Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Amazon.com Enters Casual Download Games Market

On its blog yesterday, Amazon.com announced it was entering the highly competitive world of online casual games.

The beta launch of their download site features more than 600 games, all priced at either $6.99 or $9.99. Gamers visiting the site during the next week can download three games for free: Jewel Quest 2, The Scruffs, and Build a Lot (alas, none mysteries).

Any game may be downloaded for a free 30-minute trial.

When we visited, we found Treasures of Mystery Island, Private Eye: Greatest Unsolved Mysteries, Detective Stories: Hollywood, and Polly Pride: Pet Detective representing the mystery game category.

Although we regularly promote casual mystery games from Big Fish Games and PlayFirst Games, we strongly support Amazon.com's initiative. Competition is good, and this can only result in better, more interesting, less expensive mystery games for users to enjoy.

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Mystery Savings: Save 10% on a Murder Mystery Weekend from BedandBreakfast.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 through our partner websites. Below is a special offer recently received by us that we're pleased to pass on at this time.

Save 10% on The Getaway Gift Card

Here's a wonderful way to surprise your valentine and at the same time enjoy some time away from home. Book a mysterious romantic retreat and save 10% with The Getaway Gift Card. Welcome at over 4,000 bed and breakfasts in the U.S. and Canada with no hidden fees, no expiration dates and no blackout dates, it's the best way to score points with your loved one for less!

To realize your 10% discount, purchase a gift card for $100 or more and enter the code ROMANCE10 at checkout. Then make a reservation at any inn featuring the "accepts gift cards" icon. Note this offer ends February 28, 2009.

Of course we'd like to suggest one of the many inns that feature murder mystery weekend packages. We've (finally!) updated our on where you'll find dozens of inns across the country that will welcome you to a weekend of mystery and fun. We've listed these inns conveniently by state and provided links to maps so you'll know just where they are located. Or you can click on the banner below and select the Special Packages option under the Search tab on the BedandBreakfast.com home page.

Find Great Deals at BedandBreakfast.com!

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The Interesting People One Meets on Twitter

What interesting people one meets on Twitter!

Yesterday, Robert Burton Robinson (his Twitter ID rbr_stories) started following us (our Twitter ID mysteries) so naturally we checked out his profile.

Turns out he's an online mystery writer who publishes novels and short stories, all of them available on his website to read or to download for free. Those books in progress are serialized with several chapters posted each week.

We checked a few of these out last night and will definitely be back to read more.

Though it seems unlikely we ever would have found RBR independently, we're delighted he chose to follow us giving us the opportunity to learn more about his work.

(And if you're on his website, check out his music games under links. Not mystery related, but frustratingly addictive nonetheless!)

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AP Reports an Estimated 500,000 Kindles Sold in 2008

New Mystery Books for the Amazon Kindle

The Associated Press is reporting this morning that an analyst with Citi Investment Research estimated that Amazon.com sold 500,000 Kindles last year.

Given that the seems perpetually out of stock, that is quite an achievement, selling almost 10,000 a week. Noting that the current wait time is 3 to 5 weeks to receive one, that suggests there are still 30,000 or so names on the waiting list.

The Amazon Kindle

If you'd like more information about the Kindle, Amazon's wireless reading device, click on the image to the right or any of the links in this post.

If you already have a Kindle, we maintain a list of available that is updated monthly. 25 more titles were recently added for February 2009, including books by Robert Crais (Elvis Cole), Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware), Robert B. Parker (Jesse Stone), James Patterson, and more.

for the Kindle are generally priced between $3.99 and $9.99 and can be downloaded immediately.

currently has a list of over 450 mystery book titles available on our website.

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Games of Mystery: Nick Chase, a Detective Story, 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 by visiting our page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Nick Chase: A Detective Story

Nick Chase, a hard-boiled private investigator, is in need of a job. Lucky for him, one arrives from a man known only as The Collector. Solve a variety of puzzles and find hidden clues to uncover the mystery behind the missing manuscript penned by Leonardo Di Vinci. Explore gorgeous hand drawn scenes with a gritty film noir style in this one of a kind adventure game where everyone is a suspect!

