FirstShowing.net has the first trailer for Guy Ritchie's version of Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. as the famous consulting detective and Jude Law as his faithful Dr. Watson. The movie also stars Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler and Mark Strong as their mysterious new adversary, Blackwood.
You can watch the trailer below:
Sherlock Holmes will be in theaters December 25, 2009.
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Fox Television officially announced its slate of programming for the 2009 / 2010 season this morning. We're taking a look at their mystery-themed series here.
Not unexpectedly, though it took them long enough to get the deal done, Fox renewed the popular Bones for two additional seasons. Based on characters created by forensic anthropologist and mystery author Kathy Reichs, Bones stars Emily Deschanel as Dr. Temperance Brennan who has an uncanny ability to read clues left behind in a victim's bones. The series also stars David Boreanaz as FBI Agent Seeley Booth who teams up with her on her investigations.
Bones is scheduled to air on Thursdays at 8 PM (ET/PT). The first 3 seasons of Bones are available on DVD.
Picked up as a mid-season entry is Past Life, a fast-paced emotional thriller inspired by the book The Reincarnationist by M. J. Rose. The series stars Kelli Giddish as a gifted psychologist and Nicholas Bishop as a former NYPD detective who work together to explore and unravel mysteries that must be solved in both the past and the present.
Past Life is scheduled to air on Tuesdays at 9 PM (ET/PT) in the spring of 2010.
Also renewed is Lie to Me for a second season. The series follows Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) and his team of deception experts as they assist law enforcement and government agencies to expose the truth behind the lies. We confess (!) we're torn about this show. We have a broad definition of "mystery" when it comes to television series, but we're still on the fence as to whether it qualifies.
Lie to Me is scheduled to air on Mondays at 9 PM (ET/PT) during the fall of 2009 only.
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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.
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
The Enola Holmes Series
Puffin (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-241190-6 (0142411906)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-241190-2 (9780142411902)
Publication Date: May 2008
List Price: $6.99
Review written by Ariana, Age 12, Grade 7. Date of review: May 2009.
Review: The Case of the Left Handed Lady. An intriguing title. Who is the Left Handed Lady? What happened to her? What’s so special about a Left Handed Lady? These are some of the questions that flew my mind as I looked at the cover of The Case of the Left Handed Lady by Nancy Springer. Enola Holmes, sister to Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, is the leading lady in the story. The second in the series, The Case of the Left Handed Lady continues the riveting tale of The Case of the Missing Marquees. It’s a tale of mystery, disappearances, and intrigue all the while; it didn’t quite captivate my attention.
The story of a young sleuth, Enola Holmes tries to deduct the case of a missing Lady Cecily. Enola pays a visit to Lady Theodora, who informs Enola of Cecily’s disappearance. Fascinated by her belongings, including charcoal drawings, Enola embarks on a journey throughout London, the vilest city in Britain, to find her, in the hopes of making a life long friend. Enola’s got a lot to think about though, because Enola is juggling several identities and escapees. All while Enola’s on the search for Lady Cecily, Enola balances the identities of Mrs. Ragostin, Ivy Meshle, and the Sister of the Streets, evades her brothers Mycroft and Sherlock, and struggles to reunite with her mother.
All this action and mystery occurs in the story but all the while, I just didn’t enjoy the book. It was definitely not a page turner and got off to a very slow start. I also can’t relate to Enola. The whole story is based on a fourteen year old making her way through the worst parts of London, escaping Sherlock Holmes, and searching for a missing girl she has never met before. The climax and resolution also seems very absurd to me. The first three-quarters of the book are basically just Enola searching for her mom and Cecily and running from her brothers, but the climax is just completely confusing. Enola has only a few leads, but by the climax there’s a whole other world of information that shows the resolution, which I find very confusing and unbalanced. On the positive side, I did feel that the ending was very good. It leaves you with an open ending and not knowing how everything will end up, but at the same time gave me a sense of closure and has a good use of sentence structure.
