Firsts on the 1st: New Series Characters Being Introduced in October 2009 Mysteries

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books recently updated its list of October 2009 hardcover mysteries as well shelved new October paperbacks on The Mystery Bookshelf. In this post, which we're calling Firsts on the 1st, we're introducing readers to new series characters who will make their debut during October.

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Title: Seeking the Dead
Author: Kate Ellis
Series Character: Joe Plantagenet
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the character: Joe Plantagenet is a new police Detective Inspector in Yorkshire.

His first case: A killer is on the prowl who binds and asphyxiates his victims before leaving their naked bodies in isolated country churchyards. The press are calling him the Resurrection Man. Joe believes the case may have occult connections. When a young woman becomes aware of a malevolent presence in her flat and starts to receive mysterious threats, she turns to Joe, who is forced to get into the mind of a cunning -- and scarily ruthless -- killer.

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Title: Sink Trap
Author: Christy Evans
Series Character: Georgiana Neverall
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the character: Former software engineer Georgiana Neverall is a plumber's apprentice in Oregon.

Her first case: Georgiana loves her new occupation as a plumber's apprentice, but is a bit surprised when she finds the favorite brooch of Martha Tepper, the town's former librarian, clogging a sink. Georgiana has a sinking feeling that Martha may have been retired permanently -- and suddenly it's up to a plumber's apprentice to flush out a killer.

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Title: Scandal Sheet
Author: Gemma Halliday
Series: Hollywood Headlines
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the series: The Hollywood Headlines series of romantic mysteries feature tabloid magazine L.A. Informer editor Felix Dunn.

His first assignment: Felix Dunn has just been promoted to managing editor. Now, he's got his work cut out for him keeping the magazine running smoothly while keeping his staff in line. Case in point: Tina Bender is the Informer's gossip columnist extraordinaire. She knows everything about everyone who's anyone. And she's not afraid to print it. That is, until she receives a threatening note, promising, "If you don't stop writing about me, you're dead." Teaming with a built bodyguard, a bubbly blonde, and an alcoholic obituary writer, Tina sets out to uncover just which juicy piece of Hollywood gossip is worth killing over.

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Title: Dipped, Stripped, and Dead
Author: Elise Hyatt
Series Character: Candyce "Dyce" Dare
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the character: Candyce "Dyce" Dare is the owner of Daring Finds, a furniture refinishing business.

Her first case: Divorced and strapped for cash, Dyce starts up Daring Finds, a furniture refinishing business. But when she goes dumpster diving for discarded furniture -- and uncovers a corpse -- Dyce may find herself redecorating a jail cell.

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Title: The Midnight Guardian
Author: Sarah Jane Stratford
Series Characters: The Millennials
Format: Hardcover

What we know about the characters: Millennials are vampires who have lived over 100 years and whose age and wisdom make them close to invulnerable.

Their first case: It’s 1938, and the tentacles of Hitler’s terrifying Third Reich have commenced their stranglehold on Europe. The Nazi empire will soon be clean of all bloodlines deemed tainted or undesirable … including vampires. London’s ancient tribunal of vampires is aghast at the destruction taking place on the Continent. Though vampires try not to interfere with human politics, Hitler’s terrible plans force them into action. They resolve to send five of their most formidable vampires to Berlin to destroy the growing Nazi war machine. But as the millennials attempt to penetrate and sabotage Hitler’s armies, they discover that the Nazis are more capable than any human force they’ve yet encountered and more monstrous than they'd ever imagined. Forced to take bolder, more dangerous steps, they soon attract the attention of specially trained vampire hunters loyal to Hitler and his vision of a vampire-free Europe.

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Title: I Scream, You Scream
Author: Wendy Lyn Watson
Series Character: Tallulah "Tally" Jones
Format: Mass Market Paperback

What we know about the character: Tallulah "Tally" Jones is the proprietor of Dalliance, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor in Texas.

