First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for July 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 July 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 Big Swat
David Biedrzycki
An Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective Mystery (3rd in series)

Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective, is back in his third crime-solving adventure—and this time he’s in the big leagues. The Motham City Stinkbugs finally have a chance at winning the pennant, but somebody has stolen Bugsy Goldwing’s lucky bat. Was it Mickey Mantis, Fly Cobb, Derek Skeeter, or Big Hoppi Leafhopper? When Ace takes the mound, bad bugs are going to strike out.

Teeming with puns and sight gags, the latest Ace Lacewing mystery will have young readers turning the pages and looking for clues everywhere.

Recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

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The Pumpkin Mystery
Carol Wallace
Non-series

Scruffy and Mocha, the cat and dog who help out Aden and Leah around the farm, want to make sure the children have pumpkins for Halloween. The family plants and waters the seeds, and the tiny plants begin to grow; but rabbits visit the garden and the crop fails. The rabbits have some inside information. Can Scruffy and Mocha strike a deal and save Halloween for the children.

Recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

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Diamond Dogs!
Jodie Mellor
The Mystery Pups Adventures (4th in series)

The mystery pups arrive in Sleuth City just in time to witness a jewelry store break-in. The thieves get away — but the Mystery Pups are soon hot on the trail of the gemstones!

Recommended for readers aged 4 to 6.

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Sleepy Hollow Sleepover
Ron Roy
An A-to-Z Mysteries Super Edition (4th in series)

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are spending Halloween in Sleepy Hollow, home of the legendary Headless Horseman. They are going to sleep in an old cabin, take a haunted hayride, and check out the Old Dutch Church. That's where some people say they've spotted the ghostly horseman. But strange things start happening that don't seem to be part of the planned spooky fun. Is there a real Headless Horseman haunting Sleepy Hollow?

The alphabet is over, but the mysteries continue in this fourth A-to-Z Mysteries Super Edition, featuring a secret message hidden in the illustrations.

Recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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Circus Fantastico
Molly Idle
Non-series

Run away with the circus and join the show! Circus Fantastico features much more than meets the eye. That's why this book comes with a working magnifier (tethered to the book's binding so it can't be lost).

Circus Fantastico encourages junior sleuths to help Ella the Elephant solve a mystery. Madame Fantastico's traveling circus is down on its luck, and when the show's props begin to disappear, Ella takes center stage to find out why.

Recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

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The Ghost at Camp Davis
Ron Roy
The Capital Mysteries (12th in series)

Legend says that on each dead president's birthday, his ghost haunts the grounds of the remote retreat Camp David. But KC and Marshall aren't worried, even though they will be there on October 14, President Eisenhower's birthday. That is, they aren't worried until strange things start happening. How did a bat get trapped in their cabin? Why is there blood-red dirt in the trunk by the couch? And what is making the weird thumping noise underground? It's not Eisenhower's ghost ... is it?

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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The Smugglers' Mine
Chris Mould
Something Wickedly Weird (5th in series)

There's a new addition to the island of Crampton Rock. His name is MacDowell (yup, just one name) and he claims to have had some amazing pirate adventures with Admiral Swift, the great uncle of Stanley Buggles. Stanley is eager to know more about this MacDowell. Could this man help him uncover the secret of the Smuggler's map? Can he be trusted? Or once a pirate always a pirate?

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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The Final Meeting
Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin
A Baker Street Irregulars Mystery (4th in series)

The Baker Street Irregulars are back on the case as master detective Sherlock Holmes sets an elaborate trap to capture the wicked Professor Moriarty and dismantle his criminal organization, at last! But Moriarty has his own plans.

In their final adventure, the Irregulars face the greatest challenge of their careers. The quest will take them, for the first time, out of England and on a thrilling chase across Continental Europe. Will Holmes and the Irregulars succeed or fall prey to the most dangerous man in all of England?

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Sydney's Outer Banks Blast
Jean Fischer
A Camp Club Girls Adventure (7th in series)

Unusual tracks in the sand ... odd lights hovering over the water at night ... scary noises in the dark ... This isn’t what Sydney and Bailey had in mind for their visit to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Is a strange creature lurking in the ocean depths? Or is it something coming into land from a submarine base? Something strange is taking place at the beach, and the Camp Club Girls are ready to investigate!

