Harlequin Intrigue Titles for May 2010

eHarlequin.com has released the May 2010 titles in their Intrigue, breathtaking romantic suspense series. Get these edge-of-your-seat reads today with characters who conquer everything from kidnappings to murder mysteries, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another! For more information or to purchase any of the books below, click on the book title or book cover. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Man Undercover by Alana Matthews

A cabin in the Colorado mountains promised Tara Richards a break from reporting … until a stranger sent her life into a tailspin. Rough and tumble in those blue jeans, Matt Hathaway brought trouble to her door. There was no mistaking the pistol tucked at his waist, or his urgent need for a hostage.

Deep undercover, Matt had less than a day to stop a bombing, and Tara was his last lifeline. Entrenched in the biggest story of her career, Tara could control her own destiny, but not the man by her side. After all, he promised the most thrilling night of her entire life!

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Stranger in a Small Town by Kerry Connor

The mysterious blue-eyed stranger who showed up in the middle of the night wasn't just looking for work. No, when "John Samuels" signed on with Maggie Harper to restore the decrepit old house, he was hoping for answers and a chance to face the demons of his past. But then strange happenings started threatening his beautiful new boss—and disrupting the passion that sparked between them. Someone didn't want them in that house. Someone who knew the truth about what had happened there thirty years before, about the brutal murder that destroyed John's family.

John never expected redemption. But danger waited in the old house, haunting them both …

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Stranded with the Prince by Dana Marton

Can a royal bachelor and a meddlesome matchmaker ignore their attraction while stranded—with killers?

Prince Lazlo knew he'd been tricked when he wound up stranded on a remote island with a nosy "marriage consultant" who'd been hired to find him the perfect princess bride. And the worst part was, she was the one woman he'd tried—and failed!—to seduce, claiming she never fell for a client. But the squabbling stopped once Lazlo realized they weren't alone, and in order to elude the desperate killers stalking them, they had to work as a team. Imminent danger had a surprising upside, he discovered. Out of her element, Milda let down her hair and her guard. Now if only she'd break her number one matchmaking rule …

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Hitched! by B. J. Daniels

Following a trail of secrets back to his family ranch, Jack Winchester needed a cover to solve a decades-old mystery. And Josey Smith offered him the perfect one—if she would agree to pose as his wife for a week. The gorgeous redhead was up to her neck in trouble, and Jack protected what was his, pretend marriage or not.

On the run from a killer, Josey had no choice but to accept Jack's proposal. She no longer trusted herself to tell the good guys from the bad, but the handsome, blue-eyed cowboy made her feel safe. Yet it soon became apparent that the sparks that flew between them were anything but fake, and the danger they faced was all too real …

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Her Bodyguard by Mallory Kane

Always stubborn and independent, Angela Grayson thought she could take care of herself. Lucas Delancey knew better. Someone was stalking his best friend's little sister, and Lucas wasn't going to leave her side until he knew she was safe. Even though that meant he'd spend torturous hours resisting the curve of her lips.

Angela didn't want a bodyguard. Especially one who'd rejected her after one soul-melting kiss a lifetime ago. But she was in over her head. And she knew she could trust Lucas to protect her. She just didn't know if she trusted him not to break her heart again …

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The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen

In the past twenty-four hours Sabrina Carr had been shot at, kidnapped and held hostage. As if being eight months pregnant wasn't stressful enough!

Now, after narrowly escaping the clutches of masked gunmen, Sabrina and her baby needed a protector. That's when hot Texas cop Shaw Tolbert came to her rescue. As the surrogate mother to his child, Sabrina couldn't help the sizzling attraction to Shaw that the danger stirred up … or the kiss that told her she meant more to him than she ever realized. With her attackers still on the loose, Sabrina's priority was keeping the baby safe. But how could she keep her cool when things were so hot?

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If you enjoy the romantic suspense books in this series, you can get 2 free Harlequin Intrigue books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Intrigue 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 Intrigue 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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MBN Receives the Sunshine Award from In Reference To Murder!

