The first teaser trailer for The Hunger Games aired on last night's Video Music Awards; we've embedded it at the bottom of this post. It's short, doesn't tell you much about the movie — we have a summary below — but does show star Jennifer Lawrence in character using her signature bow and arrow as a weapon.
The Hunger Games is adapted from the first book in "The Hunger Games" trilogy of young adult thrillers by Suzanne Collins. Here's the studio's synopsis of the film:
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which Tributes must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
The Hunger Games opens in theaters on March 23rd, 2012.
Monday, August 29, 2011
First Teaser Trailer for The Hunger Games
Hidden in Plain View by Blair S. Walker is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Hidden in Plain View by Blair S. Walker as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $0.99 is valid only for today, Monday, August 29, 2011.
— ◊ —
Hidden in Plain View by Blair S. Walker
A Darryl Billups Mystery
AmazonEncore
Originally published in hardcover by Avon in 1999, Hidden in Plain View is the second of three crime novels in this series.
About Hidden in Plain View (from the publisher): After earning national acclaim for his story exposing a plot by domestic terrorists to blow up NAACP headquarters, The Herald rewards Darryl Billups with an editorship, but it’s not long before he’s itching to escape the office and return to the streets as a cop reporter chronicling the misdeeds of Baltimore’s seamy underbelly.
He gets his chance when the nude bodies of African-American professionals begin turning up around town, their faces ominously marked with Confederate-flag decals. At a loss for suspects, Baltimore homicide detective Phillip Gardner calls on his old friend Darryl to help with the serial-killer investigation.
Darryl eagerly reconnects with Baltimore’s seedy underbelly and is soon hot on the trail of a killer who will transform his notions about gender, race, and the workings of the criminal mind. To break this story, Darryl must learn to look at the world in a totally different way—or become the killer’s most high-profile victim yet.
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 Godoku Puzzle for August 29, 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!).
— ◊ —
This week's letters and mystery clue:
C E I K P Q S T U
It was this “to murder” in the title of the first Stacy Graysin mystery by Ella Barrick (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 28, 2011
Review: A Bedlam of Bones by Suzette A. Hill
A Bedlam of Bones by Suzette A. Hill. A Francis Oughterard Mystery. Soho Constable Hardcover, July 2011.
The five-book story arc that began with A Load of Old Bones comes to a somewhat disappointing close with this weakly plotted novel, though the observations by Bouncer and Maurice are as entertaining as ever.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: A Bedlam of Bones by Suzette A. Hill.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Review: A Murder in Tuscany by Christobel Kent
A Murder in Tuscany by Christobel Kent. A Sandro Cellini Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, August 2011.
This book had me travelling to an elaborate setting and filled interactive characters that impact not only on each other but on the location. I thought I had it figured all out only to be surprised in the end. A great read if you like detail of place and person.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: A Murder in Tuscany by Christobel Kent.
CBS Developing Crime Drama Project based on David Baldacci PI Series
In some news from earlier in the week that we missed, CBS is developing a project adapted from the series of political thrillers by David Baldacci featuring private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, who take on cases too sensitive for government officials to handle.
Tentatively titled King & Maxwell, the crime drama is being planned for the 2012/2013 television season.
(Source: Deadline|Hollywood.)
Recently Published Indie Mysteries (110827)
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.
— ◊ —
The Suicide Game
by Andy Rausch
Non-Series
Night Publishing (Ebook)
August 2011
When five bored rich kids bet each other as to who will be the first to drive an innocent victim of their choice to death, little do they realise that one of those they randomly select in a shopping mall is the Mafia's top West Coast hitman.
How would they know? He is black and without a single fluid ounce of Italian blood in his veins, albeit with gallons of the stuff on his hands.
This hitman may be sad, he may even be ready to die, but he isn't exactly suicidal – more homicidal, definitely more homicidal, you might say.
Also available in a Kindle edition.
A Twisted Path
by Steve Winshel
Non-Series
Dystel and Goderich (Ebook)
August 2011
Bill Furyk is an ex-cop with an anger management problem and intimate relationship with Vicodin. For the last two years he's been a civilian, but people in need still seem to find him.
