With One for the Money not doing terrific box office business, it's unlikely there will be Two for the Dough, but Katherine Heigl — who stars as bounty hunter Stephanie Plum in the film adaptation of Janet Evanovich's comic mystery novel — is still looking to star in movies in our preferred genre, albeit somewhat edgier ones.
Heigl has reportedly signed on to star in the thriller Face Blind as a psychologist suffering from prosopagnosia — face blindness — and is targeted by a stalker, who, of course, she cannot recognize. (This sounds suspiciously similar to last year's Faces in the Crowd starring Milla Jovovich … but maybe we're quibbling here.)
More interestingly, she's also being associated with Brian Henson's "puppet noir" film Happytime Murders, the storyline of which involves the puppet cast of the 1980s kids TV show "The Happytime Gang" that gets murdered one by one, with a disgraced LAPD homicide detective-turned-private eye puppet taking on the case.
We'll keep you posted if either of these projects moves forward.
(Related articles: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter.)
Friday, February 03, 2012
Katherine Heigl to Star in Thrillers Face Blind, possibly Happytime Murders
Review: Those Who Love Night by Wessel Ebersohn
Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: Those Who Love Night by Wessel Ebersohn.
New Character Posters for the Thiller Red Lights
Earlier this week we featured an English-language trailer for the psychological/paranormal thriller Red Lights.
Today four new character posters for the film have surfaced (below; click on each for a larger version).
The film stars Sigourney Weaver as Professor Margaret Matheson who, together with her assistant Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) dissect and disprove phenomena from the metaphysical world. Elizabeth Olsen is a student at the university where Matheson teaches. Robert De Niro plays Simon Silver, one of the most gifted psychics of all time, who Matheson tried — but failed — to prove as a fraud 30 years ago, and who has suddenly come out of retirement … but why and to what end is unknown.
Red Lights is written and directed by Rodrigo Cortés will open in Spain on March 2nd, 2012; a US release date has not yet been set.
The taglines on the posters are, respectively, "How much do you want to believe?", "Do you believe?", "There is no escape from your own mind", and "Not everything can be explained".
Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber is Today's Sixth Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber as today's sixth free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber
A Simon Shaw Mystery
Publisher: St. Martin's Press/Bella Rosa Books
The winner of the 1996 St. Martin's Press Best Traditional Mystery Contest, this is the first book (in a series of five) to feature Raleigh (NC) history professor Simon Shaw.
About Simon Said (from the publisher): Forensic historian Simon Shaw likes his murders old and cold, and his first case fits the bill. An archeologist friend has found a skeleton with a bullet hole in its skull under historic Bloodworth House, and Simon investigates with his usual doggedness until he discovers that the corpse is Anne Bloodworth, an heiress who disappeared in 1926. Shaw feels compelled to find out who killed her. But this turns out to be more than an academic exercise when someone who wants to hide past secrets tries to murder him!
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Rock & Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Rock & Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell as today's fifth free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Rock & Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell
A Jason Duffy Mystery
Publisher: Killeena Publishing
San Diego PI Jason Duffy is introduced in this mystery, of which we said, "Filled with insider details of the entertainment industry, music and mystery fans alike will be thrilled with Rock & Roll Homicide."
About Rock & Roll Homicide (from the publisher): Just as the rock band Doberman’s Stub was about to reach stadium tour status, its leader was brutally murdered when his headphones exploded during a recording session. The widow, who inherits $5 million, is the San Diego Police Department’s number one suspect. She hires Jason Duffy, a 27-year-old PI in his first year of private practice, in spite of his background as a former musician.
Jason learns that the victim was also a very skilled contract negotiator, who was in the middle of an acrimonious renegotiation with the record company at the time of his death. He also finds that the record company has a very unhealthy tie to the Russian Mafia.
As an inexperienced detective, Jason does not yet have the contacts within the police department to gather vital information. He is forced to mend fences with his estranged father, an opinionated ex-SDPD detective.
Read our review of Rock & Roll Homicide by R. J. McDonnell.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Dead Angler by Victoria Houston is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Dead Angler by Victoria Houston as today's fourth free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Dead Angler by Victoria Houston
A Loon Lake Mystery
Publisher: Tyrus Books
This repeat freebie (from December 2011) is the first title in a series of 11 mysteries (to date) that feature retired dentist and fly fisherman Paul "Doc" Osborne.
