Several years ago, there was a lot of talk about an original screenplay by Brian Tucker titled Broken City, and how it might be the next Chinatown. (Now there's a comparison that ought to put pressure on filmmakers!) But then it all sort of died down, until last year when Mark Wahlberg acquired the rights and spoke more seriously about starring in and independently producing the film.
The storyline involves Taggart, an ex-cop-turned-private detective (to be played by Wahlberg), who is hired by the mayor of New York City to see if his wife is cheating on him. Taggart confirms those suspicions, and when the mayor's wife's cheating partner ends up dead, he immerses himself in the mayor's business and uncovers a real estate scandal that involves the politician dealing himself choice city-owned properties.
Now we're learning that a cast is coming together, with Russell Crowe signing on to play the pivotal role of the mayor.
Production on the film may begin as early as this November.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)
Monday, August 08, 2011
Russell Crowe to Co-Star with Mark Wahlberg in Broken City
PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! to Air Inspector Morse Prequel, Endeavour, in 2012
Last week we reported that ITV had commissioned a made-for-television prequel movie to the long-running crime drama Inspector Morse called Endeavour. (We misspelled it in our original post, leaving out the "u".)
Now we're learning that PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! will air the stand-alone movie next year to mark the 25th anniversary of the first Inspector Morse episode. Crime novelist Colin Dexter created the character, which was played by John Thaw over a period of 13 years.
Shaun Evans will star as the rookie Detective Constable Endeavour Morse in a storyline set in Oxford in 1965.
Masterpiece Mystery! already airs the Inspector Morse spin-off, Inspector Lewis, with a new season of four episodes to begin September 4th.
(Source: Variety.)
Personal Demons by Gregory Lamberson is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Personal Demons by Gregory Lamberson as today's second 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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Personal Demons by Gregory Lamberson
A Jake Helman Mystery (1st in series)
Medallion Press
Personal Demons won the 2010 IPPY Gold Medal Award for Horror. The second book in this series, Desperate Souls, was published last year. At least two other books are planned for this series.
About Personal Demons (from the publisher): Jake Helman, an elite member of the New York Special Homicide Task Force, faces what every cop dreads—an elusive serial killer. While investigating a series of bloodletting sacrifice rituals executed by an ominous perpetrator known as the Cipher, Jake refuses to submit to a drug test and resigns from the police department.
Battling a cocaine addiction, Jake starts a high-pressure position as the director of security at Tower International, a controversial genetic-engineering company. Beneath the polished exterior of the corporate identity and the CEO—who has a reputation as the frontiersman on the cutting edge of science—is a deranged mind.
As Jake delves deeper into this frightening laboratory, he discovers much more than unethical practices performed in the name of human progress. Sequestered in rooms veiled in secrecy is the worst crime the world will ever see—the theft of the human soul.
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):
Sons and Princes by James LePore is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Sons and Princes by James LePore 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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Sons and Princes by James LePore
Non-Series
The Story Plant
About Sons and Princes (from the publisher): Chris Massi has been running from his world his entire life. The son of a Mafia assassin and the former son-in-law of a mob kingpin, Massi has tried to stay on the right side of the law, building a prestigious career as an attorney, and insulating his children as much as possible. But now a series of tragedies have left him without a law license and without several of his loved ones. And at the same time, his teenaged son is beginning to gravitate toward the gangster world Chris has tried so hard to protect him from.
Michele Mathias has been running away from her life for more than a decade. Once a promising young woman with a future, she’s now a drug addicted street player living with the knowledge that her daughter – the only bright thing in her life – was taken away from her. When her roommate is murdered in a mob-related hit, her life intersects with Chris’s life – and their worlds change forever.
For Chris, a showdown is coming. The only way for him to save his son and regain his future is to face – and maybe even embrace – the demon he’s always avoided. For Michele, her last chance at redemption has arrived.
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):
New Trailer for the Political Thriller Anonymous
Columbia Pictures has released a new trailer for its upcoming political thriller Anonymous, which we've embedded below.
Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.
Anonymous stars Rafe Spall as William Shakespeare, Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere, Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Elizabeth I, and Joely Richardson as Princess Elizabeth Tudor. The film opens in US theaters on October 28th, 2011.
