First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for June 2010

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series books) scheduled for publication during June 2010.

The titles are listed in (approximate) order of appropriate age groups, from early readers to books for young adults.

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The Missing Apple Mystery
Ellie Seiss
The Busytown Mysteries (1st in series)

There's a giant wooden apple sign on the loose in Busytown and it's rolling over everything in its path! Come along and help Huckle Cat and his friends figure out where the apple sign is headed next. Will they be able to stop this rotten apple from rolling away for good?

Recommended for New Sleuths, aged 4 to 6.

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In a Pickle
Natalie Shaw
The Busytown Mysteries (2nd in series)

Mr. Frumble can't find his famous pickle car! Will Huckle Cat be able to help?

Recommended for New Sleuths, aged 4 to 6.

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Missing!
Jodie Mellor
The Mystery Pups Adventures (3rd in series)

The cat star of animal blockbuster Candy Come Home has been stolen from the set of her new movie. Now the film studio has received an enormous ransom demand! Can the girls and their magical mystery pups find the missing cat before it's too late?

Recommended for New Sleuths, aged 4 to 6.

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The Man of Mystery Hill
Tracy Carbone
An Abby McNabb Mystery (1st in series)

Abby McNabb is a typical fourth grade girl. She hates her hair, thinks her mom is too strict, envies her best friend … Oh, and Abby's father is crazy. Andy McNabb is a famous author known for his investigations of aliens, ghosts and all things paranormal. This embarrasses Abby to no end, until the day he takes her to America's Stonehenge, aka Mystery Hill … and for the first time in her life, she sees a ghost, too.

The ghost needs Abby's help to make Andy remember his birthplace: a star named Gibeon, which crashed to earth hundreds of thousands of years ago. As Abby, along with her friend Claudia and cousin, Chase, work to uncover the truth about her father's past and his future, she is faced with losing him forever when destiny pushes him toward his forgotten life.

Join Abby and her zany father as they explore local New England spooky sites and learn what it means to believe in make believe and trust what you cannot see.

Recommended for Future Sleuths, aged 7 to 9.

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The Coyote Invasion
John R. Erickson
A Hank the Cowdog Mystery (56th in series)

Hank’s in trouble again, but when he tries to apologize to Sally May, she just doesn’t get the message. Before Hank has a chance to convince her, he learns that the ranch is being targeted for a major invasion from the dreaded coyotes. Does Hank have what it takes to save his reputation and protect the ranch?

Recommended for Future Sleuths, aged 7 to 9.

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The Chihuahua Chase
A. E. Cannon
Non-series

When Teddy Krebs's speedy if homely little dog goes missing right before the town Chihuahua races, fourth-grader Addie May Jones can’t resist Teddy’s plea for help. Soon she has two mysteries on her hands: Is there a dognapper on the loose? And why won't Teddy stop making a pest of himself? Addie May turns detective to find the vanished pooch and at the same time discovers a bad case of puppy love.

Recommended for Future Sleuths, aged 7 to 9.

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Thea Stilton and the Secret City
Thea Stilton
A Geronimo Stilton Special Edition Mystery with Thea Stilton (2nd in series)

In this amazing adventure, Thea's friends the Thea Sisters head to Peru, where a good friend of Paulina's is in danger. There, the five mice climb the Andes mountains in search of a mysterious treasure that's hidden in the Secret City of the Incas.

Recommended for Future Sleuths, aged 7 to 9.

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The Tilting House
Tom Llewellyn
Non-series

Brothers Josh and Aaron Peshik are about to discover that their new home with the tilting floors hides many mysteries. When the boys and their neighbor Lola discover the hidden diary of F. T. Tilton, the brilliant but deranged inventor who built the house, they learn a dark secret that may mean disaster for the Peshik family. Can the kids solve the riddles of the tilting house before time runs out?

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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The Elephant's Tale
Lauren St. John
An Animal Healer Adventure (4th in series)

Martine and her grandmother discover that they might lose Sawubona, their African game reserve, to the sinister Reuben James. But a prophecy from Grace rouses Martine and her best friend, Ben, into action. To find the truth and save the reserve, Martine and Ben must stow away in an airplane, which strands them in the desert, thwart Mr. James’s creepy henchman, and rescue a herd of very special elephants from the dangerous Moon Valley.

