The latest and final trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie was released today by Warner Brothers (and can be seen below). The film's release date has also been moved up 2 days to Wednesday, July 15, 2009.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is 6th and penultimate (or maybe not) book in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.
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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
A Skeleton in the Closet by Judith K. Ivie
A Kate Lawrence Mystery
Mainly Murder Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-615-26899-4 (0615268994)
ISBN-13: 978-0-615-26899-6 (9780615268996)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $14.95
Review: A 60-year-old skeleton behind a fake wall in the basement of a local mansion sets the stage for amateur sleuth Kate Lawrence and her friends in A Skeleton in the Closet, the third mystery in this series by Judith K. Ivie.
When Kate's realty partner Charlene rushes in one day to say there's a skeleton in the Henstock sisters' closet, the response from Kate and Margo is, "Well, doesn't everyone?" But it turns out it's a real skeleton. The Henstock sisters, both in their 80s, have lived in the large, roomy mansion all their lives, inheriting it from their father, Judge Henstock, but now interested in selling it. Kate immediately calls the police who, when arriving at Henstock home, find nothing. The skeleton is gone. But then Kate, completely by accident, stumbles upon it near a local pond while taking pictures of swans. Forensic evidence proves the bones are that of a middle-aged woman who died approximately 60 years ago. But there are far more questions than answers. Who was the woman? Who killed her? Why was she entombed behind a fake wall? And why was the wall built in Judge Henstock's basement? The sisters have little recollection of a past so long ago that they aren't going to be much help.
Meanwhile, someone has been sending threatening mail to the realtors' office. It isn't addressed to anyone in particular, but as the ladies pointed out, everyone has a skeleton in their closet. Could one of the friends be at risk from something that may have happened in their past?
A Skeleton in the Closet is delightful. The three women at the heart of the story (Kate, Charlene, and Margo) share a true and meaningful friendship. The straight-forward plot has some clever twists and readers will quickly relate to the endearing old ladies living in a mysterious mansion with a secret past. The romantic scenes between Kate and her soon to be live-in lover Armando are an added bonus to this genuinely entertaining mystery.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of A Skeleton in the Closet and to Judith Ivie for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing A Skeleton in the Closet from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
Synopsis (from the publisher): Everyone has a skeleton or two in their pasts, but the one that turns up at 185 Broad Street in Old Wethersfield is all too real. Afraid that the discovery of a corpse on their property might put off potential buyers, the elderly owners of the historic Victorian house turn to Wethersfield realtor and reluctant amateur sleuth Kate Lawrence to solve their problem.
As if that weren’t enough to contend with, Kate and her longtime love Armando are moving in together. Kate’s partner Strutter has a secret that sends everyone reeling. Best friend Margo sets her cap for a local police officer. And every last one of them is being threatened by an anonymous poison pen.
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This weekend, April 18 and 19, 2009, Murder 203 takes place at the Easton and Westport libraries in Connecticut. The event features panel discussions, book signings, writing tips from the professionals, and a unique opportunity to mingle with authors and fellow crime fiction enthusiasts at a Cocktails and Crime reception Saturday evening.
The Guest of Honor is Linda Fairstein, a veteran sex-crime investigator who is the author of the bestselling Alexandra Cooper mystery series. Over 30 other mystery writers are scheduled to attend.
Visit the festival website for more information including a schedule and directions to the event venues.
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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 Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.
An unexpected storm has left you shipwrecked on a mysterious and remote private island. Seek and find helpful objects as you solve puzzles and attempt to Escape Rosecliff Island! Discover hidden objects, and play clever minigames as you piece together your getaway. Investigate dark locations and unlock bonus levels as you explore Rosecliff Island. Can you find an escape and make it back to civilization safely?
Escape Rosecliff Island may be downloaded and purchased for as little as $6.99 with the Big Fish Game Club Jumbo Pack. A demonstration version (43.2 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.
Watch a preview video below:
Other popular games on our download Big Fish Mystery Games page include several Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew games, games in the Mystery Case Files series and in particular the latest, Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure, Syberia and Syberia II, The Serpent of Isis, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: A Darker Shade of Grey, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.
Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), and Nick Chase: A Detective Story (Review).
Big Fish Games: Bestsellers
Big Fish Games: New releases
And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!
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In a press release today, Silverock Films announced it has optioned the crime noir novel Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang, the first in the author's Chinatown series featuring NYPD detective Jack Yu. In Chinatown Beat, Jack tracks the path of a serial rapist who targets young Chinese girls and pursues the murderer of a powerful Tong leader.
