Saturday, December 27, 2008

Mystery Book Review: The Exchange by Inga C. Ellzey

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

The Exchange by Inga C. Ellzey

The Exchange by
A Jewelle Dawson Mystery

Lambie Books (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-60585-504-9 (1605855049)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60585-504-2 (9781605855042)
Publication Date: May 2008
List Price: $19.99

Review: Inga C. Ellzey introduces Jewelle Dawson, a woman without a past and an uncertain future, in The Exchange, the first book in a series of romantic suspense novels.

After an injurious warning not to testify, a knife drawn down her cheek leaving a hideous scar and a finger being dismembered, Elinore Hanson testified anyway against the Gambrelini mob family of Chicago. She was immediately put into the Witness Protection Program as Jewelle Dawson and moved to Duluth. After seven years in a lackluster job, her only true friends being John Murray, her Witness Protection officer, and his wife Betty, Jewelle decides she wants more for her life. Against the warnings of John, Jewelle elects to take a month’s cruise in the Mediterranean on the luxury liner, Emerald of the Seas, flying to Barcelona where she boards the ship with thoughts of making new friends, having an exciting adventure, and perhaps fitting in a little romance. Little does she know that her assumed persona would innocently and unknowingly be revealed by a new and trusted friend and that word would get back to the Gambrelini don who had never given up his aspiration of finding and killing her for the trouble she had caused his “family.”

Jewelle is delighted to be seated at dinner with Frances and Gordon Wakefield from Quebec. Besides celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, Frances, a writer of mysteries, is eager to write her final novel, a mystery involving an intercontinental jewel theft. Also present is Paul Rosini, a handsome widower, who took an immediate interest in Jewelle as she did in him. During the first few days at sea she also meets Max Caldwell, a very wealthy, very attractive gentleman, who shares a mutual interest in her. Jewelle is having the time of her life. But, through a quirk of fate, one of her new friends described Jewelle to another acquaintance who had once been a member of the Gambrelini “family”. He notified Gambrelini and plans were immediately set in motion to find the woman now know as Jewelle Dawson. When Jewelle’s friend realized what she had done, she gathers all who had came to know and love Jewelle to devise a plan that would save Jewelle’s life, yet satisfy Gambrelini that the woman who had caused him so much harm in the past was now dead.

The title of The Exchange has several meanings in the book, not the least of which is the ultimate exchange of Jewelle's old life for her new one. The richly drawn characters come alive, each of the principal ones having memorable attributes. The plots of the jewel theft and the jeopardy surrounding Jewelle are complex but are beautifully woven together. The Exchange is a passionate, suspenseful novel, and, according to the author's website, just the first in a series to feature this intriguing woman.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Exchange and to FSB Associates for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

Buy from Amazon.com

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): After seven years in the Witness Protection Program, Jewelle Dawson hopes to regain her freedom and her identity by embarking on a one-month Mediterranean Cruise. With full knowledge that the Gambrelini mob is still hunting her and despite desperate pleas and warnings from John Murray, her Witness Protection Officer, Jewelle flies to Barcelona and boards the luxury cruise ship, the Emerald of the Seas, in search of interesting new friends, a fresh beginning, and hopefully...romance.

Two men quickly find their way into Jewelle's protected life and heart. Max Caldwell, the fabulously wealthy playboy gambler lures Jewelle into his life of risk with promises of adventure and romance, yet lets Jewelle know upfront that he's a man who wants no ties or commitments. In spite of his warnings, Jewelle finds herself in a game of chance, willing to risk it all for love. Paul Rosini, the handsome, widower pilot, fascinates Jewelle with his gentle ways and romantic charms, although Jewelle knows that there's a hidden, deeper, darker side that he won't reveal to her...or anyone. Through exotic ports-of-call in the Mediterranean, Jewelle finds new relationships with Frances Wakefield, the eccentric internationally famous mystery thriller authoress, Randy and Sarah Harrison, Picco, the Italian Countess, and Kenny Scott, the physically grotesque but lovable Vietnam Vet. All add fun, adventure, and intrigue to Jewelle's escape vacation.

Love and friendship are put to the ultimate test when the mob discovers Jewelle's vulnerable location. Two will die, relationships are defined, and Max and Paul will be forced to reveal their secret pasts when all the characters come together in a daring exchange to give Jewelle freedom from the Gambrelinis once and for all.