Her first case: Recently divorced Tallulah is mortified when she's stuck scooping sundaes for her two-timing ex-husband -- and his bodacious new girlfriend, Brittanie -- at his company luau. But when Brittanie drops dead, Tally is suddenly the prime suspect in her murder investigation. To catch the killer, Tally will have to dip deep into her small Texan town's darkest secrets and churn up stories some would prefer to keep in the past. But can she uncover the real culprit before a murder charge puts her dreams on ice for good?

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For a list of more mysteries scheduled for publication during October, please visit our New Mysteries home page. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where you can discover a library of new mysteries, also updated with October 2009 releases.

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

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Harlequin Worldwide Mystery Titles for October 2009

eHarlequin.com has announced the October 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. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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The Rosary Bride by Luisa Buehler
A Grace Marsden Mystery (1st in series)

Ghostly sightings of a lady in white roaming the chapel of Regina College have persisted for more than half a century. Grace Marsden, working on the school's massive library renovation, has always been drawn to the mystery and makes the horrifying discovery of bones buried in the rubble. Is there a connection between the skeleton and the specter in the alcoves? Or, more shockingly, to skeletons in Grace's own family closet?

Soon, it's dangerously clear that someone is determined to stop the dead woman from giving up her secrets. And that someone thinks Grace, now digging up old records and tracking down a nun who may hold the crucial piece of the puzzle, would be better off in a grave of her own…than unearthing a fifty-year-old legacy of violence and death.

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A Dangerous Woman by Debra Lee
Fay Cunningham (1st in series)

Fay Cunningham, publisher of a small-town Pennsylvania newspaper, is having a well-deserved midlife crisis. Both nicotine- and calorie-deprived, she stays busy delivering the paper she publishes in order to get closer to her customer base, craving inspiration, a smoke and a cheeseburger. But she discovers something odd going on behind the closed doors of her trusted friend Joe Wise. Like, where is he and who is the mysterious blonde rudely blocking Fay's entry to his house?

Adding to the puzzle, Fay learns that Joe's brother and biggest rival, Thomas, has just died under strange circumstances. Joe was Fay's professional benefactor and her journalistic instincts kick into overdrive. But first, she has to get past Angel, Joe's hostile and secretive new companion. And when Fay's questions get too personal, a killer makes lethal plans to send Fay into permanent retirement.

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The Fall Hunt by Joanne Clarey
A Hummingbird Falls Mystery with Ellie Hastings (3rd in series)

Fall wraps the tiny mountain village of Hummingbird Falls in a symphony of color and Ellie Hastings is looking forward to spending a cozy winter snowbound in her refurbished cabin. But her plans take a twist when she becomes an eyewitness to a bank robbery that leaves her shell-shocked mind struggling to piece together some critical clues to the identities of the thieves. A month later, the discovery of a dead body under newly fallen snow adds another layer of malice to the mystery. Soon, the first snowstorm of the season unleashes its fury, leaving Ellie struggling to stay alive after she's left for dead, as man-made danger and mother nature collide, turning the mountains into a most treacherous place to become the hunted.

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If you enjoy the books in 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:

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Harlequin Mira Mystery and Suspense Titles for October 2009

eHarlequin.com has announced the October 2009 titles for their Mira imprint, the brightest stars in women's fiction. From all titles available, we've only listed those that are mystery, thriller, or suspense on this page. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title or the book cover. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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The Fury by Jason Pinter
A Henry Parker Mystery (4th in series)

Am I my brother's keeper?

If I'd known I had a brother, I might have been. But he's dead—shot point-blank in a rat-hole apartment, wasted by hunger and heroin. Stephen Gaines, a man with whom I shared nothing … except a father.

For some reason this stranger who shared my blood came to me for help … and I blew him off thinking he was just some junkie. Now I'm forced to question everything I ever knew … and figure out why this man was murdered in cold blood.

All I can do for Stephen Gaines now is find his killer—and with the help of Amanda Davies uncover the whole, hard truth. If it means tracking down a vicious drug kingpin—who may or may not exist—then so be it.