When a woman from his past is arrested after being found hunched over the body of her still-bleeding husband, a knife in her hand, he is pulled in. As he tries to untangle what happened to the meek, gentle Merrill, a larger story unravels. He picks at the threads and learns of a brutal, cruel, and profitable venture in which troubled young women are tricked into becoming playthings for powerful men. Politicians, police, and professionals are the clients. The dead man was a therapist who treated the young women, then recruited them into this form of slavery.
Furyk must find out if the wife is the killer. But when he begins to uncover the vast, horrible business that is behind the murder, he is determined to put an end to it.
Also available in a Kindle edition.
The Watcher
by Jo Robertson
A Bigler County Thriller
1st in series
Self Published (Ebook)
August 2011
Forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers believes the killer of two teenage girls in Bigler County, California, is the same man who savagely murdered her twin sister over fifteen years ago. Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.
Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival in his county knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.
Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill the "purple-eyed girl again."
Also available in a Kindle edition.
— ◊ —
For more recently published Indie Mysteries, visit the Smashwords Mystery and Detective category page or the Thriller and Suspense category page.
New Promotional Poster for Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame
A new promotional poster for the martial arts film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame has been released (via /Film); click on the image for a larger version.
A bizarre murder mystery brings together the most powerful woman in China, the soon-to-be-Empress Wu Zetian (played by Carina Lau), and a formerly exiled detective, Dee Renjie (Andy Lau), at the infamous Imperial Palace. Hoping that he will solve the crime before her coronation, Wu appoints Dee Chief Judge of the Empire and implores him to combine his indisputable wisdom with his unparalleled martial arts skills to save the future of her dynasty.
The film is an adaptation of the novel Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame by Lin Qianyu. Detective Dee may be best known to American readers as a character in a series of mysteries by Robert van Gulik that were published during the 1950s and 1960s. Van Gulik "borrowed" the character from an 18th century Chinese detective novel, which itself was based on a real historical figure, Dí Rénjié, who lived during the 8th century and was a celebrated official of the Tang Dynasty.
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame opened in China and Hong Kong in September 2010 and is scheduled to have a limited run in the US starting on Friday, September 2nd, 2011 in New York and Los Angeles. Showings in other major US cities will follow. See the official website for more details.
Watch the trailer for the film below.
Spying in High Heels by Gemma Halliday is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Spying in High Heels by Gemma Halliday 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.
— ◊ —
Spying in High Heels by Gemma Halliday
A Maddie Springer Mystery (1st in series)
Smashwords
Gemma Halliday published this first of her "high crime meets high fashion" mysteries in 2006 and went on to write five more in the series. She is also the author of the "Hollywood Headlines" mystery series featuring tabloid editor Felix Dunn.
About Spying in High Heels (from the publisher): L.A. shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder. And things only get worse when her boyfriend disappears — along with $20 million in embezzled funds — and her every move is suddenly under scrutiny by the LAPD's sexiest cop.
With the help of her post-menopausal bridezilla of a mother, a 300 pound psychic and one seriously oversexed best friend, Maddie finds herself stepping out of her stilettos and onto the trail of a murderer. But can she catch a killer before the killer catches up to her …
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 (110827)
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.
— ◊ —
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 incredible mystery, this "macabre mystery" will draw you in to a beautiful world.
See also Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale (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.
— ◊ —
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
— ◊ —
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 (110827)
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.
Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson. The fourth and final book in the Scarlett Wakefield mystery series. Lexile Measure: N/A (though the first book in the series has a value of 930L). Reviewed by a 7th grade student, who writes, "Anyone who likes realistic fiction, romance, and mystery would die to read this book. This is because Scarlett's life gets pretty complicated in this book. The nonstop action and suspense keeps readers engaged from page one all the way to the end." (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.
Sensei by John Donohue is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Sensei by John Donohue 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.
— ◊ —
Sensei by John Donohue
A Connor Burke Mystery (1st in series)
YMAA
John Donohue, who completed a Ph.D. in Anthropology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is also an expert in the study of the martial arts. Fascinated with other cultures and attracted to the Asian martial disciplines because of their blend of philosophy and action, he began to develop fictional storylines set in the world of the martial arts. Sensei was originally published in hardcover by Minotaur Books in 2003 and is the first of (to date) four mysteries in this series.
