Thursday, March 20, 2008

Games of Mystery: Host Your Own Murder Mystery Party

Games of Mystery

, your online source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, has updated its website to include a page of games.

Put murder on the menu and host a dinner party with a difference! Host Your Own Murder Mystery Evening games come complete with invitations, menu suggestions, tips on home decoration, character guides and an audio CD. Terrific fun, these games provide great opportunities for you and your guests to dress-up, get into character, and really 'ham-it-up' as you try to figure out whodunit!

Developed by Cheatwell Games, there are five titles available in this series: The Curse of the MummyDead on Time, Death in the Ring, The Porthole Affair, The Shotgun Affair. All are designed for groups of 6 to 8 players.

Also available on the Games of Mystery website is a list of mystery parties available from Host-Party.com. Games are sorted by age group, , , and , and are frequently updated with new mystery party ideas.

Visit  for all types of mysterious fun!

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Compendium of Mystery News 080319

A compendium of recently published mystery news articles:

USA Today has 5 questions for mystery author .

• The Writing Show is hosting its third annual First Chapter of a Novel Contest with a top prize of $1000. There is an entry fee of $25 (if submitted prior to May 20, 2008). See the press release for more details including the contest website.

• The Lambda Literary Foundation has announced its finalists for the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards. Winners will be announced on May 29, 2008. Categories include Women's Mystery and Men's Mystery.

• The Daily Yomiuri is reporting that mystery writer Jiro Akagawa has published his 500th novel titled The Ball at Castle Dracula. The author disagrees, stating that Calico Cat Holmes' Tea Party is the 500th. Regardless, that's a lot of mysteries! He first started writing in 1977 and turns out 10-20 books a year.

Publishers Weekly talks to Ben LeRoy, publisher of Bleak House, who has established a niche in the marketplace by focusing on noir fiction and hard-boiled mysteries.

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Mystery Book Review: Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Friend of the Devil by Peter RobinsonBuy from Amazon.com

Friend of the Devil by
An Inspector Alan Banks Mystery

William Morrow (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-054437-6 (0060544376)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-054437-9 (9780060544379)
Publication Date: March 2008
List Price: $24.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): One morning in March, on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, a woman named Karen Drew is found in her wheelchair with her throat slit. Back in Eastvale on that same morning, in a tangle of narrow alleys behind a market square, the body of Hayley Daniels is found raped and strangled.

Two murders ... two towns ...

On loan to a sister precinct, Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot draws the first case. Karen Drew seems to have lived a quiet and nearly invisible life for the past seven years. Try as she might, Annie turns up nothing in the woman's past that might have prompted someone to wheel her out to the sea and to her death.

Meanwhile, in the Hayley Daniels murder, Chief Inspector Alan Banks has suspects galore. Everywhere she went, the nineteen-year-old student attracted attention. Anyone could have followed her on the night she was out drinking with friends, making sure she never made it back home.

Then a breakthrough spins Annie's case in a shocking and surprising new direction, straight toward Banks. Coincidence? Not in Eastvale. Banks and Annie are searching for two killers who might strike again at any moment and with bloody fury.

Review: Chief Inspector Alan Banks investigates one murder while his colleague Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot is assigned to a second in Friend of the Devil, the 17th mystery in this long running series by Peter Robinson.

Alan's case is the rape and murder of a young woman in a building located in The Maze, a labyrinth of alleys dating back to the 18th century. Found by the building's owner, she had been out drinking with friends the previous night before wandering off alone. Annie's case is the gruesome murder of a quadriplegic, a woman confined to a wheelchair, who is found on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea, her throat slit. The cases have nothing in common, but when a policeman is killed in The Maze, his throat slit in a manner eerily similar to the murder Annie is investigating, they begin to wonder if there might be a connection. And if so, what could possibly link these crimes together.

Friend of the Devil alternates point of view between Alan and Annie, with each getting about equal time. This allows the reader to appreciate the different approaches these detectives take in their respective investigations as well as get a sense of how they act in both their personal and professional lives. The depth of character development here is quite remarkable, and their infrequent scenes together have a subtle intensity.

