Mystery Book Review: The Bone Chamber by Robin Burcell

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

The Bone Chamber by Robin Burcell
A Sydney Fitzpatrick Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-375-2 (1590583752)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-375-3 (9781590583753)
Publication Date: December 2009
List Price: $24.95

Review: FBI Special Agent and forensic artist Sydney Fitzpatrick has just arrived in San Francisco to begin a much-needed vacation when she's urgently summoned by a colleague to return to Quantico to help identity a woman whose face has been peeled away in The Bone Chamber, the second mystery in this series by Robin Burcell.

Dr. Natasha Gilbert is a forensic anthropologist and close friend. But she's unexpectedly missing when Sydney arrives at FBI headquarters. Her sketchy notes on the case are there, a woman whose face and fingertips had been removed, clearly to hide her identity. But when Sydney examines the body she notices something else: the triangular, somewhat ritualistic shape of the wound on the skull. Sydney recreates a portrait of the dead woman, identifying her as Alessandra, the daughter of the US ambassador to the Vatican and an archeology student, who -- coincidentally? -- disappeared from a dig in Egypt, the same one Natasha had been working. Had they found something worth killing for? The case takes a tragic turn when Sydney learns Natasha has been killed by a hit-and-run driver. Zachary Griffin takes over the case and abruptly eliminates Sydney from participating, but she's not so easily cast aside. She is convinced Natasha's and Alessandra's deaths are connected and flies to Rome to continue her investigation, pursued by someone -- connected with the FBI or not, she does not know -- who is determined not to let her discover the truth.

The chase for the secret behind some historical document or relic is certainly not an untested premise for a thriller, but The Bone Chamber handles it nimbly, offering the reader a multi-faceted, fast-paced story that is made more appealing by the presence of Sydney Fitzpatrick. The historical elements are interesting if rather overdrawn, but the excitement here is in following Sydney on her quest to understand what cost her friend her life. She has to balance her professional training with her personal feelings, all the while keeping one step ahead of those who would do her harm. It's all well done -- albeit in an escapist sort of way.

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

Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

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

Synopsis (from the publisher): Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick, forensic artist to the FBI, returns to Quantico to help identify a brutally murdered young woman. But when Sydney’s friend and colleague, the forensic anthropologist who assisted her, is killed in a hit-and-run, a covert government team takes over the investigation, and Sydney is suddenly removed from the case. Certain her friend’s murder is connected to the first case, Sydney investigates.

She discovers that the first victim was not only an archeological student, but also the daughter of the ambassador to the Holy See. Just before she was killed, the ambassador’s daughter claimed to have found one of three keys that just might lead to a map of the long lost Templar treasure. Sydney’s search for answers takes her to the streets of Rome, and into the underground crypts and caverns in Naples, one step ahead of a ruthless killer. Time is running out for Sydney as a fellow government agent is kidnapped.

And the ransom demanded? The Templar map.

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Mysteries on TV Review: Pie in the Sky

Mystery Books News is pleased to publish a review of a "Mystery on TV", a television series or movie featuring either a detective, amateur sleuth, or private investigator, or a mystery, suspense, or crime drama with an ensemble cast, that is now available on DVD.

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Pie in the Sky Series 2

Original air date(s): January through March 1995.
DVD release date: 01/26/2010.

Recurring characters: Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths), Margaret Crabbe (Maggie Steed), Assistant Chief Constable Freddy Fisher (Malcolm Smith), Detective Sergeant Sophia Cambridge (Bella Enahoro), Steve (Joe Duttine), John (Ashley Russell), Nicola (Samantha Womack), Henderson (Nick Raggett).

Rating: Not Rated (but comparable to TV-G).
Running time: About 492 minutes.

Several episodes were written by John Milne, author of the Jimmy Jenner mystery series.

Pie in the Sky aired for five seasons on BBC from 1994 through 1997.

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Review: Not only had I not seen any episodes of Pie in the Sky prior to viewing Series 2, I hadn't even heard of the series. Clearly my loss, as this is generally a delightful drama, written in the style of a cozy mystery with a minimum of action or violence, the crimes taking place off-screen and investigated by a Detective Inspector who also happens to be the head chef at his wife's restaurant called Pie in the Sky.

Richard Griffiths plays the gruff but gentle Henry Crabbe, who is semi-retired but is at the beck and call of the Middleton police department, specifically Assistant Chief Constable Freddy Fisher. (Maybe it was covered in the first season, but it isn't clear why Crabbe is beholden to Fisher. There is a vague reference to an obligation or understanding between the two in the first episode of this season, but it's assumed that Crabbe must drop his culinary duties whenever Fisher comes calling.)