What a pleasant surprise to learn this morning that the BV Lawson over at In Reference to Murder had given us the Sunshine Award, recognizing our "contagious positivity and creativity [that] inspire others in the blogging universe." We can imagine the eyes of our family and friends rolling already, but it's nice to be recognized by one of our peers. If you haven't read In Reference to Murder, subscribe now; her regular features include Media Murder (on Mondays), Mystery Melange (on Wednesdays), and Forgotten Books (on Fridays), all must-read posts for mystery lovers. Thanks so much, BV!

Ah, but with recognition comes responsibility. We're asked to post the rules, and more importantly, follow them!

1. Put the logo (image) on a post;
2. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers;
3. Link to the nominees within the post;
4. Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blogs; and
5. Link to the person from whom you received this award.

Herewith are our choices for 12 bloggers that we read regularly, in no particular order; we're trying not to include those that may not have already received the award, even though we consider them notable as well:

1. Book Trends
2. Scene of the Crime
3. EuroCrime
4. YA Sleuth
5. Mystery Reader Discussion
6. Bookish Ruth
7. Classic Mysteries
8. Mysterious Matters
9. Shhh I'm Reading
10. Murder by 4
11. Cafe of Dreams
12. Wendy's Minding Spot

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Mystery Book Review: On Deadly Ground by Michael Norman

On Deadly Ground
by Michael Norman
A JD Books Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-692-1 (1590586921)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-692-1 (9781590586921)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $24.95

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Review: John David "J. D." Books returns to his hometown in Utah as a law enforcement ranger only to be immediately faced with a controversial murder in On Deadly Ground, a stand-alone mystery, or possibly the first in a series, by Michael Norman.

J. D. had served 11 years as a homicide detective in Denver, but was forced to resign after an ill-fated incident. When he was offered a job in Kanab as a ranger for the new Bureau of Law Enforcement, he jumped at the chance. But Kanab is a town in turmoil, a community deeply divided over the politics of land management. The Escalante Environmental Wilderness Alliance (EEWA), led by activist David Greenbriar who wants to save what is left of the land for future generations, is opposed by the Citizens for a Free West (CFW), led by wealthy rancher Neil Eddins who maintains the land should be used to support its citizens. When Greenbriar is found hanging from a barn rafter -- after being shot -- Sheriff Charley Sutter turns to J. D. for help in solving the crime. A prime suspect is quickly identified, Lance Clayburn, a man having an affair with the dead man's wife who also happens to own a rifle identical to the one used to kill Greenbriar. And if that weren't enough, evidence places Clayburn at the scene of the crime. But J. D. isn't convinced. Something simply doesn't add up. He has the support of the sheriff, but for how long? Long enough, he hopes, for him to try to sort out some of the conflicting facts contributing to this case.

On Deadly Ground is a perplexing mystery, but in the good way that draws readers into the investigation surrounding the circumstances of Greenbriar's murder. J. D. is an appealing, solidly developed character with something of a mysterious past himself; one isn't quite sure if he's allowing his past to dictate his present train of thought or not. He's quick to point out there were plenty of other people who may have wanted the EEWA leader dead, including any of the members of the CFW who thought him inflexible in his dealing with them, members of his own EEWA who thought him too lenient in his dealings with the CFW, even his young widow who stands to inherit a large amount of money and land ... none of whom seem to be considered by others to be potential suspects. And why are people so anxious to pin the crime on Clayburn? J. D. has been given a short amount of time to offer an alternative to Clayburn, and this factor helps quicken the pace of the story while ramping up the suspense. On Deadly Ground is a real page-turner, to see if J. D. can out-maneuver the person -- or persons -- unknown who seem to be both manipulating the investigation ... and possibly J. D. himself.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of On Deadly Ground 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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): Kanab, Utah is bitterly divided by the politics of land management. When environmentalist David Greenbriar is found dead, County Sheriff, Charley Sutter, seeks help from newly appointed Law Enforcement Ranger, J. D. Books. Books discovers that the victim’s widow has been having an affair with Lance Clayburn. Physical evidence links Clayburn to the killing. Books connects Greenbriar’s murder to a corrupt Kane County Sheriff’s deputy and a Las Vegas business conglomerate with ties to organized crime. Enter Peter Deluca, a very dangerous mob contract killer, who will eliminate anyone who can link him or his employer to Greenbriar’s murder.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Mystery Godoku Puzzle for April 12, 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 E K M O P R S T