Nick Chase: A Detective Story, 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 (74.02 MB) may be downloaded and played for one hour for free.

Watch a preview video below:

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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, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, the Carol Reed mystery Remedy, Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow, Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends, and Lost Realms: Legacy of the Sun Princess.

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

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

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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Mystery Book Review: The Face of a Killer by Robin Burcell

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

The Face of a Killer by Robin Burcell

by
A Sydney Fitzpatrick Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-374-4 (1590583744)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-374-6 (9781590583746)
Publication Date: November 2008
List Price: $24.95

Review: Robin Burcell introduces a new series character, San Francisco-based FBI forensic artist Sidney Fitzpatrick, in the fast-paced, multi-faceted The Face of a Killer.

Sidney's father was murdered 20 years ago. The man accused and convicted of crime is scheduled to be executed within the next ten days. He has always maintained his innocence. To bring closure of her dad’s death, something she has not yet been able to do, Sidney, on the twentieth anniversary of his death, goes to the prison to meet her father's killer face to face. She has no idea this visit would set up a chain of events that would place her friends, family and herself in harm’s way. On the day she goes to the prison, a manila envelope is placed in Sidney’s mail box. This envelope contains an old photograph of her father with his friends during the war. Also found in the envelope is a blackmail letter written by her dad, plus a bank deposit slip from a bank that had closed its doors years before. Unable to believe that her father was involved in a blackmail scheme, Sidney is beginning to have second thoughts about who did in fact did kill him. The more she pushes for answers the deeper she finds herself on a trail of corruption and cover-ups not only in the military, but within the CIA and other political offices. In order to continue her search for the truth she must learn to bend -- if not break -- the rules set down for investigators by the FBI. Time is running out for the convicted man. But little does she know that the clock is also ticking for her

The Face of a Killer is a remarkable debut for this series with an attention-grabbing, riveting story. The author effectively weaves the political realities of government and its bureaucracy into her fictional plot, drawing the reader in and not letting go. It is a pleasure getting to know the characters, and Sidney herself is particularly engaging. The doubt she experiences as both a daughter and an investigator, and the suspense that is generated as she learns more about the past, decidedly contribute to this intense, terrific book.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Face of a Killer and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.

Buy from Amazon.com

If you are interested in purchasing The Face of a Killer from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. The Face of a Killer (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): FBI forensic artist Sydney Fitzpatrick questions the guilt of the man about to be executed for her father’s murder twenty years earlier. The first stirrings of doubt occur when one of her forensic sketches on an unrelated case brings forth memories about her father’s homicide that she’d hoped to forget. A mysterious envelope arrives in the mail on the anniversary of her father’s death. She opens the packet and discovers a blackmail letter written by her father, an old photo of his army buddies, and a deposit slip from a bank long closed.

Refusing to believe that her father was involved in any blackmail scheme, she searches for evidence to clear his name. Her investigation leads to a trail of corruption by high-ranking US political officials, and a meticulous and deadly cover-up by the military and the CIA. The more Special Agent Fitzpatrick digs into her father’s past, the more she finds it riddled with dark secrets and truths, including the fact that her father’s seemingly ordinary military career was anything but stellar or even routine.

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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Enter eHarlequin's Moonlight in Mexico Sweepstakes

Here's another benefit for signing up to receive free e-mail newsletters from eHarlequin.com: the announcement of the Moonlight in Mexico sweepstakes!

Indulge yourself and imagine a sulty adventure in Mexico. (OK, we'd have probably phrased it, a mysterious adventure in Mexico, but still, you get the idea!) Enter the eHarlequin.com Moonlight in Mexico sweepstakes today by visiting Moonlight in Mexico.com and you could win a romantic trip for two to Mexico.

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner below to subscribe for free:

Sign up for email newsletters from eHarlequin.com

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Press Release: Poisoned Pen Press Partners With the NFL Players Association and the NEA To Launch The Great Mystery Book Giveaway

In a press release this morning, Poisoned Pen Press announced their partnership with the NFL Players Association as part of the National Education Association's Read Across America program to launch their 1st annual Great Mystery Book Giveaway.