Each episode features a (usually non-violent) crime that in and of itself wouldn't seem to require the attention of a Detective Inspector, much less an Assistant Chief Constable. However, there are often political or other sensitive aspects to the case that must be considered, with Crabbe, being an outsider who's also an insider, the perfect person to investigate.

The best episodes are set in and around the Pie in the Sky restaurant; these seem more true to the premise of the series. A few episodes are set elsewhere, and while they offer a change of scenery, they are also less engaging.

The plots themselves can be surprisingly intricate for series in which an episode runs only 45 minutes or so. It should be noted, however, that the pacing is typically very leisurely; an action series this is not. And, for a series set largely in the culinary world, there is surprisingly little focus on food. True, there are plenty of scenes set in the kitchen, but I would have liked to have seen more plots (such as "Brown Bread" and "The One That Got Away") tied directly to Crabbe as chef rather than Crabbe as police officer.

Richard Griffiths seems perfectly cast in the role here. It took me a couple of episodes to warm up to Maggie Steed as his wife and business partner Margaret, but they really do make for a remarkable couple. Malcolm Smith as ACC Fisher initially comes off as aloof and distant, but by the final episode ("Lemon Twist") he's shown to a little less uptight, more personable.

There are 10 episodes in Pie in the Sky Series 2; here's an overview of each provided by the studio:

Episode 1: "Hard Cheese"
A peeping tom peeps one time too many—on the wife of a senior police officer, no less—and ACC Fisher calls on Crabbe to make an arrest. Crabbe sniffs out a suspect, but the case starts to crumble after he learns that the man has more on his plate than mere peeping.

Episode 2: "Brown Bread"
Crabbe experiences the restaurateur’s worst nightmare when a customer dies in the restroom. Things get even more complicated when the body disappears. Crabbe and Sergeant Cambridge manage to track down the man’s relatives, but they soon realize that the deception has only just begun.

Episode 3: "The Policeman’s Daughter"
ACC Fisher orchestrates a police drug raid on a home where his own estranged daughter is partying with friends. The young woman goes missing soon after, and Fisher gives Crabbe the job of tracking her down.

Episode 4: "The One That Got Away"
When an old friend is arrested for murdering his fiancée, Crabbe and wife Margaret smell something fishy. Even after the man breaks down and confesses to the crime, Crabbe suspects a conspiracy, pinning his hopes on scant evidence.

Episode 5: "Dead Right"
A celebrated psychic starts to get death threats from an unknown source. Pressured to investigate, ACC Fisher foists the case onto Crabbe. As the detective closes in on a solution for the psychic, she in turn begins to solve a case for him.

Episode 6: "Black Pudding"
Elderly and ornery, Hilary Smallwood is a food writer whom Crabbe regards highly. Her nephew is also very admiring—of her estate, which he believes will fetch a fortune. He’s desperate to get his hands on her unpublished memoirs, but she resists his efforts.

Episode 7: "Swan in His Pride"
When the body of a young policewoman is fished out of the river, Crabbe delves into her last assignment. She had gone undercover to befriend the prime suspect in a murder case, even becoming romantically involved with him. Crabbe’s investigation, however, encounters opposition from the other detectives.

Episode 8: "The Mild Bunch"
Two senior citizen sisters launch a crime spree around town, aided and abetted by their nephew and his girlfriend. More of a danger, though, is a wheelchair-bound police officer, armed with a gun and awaiting the prison release of the man who shot him. Crabbe strives to solve one crime and prevent another.

Episode 9: "The Mystery of Pikey"
When a wealthy customer’s home is robbed while he and his family dine at the restaurant, suspicion falls on a young motorcycle rider. The teenager has a history of run-ins with the law, but Crabbe suspects that the burglary might have been an inside job.

Episode 10: "Lemon Twist"
After a leading food critic writes a good review, business takes off at Pie in the Sky. Margaret makes a few changes at the restaurant while Crabbe a three-day management development seminar. However, they may pay a price for success.

Our rating: 3 (of 4) stars.

 

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Formats and/or viewing options:
Purchase Pie in the Sky Series 2 on DVD

More information about the series can be found at Mysteries on TV: Pie in the Sky.

Reviewed on 02/08/2010 by Mr. E., television and film critic for Mystery Books News

Review Copyright © 2010— Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

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

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Mysteries on TV: JAG and Vega$, New This Week on DVD

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.

