Mysteries on TV: CBS Orders 6th Jesse Stone Movie

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that CBS has agreed to produce a sixth Jesse Stone made-for-television movie, this despite the fact that the fifth movie has yet to air. The Jesse Stone mystery movies are based on the character created by Robert B. Parker and star Tom Selleck as the police chief of the small coastal town of Paradise, Massachusetts.

According to THR, Jesse Stone: No Remorse will find Jesse Stone having been suspended by the Paradise town council and working for the state investigating a series of murders in Boston. Selleck co-wrote the script which doesn't appear to be based on any of the current Jesse Stone books. Production has already begun in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The real mystery here is why CBS hasn't aired Jesse Stone: Thin Ice yet. About a year ago, Parker on his blog indicated the movie would air in February, 2008. Various reports thoughout 2008 suggested the movie would air "sometime this year". IMDB now lists the date as simply 2009. We'll let you know the exact date as soon as we do. Still, we're delighted to know that CBS has such confidence in the series to order a sixth episode.

The first four movies (Stone Cold, Night Passage, Death in Paradise, and Sea Change) are all available on DVD from Mysteries on TV: Jesse Stone and are highly recommended by all of us here at Mystery Books News.

Please visit 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.

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Mysteries on DVD Review: A Thief of Time

We're still in the process of setting up a new website with reviews of mystery TV shows and movies which may (or may not) have a separate blog. In the meantime, we'll continue to post our television and film reviews here on Mystery Books News and advise you of when the new site is up.

Film: A Thief of Time. Original release date: 07/11/2004 (a PBS Mystery! made-for-television movie); DVD release date: 11/15/2005.

Joe Leaphorn (Wes Studi), Jim Chee (Adam Beach), Emma Leaphorn (Sheila Tousey), Slick Nakai (Graham Greene), Harrison Houk (Peter Fonda). Directed by Chris Eyre. Screenplay adapted from the novel A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman.

In news items reporting the death of mystery author Tony Hillerman, it was noted that three of his books had been adapted into movies: The Dark Wind, Skinwalkers, Coyote Waits, and A Thief of Time. The latter three were made-for-television movies that aired on PBS Mystery! in 2002, 2003, and 2004. I remember seeing the second, and my recollection is I was impressed, but I hadn't seen the first or third. I checked the Netflix catalog, saw A Thief of Time was available, and ordered it to be sent.

Hillerman's mysteries feature two Navajo tribal police officers, the older Joe Leaphorn and the younger Jim Chee. Somewhat paradoxically, Leaphorn takes a more modern approach to the beliefs of his culture; Chee tends to take a more traditional view. Initially the characters appeared separately in Hillerman's books. A Thief of Time was only the second book in which they appeared together.

One of three field scientists who are studying the Anasazi culture has failed to return from an extended trip away from their camp. The other two scientists seem unconcerned, but Joe Leaphorn is worried. The missing scientist is thought to be dealing illegally obtained pottery on the black market. Meanwhile, Jim Chee is looking for a missing backhoe. The two cases intersect when the backhoe is found at the scene of two murders, men who were clearly digging for ancient pottery, artifacts highly prized by collectors.

Leaphorn's investigation takes him to a known fence of pottery and subsequently to two wealthy collectors, one of whom was likely the last person to see the missing woman. Chee's battling his own demons, urged by his girlfriend to accept a position in Washington with the Bureau of Indian Affairs but unwilling to leave his home in the Southwest. Leaphorn figures out what must have happened to the scientist but, trapped in forbidden territory, is unable to do anything about it.

The PBS Mystery! movies were executive produced by Robert Redford and display his trademark touch of a well told, leisurely paced story in a beautifully photographed setting. Wes Studi is excellent as the dedicated Joe Leaphorn; Adam Beach has a sort of charming innocence as Jim Chee. The other characters are less memorable. The panoramic vistas are stunning and add immeasurably to the story which, admittedly, is rather slow in places. When the focus is on the investigation, whether it be Joe Leaphorn's or Jim Chee's, there's something to keep the viewer's attention. When the focus drifts away, it's easy to be distracted. I realize that well-rounded movies have well-rounded characters, but here the personal scenes lack depth and interest and seem to exist as filler more than anything else. This is particularly true for Jim Chee whose relationship with his girlfriend is never credible.