Robert Rosenwald, Publisher of Poisoned Pen Press states, "Thanks to our new partnership with the NFL PA and the NEA, The Great Mystery Book Giveaway will be a year-round campaign through which we will put books in the hands of middle and high school students who don't have access to such needed resources, encouraging them to develop a life-long passion for reading. It is with great pride and joy that we are able to introduce this program by donating 43,000 books to Central Florida schools in conjunction with the 43rd Super Bowl."

The Great Mystery Book Giveaway will be an annual program whereby Poisoned Pen Press will donate thousands of books during Super Bowl week to schools in need, as identified by the NEA.

Additionally, Rosenwald plans to schedule author tours to schools where students and teachers will have the opportunity to meet these award-winning writers. Authors may do readings, discuss their craft, provide writing tips, or talk with teachers on subjects such as integrating reading into non-literature content areas like math, science, and social studies.

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The Guardian Profiles Max Allan Collins

In this morning's Guardian.co.uk online edition is an article by Chris Wiegand profiling mystery author who recently completed an unfinished Mike Hammer novel by Mickey Spillane.

When Spillane died in 2006 he was in the middle of writing The Goliath Bone, the 14th book in the series featuring the New York private eye. Knowing he may never complete it, he entrusted the book to Collins for completion. [MBN note: The Goliath Bone was published by Otto Penzler Books (Harcourt) last October.]

When asked what it was like to finish The Goliath Bone for his friend and colleague, Collins replied it was an honor, a responsibility, and a kid-in-the-candy-store sensation. "Mickey had been creating these half-manuscripts and setting them aside throughout our friendship," he said, "and I had a reasonable expectation that I'd be chosen to complete them. Just days before his death, he told his wife Jane, 'When I go, there's going to be a treasure hunt around here. Give everything to Max -- he'll know what to do with it.'"

But Wiegand reports that the story doesn't end with The Goliath Bone. Spillane left Collins enough material for five more novels, including two from the 1960s and one each from the 80s and 90s. "The most exciting is one from around 1948, what would have been the second Mike Hammer novel had Mickey completed it." And there's more: "If the public warms to Mike Hammer again, there are another half-dozen shorter manuscripts -- a chapter or two each -- that could keep him going for another good decade."

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Monday, February 02, 2009

Mystery Authors Online: Announcing the Schedule for Barbara Levenson's Fatal February Book Tour

Author Book Tour

Mark your calendars! Mystery Books News is pleased to be coordinating the upcoming online book tour for whose new mystery, Fatal February, is being published this week by Oceanview Publishing. Fatal February is the author's debut mystery and features Mary Magruder Katz, a criminal defense attorney in Miami.

Barbara will be visiting 10 blog sites later this month:

Fatal February by Barbara Levenson

Tuesday (02/17):
Ms. Bookish: Author Interview
Mystery Reader Discussion: Book Review

Wednesday (02/18):
Sam's Book Blog: Book Review
: Author Guest Post

Thursday (02/19):
Allie's Musings: Author Interview
Jen's Book Thoughts: Author Guest Post

Friday (02/20):
Booking Mama: Book Review
Murder by 4: Author Guest Post

Saturday (02/21):
Buzz About Books: Author Interview
Marta's Meanderings: Book Review

A complete schedule of Barbara's tour including a biography and more information about Fatal February can be found at .

We're also thrilled to announce that Barbara is giving away a signed copy of her new book to one lucky tour visitor. Visit each tour site on the day indicated and pick up a unique PIN to be used to enter the giveaway on that day. The entry form can be found on Barbara's tour page.

We hope you have the opportunity to stop by each of the tour sites later this month to learn more about Barbara, her series character Mary Magruder Katz, and the special relationship she shares with her dogs (one of which served as a model for Sam in the book).

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Mysteries on TV: Columbo, New on DVD This Week

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.

Peter Falk starred as the inimitable over a period of 35 years on prime time television. The first Columbo mystery movie with Falk aired as a solo made-for-television movie in 1968. This was followed by its inclusion in the rotating series of mysteries that were part of the NBC Mystery Movie series in the early 1970s. Then ABC aired 24 new episodes from 1989 through 2003 on an irregular schedule as part of its own rotating series of mysteries.