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Elizabeth's Amarillo Adventure
Renae Brumbaugh
A Camp Club Girls Adventure (8th in series)

Elizabeth and McKenzie are roped into an adventure in Amarillo, Texas, when a strange man shows up at the Big Texas Steak Ranch asking about some missing marbles that were given to a waitress thirty years ago. What could be so important about a missing bag of marbles? And why would anyone be tracking them down so many years later? Elizabeth and McKenzie, along with help from the other Camp Club Girls, will soon find out!

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

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Gold Medal Murder
Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Mystery

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys are on the case when a Summer Olympics scandal breaks out in this crossover mystery!

Recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

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The Baffle Book
Lassiter Wren and Randle McKay
Fifteen Fiendishly Challenging Detective Puzzles (Minute Mysteries)

In words, charts, and diagrams, Messrs. Wren and McKay put you at the crime scene and present you with the facts established by the police. What do you observe? Which are the telltale clues? What do you deduce? And how will you answer the questions posed at the end of each problem: "Who stole the emerald?" "Where did the gang plan to meet?" "In what city had the amnesia victim once worked?" Each question is scored to a degree of difficulty, with a perfect score of ten points per puzzle. And if you find you are stumped, you can turn to the back of the book, where the answers are printed (but upside-down, to deter you from giving up too easily). Don't cheat: you'll only spoil the fun.

Recommended for readers aged 10 and older.

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Invisible City
M. G. Harris
The Joshua Files (1st in series)

Joshua’s life was pretty cool – until his father was reported dead in an air crash in Mexico.

Was it simply a tragic accident? Why was the plane miles off course? Were there really UFOs in the sky at the time of the crash?

In the depths of the Mexican jungle, with a deadly international hit man in his trail, Josh must find the truth about an incredible, dangerous secret – and try to stay alive.

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

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Shadow Hills
Anatasia Hopcus
Non-series

After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

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X-Isle
Steve Augarde
Non-series

Ever since the floods came and washed the world away, survivors have been desperate to win a place on X-Isle, the island where life is rumoured to be easier than on what's left of the mainland. Only young boys are in with a chance, the smaller and lighter the better. Baz and Ray are two of the lucky few to be chosen, but they soon discover that X-Isle is a far cry from paradise. Ruled by Preacher John, a dangerous religious fanatic, it's a violent, unpredictable place where terrible things can happen at any moment. The boys hatch an extraordinary plan in order to protect themselves -- the construction of a mighty weapon of defense. But can they complete this weapon in time, and are they really prepared to use it in order to secure their freedom?

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

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Legacies
Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
A Shadow Grail Thriller (1st in series)

Who—or what—is stalking the students at Oakhurst Academy?

In the wake of the accident that killed her family, Spirit White is spirited away to Oakhurst Academy, a combination school and orphanage in the middle of Montana. There she learns she is a legacy—not only to the school, which her parents also attended, but to magic.

All the students at Oakhurst have magical powers, and although Spirit’s hasn’t manifested itself yet, the administrators insist she has one. Spirit isn’t sure she cares. Devastated by the loss of her family, she finds comfort with a group of friends: Burke Hallows, Lachlann Spears, Muirin Shae, and Adelaide Lake.

But something strange is going on at Oakhurst. Students start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, and the school seems to be trying to cover it up. Spirit and her friends must find out what’s happening—before one of them becomes the next victim …

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

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Prism
Faye Kellerman and Aliza Kellerman
Non-series

Aida Hutchenson, Zeke Anderson, and Joy Tallon: three teens with nothing in common, thrown together by an explosive accident that turns their class trip into a desert nightmare. And the next morning ... a return to their ordinary lives with everything just as it was before. Or is it? Increasingly unnerved by the distorted world around her, Kaida must band together with Zeke and Joy in hopes of making it back to the reality she remembers ... and surviving the one she's fallen into.

