Thursday, October 04, 2007

Mystery Book Review: In the Shadow of the Glacier by Vicki Delany

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of In the Shadow of the Glacier by Vicki Delany. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.In the Shadow of the Glacier by Vicki Delany

In the Shadow of the Glacier by
A Molly Smith Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-448-1 (1590584481)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-448-4 (9781590584484)
Publication Date: October 2007
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Trouble is brewing in the small, bucolic mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia. An American who came to Trafalgar as a Vietnam War draft dodger has left land and money to the town but there’s a catch: the money must be used to build a garden to honor draft dodgers. This bequest has torn the close-knit, peaceful town apart. Then the body of a leading opponent is found in an alley, dead from a single blow to the head.

Constable Molly Smith is assigned to assist veteran Detective Sergeant John Winters in the investigation. But Winters doesn’t want the help of the enthusiastic rookie, and suspects that he’s been assigned Smith for political reasons – her mother, a life-long activist, is the leader of the group arguing for the park.

Egged on by a muck-raking TV personality, outside agitators from both sides are soon streaming into Trafalgar, while Smith and Winters search through small-town secrets for a killer.

Review: The first book in Vicki Delany's new series featuring Constable Molly Smith, In the Shadow of the Glacier, takes on a controversial subject that, after more than thirty years, is still alive for many today: the war in Vietnam.

It is estimated that more than 50,000 young men, in order to avoid the draft in the US during the Vietnam War, became draft dodgers and fled to Canada, leaving their homes and families in America. Some never returned, even though amnesty was offered. One draft dodger settled in the small mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia. He spent his life there, and when he died he left all of his land and money to the city, but only if it would used to create a beautiful garden to honor all draft dodgers. This idea split the normally close-knit city right in two. There were those who heartily supported the plan, and those who still felt draft dodgers were traitors to America. Reginald Montgomery, a building planner, was one of the chief opponents to the garden. He wanted to build a huge resort in Trafalgar, called the Grizzly Bear, which he said would bring in money for the city, make jobs, and welcome visitors and vacationers from both Canada and America. Now there is another division to this small town. Montgomery wants to build The Grizzly Bear on the grounds that are homes to the bears, deer, and other animals of the forest. The animal rights people are dead set against such a venture. Others feel this would be a great boon for their city. With so many of the town folk angry at Reg, it was no surprise to find him beaten over the head and left dead in a dark alley.

Detective Sergeant John Winters, newly transferred into Trafalgar, is assigned the case. Constable Molly Smith, born and raised in the city, is assigned as his assistant. But her interest in the case is not completely objective: her parents came to Trafalgar when her father dodged the draft. Molly, eager and fast to jump to conclusions, is a good counterpart to Winters, who is rather slow and methodical. After Smith makes it clear who's in charge, he eases up on Molly who has a hard time telling when he is serious or joking. Their banter becomes a joy to read. They interview Reg’s widow, the local dentist, the shopkeepers, anyone known to oppose Reg’s opposition to the garden, and anyone who opposed his plans for the Grizzly Bear. Getting no where, they even interview a local kid who stole Molly’s locked bike from behind the police station. Though discouraged, as they begin to review their notes, they realize one of these peoples is a murderer.

In the Shadow of the Glacier is a terrific murder mystery replete with delightful characters and good humor; a very promising start to this new series. And anyone who lived through the era of the 1960s will undoubtedly smile when Molly's given name is revealed: Moonlight Legolas.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of for contributing her review of In the Shadow of the Glacier and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

For more visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Mystery Book Review: Noble Lies by Charles Benoit

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Noble Lies by Charles Benoit. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Noble Lies by Charles Benoit

Noble Lies by
A Mark Rohr Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-450-3 (1590584503)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-450-7 (9781590584507)
Publication Date: September 2007
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): For Mark Rohr, a decorated Desert Storm vet, the last ten years have been filled with shady jobs and countless mis-adventures around the globe. The low point is his current stint as a bouncer at a nameless whorehouse/bar in Thailand. When the beautiful and naive Robin Antonucci arrives in Phuket City from the States and hires him to help find her missing brother Shawn, Mark sees the chance to make some easy money. It is simple: guide her around until she gets bored or until the money runs out and she heads home.

But what should be an easy job in a tropical paradise quickly sours when they meet the stunning Pim who claims to be Shawn's wife. Within hours two men are dead and Jarin, southern Thailand's most notorious gangster, wants Mark to pay. Getting away alone would be difficult. Getting away with Robin and Pim, plus an old man and a small boy - the only members of Pim's family to survive the tsunami - might prove impossible.