This John Flanagan mystery introduced ex-Denver police detective Jesse Parker (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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Mr. E. Reviews: The Caveman's Valentine

The Caveman's Valentine
Director: Kasi Lemmons

Theatrical release: 03/02/2001.
DVD release: 07/17/2001.
Studio: Universal Studios.

Cast: Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson), David Leppenraub (Colm Feore), Moira Leppenraub (Ann Magnuson), Arnold (Damir Andrei), Officer Lulu Ledbetter (Aunjanue Ellis), Sheila Ledbetter (Tamara Tunie), Cork (Peter MacNeill).

Rating: R.
Running time: 106 minutes.

Based on the novel The Caveman's Valentine by George Dawes Green.

Review: The Caveman's Valentine has been on my to-watch list for quite some time now. It's about time I got around to it! The movie is an adaptation of the Edgar Award-winning first novel by George Dawes Green, published in 1994.

Samuel L. Jackson stars as Romulus Ledbetter, a former piano prodigy who attended the Juilliard School, and can still compose and play, but who now suffers from what seems to be a multitude of mental illnesses and lives in a shelter made of rocks, a "cave", in a Manhattan park. Called the Caveman by those who know him on the street, one day he finds the frozen body of a 20-year-old man perched in a tree outside his cave. He recognizes the man as someone who had written "Help Me" on a sidewalk poster promoting the art of photographer David Leppenraub, known for his works of depicting human suffering. Believing there to be a connection between Leppenraub and the dead man, but with no one -- not even his daughter, a police officer -- believing him, he sets out to prove that the young man was murdered and didn't simply die of exposure, as the authorities suspect.

Samuel L. Jackson's performance is brilliant in The Caveman's Valentine, but the same can't be said of the murder mystery plot. It seems to me this is more the fault of the screenwriter and director rather than the material on which it is based. From the screenwriter, the "whodunit" aspect isn't well developed; in fact, most viewers will have figured out who the culprit is well before the half-way point -- and they'd be right. They could even guess at the motive -- and likely be right again. In addition, there are far too many leaps of faith required on the part of the viewer in how the story progresses. I found myself mentally asking all sorts of questions as to how one scene led into another without something really important -- or at the very least, really credible -- happening in-between. I'm guessing these lapses would have been dealt with properly in the book, but are simply glossed over in the movie ... in favor of showing some mind-altering visuals intended to reflect the state of Romulus' being. And that's where the director fails. He seems so enamored with these scenes that much of the continuity of the story is sacrificed. We know Romulus has delusions, and not knowing when he's being rational and when he's not should have been a part of the story. Instead, we're hit over the head ... repeatedly ... with visuals to indicate Romulus is going through one of his irrational episodes. To be fair, though, the director tries to put the story back on solid ground during these scenes by inserting a number of tender (though imagined) conversations between Romulus and his wife.

Kind of a mixed review for me. I enjoyed the performances, Jackson's in particular, though really all the supporting cast were first rate as well, but the movie as a mystery left me somewhat disappointed. I would have appreciated more time spent on developing and maintaining a suspenseful environment for the viewer and less on recreating the psychotic episodes inside Jackson's character's head.

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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Copyright © 2010 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

Mystery Book Review: Dark Alley by Evan Marshall

Dark Alley
by Evan Marshall
An Anna Winthrop "Hidden Manhattan" Mystery

Severn House (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-7278-6835-7 (0727868357)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7278-6835-0 (9780727868350)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $27.95

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Review: Soon after Anna Winthrop, a supervisor with the New York City Sanitation Department, breaks up a fight between two men, one of them is found murdered in a courtyard along his route, spurring her to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death in Dark Alley, the third mystery in this series by Evan Marshall.