Of the two murder investigations, Annie has by far the more interesting of the two possibly because, from a plot perspective, it is more complex and involved. While Alan is pounding the payment as it were, Annie is piecing together a puzzle that ultimately spans many years and involves an unsolved murder that took place in the vicinity of where her victim was found. It's all very intriguing and absorbing up until the very end when Alan comes riding like a knight on a white horse to Annie's rescue as she confronts the killer. This concluding cliché aside, Friend of the Devil is an exceptional mystery.

Special thanks to HarperCollins for providing a copy of Friend of the Devil for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — 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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Monday, March 17, 2008

Mysteries on TV: The Untouchables and The Wild Wild West

Mysteries on TV

, your source for the most complete selection of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series now available or coming soon to DVD, has two series that have season DVDs being released this week.

Eliot Ness and his special agents of an elite crime squad in the 1930s during Prohibition were . Starring Robert Stack, the series aired on ABC for 4 seasons from 1959 through 1963. Despite being the target of various groups that decried its violence, it often ranked in the top 10 during its second season. Rumors also abounded that Desi Arnaz, the executive producer, was the target of hit men who didn't like the series attention on the Mafia.

The second season episodes have been split into two DVD sets. The Untouchables Season 2 Volume 1 DVD set of 4 discs contains the first 15 episodes of the second season that aired from mid-October 1960 through early February 1961.

Robert Conrad and Ross Martin were secret service agents James T. West and Artemus Gordon on . Airing on CBS from September 1965 through April 1969, the series was a bit of James Bond (with all his high-tech gadgets) set during the post-Civil War years in the US. A bit science fiction, western, and mystery, it appealed to a wide audience of viewers.

Both Robert Conrad and Ross Martin performed their own stunts. While filming an episode late in the third season, Conrad fell from a balcony and suffered a concussion. The episode (The Night of the Fugitives) eventually aired during the fourth season with footage of the fall left in. Ross Martin broke his leg during filming of a fourth season episode. Several weeks later he suffered a mild heart attack and was replaced for 4 episodes by Charles Aidman who played Jeremy Pike, also a master of disguise.

The Wild Wild West Season 4 DVD set of 6 discs contains all 23 episodes (including one 2-part episode) of the fourth and final season that aired from September 1968 through April 1969.

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

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Mystery Book Review: Twisted by Andrea Kane

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

Twisted by Andrea KaneBuy from Amazon.com

Twisted by
A Sloane Burbank Mystery

William Morrow (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-123678-0 (0061236780)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-123678-5 (9780061236785)
Publication Date: April 2008
List Price: $23.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Women are disappearing ...

When Sloane Burbank, former FBI special agent, discovers that her closest childhood friend is among the missing, she launches into action, vowing to kick-start the stalled investigation. But she's no longer FBI and her involvement is unwanted, particularly by the agent in charge - her ex-love Derek Parker.

Derek has a hot new case on his hands, a string of murders in Chinatown that's threatening to erupt into gang warfare, and the missing person case is shoved to the back burner. Not even Sloane's out-of-the-blue appearance or the combustible unresolved feelings between them can change that - at least not at first. But soon it becomes terrifyingly clear that the disappearing women are part of a twisted, heinous crime spree that can't be ignored, especially when Sloane is revealed to be the missing piece of the perpetrator's puzzle - and the ultimate target.

Review: Andrea Kane introduces ex-FBI agent Sloane Burbank in Twisted, an aptly titled twist-filled thriller that tracks a serial killer in Manhattan.

Sloane Burbank works as a law enforcement consultant after a stint with the Manhattan District Attorney's office and several years with the FBI. She left the bureau after receiving a stab wound that resulted in the temporary loss of use of her right hand. While on a consulting assignment, she's contacted by the parents of a childhood friend who vanished a year ago. Although the FBI is still officially working on the case, there aren't many clues and little progress has been made. The lead investigator is Special Agent Derrick Parker who just happens to be Sloane's ex-partner and ex-lover. After Sloane insists that Derrick take a closer look at the disappearance of her friend, they discover a pattern emerging. Several other young, healthy, athletic, and educated women have also vanished. Sloane herself just happens to fit the profile of the missing women and is a potential target of an intelligent serial abductor.

