Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The Mystery at Marlatt Manor by Anne Loader McGee.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Center for Fiction Announces the Crime Fiction Academy
The Center for Fiction in New York City has announced a new program devoted exclusively to crime fiction. Called, appropriately enough, the Crime Fiction Academy, it will be the first on-going, rigorous program dedicated to crime writing in all its forms.
Beginning in February 2012, students accepted into the program will be taught by successful practitioners of the genre, including workshop leaders and master teachers Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Lee Child, Thomas H. Cook, Linda Fairstein, Susan Isaacs, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, Val McDermid, Joyce Carol Oates, S. J. Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, and Karin Slaughter, with more to come.
The Crime Fiction Academy not only offers the opportunity for potential writers to work with some of the greatest crime writers of the day, but to participate in intensive writing workshops, hear master class lectures, be part of reading seminars and special lectures, and take part in discussions with editors and agents from the world of crime fiction.
The building block of the Crime Fiction Academy, the workshop allows students the opportunity to work closely with a seasoned crime writer while also gaining a sense of camaraderie with their fellow classmates. Each workshop will include approximately 12 students and will consist of 14 weekly two-hour sessions. Format and content of workshops will vary according to style and goals of the particular writer/teacher, but all will include some in-class writing, discussions of the writing process, and the presentation and analysis of student work. Students may choose to develop short stories or a novel, with the goal of bringing the student’s writing to the next level by the end of the term.
These will be followed by monthly seminars led by a well known writer, in which they read and discuss the best in crime fiction.
Finally, each writer will have access to special lectures and discussions with editors and agents from the world of crime fiction publishing, round-the clock membership in The Center’s Writers’ Studio, free admission to all Center for Fiction events, and access to the Center’s extensive circulating collection.
All classes, workshops, and lectures will take place in the evening at The Center's Manhattan building.
Admission is limited and competitive and is based on work samples. Applications must be submitted by November 28th, 2011; see the program's website for details.
Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski is Today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Thursday, October 20, 2011.
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Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski
The Charlie Hardie Pulp Thriller Trilogy
Mulholland Books
The second book in this trilogy by the cult crime fiction sensation and Marvel Comics scribe is published this month; the final book is scheduled for March 2012.
About Fun & Games (from the publisher): Charlie Hardie, an ex-cop still reeling from the revenge killing of his former partner's entire family, fears one thing above all else: that he'll suffer the same fate.
Languishing in self-imposed exile, Hardie has become a glorified house sitter. His latest gig comes replete with an illegally squatting B-movie actress who rants about hit men who specialize in making deaths look like accidents. Unfortunately, it's the real deal. Hardie finds himself squared off against a small army of the most lethal men in the world: The Accident People.
It's nothing personal — the girl just happens to be the next name on their list. For Hardie, though, it's intensely personal. He's not about to let more innocent people die. Not on his watch.
Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Kenneth Branagh to Direct Film Adaptation of Henning Mankell's Italian Shoes
Henning Mankell may be best known to American audiences as the author of the Kurt Wallander mysteries, but he has also written a number of stand-alone crime novels as well as literary fiction. One of these latter books, Italian Shoes, first published in 2006, is being adapted for film, and in a possibly not so strange twist, Kenneth Branagh — who plays the small town Swedish police inspector in the made-for-television adaptations of the Wallander books — is set to direct it.
In Italian Shoes (Swedish title: Italienska skor), a devastating mistake drove Fredrik Welkin into a life as far as possible from his former position as a surgeon, where he mistakenly amputated the wrong arm of one of his patients. Now, many years later, he lives in a frozen landscape. Each morning he dips his body into the freezing lake surrounding his home to remind himself he’s alive. However, Welkins’s icy existence begins to thaw when he receives a visit from a guest who helps him embark on a journey to acceptance and understanding.
(Source: Variety.)
The Hank the Cowdog Mysteries to be Adapted as Animated Film
Odyssey Pictures has announced that the studio has acquired the screenplay and film rights to the Hank the Cowdog series of mystery adventures for kids.