The story has a complex and original plot, while not quite a page turner, but has an excellent ending. Although, the book did not win any award or medals, I feel with the book’s strong plot and ending, it could be capable of winning any award.
If you are interested in purchasing The Case of the Left-Handed Lady from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 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, 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 two series that have season DVDs being released this week.
Another unforgettable 24 hour day in the life of Federal Agent Jack Bauer (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is chronicled on the Fox series 24. For the 7th season, the day starts at 8 AM with Jack in Washington DC under investigation for "high crimes". But a mysterious new threat is attempting to take the government down and Jack is forced to take matters into his own hands, working with old friends and new allies to protect the country..
The seventh season of 24 was delayed one year due to the writers' strike of 2007/2008.
The 24: Season Seven DVD set of 6 discs contain the 24 episodes that aired on Fox from January 2009 through May 2009. In an unusual move, the DVD set is being released just one day after the season finale (which airs tonight).
Based on the series of Southern Vampire mysteries by Charlaine Harris, True Blood stars Anna Paquin as telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse and airs on HBO. Set in parishes of Louisiana, vampires and humans co-exist due to the invention of synthetic blood that eliminates (in principle) humans from the vampires diet.
The first season of True Blood involved a number of murders of young women with Sookie's brother being the prime suspect.
The True Blood: Season One DVD set of 5 discs contain the 12 episodes that aired on HBO from September through November 2008. True Blood: Season One (Blu-ray) is also available. The second season of the series debuts June 14, 2009; HBO has released a trailer for the season.
Visit the Mysteries on TV website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD.
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eHarlequin.com has released the May 2009 titles in their Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)
Scent of Murder
Everything is going wrong for Caitlin Saylor. Her boyfriend has left her. Her musical trio is disbanding. And for their trio's swan song? They'll be playing another wedding: a chance to watch someone else's happy ending. And then, unexpectedly, Chase Hollister enters the scene. The candle factory owner is handsome, charming and very interested in Caitlin. His gift of a special candle proves it. But there's something more to the candle than Caitlin or Chase suspect. Something that puts Caitlin at risk. To keep Caitlin safe, Chase must face a haunting crime from his past—and a deadly killer in the present.
Blackmail
Another facility's been sabotaged!
And PR representative Sadie Thompson is on the case. When she's assigned to investigate the damage to her employer's oil rigs, she knows it's her chance. Finally, she can prove she's left her "bad girl" past behind her. Yet someone wants the evidence to disappear—and is willing to threaten Sadie and Caleb, her recently paroled half brother, to make it happen. Caleb's parole officer, Jon Garrison, is watching them both closely, waiting for one of them to slip up. He doesn't trust Sadie—can she trust him? She needs Jon's help, and has nowhere else to turn.
No Alibi
Juror Julie Ann Jones simply didn't expect the life on the line to be her own. Courtroom tension is running high during a scandal-packed murder case. As the trial heats up, a series of "accidents" begins targeting the jurors—especially Julie Ann. There are gunshots at her beauty salon. A prowler is spotted at her home. Through it all, fellow juror Smith Burnett gives her the courage to continue. But will she find the courage to give Smith her heart?
Her Last Chance
The mysterious man at her door swears he recognizes her. She's Leah Farley. Mother, wife—and suspected murderer. But her amnesia has wiped away memories of her former life. When a shower of bullets follows the man's claims, Leah is forced to accept the truth. She's in danger. And unless she can make herself remember, there's no way to stay safe. With bounty hunter Roman Black's help, she must uncover her lost memories—before the killer succeeds in keeping Leah's past and future buried forever.