Seeing A Thief of Time will prompt me to order the first one originally aired, Skinwalkers, before year's end. The movies (at least the two I've now seen) are well made, easy on the eye, have intricate plots that capture the viewer's imagination, and present appealing characters that make you want to see more.

The DVD of A Thief of Time is available to purchase from Mysteries on DVD, your source for movies that have been adapted from mystery books.

Reviewed on 11/03/2008 by Mr. E., television and movie critic for Mystery Books News.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved.

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Mystery Book Review: The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb
A Bear Collector's Mystery with Brad and Ashleigh Lyon

Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-425-22429-5 (0425224295)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22429-8 (9780425224298)
Publication Date: October 2008
List Price: $6.99

Review: Brad and Ashleigh Lyon return to their former hometown of San Francisco to exhibit their hand-crafted teddy bears (and investigate a murder or two) in The Clockwork Teddy, the fourth mystery in this series by John J. Lamb.

Brad was once a San Francisco cop who was forced into retirement after being shot in the leg. He and his wife Ashleigh moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, together collecting and creating whimsical teddy bears. They return to the city by the bay to attend the Teddy Bear Flag Republic, but also to visit their daughter, Heather, who has followed in her father's footsteps and is a detective with the SFPD, and Brad's old partner on the force, Gregg Mauel. But murder intrudes when Gregg is called to the scene of a murder, accompanied by Brad. A dead body is in the room of a seedy motel and found in the alley, a 2 foot teddy bear robot. Brad helps steer the direction of the investigation to a local firm, Barbeary Coast Bears. The owner's son is a designer of computer games for Lycaon Software and for fun, had combined his expertise of gaming with his father's knowledge of teddy bears resulting in the robot. But there's commercial interest in the robot with one firm having paid $400,000 for the prototype. When a man from Lycaon is shot, and the cash stolen, Gregg and Brad are determined to solve the crimes ... and is it possible the teddy bear robot may be able help?

Books about teddy bears may bring to mind cute, early chapter readers, but The Clockwork Teddy is a strong mystery albeit written with a light touch. The bear names, for example, are fun and truly ingenious. But the best aspects of the story are the well-developed characters and the carefully plotted mystery that cleverly incorporates the theme of the series. Brad and Ashleigh are a delightful investigative team who play off each other's strengths very well. The plot twists are not overly complicated and consistent within the context of the story with readers likely to be kept guessing at the outcome right until the final pages. The Clockwork Teddy is really an exceptional mystery and highly recommended.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Clockwork Teddy and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing The Clockwork Teddy from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Sometimes you shouldn’t go home again. Brad and Ash have returned to San Francisco for the first time since moving to the Shenandoah Valley and their visit has suddenly turned ugly. While attending a teddy bear show, they witness a robbery and then have a menacing encounter with an ex-SFPD cop with an ax to grind against Brad. That night, a man is murdered at a seedy motel and Brad’s former partner doesn’t quite know what to make of the unique teddy bear left at the scene. Although they’re on vacation, Brad and Ash offer to share their fur-ensic expertise…especially since it will give them the opportunity to work with their daughter, Heather Lyon, an undercover detective on the force.

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

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First Clues Review: Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Sammy Keyes Series

Random House (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-440-41910-7 (0440419107)
ISBN-13: 978-0-440-41910-5 (9780440419105)
Publication Date: April 2006
List Price: $5.99

Review written by Tiffany, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: Have you ever read a dull book? Too boring to comprehend? Well if you want some change and spice in your book selection, Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen is the book for you! Sammy's back and she's got attitude! Sammy and Holly don't mess around when they find a dead cat in a dumpster! They decide to get to the bottom of this mystery and go digging around for clues. Read along as Sammy and her friends find the sick minded person who did this!