Garry Thomason had been moody lately, but his spat with a co-worker over a woman seemed hardly serious enough for the other to kill him. While cleaning out his locker, Anna discovers a couple of newspaper articles from Baghdad, where Garry had served a tour of duty, which describe the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the subsequent murder of the suspect while in custody. She considers that Garry's death may be linked to his time in Iraq -- but that theory seems unlikely when another body ... and still another ... are found in local mews. The headlines proclaim "Mews Murderer on the Loose!" and "Serial Killer 'Courts' Murder", yet Anna's curiosity about the events in Iraq intrigue her. It isn't until her own life is threatened that she realizes she's on to a ruthless killer -- one who doesn't want the truth about the past to come to light.

Readers will quickly take to Anna Winthrop, a down-to-earth amateur sleuth in an unusual profession, one that allows the author to explore some of the lesser known areas of Manhattan (hence the series subtitle). Both the character and the setting are well drawn and appealing. The murder mystery plot also plays out nicely, is properly paced with an abundance of red herrings, but ultimately disappoints as it relies too heavily on an improbable sequence of events that are really only disclosed in the final pages. Part of the attraction of a whodunit-style murder mystery -- which this is -- is when the reader is engaged in the investigation, able to figure out, together with the protagonist, the culprit and motive. That really doesn't happen here. So while the journey is enjoyable, the ending is a bit of a letdown.

Special thanks to Evan Marshall for providing a copy of Dark Alley for this review.

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

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Synopsis (from the publisher): When sanitation worker Garry Thomason vanishes on his way to collect the trash, he is the first in a series of people discovered brutally murdered in the middle of hidden mews in New York. As Anna, Garry’s boss, works to expose this "Mews Murderer", she first uncovers Garry’s murky past of crime and drugs, and then becomes a target herself; for this cold-blooded killer will do anything to escape detection and keep hidden a shocking secret of his own ...

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Mystery Book Review: Abandon by Blake Crouch

Abandon
by Blake Crouch
Non-series

St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-53740-9 (0312537409)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-53740-1 (9780312537401)
Publication Date: July 2009
List Price: $25.99

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Review: Blake Crouch’s novel is a masterfully crafted blend of an historical back story and a modern-day search to explain the mysterious disappearance of the citizens of a Colorado mining town over Christmas 1893. Truly, a raw, rapid fire action-adventure whether in elucidating the past or in describing the present, the story sweeps along to expose both the worst and the best of its characters in their pursuit of lost souls and hidden gold.

A chilling scene of a murder committed by a child on December 28, 1893 in the town of Abandon opens the story, and sets the tone for what follows as the action surges ahead to 2009 when several individuals, each with their own motivations, come together to explore the deserted ghost town. Twenty-eight year-old Abigail Foster is there to do a magazine story. Her estranged father, Lawrence, is there to further his academic career as a historian. And a husband and wife team, one a photographer of the paranormal, the other a psychic, round out the group, that is led by a couple of back country guides. But the readers quickly learn this is no ordinary expedition when mysterious events begin to occur and a trio of brigands appears to violently hijack the search for their own devious reasons.

The focus for both stories is the search for gold. In 1893, the tale involves the vicious killing of a gold mine magnate, the hiding of the loot, a deranged preacher, and the disappearance of everyone from Abandon, as regular or unusual as they may be – and some are quite extraordinary, indeed. In 2009, the scenes concern the unravelling of the past but they also focus on the search for the gold that went missing along with the townsfolk 113 years ago. The protagonists here aren’t quite as colourful as their historical counterparts but they exhibit the same universal characteristics of good and evil, cruelty and courage, and the all-consuming desire to find the cache of gold. Crouch’s clever interplay between the two gripping narratives keeps the suspense at its maximum and the reader wanting to know more at every page. He is also adept at portraying credible characters, whether a deranged preacher, an addled widow, cold-blooded killers of any era, or a young woman trying to repair a damaged relationship with her father even as they struggle through a series of kill or be killed episodes with their captors to finally resolve at tremendous cost the mystery of the missing townspeople. Admittedly Crouch’s "most research-intensive project [that he’s] ever undertaken," his story bears the stamp of authenticity in the details of the mining sites, the images of the region and the language, dialogue and slang of the times.