Recently Published Indie Mysteries (110807)
We're always on the lookout for new mystery, suspense and thriller books, and with this series of recurring posts, we're looking at Indie Mysteries, books published by small, independent publishers, or self-published, that recently caught our eye ... and may be of interest to you too. Most of these titles, selected primarily from the Smashwords website, are ebook only, though some may also be available in a print format.
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Come the Shadows
by Wendy L. Young
A Campbell Creek Mystery
1st in series
Self Published (Ebook)
July 2011
Campbell Creek, North Carolina has not seen a murder in seventeen years so when bones are discovered in the old bread factory Officer Will Harmon, a twenty-five year veteran of the small town's police force, is determined to get to the bottom of it no matter who stands in his way.
His wife Laura, a stay-at-home-mom with a penchant for sewing and sticking her nose in all the right places, knows there is more troubling their town than one dead body. She is determined to protect it and needs her husband's help, whether he likes it or not.
Will and Laura don't know it yet, but they are in for the fight of their lives - a fight to protect those they love and everything they hold dear. It's all up to them and they will do whatever it takes to win against the darkness invading their town.
Also available in a Kindle edition.
Sawmill Road
by Patrick J. O'Brian
A Terry Levine Mystery
4th in series
Fideli Publishing (Ebook)
August 2011
When Terry Levine is called to investigate a triple homicide five hours away from home, he knows the case won't be routine. A veteran investigator with the New York State Police, Levine quickly suspects he may be dealing with a blossoming serial killer. A task force comprised of state troopers, the FBI, and Erie County Sheriff's Department personnel follow what few leads come their way.
With no answers forthcoming, Levine thinks outside the box to track the killer, whose murderous rampage draws the investigators into neighboring counties. A secret from the past holds the key to discovering the killer's identity, though finding him may prove far more difficult.
The case takes a personal turn for the investigator when people he knows are targeted by the murderer. A cat and mouse game ensues when the police believe they discover the killer's motive, and his next victim, sending them scrambling through the streets of Buffalo to catch him.
Every new clue leads to a dead end, leaving Levine and his team wondering if they can catch the mass murderer before he disappears for good.
Sawmill Road was originally published as a trade paperback in September, 2007.
Also available in a Kindle edition.
Hamlet's Ghost
by Jason Willis
A Seven Fires Mystery
1st in series
Self Published (Ebook)
August 2011
Haunted by his father's suicide, Ansel Nielson, lost and in need of personal direction, travels to his father's childhood home of Lake Wanagiyata, Minnesota in search of answers. Aware of a foreboding sense of synchronicity between his life and his father's, he confronts what caused his father's death and now threatens to take his.
At the lake, he meets Lacy Morrison, a local girl working at a Bible camp, who is willing to help Ansel tackle the issues confronting him. Before long, Ansel, while exorcising his own demons, learns the deeper mystery behind the place natives once called "The Place of Souls."
Hamlet's Ghost was originally published as a trade paperback in August, 2008.
Also available in a Kindle edition.
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For more recently published Indie Mysteries, visit the Smashwords Mystery and Detective category page or the Thriller and Suspense category page.
Mystery Godoku Puzzle for August 08, 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:
A D E H I K N R T
Terence Faherty’s 5th Scott Elliott mystery has someone dancing here in its 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!
Sunday, August 07, 2011
The Turtle Boy by Kealan Patrick Burke is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Turtle Boy by Kealan Patrick Burke 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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The Turtle Boy by Kealan Patrick Burke
A Timmy Quinn Novella (1st in series)
Elderlemon Press
Originally published by Necessary Evil Press in 2004, this novella won the 2004 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction. Two novels in the series followed — The Hides in 2005 and Vessels in 2006 — with a prequel chapbook (Peregrine's Tale) published in 2008.
About The Turtle Boy (from the publisher): School is out and summer has begun. For eleven year old Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete Marshall, the dreary town of Delaware, Ohio becomes a place of magic, hidden treasure and discovery. But on the day they encounter a strange young boy sitting on the bank of Myers Pond — a pond playground rumor says may hide turtles the size of Buicks — everything changes. For it soon becomes apparent that dark secrets abound in the little community, secrets which come cupped in the hands of the dead, and in a heartbeat, Timmy and Pete’s summer of wonder becomes a season of terror, betrayal and murder.