Wendelin Van Draanen manages to pull you into the story as you read this book. In the following excerpt you can see how well Van Draanen captures the moment of fear and excitement: "But then a very scary thing happened. The guard started walking our way. And just as we're starting to panic, thinking maybe he's spotted us, something bumps inside the van." See that moment of excitement and fear? When you read this book you feel as though you're there, going through all the emotions Sammy does. I would suggest this book to older and more mature children (ages 10-14) due to mild language and violence.

All in all, this was a fabulous book and once I told my friends about it they just couldn't stop reading! It has a sense that all children can relate to; being trapped, not knowing what to do, falling behind, living through middle school, and of course dealing with your arch enemy. I would suggest this book any day.

If you are interested in purchasing Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on nearly 100 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.

All student book reviews are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Reviews are published here with permission of the copyright owner.

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Mysteries on TV, New This Week: JAG

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, is profiling one series that has a season DVD being released this week.

JAG (an acronym for Judge Advocate General) is an elite legal branch of military officers trained as lawyers who investigate, prosecute and defend those accused of crimes in the military, including murder, treason and terrorism. Navy Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb (played by David James Elliott), an ace pilot turned lawyer, and Marine Lt. Col. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Catherine Bell), a strictly by-the-book officer, are colleagues, both with similar high standards, that often find themselves clashing with one another as they take different routes to solve cases..

The JAG Season 7 DVD set of 5 discs contains all 23 episodes that originally aired on CBS from September 2001 through May 2002. JAG eventually ran for 10 seasons, ending in April 2005.

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

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Ann Littlewood Brings Mystery to the Zoo

An article in The Sacramento Bee profiling Ann Littlewood caught our eye this morning. Littlewood is the author of Night Kill, her first mystery, which we recently reviewed (Mysterious Reviews: Night Kill by Ann Littlewood).

Night Kill introduces zookeeper Iris Oakley who investigates the mysterious death of her husband at the zoo where they both worked. Littlewood, 62, is a retired zookeeper herself. "I missed the zoo," she says. "It takes a year or more to write a novel and your head is in that place. ... It was very wonderful to go back in my mind and be at a zoo. And I got to make up my zoo and put the animals I like in it."

She notes that one's first full-length novel is quite the juggling act with so much to learn – character, plot, themes, setting. When asked what the biggest mistake a new writer makes, Littlewood replies, "Not focusing on moving the plot forward." She says it took about five years to get her book published. Night Kill is published by Poisoned Pen Press which says it receives about 400 submissions a year and accepts 5 or 6 new authors annually.

The full text of this interesting article is available at SacBee.com.

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for November 03, 2008

A new Mystery Godoku Puzzle 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 E I J L P R S Z

She is the author of the Underdead mystery series featuring science teacher Jo Gartner (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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Mystery Book Review: The Last Enemy by Grace Brophy

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Last Enemy by Grace Brophy. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The Last Enemy by Grace Brophy
An Alessandro Cenni Mystery

Soho Crime (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-56947-496-6 (1569474966)
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-496-9 (9781569474969)
Publication Date: May 2008
List Price: $13.00

Review: In her “Author’s Note” to The Last Enemy Grace Brophy quotes Dorothy Sayers as claiming that mystery writers “are obliged by their disagreeable profession to invent startling and unpleasant incidents and people.” Brophy’s book, its characters and story amply prove Sayer’s point but to be fair Brophy has created as many pleasant and engaging characters as unpleasant ones. So many, in fact, that readers will be clamouring to learn more about them and their adventures in future volumes of the Commissario Alessandro Cenni series set in Italy.