With nowhere to hide and ho idea where they are heading, they set off around the Thai coast, racing through beach resorts and remote villages, staying one step ahead of Jarin's men as they search for the truth about Shawn.

Review: If only one word could be used to describe Noble Lies by Charles Benoit, it might be "unpredictable". And for a mystery thriller, that's a very good word indeed.

For former Marine Mark Rohr, working in a bar in Phuket City, Thailand, the job he's hired to do seems simple enough: find Shawn, the brother of an American woman Robin, presumed dead after the tsunami but identified on a recent photograph. But the missing person investigation turns complicated very quickly. They locate Pim who claims to be married to Shawn, but who works for Jarin, a local crime lord who doesn't take kindly to anyone interferring in his affairs. She volunteers to take Mark and Robin to Shawn, but only if they take along her grandfather and young nephew. As their journey continues from Thailand to Malaysia, they discover that though Shawn may be alive and well, he might not want to be found.

"Noble lies" are those told by people who don't know the answer to a question but, in order to save face, give any answer to prevent being perceived as ignorant. Since it isn't clear at any time if anyone is telling the truth in this story, the unpredictability of the plot is one of the great assets of Noble Lies. Benoit provides many detailed descriptions of the region, most of which aren't likely appear on the government tourist brochures for the country, but they add a sense of danger and excitement. When Mark and Robin meet up with modern-day international pirates, which could have been rather ridiculous in any other context, it's just another unexpected, unanticipated, yet thoroughly entertaining bump in the road on their journey to discover the truth about Shawn.

Though there is an occasional chapter from a another character's point of view that tends to unnecessarily muddle the story somewhat, for the most part, Noble Lies is a thrilling adventure worth experiencing.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Noble Lies for this review.

Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

For more visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Mysteries on TV: Criminal Minds and Inspector Lynley

Mysteries on TVMystery television series being released this week on DVD:

An elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds are featured in . The series stars Mandy Patinkin as Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon of the Behaviorial Analysis Unit. Each member of the team brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.

Criminal Minds first aired on CBS in September 2005. This DVD set includes all 23 episodes from the second season.

For more information on Criminal Minds, visit the series website on CBS.com.

Four mystery movies are featured on . Starring Nathaniel Parker as Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sharon Small as Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, the series is based on characters created by mystery author .

The four movies included on this set, originally shown in the UK on BBC-1 during the summer of 2006 and in the US on PBS in September 2006, are: Natural Causes, One Guilty Deed, Chinese Walls, and In the Blink of an Eye.

For more information, visit the Inspector Lynley Mysteries website on PBS.org.

Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more currently available on DVD.

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Monday, October 01, 2007

Mystery Godoku: Weekly Puzzle for October 01, 2007

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for October 01, 2007A new has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now 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 and mystery clue: A D E H K O R S U. This descriptive structure is in the title of the 10th Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James mystery by (9 letters).

New! We now have our puzzles in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

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, September 30, 2007

News: Mystery Book Awards Announced This Week

A busy week for mystery book awards! The following organizations handed out their respective awards for excellence in mystery fiction this past week; the winners of the major awards are listed below:

(Mystery Readers International)

Best Mystery Novel: The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard (Ballantine)
Best First Mystery Novel: Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone (HarperCollins)



Best Novel: No Good Deeds by
Best First Novel: Still Life by Louise Penny
Best Paperback Original: Ashes and Bones by Dana Cameron

(Private Eye Writers of America)

Best P. I. Hardcover: The Dramatist by (Irish PI Jack Taylor)
Best First P. I. Novel: The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes (Irish PI Ed Loy)
Best P. I. Paperback Original: An Unquiet Grave by P. J. Parrish (Florida PI Louis Kincaid)

(Deadly Pleasures)

Best Novel: The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos
Best First Novel: Still Life by Louise Penny
Best British Crime Novel: Priest by
Best Paperback Original: The Cleanup by Sean Doolittle
Best Thriller: The Messenger by Daniel Silva

Congratulations from Mystery Books News to all the winners!

Please visit the website where lists of winners from over 20 different organizations that recognize excellence in mysteries, including all of the above, are presented.

