Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat Collector's Edition, a New Macabre Murder 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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Go on a thrilling literary adventure with Inspector Dupin and behold Edgar Allan Poe's world of the macabre! Monsieur Mark Davies has reported his wife, Sara, missing and now it’s up to you to track her down and solve the mystery! Follow a mysterious black cat, who seems to be purposely helping you, and discover helpful clues. Use your hidden object talents to tackle the case, and discover the evil culprit behind Sara’s disappearance.

This special collector's edition includes bonus gameplay, an original soundtrack, an integrated strategy guide, and more.

See also the first game in this series, Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder in the Rue Morgue, which is also available in a Collector's Edition.

Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat Collector's Edition may be downloaded and purchased for $13.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (514.69 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!

Faithful Place by Tana French (Book Review)

Faithful Place by Tana French. A Dublin Murder Squad Mystery. Viking Hardcover, July 2010.

Tana French's third Dublin Murder Squad mystery, Faithful Place, is more of a personal journey of discovery for one of its officers than a murder investigation, though it is that as well, when the body of Frank Mackey's girlfriend when he was a teenager is found hidden in a building on the street where he grew up.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Faithful Place by Tana French.

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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.

Universal to Adapt Stephen King's The Dark Tower for Film and Television

Deadline is reporting that Universal is planning to adapt Stephen King's The Dark Tower series into a film trilogy and television series.

The plan is that the first film will be followed closely thereafter by the first season of the TV series, which will segue into the second film, and so on. A comic book series is expected to help provide plot continuity.

Ron Howard is committed to directing both the first firm and the first season of television series.

The Dark Tower is a series of seven novels by Stephen King. The first, The Gunslinger, was first published as a limited edition release in 1982; a revised and expanded edition by King was published in 2003. The gunslinger is Roland of Gilead, who is on a quest for a man in black, one step in the path to the Dark Tower.

TNT and TBS Order Pilots for Crime Dramas

In a press release today, TNT announced the network (together with TBS) has ordered four new pilots, three of which are crime dramas or comedies.

Perception (working title) is about Dr. Geoffrey Pierce, an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex cases. With an intimate knowledge of human behavior and a masterful understanding of the mind, this quirky, crime-solving doctor pulls lessons from an odd and imaginative view of the world.

Untitled Allan Loeb Project is a drama adapted from The Rabbit Factory by crime novelist Marshall Karp. Recently widowed police Detective Mike Lomax and his newly married partner, Terry Biggs, delve into a world of mystery, intrigue and occasional hijinks. Lomax, who continues to receive humorous and heartfelt weekly letters from his wife a year after her death, tries to navigate the singles world while also maintaining his pedigree as one of L.A.’s finest.

Brain Trust (working title) is about Detective Billy Doyle, whose career and life have hit rock bottom after he accidentally ends his partner’s career. Doyle’s life gets turned around, however, when a recent murder case gets unexpected and unconventional help from three hyper-smart geniuses from a private think tank. If Doyle can survive the chaos and keep these new partners in line, they just may be the antidote to resurrect his career and, ultimately, his life.

Dream Queen by Betsy Thornton (Book Review)

Dream Queen by Betsy Thornton. A Chloe Newcombe Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, August 2010.

Set in the 1990s, Betsy Thornton introduces how Chloe Newcombe, a private investigator in New York for a financial services firm, came to be a victims' advocate in Arizona in a prequel, Dream Queen, the sixth mystery in this series.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Dream Queen by Betsy Thornton.

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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.

Snowbound by Blake Crouch (Book Review)

Snowbound by Blake Crouch. Non-series. Minotaur Books Hardcover, June 2010.

A man, together with his daughter, embarks on a dangerous quest to search for his missing wife, taken from her car five years ago in the Arizona desert just north of the Mexican border as she returned home and not seen or heard from since, in Snowbound, a novel of suspense by Blake Crouch.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Snowbound by Blake Crouch.

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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.

Treachery in the Yard by Adimchinma Ibe (Book Review)

Treachery in the Yard by Adimchinma Ibe. A Tamunoemi "Tammy" Peterside Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, August 2010.