Commissario Cenni – “Alex” to his friends and team members– has all the characteristics for detective stardom. An avid footballer, he thinks for himself, has a pet and a domineering mother. He operates as a maverick with the smarts to confound political interference from his immediate superior, even to push the envelope with political masterminds in Rome. His wife Chiara was kidnapped and has never been found. And his twin brother, Renato, is being anointed in the hierarchy of the church even as Alex and his team of Elena Ottaviani, Piero Tonni, and Sergeant Genine Antolini investigate the death of forty-five year-old American Rita Minelli, an apparent rape-murder victim found strangled on Easter weekend in the crypt of her Italian aristocratic family relatives. Her early pregnancy provides additional shock for the crime as well as increasing the pool of potential suspects and motives. And as Cenni and his crew sort the sand from the salt in their painstaking investigations, the unpleasant people and even the unpleasant sides of the pleasing ones are exposed. A much younger male Canadian companion of Rita’s is jailed for suspicion on the weakest of grounds while members of the Casati family with their trappings of nobility run free. A priest proves he’s only too human in succumbing to sins of the flesh. A Croatian woman, a staniera, is a top of the list suspect but an attractive distraction for the Commissario, even though a rival colleague of his, Fulvio Russo, the womanizing “il lupo to his friends, of whom he had none,” insists she should be arrested as the obvious murderer. Then too, there are Lucia, a Casati maid, gossip and liar; the Count and Countess Casati; their ambitious daughter Artemesia; and Paola her niece with connections to a bomb plot at a McDonald’s, with each bringing the secrets of their baggage for Cenni, Elena, Piro and Genine to assiduously pick through. In the end their sorting is successful and the readers get to know who the guilty party is. But they also learn that not every murderer gets to be appropriately punished and that Italian Commissarios, no matter how well-intentioned, may have to wait for another day and for the next book in the series to see justice properly served.

Brophy’s talent is not only for teasing out mysteries but for exploring human behaviour as well. Her characters are not only rounded but fully rounded. They can exude faults and foibles but some can be charming, gracious and likeable too. And whether it is the story or the development of the characters that Brophy deals with, she writes with an elegance and richness of language and depth of thought. Readers will be hard pressed to find a more powerful passage in current literature than the description of the war crimes transcript for the murder of Sergio Orlic and the rapes of his wife, Sophie, and their daughter, Christina that Commissario Cenni uncovers in his investigation of Rita Minelli’s death. Brophy’s book has major literary merit and deserves a major audience for her ingenious invention of the delightfully “startling and unpleasant incidents and people” in her book.

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of The Last Enemy and to Soho Press for providing a trade paperback edition of the book for the review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing The Last Enemy from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): Rita grew up in Brooklyn, the only child of a narcissistic Italian mother and the GI she married at the end of World War II. After her mother's death, she quits her teaching job and descends upon her poor but aristocratic relatives, the Count and Countess Casati, in Assisi. It takes a while before they realize, to their chagrin, that Rita has come to stay. When the family assembles to watch the penitentes procession in the town square during Easter Week, a Casati tradition, Rita does not join them as planned. Her corpse is later found in the family mausoleum.

Alessandro Cenni, a commissario in the State Police of Umbria, and a handsome bachelor whose twin brother is about to become a bishop, must penetrate the secrets of the Casati family and their circle if he is to discover who killed Rita and why. But he is blocked by their powerful right-wing connections, and by a superior who prefers to arrest a scapegoat rather than risk political suicide. Aided by a loyal staff in his quest for that rarity-justice-he still must acknowledge that no one can defeat the last enemy, death itself.

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

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Mystery Book Review: George Washington Stepped Here by K. D. Hays

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of George Washington Stepped Here by K. D. Hays. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

George Washington Stepped Here by K. D. Hays
A Karen Maxwell Mystery

Heartsong (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-59789-594-6 (1597895946)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59789-594-1 (9781597895941)
Publication Date: June 2008
List Price: $4.97

Review: K. D. Hays introduces novice private investigator Karen Maxwell in George Washington Stepped Here, the first of three in a series and originally released as a book in the Heartsong Present Mysteries book club but now available for purchase separately.

Karen works for her brother Dave, a private investigator with his own agency but a little overworked after his partner retires. An office administrator, she's hoping to step up her career by taking on more of the investigative duties. Dave surprises her when he assigns Karen to a case of a missing Revolutionary War artifact, a piece of leather that purportedly was written on by George Washington. The house, now a museum staffed with volunteers in period costumes, where it was on display needs it to prove that the residence has historical significance; without it, it's merely an old house. Some of the volunteers think the piece of leather cannot possibly be attributed to Washington, and its existence diminishes the house's historical value, not enhances it. Others, including their client, believe otherwise. Karen goes undercover at the house to do a bit of snooping, but then another theft occurs and she realizes that "the dedicated volunteers all wanted to share the site's history with the public; they just disagreed about the best way to accomplish this goal." For at least one of them, the end doesn't justify the means.

