R. L. Stine's soon to be published children's book It's the First Day of School ... Forever! has been optioned by the Gotham Group, which intends to adapt it for a family-themed adventure film. The production company is also involved with the film adaptation of another young adult thriller, The Maze Runner by James Dashner.
In Stine's new book, Artie falls out of bed and hits his head -- hard -- on the first day of school. His Mom tells him he's just nervous because it's the first day of school. But then his brother gets syrup in his hair just as he's leaving home, and on the way to school he gets splashed by a puddle. It's not just the first day of school ... it's the worst day of school. On the second day of school, Artie falls out of bed and hits his head -- hard. His Mom tells him he's just nervous because it's the first day of school. Huh? Artie's in a loop and must find a way out, before it's the first day of school ... forever!
R. L. Stine is the author of over 300 books for children, which have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. He will serve as Thrillermaster at this year's ThrillerFest, July 6th through 9th, in Manhattan.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
R. L. Stine's It's the First Day of School ... Forever Optioned for Film
Production to Begin on Adaptation of John Grisham's The Firm for Television
Entertainment One and Sony Pictures Television have agreed to co-produce a television series based on characters introduced in The Firm, the 1991 legal thriller by John Grisham. The book was previously adapted for the 1993 film of the same title, starring Tom Cruise.
The storyline reportedly takes place 10 years after the events in the book, as attorney Mitchell McDeere and his family emerge from the witness protection program. Grisham will co-executive produce.
An international distribution deal is already in place. Though CBS was originally part of the development team, NBC is now considered the front-runner to air The Firm in the US. Production is expected to begin on the 22-episode series this summer in Canada.
(Source: C21 Media.)
OMN Welcomes Mystery Writer Betty Gordon
Omnimystery News is pleased to welcome Betty Gordon, whose new mystery, Valley of Obsessions (L & L Dreamspell, March 2011 Trade Paperback, 978-1-60318-282-9), is set in Egypt and based in part on her own visit to the country.
Today she gives us a look behind the scenes of her mystery. And she's also providing our readers with an opportunity to win a copy of one of her books. Visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Betty Gordon: Mysteries" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (6107) for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends 05/12/2011.)
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Photo provided courtesy of Betty Gordon
Egypt, a land of enduring enchantment and intrigue, is the framework for Valley of Obsessions. To enjoy Egypt’s beauty and history, however, it’s necessary to push 2011 happenings in the country into the background and recognize them as troubled signs of the times. Fortunately, Desiree Roberts, a Texas woman and protagonist in this novel, didn’t have to suspend her belief in this magnificent country in the 1980s.
The concept for the story and characters began when I made a trip to Egypt some years ago. The pharaohs, the monuments – everything about the country intrigued me and had done so since childhood when I could only look at pyramids in picture books. I decided during this memorable trip to write about my adventures although the actual words wouldn’t come to life until much later. Many unbelievable things happened during my journey to this impressive country and these happenings are woven into the story. Of course, not ALL occurrences are real and even those that are have been fictionalized to a certain extent. My publisher asked me to sketch certain prominent places in the story and also wanted to use photographs I had taken on my trip. Readers will see the sketches; however, the photos didn’t transfer well and all but one went by the wayside. As one can see, the setting for this novel wrapped itself around me just waiting to see print.
My characters usually evolve from my imagination when I first enter the twilight zone at night. Unfortunately, oftentimes these thoughts keep me from sleep and I end up at the computer describing a character or creating a budding plot. Desiree Roberts, the protagonist in Valley of Obsessions, is a natural for me as I wore a hat as a paralegal/legal assistant for many years. So, I understand this woman who searches for ways to unite with a fascinating country in a special way and find love at the same time.