The adventure also leads the kids to answers about Martine’s destiny. Jemmy, the white giraffe, and Khan, the last leopard, are alongside Martine and Ben as the Secret Valley reveals its mysteries in this satisfying conclusion to the series.

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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The Secret Zoo
Bryan Chick
Non-series

Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it's up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, will they discover there's much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed?

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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The Talent Thief
Alex Williams
Non-series

Adam’s sister is a singing sensation and he is her biggest fan. Unlike his superstar sibling, this twelve-year-old boy excels at absolutely nothing—although his sister would argue that he’s the master of getting on her nerves. But when a mysterious creature as old as time steals her talent, it’s Adam who fearlessly leads the charge to retrieve it and stop the creature before it can take the talents of other children.

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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Secret Sabotage
Carolyn Keene
A Nancy Drew, Girl Detective Mystery

This brand-new trilogy follows Nancy's adventures at a creepy carnival. Who's writing the burn book blog (i.e. gossip rag), and, later, passing along threatening notes to Lexi Claremont? Nancy goes undercover to find out.

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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High School Musical Mystery
Stefan Petrucha and Sarah Kinney
The Nancy Drew Graphic Novels (20th in series)

Carolyn Keene’s teen sleuth-sisters The Dana Girls meet Nancy Drew for the first time ever in part one if this two-part story!

Nancy and pals Bess and George meet Louise and Jean Dana on a trip to the town of Penfield, where they visit the Starhurst School for Girls. Once students hear that Nancy has arrived, a contest is developed to see who can solve a concocted mystery first. Their pals plant clues throughout the school, each one in the form of a song! See Nancy Drew and the Dana Girls compete for the title of Top Girl Detective!

Recommended for Sleuths in Training, aged 10 to 12.

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Conspiracy 365: June
Gabrielle Lord
A Conspiracy 365 Thriller (6th in series)

Hurled into a life on the run, with a price on his head, 15-year-old Callum Ormond is a fugitive, isolated and alone. Hunted by the law and ruthless criminals, Cal must somehow uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and a history-changing secret. Who can he turn to, who can he trust, when the whole world seems to want him dead? The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last. He has just 365 days ... the countdown has begun ...

Recommended for Apprentice Sleuths, aged 13 and older.

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First Strike
Jack Higgins with Justin Richards
Rich and Jade Chance (4th and final in series)

After saving the President’s life in the Middle East, the Chance family is invited to a banquet at the White House. Teen twins Rich and Jade are ready to relax, but even in the safest house in the United States, they can’t avoid danger: a radical American group takes the West Wing hostage to steal the U.S.’s nuclear launch codes and attack China. It’s a race through the halls of the White House as Rich and Jade fight to keep the President and the launch codes hidden from the terrorists.

Recommended for Apprentice Sleuths, aged 13 and older.

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First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (100529)

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 Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers. A Sherlock Holmes pastiche, originally published in 1978, newly issued by Titan Books as part of its "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" series, and recommended for readers aged 10 and older. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who writes, "This novel is exceptional! It is a fantastic story, filled with all of the things you could want in a book: suspense, thrill, plot, everything!"

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

Games of Mystery: Four New Games to Download from Amazon Video Games (100529)

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce this week's new mystery and suspense casual and adventure games available for immediate download from Amazon Video Games.

A complete list of downloadable mystery games is available on our Games of Mystery: Amazon Video Games Download page.

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Everlight

A stirring adventure in a fascinating world! Melvin is a misfit and dreamer. One day he comes across a candle shop run by a mysterious old man only called Mr. Teeth. Promptly he becomes aware of Melvin’s magical talent. He offers Melvin to send him on a journey to learn the ancient candle magic in return for confronting him with his worst fears. As Melvin decides to accept, the fantastic adventure unfolds ...

ESRB Rating: Teen.

Windows Vista/XP (2 GB download).

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Journalist Journey: The Eye of Odin

Cathy is out to report on the strange, glowing symbols that are appearing all over the world. Journey with her through over 25 fantastic locations as she searches for answers among the hidden objects. Help to uncover the truth behind the ancient runes by solving minigames and puzzles. Learn about a mysterious group of followers and their connection to the mythical Odin though beautiful in-game comics. It's up to you to see that Cathy gets her story.

ESRB Rating: Not Specified.

Windows Vista/XP (132 MB download).

