NBC has acquired the US television rights to the Israeli television thriller Smoke Pillars (or Pillars of Smoke) with the intent of producing a stateside version.
In the Israeli series, titled Timrot Ashan, which is starting its second season, the police investigate a cult from the Golan Heights that has mysteriously disappeared. With little assistance from the local population, the lead investigator discovers a political conspiracy with potential environmental consequences.
Some websites are describing the series as a cross between Twin Peaks and Lost. We watched the opening credits online, and though we don't read/speak Hebrew, just the visuals and soundtrack have us leaning far more towards Twin Peaks than Lost; quite frankly it reminded us more of True Blood than anything else (though we didn't see any evidence of vampires!).
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)
Monday, August 29, 2011
NBC Developing Drama based on Israeli TV Thriller Timrot Ashan
Review: Death and the Maiden by Gerald Elias
Death and the Maiden by Gerald Elias. A Daniel Jacobus Mystery. Minotaur Books Hardcover, August 2011.
The mystery of a missing violinist is well crafted and has its fair share of surprises for the reader, but the overall storyline involving the staging of a multi-media performance of Franz Shubert's "Death and the Maiden" will probably appeal most to those who also take an interest in the arts.
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Death and the Maiden by Gerald Elias.
Junior Mystery Quest, New for Nintendo DS
Become a secret sleuth in Junior Mystery Quest, a hidden-object adventure game designed especially for younger Nintendo DS players.
The Tibutton family's Uncle Alester is missing, and DS detectives must explore a spooky old mansion to figure out what has happened to him. As they move through the story, from room to room, players use the stylus to seek out objects on the touch screen that are cleverly drawn into each scene.
The main characters are kind and friendly, and the game's story is intended to be challenging and exciting, but not too scary for children.
Junior Mystery Quest is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011, for Nintendo DS. It is ESRB rated E for Everyone.
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Games of Mystery is your source for mystery-themed video, electronic and board games, parties for kids and adults, murder mystery weekends and mystery getaway vacations, and more mysterious fun!
CBS Developing Crime Drama Project based on April Woo Mysteries by Leslie Glass
CBS is developing a crime drama based on the series of April Woo mysteries by Leslie Glass. The first book in the series, Burning Time, was published by Bantam in 1995.
April Woo is a Chinese-American detective with the NYPD. In her first outing, she is assigned to a routine missing persons case that converges with the hunt for a serial killer, who sears his signature of fire into the bodies of his victims.
There are nine books in the series, the most recent of which, A Clean Kill, was published in 2005.
Amy Bloom (Lifetime's State of Mind) will write the screenplay for the pilot and executive produce.
(Source: Deadline|Hollywood.)
Telemystery: The Defenders, Detroit 1-8-7, Murphy's Law, and Vera, 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 four series being released this week.
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Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell star as The Defenders in this short-lived series set in Las Vegas.
Nick Morelli (Belushi) and Pete Kaczmarek (O'Connell) are the local go-to guys with an eclectic client list, who are still looking to hit their own jackpot. While Lady Luck shines on their legal careers, the partners have their hands full when it comes to their personal lives. With Pete busy cruising the Vegas Strip for his latest romantic conquest, Nick is focused on repairing a fractured marriage to his estranged wife and remaining present in the life of their young son.
The Defenders: The Complete Series (and labeled as "The DVD Edition") is available on DVD and iTunes (click on the icons above for more details), and consists of 18 episodes that originally aired on CBS from during the 2010/2011 television season.
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The crisis, revelation and heartbreak of some of Detroit's finest are on display as a group of inner city police agree to have their days filmed by a documentary crew in Detroit 1-8-7, a highly praised though low rated crime drama that lasted just one season on ABC.
Leading the officers is Lieutenant Maureen Mason (Aisha Hinds), a single mother struggling to balance her work and home lives. New partners Louis Fitch (Michael Imperioli) and Damon Washington (Jon Michael Hill) are paired for their knowledge of the city and heroism on the job. But homicide work is never easy, and these cops are soon tested by the crime-ridden city in which they live.
Detroit 1-8-7: Season One is available on DVD and iTunes (click on the icons above for more details), and consists of 18 episodes that originally aired from September 2010 through March 2011. (We think the producers are optimistic that the series may be picked up by another network at some point, hence the "Season One" designation.)
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James Nesbitt stars as maverick Irish police officer Tommy Murphy in Murphy's Law.
Guilt-ridden over the death of his young daughter, who was slain by the IRA, he flees to London to work undercover for the Metropolitan Police.
Murphy's Law: Season Four and Five is available on DVD (click on the icon left for more details), and consists of 6 episodes that originally aired on BBC during August 2006 and October 2007.
Also available, and being released this week, is Murphy's Law: The Complete Collection, which includes all 22 episodes of the series.
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Brenda Blethyn stars as Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope in Vera, based on a character created by crime novelist Ann Cleeves. Three of the episodes are adapted from novels in the series.
Set in and around Newcastle in scenic Northumberland County, Vera solves baffling crimes in the area with her trusted partner Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth (David Leon).
Vera: Series One is available on DVD (click on the icon left for more details), and consists of four episodes that originally aired on ITV in May 2011. The network has confirmed that a second series of Vera is in production.
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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.
First Teaser Trailer for The Hunger Games
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.
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.
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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!).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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!