The books, which now number 58 with the upcoming publication of The Case of the Mysterious Voice, are written by John R. Erickson and feature Hank, the Head of Ranch Security on a West Texas Panhandle cattle ranch. Erickson began the series in 1983.
Odyssey plans to produce Hank the Cowdog as an animated film.
(Source: Press Release.)
Harlequin Romantic Suspense Titles for November 2011
Sparked by danger, fueled by passion, Harlequin.com has released the list of November 2011 titles in their Romantic Suspense series. Let yourself be swept away with characters who fall in love under larger-than-life circumstances. In Harlequin Romantic Suspense, suspense, emotion and glamour combine to create these highly charged books!
For more information about the book from Harlequin.com, click on the book cover; other purchase options (Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and The Book Depository) are also provided.
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Cowboy's Triplet Trouble by Carla Cassidy
She had one reckless one-night stand and now Grace Sinclair has to face the fact that Justin Johnson, her triplets' father, is an irresponsible cad. But his cowboy brother Jake—smoldering hot and single—welcomes Grace and her infant daughters to their family's Oklahoma ranch. It's a quiet place … until someone tries to kill the single mom!
After years of cleaning up Justin's messes, Jake wants no responsibility for him—or anyone. Even as he protects Grace and feels a powerful sexual desire for her, he assures her they have no future. But when the killer makes another brazen attempt on Grace, Jake finds himself rethinking his life alone … and those three adorable babies.
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Missing Mother-To-Be by Elle Kennedy
Lana Kelley never imagined the magical night she shared with a stranger would result in pregnancy. But when she's kidnapped, Lana is shocked to discover one of her captors is none other than the father of her unborn child.
Mercenary Deacon Holt can't understand Lana. She should hate him. Instead, she refuses to believe he's coldhearted. Though Deacon tries to remain detached, he can't deny he still wants Lana.
And when Lana's life is threatened, Deacon will risk all to help her escape …
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High-Risk Reunion by Gail Barrett
Redemption is but a step away for reformed jewel thief Rafael Navarro. The price? One last, dangerous heist. But when things turn deadly and an innocent is accused, his only way out is to trust the woman who once betrayed him.
Eons ago, heiress Gabrielle Ferrer had broken Rafael's heart to save his life. Now that her covert quest for revenge against a ruthless criminal has taken a lethal turn, they are forced to work together to clear their names of murder. Old attractions and new desires flare—yet the secrets of their dark pasts may lead to a fatal future …
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Risky Christmas: Two Novellas
Holiday Secrets by Jill Sorenson
After witnessing her husband's murder eighteen months ago, Leah is in hiding and has no plans to celebrate Christmas. Though she tries to resist, her handsome new neighbor awakens long-buried feelings of attraction … and brings a killer to her door.
Kidnapped at Christmas by Jennifer Morey
Chloe is a struggling artist and thoroughly bored with her life—until a rugged FBI agent pulls her into a fast-paced adventure…and a sizzling love affair! The only damper on their mistletoe madness is a vengeful mobster who won't stop until they are both silenced … forever.
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New Television Trailer for The Woman in Black
Last night Spike TV premiered a new 60-second television trailer for The Woman in Black, adapted from the 1983 novel of the same title by Susan Hill.
Daniel Radcliffe stars as junior solicitor Arthur Kipps, who is tasked with attending to the affairs of the late Mrs. Alice Drablow, including the sale of her mansion Eel Marsh House. But he soon begins to uncover tragic secrets and encounters the ghost of a scorned woman set on vengeance.
Janet McTeer and Ciarán Hinds co-star in this Gothic thriller, which opens in US theaters February 3rd, 2012.
Second US Trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
A new trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has been posted online; we've embedded it below.
Robert Downey Jr. stars as Sherlock Holmes, with Jude Law as Dr. John Watson. In this second film of the series to feature these portrayals, Holmes takes on a new criminal mastermind in the city: Professor Moriarty (played by Jared Harris). When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, Scotland Yard's Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan) declares it a suicide. But Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder — a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Moriarty.