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Veronica Rivers: The Order of Conspiracy

After having a strange vision, famous pilot Veronica Rivers finds a mysterious warning claiming that disaster is about to strike! Veronica's vacation is about to end abruptly, as she has to travel across the globe to take on a brand new case. Discover who has been following Veronica, and what exactly they want from her. Use your hidden object skills to find the Gates of Destiny!

ESRB Rating: Not Specified.

Windows Vista/XP (113 MB download).

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Hidden in Time: Mirror Mirror

Do you come from royal blood or indentured servitude? Use your sleuthing skills to find out! Having found an antique mirror said to have magical properties, you set off to Castle Fairwich to investigate its shady history and unlock its true potential. Scour dusty rooms in the castle, spot differences reflected in your mirror, and play plenty of unique mini games!

ESRB Rating: Not Specified.

Windows Vista/XP (59 MB download).

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

Film Adaptation of Julie Kenner's Carpe Demon in Development

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog has news this morning about three novel-to-film adaptations, including the first book in the Kate Connor, Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom mystery series, Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner.

The other two books are Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and the debut young adult fright novel Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor.

1492 Pictures and CJ Entertainment are developing the projects.

About Carpe Demon (from the publisher): Lots of women put their careers aside once the kids come along. Kate Connor, for instance, hasn't hunted a demon in ages.

That must be why she missed the one wandering through the pet food aisle of the San Diablo Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, he managed to catch her attention an hour later -- when he crashed into the Connor house, intent on killing her.

Now Kate has to clean up the mess in her kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party that will get her husband elected to County Attorney-all without arousing her family's suspicion. Worse yet, it seems the dead demon didn't come alone ...

It's time for Kate Connor to go back to work.

Jeffery Deaver Will Write Next James Bond Thriller

Crime novelist Jeffery Deaver, author of the Lincoln Rhyme and Katherine Dance mystery series as well as a dozen or more other thrillers and suspense novels, tweeted yesterday that he has been chosen by Ian Fleming Publications to be the new writer of the James Bond series.

Information about the content of the book remains top secret. Deaver says “I don’t want to give much away about the new book yet, except to say that the novel will maintain the persona of James Bond as Fleming created him and the unique tone the author brought to his books, while incorporating my own literary trademarks: detailed research, fast pacing and surprise twists”.

The untitled book, known only as Project X (with its own website), is expected to be published on May 27th, 2011.

Winners of the 2010 Arthur Ellis Awards Announced

The winners of the Arthur Ellis Awards have been announced by the Crime Writers of Canada recognizing excellence in Canadian crime writing.

The winners are:

◊ Best Novel: High Chicago by Howard Shrier (Random House)
◊ Best First Novel: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley  (Doubleday)
◊ Best Juvenile: Haunted by Barbara Haworth-Attard (HarperCollins)
◊ Best Non-Fiction: Murder Without Borders by Terry Gould (Random House)
◊ Best Novel in French: Le Mort du Chemin des Arsene by Jean Lemieux (La Courte Echelle Inc.)
◊ Best Short Story: "Prisoner in Paradise?" by Dennis Richard Murphy (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine)
◊ Best Unpublished: Corpse Flower by Gloria Ferris

The annual Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to the crime genre was presented to Peter Robinson.

 indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews.

Winners of the 22nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards Announced

The winners of the 22nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards Awards were announced last night by the Lambda Literary Foundation for books published in 2009. The organization recognizes exceptional writing about gay and lesbian lives across multiple genres published by large and small presses.

The winners in the Mystery category are:

◊ Gay men's mystery: What We Remember by Michael Thomas Ford (Kensington)
◊ Lesbian mystery: Death of a Dying Man by J. M. Redmann (Bold Strokes Books)

Mystery Bestsellers for May 28, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending May 28, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Just some minor shuffling among the top 4 bestsellers this week, with the 10th mystery in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series, Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris, remaining in the top spot. One new title debuts this week.

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Entering the list in 9th position is the third and final thriller in the Millennium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson.

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders.

With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

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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.

Today's Featured Free Kindle Mystery: Shadow of Power by Steve Martini

Kindle Mysteries is pleased to feature a mystery title that is currently available in Kindle eBook format for free from Amazon.com. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so download it today!