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Compendium of Mystery News 070929

Today's compendium of recently published mystery news articles:

• It's a bit surprising it took this long, given the unqualified success of the Nancy Drew 3D interactive games for the PC by Her Interactive, but now The Adventure Company is bringing The Hardy Boys to adventure gaming. The first title, The Tower Treasure, is expected to be released in late 2008. Read the press release here. (MBN note: visit for more information about the teenage sleuth, and to purchase PC games in this series.)

• On the subject of mystery games, IGN Entertainment recently interviewed the project lead for the upcoming Nintendo DS game Touch Detective 2 1/2, discussing what fans can expect from the sequel. In the original Touch Detective, you become Mackenzie, a private investigator in a unique mystery adventure.

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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News: ITW Interviews Jeffery Deaver on The Chopin Manuscript

This past week, the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Audible.com launched The Chopin Manuscript, the first audio-only original novel written by some of today's top mystery authors. (Read the press release here.)

will write the opening and closing chapters of the story. He discussed his thoughts on why he agreed to participate in the project in an interview published on ITW's website. Listen to the first chapter of The Chopin Manuscript on the Audible.com website.

The plot is intriguing: Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a priceless, previously-unknown manuscript by Frederic Chopin. Within the notes of this work, which was originally found and hidden by the Nazis during World War II, lies a secret that has left death in its wake – and could kill tens of thousands more. As Middleton races to unlock the mystery of the manuscript, he is accused of murder, pursued by federal agents and targeted by assassins. But the greatest threat comes from a man known only as Faust - a shadowy figure from Middleton’s past.

The Chopin Manuscript is being delivered serially with new installments available every Tuesday.

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Friday, September 28, 2007

Mystery Bestsellers for September 28, 2007

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten for the week ending September 28, 2007 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Two mysteries that debuted last week on the list move into the top four this week: by and his son Felix Francis, and by . by remains at the top.

Shoot Him if He Runs by Stuart WoodsNew this week: by Stuart Woods, the latest in this bestselling series featuring New York attorney Stone Barrington. Teddy Fay, a rogue agent last seen escaping an imploding building in Iron Orchid, has been considered dead for some time now. But President Will Lee thinks Teddy may still be alive. In a top-secret Oval Office meeting, Stone learns that he and his cohorts, Holly Barker and Dino Baldachetti, are being sent to the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Marks, courtesy of the CIA, to track down Teddy once and for all. St. Marks is a vacationer's paradise, but its luxurious beach clubs and secluded mountain villas are home to corrupt local politicians and more than a few American ex-pats with murky personal histories. Stone and Holly soon discover that in St. Marks, everyone is hiding something, and Teddy Fay may just be hiding in plain sight.

An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine HarrisThe third mystery in the Harper Connelly series by , , has the psychic detective hired to find a boy gone missing in Doraville, . She and her brother Tolliver head there-only to discover that the boy was only one of several who had disappeared over the previous five years. All of them teenagers. All unlikely runaways, All calling for Harper. Harper soon finds them-eight victims, buried in the half-frozen ground, all come to an unspeakable end. Afterwards, what she most wants to do is collect her fee and get out of town ahead of the media storm that's soon to descend. But when she's attacked and prevented from leaving, she reluctantly becomes a part of the investigation as she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of Doraville-knowledge that makes her the next person likely to rest in an ice cold grave.

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Thursday, September 27, 2007

Mystery Book Review: Boca Moon by Frank Foster

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Boca Moon by Frank Foster. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.Boca Moon by Frank Foster

Boca Moon by
Non-series

Hilliard & Harris (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59133-218-4 (1591332184)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59133-218-3 (9781591332183)
Publication Date: August 2007
List Price: $28.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Lynn Woo's former commanding officer in Naval Intelligence is vacationing on a tropical island in Southwest Florida. Retired Admiral Whit Jenkins' son-in-law chooses the wrong night to take his infrared camera to the salty back bays in search of panthers. He pays for it with his life and Lynn discovers his murdered, mutilated body strung between two mangrove trees. It's been years since she's seen the result of violent death and she hasn't missed it.

But now Lynn must tell Jenkins about the murder, and, ignoring her new back bay nature tour business, she plunges into the investigation. Along the way, Lynn deals with more murders, live alligators, seamy commercial fishermen, a fiery Seminole Indian girl, and attempts on her own life. She's helped by her best island friend, who is a mammoth, black sheriff's deputy, and her lover, who is a hand-washing germ freak. It all happens in a real place - Boca Grande - a tony tropical island on Florida's southwest coast. It's home to coconut palms and banyans, pelicans and iguanas, and rich people who mingle freely with the island folks.