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The legal / crime / adventure drama JAG, about an elite legal wing of officers trained as lawyers who investigate, prosecute and defend those accused of crimes in the military, including murder, treason and terrorism, came to a series end with its 10th season. Navy Commander ace pilot turned lawyer Harmon “Harm” Rabb, Jr. (David James Elliott) and by-the-book Marine Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie (Catherine Bell) find themselves for the last time clashing as they traverse the globe together to search for and discover the truth.

The final season brought about a significant cast change, as Rear Admiral A. J. Chegwidden (John M. Jackson), the Judge Advocate General himself, had retired at the end of the 9th season. Replacing him was Major General Gordon "Biff" Cresswell (David Andrews).

The JAG: Season Ten DVD set of 5 discs contain the 22 episodes that aired on CBS from September 2004 through April 2005.

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Handsome, fun-loving private investigator Dan Tanna (Robert Urich) drives around Las Vegas in his vintage 1957 Thunderbird solving private cases but is also on retainer to a wealthy casino owner (Tony Curtis) to keep crime out of his hotels in the crime drama Vega$. The series also starred Phyllis Davis as his assistant Beatrice, Greg Morris as LVMPD Lt. David Nelson, and Bart Braverman as Binzer, his legman on the street.

The series was created by Michael Mann, who later went on to create Miami Vice and Crime Story.

Max Franklin (pen name for Richard Deming) wrote a Vega$ tie-in book published during the series' first season.

The Vega$: Season One (V2) DVD set of 3 discs contain the concluding 11 episodes of the first season that aired on ABC from January through May, 1979.

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

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for February 08, 2010

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 G H I N S T

This is the title of a 2009 supernatural thriller by Michael Marshall (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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Warner Bros. Options Heist Society, a Young Adult Thriller by Ally Carter

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Warner Bros. has won a multi-studio bidding war to option the film rights to Ally Carter's young adult thriller Heist Society, which publishes next week. Shauna Cross will write the adaptation, which is expected to feature somewhat older characters than the teenagers in the book.

About Heist Society (from the publisher): When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre ... to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria ... to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own -- scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history -- or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

Carter is also the author of the Gallagher Girl young adult mysteries, featuring students at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks CIA codes for extra credit in computer class.

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Mystery Book Review: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis

Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.

The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
The 39 Clues

Scholastic (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-545-06047-8 (0545060478)
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-06047-9 (9780545060479)
Publication Date: February 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: Fleeing the island of Java (Indonesia) following the fire that took the life of someone they thought was their nemesis, but who saved their lives while sacrificing hers, Amy and Dan Cahill use the lyrics to a song as a guide to their next destination and travel to South Africa in their search of another clue in The Viper's Nest, the seventh book in The 39 Clues series of adventure novels, this entry written by Peter Lerangis.

Amy and Dan quickly discover their grandmother, Grace, spent a considerable amount of time on the continent of Africa, and in particular the country of South Africa, leaving behind several documents, including a secret letter from Winston Churchill, that aid the children in their quest. But the letter is cryptic, giving only the location of a "realization", the Witbank Mines, where a young Churchill had once taken refuge during the Second Boer War. Heading off for the mines, Amy and Dan are convinced if they can find the key to help them decode the letter, they'll be able to learn the next clue in their bizarre hunt around the world, which will ultimately lead them to the greatest power ever known.

Though filled with the action and adventure that the books in the series are known for, The Viper's Nest also has an abundance of puzzles, codes, and secret messages for Amy and Dan (and the reader) to figure out. These add an interesting intellectual twist to the story. (And don't overlook the coded message printed on the page edges of chapters 7 through 11 for readers to decipher!) Finally, there is some subtle, and most welcome, misdirection in the plot, giving the story an element or two of a classic mystery.

Typical of books in the series, there are plenty of cliffhangers to keep readers in suspense, with the book ending -- somewhat appropriately -- with hints on where Amy and Dan may be heading next, but not revealing the exact location. And as promised in the previous book, In Too Deep, Amy and Dan do learn in which branch of the family they belong, though it isn't clear what this new knowledge may mean within the overall context of the series.

Book 8 of The 39 Clues, The Emperor's Code, is written by Gordon Korman (who also wrote the second book One False Note), and is scheduled for publication in April 2010.

Special thanks to Scholastic for providing a copy of The Viper's Nest for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

If you are interested in purchasing The Viper's Nest from Amazon.com, please click the button to the right.