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Shadow of Power by Steve Martini
A Paul Madriani Mystery (9th in series)
HarperCollins (Kindle eBook)
Download Link

About Shadow of Power (from the publisher): A writer is savagely slain while on a publicity tour—a literary provocateur who craved headlines, but whose last book may have gone too far. His revelations about secret language buried in the U.S. Constitution—and hints about an explosive missing letter of Thomas Jefferson's—may be enough to cause an irreparable tear in the fabric of the nation ... and perhaps drove a volatile youth to homicide. But Paul Madriani thinks a troubled young man with dark connections has been chosen as a scapegoat to cover up something far deadlier that festers in America's political heart. And in the wake of the strange disappearance of a Supreme Court judge, Madriani must survive long enough to find the devastating answers hidden in the shadow of power.

This special free edition includes an excerpt from Steve Martini's latest Paul Madriani novel, The Rule of Nine.

Read our Review of Shadow of Power by Steve Martini at Mysterious Reviews.

Mystery Book Review: The Significant Seven by John McEvoy

Review of The Significant Seven by John McEvoy

Former marketing executive Jack Doyle, who is currently "between opportunities", agrees to work with the FBI to investigate a number of horse spongings at a local Chicago racetrack, only to be drawn into series of highly coincidental deaths of lifelong friends and partners of a valuable horse in The Significant Seven, the third mystery in this series by Jack McEvoy.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews.

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The Significant Seven
John McEvoy
A Jack Doyle Mystery

Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-705-7 (1590587057)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-705-8 (9781590587058)
Publication Date: April 2010
List Price: $24.95

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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.

Three Murder Mystery Short Stories Optioned for Film

The Risky Business blog of The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that independent production company Roberts/David Films has optioned three short stories that it intends to weave together into a multi-tiered film titled The Thrillers involving a murder in Los Angeles committed by a celebrity.

The short stories, all of which involve murder, are "Killing Bernstein" by Harlan Ellison (which originally appeared in Ellison's 1978 collection Strange Wine), "The Method" by Janet Fitch (which originally appeared in the anthology Los Angeles Noir), and "Hot Springs" by James Crumley (which originally appeared in Otto Penzler's Murder for Love anthology, published in 1999).

“Pre-awareness is more important than ever in indie film,” says Roberts/David’s Mark Roberts, who will executive produce the project. “By combining these three amazing authors with talented indie filmmakers, we create a product that will have a built-in audience.”

Games of Mystery: PuppetShow, Souls of the Innocent Collector's Edition

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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Felicia, the daughter of a genius master of mechanics, has never given up the idea to return her lost beauty. To fulfil her ominous dream she requires the souls of innocent children. Having created a number of wonderful puppets she brings them into a little town to sell in a puppet shop to trustful citizens. During the day the puppets were giving joy to the children but in the night the puppets became alive -- they stole the children's souls and brought them into the castle for their Mistress. Can you get into Felicia's castle without becoming scared of her puppets? Will you be able to destroy the evil plans of Felicia and save the innocent children's souls?

This special Collector's Edition, which precedes the standard edition by 2-3 weeks, includes hours of bonus gameplay, a "behind-the-scenes" video, and a built-in strategy guide.

See also the previous game in this series, PuppetShow: Mystery of Joyville.

PuppetShow: Souls of the Innocent Collector's Edition may be downloaded and purchased for $19.95 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (105.90 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour; the full version is 333.18 MB.

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 Ms. Terri's reviews of the adventure and casual mystery games featured on this site, including Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses!, Enlightenus, and many more!

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!

eHarlequin's BOGO Sale on Now through May 31st, 2010

Through the end of this month only (May 31st, 2010), eHarlequin is having a Buy One Get One Free sale! Simply purchase any book and a second book of equal or lower value is your free. Use coupon code BOGO43D at checkout.

eHarlequin has several imprints that offer mystery and suspense titles, including Harlequin Intrigue, Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, and their exclusive Worldwide Mystery paperbacks.

Visit eHarlequin.com through May 31st to take advantage of this BOGO sale! (Offer excludes eBooks and themed collections.)

Winners of the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Announced

We're not quite sure when these were first announced, but the winners and finalists of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards have been posted to the organization's website.

Recognizing independent authors and publishers in several categories, here are the results for the Mystery category:

◊ Winner (tie): Disturbing the Peace by P. D. LaFleur (RGI Press)
◊ Winner (tie): Timber Beasts by S. L. Stoner (Yamhill Press)

◊ Finalists: Felonious Jazz by Bryan Gilmer, Red Planet Noir by D. B. Grady, Rude Awakenings by Keith Donaldson, and The Burden of Truth by Lois Lewandowski.