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If you enjoy the suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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 four additional Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense 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:
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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 D E H I K N R T
Murder happened here in a 2009 Phyrne Fisher mystery by Kerry Greenwood (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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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of House of Tarot Cards by Alfred M. Albers. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
House of Tarot Cards by Alfred M. Albers
A John Michaels Mystery
Infinity Publishing (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7414-5181-6 (0741451816)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7414-5181-1 (9780741451811)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $16.95
Review: John Michaels, a retired magician, is called upon as a consultant in a cold case recently reopened by the Virginia Beach police department in House of Tarot Cards, the second mystery in this series by Alfred M. Albers.
Detective Jeanie Roberts has been investigating the unsolved murder of a psychic that occurred some three years ago. Getting nowhere, she gets approval to seek an outside opinion and selects John who she had seen at one of his performances years ago. He agrees to help and quickly uncovers several key aspects of the case that had gone unnoticed by the police. And when it looks like a police insider may have been involved, either in the murder or a subsequent cover-up, he realizes this case may not be quite as cold as originally thought.
House of Tarot Cards is a mystery of missed opportunities, from the interesting (if unambitious) plot and the well-thought out (though poorly drawn) characters to the lifeless narrative and stilted dialog. Like many self-published books, it could have benefited from the services of a professional editor, tweaking here and there and vastly improving the overall reading experience. Many of the rules of Writing Fiction 101 are, if not outright broken, indifferently ignored. The most annoying here is having the characters constantly say the name of the person to whom they are speaking. [John suddenly grabbed Stella's arm, turned her around and pulled her close to him. "What's wrong, John?" Stella whispered. "Don't turn around, Stella."] To its credit, the book appears to have been adequately proofread as there are few obvious spelling, punctuation, syntax, or formatting errors commonly found in other self-published works.
The biggest missed opportunity, however, is not expanding on, or fully utilizing, John's former profession as a magician in his new role as amateur sleuth. There are brief glimpses where it comes into play (his powers of observation, his deductive reasoning, his diversions) but they are few and far between. They should have been center stage (as it were).
Despite some of the problems noted, House of Tarot Cards is overall a generally enjoyable mystery. The likeable characters and attractive setting will appeal to traditional / cozy fans who appreciate a storyline with minimal violence and no rough language.
Special thanks to Alfred M. Albers for providing a copy of House of Tarot Cards for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
If you are interested in purchasing House of Tarot Cards from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
Synopsis (from the publisher): It began as a plan to shakedown the local psychic community every month. The anonymous letters were the first step. If that didn't work, the phone calls started. It's in your best interest to pay ... or else, the muffled-voiced caller said. Those who didn't comply soon found their shop windows broken, and their car tires slashed. Eventually, everyone gave in except Mrs. Sylvia. She was determined not to pay protection money to a low-life who thought psychics were an easy mark for fast cash. Her stubbornness resulted in first-degree murder: hers.
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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 mystery game for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii. More mystery games for these platforms are available on our recently updated Games of Mystery: Nintendo DS and Games of Mystery: Nintendo Wii webpages.
Secret Files: Tunguska begins with a baffling kidnapping. Nina Kalenkow's world is turned upside down when she learns that her father, the scientist Vladimir Kalenkow, has vanished without a trace. Since the police can't (or won't?) help, Nina decides to search for clues to her father's whereabouts on her own. On the way, she meets Max Gruber, one of her father's colleagues, who spontaneously offers the attractive young woman his help. The trail leads Nina and Max to a mysterious disaster in the Tunguska region of Siberia in 1908, which Vladimir Kalenkow had been investigating. Does the disappearance of Nina's father have something to do with his previous expeditions to Siberia? The search for an answer leads the two heroes from Berlin around the globe and to the Antarctic, and it soon becomes clear that there are others who are also interested in Nina's father's secrets. After all, there's much more going on than the mere disappearance of an old man.
Currently scheduled for release on May 19th, 2009, the game will be available for both Nintendo platforms: Secret Files: Tunguska Nintendo DS and Secret Files: Tunguska Nintendo Wii.
Watch a video trailer for Secret Files: Tunguska below:
Don't forget to visit Games of Mystery for all types of mysterious fun!