When Lynn Woo closes in on a den of greed and ego which will stop at nothing, including murder, she's met with a jolting surprise ending to this twisting tale of tropical skullduggery.

Review: Frank Foster's debut mystery, Boca Moon, has as its central character the smart, street-wise, and tough Lynn Woo, a former Navy diver, and is set on the southwest Florida island of Boca Grande (about half-way between and the Everglades), shortened to just "Boca" by its residents.

Three men, who are on Boca Grande for very different reasons, are murdered within a very short time of each other. Millard Savage, the first to die, had come to Boca for a month’s vacation with his wife and his father-in-law, Ret. Admiral Whitman Jenkins IV. Next, Sammy Osceola, a full blooded Seminole Indian, had come down to Boca from Tallahassee for a few days to visit with Lynn, his friend from college, and to see his daughter studying at Florida State. Finally there was Aubry Lowe, a fisherman and guide who had lived in Boca his whole life. It is up to the local police force, with the unsolicited help of Lynn, to solve the mystery linking these crimes.

This intriguing book has a lot going for it. The unconventional characters are appealing and Boca Grande is the perfect setting for a mystery. The narrative is fast-paced and the conclusion thrilling. Late in the story, how Lynn escapes from her assailants, finding herself 18 miles off-shore in the cold waters of the Gulf of Mexico, is truly compelling.

The only downside to the book is the author's insistence in relating what each person is wearing at all hours of the day or night, whether they were about to go fishing or getting ready to dine at a fine restaurant. Not only is it distracting, it takes away from the suspense of story he's written.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of for contributing her review of Boca Moon and to Strategic Vision for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

For more visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Mystery Book Review: A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner

A Killer's Kiss by
A Victor Carl Mystery

William Morrow (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-114346-4 (0061143464)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-114346-5 (9780061143465)
Publication Date: August 2007
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): There's nothing easier—or more dangerous—than falling into bed with an old lover. Especially when you're Victor Carl.

Once upon a time, Victor was engaged to a woman named Julia. She was beautiful and elegant and not the kind of woman to end up with a second-rate lawyer on the edge of insolvency. Victor always assumed she'd burn him, and she did. Now she's back, trailing an expensive perfume that reeks of trouble.

Julia's husband has been murdered, her fingerprints are all over the crime scene, and $1.7 million in cash is missing. Julia is suddenly in desperate need of a fall guy. Is that why she turns up on Victor's doorstep on the night of the murder, with her lipstick fresh and her heels high? It's all enough to make Victor doubt the healing power of love.

But in Victor's world lust trumps reason seven days a week. As he reaches for his old lover, he convinces himself that Julia truly wants to make amends for the past, that they might have a future together, and that the Beatles were right—all you need is love. Until two cops troop into his apartment and start fingering Victor for the murder.

Suddenly, Victor Carl, a man who has spent a lifetime making bad decisions for the worst reasons, is no longer fighting to rekindle a lost love. He's fighting to save his life.

Review: The seventh mystery in the Victor Carl series, A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner, is one of the most entertaining novels of the year ... and a first rate mystery as well.

"Who was that?" She stood there, trim and tawny, long legs falling out of a towel wrapped tightly around her body. To see her standing in my living room was to see a future devoid of want and strife, all my dreams satisfied, all my hopes fulfilled. She was a worker's paradise in one stunning figure. I stared for a moment, I couldn't help myself. "It was the cops," I said finally. "Really, what did they want?" I looked at her for a moment longer and then turned back to the window. "They came," I said without turning around, "to tell me that your husband's been murdered."

What a terrific way to start a book. attorney Victor Carl finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation in which he is intimately involved. The husband of an ex-girlfriend, someone with whom he is still desperately in love, has been murdered, and if he's not the prime suspect, Julia, the victim's wife, is, and therefore he is too by association. Victor has to figure out a way to prove that not only is he innocent, but Julia as well. Only he's not quite sure Julia is innocent. Then there's the missing money. One point seven million dollars. Julia doesn't have it and apparently knows little about it. But several people are looking for it, and finding the money seems to be more important than finding the killer.

It's hard not to like Victor Carl. He's sarcastic and quick with a verbal comeback but he's also charming and witty. He's not above negotiating when he's clearly in no position to do so. He cares deeply for others but not at the expense of neglecting to look out for himself. And he's devious. His maneuvering to get all the principal parties together in the same place at the same time toward the end of the story is quite clever. Better yet, the unexpected final plot twist makes for an apt conclusion to this exceptional book.