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

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Conspiracy 365: July
Gabrielle Lord
A Conspiracy 365 Thriller (7th in series)

On New Year's Eve, Callum "Cal" Ormond is chased down the street by a staggering, sick man with a deadly warning … "They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days!" Hurled into a life on the run, with a price on his head, the 15-year-old fugitive is 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.

Recommended for readers 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).

New Hardcover Mysteries for July 2010

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of new hardcover mysteries with books scheduled for publication in July 2010. Please note that some titles may publish early (and may already be available) and some may be delayed, published at a later date.

Below we're listing those authors with returning series characters, new series characters, and non-series or stand-alone mysteries in separate sections. All titles are available on our July new mystery books page (which will become the default home page for the site on July 1st).

• Authors with mysteries featuring returning series characters (in parentheses) this month:

Jane Adams (Rina Martin, 4th), Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow, 12th), Christine Barber (Lucy Newroe, 2nd), Aileen G. Baron (Lily Sampson, 3rd), Andrew Britton (Ryan Kealey, 4th), James Lee Burke (Dave Robicheaux, 18th), Cassandra Chan (Phillip Bethancourt and Jack Gibbons, 4th), John Connolly (Charlie Parker, 10th), Arthur Conan Doyle and Kelley Jones (Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel, 2nd), Elizabeth J. Duncan (Penny Brannigan, 2nd), Tana French (Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox, Murder Squad, 3rd), Jamie Freveletti (Emma Caldridge, 2nd), Lisa Gardner (D. D. Warren, 2nd), Michael Genelin (Jana Matinova, 3rd), Lee Goldberg (Mr. Monk, 10th), David L. Golemon (Event Group, 5th), Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian, 15th), David Hagberg (McGarvey, 14th), Parnell Hall (Stanley Hastings, 17th), Dorothy Howell (Haley Randolph, 3rd), Alex Kava (Maggie O'Dell, 8th), Chris Kuzneski (Jonathon Payne and David Jones, 5th), Lynda La Plante (Anna Travis, 5th), Mary Logue (Claire Watkins, 8th), Keith McCarthy (Lance Elliot, 2nd), Hilary Norman (Sam Becket, 4th), Barry Ozeroff (Ben Geller, 2nd), Barbara Corrado Pope (Bernard Martin, 2nd), Bill Pronzini (Nameless, 35th), Frederick Ramsay (Ike Schwartz, 6th), Christopher Reich (Jonathan Ransom, 3rd), John Shannon (Jack Liffey, 12th), Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon, 10th), Robert K. Tanenbaum (Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi, 22nd), Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police, 2nd), Inger Ash Wolfe (Hazel Micallef, 2nd)

• Authors with mysteries introducing new series characters (in parentheses) this month:

Susan Wittig Albert (Darling Dahlias), Alexander Campion (Capucine Le Tellier), Shamini Flint (Inspector Singh), Christobel Kent (Sandro Cellini), Deryn Lake (Nick Lawrence), Anne Zouroudi (Greek Detective)

• Authors with non-series or stand-alone mysteries this month:

Hal Ackerman, Bill Cameron, Lorenzo Carcaterra, David Carnoy, Gianrico Carofiglio, Michael Castleman, Rajorshi Chakraborti, Dan Fesperman, Laurence Gonzales, Keir Graff, Carl Hiaasen, Gregg Hurwitz, Susan Isaacs, Rebecca James, Jerry B. Jenkins, Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen, James Patterson and Adam Sadler, Cherie Priest, John Rector, Chevy Stevens, John Verdon, Don Winslow

For more information on any of these titles, please visit the July new mysteries page on our website. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where you can discover a library of new mysteries, also updated with July 2010 releases.

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

Miss Marple in "The Blue Geranium" Airs Tomorrow on PBS Masterpiece Mystery!

Tomorrow, Sunday June 27th at 9 PM (ET/PT, but check your local listings), PBS airs the third and final episode in the fifth series of Miss Marple mysteries starring Julide Mc Kenzie as the amateur sleuth.