Synopsis (from the publisher): It's no longer a game. The body count is rising. Shaken by recent events, Amy and Dan flee to a distant land and trace the footsteps of their most formidable ancestor yet: a military leader of mythic proportions. Yet just as the siblings begin to master the art of ancient warfare, they confront a dangerous enemy that can't be felled with a sword: the truth. With the stakes higher than ever, Amy and Dan uncover something so devastating it changes everything – the secret of their family branch.

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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones, a Karl Werthen Viennese 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.

The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones
A Karl Werthen Viennese Mystery (1st in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: January 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-60753-1

About The Empty Mirror (from the publisher): The summer of 1898 finds Austria terrorized by a killer who the press calls “Vienna’s Jack the Ripper.” Four bodies have already been found, but when the painter Gustav Klimt’s female model becomes the fifth victim, the police finger him as the culprit. The artist has already scandalized Viennese society with his erotically charged modern paintings. Who better to take the blame for the crimes that have plagued the city?

This is, however, far from an open-and-shut case. Klimt’s lawyer, Karl Werthen, has an ace up his sleeve. Dr. Hans Gross, the renowned father of criminology, has agreed to assist him in investigating the murders. Together, Gross and Werthen must not only clear Klimt’s name but also follow the trail of a killer that will lead them in the most surprising of directions. By uncovering the cause of the crimes that have shaken the city, the two men may risk damaging Vienna more than the murders did themselves.

About J. Sydney Jones: The author of twelve books, including the non-fiction Hitler in Vienna, 1907-1913, the guides Viennawalks and Vienna Inside-Out, and the suspense novel Time of the Wolf, J. Sydney Jones was a student in Vienna in 1968 and later returned to live there for almost two decades. He pours his astounding knowledge of Vienna into opulent and gripping mysteries featuring actual historical figures and real-life mysteries from the city's storied past. Jones currently lives near Santa Cruz, (CA). His web site is JSydneyJones.com.

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Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends

Book Trends, a review site for young adult and children books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery / suspense category.

The Scroll of the Dead by David Stuart Davies. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Recommended for readers aged 12 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who wrote, "I think this is a fantastic book that Sherlock Holmes fans will devour!"

I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy. The 2nd book in the Sherry Holmes Baldwin series. Recommended for readers aged 12 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who wrote, "[A]n amazing book that continues to awe me to this day," adding that the book "is possibly one of the best books I have ever read."

For more reviews of children and young adult books, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you!

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Walter Mosley To Co-Write Pilot for HBO based on his novel The Long Fall

Deadline: Hollywood is reporting mystery author Walter Mosley and Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, The Manchurian Candidate) will co-write a pilot for HBO based on The Long Fall, Mosley's 2009 novel that introduces series character Leonid McGill, a private investigator in New York City. Demme will direct and co-executive produce with Mosley.

About The Long Fall (from the publisher): His name is etched on the door of his Manhattan office: Leonid McGill, Private Investigator. It’s a name that takes a little explaining, but he’s used to it. “Daddy was a communist and great-great-Granddaddy was a slave master from Scotland. You know, the black man’s family tree is mostly root. Whatever you see above ground is only a hint at the real story.”

Ex-boxer, hard drinker, in a business that trades mostly in cash and favors, McGill’s an old-school P.I. working a city that’s gotten fancy all around him. Fancy or not, he has always managed to get by—keep a roof over the head of his wife and kids, and still manage a little fun on the side—mostly because he’s never been above taking a shady job for a quick buck. But like the city itself, McGill is turning over a new leaf, “decided to go from crooked to slightly bent.”

New York City in the twenty-first century is a city full of secrets—and still a place that reacts when you know where to poke and which string to pull. That’s exactly the kind of thing Leonid McGill knows how to do. With McGill calling in old markers and greasing NYPD palms to unearth some seemingly harmless information for a high-paying client, he learns that even in this cleaned-up city, his commitment to the straight and narrow is going to be constantly tested.

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Games of Mystery: Nightfall Mysteries, Curse of the Opera, New from Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed board, electronic and video games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual 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.

Take on the role of a lowly stagehand in an opera company tasked with solving a deadly mystery over the course of a single terrifying night! The Opera troupe is invited by the reclusive Count Vladd Vansig III to his small hamlet to perform a special opera for him. Strangely, there are no villagers to speak of except for the Count and his caretaker. During the night, people go missing and are killed! Use your hidden object skills to find out the identity of the killer and escape the village alive!

