Telemystery: Jesse Stone, Pie in the Sky, and Zen, New This Week on DVD

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

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Tom Selleck stars as (now former) Paradise (MA) police chief Jesse Stone in the seventh made-for-television movie based on this character created by crime novelist Robert B. Parker.

Though earlier movies in this series were adapted from novels by Parker, this one is an original screenplay. It finds Jesse once again on overload, looking into the death of a teenaged girl and unofficially involved in the case of a convicted murderer, who he thinks may be innocent.

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost is available on DVD (click on the icon above for more details), and consists of the movie that originally aired on CBS on May 22nd, 2011.

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Richard Griffiths stars as Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, who is also the head chef at Pie in the Sky, a restaurant that he co-owns with his wife (Maggie Steed), which is also the name of the light-hearted crime drama that aired on BBC for five seasons.

Henry is semi-retired from the police force, and while he'd rather be cooking gourmet meals than catching criminals, he's always willing to step in when asked by Assistant Chief Constable Freddy Fisher (Malcolm Smith).

Pie in the Sky: Series Five is available on DVD (click on the icon above for more details), and consists of the 8 episodes that concluded this entertaining series, which originally aired during the summer of 1997.

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Rufus Sewel stars as Roman police detective Aurelio Zen in Zen, based on a character created by crime novelist Michael Dibdin.

What does an honest cop do when his bosses are on the side of the lawbreakers? Outwitting prosecutors, politicians, mobsters, kidnappers and killers, Zen brings justice to modern-day Italy ... whether the authorities want it or not.

Zen: Series One is available on DVD and Blu-ray (click on the icons above for more details), and consists of 3 episodes adapted from books in the series — Vendetta, Cabal, and Ratking— that originally aired on BBC in January of this year, and more recently, during July 2011 on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! here in the US.

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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on and coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or video on demand.

Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine as today's free mystery ebook. 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 we urge you to download it while it is still available for free.

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Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine
A Jaine Austen Mystery (9th in series)
Kensington

There are two Kindle editions available (not sure why): one from May 2010 (which is currently the free one, and the one to which we've linked) and one from July 2011 (which is not free).

About Death of a Trophy Wife (from the publisher): Without a job or a date in sight, freelance writer Jaine Austen is equally out of luck in finance and romance. So when her friend Lance offers to treat her to brunch at the Four Seasons, Jaine leaps at the invite. They’ve barely made it through the menu when Lance spots his friend Bunny, who is the new trophy wife of mattress maven Marvin Cooper.

When Bunny generously offers Jaine a gig writing Marv’s new advertising campaign, Jaine accepts the job, and an invitation to her upcoming soirée. But at the party Bunny cruelly rules the Cooper mansion and before the evening is over, someone poisons Bunny.

The police arrest Lance, but Jaine knows his murderous urges end at her closet door. Setting out to clear his name, she soon discovers a list of suspects longer than Bunny’s credit card bill …

Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Download Link(s):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

B&N Free Nook Book Download Link.

Mystery Godoku Puzzle for August 01, 2011

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!).

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This week's letters and mystery clue:

B D I L N O P S T

Stephanie Kane’s debut legal thriller featuring attorney Jackie Flowers has this title (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!

Review: Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante

Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante. An Anna Travis Mystery. Touchstone Hardcover, July 2011.

This intense police procedural isn't all that fast reading, as it frequently mirrors Anna's investigation in that it moves sideways more than forwards. Still, indeed it does progress and the gripping conclusion is built on a strong foundation of suspense.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante.

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New Trailer for Drive, Adapted from the Crime Novel by James Sallis

A new trailer for Drive, adapted from the 2005 thriller of the same title by crime novelist James Sallis, has been released; we've embedded it below.

Ryan Gosling stars as a Hollywood stunt driver by day, a loner by nature, who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan). When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best — drive.

The film, which won a Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival for Nicholas Winding Refn, also stars Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, and Albert Brooks. It opens in theaters September 16th, 2011.

Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie: Marple, The Pale Horse (Series 5)

Purchase/Rental Option(s)

Miss Marple travels to the Hampshire countryside to solve the murder of a dear friend in this well-acted and produced adaptation of a non-Miss Marple novel by Agatha Christie. As a bonus, an earlier made-for-television movie that doesn't include Miss Marple is included in the set, providing an interesting contrast between the two adaptations.

Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie: Marple Series 5 (The Pale Horse).

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

Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Adventure and Casual Games, New This Week from BFG (110730)

Games of Mystery is pleased to announce the availability of new mystery, suspense and thriller adventure and casual games from Big Fish Games released during this past week. 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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A terrifying explosion has destroyed a secret bunker and you have been called in to investigate! Help solve an ancient mystery and capture the culprit before he strikes again! Find clues and work through a tangled chain of events in this exciting adventure game.

See also the previous game in this series, Millennium Secrets: Emerald Curse.

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A group of college students have gone missing from a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. You are called in to rescue them, but nothing is as it seems as the island is haunted by a mysterious evil! Use all your skills to complete hidden object scenes and solve perplexing puzzles as you delve deeper into the island’s sinister secrets.

For a more in-depth playing experience, see The Missing: A Search and Rescue Mystery Collector's Edition.

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Timothy’s father has been kidnapped by the leader of a gang! Find him and discover where a legendary stash of artifacts is hidden by following clues left by the archaeologist. Find an underground city and avoid the traps left behind by the protectors. Use your hidden object skills to survive this epic adventure and discover the mysteries of the world!

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Explore the Nightingale Theater, which was ravaged by a devastating fire 40 years ago, and uncover a dark mystery! After receiving a letter and a golden ticket in the mail from your grandfather you are off to see an amazing ballet performance. With fantastic graphics and an incredibly mystery, this "macabre mystery" will draw you in to a beautiful world.

This is a special Collector's Edition with features not available in the standard edition, including bonus gameplay, an integrated strategy guide, wallpapers, movie gallery, concept art, bonus puzzles, musical soundtrack, and early access.

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Journey into the mysterious Nightmare Realm and save Emily from an imaginary world that has been taken over by darkness! Explore gorgeous Hidden Object scenes and find helpful items to use as you battle a mysterious creature. Solve perplexing puzzles to unravel a mystery and help Emily escape before time runs out!

For a more in-depth playing experience, see Nightmare Realm Collector's Edition.

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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 our 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!

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (110730)

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/thriller category.

I So Don't Do Famous by Barrie Summy. A Sherry Holmes Baldwin Mystery (4th in series). Lexile Measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 7th grade student, who writes, "When I sat reading this book for about an hour, I looked up and was confused for a second about where I was. I was so intrigued with [it] that I completely forgot what was going on. If you like mysteries and realistic fiction with a hint of the supernatural, I suggest you read [this] great book." (Read the entire review here.)

Flip by Martyn Bedford. Non-series. Lexile Measure: N/A. Reviewed by a 6th grade student, who writes, "The details on every page give you the feeling that you are a part of the journey. This book traps you in its suspense and keeps you reading from the first page." (Read the entire review here.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove Available at a Special Price for New Customers, This Weekend Only at BFG

This weekend only, Big Fish Games is offering a popular mystery-themed game to new customers for just $2.99.

New customers can purchase Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove for just $2.99 by using the coupon code GROVE at checkout. This special price is available only through tomorrow, Sunday July 31st, 2011.

In the fall of 2009, four graduate students traveled to a small township near Blackpool, England. They were never heard from again …

Considered a fairytale, the Celtic legend of Dire Grove has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. Its telling was common at campfires and as a bedtime story meant to frighten small children into staying in their beds through the night. However, a recently unearthed artifact in the United Kingdom corroborates the legend and so begins a journey of survival for a small band of graduate students in the secluded resort of Dire Grove.

Find the complete list of Mystery Case Files games, including a list of tie-in books written by Jordan Gray, at Games of Mystery: Mystery Case Files.

New International Quad Poster for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

A week or so ago we featured the first international (UK) poster for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, adapted from the 1974 cold war spy thriller by John le Carré.

Now a new quad poster has been released, similar in style to the previous one and just as dramatic. (Click on the image for a larger version.)

The code that provides the background apparently contains several words in addition to the highlighted ones ("A Film by Tomas Alfredson" and "The Secret Is Out 16 09 11"). We've found one — "USControl" or maybe it's just supposed to be "Control", four rows beneath the actors' names on the left — but there are undoubtedly others.