About Dead Angler (from the publisher): Retired dentist Paul Osborne hasn't fly fished since his wife died. He hasn't had a woman tell him what to do since then either. But in the company of Lewellyn Ferris, he's relearning both. And when he and his lady instructor find a well-dressed body floating in the moonlight, Paul adds deputy to his list of experiences …
Whether the death is accidental — or accidentally on purpose — Lewellyn is determined to tell in the truth. She enlists Pail and his walleye-expert buddy, Ray, to help her get to the bottom of the murky mystery. Whoever thought small-town retirement could be this dangerous?
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia as today's third free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia
A Deborah de Lille Mystery
Publisher: Camel Press
About Ding Dong the Diva's Dead (from the publisher): Deborah de Lille is an opera singer in the least grand sense. Debbie doesn't foresee a future beyond Handel Messiahs and low-budget tours … until her agent finagles her a minor role with a small-town company. The artists assembled for this production of Offenbach s spooky opera, Tales of Hoffmann, have more than opera on their minds. Their games of love are not for the faint of heart, and the cutthroat atmosphere may have become literal. How far are they willing to go to advance their careers and even the score?
The singer Debbie replaced died under suspicious circumstances, and after another minor player bows out suddenly, she is also given her role. Now she has two small roles that no one in their right mind would kill for. So, either someone isn't in their right mind, or the close calls threatening Debbie's safety are all unlucky coincidences. Add to the mix three preening tenors, a sexy lesbian director, a vengeful conductor, an obscenely rich and Hollywood-handsome general director, a fading Italian pop star, a trio of bitchy leading sopranos, an ambitious understudy, countless attention-starved underlings, an anti-opera terrorist group, a resident ghost, and Debbie's kooky and dysfunctional friends and family, and you have an opening night that promises to genuinely thrill and chill.
Read our review of Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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A Witch Among Friends by Dale Whisman is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature A Witch Among Friends by Dale Whisman as today's second free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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A Witch Among Friends by Dale Whisman
A Carl Jacobs Mystery
Publisher: Deadly Niche Press
Written by a licensed private investigator himself, this is the second mystery in this series to feature PI Carl Jacobs.
About A Witch Among Friends (from the publisher): A boiling witch's brew of sex, murder, infidelity, and deceit, with Carl Jacobs caught in the undertow, and the safety and well being of a little girl at stake — a burning stake.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
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Church and State by Skip Coryell is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Church and State by Skip Coryell as today's free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Church and State by Skip Coryell
Publisher: Whitefeather Press
About Church and State (from the publisher): With the passage of the Freedom From Religion Act, it is now against the law for public officials to talk about God in public. There are also two more bills pending: one would strip churches of their tax-exempt status, while the second would remove the phrase "In God We Trust" from all currency. For President Dan Vermeulen, a newly converted Christian, this is the ultimate challenge. Can he remain silent and still be true to God, or does his faith demand action? The question is suddenly answered with the mysterious appearance of Joshua Moses Talbert, a modern-day prophet of God who becomes known as The Bulletproof Preacher. But more questions arise in the wake of a failed assassination attempt and the abduction of the President.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
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Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending February 03, 2012
A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending February 3rd, 2012 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.
P. D. James's stand-alone novel Death Comes to Pemberley remains at number 1 this week with last week's featured title, Taken by Robert Crais, jumping into the second spot.
One new title debuts.
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The stand-alone financial thriller, The Fear Index by Robert Harris, enters the list at number 13.
Dr. Alex Hoffmann's name is carefully guarded from the general public, but within the secretive inner circles of the ultra-rich he is a legend. He has developed a revolutionary form of artificial intelligence that predicts movements in the financial markets with uncanny accuracy. His hedge fund, based in Geneva, makes billions.
But one morning before dawn, a sinister intruder breaches the elaborate security of his lakeside mansion, and so begins a waking nightmare of paranoia and violence as Hoffmann attempts, with increasing desperation, to discover who is trying to destroy him.