Twisted is in many ways a sublime thriller. Sloane and Derrick's investigation veers off in unexpected directions that take the reader on a riveting journey. That the abductor is not known until the very end is a measure of how smartly written this book is. There's also the simmering personal and professional relationship between Sloane and Derrick that enhances the suspense created by the plot. Though positioned as a romantic thriller, there is far more thrill than romance in Twisted and the book should appeal to a wide range of readers who enjoy a truly superb mystery.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of for contributing her review of Twisted and to Book Trends for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — 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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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for March 17, 2008

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for March 17, 2008A 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 C D E I L N O Y. This short story by was published in A Hot and Sultry Night for Crime (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, March 16, 2008

First Clues: Three More Mystery Series for Kids

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids

We've updated our website by adding three more mystery series.

Fourth grade investigative reporter Lindy Blues is featured in two early chapter mysteries by Dorian Cirrone. The first, The Missing Silver Dollar, was published early in 2006 with the second, The Big Scoop, published later in the year. It isn't known if additional books will be added in the future.

The author's website (www.doriancirrone.com) has excerpts from both books available as well as teacher's guides with discussion questions and school projects based on the stories. She's also adapted The Missing Silver Dollar into a theater script that can be acted out by students.

The are appropriate for readers aged 7 to 10.

Samantha "Sam" is a mystery-solving sheepdog in the by Mary Labatt. In the first book of the series, The Ghost of Captain Briggs, Sam moves to a new town and is introduced to 10-year-old Jennie Levinsky, a neighbor who's hired to walk her. But Jennie discovers she can "hear" what Sam is thinking, and what Sam is usually thinking is how to find fame and fortune as a world-famous detective. Jennie's best friend Beth joins them on their adventures.

There are currently 8 books in this series which are appropriate for young sleuths aged 7 to 10.

by George E. Stanley feature third graders Noelle and Todd who investigate mysteries in school and around the town. In their first case, The Clue of the Left-Handed Envelope, Amber Lee Johnson is sent an anonymous secret admirer letter. But from whom? Their teacher, Mr. Merlin, an ex-spy, helps them by providing clues that the youngsters must solve in order to identify the sender.

There are 10 books in this early chapter mystery series that are appropriate for readers aged 6 to 8. The author, George E. Stanley, a professor of English at Cameron University, is also the author of several other series for children and young adults.

is pleased to provide information on over 80 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

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Saturday, March 15, 2008

Pre-Order Discounted Mysteries: Featured Titles for 03/18/2008

Pre-Order Discounted Mysteries

Amazon.com recently began offering an additional 5% discount on selected titles if ordered before the publication date. We've collected the most popular mysteries that are included in this program and listed them on a new site, .

Each week we'll feature here those titles that are scheduled for publication during the coming week to alert you that the pre-order discount from Amazon.com for these titles will end after the books are published. On the , we have eligible titles scheduled to be published over the next 6 weeks that you may pre-order.

This week's featured pre-order discounted mysteries:

The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross. Andrew Gross is the co-author of several books with . This is his second novel. Scheduled publication date: 03/18/2008.

Goodbye Sister Disco by James Patrick Hunt. The 2nd mystery for homicide detective George Hastings. Scheduled publication date: 03/18/2008.

Hidden in Havana by Jose Latour. The author's 6th novel. Scheduled publication date: 03/18/2008.

Dead Heat by Joel C. Rosenberg. The 6th thriller featuring White House advisers Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy. Scheduled publication date: 03/18/2008.

Black Widow by Randy Wayne White. The 15th mystery with ex-CIA agent and marine biologist Doc Ford. Scheduled publication date: 03/18/2008.

To qualify for the additional 5% discount at checkout, you must order these books prior to their date of publication. See the terms and conditions for the 5% discount program on the Amazon.com site or at .