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, December 26, 2008

Mystery Bestsellers for December 26, 2008

Mystery Bestsellers

A list of the top 15 for the week ending December 26, 2008 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

's latest Alex Cross thriller, retakes the top spot this week nudging Scarpetta by into second place. The Private Patient (Adam Dalgliesch) by , and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by retain their respective third and fourth positions from last week.

Show No Fear by Perri O'Shaughnessy

New on the list this week but actually debuting at 22 last week is the 12th mystery in the Nina Reilly series by Perri O'Shaughnessy, Show No Fear. Working as a paralegal and attending law school at night, Nina has her hands full. She's fighting for custody of her young son Bob and overseeing a medical malpractice lawsuit on behalf of her mother, Virigina Reilly, whose health is rapidly declining after she suffered complications from an acupuncture procedure. But Nina's personal stresses are ramped up when a local tragedy plunges Nina into a hunt for a killer -- a killer only she believes exists. When a woman falls to her death off a bridge near Big Sur, Nina suspects there is more to the accident than the authorities are saying. Embarking on her solitary quest for the truth and stirring up trouble along the way, Nina catches the killer's attention -- and the only official help Nina gets is from homicide cop Paul van Wagoner. Now, moving dangerously close to the shattering truth, Nina finds the missing link in the shadowy case only when she recognizes a crucial, overlooked fact: sometimes people bury their secret desires, even from those who love them the most.

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:

Cross Country by James PattersonScarpetta by Patricia CornwellThe Private Patient by P. D. JamesThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

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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Monday, December 22, 2008

Mystery Book Review: Heartless by Alison Gaylin

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

Heartless by Alison Gaylin

Heartless by
Non-series

New American Library (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-451-22497-3 (0451224973)
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-22497-2 (9780451224973)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $21.95

Review: An undercurrent of terror lies just beneath the surface of a picturesque town in Heartless, series' author Alison Gaylin's first stand-alone thriller.

Subsequent to the capture of a serial killer that former hard news journalist Zoe Greene had not only closely followed but had also been an integral part of during the investigation, she finds solace of a sort in reporting the far less threatening goings on in the steamy world of soap operas. But she crosses an editorial line when she falls in love with one of the soap's leading men, Warren Clark. Rather than give up a chance at love, she impulsively quits her job and meets him at his retreat in San Esteban, Mexico. At first she thinks she's found paradise, even though the town had recently been in the news when a young man was found brutally murdered, his heart cut from his chest. But her reporter's instincts kick in when a few too many coincidences pique her interest, and all paths seem to lead to Warren being involved in some way. It isn't until she's threatened that she realizes how dangerous San Esteban is and how little she really knows about the man she ran away to be with.

Heartless is one of those thrillers that is so easy to pick apart it hardly seems worth the effort. From the shallow characters to the silly plot, there is so much material available to ridicule that it's hard to know where to start. So rather than focus on the multitude of things that don't work, here are a few that do.

The prologue is strongly written; it's too bad what follows couldn't match the intrigue promised by these few opening pages. Ironically, the epilogue is also one of the high points, and not only because it marks the beginning of the end of the book. It is here that Zoe finally gets some depth to her character and becomes real to the reader. Though little of the narrative is credible or believable, the author manages to maintain an atmosphere of surrealism throughout. There is a sense that Zoe believes in what is happening and that is often enough to keep turning the pages. Finally, there's no denying that Gaylin is a talented writer; in less capable hands Heartless would have been conspicuously forgettable. As it is, it's merely disappointing.

Special thanks to Penguin Group for providing an ARC of Heartless for this review.

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

Buy from Amazon.com

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): From the moment magazine editor Zoe Greene joins her lover Warren in San Esteban, an idyllic Mexican village, something is strange about the place and its people -- from the black crosses that hang throughout the town to the blood-tipped spines of its strange indigenous plants to Warren’s odd disappearances. Then, when tourists are found murdered, Zoe begins to ask questions. At even greater risk, she’s finding the answers.

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 Savings: Free eBooks from eHarlequin.com

Mystery Savings: Discounted Products and Services on Books, Movies, and more!

Mystery Savings periodically provides our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services products through our partner websites. Below is a list of offers recently received that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

eHarlequin.com is offering a free eBook a day starting tomorrow, December 23rd. Simply visit the eHarlequin.com ebook store from 12/23/2008 9 AM ET through the end of the year (12/31/2008) to download your book.

