Mystery Bestsellers for November 19, 2010

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending November 19th, 2010 has been posted on the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books website.

We're beginning to think The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson may never move out of the top spot on our list! Maybe the only new title to enter the list this week will challenge it.

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The 17th Alex Cross thriller, Cross Fire by James Patterson, debuts in the top 10.

Wedding bells ring ...

Detective Alex Cross and Bree's wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.'s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories--is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?

A murderer returns ...

The case explodes, and the FBI assigns agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that they are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims' movements--information that only a Washington insider could possess.

Caught in a lethal cross fire ...

As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in D.C. and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good.

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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.

Mr. E. Reviews Sherlock Season One

Back in December 2008, the BBC issued a press release announcing the network had commissioned a pilot for a contemporary update of Sherlock Holmes, calling it "a thrilling, funny, fast-paced take on the crime drama genre set in present day London." I said at the time that I was "not altogether thrilled by this description." Well, I would be wrong. Sherlock is creative and innovative with well written scripts and a great look yet still respects the characters originally created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle more than 100 years ago.

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

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

Angela Bassett to Star in ABC Pilot One Police Plaza

Earlier this month we reported that ABC was developing a pilot for One Police Plaza, to be written by crime novelist Linda Fairstein (Alexandra "Alex" Cooper mysteries).

Now Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Angela Bassett will play the lead as New York City's first female police commissioner. The series, should it make it on the network's schedule, will be executive produced by Mark Gordon and Deborah Spera (Criminal Minds), and Fairstein.

eHarlequin Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Titles for December 2010

eHarlequin.com has released the December 2010 titles in their Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love. To purchase any of the books below, click on the book title. (Previous months titles can be found on the backlist page.)

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Night Prey by Sharon Dunn

"Stay off the King Ranch."

Jenna Murphy wants to ignore the anonymous, puzzling note. How could she leave the work she loves at the ranch's Birds of Prey Rescue Center? But when someone attacks the birds under her care, she starts to worry. And when Jenna is attacked, she knows she's in over her head. She never expected Keith Roland to come to her rescue. They were childhood friends before he fell in with the wrong crowd. Now the former troublemaker is a soldier, and a changed man. Yet has he really reformed? Can Jenna truly trust him with her safety—and her heart?

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Yuletide Defender by Sandra Robbins

Is a vigilante responsible for the murders of Lake City gang members? According to reporter Rachel Long's anonymous source, yes. The goal is to trigger a gang war—and her investigations lead Rachel to the heart of the battlegrounds. Which is where she finds handsome officer Matthew Franklin. The protective cop wants her out of harm's way. But she needs the raise from a big story to secure care for her special-needs sister. Rachel won't walk away, even though the vigilante is now aiming at a determined reporter—and a tailing cop—for a showdown just in time for Christmas.

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The Soldier's Mission by Lenora Worth

Counseling is more than Laura Walton's job—it's her calling. So when Luke Martinez hangs up abruptly after calling the hotline where she works, Laura won't let it go. She tracks Luke to the Grand Canyon, little knowing she's walking into a heap of trouble. Laura's not the only one tracking Luke, and while she came to help him heal, his other pursuer has murder in mind. Luke thinks he has nothing left to lose until Laura makes him believe—and love—again. Just in time, too, since he'll need all his faith to face this last enemy.

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Christmas Bodyguard by Margaret Daley

Someone's after wealthy Texan Slade Caulder's daughter. Desperate to keep her safe while he determines the motive, the widowed father hires a bodyguard for Abbey. A female bodyguard, with the training to protect the girl—and an understanding of a willful teenager who keeps trying to outsmart her. Elizabeth Walker is the perfect combination of caring and toughness for her job. But as the holidays approach, the stalker's threats escalate. And Slade finds himself willing to risk everything to keep his Christmas bodyguard by his side … forever.

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Sara Paretsky Named 2011 Grand Master by Mystery Writers of America

In a press release this morning, the Mystery Writers of America announced that the organization had chosen Sara Paretsky as its 2011 Grand Master. MWA's Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality. Ms. Paretsky will be presented with her award at The Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Thursday, April 28, 2011.

Paretsky is the author of the V. I. Warshawski mysteries. The second book in the series, Deadlock, was named one of the Booksellers' 100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century, with Blacklist, the 11th, winning the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award in 2004. Paretsky is also the recipient of the CWA Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement.

The MWA also announced that two bookstores will receive the 2011 Raven Award: Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis (MN) and Centuries and Sleuths in Chicago (IL).

Velocity by Alan Jacobson (Book Review)

Velocity by Alan Jacobson. A Karen Vail Mystery. Vanguard Press Hardcover, October 2010.

A more descriptive title for this thriller might be Extreme Velocity. The narrative moves along at breakneck speed; readers may find themselves involuntarily breathing faster in a feeble attempt to keep up.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Velocity by Alan Jacobson.

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Read the first chapters of Velocity below.

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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.

Explore an Old Haunted Mansion in Fear for Sale: Mystery of McInroy Manor, Collector's Edition, New 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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Emma Roberts has been assigned to write a story about an old haunted manor for Fear for Sale Magazine. The estate has been locked up for years, but a sizable donation from Emma’s editor has opened up the home for exploration. Unravel the tale of the demise of the McInroy family, and set their souls free in this dark and mysterious hidden object adventure game.

