Friday, June 04, 2010

Mystery Book Review: The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo

Mysterious Reviews: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller and Crime Novel Reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

Review of The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo

Oslo police inspector Harry Hole -- the "lone wolf" of his department -- investigates a series of bizarre murders in The Devil's Star (original Norwegian title: Marekors), the fifth mystery in this series (though only the third available in English) by Jo Nesbo.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews.

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The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
Buy The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo

The Devil's Star

A Harry Hole Mystery

Harper (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-06-113397-3 (0061133973)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-113397-8 (9780061133978)
Publication Date: March 2010
List Price: $25.99

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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.

Daniel Craig in Talks to Star in English-Language Film Adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
More information about the book

It's somewhat amusing to read Alex Billingham writing on FirstShowing.net this morning that no less than three sources are claiming "exclusively" that Daniel Craig is in talks to assume the lead role of Mikael Blomkvist in the English-language film adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson to be directed by David Fincher. Even more surprising is Billingham's professed amazement that there's any interest outside of Hollywood in this project; maybe he doesn't realize the book is a worldwide phenomenon that has won countless awards and that people who actually read books may also be interested in films.

Earlier this year we posted the trailer for the Swedish-language film based on the book.

About The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (from the publisher): A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.

It’s about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden ... and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It’s about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet’s disappearance ... and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age—and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it—who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism—and an unexpected connection between themselves.

Mystery Bestsellers for June 04, 2010

Mystery Bestsellers

A list of the top 15 for the week ending June 04th, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

The top 10 sees some major shuffling, with last week's featured title, the third and final thriller in the Millennium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson, assuming the top position (where it's likely to remain for quite some time). One new title debuts this week.

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The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver
More information about the book

New in 14th position this week Jeffery Deaver's The Burning Wire, the ninth mystery in the Lincoln Rhyme with the quadriplegic New York detective on the trail of a killer whose weapon of choice cripples the city with fear.

The weapon is invisible and omnipresent. Without it, modern society grinds to a halt. It is electricity. The killer harnesses and steers huge arc flashes with voltage so high and heat so searing that steel melts and his victims are set afire.

When the first explosion occurs in broad daylight, reducing a city bus to a pile of molten, shrapnel-riddled metal, officials fear terrorism. Rhyme, a world-class forensic criminologist known for his successful apprehension of the most devious criminals, is immediately tapped for the investigation. Long a quadriplegic, he assembles NYPD detective Amelia Sachs and officer Ron Pulaski as his eyes, ears and legs on crime sites, and FBI agent Fred Dellray as his undercover man on the street. As the attacks continue across the city at a sickening pace, and terrifying demand letters begin appearing, the team works desperately against time and with maddeningly little forensic evidence to try to find the killer. Or is it killers ... ?

Meanwhile, Rhyme is consulting on another high-profile investigation in Mexico with a most coveted quarry in his crosshairs: the hired killer known as the Watchmaker, one of the few criminals to have eluded Rhyme’s net.

Juggling two massive investigations against a cruel ticking clock takes a toll on Rhyme’s health. Soon Rhyme is fighting on yet another front—and his determination to work despite his physical limitations threatens to drive away his closest allies when he needs them most ...

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The top four mystery bestsellers this week are shown below:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg LarssonInnocent by Scott Turow61 Hours by Lee ChildDead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

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

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Nominations for the 2010 Nero Award Announced

Mystery Book Awards: The Edgars, The Agathas, The Anthonys, and many more.

Earlier this week the nominees for the 2010 Nero Award were announced by the Nero Wolfe Society. The award is given to recognize literary excellence in the mystery genre, the winner announced at the Black Orchid Banquet, which is traditionally held on the first Saturday in December in New York City..

The nominees are:

The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch
The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith Review of The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith
Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

Mystery Book Reviews by Mysterious Reviews indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews.

The Mystery Bookshelf: The Lord of Death by Eliot Pattison, a Shan Tao Yun Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf: Discover a Library of New Mysteries

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 Lord of Death by Eliot Pattison
A Shan Tao Yun Mystery (6th in series)
(Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: June 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-642-0

The Lord of Death by Eliot Pattison
More Information About The Lord of Death by Eliot Pattison

About The Lord of Death (from the publisher): Shan Tao Yun is an exiled Chinese national and a former Beijing investigator on parole from the Tibetan gulag to which he had been consigned as punishment. He is ferrying a corpse on muleback over the slopes of Chomolungma—Everest—at the request of a local wisewoman who says the gods have appointed this task to him, when he encounters what looks like a traffic accident. A government bus filled with imprisoned illegal monks has overturned. Then Shan hears gunfire. Two women in an approaching sedan have been killed. One is the Chinese minister of tourism; the other, a blond Westerner, organizes climbing expeditions. Though she dies in his arms, Shan is later met with denials that this foreigner is dead.