The film, directed by Guy Ritchie, also stars Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes, Noomi Rapace as the Gypsy Sim, and Kelly Reilly as Mary Morstan. It opens in US theaters December 16th, 2011.
Deadly Stillwater by Roger Stelljes is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Deadly Stillwater by Roger Stelljes 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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Deadly Stillwater by Roger Stelljes
A Mac McRyan Mystery (2nd in series)
Beaver's Pond Press (Smashwords)
About Deadly Stillwater (from the publisher): The ruggedly handsome Mac McRyan, a fourth-generation cop, is faced with a complicated brazen daytime kidnapping, a media storm surrounding the case, and political scrutiny. It is a case of betrayal and revenge that will ultimately strike at the soul of the St. Paul Police Department. From the searing streets of St. Paul to the icy shores of Lake Superior to the murky waters of the St. Croix River, Deadly Stillwater is a non-stop rush you won't be able to put down until its last thrilling minute.
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):
For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
OMN Welcomes Phyllis Smallman, Author of the Sherri Travis Mysteries
Omnimystery News is pleased to welcome today Phyllis Smallman, author of the Sherri Travis mysteries. The fourth book to feature the Florida beach town bartender is Champagne for Buzzards (McArthur & Company, September 2011 print and ebook editions).
The Sherri Travis series was one of six mysteries chosen by Good Morning America for a summer read in June 2010. In the summer of 2011, Zoomer Magazine picked the most recent book, Champagne for Buzzards, as its summer cottage read.
Photo provided courtesy of
Phyllis Smallman
"As a writer, for me character always comes first," says Phyllis, "and when it comes to an interesting personality Sherri Travis definitely holds her own. I like Sherri. She's a person I'd love to have a drink with at a beach bar down in Florida. Here's Sherri to tell you about herself."
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Don't listen to what people say about me, here's what you really need to know. I grew up in a trailer park on the edge of a swamp down in Florida. It was a pretty rough place but not without its rules. The rules went something like this: if you drink beer outside your trailer you share; if you are doing alright keep it to yourself because no one else is or they wouldn't be there; and you never, ever squeal. The last rule was the most important. If the cops showed up you knew nothing and saw nothing. This rule has come back to haunt me.
Ruth Ann, my mom, was pretty much a single parent and kept us alive by working every hour God sent. A good mom, she had one fatal flaw … she was a woman in love with love. For Ruth Ann, love was everything. She believed in romance: lived for it, even sacrificed her children for it. While watching her moulded me into a cynic at a very young age, lately I've found myself admiring her unfailing tenacity and devotion to hope, hope that survived reality and experience. Each new love of her life had her trusting absolutely that this time it would work out…this time he wouldn't cheat on her, or beat on her, or leave her. This time her affair would be the culmination of what all those bodice rippers she devoured told her love should be.
Growing up I never had any idea of what I wanted to be. I only knew what I didn't want: I didn't want to be like my mother, living for a man. My life would be more ordered, more controlled and safe. I pretty much blew that resolution when I married Jimmy Travis. A guy like Jimmy will quickly destroy your faith in true love and leave you thinking Cinderella is dead and the prince is gay.
One night, out on the beach at the Sunset, I am tending bar when this cop walks in and tells me my god-awful husband is dead … kind of a good news bad news situation, the downside being I'm the prime suspect. Having friends in low places can come in handy and in the Sunset a girl can find lots of those. They helped keep me out of the electric chair.
The other thing about a bar, besides the guys always coming on to you and getting you thinking that moonlight and roses likely only hides muggers and thorns, is you get to hear all sorts of things … who did what to whom, and how many times … who has the door open and is peaking out of the closet … and these days, so many times it could make you weep, who is about to lose everything. And in a bar you hear different versions of the same tale. It's hard to hide secrets behind a vale of alcohol so stories just naturally come unravelled in the Sunset.