Abandon is the third of Crouch’s novels, the previous two being the two-volume series, Desert Places and Locked Doors. His next novel due for release in June 2010 involves "a separated family, a rogue FBI agent, human-trafficking, ex-Mexican paramilitary soldiers turned cartel enforcers, and a hedonistic lodge in the wilds of Alaska." Crouch promises it will be equally "pedal-to-the-metal fun."

Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of Abandon and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.

Review Copyright © 2010 — M. Wayne Cunningham — All Rights Reserved — Reprinted with Permission

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Synopsis (from the publisher): On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman and child in a remote gold mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins; and not a single bone was ever found. One hundred thirteen years later, two backcountry guides are hired by a history professor and his journalist daughter to lead them into the abandoned mining town so that they can learn what happened. With them is a psychic, and a paranormal photographer—as the town is rumored to be haunted. A party that tried to explore the town years ago was never heard from again. What this crew is about to discover is that twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they are not alone, and the past is very much alive.

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Mysterious Reviews is your source for the latest mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime novel reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

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Mr. E. Reviews: Armchair Thriller Set 2

Armchair Thriller Set 2
Director: Various

Original air date(s): April 1978, April 1980, and December 1981.
DVD release: 03/16/2010.
Studio: Acorn Media.

Cast: The Chelsea Murders: Dave King, Anthony Carrick, Christopher Bramwell, and Michael Feast. The Circe Complex: Trevor Martin, Alan David, and Beth Morris. Quiet as a Nun: Maria Aitken, Renee Asherson, and Brenda Bruce.

Rating: Not Rated.
Running time: 547 minutes.

The Chelsea Murders is based on the novel of the same title by Lionel Davidson. The Circe Complex is based on the novel of the same title by Desmond Cory. Quiet as a Nun is based on the novel of the same title by Antonia Fraser.

Review: I was somewhat excited to receive this set of three made-for-television novel adaptations, in particular since I had read one of the books from which one of the movies was based. Each of the films was originally commissioned as 6 episodes (approximately 25 minutes each in length), but one, The Chelsea Murders actually was slightly re-edited and aired as a feature-length movie. However, both versions of this latter title are included in this set, hence the four discs.

I watched them in the order suggested by the disc numbers, but strongly suggest that you do not. The Chelsea Murders is, in a word, dreadful. Nearly unwatchable. The plot involves a series of murders (in Chelsea) that have the police baffled. The only clue is a number of letters that arrive at the police station that seem to be identifying the next victim … but in some sort of cryptic manner. The victims are all associated in some way to the producers and actors of a silent film being made in the area, one involving clowns and cops played in the manner of the era’s Keystone Kops. The acting in The Chelsea Murders is alternately wooden and over-the-top. It would be comical if it weren’t so awful. Little money was spent on sets, which appear to be a random mix of rooms left over from some other production. The plot isn’t all that terrible as a whodunit, but the pacing is all wrong and there seem to be some continuity issues.

I confess I had never heard of Lionel Davidson, the author of the book on which the movie is based, and had to do a little research. Originally published in 1978 in the UK (and later published under the title of Murder Games in the US), it went on to win the prestigious Crime Writer Association Gold Dagger Award for that year. I have to believe some substantial liberties were taken by the screenwriters in adapting this book.

My fear is that anyone starting this set of Armchair Thrillers with The Chelsea Murders will abandon the effort within 10 minutes. And that would be too bad because the other two movies are much better.