In "The Blue Geranium", Mary Pritchard, disliked even by the village reverend, is panicked that she is about to die, and a visit by a veiled fortune teller only fuels more paranoia about her fate. But when the wealthy Pritchard is actually found dead, reportedly from the shock of seeing the pink geranium in her wallpaper turn blue, the tension and accusations in Pritchard's small village blossom wildly. Is it possible that Pritchard was scared to death? Miss Marple, in town visiting an old friend, mingles with the villagers, uncovering any number of people who share in the hatred for Pritchard and also harbor their own deadly sins. More deaths occur in short order, leading Miss Marple into a tangled case rooted in desire, deception and greed.

"The Blue Geranium" was originally published in 1932 as part of a collection of Miss Marple short stories under the title The Thirteen Problems in the UK, and The Tuesday Club Murders in the US.

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (100626)

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 Case of the Phony Masterpiece by Fred Rexroad. The second mystery in the Whiz Tanner series, recommended for readers aged 10 to 12. Lexile measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student who writes, "I found The Case of the Phony Masterpiece to be a greatly intriguing story full of fun, humor, and action. This story would make a perfect childrens' movie, for everything came out in scenes."

Conspiracy 365: April by Gabrielle Lord. The fourth thriller in the Conspiracy 365 series, recommended for readers aged 13 and older. Lexile measure: 820L. Reviewed by a 6th grade teacher who writes, "The Conspiracy 365 series is quite possibly the most ingenious series created for kids. To coincide with Cal’s countdown to New Year’s Eve, the pages in each book appear in descending order. Each book is packed with action, perfect for any reluctant reader! Plus, as characters develop, the reader is drawn in even more."

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

Kate Arrow: Deserted Wood, a New Mystery Game from BFG

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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Set off on an adventure to help Kate Arrow travel deep into the jungle to find her grandfather in this exciting hidden object game. Pack your bags and use your wits to avoid dangerous situations, even make it through a plane crash! Track down your grandfather and deliver the powerful idol that he has promised to the tribe that saved his life many years ago.

Also available: Kate Arrow: Deserted Wood Strategy Guide.

Kate Arrow: Deserted Wood may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (131.49 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!

A Gypsy's Tale: The Tower of Secrets, a New Mystery Adventure Game from BFG

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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Explore a mysterious maze and discover an ancient tower wrapped in a dangerous curse.

You, Reylin of Winderalth, are hired by a monk to break a dangerous curse on a haunted tower deep within the wilderness. To solve the mystery of the cursed tower, you must navigate a strange maze full of traps and puzzles. Upon your adventure, you will meet strange beings, most who wish to do you harm, and a few who wish to help you succeed on your quest.

Finding the tower is only the beginning. Once you break the curse, you discover a secret that puts everyone you love in jeopardy. Are you clever enough to outsmart the Tower of Secrets and save all that you love?

Also available: A Gypsy's Tale: The Tower of Secrets Strategy Guide and a A Gypsy's Tale: The Tower of Secrets Game Walkthrough.

A Gypsy's Tale: The Tower of Secrets may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (50.23 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!

Mystery Bestsellers for June 25, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending June 25th, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

Not much change in the list this week, with the third and final thriller in the Millennium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson, retaining the top position, though by only a narrow margin. One new title debuts into the top 15 this week and is a likely candidate for the top spot next week!

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The 16th numbered title in the Stephanie Plum series, Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich, enters the list strongly at number 8.

The Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck ...

Bad luck ...

Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.

Good luck ...

Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.

Bad luck ...

Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up Mooner’s vibe, running up pay-per-view porn charges in Ranger’s apartment, and making Stephanie question genetics.

Good luck ...

Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, Mooner’s Hobbit-Con charity event, and Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle, they just might raise enough money to save the business, and Vinnie, from ruin.

Bad luck ...

Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.

Good luck ...

The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous security expert, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky -- the only question is ... with whom?

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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.

Paul Levine to Donate Proceeds of Sale of Jake Lassiter eBook to Children's Cancer Fund

Legal thriller author Paul Levine has posted on his website that the ebook edition of the first book in the Jake Lassiter series, To Speak for the Dead, is now available (for a limited time only) for just $2.99. Or, as he puts it, "less than your double mocha latte, and far fewer calories."