Unfortunately, A Killer's Kiss will be the last of the Victor Carl mysteries for a while. In a postscript, the author states he and his character are going to take a break. Until he returns, Victor will be sorely missed.

Special thanks to Authors on the Web for providing a copy of A Killer's Kiss for this review.

Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

For more visit Mysterious Reviews, a partner with the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books which is committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Mysteries on TV: Midsomer Murders, Numb3rs, and The Streets of San Francisco

Mysteries on TVMystery television series being released this week on DVD:

The villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in . Based on characters created by , the series stars John Nettles as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and John Hopkins as Sergeant Dan Scott.

The four mysteries included in this 4 disk DVD set were originally shown in the UK on ITV1 from October 2004 through January 2005: Things That Go Bump in the Night, Dead in the Water, Orchis Fatalis, and Bantling Boy.

stars Rob Morrow as FBI Special Agent Don Eppes who recruits his younger brother Charlie (played by David Krumholtz), a mathematical genius, to help him solve crimes in Los Angeles. The series also stars Judd Hirsch as their father.

Numb3rs first aired on CBS in January 2005 and remains in production today. This DVD set includes all 23 episodes from the third season on 6 disks.

The premiere of the 4th season of Numb3rs is scheduled for Friday, September 28, on CBS. For more information on the series, visit its website on CBS.com.

starred Karl Malden as Detective Lieutenant Mike Stone and Michael Douglas as his rookie partner Inspector Steve Keller. The series was filmed entirely in and around .

The 1st season ran for 26 episodes during the 1972/1973 television season on ABC. Paramount is releasing episodes from this season on two separate DVD sets. The first set was released last April; this DVD set includes the final 13 episodes of the season on 4 disks. See the opening credits on YouTube here.

Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more currently available on DVD.

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Monday, September 24, 2007

Mystery Godoku: Weekly Puzzle for September 24, 2007

Mystery GodokuMystery Godoku Puzzle for September 24, 2007A new has been created by the editors of the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books and is now 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 and mystery clue: A D E H I L O S U. This is the last name of an irrepressibly curious amateur sleuth created by (9 letters).

New! We now have our puzzles in PDF format for easier printing. Print this week's puzzle here.

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, September 23, 2007

Compendium of Mystery News 070923

Today's compendium of recently published mystery news articles:

Marilyn Stasio reviews several new mysteries in her Crime column on The New York Times, including and , both of which hit the list last week.

• News-Press.com reporter Charles Runnells interviews , author of the Dexter series. (MBN note: The first season of the Showtime series based on Lindsay's novels is available from .) In a related article, mystery columnist Oline H. Cogdill reviews Lindsay's latest Dexter thriller, , on the Sun-Sentinel.com.

• The Edmonton Journal is asking readers to help it write a serialized murder mystery. Edmonton author Thomas Wharton has penned the first chapter, a riveting opener about a bloody murder aboard the Edmonton Queen on the North Saskatchewan.

• The ABC affiliate in Los Angeles reports on companies designing more video games for girl gamers. They specifically cite the , which are available from our partner website .

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Friday, September 21, 2007

Mystery Bestsellers for September 21, 2007

Mystery BestsellersA list of the top ten for the week ending September 21, 2007 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Dexter in the Dark by Jeff LindsayNew this week on the bestselling mystery books list: by . This 3rd entry in the series has crime scene investigator Dexter Morgan's happy existence turned upside-down when he is called to a particularly disturbing crime scene at the university campus. Dexter’s Dark Passenger (the reptilian voice inside him) immediately senses something it recognizes, something utterly chilling, and the Dark Passenger—mastermind of Dexter’s investigative and homicidal prowess—goes into hiding. Dexter is alone for the first time in his life, and he realizes he’s being hunted by an adversary more sinister than anything he’s ever faced. Dexter must summon his sharpest investigative powers not only to pursue his enemy, but to locate—and truly understand—his Dark Passenger. (MBN note: The Dexter Morgan character has also been adapted for a series on Showtime simply titled . A DVD set of Season 1 as well as individual episodes may be purchased from .)