A bomb set off in the garage of a candidate for governor is just the first in a series of politically motivated crimes investigated by Nigerian homicide detective Tamunoemi "Tammy" Peterside in Treachery in the Yard, the first mystery in this series by Adimchinma Ibe.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Treachery in the Yard by Adimchinma Ibe.

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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.

Skeleton Hill by Peter Lovesey, a Peter Diamond Investigation (10th in series)

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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Skeleton Hill by Peter Lovesey
A Peter Diamond Investigation (10th in series)
Soho Crime (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: September 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-853-0

About Skeleton Hill (from the publisher): On Lansdown Hill, near Bath, a battle between Roundheads and Cavaliers that took place over 350 years ago is annually reenacted. Two of the reenactors discover a skeleton that is female, headless, and only about twenty years old. One of them, a professor who played a Cavalier, is later found murdered. In the course of his investigation, Peter Diamond butts heads with the group of vigilantes who call themselves the Lansdown Society, discovering in the process that his boss Georgina is a member. She resolves to sideline Diamond, but matters don’t pan out in accordance with her plans.

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About Peter Lovesey: The author of 26 highly praised mystery novels, Peter Lovesey has been awarded the CWA Gold, Silver, and Diamond Daggers (for Lifetime Achievement) as well as many US honors. He lives in West Sussex, England.

Mysteries by Peter Lovesey reviewed by Mysterious Reviews: The Secret Hangman (2008), Wobble to Death (2008), Abracadaver (2009), The Detective Wore Silk Drawers (2009), Mad Hatter's Holiday (2009), Skeleton Hill (2009)

Today's Featured Free Kindle Mystery: Outta the Bag by MaryJanice Davidson

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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Outta the Bag by MaryJanice Davidson
A Cadence Jones Prequel Story
Macmillan (Kindle eBook)
Download Link

About Outta the Bag (from the publisher): No synopsis available. This short story is a prequel to a new series by Davidson featuring FBI agent Cadence Jones, who suffers from multiple personality disorder. The first book in the series, Me, Myself and Why?, is published later this month.

Mr. E. Reviews Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection

Review of Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection.

For over a period of 15 years, Helen Mirren starred as Detective Chief Inspector, later Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison, in the crime drama Prime Suspect.

Individual seasons (series) have previously been available on DVD, but now the entire series has been brought together into one collection. If you, like me, are one of the few that hadn't seen any episodes of the series, or haven't yet added any of the series to your collection, this is an opportunity to acquire what may be one of the finest crime dramas ever filmed.

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

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

New Carina eBook Mysteries for August and September 2010

Each month, MBN is pleased to list new mystery and suspense titles from Carina Press, an ebook only publisher. Links on this page are for the Kindle edition of the book; click on the banner to the right to be taken to CarinaPress.com to purchase other ebook formats.

New mysteries for August/September 2010 from Carina include:

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Fair Game by Josh Lanyon
Non-series

A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him—but it seems his old life isn't finished with him.

A young man has gone missing from campus—and as a favor to a family friend, Elliot agrees to do a little sniffing around. His investigations bring him face-to-face with his former lover, Tucker Lance, the special agent handling the case.

Things ended badly with Tucker, and neither man is ready to back down on the fight that drove them apart. But they have to figure out a way to move beyond their past and work together as more men go missing and Elliot becomes the target in a killer's obsessive game ...

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Desperate Choices by Kathy Ivan
Non-series

When psychic Theresa Crawford's former beau walks into her New Orleans New Age shop, she senses trouble. Big trouble. Max Lamoreaux hasn't come to discuss their relationship—the private investigator is on a case, and he needs Theresa's help.

Max's godson is missing. The police have declared Tommy a runaway, but Max's gut tells him otherwise. While he's highly skeptical of Theresa's abilities, her visions provide the only clue as to who's taken Tommy. The longer Max works with Theresa, the harder it is to resist his desire for the sexy woman.

As they inch closer to finding Tommy, Max and Theresa also discover that time hasn't diminished their powerful attraction. But Theresa harbors her own dark secrets from her past. Secrets that broke them up before—and could drive them apart again, unless Theresa can learn to trust Max with everything ...