About Sensei (from the publisher): In every case, the modus operandi is the same, and the only clue available is a cryptic message scrawled on the wall bearing the signature "Ronin" - the Japanese name for a masterless samurai.
Connor Burke, a part-time college teacher with a passion for the martial arts, is called in to help out with the investigation by his brother, an NYPD detective. With the help of his teacher, the master warrior Yamashita Sensei, Burke begins to follow the trail of clues that stretches across time and place, ultimately confronting his own fears, his sense of honor, and the ruthless killer who calls himself "Ronin".
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):
Friday, August 26, 2011
A&E Orders Longmire, a Crime Drama based on a Character by Craig Johnson
A&E has officially ordered a 10-episode season of Longmire, based on a character created by crime novelist Craig Johnson.
Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire will be played by Robert Taylor. Other series characters include two deputies (Katee Sackhoff and Bailey Chase), his daughter (Cassidy Freeman) and best friend (Lou Diamond Phillips).
There are currently seven books in the mystery series by Johnson, the most recent, Hell is Empty, published this past June. Read our review of the book on Mysterious Reviews.
No start date for Longmire has been announced but we would expect it to premiere sometime next summer.
(Source: TV|Line.)
Review: Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal by Michael Van Rooy
Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal by Michael Van Rooy. A Monty Havikko Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, July 2011.
One of the more remarkable aspects about this crime novel is how the author gets inside the head of a career criminal; it's actually a little unnerving at times. And though there are many tangential side trips away from what is presumed to be the central storyline, the final destination is worth the circuitous plot route.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal by Michael Van Rooy.
First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for September 2011
First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series books) scheduled for publication during September 2011, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens.
— ◊ —
The Secret of the Skeleton Key
Penny Warner
The Code Busters Club (1st in series)
When Cody and Quinn notice what could be a code on the window of a nearby house, the one owned by their strange neighbor, the guy they call Skeleton Man, the club gets to work. And it is a cry for help!
Now the Code Busters are on the case—and nothing will stop them from solving the mystery and finding the secret treasure that seems to be the cause of it all!
This exciting interactive mystery offers more than fifteen codes for you to decipher, including the Consonant code, Morse code, and American Sign Language. Test your brain with the Code Busters and solve the mystery along with them.
The Code Busters Club mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
— ◊ —
The Case of the Missing Deed
Ellen Schwartz
The Teaspoon Detectives (1st in series)
Five cousins are looking forward to their annual vacation at their grandmother’s cottage. None of them knows that this may be their last such summer. A mining company has set its sights on the land and is determined to seize it. Grandma must produce the deed to prove that the property is really hers, but her memory is not what it used to be, and she can’t find it. The children suspect there may be clues to the deed’s whereabouts somewhere in the family’s cherished trove of recipes. But can they solve the mystery in time?
This Teaspoon Detectives culinary mystery is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
— ◊ —
The Case of the Putrid Poison
Emma Kennedy
A Wilma Tenderfoot Mystery (2nd in series)
Wilma Tenderfoot's dreams have come true. She is now an apprentice detective to the famous Theodore Goodman, and she is one step closer to finding out what happened to her parents. Now a new case has come up for Theodore — actors at the Valiant Vaudeville Theatre are being poisoned one by one and the criminal is at large. Wilma may be small, but she's determined to put her apprenticeship skills to the test. Then, right in the middle of the investigation, Theodore disappears! Wilma is on her own (with her loyal beagle, Pickle, of course) and decides her best bet is to go undercover to solve the case. But will she unmask the poisoner before she is the next target?
The Wilma Tenderfoot mysteries are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
— ◊ —
Dance Off
Carolyn Keene
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (30th in series)
Dance fever has hit River Heights! Kids Can Dance, the famous reality tv show, is holding auditions at River Heights Elementary. Nancy and her friends are eager to try out, and meet the famous host, Bryce Brown. But when something goes wrong with every dancer's equipment, music, or routine, could someone be trying to ruin the River Heights try-outs? Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew are on the case!
The Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew adventure stories are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
— ◊ —
Big Trouble in the Big Apple
Thea Stilton
A Geronimo Stilton Special Edition (6th in series)
The Thea Sisters are off to New York City for another fabumouse adventure! Nicky has been training to run the Big Apple Marathon, and her friends are there to support her. While in the city, they all visit Pamela's family and have a delicious dinner at the family's pizzeria. But the mouselings discover that someone has been threatening to burn the restaurant down, and Pam's family might have to close it for good to stay safe! Will the Thea Sisters catch the troublemaker before it's too late?
The Geronimo Stilton books are recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.
— ◊ —
Movie Misson: Deathstalker Trilogy Book 2
Franklin W. Dixon
The Hardy Boys, Undercover Brothers
Frank and Joe Hardy have been posing as extras on the set of the upcoming teen movie, Deathstalker. The star, an ingenue named Anya, has already had her trailer burn down, and now someone keeps sending her threatening texts! While the Undercover Brothers manage to keep Anya safe at a comic book convention, the threats just keep coming. Can they figure out who's behind the mayhem surrounding the filming of the hit comic book? Or is this movie going to wrap before filming even begins?
The Hardy Boys, Undercover Brothers mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 and older.
— ◊ —
You Have to Stop This
Pseudonymous Bosch
The Secret Series (5th in series)
I always feared this day would come. A secret is meant to stay secret, after all. And now we've come to this: the fifth and final (I swear!) book in my saga of secrets.
A class trip to the local natural history museum turns dangerous, or perhaps deadly — and I don't mean in the bored-to-death way — when Cass accidentally breaks a finger off a priceless mummy. Forced to atone for this "crime" of vandalism, Cass and her friends Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji go to work for the mummy exhibit's curator, only to be blamed when tragedy strikes. To clear their names — and, they hope, to discover the Secret — the trio must travel deep into a land of majestic pyramids, dusty tombs, mysterious hieroglyphs, and the walking dead. Egypt? Or somewhere much stranger …
In the midst of it all, the Secret still lurks. You're our there, reading and talking about it, and now my life — and chocolate supply — is in the greatest danger yet. So please, with a cherry on top, I'm begging you: you have to stop this!
This final book in the Secret Series is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
City of Wind
Pierdomenico Baccalario
The Century City Quartet (3rd in series)
When new information turns up about the Star of Stone, the object they found in New York, Mistral, Elettra, Harvey, and Sheng meet again in Paris. Harvey brings the stone to show to his dad's archaeologist friend. And it turns out that the friend knows much more about the kids' quest than they could have imagined. She gives them a clock that once belonged to Napoléon, and she tells them that if they can figure out how it works, it will lead them to another object of power. The clock sends the kids all over Paris, through old churches and forgotten museum exhibits, in search of an artifact linked to the Egyptian goddess Isis. But a woman with a penchant for venomous snakes and carnivorous plants—and her vast network of spies—is watching their every move …
The Century City Quartet books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
The Aviary
Kathleen O'Dell
Twelve-year-old Clara Dooley has spent her whole life in the Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is a servant to the kind and elderly matron of the house. Clara has never known another home. In fact, she's confined to the grand estate due to a mysterious heart condition. But it's a comfortable life, and if it weren't for the creepy squawking birds in the aviary out back, a completely peaceful one too.
But once old Mrs. Glendoveer passes away, Clara comes to learn many dark secrets about the family. The Glendoveers suffered a horrific tragedy: their children were kidnapped, then drowned. And their father George Glendoveer, a famous magician and illusionist, stood accused until his death. As Clara digs deeper and deeper into the terrifying events, the five birds in the aviary seem to be trying to tell her something. And Clara comes to wonder: what is their true identity? Clara sets out to solve a decades-old murder mystery—and in doing so, unlocks a secret in her own life, too.
This suspense thriller is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
Monsters and Mischief
Dan Poblocki
The Mysterious Four (3rd in series)
Can you crack the case with six clues or less?
Welcome back to Moon Hollow, where mystery lurks around every corner — and four kids have come together to solve crimes and puzzles big and small.
When a monster is sighted in the woods surrounding Moon Hollow, Viola, Sylvester, Rosie, and Woodrow know they're in for their creepiest case yet. But it's just one of fourteen mysteries competing for their attention. They'll have to uncover the truth in six clues or less — and readers are invited to guess alongside them each step of the way.
