer and Rider Tami Hoag

Thriller writer Tami Hoag leads a dual life that can turn the simplest telephone conversation into an Abbott and Costello routine, writes Jay MacDonald of Bankrate.com. This "writer" is also a "rider" who competes in international dressage at the Grand Prix level. And for her, the subject of shoes can either mean the iron ones she buys for her beloved mare, Coco Chanel, or the closet full of Stuart Weitzmans that the author has brought home from Rodeo Drive.

Originally a romance author, In the mid-1980s, Hoag left that stable to try her hand at thrillers and soon found green pastures -- hardcover, best-seller, money-green pastures, to be exact. Success in more than one genre of fiction is rare enough; success in such disparate disciplines as romance and hard-boiled crime is almost unheard of.

Bankrate caught up with Hoag in Wellington (FL) during the winter Grand Prix season to discuss writing, riding, horseshoes and Jimmy Choos. Read the entire interview on Bankrate.com here.

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Tuesday, August 08, 2006

New Mystery Hardcover Titles for August 2006 (updated)

New MysteriesAn update of new hardcover mysteries for August 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website. Five new titles have been added to those already present including ...

The Wrong Abraham by David S. BrodyBoston attorney Shelby Baskin, and her fiancé Bruce Arrujo, return again to the streets of Boston, this time to prevent a terrorist attack on the city in The Wrong Abraham, the second mystery in this series by David S. Brody. Shelby Baskin has it all-a successful law practice, a condo in the Back Bay, a fiancé who adores her. Then she receives a baffling letter from her rich Uncle Abraham, a Holocaust survivor: Only she, he mysteriously proclaims, can prevent a major terrorist attack on Boston. Working with Homeland Security, Shelby and her fiancé, Bruce Arrujo, race through the streets of Boston, first attempting to stop a Hiroshima sized LNG tanker explosion in Boston Harbor, then fighting to prevent a deadly release of anthrax powder at Fenway Park. Yet the terrorists always seem to be one step ahead of them. Through it all, a question haunts Shelby: Why does Uncle Abraham always seem to be one step ahead of the terrorists?

Lost Angel by Mike DooganThe icy interior of Alaska is the setting for the breathtaking first mystery from the winner of the Robert L. Fish Award for short fiction, Mike Doogan, in Lost Angel. Moses Wright founded the Christian commune of Rejoice. The rough-and-tumble interior of Alaska may seem a strange place for such a community, but for twenty years it has served as a beacon in the wilderness. Two decades later Moses granddaughter, Faith, is the star of the younger generation. Pretty and intelligent, she's the first teenager in the town to choose to experience the outside world. When Faith disappears, the elders of Rejoice look beyond their village for help. Ex-cop Nik Kane lost his faith long ago-dissolved in a bottle. A few drinks, a dark night, and a shooting led to seven years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Nothing can give him back his career or his family, but the search for Faith may restore his soul.

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Monday, August 07, 2006

Mystery Book Review: Out Cold by William G. Tapply

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of Out Cold by William G. Tapply. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Out Cold by William G. Tapply

Out Cold by William G. Tapply
A Brady Coyne Mystery
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-33746-9 (0312337469)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-33746-9 (9780312337469)
Publication Date: September 2006
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Brady Coyne is a Boston attorney, whose routine legal work and sedate lifestyle usually keep him far away from trouble. Unfortunately, one cold January morning, trouble comes to him. When Brady lets his dog out into the backyard of his Back Bay brownstone, he finds a girl buried under the snow in Brady's back yard. A teenager, maybe fifteen or sixteen, who had apparently crawled into the backyard, bleeding, in the middle of the night, only to die from hypothermia and blood loss. The singular clue to her identity is a small piece of paper with the brownstone's address scribbled on it.

Now Brady is determined to find out who the girl was, why she had his address, and what happened to her. But the mysterious girl's death is only the beginning - someone out there knows Brady is trying to find out what happened that night and is willing to do anything, or kill anyone, to keep the truth from coming out.

Review: Boston attorney Brady Coyne investigates the circumstances surrounding the death of a teenage girl in Old Cold, the 22nd mystery in this long running series by William G. Tapply.