Readers looking for a clean, wholesome, non-violent, non-murder mystery will find all that and more in George Washington Stepped Here. Karen is a comfortably familiar heroine combining the joys and challenges of being a mother to two children with the joys and challenges of being a newly minted private investigator. The story, however, has a paint-by-numbers feel to it, as if it was crafted by carefully, closely, and unerringly following some "How to Write a Mystery" outline of dos and don'ts. To be sure, it's competently written with clear prose and dialog and a picture postcard setting, but it's all a little perfect. Too perfect. It's missing a spark, an edge, something to differentiate it from all the other amateur sleuth series and capture the reader's imagination. Even most of the supporting characters have a cardboard feel to them. This isn't to say George Washington Stepped Here isn't a good or even eminently readable mystery; it simply isn't a memorable one.

Special thanks to K. D. Hays for providing a copy of George Washington Stepped Here for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing George Washington Stepped Here from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): For years after her divorce, Karen Maxwell handled administrative paperwork for her brother’s private investigation agency while he ran around town doing the “fun” part—the investigation. When his partner retires, he finally offers her a chance to take a case of her own. She soon finds out why.

The assignment involves the theft of the local historical society’s most treasured artifact, and her brother figures everyone involved is a little crazy. While Karen poses as a volunteer at the site to catch the thief, she meets a host of dedicated historical re-enactors, one of whom happens to be tall, handsome and unmarried. Unfortunately, he is also a prime suspect.

And not only does she have to spend her Saturdays running around in funny clothes, she has to somehow get her kids to go along with it, too.

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

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Mystery Book Review: Death in Daytime by Eileen Davidson

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Death in Daytime by Eileen Davidson. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

Death in Daytime by Eileen Davidson
A Soap Opera Mystery with Alexis Peterson

Signet (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-451-22564-3 (0451225643)
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-22564-1 (9780451225641)
Publication Date: October 2008
List Price: $7.99

Review: Eileen Davidson, herself a star of daytime drama (most recently playing the role of Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless), sets her debut mystery in the world she knows best, introducing soap opera actress and amateur sleuth Alexis Peterson in Death in Daytime.

Alexis has been a regular member of the cast of The Yearning Tide for over 20 years. To add new life to the show, the producers hire a seasoned head writer, one Marcy Blanchard. Alexis immediately fears she may be written out of the updated soap opera plot. Marcy certainly seems to be trying to put Alexis in a bad light in the eyes of the producers, sending her the wrong script for the day's filming, or not sending one at all. When Alexis, in a fit of anger, faces off with Marcy, it's heard by everyone on the set. A day or so later, Alexis goes to Marcy’s office to try to apologize and maybe clear the air, but instead finds Marcy dead. She had been bludgeoned with her Emmy and shoved under her desk. The authorities put Alexis at the head of their list as prime suspect because when they were questioned, most of the cast told the police about the altercation between Alexis and Marcy. They, too, did not doubt Alexis’ guilt. Alexis decides to take on a little amateur detective work of her own to prove her innocence. Who would want to kill Marcy, and why? Against the wishes of her mother and the advice of her lover, she begins to go in search of a killer. She questions other cast members who she knows, or at least has heard, to have been at odds with Marcy, only to have them say that, although they are glad Marcy is dead, they did not kill her. And they resent Alexis for trying to cast doubt on their own innocence. But she learns of greed among the writers, unrest among the actors, even discontent with the make-up artists. Poor Marcy, it seems, was hated by everyone. Now Marcy's killer is on a mission to murder Alexis and to make it look like suicide, giving the police the ultimate performance of a guilty person.