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Black Friday by Alex Kava
A Maggie O'Dell Mystery (7th in series)

On the busiest shopping day of the year, some idealistic college students believe they're about to carry out an elaborate media stunt at the largest mall in America. They think the jamming devices in their backpacks will disrupt stores' computer systems, causing delays and chaos. What they don't realize is that instead of jamming devices, their backpacks are stuffed with explosives, ready to be detonated by remote control and turning them into suicide bombers.

Caught up in a political nightmare, battling a new interim director and still mourning the death of her boss A. D. Cunningham, FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell must put her own troubles aside and fly to Minnesota to help figure out what's behind this terrorist attack—a massacre that is all the more frightening because no group has claimed responsibility.

The search becomes personal when a tip reveals that one of the college students involved is Patrick, Maggie's brother. Afraid and on the run, Patrick must decide if he can finally trust Maggie enough to help her unravel this horrifying nightmare.

Sifting through the debris for answers, Maggie is joined by Nick Morrelli, who has recently taken a job with a national security company that oversees security for the mall. Although Maggie and Nick have investigated several cases together in the past, they've never investigated a relationship with each other. Nick would like to change that.

When an informant confides in Maggie that there are other attacks on the secret agenda, she knows that she's running out of time. In less than twenty-four hours she'll need to figure out exactly when and where the second attack will take place, who to look for and how to keep her brother from becoming one of the casualties.

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The Return by Sharon Sala
Non-Series

As a legacy of hatred erupts in a shattering moment of violence, a dying mother entrusts her newborn daughter to a caring stranger…. Now, twenty-five years later, Katherine Fane has come home to Camarune, Kentucky, to bury the woman who raised her, bringing a blood feud to its searing conclusion.

At the cabin in the woods where she was born, Katherine is drawn to the ravaged town and its violent past. But her arrival has not gone unnoticed. A stranger is watching from the woods, a shattered old man is witnessing the impossible, and Sheriff Luke DePriest's only thoughts are to keep Katherine safe from the sleeping past she has unwittingly awoken.

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The Perfect Murder by Brenda Novak
A Last Stand Mystery (6th)

For more than a year, Sebastian Costas has been trying to unravel the truth behind the murder of his ex-wife and son. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he's convinced that her second husband—a cop—committed both murders, then faked his own death. Now Sebastian has followed the slimmest of leads to Sacramento…and that's where he finally gets the break he needs. Jane Burke, an investigator with The Last Stand, calls him in connection with a separate crime—a crime that could lead him straight to the man he's been looking for.

Once married to a serial killer, Jane has spent the past five years rebuilding her life. And with Sebastian she finally has a chance at happiness. But the man they're after is after them, too. For him this has become a personal battle, one he's determined to win. Whatever it takes.

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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: PuppetShow, the Mystery of Joyville, 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 Mystery Games: Big Fish Download Games page or by clicking on the links provided below.

Download →

The puppet show in Joyville was once a wondrous attraction until the great fire. Now, rusted gears and dark mysteries lay within strange machinations and disheveled puppets. A young boy, Simon, is the most recent in a long line of missing people. In PuppetShow: Mystery of Joyville, you are tasked with solving nefarious puzzles, finding hidden clues, and uncovering the dark secrets of a town that is anything but joyful. WARNING: May contain disturbing imagery and themes.

Also available: PuppetShow: Mystery of Joyville Strategy Guide and a PuppetShow: Mystery of Joyville Game Walkthrough.

PuppetShow: Mystery of Joyville may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (182.69 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, Enlightenus, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate, and Nick Chase: A Detective Story.

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Review), The Hardy Boys: The Perfect Crime (Review), Enlightenus (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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The Mystery Bookshelf: Flesh House by Stuart MacBride, a Logan McRae Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

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Flesh House by Stuart MacBride
A Logan McRae Mystery (4th in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-58407-8

About Flesh House (from the publisher): Killers have terrorized Aberdeen in the past—Detective Sergeant Logan McRae has the scars to prove it—but when body parts show up in a cargo container at the harbor they kick off Scotland’s largest manhunt in twenty years. Last time, when they tracked down Kenneth Wiseman, a brutal killer who butchered his victims, he was later acquitted on a technicality. Now he’s gone missing, people are dying, and the police are certain he’s at work again. As the violence escalates, McRae is forced to work with the senior officers assigned to the original case who have returned to finish what they started. With decades of secrets and lies coming to light, the only thing that’s certain is that the city will never be the same.