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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Mystery Book Review: Bangkok Laws by Jim Michael Hansen

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Bangkok Laws by Jim Michael Hansen. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Bangkok Laws by Jim Michael HansenBuy from Amazon.com

Bangkok Laws by
A Bryson Coventry Mystery

Dark Sky (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9769243-1-5 (0976924315)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9769243-1-9 (9780976924319)
Publication Date: March 2008
List Price: $13.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): As homicide detective Bryson Coventry finds himself entangled in the collateral damage of a killer who uses the entire world as his playground, newly licensed attorney Paige Alexander lands her very first case--a case that cold possibly destroy the most powerful law firm in the world; a case involving a deadly, high-stakes international conspiracy of terrible proportions; a case that started in Bangkok but will not end there.

Review: Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry investigates a number of seemingly unconnected crimes in Bangkok Laws, the fifth mystery in this series by Jim Michael Hansen.

The first crime, a murder, seems fairly routine, a man repeatedly stabbed in the back. Obviously a crime of passion, yet there are no suspects. Then a woman is killed, her neck broken, and left outside a home she was preparing to clean. Inexplicably, her roommate has disappeared. Then another woman, the daughter of a prominent television personality, vanishes. Though nothing connects any of these crimes together, Bryson begins to suspect that his new lady friend, Ja'Von Deveraux, is somehow involved. She has hired a recently licensed and inexperienced lawyer to sue the largest and most prestigious law firm in Denver, a legal mismatch if ever there was one. And then a common thread emerges: Bangkok.

Bangkok Laws alternates between three points of view: Bryson Coventry and his investigative team, Ja'Von and her lawyer Paige Alexander, and a contract killer named Dylan Joop. Since there are no obvious connections between them, it could be confusing to the reader exactly what's going on and why. Furthermore, the pace of the plot is relentless with never much time spent on one point of view before moving on to the next. Yet the author handles it all brilliantly with an amazingly deft touch. Improbable coincidences in another context seem perfectly reasonable here ... or at least credible. A suspense novel to be sure and there is some misdirection, but most readers will no doubt figure out well before the end how the various plot threads come together. This in no way, however, lessens this thrilling adventure.

In a nod to, and with respect for, Alfred Hitchcock, the author inserts himself in a scene or two, and titles of his books seem to appear on most of the character's bookshelves or nightstands at one point or another. This, like much of the rest of Bangkok Laws, is more clever than contrived and ultimately works as pure entertainment.

Special thanks to Jim Michael Hansen for providing a copy of Bangkok Laws for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — 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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Friday, March 14, 2008

Mystery Book Review: Murder in the Rue de Paradis by Cara Black

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Murder in the Rue de Paradis by Cara Black. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Murder in the Rue de Paradis by Cara BlackBuy from Amazon.com

Murder in the Rue de Paradis by
An Aimee Leduc Mystery

Soho Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-56947-474-5 (1569474745)
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-474-7 (9781569474747)
Publication Date: March 2008
List Price: $24.00

Synopsis (from the publisher): Aimée Leduc is thrilled when her one-time lover, Yves Robert, an investigative journalist, returns from his assignment in Egypt and proposes marriage. She accepts and Yves places a Turkish betrothal ring on her finger. But after a single night of bliss, he meets a dreadful fate. The next day, Aimée is summoned by the Brigade Criminelle to identify a corpse found in a doorway in the Rue de Paradis. It is Yves. According to a witness, his killer was a woman in a chador.

Determined to avenge her lover's death, she ventures through Paris's Little Istanbul district. The trail leads to a sleeper jihadist and she becomes embroiled in Turkish-Kurdish political controversy.

Review: French private investigator Aimee Leduc looks into the murder of her fiancé of but one day in Murder in the Rue de Paradis, the seventh book in this series by Cara Black.

It's 1995, a time of turmoil around the world and especially in Paris. Terrorist attacks, Metro bombings, and assassinations, with the conflict between the Turks and Kurds taking center stage. Aimee is thrilled when a lover from her past returns safely from Turkey where he was on assignment. Yves Robert, an investigative journalist, not only wants to remain in Paris, he wants to marry Aimee. Thrilled, she agrees. But the next morning Yve's body is found in a nearby alley, his throat slashed. The police record the incident as a robbery gone wrong, but Aimee is convinced he was the victim of a political hit. Her subsequent investigation seems to support her conclusion, but she's met with resistance at every level of the police department who tell her in no uncertain terms to stop interfering.