Also available: Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera Strategy Guide and Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera Game Walkthrough.

Nightfall Mysteries: Curse of the Opera, a BFG Exclusive, may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (183.55 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (Review), 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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DreamWorks Acquires Film Rights to Locke & Key Suspense Graphic Series by Joe Hill

LatinoReview.com is reporting that writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and DreamWorks Pictures have acquired the film rights to the Locke & Key series of suspense comics written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguea. Hill is the son of bestselling author Stephen King. The second volume in the series, Head Games was published late last year. The third, Crown of Shadows, is scheduled for publication this July.

About the series (from the publisher): Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them ... and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all ...

Kurtzman and Orci, who will produce the Locke & Key films, are currently at work on a remake of Hawaii Five-O for CBS and a sequel to the feature film Star Trek, and serve as producers for the Fox series Fringe.

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The Mystery Bookshelf: Sweet Poison by Ellen Hart, a Jane Lawless 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.

Sweet Poison by Ellen Hart
A Jane Lawless Mystery (16th in series)
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: November 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37526-3

About Sweet Poison (from the publisher): Jane Lawless is at her wit’s end keeping her Minneapolis restaurants running while volunteering on her father’s campaign for governor. With an eleven-point lead, the race is Ray Lawless’s to lose, but all that changes when his rival posts a list of violent criminals that are back on the streets early, thanks to Ray’s work during his career as a defense lawyer.

Corey Hodge is one of the convicts that took Ray’s advice to plead guilty for a crime that he swears he didn’t commit. Bitter from time served, revenge lurks in the back of his mind. Then one of Ray’s young campaign volunteers is killed, and with the murder mirroring the crime Corey was convicted of, Jane has to bring the killer to justice to save her father’s political career and to keep Corey from going to prison again.

Old fans and newcomers to the series alike will be drawn in by the Lambda-winning author's political savvy and take-charge protagonist in Sweet Poison.

About Ellen Hart: Lambda Literary Award and Minnesota Book Award-winning author Ellen Hart has garnered acclaim and a huge fan base for her series featuring gay restaurateur and sleuth Jane Lawless. She is the author of 15 previous Jane Lawless mysteries as well as her series featuring food critic Sophie Greenway. She lives in Minneapolis (MN). Her website is EllenHart.com.

Mysteries by Ellen Hart reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: The Mortal Groove (2007), The Mirror and the Mask (2009).

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Mysteries on DVD Review: Surrogates

Mystery Books News is pleased to publish a review of a "Mystery on DVD", a movie or television series that has been adapted from or based on a mystery book, or an original screenplay written with characters created by a mystery author.

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Surrogates

Theatrical release date: 09/25/2009.
DVD release date: 01/26/2010.

Cast: Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), Agent Peters (Radha Mitchell), Maggie (Rosamund Pike), Agent Stone (Boris Kodjoe), Canter (James Cromwell), The Prophet (Ving Rhames).

Rating: PG-13
Running time: 89 minutes

Based on the graphic novel The Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele.

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Review: Set in an alternate reality present day, in which humans interact with each other via surrogates, robots that are controlled by the brain waves of their owners from the comfort and safety of their homes, the world is a peaceful, nearly utopian place. Violent crime is virtually non-existent. But then the seemingly impossible happens: a surrogate couple is destroyed, killing both its owners. Assigned to the case is FBI Agent Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), whose investigation leads him to a cell of humans who live in surrogate-free camps, led by The Prophet (Ving Rhames). But in order to interrogate The Prophet, Greer must leave his own home and venture into the "real" world, something he hasn't done in years. He learns of a device, a weapon if you will, that can bypass the fail-safe mechanisms of the surrogates; if used against one, it can kill the owner. To his surprise, the device is made by the same company that created the surrogates. With the lives of billions of people at stake, Greer must not only find the device, but uncover who is using it to commit murder.

Viewed as a murder mystery, Surrogates works reasonably well -- a police procedural more than anything else. Though clearly set in a futuristic world, the science fiction elements are played down, as are the visual special effects, which serve to enhance the film rather than overwhelm it. If you're looking for an action thriller, this isn't it. (The few CGI action sequences that do appear, however, seem quite amateurish.) Unfortunately, the film gives away too much of the "whodunit" aspect so the plot centers more on allowing Greer to piece together the clues that will lead him to the killer.