The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen, author of the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles mysteries, has a stand-alone thriller new on the list: . Julia Hamill has made a horrifying discovery on the grounds of her new home in rural Massachusetts: a skull buried in the rocky soil–human, female, scarred with the unmistakable marks of murder. Flashing back to 1830 , medical student Norris Marshall has joined the ranks of local “resurrectionists”, those who plunder graveyards and harvest the dead for sale on the black market to pay for his education. But when a distinguished doctor is found murdered and mutilated on university grounds, Norris finds that trafficking in the illicit cadaver trade has made him a prime suspect. Kirkus Reviews states that this old mystery crossed with a modern story "entices readers to keep turning pages long after their bedtimes."

Dead Heat by Dick Francis and Felix Francis and his son Felix Francis have written a new mystery that also debuts on the bestseller list: . Max Moreton is a rising culinary star and his Newmarket restaurant, The Hay Net, has brought him great acclaim and a widening circle of admirers. But when nearly all the guests who enjoyed one of his meals at a private catered affair fall victim to severe food poisoning, his kitchen is shuttered and his reputation takes a hit. Scrambling to meet his next obligation, an exclusive luncheon for forty in the glass-fronted private boxes at the Two Thousand Guineas, Max must overcome the previous evening's disaster and provide the new American sponsors of the year's first classic race with a day to remember. Then a bomb blast rips through the private boxes, killing some of Max's trusted staff as well as many of the guests. As survivors are rushed to the hospital, Max is left to survey the ruins of the grandstand-and of his career. Two close calls are too close for comfort, and Max vows to protect his name-and himself-before it's too late. Kirkus Reviews calls Dead Heat "engaging" and adds, "[the] durable Max is a worthy addition to Francis's gallery of racetrack detectives."

Please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Mystery Book Review: A Trial of One by Mary E. Martin

Mysterious ReviewsMysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of A Trial of One by Mary E. Martin. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.A Trial of One by Mary E. Martin

A Trial of One by
The Osgoode Trilogy

iUniverse (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-595-68831-4 (0595688314)
ISBN-13: 9978-0-595-68831-9 (9780595688319)
Publication Date: September 2007
List Price: $32.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Attorney Harry Jenkins is on a frantic search for shares of Elixicorp Enterprises stock, worth over thirty million dollars, for his elderly client, Norma Dinnick. The shares were originally sold to raise money for research into memory loss in seniors. Ironically, no one seems to remember just where the shares might be. Pursuing Jenkins through and London, and to the darkened, narrow calles of , is Dr. Robert Hawke, a sinister madman who claims to have the cure for Alzheimer's disease.

As their chase unravels a decades-old fraud, yet another search is underway for the mysterious Q.

Dorothy Crawford, widow of Jenkins' law partner Richard Crawford, believes Q, a jealous lover or angry husband, has murdered her husband.

Review: Mary E. Martin brings her Osgoode trilogy to a close with A Trial of One, an international thriller that provides closure to the many storylines introduced in this series.

It isn't strictly necessary to read the previous volumes in this series to appreciate this one, though it may help; sufficient background information is given here so that new readers aren't completely lost as they get started. Toronto attorney Harry Jenkins is finally given the clues needed to locate the money taken years earlier in a con that went wrong. He has a new adversary, however, in Dr. Robert Hawke, a geriatric researcher who believes he has a claim on the money that would be used to further his study into Alzheimer's. When Harry realizes that Hawke will stop at nothing to obtain the funds, he knows he must move the money from one hidden location to another to protect not only his client, but also to save his life.

A Trial of One may be the best of the series. It is exceptionally well written; Martin has a flair for dialog and settings, and her narrative keeps the plot moving forward. The title, often referred to by Hawke in a menacing manner, is more appropriately applied to Harry himself. In both personal and professional ways, he's conflicted. His actions and decisions dictate which direction his life will take. He is, in effect, on trial, if only in his own mind. A measure of how well this character is developed is that one is never quite sure what he will do.

As with the previous book, the basic question of "why now" remains unresolved at the end of this series. Harry's client, Norma Dinnick, obviously knew where the money was and how to retrieve it. Why did she wait all these years to instruct Harry to get it? Was she trying to outlive anyone who might lay claim to it? Was she afraid if she did get it, she wouldn't live to enjoy it? The answers to these questions aren't critical to enjoying the book, but they might have helped explain some of the motivation behind the search.

In an , she mentions she is considering another trilogy with Harry Jenkins. It would be most appropriate: this intriguing character deserves another case.

Special thanks to Mary E. Martin for providing an ARC of A Trial of One for this review.

Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

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