Murder in the Rue de Paradis is a frequently bewildering mystery. The plot seems almost as convoluted as the back streets of Paris through which Aimee must navigate to pursue the truth. Contributing in no small part to the confusion is the author's frequent use of French colloquial terms. No doubt intended to lend an authentic flavor to the story, they instead tend to detract from the story. The setting itself already serves this purpose and is quite descriptive, even atmospheric.

It can be tricky constructing a credible mystery using as a backdrop the politics of the Middle East, and for the most part it works here. Still, Murder in the Rue de Paradis presents a bit more of a challenge than many readers may want to take on.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of for contributing her review of Murder in the Rue de Paradis and to Soho Press for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — 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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Mystery Bestsellers for March 14, 2008

Mystery Bestsellers

A list of the top 15 for the week ending March 14, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Little change at the top of the bestselling mysteries list this week though 's Lady Killer enters the top 4. And three new titles enter the top 15 displacing some old favorites.

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

New in the 8th position is A Prisoner of Birth, Jeffrey Archer's modern take on a classic novel of deception, hatred and vengeance, in which only one of them can finally triumph while the other will spend the rest of his days in jail. Danny Cartwright and Spencer Craig never should have met. One evening, Danny, an East End cockney who works as a garage mechanic, takes his fianceé up to the West End to celebrate their engagement. He crosses the path of Spencer Craig, a West End barrister posed to be the youngest Queen’s Counsel of his generation. A few hours later Danny is arrested for murder and later is sentenced to twenty-two years in prison, thanks to irrefutable testimony from Spencer, the prosecution's main witness. Danny spends the next few years in a high-security prison while Spencer Craig’s career as a lawyer goes straight up. All the while Danny plans to escape and wreak his revenge. Publishers Weekly calls A Prisoner of Birth "thoroughly enjoyable entertainment".

Dead Time by Stephen White

New in the 11th position is 's 16th thriller featuring Boulder psychologist Alan Gregory, Dead Time. Alan Gregory is struggling to deal with his newly adopted son and repair his shaky, though generally improving, marriage. But then Alan's ex-wife, Merideth, reappears, seeking help she feels only Alan can give. Suddenly Alan is pulled into a mystery that reaches back years to a camping trip at the Grand Canyon involving Merideth's fiancé and five friends whose lives were changed forever when a young woman mysteriously vanished from the Canyon floor. Enlisting the help of friend and detective Sam Purdy, Alan finds himself pitted against new demons and unseen enemies as he tries to uncover the connection between the unexplained disappearance at the Grand Canyon and Merideth's missing surrogate. The clock is ticking, and as Alan's and Sam's investigations take them from New York City to Los Angeles to the cavernous reaches of the Canyon itself, Alan unearths a series of secrets and deceptions that someone wishes to keep buried at all costs. Also available as a Kindle download and on CD in MP3 format.

Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman

New in the 14th position is 's 10th mystery with Baltimore private investigator Tess Monaghan, Another Thing to Fall, whose latest assignment is the only upside of a motorboat collision that capsized her little scull. On the surface, it seems like a just recompense for the impolite dunking: the new gig drops her into a filming scene replete with stars present, past, and future. All of these self-absorbed, coddled thespians seem to have major character defects, ranging from father hatred to raging hormones. And when murder rears its ugly head, Tess can't help noticing that every actor and actress in the house is playing a part. Publishers Weekly states that "fans will appreciate the author's usual authentic local color and intricate plotting." Also available as a Kindle download.

On our bestseller page, we've added an icon next to every title that is available for immediate download onto the Amazon Kindle. To learn about this wireless reading device, visit the Amazon Kindle page for more information. And don't forget to check our page where you can save an additional 5% when you purchase your mystery books prior to their publication date.