Best of all, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original hardcover publication of the book, Paul is donating all all proceeds of the ebook to the Four Diamonds Fund, which supports cancer treatment for kids at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. (Click on the cover to the right to purchase the Kindle edition from Amazon.com; other links to purchase are on the author's website.)

About To Speak for the Dead (from the publisher): If dead men could talk, Miami trial lawyer Jake Lassiter would be out of a job. As it is, the “ex-football player, ex-public defender, ex-a-lot-of-things” has an uncanny knack for digging up the truth ... and the trouble that usually comes with it.

This time, he’s defending Dr. Roger Salisbury, an orthopedic surgeon and enigmatic womanizer charged with medical malpractice in the death of wealthy Philip Corrigan. But what appears to be a routine case takes a sinister turn when Susan, the dead man’s daughter, insists that the doctor and her sexy stepmother, Mrs. Melanie Corrigan, conspired to kill her father. Now, Susan wants Lassiter to prove it.

Lassiter would love to help the lovely and willful Susan, but how can he defend his client for malpractice while building a case against him for murder? Meanwhile, Corrigan’s beautiful widow makes a play for Lassiter, even as she continues to hold the brilliant surgeon under her spell.

Turning for help to his old friend, retired coroner Charlie Riggs, Lassiter hopes to get the evidence he needs from the dead man himself. Could the late Philip Corrigan reveal whether his death was accidental or homicidal?

Soon, Lassiter finds himself embroiled in murder, missing persons, grave robbery, kinky sex, and deadly drugs as he searches Florida’s steamy streets and tropical waterways for a cold-blooded killer.

Karin Slaughter to Adapt her Novella Martin Misunderstood

GalleyCat is reporting that mystery author Karin Slaughter has signed a deal to adapt her novella Martin Misunderstood into a film for release by the retail giant Tesco, which announced earlier this year a program to offer exclusive DVD adaptations of bestselling authors.

The 2008 book is currently only available outside the US (though it is available to purchase as an audiobook here).

About Martin Misunderstood (from the studio): Crime fiction obsessive Martin Reed is the proverbial butt of everyone's jokes. Working as a glorified accountant at Southern Toilet Supply and still living with his cantankerous mother, he has become resigned to the world in which he lives - the school bullies now pick on him in the workplace, women still spurn him and his arch enemy is now his supervisor. But then he arrives at work one morning to find the police on site. A co-worker has been brutally murdered and her body abandoned in a ditch. And the overwhelming evidence points to Martin -- especially when he can't or won't admit that he has an alibi. When a second victim is found in the company bathroom, things really conspire against Martin. The one bright star on his otherwise bleak horizon is the beautiful and sympathetic Detective Anther Albada, but even she's beginning to have her doubts about his innocence. Could Martin be guilty? Or is he just misunderstood?

Maid of Murder by Amanda Flower (Book Review)

Review of Maid of Murder by Amanda Flower

College reference librarian and six-time bridesmaid India Hayes turns amateur sleuth to clear her brother, who's been accused of murder, in Maid of Murder, a chick lit-ish whodunit-style mystery, the first in a new series by Amanda Flower.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews.

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Maid of Murder
Amanda Flower
An India Hayes Mystery

Five Star (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59414-864-3 (1594148643)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-864-4 (9781594148644)
Publication Date: June 2010
List Price: $25.95

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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.

Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air Collector's Edition, a New Adventure Game of Mystery from BFG

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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The epic Dream Chronicles saga continues in this fourth edition of the award-winning adventure series. Play as Lyra, Faye's daughter, who finds herself trapped in a strange dimension on the day before her 18th birthday. Following clues sent by her grandfather, she flies across the realm in search of the Clockmaker who will help her restore time and return home. Solve intriguing puzzles and search for items that will reunite Lyra with family and friends.

This special Collector's Edition, which pre-dates the standard edition by several weeks, includes bonus locations and gameplay, a built-in strategy guide, and a sneak peek at the next game in the series.

Also available: Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air Collector's Edition Game Walkthrough.

Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air Collector's Edition may be downloaded and purchased for $19.95 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (147.57 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!