Shan must find the murderer, for his recompense will be the life and sanity of his son, Ko, imprisoned in a Chinese “yeti factory” where men are routinely driven mad.

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About Eliot Pattison: A world traveler and frequent visitor to China, whose numerous books and articles on international policy issues have been published on three continents, he is the author of six books set in Tibet featuring former Inspector Shan Tao Yun, including the Edgar Award-winning first novel in the series, The Skull Mantra. Visit his website at EliotPattison.com.

Mysterious Reviews: Mysteries Reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery BooksMysteries by Eliot Pattison reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: Prayer of the Dragon (2007), The Lord of Death (2009), and Eye of the Raven (2010).

New Previews Available for Hawaii Five-O, CBS This Fall

Hawaii Five-O 2010 (CBS)

A few weeks ago we posted the opening credits for the remake of Hawaii Five-O on CBS this fall. While visiting the CBS site this morning, we noticed a two new preview videos published last week by the network, both of which can be seen below.

Here's the official description of the new series from a CBS press release:

Hawaii Five-O is a contemporary take on the classic series about a new elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the Islands' sun-drenched beaches. Detective Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), a decorated Naval officer turned cop, returns to Oahu to investigate his father's murder and stays after Hawaii's governor persuades him to head up the new team: his rules, her backing, no red tape and full blanket immunity to hunt down the biggest "game" in town. Joining McGarrett is Detective Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), a newly relocated ex-New Jersey cop who prefers skyscrapers to the coastline but is committed to keeping the Islands safe for his 8-year-old daughter; and Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), an ex-Honolulu Police Detective wrongly accused of corruption and relegated to a federal security patrol, who is also a former protégé of McGarrett's father. Chin's cousin, Kono (Grace Park), is a beautiful and fearless native, fresh out of the academy and eager to establish herself among the department's elite. McGarrett vows to bring closure to his father's case while the state's brash new FIVE-0 unit, who may spar and jest among themselves, is determined to eliminate the seedy elements from the 50th state.

Third Season of Flashpoint Premieres Tomorrow on CBS

Flashpoint (CBS)

Flashpoint returns for its third season on CBS tomorrow, Friday June 4th at 9 PM (ET/PT). An ensemble crime drama, the series is based on the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of cops in the Strategic Response Unit (SRU, inspired by Toronto's Emergency Task Force). It's a unique unit that rescues hostages, busts gangs, defuses bombs, climbs the sides of buildings and talks down suicidal teens. Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they're also trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the suspect's head to diffuse the situation to try and save lives.

In the season premiere titled "One Wrong Move", the SRU team is faced with the daunting task of finding and dismantling bombs set throughout the city by an eco-terrorist group, and a member of the team sacrifices his own life to save the lives of many others.

Watch a short preview of the episode below:

Games of Mystery: Claire Ellery in Strange Cases, The Lighthouse Mystery

Games of Mystery

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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Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery
Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery

FBI Agent Claire Ellery’s latest strange case has become personal. Tom, her former partner, has died under bizarre circumstances. As Agent Ellery delves deeper into the mystery of his death, she finds that Tom himself has laid a trail of clues for her -- a trail that leads her into a sinister web of corporate betrayal and the arcane. Follow the cards to solve this strange case and vindicate your partner’s untimely demise.

See also the first game in this series, Strange Cases: The Tarot Card Mystery and the collector's edition of this game, Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery (Collector's Edition), which includes a bonus case ("The Case of the Missing Scientist"), an embedded strategy guide, a downloadable soundtrack, and more.

Also available: Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery Strategy Guide and a Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery game walkthrough.

Strange Cases: The Lighthouse Mystery may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (181.07 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 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!

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Mystery Book Review: Shadow of the Wolf Tree by Joseph Heywood

Mysterious Reviews: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller and Crime Novel Reviews, edited by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

Review of Shadow of the Wolf Tree by Joseph Heywood

Michigan Department of Natural Resources "Woods Cop" Grady Service investigates a number of mysterious activities that seem to be centered around a secret, gated, and heavily secured compound in the middle of the Upper Peninsula in Shadow of the Wolf Tree, the seventh mystery in this series by Joseph Heywood.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews.