"The narrative takes place in the 1990's, but the violent Chinatown of the 1970's and its consequences resonate in the lives of the characters," says Silverock founder Jacqueline McCaffrey.
"I'm absolutely thrilled about the option and for Chinatown Beat to be developed for the movies," says Chang. "I'm confident that Silverock will be true to the story and the rendering of the characters. Seeing the characters and situations come alive on the big screen would be a dream realized."
Chinatown Beat was published by Soho Crime in 2007. The second book in the series, Year of the Dog, was published last year, our reviewer calling it "frequently mesmerizing, the author creating a dark and cold, atmospheric environment, drawing the reader into the gritty streets of New York City." (Mysterious Reviews, Year of the Dog by Henry Chang.)
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In an article on LibraryJournal.com today, reporter Wilda W. Williams says readers turn to mysteries in tough times as a form of escape. She goes on to discuss some of the subgenres and their outlook for the future.
Historical mysteries are growing dramatically in part because authors can make the past come alive for readers seeking to forget a dismal present. An editorial director adds that it's comforting for readers buffeted by tough times to know that others have survived equally bumpy periods in the past.
Also making a comeback is spy fiction, pronounced dead by some critics after the 1989 collapse of the Soviet Union, writes Williams. While these books offer plenty of escapism, they also address serious international political issues in the news today.
She adds that readers are also gravitating toward more literary mysteries, and many want the comfort of cozies or traditional mysteries.
Finally in the format wars, trade paperbacks are seeing increased support but the jury is still out on ebooks.
Williams offers specific recommendations in her article on current and upcoming titles that represent all the subgenres discussed.
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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is pleased to be participating in an online book tour for Marshall Karp. Today we are publishing a new review of Flipping Out. You can also win a free, signed copy of Flipping Out by Marshall Karp, courtesy of the author. Look for details following the review.
Photo courtesy Marshall Karp.
Flipping Out by Marshall Karp
A Lomax and Biggs Mystery
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-37821-1 (0312378211)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37821-9 (9780312378219)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $24.95
Review: LAPD homicide detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs investigate a series of murders that hit a little too close to home -- the victims are the wives of cops and Terry's wife may be next, in Flipping Out, the third mystery in this series by Marshall Karp.
Bestselling author Nora Bannister has hit on an innovative idea to boost the sales of her books: buy a house in need of an upgrade, throw a few dollars into sprucing it up, then set her next murder mystery at the house, giving it instant notoriety not to mention a premium price tag. The series is a bestseller, the cash pouring in. She allows some of her closest friends, wives of LA's finest including Marilyn Biggs, to become partners and profit from the successful venture. When one of the women is killed, and then another, it's clear someone is targeting them. But is it because of their success in flipping real estate, or because they're married to a cop?
Narrated by Mike, who delights the reader with his wry perspective on both his fellow officers and the investigation, Flipping Out is both a suspense-driven murder mystery as well as a darkly humorous novel. Though they are partners, Terry assumes more of the limelight here, after all it is his wife who may have a target on her back, but Mike steps in when Terry starts to overplay his role. It's a nicely balanced relationship, and the banter between them genuinely entertaining. The plot is cleverly devised, rarely pauses, and the transition from the setup and introduction of characters (read suspects) to the investigation smoothly and skillfully handled. Though red herrings abound, they are all consistent within the context of the story and offer real alternatives to the reader trying to identify whodunit.
Fast paced with plenty of twists and turns, at times wickedly funny, Flipping Out works on many levels as a crime novel. It is highly recommended.
Special thanks to William Morris Agency and Marshall Karp (LomaxAndBiggs.com) for providing an ARC of Flipping Out for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing Flipping Out from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
Marshall Karp is offering one lucky visitor to Mystery Books News a chance to win an autographed copy of Flipping Out. To enter to win, send an e-mail message to flippingoutgiveaway@yahoo.com with the subject line Enter Me to Win! All entries must be received before Friday, April 17, 2009 at 11:59 PM ET. No purchase required to enter or to win; US residents only. A winner will be selected at random from all valid entries received.
Synopsis (from the publisher): Nora Bannister writes murder mysteries with a twist – a very lucrative twist. She buys a run-down house in LA, and while her business partners turn it into a showpiece, Nora makes it the scene of a grisly murder and the star of the next book in her bestselling House To Die For series.