Lt. Columbo (first name never officially revealed on screen) was a homicide detective for the Los Angeles Police Department. In most episodes, the killer is revealed to the viewer before the first commercial, shown carefully plotting the murder and covering his or her tracks. The suspense and thrill of watching the rest of the episode was how Columbo was going to trap the murderer into admitting their guilt.

The Columbo: The Movie Collection 1990 DVD set of 6 discs contains the 6 episodes that aired during the calendar year 1990 on ABC.

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

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Games of Mystery: The Broken Clues, 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 by visiting our page or by clicking on the links provided below.

The Broken Clues

Solve nefarious murders as seasoned investigator Mr. Matthew in The Broken Clues. Start by investigating the case of Mr. Harrison, one of the richest businessmen in town. One day he is found murdered by someone in his house and the person who has done this remains a mystery. Objects are uniquely hidden as ghost-like items in the scenes. It will be a hard case to crack and only you can solve it with your keen eye for detail! Scour the crime scene and investigate suspects to find the murderer.

The Broken Clues may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version (75.96 MB) may be downloaded and played for one hour for free.

Watch a preview video below:

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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, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, the Carol Reed mystery Remedy, Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow, Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends, and Lost Realms: Legacy of the Sun Princess.

Big Fish Games: Bestsellers

Big Fish Games: New releases

mbfgads_468x60

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

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for February 02, 2009

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 February 02, 2009

This week's letters and mystery clue:

G H I K N O R T W

This Gerald Tollesfrud short story appeared in 100 Dastardly Little Detective Stories (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, February 01, 2009

Harlequin Worldwide Mystery Titles for February 2009

eHarlequin.com has announced the February 2009 titles for their Worldwide imprint, your partner in crime. Amateur sleuths, traditional cozies, police procedurals and private-eye fiction, written by award-winning authors. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title or the book cover.

Why Casey Had to Die by L. C. Hayden

Why Casey Had to Die by L. C. Hayden
A Harry Bronson Mystery

Newly retired police officer Harry Bronson has just one regret in his career: the murder he never solved. It was his first case as a rookie, and the only one he played strictly by the book. Perhaps that's why he still has the files with him more than twenty years later. And why he's ready when the killer that got away comes back, ready to resume the game.

Cryptic letters, along with an invitation to join a murder-mystery convention with an eerily familiar plot, lure him to Arizona -- and another murder makes him realize he's up against a twisted mind intent on some kind of final showdown. When his faceless enemy strikes out by abducting Harry's wife, Carol, a desperate race across the desert is about to become a one-way trip where winner takes all, and the loser dies trying.

Retirement Homes are Murder by Mike Befeler

Retirement Homes are Murder by Mike Befeler
A Paul Jacobson Mystery

Newly settled in at the Kina Nani Retirement Home in Hawaii, octogenarian Paul Jacobson discovers he has two major problems -- his short-term memory … and a murder. He can't remember much from day to day, which makes it tough when he's the one to find a body in the trash chute. Worse, he's the prime suspect because he had a grudge against the victim.

Paul knows he's not a killer and figures he'd better clear his name. But his sleuthing unearths as much mayhem as mystery, and more murder. With the help of his buddy Meyer, who helps him keep a journal of events, and his plucky young granddaughter, Paul uses his keen observations to create a clear path to a clever killer -- now ready to send Paul packing … for good.

Fifty-Seven Heaven by Lonnie Cruse

Fifty-Seven Heaven by
A Kitty Bloodworth Mystery

The judges at the annual antique car show are the first ones to view the tangled, strangled corpse of Will Ann Lloyd in the trunk of the restored '57 classic automobile. Naturally, the car's owner, Jack Bloodworth, is disqualified. And his devoted wife, Kitty -- cousin to the late Will Ann -- becomes the prime suspect when police learn that Will Ann announced to an entire crowd the previous night that Kitty's daughter, Sunny, was a tramp. Motive enough for murder.