Bruce Willis is terrific in his role here. It actually reminded me of his performance in The Sixth Sense, a somewhat vulnerable character played in a quiet, understated manner. Ving Rhames and James Cromwell, who plays the surrogates creator Canter, have fairly minor parts to play, but manage to bring some depth to their characters' relatively brief time on screen.

For the most part, all the other actors play as surrogates in an oddly compelling mechanical fashion, as one might expect robots to behave. Their skin is flawless, their bodies toned, their facial expressions limited, their body movements often stiff and, well, robotic. It's an interesting contrast to the flawed but expressive humans in the story, principally Greer (after he sheds his surrogate), The Prophet, and Canter.

At 89 minutes, the film is quite short, and though I'm usually of the opinion that films tend to be too long rather than too short, Surrogates could have really used some more time here. I would have spent it on further character development and maybe a little more background on the surrogate culture that would have, in the end, helped support the killer's motive.

Fans of Bruce Willis, of which I count myself, will definitely want to add Surrogates to their DVD or Blu-ray collection. It is certainly worth a second viewing, if only to take in some of the more subtle aspects of the story that may have been missed the first time through.

My rating: 3 (of 4) stars.

 

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Formats and/or viewing options:
Purchase Surrogates on DVD
Purchase Surrogates on Blu-ray Disc

Reviewed on 02/04/2010 by Mr. E., television and film critic for Mystery Books News

Review Copyright © 2010— Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

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IFC To Screen Red Riding Trilogy, based on the Crime Novel Quartet by David Peace

Beginning today, the Independent Film Channel will screen at the IFC Center in New York City the three films adapted from David Peace's Red Riding Quartet of crime novels. Originally aired as a mini-series on Channel 4 in the UK in March 2009, the films (1974, 1980, and 1983) will open nationwide on February 19th. (The fourth book in the quartet, 1977, was not adapted.)

About 1974 (from the network): It's Yorkshire in 1974, and fear, mistrust and institutionalised police corruption are running riot. Rookie journalist Eddie Dunford is determined to search for the truth in an increasingly complex maze of lies and deceit surrounding the police investigation into a series of child abductions.

When young Clare Kemplay goes missing, Eddie and his colleague, Barry, persuade their editor to let them investigate links with two similar abductions in the last decade.

But after a mutilated body is found on a construction site owned by a local property magnate, Eddie and Barry are drawn into a deadly world of secrecy, intimidation, shocking revelations and police brutality.

About 1980 (from the network): It's 1980 and the 'Ripper' has tyrannised Yorkshire for six long years. Senior Manchester detective Peter Hunter is brought in by the Home Office to conduct a secret review of the Ripper investigation to date.

Hunter's been involved with West Yorkshire before; he failed to complete an investigation into a shooting involving Yorkshire coppers back in 1974.

But this time Hunter's determined not to leave without getting results.

About 1983 (from the network): Nine years on, another Morley child has gone missing on her way home from school.

Detective Chief Superintendent Maurice Jobson is forced to remember the very similar disappearance of Clare Kemplay, who was found dead in 1974, and the subsequent imprisonment of local boy Michael Myshkin.

Washed-up local solicitor John Piggott becomes convinced of Myshkin's innocence and begins to fight on his behalf, unwittingly providing a catalyst for Jobson to start to right some wrongs.

Vintage has issued new trade paperback editions of the books; click on the book covers for more information:

   

Trailers for each of the films are available, and can be seen below:

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Games of Mystery: Epic Adventures, La Jangada, New at Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery, your source for mystery-themed board, electronic and video games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual 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.

La Jangada, based on the 1881 Jules Verne adventure novel of the same name, opens with Minha travelling with her family through the Amazon River to Brazil where she is going to marry an army physician Manuel Valdez. Minha's father Joam is still haunted by his dark past in Brazil where he was falsely accused of murder. A scoundrel named Torres offers Joam absolute proof of his innocence but in return he wants Minha's hand in marriage! When Joam refuses, Torres reports his arrival in Brazil to the police and Joam is arrested. Can Minha find evidence to save her father from the gallows? Or will she give in to Torres' evil plan?

Also available: Epic Adventures: La Jangada Game Walkthrough.

Epic Adventures: La Jangada may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (153.63 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

Get any standard game for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. Other benefits include the $2.99 Daily Deal, Tomorrow's Game Today, and special member rewards. And if you purchase any 6 games within a single month, you earn a free game with the Big Fish Game Club Monthly Punch Card! (Collector's Editions earn 3 punches each, half-way towards your free game!)

Read our new game reviews by Ms. Terri: Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (Review), 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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