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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.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Artemis Fowl Series
Miramax (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7868-1787-9 (0786817879)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7868-1787-0 (9780786817870)
Publication Date: March 2003
List Price: $5.99
Review written by Denise, Age 13, Grade 7. Date of review: April 2009.
Review: A kid genius, fairies, sprites, gnomes, and magic! This book, which is titled Artemis Fowl, encompasses all of these things, and more! Artemis Fowl, written by the former elementary school teacher Eoin Colfer, is the first installment in the "Artemis Fowl" series. This book is targeted towards children in their early teen and teenage years.
Artemis Fowl is an Irish boy of only twelve years of age, yet his knowledge surpasses that of any intelligent adult’s. He is descended from an extremely wealthy family of criminal lords and is the only son of the bedridden Angeline Fowl and the missing Artemis Fowl senior. Artemis Fowl takes advantage of his father’s absence and his mother’s illness to abandon school and devise strategies that will restore his family to its former prosperity and greatness.
With his freedom, Artemis begins to research fairies, and through his studies, he discovers that fairies do indeed exist. An even more interesting piece of information he derives during his explorations of the topic is the fact that fairies possess a large amount of gold. Artemis plots to steal this gold from the fairies and use it to restore his family wealth. He captures a fairy by the name of Holly Short and plans to return her to her people only when they agree to pay him a large portion of gold as ransom. Artemis’s search for gold rapidly transforms into a full-scale war with the fairy police. He is forced to make critical, life-altering decisions that could possibly determine the outcome of the war. This war of the worlds may put the survival of both the human and fairy races at stake.
Artemis Fowl proved a greatly appealing story; its contents differ dramatically from that of any other book I have read before. For instance: Mr. Colfer’s depiction of fairies. Fairies are generally described as tiny beings that happily assist or accompany man. In Artemis Fowl, fairies are portrayed quite differently. The fairies in Artemis Fowl bear a few similarities to traditional fairies, such as the fact that they are (somewhat) magical. However, the fairies Eoin Colfer created are aggressive creatures that fiercely defend their race against humans and any other dangers that threaten to wipe out their species.
Not only are the mythical creatures in this book unique, but so is the book’s subject: Artemis Fowl the Second. This boy’s personality is extremely intriguing and fascinating; his intelligence quotient exceeds that of nearly every human in the history of mankind, though he is only twelve years of age. Artemis the Second not only possesses a ridiculously intelligent mind, but also the steadfast determination and shining confidence to reach any goal he sets in mind. However, beneath his intellect, willpower, and assurance hides a pitiful young boy who yearns for the return of his father and the recovery of his bedridden mother.
In addition to creating distinctive characters, Eoin Colfer has also produced an exhilarating and electrifying storyline that is completely and wholly original. With the turn of every page of Artemis Fowl come unexpected twists and unforeseen events. However, though the plot of the story is complex and interesting, the tone in which it is written in is not very intricate, which many teens may find objectionable.
Artemis Fowl will be converted into a movie; however, the cast, director, and release date remain unknown. Out of five stars, I give Artemis Fowl a rating of four.
If you are interested in purchasing Artemis Fowl from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 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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Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Embarking on Murder by Sue Owens Wright. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
Embarking on Murder by Sue Owens Wright
A Beanie and Cruiser Mystery
Five Star (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59414-780-9 (1594147809)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-780-7 (9781594147807)
Publication Date: May 2009
List Price: $25.95
Review: Elsie "Beanie" MacBean is celebrating her 50th birthday with her daughter Nona and her good friend Sheriff Skip Cassidy aboard a dinner cruise on Lake Tahoe on the 4th of July, expecting a brilliant display of fireworks at the end of the evening but getting fireworks of a different, and more deadly, kind instead in Embarking on Murder, the second mystery in this series by Sue Owens Wright.