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Shadow of the Wolf Tree by Joseph Heywood
Buy Shadow of the Wolf Tree by Joseph Heywood

Shadow of the Wolf Tree

A Woods Cop Mystery with Grady Service

Lyons Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-59921-900-X (159921900X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59921-900-4 (9781599219004)
Publication Date: May 2010
List Price: $16.95

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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.

Fourth Season of Burn Notice Premieres Tomorrow on USA Network

Burn Notice (USA Network)

Burn Notice returns for its 4th season on USA Network tomorrow, Thursday June 3rd (9 PM ET/PT).

The series stars Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, a blacklisted spy who didn't get a letter from human resources when he was fired ... he was burned ... and finds himself stranded in sun-soaked Miami. After coming face to face with the group of people that burned him, Michael must figure out his next move, all while staying ahead of anyone else that may have him in their crosshairs. In the meantime, he continues to use his unique skills and training to help people in desperate need of assistance.

The action-packed 4th season commences introducing a new counterintelligence expert, Jesse Garcia, played by Coby Bell, who loves to fight bad guys just as much as Michael does. Heating up the night with our hot undercover agent are Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), the beautiful ex-IRA operative and ex-girlfriend of Michael; Sam (Bruce Campbell), our favorite washed-up military intelligence muscle; and Michael's mother (Sharon Gless), who is one tough cookie herself.

In tomorrow's episode, "Friends and Enemies", Michael helps Fiona and Sam protect a lawyer against the city's most dangerous biker gang. Meanwhile, he must team up with an unlikely ally to stop a looming terrorist threat ... but quickly finds that no mission is without its price.

The Mystery Bookshelf: In the Dead of Winter by Abbey Pen Baker, a Myrl Adler Norton Mystery

The Mystery Bookshelf: Discover a Library of New Mysteries

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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In the Dead of Winter by Abbey Pen Baker
A Myrl Adler Norton Mystery (1st in series)
Irregular Special Press (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: February 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-901091-39-7

In the Dead of Winter by Abbey Pen Baker
More Information About In the Dead of Winter by Abbey Pen Baker

About In the Dead of Winter (from the publisher): Myrl Adler Norton was, by all accounts, one of the most remarkable women of the twentieth century. The daughter of the acclaimed opera singer Irene Adler, she was a respected professor of logic at Smith College as well as one of the most famous consulting detectives of all time. The books of her exploits, written by her lifelong friend and confidante Faye Martin Tullis, are among the most popular in the history of detective literature. Now, with this previously undiscovered manuscript, the true story behind the meeting of these two friends and their first case comes to light.

In 1918, while a student at Smith College, Faye first encountered Myrl, an enigmatic figure with an interesting past. When a local actress is found dead amid bizarre circumstances, Myrl takes an interest in the murder, and the two travel to Brattleboro, Vermont, to investigate.

There they uncover a twisted conspiracy, one far more dangerous than simple murder -- and learn the truth about Myrl's real father, the world's most famous consulting detective.

Originally published by St. Martin's Press in 1994, this revised edition sets the scene for the next Myrl Adler Norton mystery, Death at the Round Table, to be released exclusively by The Irregular Special Press in late 2010.

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About the author: Though it appears that Abbey Pen Baker is merely editing her great aunt’s unpublished manuscripts and out-of-print books, “it’s not true” she says. Really, Abbey Pen Baker wrote them. And really, she is Rebecca Morean.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Mr. E. Reviews: Foyle's War Set 6

Mr. E. reviews mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama television and film for Omnimystery

Review of Foyle's War Set 6.

No doubt my joy was shared by millions of other Foyle's War fans when I learned in April 2008 that ITV, after canceling the series just a few months earlier, had commissioned three additional episodes. It seems like forever and day has passed since then, but in April of this year those episodes aired on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! and today they're available to purchase on DVD. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews.

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Foyle's War Set 6 (DVD Cover)
More information about Foyle's War Set 6

Foyle's War Set 6
Director: Various

Original air date(s): 04/11/2010 to 04/25/2010.
DVD release: 06/01/2010.
Studio: Acorn Media.

Recurring character(s): DCI Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen), Sgt. Paul Milner (Anthony Howell), Samantha Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks).

Rating: Not Rated.
Running time: 300 minutes.