The Circe Complex starts out with a man who has just committed a crime (we soon learn he stole his own inventory of jewels from a shop he managed), and kills a policeman trying to get away. In prison for 18 months, he still refuses to tell the authorities where he stashed the jewels. His wife, who was in on the crime from the beginning, is unwilling to wait any longer and schemes to break her husband out of jail so they can live happily ever after on the proceeds. Needless to say, things don’t go exactly as planned. The plot here is well developed, intricate without being overly complicated, though this movie, at 149 minutes, could easily have been cut by a third without sacrificing anything. The acting is much more credible when compared with The Chelsea Murders, and the production values appear to be higher as well.

The third and final entry in this set is adapted from the first book in the Jemima Shore mystery series by Antonia Fraser, Quiet as a Nun – and the only one of the three books I have read (albeit many years ago). Jemima Shore is a newswoman and host of a popular television show. A former classmate from the Catholic school Jemima attended as a teenager, now a nun at that same convent where the school is located, is found dead, locked in a tower, a presumed suicide. The Mother Superior of the convent asks Jemima to look into the circumstances surrounding her death, especially since the dead woman was heir to a large fortune – and her intentions with respect to its proceeds in doubt. Quiet as a Nun is clearly the best of the three movies here, though it, too, is a little overlong at 2½ hours.

Given that two of the three Armchair Thrillers are definitely worth seeing, it’s unfortunate that The Chelsea Murders is so bad that it makes recommendation of the overall set difficult – especially since it’s included as two versions. Consider renting the set for The Circe Complex and Quiet as a Nun.

Below is a synopsis of each movie provided by the studio:

The Chelsea Murders

Episode 1: Three murders in Chelsea yield only one clue: a poem mailed to the police before the latest crime. As the cops search for a connection, a reporter looks for a scoop.

Episode 2: A second letter arrives, mocking the police with the identity of the next victim. Somehow, the Gazette writer also knows about the letters—could she be involved?

Episode 3: The police zero in on a hard-pressed filmmaking team. Their suspicions mount when the killer attacks again, dressed in a theatre costume.

Episode 4: The police grow increasingly frustrated, especially after one of their main suspects gets assaulted himself.

Episode 5: The police find a video of the most recent killing, but the reporter is a step ahead. Then a vital piece of evidence allows them to close the net.

Episode 6: The police finally figure it out, but the journalist puts herself in harm’s way trying to solve the case.

The Circe Complex

Episode 1: Tom Foreman kills a policeman after stealing jewelry worth a fortune. Caught and incarcerated, he refuses to reveal the loot’s whereabouts, even to prison psychiatrist Ollie Milton.

Episode 2: Ollie and Tom’s wife, Val, enlist the help of ex-con “Cat" Devlin in their plot to locate the hidden jewels.

Episode 3: Ollie takes harsh measures to get Tom to talk, but things go dreadfully wrong. Cat realizes it’s his word against that of the respected Dr. Milton.

Episode 4: The case against Cat looks watertight, but Detective Bannister has doubts. Why does Cat stick so doggedly to his story—and insist his relationship with Val wasn’t strictly business?

Episode 5: Bannister remains suspicious about Tom’s death but starts an affair with Val, who is more than happy to provide an easy out for the conflicted detective.

Episode 6: Ollie finally learns where the jewels are stashed, but his quest to recover them spirals out of control.

Quiet as a Nun

Episode 1: Television journalist Jemima Shore investigates the death of her old friend, a nun who starved herself to death in her convent’s tower.

Episode 2: Shore learns that Sister Miriam had recently inherited a fortune. While one nun warns Shore to get out while she can, another is all too eager to confide her suspicions.

Episode 3: Shore hears of an apparition that haunts the hallways at night and seems to portend death. Flashlight in hand, she goes off in search of the “Black Nun."

Episode 4: The schoolgirls speculate that Sister Miriam wanted to leave the convent and had recently changed her will.

Episode 5: Shore finds an underground passageway from the crypt to the tower and discovers a link between the dead nun and a missing schoolgirl. Unfortunately, the Black Nun is also on the hunt.

Episode 6: With Shore’s life in danger and the future of the convent at risk, help arrives from an unexpected source.

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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.