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About Stuart MacBride: His novels have won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger in the Library and the Barry Award for Best First Novel and put him on the shortlist for the International Thriller Writers’ Award for Best First Novel and twice for Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. He lives in Aberdeen, Scotland, with his wife. Visit his Web site at StuartMacBride.com.

Mysteries by Stuart MacBride reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: Dying Light (2006).

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Mystery Book Review: Civil Twilight by Susan Dunlap

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

Civil Twilight by Susan Dunlap
A Darcy Lott Mystery

Counterpoint (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-58243-452-2 (1582434522)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58243-452-0 (9781582434520)
Publication Date: August 2009
List Price: $25.00

Review: Stuntwoman Darcy Lott is drawn into a decades-old murder when she meets a woman who is found, just hours later, dead in Civil Twilight, the third mystery in this series by Susan Dunlap.

Darcy is reluctant to meet with Karen Johnson, a client of her brother, the lawyer, but agrees and takes an immediate liking to her. They make plans to meet for dinner, but Karen unexpectedly steals a police car -- belonging to Darcy's other brother, the cop -- which is later found in the parking garage of a building under construction. The police find Karen's body on the adjacent highway, an apparent suicide. Darcy knows Karen didn't kill herself -- the body was too far away from the building if Karen had jumped -- but neither of her brothers is particularly cooperative in helping explain her relationship to them. She proceeds to investigate on her own, following a single lead to a remote community in northern California and then on to Alaska, to learn more about the mysterious Karen Johnson and why someone would want to kill her.

Civil Twilight is one of those mysteries that, despite a lot of action in the first chapter or two, starts slowly, methodically laying a foundation for what ultimately becomes a first-rate story. There would seem to be little reason for Darcy to pursue her investigation other than her desire to know what really happened ... and why her brothers weren't being forthcoming about it. But it works here. Darcy's profession as a stuntwoman also serves her character well: she's known as a risk-taker, albeit a smart one, by her friends and colleagues. Still, at one point a detective on the case says to her, "Karen Johnson did something that got her murdered. I don't know what. But her killer's out there somewhere. Be careful. Seriously careful." There are a considerable number of twists and misdirections that keep the plot interesting, without unnecessarily complicating it, no small feat on the part of the author.

The book includes many references to Zen that put a unique spin on the story being told. Primary among them is the koan that is at the heart of the story: You are atop a hundred-foot pole. How do you proceed? By letting go, Darcy reasons, "not releasing your grasp and falling in terror, but rather stepping out of the past, out of who you are, into the next moment, whatever that moment brings."

The title comes from the term "civil twilight", the time of day between clear afternoon and the first shadow of dusk, the last time one sees clearly before artificial light is needed. It's an appropriate title for a mystery that involves a case that, when viewed from a different perspective, takes on a whole new meaning.

Special thanks to Counterpoint Press for providing a copy of Civil Twilight for this review.

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

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): San Francisco stunt double Darcy Lott specializes in creating the illusion of serious danger. But when her lawyer brother calls and asks her to wine and dine a mysterious client, the danger is no illusion.

Darcy takes an instant liking to the client, Karen Johnson, but there are too many unanswered questions. Karen claims to be getting a divorce, but Darcy?s brother Gary doesn?t handle divorces. And when he insists that their older brother John, a cop, must not know of their meeting, Darcy?s red flags are raised. Who is this woman? And why does she need a high-powered lawyer?

Soon, a murder shocks the city and John is the primary suspect. With John and Gary both in hiding and the police anxious to pin the death on John, Darcy finds herself with no one she can trust. Desperate for an end to the madness, she delves deep into Karen?s past, only to uncover a scheme even more shocking than murder itself.

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Mystery Party Suggestions for Halloween!

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, and mystery getaway vacations, has several recommendations for your next party or get-together.