Death in Daytime is a breezy read and, in the context of a typical soap opera, seems at times to be all too believable. The author clearly knows her milieu and brings her characters and setting to life. There are a lot of natural suspects together with a good amount of misdirection, the result being a credible whodunit. Other elements that add to the fun are the activities of what happens behind-the-scenes of a soap opera and the interpersonal relationships Alexis has with her mother, friends, and co-workers.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Death in Daytime and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

If you are interested in purchasing Death in Daytime from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): She’s bold. She’s beautiful. And she’s about to go to jail for murder ...

Soap opera actress Alexis Peterson has starred in the nation’s top soap opera for almost 20 years. But her career takes a nose-dive when Marcy Blanchard is hired as the head writer. Little did Alexis realize that Marcy’s been holding a grudge all these years—and is ready to take her revenge.

So when Marcy turns up dead, bludgeoned to death with her Emmy, no one is surprised that Alexis is the prime suspect. No one except Alexis, that is, who knows she has to take matters into her own hands if she wants to avoid being arrested for a crime she didn’t commit—and becoming the real killer’s next victim ...

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

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Games of Mystery: Between the Worlds, New at PlayFirst Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, has updated its website to include a new game of mystery released this past week, available to download and play from PlayFirst Games.

A quiet American city has been struck by an inexplicable crime wave in Between the Worlds. As a seasoned detective, you are the city's last hope. Gather clues as you seek objects hidden amidst unexplored crime scenes, and decipher puzzles that lead ever closer to the criminal mastermind. The city is counting on you to scour each clue-filled alley and cave, and decode the mysteries within. The game includes 12 challenging mini-games, 18 unique crime scenes, and an original story complete with time travel.

Available to purchase for as low as $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for a 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 60.4 MB).

Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include both Mystery PI games, Mystery P.I.: The Vegas Heist and Mystery P.I.: The Lottery Ticket, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet, and Private Eye.

Visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!

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First Clues Review: Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is delighted to introduce a new feature for our website, book reviews written by students. These students offer their unique perspective on the book in their review and provide a valuable resource to parents looking for new mystery adventures for their kids to read.

Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz
The Alex Rider Series

Penguin Young Adult (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-240612-0 (0142406120)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-240612-0 (9780142406120)
Publication Date: February 2006
List Price: $7.99

Review written by John, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: October 2008.

Review: This is a review of Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz. Point Blank is the second in the Alex Rider series.

Alex Rider first appeared in the novel and movie Stormbreaker. Alex’s parents died when he was young and his uncle Ian died when he was 14. Ian was a spy for M16, British intelligence. Alex did not learn of this until after Ian’s death. Alex, with a little training, became the world’s first teenage spy and went on a mission to save the world. Point Blank begins weeks later, when he returns to school. Alex has a drug dealer at his school. In an attempt to bust the dealer, Alex ends up back in the hands of M16. He is then sent to investigate a strange finishing school. He goes in under the name of Alex Friend, son of a millionaire. He soon realizes that it is no ordinary finishing school. Not only is it located on top of a mountain peak, but only the rich and famous’ kids can enter. Another strange thing is that all of the students are 14 years old. Then, strangest of all, the schoolmaster, Dr. Grief (great name isn’t it?) with the assistance of the assistant school leader, Mrs. Stellenbosch (doesn’t she have the best name ever too?) cloned Grief several times. At the time of the book, all those clones were 14 years old. A few weeks after the arrival of a student, an evil, 14 year old clone is genetically altered to look exactly like the student. This identical Grief clone takes their place. The originals are then locked up in the basement. By the time Alex figures this out, he is the only person in the building that is not Dr. Grief, a Dr. Grief clone or one of the other school staff. Soon Alex’s real identity is discovered and he is locked up. The rest, you’ll have to find out for yourself.