Copyright © 2010 — Omnimystery — All Rights Reserved

The Mystery Bookshelf: The Man from Hell by Barrie Roberts

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 Man from Hell by Barrie Roberts
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Titan Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: March 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-84856-508-1

About The Man from Hell (from the publisher): In 1886, wealthy philathropist Lord Backwater is found beaten to death on the grounds of his estate. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must unravel the mystery by pitting their wits against a ruthless new enemy, taking them across the globe in search of the killer.

By turns both thrilling and daring, The Man from Hell, originally published in 1997 and reissued as part of The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Titan Books, braves dark new territories in the Holmes mythology and is an invaluable addition to the library of any Holmes fan.

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About Barrie Roberts: A writer, human rights activist, musician, artist and advisor, Roberts wrote ten Sherlock Holmes pastiche novels from 1995 until his death in 2007.

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Save 10% on BedandBreakfast.com Gift Cards, Perfect to Use for a Murder Mystery Weekend!

Games of Mystery is pleased to provide our readers with current promotions that offer discounts or other incentives for purchasing mystery-themed products and services. Below is a special offer we recently received that may be of interest to you.

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Looking to get away for a few days? Why not consider a mystery weekend at one of the many bed-and-breakfasts and inns across the country that offer this entertaining event! We've recently updated our Murder Mystery Weekend page with those establishments that provide information about their mystery weekend or event packages on their websites. Most of the listings are associated with BedandBreakfast.com, and that's where the special offer comes in.

From now through May 10, 2010, you can save 10% on any BedandBreakfast.com Gift Card purchase of $100 or more! Simply enter coupon code BBMOM10 at checkout. BedandBreakfast.com gift cards may be used at any inn on the site that welcomes gift cards, including many that offer mystery weekend packages.

For more information about BedandBreakfast.com, click on the banner below.

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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic, and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations!

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The Mystery Bookshelf: The Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers

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 Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Titan Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: March 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-84856-509-8

About The Stalwart Companions (from the publisher): Before Sherlock Holmes formed his longstanding alliance with the inimitable Dr. Watson, one of his earliest investigations was alongside the future President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. These "stalwart companions" must together solve a most complicated case that could herald the death of the American Dream.

The Stalwart Companions, one of Holmes’ most exciting and unusual chronicles, originally published in 1978 and subtitled "Heretofore unpublished letters and papers concerning a singular collaboration between Theodore Roosevelt and Sherlock Holmes", is being reissued as a title in The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series by Titan Books.

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About H. Paul Jeffers: An established military historian and author of seventy books, Jeffers died late last year at the age of 75. He was the author of several mystery series as well as books and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.

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Games of Mystery: Haunted Manor Lord of Mirrors, New from Big Fish Games

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of a new mystery casual game from Big Fish Games released today and available to BFG Club members. 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.

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Help Stan Riddle escape the Haunted Manor! After being trapped by the Lord of Mirrors, Stan needs you to guide him to safety. Use your hidden object skills to find valuable items and piece together perplexing puzzles. Discover why a beautiful mansion has been abandoned and what caused the owner to disappear. Come up with a clever escape plan to reach your friends!

For a more in-depth game experience, see also Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Collector's Edition.

Also available: Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Strategy Guide and a Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Game Walkthrough.

Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (242.82 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

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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic, and board games, parties for kids and adults, and murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations!

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Mystery Bestsellers for April 09, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending April 09, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Harlan Coben's non-series thriller Caught retains the top spot this week, but four new titles -- more than we've seen in many months -- move into the top 15.

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Moving from just off the list last week to 7th position this week is the 25th Alex Delaware thriller, Deception by Jonathan Kellerman.

Her name is Elise Freeman, and her chilling cry for help—to whoever may be listening—comes too late to save her. On a DVD found near her lifeless body, the emotionally and physically battered woman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at one of L.A.’s most prestigious prep schools. With Elise now dead by uncertain means, homicide detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to probe the hallowed halls of Windsor Prep Academy. And if ever he could use Dr. Alex Delaware’s psychological prowess, it’s now.