We contacted eHarlequin.com to see if there were any restrictions or fees and they assured us there were none. Though we couldn't get a list of titles to be available, we were told they will be current, December 2008, releases. Maybe there will be a mystery or two, but regardless, if you enjoy eBooks and want to sample eHarlequin titles, this is the time to do it! Click on the link above or the banner below to visit the eHarlequin eBook store. (eBook readers can also be downloaded from their home page.)

An affiliate of eHarlequin.com

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Mysteries on TV: A Look Back at the NBC Mystery Movies

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, on Mondays typically profiles series that have DVD sets being released the following Tuesday. With the next new release of a mystery series not scheduled until after the first of the year, we thought we'd take the last three Mondays of 2008 to highlight some of our favorite series.

This week: the NBC Mystery Movies.

In 1971 NBC introduced The NBC Mystery Movie, an umbrella series consisting of alternating Wednesday night airings of Columbo, McCloud, and McMillan and Wife. The success of the format led NBC to not only add another series to the umbrella (Hec Ramsey) the following year but also create a second night of mystery movies (Madagan, Cool Million, and Banacek). Some of the new series weren't quite the rating success of the original three, so over the next 5 years NBC tried to find a fourth series in Tenafly, Faraday & Company, The Snoop Sisters, Amy Prentiss, and more. It wasn't until Quincy M.E. aired in 1976 that it found a winner. The concept was abandoned by NBC at the end of the 1976-77 season (though revived a decade later by ABC with the return of Columbo and Kojak, adding B. L. Stryker, Gideon Oliver, and Christine Cromwell). A lot of good mysteries were shown as part of a weekly mystery movie series, some of which are available today on DVD. Below are three of our favorites.

George Peppard played Thomas Banacek, a -based freelance insurance investigator in . He typically investigated the loss of only the most expensive items (an airplane, a race car, rare art, jewelry, etc.) and his fee of 10% of the insured value of missing property allowed him to lead a lavish lifestyle.

The vast majority of the episodes were of the "impossible crime" variety with the insured item vanishing in a most mysterious manner. Each episode ended with Banacek recreating how the theft occurred and producing, causing to produce, or simply explaining where to find the missing item. Granted, some of the solutions were as wildly improbable as the crime itself, but it was always entertaining to watch.

The series also starred Ralph Manza as Banacek's chauffeur Jay Drury (who often came up with his own "theories" on how to find the stolen items) and Murray Matheson as rare bookstore owner Felix Mulholland, whose encyclopedic knowledge of the most arcane subjects frequently came in handy in solving the case.

The pilot episode and 16 regular season episodes of are available on a single DVD set as the complete series. The individual seasons are also available separately.

We also enjoyed the early seasons of which starred Rock Hudson as Police Commissioner Stewart McMillan and Susan St. James as his wife Sally. Though the banter between the two could be syrupy sweet, there was usually a decent mystery plot supporting each episode.

Comic relief was often provided by two series regulars, Nancy Walker as the McMillan's live-in housekeeper Mildred and John Schuck as McMillan's right-hand man, Sgt. Charles Enright.

Due to a contract dispute between the studio and Susan St. James, Sally was written out of the series for its final season which, for that reason and several others, was the weakest and least watchable.

Only the first season of is currently available on DVD.

It's impossible to discuss the NBC Mystery Movies without including . Peter Falk starred as the Los Angeles homicide detective who always wore a rumpled overcoat, drove a battered Peugeot convertible, and was famous for the line "Just one more thing ...".

Created by multiple winning producers Richard Levinson and William Link, the episodes in the series generally followed a similar format. A murder was committed before the first commercial break with the audience in on who did it and how. The rest of the episode was devoted to Columbo uncovering the very small clue that implicates the killer, often a well-known guest star, and using it to trap them in the end.

By the time ABC resurrected Columbo in 1989 he had become almost a caricature of himself. The quality of the writing seemed to have slipped a bit as well. Still, it is a memorable series and will always be a standard of mystery television.

All seven seasons of the original on NBC are available on a DVD. The ABC episodes from 1989 and 1990 are available separately as movie collections.

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

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 22, 2008

A 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!).

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for December 22, 2008

This week's letters and mystery clue:

A C D E N R S V W

Andrew Neiderman became the ghost writer of this author’s novels following her death in 1986 (9 letters).

We now have two weeks of our puzzles on one page 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, December 21, 2008

Mystery Author Julius Fast Dies

Acclaimed mystery author Julius Fast died earlier this week in Kingston, NY. He was 89.