The top four mystery bestsellers this week are depicted below:

Betrayal by John LescroartLady Killer by Lisa Scottoline

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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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Mystery Book Review: Wild Inferno by Sandi Ault

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, has written a review of Wild Inferno by Sandi Ault. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Wild Inferno by Sandi AultBuy from Amazon.com

Wild Inferno by
A Jamaica Wild Mystery

Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-425-21922-4 (0425219224)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21922-5 (9780425219225)
Publication Date: February 2008
List Price: $23.95

Synopsis (from the publisher): Wildfire erupts on a patchwork of land including the Southern Ute Reservation, and BLM agent Jamaica Wild is called away from her normal duties to serve on the Incident Command Team. A cantankerous old man from the Ute tribe named Grampa Ned has reportedly snuck around barricades and entered an area to one side of the fire. Jamaica risks danger to go after him, but before she can find him, the fire crowns and torches through the area, forcing her to run for her life. As she escapes, Jamaica discovers a firefighter smoldering and wavering on the side of the road. The man, part of a hotshot crew that is trapped in the burn area, sputters a cryptic message to Jamaica before losing consciousness.

While the burned man lies comatose in a burn unit, the rest of his crew is found deep inside the black—where the fire has burned through—singed and suffering from smoke inhalation, but alive thanks to their fire shelters. The charred body of Grampa Ned is discovered nearby in the seared forest—but he has not died from the fire, but rather from a blow to the head. The FBI investigates the murder, and the agent in charge asks for Jamaica's help. The Chimney Rock Fire intensifies, threatening homes, highways, and a major power line feeding much of Southern Colorado.

Meanwhile, even as the fire threatens the high mesa on which they are encamped, a determined gathering of Puebloans, descendants of the ancient civilization that built the ruins at Chimney Rock, are doing ceremony atop the high cuesta. They refuse to evacuate because the sacred Lunar Standstill—an event that takes place every 18.6 years, when the moon rises exactly between the two spires of Chimney Rock—is about to occur. One of them is Momma Anna, Jamaica's medicine teacher from Tanoah Pueblo, who has brought Jamaica's wolf Mountain with her to Chimney Rock and into the path of danger.

Jamaica must work to ensure that the Native Americans and her beloved wolf are safe while she tries to discover what happened to both Grampa Ned and the burning man. What was Grampa Ned doing on the mountain before he was murdered—and why didn't the burning man stay with his crew? What would make them risk incineration in a wild inferno?

Review: The second mystery to feature Jamaica Wild, Wild Inferno by Sandi Ault, has the Bureau of Land Management agent traveling to Colorado to assist in battling a wildfire that has broken out on the Southern Ute Indian reservation.

Jamaica's first assignment upon arriving is to locate, and evacuate, an old Ute named Grampa Ned. Instead, she finds a badly burned firefighter whose final words before slipping into a coma are, "Save the grandmother." When Grampa Ned is later found dead, it's quickly determined that he didn't die from the fires but from a shovel to the back of the head. Now Jamaica has several puzzles on her hands: What was so important to cause Grampa Ned to rush into a firestorm, shovel in hand? Who killed him and why? And what did the downed firefighter mean when he asked her to save the grandmother?

Wild Inferno would seem to have all the elements of a terrific mystery. There's the suspenseful environment in which the story takes place (a raging and unpredictable wildfire), a murdered man (a whodunit), a mysterious plea ("save the grandmother"), and compelling characters (Jamaica herself, the Ute Indians, and in a not so minor role, Jamaica's wolf Mountain). But it is really the characters, and particularly the stories and rituals of the Utes, which make Wild Inferno a compelling novel.

With the exception of the opening and closing chapters, the wildfires aren't really a factor in the story. The whodunit aspect is also somewhat secondary; though it's mentioned that everyone hated Grampa Ned, there really aren't that many characters in the book, and most are Jamaica's colleagues, associates, or friends. With only a couple of people left, it's not too hard to figure out who killed Grampa Ned.

What's left are the characters themselves. Ault cleverly weaves a mystery plot into the tapestry that is a tale of the Ute people and their customs. At one point, in reference to a conversation with Momma Anna, a medicine woman and close friend, Jamaica says, "She spoke in riddles, gave strange instructions, and generally set me off on missions I didn't understand. As was often the case, I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, yet I sensed she expected me to act on the information she had just imparted." The story in Wild Inferno is crafted in much the same way. It's very well done and fascinating to read.

Special thanks to Blanco and Peace for providing a copy of Wild Inferno for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — 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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