Though he was not responsible for the teenager's death, the fact she died in his backyard and his belief that he might have done something to save her drives Brady to learn her identity and the reasons behind her death. His investigation ultimately leads to a secluded estate in northern New Hampshire where he uncovers a family's shocking secrets.

Old Cold is, for the most part, a well constructed mystery. The plot is topical and the final resolution is unexpected. It is odd, however, that Brady has such a strong connection to a girl whom he had never known but who happened to die at his home, yet has little apparent remorse for two other women whom he had met and interacted with but were later presumably killed as a direct result of his involvement. Furthermore, the motive for the murders of these two women is never fully explained. They "knew something" but what it was or how they came about this information is never revealed. In the end, these two murders serve no purpose as they don't advance the plot in any meaningful way.

The longevity of the Brady Coyne series is a testament to the consistency of Tapply to write mystery fiction that not only sells well, but is interesting to read. Old Cold is typical of the series, but not among the best.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC of Out Cold for this review.

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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Press Release: David Suchet to Voice Poirot in Mystery Games

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2006--DreamCatcher, Inc. today announced that it has signed British Actor David Suchet to a voice acting role for three of its upcoming Agatha Christie inspired video games. Suchet's voice will debut as Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot this fall in Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express. Suchet made Detective Poirot famous through his well-known portrayals of the character in an array of television appearances.DreamCatcher: Murder on the Orient Express

"We're thrilled to add David Suchet's talent to the Agatha Christie video game series," said Richard Wah Kan, President and CEO of DreamCatcher, Inc. "When players step into our games, we want them to become fully immersed in the excitement and adventure of solving an Agatha Christie-style mystery and the addition of Mr. Suchet's distinctively recognizable voice will certainly heighten that element. We can't wait to give players the delight of interacting with the Hercule Poirot they've come to love through the popular television movies."

Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express, due out this fall, will beckon travelers to step aboard a luxury train and become part of a murder mystery where the player and Hercule Poirot must rely on their superior detective skills to find the killer in a heinous murder.

Read the entire press release from DreamCatcher Inc. here.

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Weekly Mystery Godoku Puzzle for 08/07/2006

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for August 07, 2006A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle has been created by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is 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!).

This week's letters: C E I L N R S T Y. This week's mystery clue: William Monk investigates a case of suspected patricide in this Anne Perry mystery (with “The”) (9 letters).

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!

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Sunday, August 06, 2006

Profile: For Nora Roberts, Writing Novels is a 9-to-5 Job

Ben Nuckols of the Canadian Press writes that endless of imagination aren't all it takes to write 165 novels. It also requires the discipline of a drill sergeant.

Roberts is in the middle of a typically busy year. Her latest romantic suspense book, Angels Fall, came out this summer. Later this year will bring the release of a new "In Death" mystery featuring Eve Dallas, written under the pseudonym J. D. Robb, and three romantic fantasy paperbacks, The Circle Trilogy, in successive months. There's also a new J. D. Robb novella published as part of an anthology.

"I think I have a really strong work ethic, plus I really love the work. I think if you love what you do, you do a lot of it. I have a lot of discipline ... and I have a fast pace," the 55-year-old author says.

Since her first New York Times bestseller in 1991, her books have spent 660 weeks on the Times list of bestsellers, including 100 weeks in the top spot. Each book published under the Nora Roberts name since 1999 has been a bestseller; there are 280 million Roberts books in print. She is published in 35 countries. Her books sold 12 million copies in 2005, according to Publishers Weekly.

Roberts' favorite hobby - gardening - appeals to her meticulous, workaholic nature and keeps her close to home, which she prefers. She talks enthusiastically about weeding and warding off the deer that might want to munch on her lilies, as she strolls through her multitiered garden.

Read the entire profile of Nora Roberts on Canada.com here.