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):
Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Adventure and Casual Games, New This Week from BFG (110807)
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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Uncover a startling conspiracy lurking at the heart of an Italian village in this interactive thriller.
To leave the terrible events of her recent past behind, Jade packs her life into a small suitcase and takes a detective post in a small mountain village. Upon arriving, a simple break-in at the police station quickly reveals a wider conspiracy of murder whose roots reach deep into the church. And with a new partner, a close encounter with an avalanche, and a mysterious caller, her entire life is about to turn on its head more suddenly than she could ever imagine.
Join Jade in this captivating account of danger, secrecy, and betrayal. Search crime scenes and other important locations to find out what is really going on at the abbey of Sant' Antonio. Match evidence and spot differences using clever mini-games. Figure out tantalizing puzzles. It's a thrilling interactive novel waiting to be experienced.
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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!
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Birds in Paradise by Dorothy St. James is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Birds in Paradise by Dorothy St. James 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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Birds in Paradise by Dorothy St. James
Barking Dog Press
This is an "Aloha Pete" mystery novella that includes a sneak preview of Dorothy St. James's first White House gardener mystery, Flowerbed of State featuring Casey Calhoun.
About Birds in Paradise (from the publisher): Young prostitutes are disappearing from the streets of Honolulu. When street-savvy P.I., Kyra Grainger, is hired to find the latest missing girl, she straps on a pair of high heels, pulls on a skirt no wider than a headband, and delves into the back streets and shadowy world hidden behind the glitz of Hawaii. What she finds is a web of lies and deceptions that threatens to destroy the paradise she dearly loves.
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):
Review: Thick as Thieves by Peter Spiegelman
Thick as Thieves by Peter Spiegelman. Non-series. Knopf Hardcover, July 2011.
This superior crime novel that outlines the preparations for the theft of $100 million from a rogue hedge fund manager includes a strong cast of characters and a significant number of riveting scenes, but suffers (slightly) from an ordinary conclusion that relies on a heavily overused plot device.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Thick as Thieves by Peter Spiegelman.
Purchase Options:
Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (110806)
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.
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan. The third and final thriller in The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy. Lexile Measure: N/A (though the first book in the series has a value of 900L). Reviewed by a 6th grade teacher, who writes, "Carrie Ryan blends horror and romance in such a way that will capture the hearts of young adult readers. The story is complex, yet so compelling, readers find themselves reading into the wee hours of night — and then checking under the bed for an Unconsecrated!" (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.
Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy 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 $0.99.
New customers can purchase Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy for just 99 cents by using the coupon code poe99 at checkout. This special price is available only through tomorrow, Sunday August 7th, 2011.
Use your famous mystery-writing skills to help solve an ancient homicide and capture Edgar Allan Poe's murderer! Follow your ghostly guides through Poe's classic tales as you meet the different suspects in this dark and haunting hidden object game. Find inspiration for your next book as you collect clues, interview witnesses, and crack the centuries-old crime…
In our review of Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, we said, "The screens are beautifully rendered and have movement, branches swaying and the like. The scenes are atmospheric, something you'd expect to visualize in a Poe story."
Find more adventure and casual mystery games at Games of Mystery.
Parker, a Film based on a Character Created by Donald Westlake, Opens in Theaters October 12th, 2012
October 12th, 2012 has been selected as the release date for Parker, based on a character created by Donald E. Westlake writing as Richard Stark.
Parker stars Jason Statham as the titular character, a professional thief, who appeared in 24 novels published between 1962 and the author's death in 2008. The film also stars Michael Chiklis as Parker's nemesis, Nick Nolte as his mentor, and Jennifer Lopez as the femme fatale (aka a real estate agent who teams up with Parker to pull off a heist).
Taylor Hackford (The Devil's Advocate, Dolores Claiborne) will direct an original screenplay thought to be inspired by at least two books in the series, The Hunter (later published as Point Blank and Payback, in recognition of the films adapted from the book) and Flashfire.
Friday, August 05, 2011
TNT Renews Rizzoli & Isles for a Third Season
In a press release today, TNT announced that it has renewed Rizzoli & Isles for a third season of 15 episodes. The series is currently airing on the cable network, with the second season finale scheduled for September 12th, 2011.
Based on characters created by crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli & Isles stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that has helped them bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.
(Source: TNT.)