Halloween is just a month away, but it's not too late to plan a spooky party to celebrate! Here are some popular suggestions (but our Mystery Party pages have many, many more).

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For kids, there are Horrible Happenings in the Haunted House. A fancy dress party is being held by Horrorwood Studios to celebrate the success of their latest film 'Hal O'Ween and the Deadly Shrunken Head'. Owner of Horrorwood Studios, Hal O'Ween, has invited many of the actors, actresses and employees involved in the making of the film. Join them for an evening of fright and horror, some of it intentional, some of it not.

This Halloween-themed mystery game for 8 to 12 children is set at a present day horror fancy dress party and is rated E. Follow this link, Horrible Happenings in the Haunted House, for more information about this party, or this link, List of Characters in Horrible Happenings in the Haunted House, for character information. Under a slightly different title is the adult version of this game: Horror in the Haunted House.

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Also for kids is The Mystery of the Vanishing Vampire. To celebrate the opening of the scary new theme park, Vampireland in Transylvania, the guests have been chosen by Jack Ular, the owner of Castle Alucard and Vampireland, to take a frightening challenge. Their challenge, if they choose to accept, is to spend a night in one of the rooms in the haunted West Wing of Castle Alucard in Vampireland.

If they successfully complete the challenge, and survive the night, they will each win a prize and will be awarded a Vampireland Medal of Bravery.

This spooky mystery game for 10 to 14 players aged 8 to 12 is set in present day Transylvania. Follow this link, The Mystery of the Vanishing Vampire, for more information about this party, or this link, List of Characters in The Mystery of the Vanishing Vampire, for character information. Under a slightly different title, three other versions of this game are available: Death of a Vampire (teen version), Death of a Vampire (adult version) and Death of a Vampire (large group version).

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For older children and teens there's A Devilish Masquerade. By now the whole town has heard that Monty Argent, teen-aged son and heir of ridiculously wealthy Pierce Argent, is inviting kids who are, or pretend to be, his friends to an over-the-top Halloween costume party at the Argent's fabulous estate. This will certainly be the social highlight of the spooky season for all of the town's residents aged anywhere from 13 to 19: invitations are essentially tickets to popularity. As the party is under way, the scary special effects become truly terrifying, however, when their wealthy host is suddenly swallowed up, literally, by the giant devil-head set up as the "Mouth of Hell"! Was this a simple accident, a prank gone wrong, or perhaps attempted murder?

This non-murder mystery game for at least 5 teens, ages 12 to 19, is rated T. A great choice as a Halloween Party for teens, it can be expanded to include an unlimited number of characters. A brief appearance by an adult hostess is built into the game to help set the scene. Follow this link, A Devilish Masquerade, for more information about this party, or this link, List of Characters in A Devilish Masquerade, for character information.

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Here's a fun party for adults: Death of a Wizard. The night is 31st October and the cream of the world of witches and wizards are gathering at the studios of WIZ TV in Magic World for the Merlins, the fifty first annual awards of the Academy of Magic.

The ceremony will be presented as usual by Wizard Oscar Winner, the founder and owner of WIZ TV and the creator of the Merlins. Oscar will be joined on stage by his lovely wife, Witch Enva Lope, who will co-present the glittering awards.

So put on your best evening robes and see who's walking down the red carpet for a night they will never forget. What shocks await the magical audience?

A murder mystery game for 8 to 14 players set in the magical world of witches and wizards. Join Wizard Oscar Winner and Witch Enva Lope at the fifty first Academy of Magic Awards and see who wins one of the coveted Merlins. This party is ideal for a Halloween, and is rated M. Follow this link, Death of a Wizard, for more information about this party, or this link, List of Characters in Death of a Wizard, for character information.

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Visit Games of Mystery: Mystery Parties for a wide selection of parties for kids, teens, and adults. You'll find all sorts of themed parties available to suit every occasion throughout the year.