Most of the time I am what one would call a “pantser.” I develop the story as I write, but this novel evolved in a way that required some outlining. Even though I write down the characters’ traits when I begin the story, their personality quirks develop much later and are capable of changing the direction of the story. My Muse usually takes over at this point and uses the personality quirks to create numerous tantalizing threads in the cast of characters. I think, and hope, that these tantalizing threads lead to a conclusion that is both challenging and surprising for readers.
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Betty is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Writers’ League of Texas, Houston Writers Guild, The Final Twist Writers, and Bay Area Writers’ League. Valley of Obsessions, her third novel, follows Murder in the Third Person and Deceptive Clarity. She is the author of a mini-ebook, The Magic of Christmas, a collection of short stories for every day of the year that embrace discoveries, hopes, and love. Suspense, fantasy, paranormal, and romance themes offer surprising twists and turns. She has also published numerous short stories in L&L Dreamspell anthologies. Betty’s dream to create stories that entertain and challenge readers continues in her new works. Visit her website at BettyGordon.com.
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About Valley of Obsessions: Can a Texas woman, Desiree Roberts, leave her law career and become a 1980s Egyptian? Will the country that has captivated her since childhood embrace her or will it lead her down dangerous paths fraught with deception and betrayal? Join Desiree as she treks through shifting sands, enters portals of pharaohs long since entombed, and explores the mysteries of the Nile. Her obsessions lure her into alien territory filled with suspicious characters. Someone wants to end her fantasies. How far will he go?
Valley of Obsessions is available in Trade Paperback and Kindle formats (see icons below book cover).
For a chance to win a copy of one of Betty's books, courtesy of the author, visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Betty Gordon: Mysteries" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (6107) for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends 05/12/2011.)
Read the first chapter of Valley of Obsessions below; use the Aa settings button to adjust font size, line spacing, and word density.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Killer Nashville to Sponsor the Claymore Award for Best Unpublished Crime Novel
Killer Nashville is once again sponsoring the annual Claymore Award for best unpublished crime novel. If you or someone you know is looking for an agent or publisher, this may be your opportunity to get visibility for your book.
Judges will consider any subgenre of the crime novel, including thriller, cozy, private eye, police procedural, romantic suspense, historical and paranormal mysteries.
The winner will receive consideration for publication by partnering publisher Five Star, an imprint of Gale, which is part of Cengage Learning. Five Star has been publishing mysteries since 1998. The top 10 finalists all receive prizes.
Submissions must be received no later than May 20th, 2011. The winner will be announced at Killer Nashville, held from August 26th through 28th in Nashville, Tennessee. Read the complete set of rules here.
Warner Bros. Releases Newly Remastered DVD of Marlowe Starring James Garner
Warner Bros. has released a newly remastered edition of Marlowe
Garner’s easy-going style contrasts agreeably with the grim task of sleuthing a case of missing persons, blackmail and ice-pick murders. Carroll O’Connor, Rita Moreno, William Daniels, Sharon Farrell and Jackie Coogan are among the cast of characters living in a sprawling ’60s L.A. so hard-boiled somebody’s got to crack. And when that happens, it's Marlowe’s job to put the pieces together.
This made-to-order DVD is only available through WBShop.com
Jurassic Park: The Game Delayed to Fall 2011
Earlier this year we featured a teaser trailer for a video game based on the film (and by extension, the novel) Jurassic Park, which was expected to be released this month.
This week, Telltale Games announced Jurassic Park: The Game would be delayed. "We'll be investing the extra time into making the game great and it will be released simultaneously on every platform this fall," said Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale Games. "We regret any disappointment on the part of our fans but we are confident you'll be pleased with our decision when the game comes out."
In a gesture that is sure to win over customers, if you've pre-ordered the game, you'll not only get a full refund but you'll also get a voucher to purchase any Telltale game free ... even Jurassic Park: The Game when it is released.
Though it's known that the gameplay takes place in the same timeframe as the first Jurassic Park film, the company promises more details later this summer.
(Source: Telltale Games.)