Fast won the debut given out by the Mystery Writers of America in 1946 for his first novel Watchful at Night which he wrote while serving in the Army during World War II. He followed up this book with several other well-received detective novels before turning his attention to non-fiction. His subsequent work covered a wide range of subjects from the Beatles to pop psychology.

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Mystery Book Review: Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan

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

Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan

Paper, Scissors, Death by
A Scrapbooking Mystery with Kiki Lowenstein

Midnight Ink (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7387-1250-7 (0738712507)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7387-1250-5 (9780738712507)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $14.95

Review: Joanna Campbell Slan introduces wife, mother, and scrapbooking expert Kiki Lowenstein in Paper, Scissors, Death, the first mystery in the Scrap-N-Craft series set in St. Louis, Missouri.

Kiki, husband George, and 11-year-old daughter Anya live in an upscale large home in an exclusive suburb of St. Louis. Kiki finds much delight in scrapbooking, so much so, that at times she teaches small classes in her home. Tragedy strikes this contented family’s home when George is found dead in a fashionable hotel in the city. He was naked, save for a striped scarf in his mouth. His death was ruled a heart attack by the coroner. Kiki, however, could not accept this verdict. George recently had had a complete physical examination and was found to be in perfect health. If she had to do it alone, with no help from the authorities, she would somehow prove that her husband was murdered.

She's going to get no help from her mother-in-law, though. George’s mother, Sheila, does not even try to hide the hatred she feels for Kiki. She believes Kiki stole George’s true love from him, his high school sweetheart Roxanne Baxter. When George died, Sheila devotes all her love and attention to her granddaughter, Anya. And then Kiki is informed by George’s partner shortly after his death that he had been embezzling large sums of money from their company, close to a half a million dollars. If she would pay it back in full, he would not make a public revelation of that fact. Kiki sells their home and most of their possessions to protect George’s name, moving to a more modest section of the area. But then things get really tough for Kiki when, in her search for the truth, she discovers that George had been seeing Roxanne all along. In a heated exchange with the woman, Kiki threatens her. When Roxanne is later found dead, Kiki naturally becomes the prime suspect, giving Sheila an opportunity to try to get custody of Anya. Kiki receives help and support not only from friends working on their scrapbooks, but also a very attentive detective. And could the solution to this mystery be contained within the scrap-n-craft entries in the scrapbooks themselves?

Slan cleverly frames the mystery in Paper, Scissors, Death around the craft of scrapbooking, something about which she clearly has considerable knowledge yet makes it seem approachable to beginners. Instructions, tips, and techniques are all featured. The characters, in particular Kiki, are nicely developed and likeable, and there's an enjoyable mix of humor, suspense, with a just a touch of romance in this well-rounded cozy debut.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Paper, Scissors, Death and to Midnight Ink for providing a copy of the book for this review.

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

Buy from Amazon.com

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Mousy housewife Kiki Lowenstein has only been good at two things in her life: scrapbooking and raising her eleven-year-old daughter, Anya. Known as the "Scrapbook Queen of St. Louis," Kiki works part-time at a scrapbook shop and shares her passion with others. But life gets sticky when her husband, George, is found naked and dead with a silk scarf stuffed in his mouth. And worse, George's business partner accuses him of having embezzled company money.

Vowing to put all the pieces together, Kiki toughens up and spouts vicious threats when George's former flame brags about their affair at a bridal shower. But when the woman is murdered, Kiki's scissor-sharp words make her a prime suspect. Faced with losing custody of Anya, can Kiki track down the cunning killer, resist the distractingly dashing Detective Detweiler, and reveal the courageous woman she is at heart?

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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Best Mysteries of 2008 from the Sun Florida Sun-Sentinel

Oline H. Cogdill, mystery columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, yesterday published her list of the 16 best mysteries of 2008. Ranking hers in order, she chose The Finder by Colin Harrison ("a perceptive thriller about New York life") to be the best of the best, followed by Envy the Night by Michael Kortya ("an action-packed story") and Exit Music by Ian Rankin ("[t]he perfect send-off for Scottish cop John Rebus").

In a companion article on the SunSentinel.com Off The Page blog, she provides some background information on her selections. Her answer to a self-directed question about why some exceptional mysteries make the year's best list and some don't: "Sometimes, you just know." That's a terrific answer, and we may just have to make use of it ourselves when we're asked that very same question!