The book has fast action and some realistic parts. These include his escape and what happens while he learns to imitate a criminal kid who happens to be the son of a millionaire. Against those, however there is a wealth of bad parts. One is the somewhat obvious solution. The other is that there are several unrealistic parts. This includes the part where Dr. Grief plans to have Alex dissected, live, with no pain depressors (classic part of the evil villains plan, he has the good guy at a point where he could just shoot him, but, he locks him up and waits assuming everything goes fine and the good guy dies, it never works). Also, the whole cloning thing is really fake. I don’t like that apparently Dr. Grief had cloned himself 6 years before the first publicly announced cloning (Dolly the sheep). In addition, there is a scene where Alex fights Mrs. Stellenbosch, the second in command, at point blank. In the battle, Alex grabs a table, tips it over, and swings around to hit her square in the back of the head. The book even states, “The blow would have knocked anyone else out, but Mrs. Stellenbosch barely faltered”, really unrealistic. Finally, is how Dr. Grief is killed. I shouldn’t tell you how; you’ll have to read the book. Even so, I think many people will like the teenage almost James Bond kind of character and will be on the edges of their seats. The end will keep them there until the next book. Even though I found there to be more criticisable things than not, I think the book overall is good. I liked this book and have read six other books in the series. I would recommend Alex Rider to anyone who likes fast action books with sometimes-unforeseen endings.

Alex Rider books have won the Booktrust Teenage Prize.

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Mysteries on DVD: Trailer for Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

In case you missed it, the first official trailer for the upcoming movie based on Dan Brown's Angels & Demons, the book that preceded The Da Vinci Code, was released yesterday. The film is expected to be released in May, 2009.

The team behind the film production of The Da Vinci Code returns for the highly anticipated Angels & Demons. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp. More information can be found at the film's official website, AngelsAndDemons.com.

Please visit Mysteries on DVD, your source for mystery books that have been adapted into movies and available on DVD.

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NPR Remembers Tony Hillerman

NPR published two audio programs this week in remembrance of Tony Hillerman who died October 26th at the age of 83. Hillerman was the author of 18 mysteries featuring Navajo tribal police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee

Fellow writer Michael McGarrity, author of the Kevin Kerney mystery series which is also set in the Southwest, knew Hillerman for over 40 years and is featured on one of the audio programs. "[Hillerman] certainly had a wonderful way of developing characters and a great straightforward way of plotting a story that was incredibly entertaining," says McGarrity. "He took the mystery genre and expanded it tenfold by bringing in the elements of the Navajo country and the Navajo people, and the cultural clashes that existed between that world and the world of the white man, and at times even between the various different elements of the Navajo communities themselves."

The second audio program features an excerpt of an interview with Hillerman on NPR's All Things Considered originally broadcast in 1988.

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Mystery Bestsellers for October 31, 2008

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending October 31, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Though the top two mysteries from last week retain their same positions this week, there was a major reshuffling of the titles in the other spots. The Brass Verdict, the 14th mystery in the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly remains atop the list for a second week.

New this week and debuting in the 13th position is the 24th, and presumed last, mystery in the Capital Crimes series by the late Margaret Truman, Murder Inside the Beltway. Rosalie Curzon, a Washington, D.C., call girl, is found bludgeoned to death in her Adams-Morgan apartment. Investigating the grisly homicide are Walt Hatcher, a tough, sour, intolerant twenty-three-year veteran of the D.C. police department; Detective Mary Hall, who, unhappy with the way women are treated on the force, is conflicted about her career; and rookie cop Matthew Jackson, an introspective young man and the product of a mixed-race marriage, whom Hatcher looks down on. The murder scene is in a disturbing state of disarray, suggesting that Rosalie had fought to the bitter end. Then Hall discovers a video camera nestled high on a bookshelf. Had the victim taped some of her clients during their sexual liaisons? As the investigation proceeds, so does business inside the Beltway. President Burton Pyle is running for reelection. His opponent, consummate politician Robert Colgate, is expected to easily defeat Pyle, whose administration has been rife with corruption and scandal. Colgate, though, is not without cracks in his slick exterior. Rumors swirl about his failing marriage and various dalliances. Moreover, there’s no love lost between the two candidates: The campaign has morphed into one of the most distasteful and nasty in memory. Then, on a bright Saturday afternoon on the Washington Mall, the daughter of Colgate’s closest friend is kidnapped. The abduction rocks the nation’s capital, but no one is prepared for the bombshell about to hit the city, an explosive development that erupts when Detectives Hall and Jackson uncover a shocking connection between the kidnapping and the Curzon case–and a killer whom no one will see coming.

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.

The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

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

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