The film stars Gary Oldman as retired MI-6 agent George Smiley, who is drawn back into the game when another agent claims that there is a mole within their organization ... and he needs to identify which of his trusted colleagues has betrayed them.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy opens in the US November 18th, 2011.

More Casting News for TNT's Tuesday Night Mystery Movie

Last May, TNT announced it was adapting a series of crime books for a new series of made-for-television adaptations called TNT Tuesday Night Mystery. (The name has since been changed to the slightly more clunky TNT Tuesday Night Mystery Movie.)

Last week, we learned that Bill Pullman has been cast as Rusty Sabich in the first of these movies, Innocent, adapted from the Scott Turow legal thriller of the same title, and set 22 years after the events of Presumed Innocent, a theatrical hit that starred Harrison Ford as Sabich. Innocent is set to premiere this coming November.

Today we're learning that John Corbett will star as Savannah cop Duncan Hatcher in an adaptation of Sandra Brown's 2006 thriller Ricochet. Julie Benz co-stars as Elise Laird, who is married to a prominent judge and who supposedly kills an intruder in self-defense.

The four other books slated to be adapted are Richard North Patterson’s Silent Witness; Lisa Gardner’s Hide; April Smith’s Good Morning, Killer; and Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark’s Deck the Halls.

(Source: Deadline|Hollywood)

Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending July 29th, 2011

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending July 29th, 2011 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

There's essentially a three-way tie for the top spot this week, with Janet Evanovich's 17th numbered Stephanie Plum mystery, Smokin' Seventeen, just edging out Now You See Her by James Patterson and Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva. One new title enters the top 15.

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The 10th Scot Harvath action thriller, Full Black by Brad Thor, comes in at number 10.

Born in the shadows and kept from heads of state, there are some missions so deadly, so sensitive, that they simply don’t exist.

When one such mission goes horribly wrong, a wave of dramatic terrorist attacks is set in motion. Their goal: the complete and total collapse of the United States.

With the CIA’s intelligence abilities hobbled, former Navy SEAL Team 6 member turned covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath launches an audacious plan to infiltrate the terrorists’ network and prevent one of the biggest threats the United States has ever faced.

Simultaneously, a foreign wet work team has been sent to California. Their target: one of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers.

While working on a secret documentary project, movie producer Larry Salomon has unknowingly exposed one of the world’s wealthiest and most politically connected powerbrokers—a man with a radical anti-American agenda poised to plunge the nation into deadly, irreversible chaos.

As the plots rocket to their pulse-pounding conclusion and the identities of the perpetrators are laid stunningly bare, Harvath will be left with only one means to save America. Unable to trust anyone, he will be forced to go Full Black.

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For more mystery books news, 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.

BBC America Orders a Crime Drama as its First Scripted Series

In a press release today, BBC America announced its first scripted television series ... and it's a crime drama.

Copper will center on a young Irish cop assigned to the Five Points neighborhood of New York City in the 1860s. He must "navigate the unruly and sometimes violent currents of his immigrant neighborhood, while simultaneously interacting with uptown Manhattan high society and the emerging black community in Harlem."

Production on the 10 episode series is expected to begin later this year in Toronto with a premiere date of Summer 2012.

(Source: BBC America)

HBO Considering Continuing The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as Made-for-Television Movies

We've known for some time that HBO's plans for its short-lived series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency from 2009 did not include renewal for a second season. However, we didn't know until today that the cable network is considering at least two made-for-television movies based on the character of Mma Ramotswe (played by Jill Scott in the series).

During this week's Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour, HBO executives stated that they have received scripts that they are considering for the stand-alone films.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is adapted from a series of novels by Alexander McCall Smith, which feature Precious Ramotswe as Botswana's only female private detective. The most recent of these, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party, was published earlier this year. We had the pleasure of reviewing it, saying, "The mysteries in this series are enjoyed more for the delightful characters, their respective life experiences, and, to a lesser extent, the unusual setting in which the storylines play out, than for their crime plots, which are typically of the non-violent sort. Readers who have come to enjoy the entries in this series will not be disappointed with this one." (Mysterious Reviews, March 2011)

(Source: TV|Line)