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The Spurned Viscountess by Shelley Munro
Non-series

Cursed with the sight and rumors of witchcraft, Rosalind's only chance at an ordinary life is marriage to Lucien, Viscount Hastings. She doesn't expect love, only security and children of her own. Determined to go through with the wedding, she allows nothing she encounters at the gloomy Castle St. Clare to dissuade her.

Recently returned from the Continent, Lucien has no time for the English mouse his family has arranged for him to marry—not when he's plotting to avenge the murder of his beloved Francesca. He has no intention of bedding Rosalind, not even to sire an heir.

Though spurned by her bridegroom, Rosalind turns to him for protection when she is plagued by a series of mysterious accidents and haunted by terrifying visions. Forced to keep Rosalind close—and tempted into passionate kisses—Lucien soon finds himself in grave danger of falling in love with his own wife ...

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Carina Press, a division of Harlequin, is a digital-first publisher offering ebooks in a variety of genres, including mystery. eBooks from Carina can be read on the Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, B&N nook, Borders Kobo, BlackBerry and mobile phone.

Criminal Minds, Pie in the Sky, and Prime Suspect, New This Week on DVD

Telemystery, your source for one of the most comprehensive selections of detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, and suspense television mystery series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available or coming soon to DVD or Blu-ray disc, is profiling three series being released this week.

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Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again.

The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most prominent agent is David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), a founding member of the BAU, who returns to help the team solve new cases, while pursuing some unfinished business of his own. Each member brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.

The Criminal Minds: Season Five DVD set of 6 discs contain the 23 episodes that aired on CBS from September 2009 through May 2010.

Also available: Criminal Minds: Season 1 through 5 DVD collection.

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Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths) continues to balance life as a part-time Detective Inspector with his duties as a part-time chef, in Pie in the Sky.

Having opened a restaurant with his accountant wife (Maggie Steed), he hopes his days as a detective are numbered. But the early retirement he craves never seems to come, thanks to the machinations of his self-serving boss, Assistant Chief Constable Fisher (Malcolm Sinclair), who knows Crabbe is too good a cop to let go.

The Pie in the Sky: Series 3 DVD set of 2 discs contain the 6 episodes that originally aired on BBC from December 1995 through February 1996.

 Read our review of Pie in the Sky: Series 3 on Mr. E. Reviews.

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Helen Mirren stars as Detective Chief Inspector, later Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, a series created by crime novelist Lynda La Plante, who also wrote several episodes.

Tenacious, driven, and deeply flawed, Tennison rises through the ranks of Britain’s Metropolitan Police, solving horrific crimes while battling office sexism and her own demons.

The Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection DVD set of 9 discs includes all seven seasons of the multiple award-winning series. Extra features include a 50-minute behind-the-scenes special, a 23 minute behind-the-scenes featurette, and more.

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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on DVD and Blu-ray disc.

Dominic Crane 2: Dark Mystery Revealed, a Mysterious Game Sequel, New at 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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Dominic Crane's been dreaming about mysterious places he's never been to. He visits a shrink, who helps him uncover a dark mystery from his childhood! Buried deep in his subconscious is an eerie message someone is trying to communicate. Unravel the hidden message in this spooky hidden object adventure game! Uncover the sinister meaning behind Dominic's dreams today!

See also the first game in this series, Dominic Crane's Dreamscape Mystery.

Also available: Dominic Crane 2: Dark Mystery Revealed Game Walkthrough.

Dominic Crane 2: Dark Mystery Revealed may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (129.63 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour.

Watch a preview video below:

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

Read 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 Godoku Puzzle for September 06, 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 D E H N O P R T

This mystery by James Grippando introduced Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck (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!

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen (Book Review)

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen. A Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles Mystery. Ballantine Hardcover, July 2010.

When Boston medical examiner Maura Isles goes missing after attending a conference in Wyoming, and is later reported having died in a car accident, her friend and frequent crime solving partner Detective Jane Rizzoli travels to the scene to discover how it all came about, in Ice Cold, the eighth mystery in this series by Tess Gerritsen.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen.

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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.