As soon as the book goes on sale, there’s a bidding frenzy for the house. It seems a lot of people are willing to pay a lot of money to live in a real house where a fictional character has died a violent death.
Just before Nora’s latest book hits the market, one of her house-flipping partners is murdered. LAPD Detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs are assigned the case, but this one is a hot potato. The dead woman is also the wife of one of their fellow cops.
In fact, all of Nora’s partners are married to cops, so when the killer strikes again, Mike and Terry realize that somebody is out to murder the house flippers. And the next logical target is Marilyn Biggs – Terry’s wife.
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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 a new mystery game available from PlayFirst Games. You can find out more about these games from our Mystery Games: PlayFirst Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.
Go on a thrilling adventure to discover a lost treasure with Jessica in this hunt and seek game! When part of an ancient treasure map comes into her hands, Jessica fearlessly sets out for adventure. Find rare items, uncover missing pieces of the map, and decrypt a secret code in level after level of stunning hidden object challenges. Search intricately detailed scenes for concealed objects, solve perplexing puzzles, and discover a lost treasure tucked away in a secret location!
Jessica: Mysterious Journey is available to purchase for $9.95 with the PlayPass program. A trial version is available to download for a 60 minutes of play (Windows PC, 81.0 MB).
The sequel, Jessica: Secret of the Caribbean, is currently scheduled for release on April 20, 2009.
Other popular games on our download PlayFirst Mystery Games page include the Mystery PI series of casual 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.
And don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all kinds of mysterious fun!
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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Smoke and Whispers by Mick Herron. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
Smoke and Whispers by Mick Herron
Non-series
Soho Constable (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-56947-564-4 (1569475644)
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-564-5 (9781569475645)
Publication Date: April 2009
List Price: $25.00
Review: Mick Herron crafts a tense mystery with a complex plot and attention-grabbing characters in Smoke and Whispers, his fifth novel of suspense.
The body of a middle-aged woman has been found in the River Tyne in Newcastle. Was it a suicide, an accident, murder? According to the possessions found on her by the police, the victim was a private investigator named Zoe Boehm. But is it Zoe Boehm? Sarah Tucker, who identifies the body, agrees it looked a lot like Zoe, but the body had been in the water for some time. But she feels there is something just not right.
Sarah knew Zoe was working for a mutual friend, Gerard Inchon. She knew also that Zoe had plans to continue her pursuit of a killer who went by the name of Alan Talmadge. Zoe had told Sarah that she had no idea of just how many women Talmadge had murdered but she was aware of the last two. Talmadge lured middle aged women with talk of love, and then tiring of them he would kill them and move on to the next. Had Zoe been his last victim? Not sure how to proceed, Sarah stays in Newcastle. Sarah believes Alan Talmadge is in Newcastle but not using that name. And there are other anomalies that pique her interest. The hotel’s bartender is posing as an Australian but clearly isn’t. Her friend Gerald is publicly supporting, even drumming up potential investors for, a medical researcher she knows he had a falling out with years ago. From cops to gangsters, Sarah winds her way through dilapidated shipyards and to Newcastle’s newest and swankiest areas. Although Sarah does not know who to trust she decides she can not leave until she discovers the truth -- no matter how perilous her journey.
Smoke and Whispers is an electrifying book that doesn’t let up from start to finish. The atmospheric setting, the intricately detailed, at times startling and unexpected, plot, and the compelling characters all come together to form a most original, satisfying suspense thriller.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Smoke and Whispers and to Soho Press for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing Smoke and Whispers from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Smoke and Whispers (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.
Synopsis (from the publisher): When a body is hauled from the River Tyne, Sarah Tucker heads to Newcastle for a closer look. She identifies the dead woman as private detective Zoe Boehm, but putting a name to the corpse only raises further questions. Did Zoe kill herself, or did one of her old cases come back to haunt her? Why was she wearing a jacket a murderer had stolen years before? And what's brought Sarah's sparring partner Gerard Inchon to the same broken down hotel? Coincidence is an excuse that soon looks pretty unconvincing. Sarah can't leave until she's found the answers to her questions, however dangerous that might turn out to be.
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The Afterword on the National Post website has a Q&A with crime writer Chris Knopf. Knopf's mystery series features Sam Acquillo, an ex-boxer, ex-corporate executive living in the Hamptons on Long Island.