This is a special Collector's Edition release full of exclusive extras not available in the standard version including bonus gameplay, an in-game strategy guide, screensavers and wallpapers.

Fear for Sale: Mystery of McInroy Manor, Collector's Edition may be downloaded and purchased for $13.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (146.92 MB) may be downloaded and played for free for one hour; the full version is 217.91 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!

NPR Interviews David Suchet

NPR interviewed David Suchet on "Talk of the Nation" today. The accomplished stage and screen actor is probably best known for his portrayal of Agatha Christie's Belgian private detective Hercule Poirot.

Though he's been playing Poirot for more than two decades, Suchet still remembers his very first scene as the detective. "The camera was on my very shiny patent leather shoes," he tells NPR's Neal Conan. Then, slowly, it panned up his legs to reveal his striped trousers, morning coat, gray waistcoat, bow tie, wing collar and "of course, the famous mustache."

Listen to the entire interview here.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Opens Friday, November 19th

It's finally here! This Friday, November 19th, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 hits theaters.

Based on the final novel in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, the film stars Daniel Radcliffe as the titular character, who, together with Hogwarts classmates Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out on a perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction -- the Horcruxes. Their only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds Harry. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale -- the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Drawing ever closer, however, is the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

The final film in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, is scheduled to be released July 15, 2011.

More information about the film can be found on the Warner Bros. Harry Potter website; the trailer below is from Yahoo! Movies.

First Teaser Trailer for Cowboys & Aliens

Two days ago we reported on the first poster for the upcoming sci-fi western action thriller Cowboys & Aliens.

Today, the studio has released the first teaser trailer for the film (which you can see below).

Set in 1873, the film stars Daniel Craig as a stranger with no memory of his past, who stumbles into the Arizona Territory town of Absolution, run by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (played by Harrison Ford). Together they must fight a common enemy, one that has suddenly rained down from the sky.

More information about the film can be found on the Universal Studios Cowboys & Aliens website; the trailer below is from Yahoo! Movies.

Skating Around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau (Book Review)

Skating Around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau. A Rebecca Robbins Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, September 2010.

The author distinguishes her debut cozy from so many others by introducing an eclectic cast of characters that are colorfully drawn but not so extreme that they become caricatures. The small town setting in Illinois and the roller rink in which the murder takes place add both familiarity and contrast.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Skating Around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau.

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Read the first chapters of Skating Around the Law below.

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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.

eHarlequin Silhouette Romantic Suspense Titles for December 2010

Sparked by danger, fueled by passion, eHarlequin.com has released the December 2010 titles in their Silhouette Romantic Suspense series. Let yourself be swept away with characters who fall in love under larger-than-life circumstances. In Silhouette Romantic Suspense, suspense, emotion and glamour combine to create these highly charged books! 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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A Soldier's Redemption by Rachel Lee

When her husband's murder forces Cory Farland into the Witness Protection Program, she has to make a fresh start in a brand-new place. In Conard County, she has no past. Until former Navy captain Wade Kendrick moves in. The enigmatic ex-SEAL reawakens passion…and dares Cory to dream of a future.

He can't run forever …

Wade didn't come to the Wyoming small town to play bodyguard. But Cory needs a boarder and he needs a place to decompress. And now the guarded widow is arousing something that goes deeper than his protective instincts. With Cory's life under the gun, there isn't anything Wade won't do to keep her safe and claim the love that could redeem them both …

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Irresistible Stranger by Jennifer Greene

Twenty years ago, Lily Campbell's parents died in a mysterious fire. Now she's back for the truth … but nobody in her sleepy hometown wants to talk about that night. And when the fires start up again, it's clear that somebody doesn't want her to stay.

Griff Branchard has perfected his bad-boy persona. But the moment he sees Lily, nothing matters as much as getting close to her. Although rumors about her are flying around town, he just can't believe such a sweet woman could be a troublemaker … But trouble? She's deep in it. And he's going to make sure that the only heat she feels is from the flames of desire.

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Guarding the Socialite by Kimberly Van Meter

Socialite Emma Vale has dedicated herself to Iris House—a sanctuary for women starting over. But when she's called in to identify the body of one of her girls, Emma is stunned to learn that the women of Iris House have been targeted by a violent sociopath … and she could be next.

Still nursing some hefty emotional baggage, FBI agent Dillon McIntyre has been lying low, but something about this case seems to reach out to him. Or is he just responding to Emma herself? As the list of suspects grows and the killer hones in on his target, Dillon must face the difference between protecting a potential victim … and protecting the woman he loves.

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Colton's Christmas Baby by Karen Whiddon

Damien Colton was in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He'd lost his freedom, his good name. Now he wants it back, starting with the inheritance waiting for him in his hometown. But if there's one thing to distract a man from his plans, it's a sexy woman desperate for help—with her own little secret to hide.

Just the sight of a Colton and a Kelley together can start a firestorm of gossip. Soon-to-be single mom Eve Kelley doesn't want the attention. Nevertheless, Damien needs her by his side to finally get the justice he deserves. As these unlikely allies turn to passionate lovers, will the town pariah find the family he'd never dared to wish for?

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