I try not to get sucked into any of this but good intentions and I never have been the best of friends. Caring too much and not being able to look away is another bad example Ruth Ann set for me. Like the time I got trapped on an island with a dead body and a murderer just as a hurricane hit Jacaranda. That was all her fault, her voice in my head telling me to be nice and making me feel sorry for that tourist. And when Ruth Ann's old boyfriend, the guy who abused me when I was a kid, comes back to town with another single mother and her young daughter, well, how do you look away from that state of affairs? How could I not help the kid out? One of the things which drove me crazy about that situation was wondering if things would have worked out differently if Ruth Ann and I had told the cops what that dog-turd did to me back when I was a kid? Would we have saved other young girls from heart ache? Staying silent is not always a good thing no matter what the rules say.
What I really want you to understand is that nothing that happened was my fault. It just all sort of happened right there in front of me but I'm getting better at minding my own business. Most of the time, I just pour the drinks and listen to the stories with a deaf ear, but sometimes … well what's a girl to do?
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For more information about Phyllis Smallman and her books, visit her website at PhyllisSmallman.com.
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About Champagne for Buzzards:
With seven foot snakes and nasty horses, Florida ranch country can be as dangerous as the mean streets of any big city. Sherri Travis doesn't do country. She likes it even less when she meets Clay Adam's psychotic neighbors and finds a dead man in the back of her pickup. With fairy lights dancing through the Spanish moss and violent men closing in, the surprise party Sherri plans for Clay turns deadly. And while it isn't the party Sherri hoped for, it's a good one just the same.
Nominees for the 2011 Galaxy National Book Awards Announced
The nominees for the 2011 Galaxy National Book Awards (formerly known as the British Book Industry Awards) have been posted, including those in the category of Thriller and Crime Novel of the Year (see below). The winners will be revealed on Friday, November 4th at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge.
Thriller and Crime Novel Nominees …
• Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson (Doubleday)
• The Fear Index by Robert Harris (Hutchinson)
• Heartstone by C. J. Sansom (Pan)
• The Family by Martina Cole (Headline)
• The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin (Orion)
• Trick of the Dark by Val McDermid (Sphere)
(Hat tip to The Rap Sheet for alerting us to this list.)
Code Blue by Richard Mabry is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Code Blue by Richard Mabry 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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Code Blue by Richard Mabry
A Prescription for Trouble Medical Thriller
Abingdon Press
This is the first book in a series that the author calls "medical suspense with heart".
About Code Blue (from the publisher): "Code Blue" means more to Dr. Cathy Sewell than the cardiac emergency she has to face. It describes her mental state as she finds that coming back to her hometown hasn't brought her the peace she so desperately needs. Instead, it's clear that someone there wants her gone … or dead.
Cathy returns to her hometown seeking healing after a broken relationship, but discovers that among her friends and acquaintances is someone who wants her out of town … or dead. Lawyer Will Kennedy, her high school sweetheart, offers help, but does it carry a price tag? Is hospital chief of staff Dr. Marcus Bell really on her side in her fight to get hospital privileges? Is Will's father, Pastor Matthew Kennedy, interested in advising her or just trying to get her back to the church she left years ago? When one of Cathy's prescriptions almost kills the town banker, it sets the stage for a malpractice suit that could end her time in town, if not her career. It's soon clear that this return home was a prescription for trouble.
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):
For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
The Dead Saint by Marilyn Brown Oden is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Dead Saint by Marilyn Brown Oden 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 Dead Saint by Marilyn Brown Oden
A Bishop Lynn Peterson Mystery (1st in series)
Abingdon Press
About The Dead Saint (from the publisher): It begins with a single gunshot, and Bishop Lynn Peterson watches in horror as a good friend, who is a member of the New Orleans Saints, collapses on the street.
When a medal the player wore — a medal Lynn had promised to return to the man's family — disappears, Lynn is thrust into a suspenseful and fast-moving journey through four assassinations, an attempt on her life, conflicts with a mysterious and ancient society, and a behind-the-scenes conspiracy that reaches all the way to the White House.
The turbulent, unstoppable intrigue challenges Lynn mentally, physically, and spiritually as she engages in a desperate battle with an opponent who is just as determined to kill as Lynn is to stop him even though she has no idea where — or who — he will strike next.
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):
For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.
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