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

Harlequin Worldwide Mystery Titles for June 2010

Harlequin Mysteries

eHarlequin.com has announced the June 2010 titles for their Worldwide imprint, your partner in crime. Amateur sleuths, traditional cozies, police procedurals and private-eye fiction, written by award-winning authors. 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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Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo
Buy the Book!

Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo
A Maggy Thorsen Mystery (2nd in series)

Self-made espresso bar owner Maggy Thorsen would rather be whipping up steam with her sexy sheriff boyfriend than organizing a barista competition. But the big Java Ho convention, the coffee industry's seasonal trade show, has come to Milwaukee. And this year it's not only insane, it's murder…when Maggy finds the body of Marvin LaRoche, proprietor of the HotWired coffee chain, under a banquet table.

LaRoche was powerful, mean and nasty—or maybe he just drank too much of his own coffee. Either way, somebody bludgeoned him with Maggy's first-place barista trophy. Hoping to clear her name, Maggy watches the man's too-cheerful widow and an angry activist accusing LaRoche of exploiting Third World coffee growers. With a killer to catch and coffee to brew, Maggy is working overtime to save her own beans.

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The Midnight Tree by Dorothy Kliewer
Buy the Book!

The Midnight Tree by Dorothy Kliewer
A Deedra Masefield Mystery (4th in series)

When Rufus County sheriff Aaron Blaine is found murdered in plainclothes in front of a courthouse outside his jurisdiction, investigative reporter Deedra Masefield tackles the most heartbreaking story of her life. Not only was he the man she wanted to marry, but he was a man with secrets worth killing for.

The brutality of his execution and clues to the missing contents of his briefcase help explain his recent strange behavior. Determined not to let his death be in vain, Deedra picks up on grim clues Aaron left for her about the case, involving missing children and a secret meeting place called the Midnight Tree. When a twelve-year-old boy is found dead under the same tree, Deedra uncovers the terrible truth about what's really happening in this small, quiet town. All while a clever killer puts a dark plan in motion to make sure she never tells.

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Deadly Diversion by Eleanor Sullivan
Buy the Book!

Deadly Diversion by Eleanor Sullivan


The intensive care unit at St. Teresa's hospital in St. Louis is head nurse Monika Everhardt's personal war zone—understaffed, overworked, tangled in union and government bureaucracy. And that's on a good day. On a bad day, two suspicious deaths make her wonder if one of her own is a killer.

As police and pencil pushers descend, Monika takes matters into her own hands with the help of top cop and best girlfriend, BJ. The first death could have slipped between the cracks—a critical patient, a tired nurse. But the second victim was an old-time mob boss and person of interest to the local D.A. Monika knows it's easy to make a terminal man's death look innocent, but an expert nurse knows the difference between incompetence and murder.

The hard part is finding out who—and why—before the killer strikes again.

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If you enjoy the books in this series, you can join Worldwide Mystery and get 2 free books plus 2 free gifts just for giving the automatic program a try. Accepting your two free Worldwide Mystery books and mystery gifts places you under no obligation to buy anything. You may keep the books and gifts and return the shipping statement marked cancel. If you do not cancel, about two months later, and then every other month, eHarlequin will send you three additional Worldwide Mystery books.

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner below to subscribe for free:

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The Mystery Bookshelf: Awakening by S. J. Bolton

The Mystery Bookshelf: Discover a Library of New Mysteries

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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Awakening by S. J. Bolton
Non-series
St. Martin's Minotaur (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: June 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38187-5

Awakening by S. J. Bolton
More Information About Awakening by S. J. Bolton

About Awakening (from the publisher): Clara Benning, a veterinary surgeon in charge of a wildlife hospital in a small English village, is young and intelligent, but nearly a recluse. Disfigured by a childhood accident, she generally prefers the company of animals to people. But when a local man dies following a supposed snakebite, Clara’s expertise is needed. She’s chilled to learn that the victim’s postmortem shows a higher concentration of venom than could ever be found in a single snake—and that therefore the killer must be human.

Assisted by a soft-spoken neighbor and an eccentric reptile expert, Clara unravels sinister links to an abandoned house, an ancient ritual, and a fifty-year-old tragedy that has left the survivors secretive. But for someone the truth must remain buried in the past—even if they have to kill to keep it there.

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About S. J. Bolton: Growing up in Lancashire, England, she now lives near Oxford with her family. Her novels are inspired by her fascination with British folklore. Awakening was the winner of the 2010 Mary Higgins Clark Award.

Mysterious Reviews: Mysteries Reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery BooksMysteries by S. J. Bolton reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: Sacrifice (2008) and Awakening (2009).

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