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Mystery Book Review: Air Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

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

Air Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
A Charlotte McNally Mystery

Mira Books (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2719-1 (0778327191)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2719-6 (9780778327196)
Publication Date: September 2009
List Price: $7.99

Review: Boston television investigative reporter Charlotte "Charlie" McNally takes on the trade in designer fashions, bags, and accessories in Air Time, the third mystery in this series by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Faux fashion is big business in the US. There's nothing inherently illegal about it unless the manufacturer is using a trademarked logo or name of someone else on the finished product. That's illegal. Charlie is doing a story on the industry, but misses her flight to Boston from Baltimore, where she's been attending a national journalism convention. While waiting for the next flight, she helps a young woman with her luggage, noting its prominent designer label. Charlie also sees the woman is carrying a designer purse. The woman sees Charlie admiring her bag, and gives her a card, inviting her to a "purse party" where "Designer Doubles" are featured. Charlie realizes that she has an opportunity to get an inside scoop, going undercover at the party pretending to be someone in need of the latest fashion but wants one at a bargain price. Someone discovers who she really is, however, and she begins to receive threats by phone and e-mail. Then the apartment adjacent to the "Designer Doubles" location is set on fire, and the host disappears. Charlie's simple piece on designer fraud has now expanded to conspiracy, kidnapping, arson, extortion, grand larceny, as well as counterfeiting. How did she find herself in such a complicated journalistic situation?

In addition to the entertaining and well developed primary storyline, Air Time continues to explore Charlie's personal relationship with Josh and his young daughter. Though she's a career woman through and through, Josh wants a commitment, and she'd like to come up with a solution that will allow her to balance both. But what really makes the book enjoyable is Charlie herself: she's attractive, witty, caring, loving, and very good at what she does. Insert this appealing character into a fast-paced topical story and the result is a book that is hard to put down until Charlie files her story with Channel 3 News.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Air Time and to Nancy Berland Public Relations 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 Air Time from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right. Air Time (Kindle edition) is also available. Learn more about the Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device.

Synopsis (from the publisher): When savvy TV reporter Charlotte McNally enters the glamorous world of high fashion, she soon discovers that when the purses are fake—the danger is real. And no one can be trusted!

Now Charlotte can't tell the real from the fake as she goes undercover to bring the couture counterfeiters to justice—and in her struggle to answer an all-important, life-changing question from a certain handsome professor …

The one thing Charlotte knows for sure is that the wrong choice could be the last decision she ever makes!

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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Messengers of Death by Pierre Magnan, a Commissaire Laviolette Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, is pleased to feature a new mystery series title we recently received from the publisher.

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The Messengers of Death by Pierre Magnan
Commissaire Laviolette (2nd in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38757-0

About The Messengers of Death (from the publisher): Local handyman Emile discovers an envelope addressed to a Mlle Veronique in a disused mailbox. Being a former postman, he dutifully purchases a stamp and mails the letter. But when the body of this same Mlle Veronique is soon found murdered, Commissaire Laviolette is coaxed out of retirement to solve one of the most bizarre crimes imaginable.

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About Pierre Magnan: An award-winning French crime writer, several of Magnan's works have been made into films, including the 2006 adaptation of The Messengers of Death with Victor Lanoux in the role of Commissaire Laviolette.

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Leonardo DiCaprio Signs On to Play Travis McGee

Variety is reporting that Leonardo DiCaprio is on board for an adaptation of John D. MacDonald's first Travis McGee mystery, The Deep Blue Good-By, and will play the Ft. Lauderdale (FL) "salvage consultant". The book was originally published in 1964. (Variety misspells the book's title, so it isn't clear whether the movie will retain the book's original title or assume a new one.)

Book synopsis: Cathy Kerr is innocence turned helpless desperation—all because of the smiling freckle-faced stranger named Junior Allen who has stolen a fortune in gems that her father had smuggled into the country. Cathy has nowhere to turn—except to another stranger, that man named Travis McGee—who is a walking pillar of cold rage as he follows the depraved wreckage of Junior Allen's trail.

Two other Travis McGee novels have been filmed: Darker Than Amber, a 1970 film with Rod Taylor, and The Empty Copper Sea with Sam Elliott in 1983. Several other MacDonald books have also been adapted, probably the most famous of which is The Executioners, which was filmed (twice) as Cape Fear.

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