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Games of Mystery: Adventure Chronicles The Search for Lost Treasure, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games from our page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure

A few months have passed since Susan's ordeal in the museum, and she's been in no hurry to greet danger again. But when a prized notebook arrives at her office from an anonymous source, both her interest, and her suspicions are raised. The information contained within is too valuable to ignore. Soon she's off traveling the world, solving puzzles and tracking down mysterious clues in search of the most renown treasures of history and legend. Danger awaits while you explore world-spanning sites for hidden treasures and are faced with puzzles, wicked and intuitive.

Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, a Big Fish Games exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version may be downloaded (93.52 MB) and played for one hour for free.

50% Off All Games at Big Fish Games

Big Fish Games is offering a special deal now through the end of the year. All games are 50% off! To realize your savings, click the Buy button for any game you want. Sign in or create a new account. Select the $19.99 price option. Then type in coupon code HOLIDAY2008 into the box. All purchases must be completed by January 01, 2009.

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Other popular games on our page include several and games, games in the series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Art of Murder: FBI Confidential, the Carol Reed mystery Remedy, Veronica Rivers: Portals to the Unknown, Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends, and The Treasures of Mystery Island.

And don't forget to visit for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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Saturday, December 20, 2008

BBC Orders Pilot of New Crime Drama, Sherlock

The BBC issued a press release yesterday announcing Sherlock, a new crime drama for BBC One. A contemporary update of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle classics, the series will star Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade.

The 60-minute pilot episode is expected to begin shooting next month in Wales.

We confess we're not altogether thrilled by this description of the series provided by BBC: "Sherlock is a thrilling, funny, fast-paced take on the crime drama genre set in present day London." And it gets better (or worse, depending on your point of view). Piers Wenger, head of drama at BBC Wales, says, "Our Sherlock is a dynamic superhero in a modern world, an arrogant, genius sleuth driven by a desire to prove himself cleverer than the perpetrator and the police, everyone in fact."

If the pilot does well, BBC will presumably order a full series.

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Games of Mystery: New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Party Ideas

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed games, parties, and vacations, has some suggestions for your next holiday party. With New Year's Eve less than two weeks away, it's not too late to plan that special murder mystery to ring in the new year. We have three suggestions here, but visit our site for many more.

A Holiday Murder, a Mystery Party for Adults

T’was the eve of the holidays, good times was the quest.
And all were excited ‘til the murder of a guest!
The victim was discovered in a blood-soaked bed.
With a note in the hand and a wound in the head!

is set in the era of the 70s and 80s. The coolest party of the holidays includes trivia, dancing and of course, a murder! Everyone is a suspect of this vicious crime. Come join the fun!

A Holiday Murder is a simple to play murder mystery for 8-14 people. It’s a great way to move a party, have lots of fun and entertain your guests! For 6 to 14 guests, 21 and older. Rated M.

Murder Before Midnight, a Mystery Party for Adults

Also for adults is . Mark Roundim's new year parties are famous. There is something there for everyone. Great food, plenty of drink, entertainment, and a host of interesting people from all walks of life. Tonight however there is also something for the police when Mark Roundim is discovered in his dressing room -- dead.

A great choice for new year parties, Murder Before Midnight is a simple to use murder mystery appropriate for first timers. With scripted dialogue to enhance the rounds, this murder mystery combines a new year celebration with a murder. And what a cast! If you like dressing up, then this one will definately appeal to both the men and the women attending! For 6 to 12 guests plus one optional inspector, 18 and older. Rated M.

The Murder Game, a Mystery Party for Everyone

For the whole family, there's The Murder Game. This is a classic whodunit of who, where, and why for you and your friends to enjoy set in a mysterious grand home during the Roaring 20s.

Eight people have received an unexpected invitation to the ancestral home of the Nonomus family - the gangster, the flapper, the silent film star, the stockbroker, the jazz musician, the speak-easy manager, the secretary and the journalist. Everyone wakes up to discover that their host, Ann Nonomus was murdered during the night. Marooned by a snowstorm, all eight suspects are trapped and have only a few hours to discover which of their number is a murderer.

As each round of the game is played everyone (if they ask the right questions) can detect the where (there are 8 rooms), the who (eight suspects) and the why (eight different motives) of this most intriguing murder. This standard party theme can be played at any time of the year but is especially fun on New Year's Eve. For 6 to 8 guests, 15 and older. Rated E.