F+W Media Acquires Tyrus Books, Creates F+W Crime Imprint
F+W Media announced today the company has acquired Tyrus Books, which, in partnership with Bleak House founder Benjamin LeRoy, will enter the fiction market with F+W Crime.
F+W Crime will launch in June and primarily publish ebook-only titles -- up to 200 a year -- with selected books published as trade paperbacks.
"I am thrilled with the opportunity to head up F+W Crime, as it provides an opportunity to continue the growth of Tyrus Books and to invest my efforts into the development of Prologue Books, an ebook initiative I strongly believe in and have been conceptualizing for some time," said LeRoy.
(Source: F+W Media.)
Parker's Spenser and Jesse Stone Series to Continue with New Writers
In a recently announced deal, Penguin's Putnam imprint will continue to publish the late Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Jesse Stone mysteries with new authors.
Ace Atkins will write the next Spenser novel, expected to be published in Spring 2012.
And Michael Brandman, who has been involved with the TV adaptations of the Jesse Stone books as both screenwriter and producer, and who also produced the A&E adaptation of the Spenser book Small Vices in 1999, has written the next Jesse Stone mystery, Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues, with a scheduled publication date of September 2011.
(Source: Publishers Weekly.)
The Mystery Bookshelf: Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo, A Kate Burkholder Mystery
The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a world of mystery and suspense, is pleased to feature a new crime novel we recently received from the publisher.
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Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo
A Kate Burkholder Mystery (2nd in series)
Minotaur Books (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: April 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-54003-6
About Pray for Silence (from the publisher): The Planks moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to the small Amish community of Painters Mill, hoping to resume the comforts of the Plain Life in Ohio. Less than one year later, the family of seven is found dead—slaughtered on their own farm.
Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from their “English” neighbors—and each other. When the diary belonging to the rebellious teenager Mary Plank turns up, Kate is surprised to find not only a kindred spirit but a murder suspect: the charismatic stranger who stole Mary’s heart.
Then there’s Mary’s brother, Aaron. Shunned by his family and the rest of the Amish community, could he have returned to seek revenge? Now it’s up to Kate to search for some dark truths about the Planks—and confront long-buried secrets of her own. As Kate’s obsession with the case grows so does her resolve to bring the killer to justice—even if it means putting herself into the line of fire ...
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About Linda Castillo: She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next thriller, also set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Visit her website at LindaCastillo.com.
Read the first chapter(s) of Pray for Silence below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.
Review: Death in the Fifth Position by Gore Vidal writing as Edgar Box
Death in the Fifth Position by Gore Vidal writing as Edgar Box. A Peter Sargeant Mystery. Vintage Crime Trade Paperback, March 2011.
Featuring an urbane, witty amateur sleuth and a cast of temperamental characters, the real treat in this first of three crime novels written by Gore Vidal in the 1950s using the pen name of Edgar Box, is how cleverly crafted the murder mystery plot is.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Death in the Fifth Position by Gore Vidal writing as Edgar Box.
Purchase Options: 
Read the first chapter(s) of Death in the Fifth Position below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Macmillan Announces Launch of New Crime Website, The Criminal Element
Macmillan announced today a new crime and mystery-focused community website, CriminalElement.com.
The site will feature pre-release novel excerpts, original short stories from various authors, topical blog posts, and will eventually be offering downloads and podcasts. Categories include typical crime novel genres (detective and procedural, traditional and cozy, thriller and noir) but also historical and western, true crime and non-fiction. We also saw references to the increasingly popular categories of crime comics and graphic novels when we visited the site.
"This is not a typical review or promotions site," says Liz Edelstein, Senior Manager and editor at Macmillan Community Network. "We think of CriminalElement.com as a community for fans, by fans, and the focus is on editorial content rather than on marketing."
Indeed, the site welcomes original short story submissions and pre-release excerpts from authors at any publishing house or other interested parties. Contact Liz at submissions@criminalelement.com for more information.