From the get-go, this case promises to be an uphill climb for truth and a down and dirty fight for justice. Allegations of rape, assault, and possibly murder at this esteemed institution renowned for molding Ivy Leaguers make for a social and political time bomb—especially given that one of the students has connections high up in City Hall. As the scandal-conscious elite of L.A. close ranks around Windsor Prep, Alex and Milo must penetrate the citadel of wealth and scholarship to expose the hidden anguish, dirty secrets, and deadly sins festering among society’s manor-born. But power and position are not easily surrendered, for that’s when the best and the brightest turn brutal and ugly. Searching for predators among the privileged, Alex and Milo may well be walking into a highly polished death trap.

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Also moving up is Known to Evil, the second Leonid McGill mystery by Walter Mosley.

McGill has split up with his girlfriend, Aura, because his new self won't let him leave his wife—but then Aura's new boyfriend starts angling to get Leonid kicked out of his prime, top-of-the­skyscraper office space. Meanwhile, one of his sons seems to have found true love-but the girl has a shady past that's all of sudden threatening the whole McGill family—and his other son, the charming rogue Twilliam, is doing nothing but enabling the crisis.

Most ominously of all, Alfonse Rinaldo, the mysterious power-behind- the-throne at City Hall, the fixer who seems to control every little thing that happens in New York City, has a problem that even he can't fix—and he's come to Leonid for help. It seems a young woman has disappeared, leaving murder in her wake, and it means everything to Rinaldo to track her down. But he won't tell McGill his motives, which doesn't quite square with the new company policy—but turning down Rinaldo is almost impossible to even contemplate.

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New this week in the 12th spot is the 22nd Richard Jury mystery, The Black Cat by Martha Grimes.

Three months have passed since Richard Jury was left bereft and guilt- ridden after his lover's tragic auto accident, and he is now more wary than ever. He is deeply suspicious when requested on a case far out of his jurisdiction in an outlying village where a young woman has been murdered behind the local pub. The only witness is the establishment's black cat, who gives neither crook nor clue as to the girl's identity or her killer's.

Identifying the girl becomes tricky when she's recognized as both the shy local librarian and a posh city escort, and Jury must use all his wits and intuition to determine the connection to subse­quent escort murders. Meanwhile, Jury's nemesis, Harry Johnson, continues to goad Jury down a dangerous path. And Johnson, along with the imperturbable dog Mungo, just may be the key to it all.

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Finally, also new this week coming in at number 13 is A River in the Sky, the 19th mystery in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.

August 1910. Banned from the Valley of the Kings by the Antiquities Service, Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, are relaxing at home in Kent, enjoying the tranquil beauty of summer. But adventure soon beckons when they are persuaded to follow would-be archaeologist Major George Morley on an expedition to Palestine, a province of the crumbling, corrupt Ottoman Empire and the Holy Land of three religions. Searching for the vanished treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, Morley is determined to unearth the legendary Ark of the Covenant.

The skeptical Emerson wants no part of the scheme until a request from the War Office and Buckingham Palace persuades him to reconsider. The Germans are increasing their influence in Palestine and British intelligence insists that Morley is an agent of the Kaiser, sent to stir up trouble in this politically volatile land. Emerson can't believe that the seemingly inept Morley is a German spy, but could he be mistaken?

Determined to prevent a catastrophically unprofessional excavation that could destroy priceless historical finds as well as cause an armed protest by infuriated Christians, Jews, and Muslims who view the Temple Mount, also known as the Dome of the Rock, as sacred, Amelia, Emerson, and company head to Palestine. Though it is not to her beloved Egypt, the trip to Jerusalem will also reunite her with her handsome and headstrong son, Ramses, working on a dig at Samaria, north of the holy city.

Before Ramses can meet his parents, however, he is distracted by an unusual party of travelers who have arrived in Samaria, including a German woman archaeologist and a mysterious man of unknown nationality and past. Unfortunately, Ramses's insatiable curiosity and his knack for trouble lead him to a startling discovery: information he must pass on to his parents in Jerusalem—if he can get there alive.

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The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

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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