While Beanie is enjoying her meal, another couple, elderly Frank Diggs, his adult children, and his wife of one year Ivy, who just happens to be younger than any of his children, have a loud argument. Ivy is screaming at Frank, demanding a divorce, and otherwise making a scene for all to see. Suddenly the boat seems to run over something, lifting one side up enough to tip over tables and unseating patrons who immediately leave the dining area. Soon after Frank yells that Ivy is missing and he fears she may have fallen overboard. Skip dives into the lake but something yanks on his leg, pulling him down. He manages to free himself, but his pants are in shreds and his leg in need of stitches. Beanie is faced with two puzzling questions: What happened to Ivy? And what was in the water that attacked Skip?
Embarking on Murder takes a creative look at a colossal creature that reportedly lives in the great depths of Lake Tahoe and dubbed "Tessie" by the locals, incorporating it into the plot of the story. If Ivy wasn't on board the cruise ship, she must have fallen overboard. But could she have drowned so quickly, or might she have been pulled under just as Skip was. If so, by what? And what caused the boat to suddenly shift to one side, as if it hit something large underwater or was shoved upward from below? The multiple twists in Embarking on Murder, colorful characters and tense situations, broad humor and the hint of romance between Beanie and Skip, and of course the delightful Cruiser make this a most enjoyable read.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Embarking on Murder and to Breakthrough Promotions 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 Embarking on Murder from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
Synopsis (from the publisher): Some people really go overboard for their anniversary, especially spoiled young Ivy Diggs, who mysteriously vanishes during the Dixie Queen paddle wheeler's crowded Fourth of July dinner cruise on Lake Tahoe. It's also Elsie MacBean's 50th birthday celebration, which almost turns out to be her last when Beanie finds herself embarking not only on a calamitous cruise but a murder investigation.
After overhearing Ivy's angry outburst at her husband moments before her disappearance, Beanie suspects Ivy's drowning may not have been accidental, as is assumed. In Beanie's estimation, anyone who was present at the Diggs' anniversary party could be a possible crime suspect ... and even some who weren't. While casting for clues amid purported sightings of a legendary creature believed to inhabit the lake, Beanie and her sleuthhound Cruiser discover something more sinister is lurking beneath the surface of this mystery surrounding the Lake of the Sky. Ivy Diggs isn't the only one to end up in deep water as Beanie also becomes the target of a killer.
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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.
Work as a famous Hollywood detective and solve a star-studded mystery! A famous actress, $10 million in cash, and the only copy of one of the company's most highly anticipated films are all missing! Find clues and decode puzzles in 160 captivating levels to solve case and save Hollywood.
Detective Stories: Hollywood 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, 61.1 MB).
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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Sparked by danger, fueled by passion, eHarlequin.com has released the June 2009 titles in their Silhouette Romantic Suspense series. Let yourself be swept away with characters who fall in love under larger-than-life circumstances. In Silhouette Romantic Suspense, suspense, emotion and glamour combine to create these highly charged books! To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)
Tall Dark Defender
Undercover investigator Jonah Devereaux barely knew Annie Compton, but that didn't stop him from nearly blowing his cover to save the pretty waitress from a ruthless killer. Convincing the stubborn single mom that she needed his protection 24/7 was a fiery battle of wills, but fighting his burning desire to make love to her was a war he wasn't sure he could—or wanted to—win.
Annie didn't like a mysterious man keeping watch over her, especially one as dangerously attractive as Jonah. But she'd do anything to keep her family alive, even if it meant giving in to her temporary bodyguard's demands regarding her safety … and her heart.
Kincaid's Dangerous Game
Holt Kincaid was this close to finally reuniting a long-lost family. Complications arose when retired poker player Brenna Fallon foiled his plans for her joyous return. Undeterred, the P.I. refused to give up on this scrappy beauty whose inner anguish mirrored his own.
Surviving on the streets had taught Brenna to call anyone's bluff. And Holt Kincaid was clearly using his smoldering sex appeal to gain the upper hand. But all bets were off when a dangerous opponent took extreme measures to get her back in the game. Now Brenna had to entrust her heart to Holt—or she might never find her way home again.