When asked about the challenges of writing a series, Knopf replied, "The cool thing about having a cast of characters is that you have this entourage that are already there. I don't have to come up with another cop, I don't have to come up with another rich friend. I've got them. And I can develop them, which is fun, and show an arc of their experience." But it can have its limitations. "[H]ow many times can I describe (the setting) in a way that's still interesting? People say they love the setting, but I've already described it. How many words are in the English language and how many ways can I go at describing it and not seem like I'm just repeating myself?"
Knopf also reveals he's writing a spin-off series featuring Sam's lawyer, Jackie Swaitkowski.
[MBN note: Knopf's third novel in the Sam Acquillo series, Head Wounds, was listed as one of our best mysteries of 2008. Read our review here: Head Wounds by Chris Knopf. The fourth mystery in the series, Hard Stop, which we'll also be reviewing, is scheduled for publication next month.]
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Sony Pictures has released a new one-minute television spot for its upcoming Angels & Demons, based on the thriller by Dan Brown. Written as the first book to feature Robert Langdon, it is cinematically a sequel to the The Da Vinci Code, which starred Tom Hanks as the Harvard University symbologist and religious expert. In Angels & Demons, Langdon faces a new task in uncovering the mystery behind the Illuminati.
Angels & Demons opens in theaters May 15, 2009.
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In a press release yesterday, SIRIUS XM Radio announced that it is expanding its Book Radio channel -- SIRIUS channel 117 and XM channel 163 -- exploring all sides of the book world and taking listeners behind-the-scenes with a wide and varied programming lineup including author interviews, daily broadcasts of audio books including "drive time bestsellers," radio theater and more.
Book Radio will launch its first live call-in show, Cover to Cover Live, today, April 14 at 3:00 PM ET, and continue on subsequent Tuesdays at the same time. Upcoming guests of mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction will include bestselling author David Baldacci who will introduce his entire Camel Club series, beginning with The Camel Club, and his latest novel First Family, Jonathan Kellerman, Carl Hiaasen, Steve Berry, and more.
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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, and a set of made-for-television movies based on Ruth Rendell's novels of psychological suspense.
Intelligence, a critically acclaimed Canadian series, spins a dark, daringly complex narrative web that ranks among television's best.
The story centers around Jimmy Reardon (played by Ian Tracey), a Vancouver drug lord trying to go legit, and Mary Spalding (Klea Scott), the head of the Canadian intelligence service for the Pacific region. Although they work on opposite sides of the law, Reardon and Spalding form an uneasy undercover alliance to protect their turf from rivals inside and outside their organizations. All loyalties are negotiable in this high-stakes game, and the players use money, sex, drugs, and murder to secure the most powerful commodity of all -- information.
The Intelligence: Season Two DVD set of 4 discs contains the 11 episodes of the second and final season that aired on CBC from October through December, 2007.
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries was a series of made-for-television movies based on the suspense novels by Ruth Rendell that aired over a 12 year period on ITV.
Many of Rendell's books featured Chief Inspector Reg Wexford of Kingsmarkham, a fictional town in the real English county of Hampshire.
The The Ruth Rendell Mysteries: Set Four DVD contains two of these Wexford adaptations: Simisola in which Wexford looks into the abrupt disappearance of the daughter of his physician, and Road Rage in which Wexford's wife is taken hostage by a radical group of environmentalists.
Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD.
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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 B D E I L N O Y
He edited the anthology Great Canadian Murder and Mystery 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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Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and getaway vacations including murder mystery weekends, is pleased to announce the availability of a new boxed mystery game for Windows PC computers. More mystery games for this platform are available from our recently updated Games of Mystery: Windows PC webpage.
Dusty drapes and ancient chandeliers dot the spooky Margrave Manor house. As Edwina Margrave, you must find your grandfather who's been mising for ten years. Your only clue to his whereabouts is a strange door with an odd puzzle to unlock. In each room, collect hidden objects and view your strange medley in the collection room. The Secret of Margrave Manor is the only hidden object game that changes the positions of the items every time you visit a room, so you'll always have a fresh challenge. Can you discover your family's forgotten past?
Scheduled for release tomorrow, April 14, 2009, The Secret of Margrave Manor (PC Windows, boxed) is rated E10+, Everyone age 10 and older. Also available: The Secret of Margrave Manor (download version) from Big Fish Games.
Watch a video introduction to the game, courtesy of Big Fish Games, below:
Don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!
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