Each book comes with an exclusive code so that readers can download a FREE copy of the e-book … which includes an extra mystery unavailable anywhere else!
The Mysterious Four books are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
Ghosts of Rockville: Search for the Dominion Glass
Justin Heimberg
When Jay Winnick receives a mysterious blank piece of paper in the mail, he doesn’t think much of it. After all, it’s not such a weird thing to a kid who routinely subdues poltergeists, fends off deadly apparitions, and otherwise meddles in the affairs of the undead.
Plus, there’s nothing even on the paper…
Soon, that “nothing” thrusts Jay into the most perilous quest of his young ghost-hunting life, a paranormal puzzle involving spirit boards, crop circles, an ancient secret order, and just about every ghost type in the Encyclopedia of the Paranormal.
At least he’s not alone. Joining Jay on his quest are his best friends and fellow ghost hunters: Danni, a forensics expert and lover of all things disgusting; Pam, a psychic of dubious ability at best; and Brian, a closet brainiac and nerd who lives a double life disguised as a dumb jock who just happens to be the most popular kid in school.
Together, Jay and his friends must find the key that will unlock a mystical artifact that holds the power to control the spirit world. At stake is nothing less than the balance between life and death.
This paranormal mystery is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
Hide and Secret
Kathleen Fuller
The Mysteries of Middlefield (3rd in series)
Anna Mae and her friends are playing in the old tree house in the woods when a floor board suddenly breaks. No one is seriously hurt, but when they take a second look, they see that a metal box of money and a diary are hidden under the floor in the crook of the tree branches. Upon further inspection, they discover that it is a lot of money.
As the three set out to solve the mystery, they learn that Jeremiah and Anna Mae's grandmothers were once great friends, something they would have never guessed since the two women have only been distantly civil to each other in their lifetimes. As they search further, Jeremiah and Anna Mae realize there is a missing third party who must certainly hold the answers to this puzzle. Before they can find out, the money disappears again and threatens the trust of the three friends.
Can Anna Mae solve this mystery before it tears apart more relationships?
The faith-based books in the Mysteries of Middlefield series are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
The Mystery of the Missing Everything
Ben H. Winters
A Bethesda Fielding Mystery (2nd in series)
There has been a shocking crime at Mary Todd Lincoln Middle School.
In a glass case in the front hall, a trophy—the trophy, the first trophy ever won in the school’s lackluster competitive history—has been stolen.
Even more horrifying, an outraged Principal Van Vreeland has canceled everything fun until the trophy is back, including the eighth graders’ long-awaited, once-in-a-lifetime field trip to Taproot Valley. Rock climbing, ropes courses, ecology hikes, s’mores … all gone!
Luckily, Bethesda Fielding is on the case. As self-appointed sleuth extraordinaire, Bethesda’s confident she’ll be able to track down the culprit in no time and save her class trip! Except it seems like the more she searches for answers, the more mysteries she reveals. Can Bethesda solve this baffling mystery—or are the eighth graders doomed for a Week of a Thousand Quizzes instead?
The Bethesda Fielding mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
Guys Read: Thriller
Jon Scieszka
A Short Story Collection
A body on the tracks … A teenage terrorist … A mysterious wish-granting machine … The world’s worst private detective …
This collection of short stories is chock-full of mystery, intrigue, and nefarious activity. Featuring some of the best writers around, this book is a pulse-pounding collection of brand-new short stories, each one guaranteed to keep you riveted until the final page.
The Short Story Collection for boys is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
Sally's Bones
MacKenzie Cadenhead
2 Months, 28 Days, 9 Hours, and 12 minutes earlier …
Sally Simplesmith's life changed forever. She came face-to-face with death — a delightful, dearly departed little dog she lovingly calls Bones. But when the cadaverous canine is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Sally decides to solve the case herself!
Does Sally have what it takes to fetch a thief?
This paranormal mystery, which may be the first in a series, is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.
— ◊ —
First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is your source for information on over 200 mystery series for children and young adults, where each series is conveniently listed under four different age categories (New Sleuths, ages 4 to 6; Future Sleuths, ages 7 to 9; Sleuths in Training, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).