Determined to clear her name -- and her daughter's reputation -- Kitty digs into the life and possessions of the universally loathed Will Ann, and discovers clues that raise some shocking questions. Why had Will Ann hired a private detective? Moreover, what kind of deep, dark secrets is Sunny hiding? With the killer poised to strike again, Kitty races to find the truth, before the road to ruin leads six feet under.

If you enjoy this series, you can join Worldwide Mystery and get 2 free books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Worldwide Mystery books and mystery gifts places you under no obligation to buy anything. You may keep the books and gifts and return the shipping statement marked cancel. If you do not cancel, about two months later, and then every other month, eHarlequin will send you three additional Worldwide Mystery books.

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner below to subscribe for free:

Sign up for email newsletters from eHarlequin.com

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Mysteries on DVD Review: Under Suspicion

Mysteries on DVD: Mystery Books that have been Adapted into Screenplays and Made into Movies

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 and advise you of when the new site is up.

Film: . Original release date: September 2000 (US); DVD release date: January 2001.

Under Suspicion

Henry Hearst (Gene Hackman), Capt. Victor Benezet (Morgan Freeman), Det. Felix Owens (Thomas Jane), Chantal Hearst (Monica Bellucci). Directed by Stephen Hopkins. Screenplay adapted from the novel Brainwash by John Wainwright.

I'm always eager to see movies adapted from mystery books, but Under Suspicion, despite its two stellar lead actors, flew well under the radar when it was released in 2000. It basically went direct to DVD in the US after a limited run in theaters. It appeared as a recommended title in Netflix.

Under Suspicion is basically a two actor, one scene movie. The setting is a police station in San Juan Puerto Rico. Captain Victor Benezet is investigating the rape and murder of two pre-teenage girls, their dead bodies posed as if sleeping by the killer. Local tax attorney Henry Hearst found the second girl, reporting it to the police. But his story has flaws and is inconsistent with testimony of others interviewed about the crime. Benezet is convinced Hearst is the killer and sets out to extract a confession from him.

Under Suspicion

The two other principal characters in the film are Hearst's wife Chantal and Detective Felix Owens, a hot-headed police officer also on the team investigating the murders. Neither character, however, adds significant value to the story, window dressing at best, and the movie could easily have been filmed with them.

Under Suspicion is based on the book Brainwash by John Wainwright (which I haven't read) and is a remake of the 1981 French film Garde à vue (which I haven't seen).

What works in the film are the outstanding performances by Hackman and Freeman. When they are on screen, which admittedly is most of the time, the scenes are riveting. They are old friends, something which doesn't really come across all that well, and you're led to believe that Benezet, twice divorced, is envious of Hearst's wealth, influence, and beautiful young wife. Hearst, however, clearly has secrets of his own and is disturbed that Benezet is cleverly leading him down a path that makes his guilt impossible to hide.

Under Suspicion

What doesn't work is the setting. Why Puerto Rico? Neither man seems to speak Spanish with any confidence and the locale adds nothing to the story. The background celebration of the Feast of St. Sebastian serves as constrast to the grim murder investigation but again adds nothing relevant to the story. Since the movie largely takes place in the captain's office, I suppose it really doesn't matter where or when it takes place. Still, it seems an odd choice.

The director's choice to insert present time characters into flashback scenes also doesn't work. It's probably intended to heighten the suspense, or maybe to illustrate that one's memory isn't always as clear as one thinks, or possibly to give the film an edge, but it's jarring. Like seeing a modern abstract painting in the midst of Renaissance art.

Under Suspicion

Finally, what doesn't work for me is the ending. Not so much the final twist, which is not really unexpected, but how the characters react. It seems artificial and reduces what was largely a masterful match between two men to something trivial, not all that important. It may make for interesting post-film conversation, but not much more.

Under Suspicion is for the most part a terrific film featuring superior performances that ultimately disappoints, cheating the viewer out of what should have been a meaningful resolution. Would I recommend it? Yes, but with some reservations.

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

Reviewed on February 01, 2009 by Mr. E., television and movie critic for Mystery Books News.

Review Copyright © 2009 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved.

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