Nominations for the 2011 Audie Awards Announced
The nominees for the 2011 Audie Awards have been announced by the Audio Publishers Association, recognizing the best in audiobooks. The winners will be announced at the Audies Gala on May 24th, 2011, at The TimesCenter in New York City.
Awards are given out in many categories; we're listing only those nominees for excellence in narration, direction, engineering, mix and abridgment (when applicable) of an unabridged or abridged mystery or thriller/suspense audiobook. Note: the narrator(s) and publisher are given in parentheses.
◊ Mystery
Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt (Grover Gardner, Listen & Live Audio)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (Katherine Kellgren, Audible.com)
Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré (Robin Sachs, Penguin)
The Dead Room by Chris Mooney (Regina Reagan, Isis Publishing)
The Reversal by Michael Connelly (Peter Giles, Hachette Audio)
This Body of Death by Elizabeth George (John Lee, HarperCollins)
◊ Thriller/Suspense
Dead Aim by Thomas Perry (Michael Kramer, Tantor Media)
Interface by Neal Stephenson and J. Frederick George (Oliver Wyman, Audible.com)
The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds (Kate Reading, Blackstone Audio)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Reg Keeland, Random House Audio)
Vengeance by A. J. Scudiere (Kristoffer Tabori, Stephanie Zimbalist, and Don Leslie, Griffyn Ink)
Review: How to Survive a Killer Séance by Penny Warner
How to Survive a Killer Séance by Penny Warner. A Presley Parker "Party Planning" Mystery. Obsidian Mass Market Paperback, March 2011.
Presley Parker is a delightful event host, and this entertaining mystery captures the ins and outs of planning a séance (should one be so inclined to do so). But it is the venue of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and its architectural oddities that are cleverly incorporated into the plot, that really makes the story special.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: How to Survive a Killer Séance by Penny Warner.
Purchase Options:
Read the first chapter(s) of How to Survive a Killer Séance below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.
The Mystery Bookshelf: Down River by John Hart
The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a world of mystery and suspense, is pleased to feature a new crime novel we recently received from the publisher.
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Down River by John Hart
Non-series
St. Martin's Griffin (Trade Paperback)
Publication Date: April 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-67738-1
About Down River (from the publisher): Adam Chase has a violent streak, and for good reason. As a boy, he saw things no child should witness, suffered wounds that left him misunderstood—a fighter. Even grown, he remains dangerous and unpredictable, so that when he narrowly beats a murder charge, he’s hounded out of town, exiled for a sin he did not commit. For five long years, he disappears. But now he’s back, and no one knows why—not his family or the cops, not the enemies he left behind. But Adam has his reasons. Attacked within hours of his return, the tone of his homecoming is set. As bodies turn up and the town rises in anger, Adam again finds himself in the fight of his life, not just to prove his innocence, but to reclaim the only life he’s ever wanted. Secrets build on secrets, emotions tear, and more than one person crosses the brink as Hart examines the lengths to which people will go for money, family, and revenge.
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About John Hart: A former criminal defense attorney, the author has also worked as a banker, stockbroker and apprentice helicopter mechanic. Other than writing, his favorite job was pouring pints in a London pub. A husband and father of two, John still lives in his native North Carolina, where he writes full-time. Visit his website at JohnHartFiction.com.
Read the first chapter(s) of Down River below. Use the Aa settings button to adjust text size, line spacing, and word density.
Explore a Mysterious Mansion in Dark Ritual, 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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You play the role of a detective, who has been approached by the FBI to help investigate a terrifying case. Explore Dr. Seymour Brown's Blackwood Mansion to see what the crazed scientist has been experimenting with. Help Agent Johnson track down your missing sister and stop a Dark Ritual in this intriguing hidden object adventure game.
Dark Ritual may be downloaded and purchased for $6.99 with a Big Fish Game Club membership. A demonstration version (176.45 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!