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Friday, August 04, 2006

News: Trailer Available for The Black Dahlia

James Ellroy's bestselling crime novel, The Black Dahlia, weaves a fictionalized tale of obsession, love, corruption, greed and depravity around the true story of the brutal murder of a fledgling Hollywood starlet that shocked and fascinated the nation in 1947 and remains unsolved today. Brian De Palma directs the screen adaptation of the book, the trailer of which is now available on Yahoo! movies.The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

Two ex-pugilist cops, Lee Blanchard (Aaron Eckhart) and Bucky Bleichert (Josh Hartnett), are called to investigate the homicide of ambitious silver-screen B-lister Betty Ann Short (Mia Kirshner) also known as "The Black Dahlia". The attack was so grisly that images of the killing were kept from the public. While Blanchard's growing preoccupation with the sensational murder threatens his marriage to Kay (Scarlett Johansson), his partner Bleichert finds himself attracted to the enigmatic Madeleine Linscott (two-time Academy Awary winner Hilary Swank), the daughter of one of the city's most prominent families ... who just happens to have an unsavory connection to the murder victim.

The Black Dahlia is expected to be released in theaters on September 15, 2006.

The is commited to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series. Please visit often!

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Mystery Hardcover Bestsellers (08/04/2006)

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending August 04, 2006 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

The writing team of James Patterson and Andrew Gross top the bestseller list this week with Judge & JuryJudge & Jury by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. Senior FBI agent Nick Pellisante is closing in on the notorious mob boss "The Electrician," when the scheduled sting goes spectacularly awry. Two FBI agents are dead, the boss is wounded, and Pellisante vows the Electrician's next move will be from a jail cell. Andie Echeverra, a part-time actress and a single, full-time mom, is assigned her next role as Juror #11 in the landmark trial against Mafia Don Dominic Cavello. Everybody is on edge. No one has ever crossed the man whose orders have made entire families disappear. Though Cavello's influence extends across blue uniforms and black robes, the case should be open-and-shut. But the legal system fails with devastating results, and Nick and Andie are the only ones left to seek justice. To stop the Electrician, they must take matters into their own hands. They are the judge and jury now.

Also debuting in the top ten this week: the haunting story of three cops—one good, one bad, one broken—and the murder that reunited them in a showdown decades in the making is the premise of The Night GardenerThe Night Gardener by George P. Pelecanos by George P. Pelecanos. Reviews have been enthusiastically positive for this book. The New York Times calls it "... beautifully delineated moral tales, filled with gut-wrenching turns of fate and razor-sharp, boisterously vivid characters." Publishers Weekly adds that "Pelecanos ... delivers a dignified, character-driven epic that succeeds as both literary novel and page-turner."

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books often where we provide readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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Thursday, August 03, 2006

Press Release: HarperCollins Launches "Browse Inside"

New York, NY (August 3, 2006)—HarperCollins Publishers is proud to announce a series of digital initiatives, including the beta launch of "Browse Inside," a new application allowing consumers to sample pages of HarperCollins titles online. The implementation of expanded digital technologies signals the latest development in the HarperCollins global digital warehouse initiative and emphasizes the company's commitment to reach consumers on the Web by providing robust content in a wide variety of digital formats.

Anchored by a contemporary redesign of its Web site (www.harpercollins.com), HarperCollins' digital initiatives also include a consumer-driven home page, featuring a daily snapshot of the most highly-viewed, "Today's Most Popular Pages," as well as revamped author and title pages. A broad range of digital media content will also be introduced.

"Browse Inside" will commence with a number of authors including mystery author Lisa Scottoline.

Read the entire press release from HarperCollins.com here.

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Wednesday, August 02, 2006

News: Police Station Honors Inspector Morse

BBC News is reporting that a plaque honoring Inspector Morse has been unveiled at the police station in Oxford where the fictional TV drama character was based. The Inspector Morse Society has erected the plaque to mark the station's importance in the fictional detective's career which has brought thousands of tourists to Oxford.

Colin Dexter, author of the Morse novels, was at St. Aldates station on Sunday to formally uncover the tribute. The Jaguar car used in the TV series by the late actor John Thaw, who played Morse, was at the event.

Read the entire article on bbc.co.uk here.

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Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Mystery Book Review: A Merry Band of Murderers

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written our review of A Merry Band of Murderers, edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.A Merry Band of Murderers, edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns

A Merry Band of Murderers, edited by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns
An Original Mystery Anthology of Songs and Stories
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-301-9 (1590583019)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-301-2 (9781590583012)
Publication Date: August, 2006
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): A Merry Band of Murderers is more than a compilation of short mystery stories from some of the genre’s finest writers. It is also an exploration of music. Conceived by Claudia Bishop and Don Bruns, the collection is staged in two acts: first, a non-fiction discussion of short stories, mysteries, and music; and second, a compilation of musical short mysteries.