Knight in Blue Jeans
When he quit a powerful secret society, Smith Donnell lost his fortune—and walked away from love. Beautiful heiress Arden Leigh deserved a man who could give her everything. Not a high-society outcast with nothing to his name and a bull's-eye on his back.
But when Arden's curiosity made her the society's new target, Smith had to protect her—and win back her trust. Convincing Arden to let him back into her life would take a miracle. But Smith would do anything to keep her safe, even though he'd already sacrificed his heart—and this time, the price might be his life.
The 9-Month Bodyguard
A disgraced Silver Rothchild has one last shot at superstardom. But her Las Vegas comeback could turn into a huge flop, courtesy of an illegitimate baby on the way and a vengeful stalker waiting in the wings. Now the pampered pop diva must spend 24/7 with her unbelievably uptight—undeniably sexy—Special Ops bodyguard who's being bankrolled by her stepfather!
Much to her surprise, a perilous, passion-filled night with Austin Dearing proves they are sensational together. Too bad Silver's precious nine-month secret is about to become juicy tabloid fodder…and Austin's round-the-clock protection is oh so temporary. Will behind-the-scenes machinations turn the singing starlet's highly anticipated homecoming into her final curtain call?
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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:
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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.
Jess Silloway has just woken up in a mysterious room and does not remember the last few weeks! A stranger tells her that something has caused her to block out the past and will help her remember. Use mystical tarot cards to transport Jess to her memories. Find clues in detailed hidden object scenes, and solve clever puzzles in 3 Cards to Midnight!
Also available: 3 Cards to Midnight Game Walkthrough.
3 Cards to Midnight may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (209.95 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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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.
Wolf Stalker by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson
The National Park Series
National Geographic (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-4263-0096-4 (1426300964)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4263-0096-7 (9781426300967)
Publication Date: May 2007
List Price: $4.99
Review written by Rebecca, Age 12, Grade 7. Date of review: April 2009.
Review: The investigator peeked over the corner. Sherlock took out his magnifying glass to look at the footprints. Not all people enjoy mysteries like this. They think that mysteries are a waste of time and do not like the whole Sherlock Holmes thing. For those people I recommend Wolf Stalker. It’s the first of the National Park Series by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson.
The story is about a family that has just decided to take in a rude foster kid named Troy. Troy’s mom had gone missing so he was placed with the family. Meanwhile a crisis is going on at Yellowstone Park. People are saying that wolves are killing all the deer and even killed an innocent dog. While the adults in this story go to investigate the crime scene, Ashley, Troy, and Jake find an injured wolf and decided to care for it. Together this unlikely team will solve the mystery of why the deer are being killed, and why the dog was attacked.
This is a wonderful story with awesome details and adventure. At first I was not sure if I would like it or not because of Troy. But, later he became my favorite character.
Even if you don’t like mysteries you will enjoy the National Park Series.
If you are interested in purchasing Wolf Stalker from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.
First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 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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Variety is reporting that ABC has (much to our delight) renewed Castle for a second season.
Castle stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a mystery writer who teams up with NYPD detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) to solve real-world crimes. Though they instantly clash, sparks of another sort also begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance.
The first season of Castle has already been scheduled for release on DVD on September 22, 2009.
Variety also reports that ABC picked up a new murder mystery series, Happy Town, and the Jerry Bruckheimer produced amateur sleuth series The Forgotten. Happy Town is set at a small town grappling with a murder -- its first crime in seven years -- and centers on the town's newly appointed sheriff who has to solve the case. Happy Town is expected to have a Twin Peaks-type style to it. The Forgotten revolves around a group of dedicated, amateur detectives, members of the Identity Network, who attempt to reconstruct the pieces of unidentified victims' lives from what little evidence is left behind.
The official announcement of ABC's upfront schedule will take place on Tuesday, May 19th.
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