For more ideas on , , and , visit where you'll also find all types of mysterious fun!

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Games of Mystery: Mystery Legends Sleepy Hollow, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery

, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery game from Big Fish Games released today. You can find out more about these games from our page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow

All small towns have their secrets and stories, but none such as Sleepy Hollow, whose legends are most grim and gory. By day a quaint village full of sunshine and banter, by night a place haunted by hoof beats and spectral laughter. Explore Sleepy Hollow as never before, searching for clues into the ancient legend. But beware! Each night the Horseman rides as he takes another victim. With eerie, absorbing locations, chilling clues and mini-games, you must unravel the mystery before it's too late …

Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow, a Big Fish Games exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version may be downloaded (76.72 MB) and played for one hour for free.

50% Off All Games at Big Fish Games

Big Fish Games is offering a special deal now through the end of the year. All games are 50% off! To realize your savings, click the Buy button for any game you want. Sign in or create a new account. Select the $19.99 price option. Then type in coupon code HOLIDAY2008 into the box. All purchases must be completed by January 01, 2009.

gcads_80x80

Other popular games on our page include several and games, games in the series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Art of Murder: FBI Confidential, the Carol Reed mystery Remedy, Veronica Rivers: Portals to the Unknown, Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends, and The Treasures of Mystery Island.

And don't forget to visit for all kinds of mysterious fun!

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Friday, December 19, 2008

Investigate the World of Edgar Allan Poe

U.S. News & World Report is publishing 50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009 and one of those is to investigate the world of Edgar Allan Poe. Reporter Diane Cole writes that his work haunts us forevermore; "[h]e invented the detective story, penned sinister tales of the macabre, and wrote sublimely mournful verse that echoes endlessly in memory.

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Poe's birth and celebrations are planned around the world, including Baltimore where the author died at age 40 under circumstances that even today remain a mystery.

According to Cole, studying Poe's works will help see his influence on our culture. Many scholars, for example, believe Poe's character C. Auguste Dupin had a profound influence on the development of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Countless movies are based in whole, or in part, on Poe's writings. The Mystery Writers of America named their annual award for excellence in the field of mystery fiction, the Edgar, in honor of the author. And early next month, In the Shadow of the Master, edited by Michael Connelly, is being published, a collection of 16 of Poe's best tales accompanied by 20 essays from renowned mystery authors on how Poe changed their life and work.

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Self-Publishing a Book, 25 Things You Need to Know

Self-Publish Mysteries

, your source for information on writing and self-publishing your mystery book, has updated its website with more resources for new and established mystery authors including recent news articles and an updated selection of books. We also provide links to vendors of products that may be of interest to our visitors.

opens his Fully Equipped column on CNET Reviews (12/17/2008) with the following statement: "I know, I know. This is a column about cutting-edge electronics. So, apologies to gadget-heads as I take a brief sojourn into the land of self-publishing, which has become a lot more high-tech than a lot of people realize."

Carnoy is the author of a new mystery / thriller titled Knife Music, a book he self-published earlier this year. "Against the advice of my agent," he says, "I began perusing the big self-publishing companies' Web sites and evaluating what they had to offer. Then I started poking around blogs and message boards to get customer testimonials. What I found was a veritable minefield with roads that forked in every direction and very few clear answers."

His CNET Review article discusses in detail his experience in getting his book published and lists 25 things you need to know about self-publishing a book. But more than just providing a list, he gives examples and cites references to support his list.

We won't list all 25 here, but just the top 10 (and we don't think they're listed in any particular order in the article):

1. Self-publishing is easy.
2. Quality has improved.
3. Some of the more successful self-published books are about self-publishing.
4. Good self-published books are few and far between.
5. The odds are against you.
6. Creating a "professional" book is really hard.
7. Have a clear goal for your book.
8. Even if it's great, there's a good chance your book won't sell.
9. Niche books do best.
10. Buy your own ISBN -- and create your own publishing house.

And 15 more. For anyone considering self-publishing, this is a must read article. (And in the for what it's worth category, number 20 is Self-published books don't get reviewed. That isn't necessarily strictly true; has a policy of considering all mysteries for review, regardless of who published them.)

Please visit the Self Publish Mysteries where you'll find a comprehensive list of articles, books, news, resources, and websites for mystery authors who are interested in writing and self-publishing their mystery books.

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