The first act opens with an essay by Bishop explaining the role of the short story in mystery writing and another essay by Bruns discussing writers who play, sing, and compose.

The second act is more whimsical. There are thirteen music-centered stories from authors Mary Anna Evans, Jim Fusilli, Bill Moody, Rupert Holmes, Rhys Bowen, John Lescroart, Nathan Walpole, Peter Robinson, Jeffery Deaver, Tom Corcoran, Val McDermid, and, of course, the editors themselves. Each story is accompanied by a short introduction, song lyrics, and an interview with the writer.

The book is packaged with a music CD with recordings by the authors. A one-of-a-kind collection.

Review: Publishers take a risk with anthologies in that they rarely appeal to a broad range of readers. Poisoned Pen Press has mitigated this risk in two ways with A Merry Band of Murderers: by assembling a collection of short story mysteries that are similar in style (not a vampire, cozy cat, or Prada shoe in sight) and have a common theme (music). The success of this book is likely to be based on two factors: how many of the 13 stories are "good" and how many of these stories seamlessly integrate the author's original musical compositions into the plot.

With respect to the first criterion, A Merry Band of Murderers is a winner. Eight of the thirteen mystery stories are competently written, have carefully constructed plots, and include interesting, well-defined characters. Three are particularly noteworthy: Mary Anna Evans' Land of the Flowers, Jeffrey Deaver's The Fan, and Val McDermid's Long Black Veil. (Two to skip: Rupert Holmes' Shuffle which is decidedly creepy, and not in a good way; and Courage, the dreadful story by Don Bruns, the only rational reason being for its inclusion in this anthology is that Bruns is an editor.)

A Merry Band of Murderers is less successful when measured against the second criterion. Only three, maybe four, stories have a musical element that forms an integral part of the plot. In some, music plays no role whatsoever.

Each story ends with an overview of the author's musical composition and an interview along the lines of Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton.

On balance, A Merry Band of Murderers is an admirable anthology of short stories by a skilled company of mystery authors. The fact that the authors are also accomplished musicians seems more coincidental than intentional.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of A Merry Band of Murderers for this review. (Note: The CD that will accompany the publication of A Merry Band of Murderers was not available at the time this review was written.)

Review Copyright © 2006 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

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The Mystery Bookshelf: New Paperback Mysteries for August 2006

Mystery Bookshelf: New Paperback MysteriesThe Mystery Bookshelf has posted a list of new paperback mysteries expected to be available in August 2006.

Some of the mystery authors whose books are coming out in paperback this month include:

Sarah Andrews, Dead Dry, the 10th Em Hansen mystery;
Joanne Carl, Chocolate Bridal Bash, the 6th Chocoholic mystery;
John J. Lamb, Mournful Teddy, the 1st Bear Collector's mystery;
Margaret Maron, Rituals of the Season, the 11th Deborah Knott mystery;
Cathy Pickens, Done Gone Wrong, the 2nd Avery Andrews mystery;

and over 25 more!

Titles are maintained on The Mystery Bookshelf for 6 months, and are available for browsing by author, series character, or date of publication. You may also use our search tool to find all current and archived titles.

Thank you for visiting The Mystery Bookshelf!

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Mystery Trivia for August 2006

Mystery BestsellersThe Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has posted new mystery trivia questions for August 2006. Admittedly, this month's questions aren't exactly about mysteries, but we were doing some background work on Michael Crichton and thought the information on which we based our trivia questions was particularly interesting. Back to more mainstream mysteries next month!

According to his website, Michael Crichton wrote this book on a bet that he could not make an entertaining story out of Beowulf. What is its title?

What was the title of the movie made from this book? (Hint: It starred Antonio Banderas.)

Visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books to see the answers to these questions as well as previous mystery book trivia questions from prior months.

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books provides readers and collectors of mysteries with the best and most current information about their favorite mystery authors, books, and series.

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