Purchase Options:
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For more mystery books news, please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
International Mystery Writers' Festival Confirmed for June 14th through 17th, 2012
Owensboro (KY) RiverPark Center officials announced today that the 2012 International Mystery Writers' Festival, "Discovering New Mysteries" is a go. The eagerly awaited fourth year of the award-winning festival will take place June 14th through 17th, 2012.
In years past, the festival has hosted an unprecedented array of best-selling authors, internationally known actors and successful TV writer/producers including: Gene Hackman, Mary Higgins Clark, Josh Hutcherson, Sue Grafton, Anthony E. Zuiker (creator of the "CSI" franchise), René Balcer (creator of Law and Order: Criminal Intent), William Link (co-creator of Columbo and Murder She Wrote), and dozens of others who actively participated in workshops, panel discussions, and retrospectives of their work. And, the new plays "discovered" at the Festival by up-and-coming writers in 2008 and 2009 have gone on to win multiple Edgar Awards.
Three works from hundreds of play submissions will be selected in February to debut during the four-day festival, which will include two live radio theatre productions and one full-length stage play.
In addition to the stage and live radio productions, the Festival will showcase film and television mysteries, along with the talent behind them. The featured films will include writer/director Lee Goldberg's Bumsickle, the sequel to his acclaimed short film Remaindered, both of which were produced in Owensboro using local talent in front of, and behind, the camera. "There is nothing like Owensboro's mystery festival anywhere else in the U.S, which is why it attracts some of the biggest names in books, television and the stage," said Goldberg. "And the festival's success discovering, and producing, one Edgar Award-winning play after another isn't just astounding, it's unprecedented. It's an honor for me to be part of the Festival again."
RiverPark Center will be making detailed announcements regarding the festival in the next few weeks. For more information, visit the organization's website at NewMysteries.org.
(Souce: Press release.)
New Trailer for The Hunger Games
A new trailer has been released (via Yahoo! movies) for the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games; we've embedded it below. It's relatively short at just over a minute but like the previous one, brilliantly produced.
To celebrate 50 days until the film's world premiere on March 12th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, the studio is holding a giveaway. Use the #HungerGames50 hashtag on Twitter to find the 50 chances to win tickets through our partner sites. (We're not exactly sure how this works …)
Update: We think this may be one way to enter: Tweet "May the odds be in my favor to win tickets to The Hunger Games premiere #HungerGames50 #YahooGiveaway http://yhoo.it/yahoohungergames".
For the rest of us, The Hunger Games opens in theaters nationwide on March 23rd.
Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie: Poirot Series 1
Purchase/Rental Option(s)
This collection of 10 episodes are the earliest produced in this long-running series, which stars David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. They have been remastered and are being re-released in the order in which they originally aired on ITV during the Spring of 1989. Even if seen before — and fans of the series have no doubt seen them all — this high-quality set is a must-have for collectors, who will appreciate seeing the character develop from his earliest days on screen to the one we know today, some 20 years later.
Read the full text of our review at Mr. E. Reviews Agatha Christie: Poirot Series 1.
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Mr. E. Reviews is your source for mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime drama reviews of television and film.
Honk Honk, My Darling by James Finn Garner is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Honk Honk, My Darling by James Finn Garner as today's third free mystery ebook.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Honk Honk, My Darling by James Finn Garner
A Rex Koko, Private Clown Mystery
Publisher: CreateSpace
This first in a series of "clown noir" introduces Rex Koko and was the winner of the 2011 Chicago Writers Association’s Book of the Year Award in the non-traditional fiction category.
About Honk Honk, My Darling (from the publisher): It's 1944, in a dirty, crowded American city. As different groups struggle to scratch out a living, territorial boundaries remain clearly marked. The Chinese stay in Chinatown. Negroes crowd into Black Bottom. And the circus folks—faded stars, hangers-on and those kinkers temporarily down on their luck— keep their distance from "respectable society" in a sawdusty ghetto called Top Town.
There, under garish neon and tattered canvas, audiences come every night for cheap thrills, both wholesome and not. Fire eaters perform for gin money. Gypsies reveal the future (and for a sawbuck can make it happen). Daredevils cheat Death time after time, but once. And witness to it all is one of the most loved and notorious figures in Top Town, a tough joey with a deadly past and a nose for picking all the wrong fights: Rex Koko, private clown.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Two First-in-Series Mysteries by Ann Charles are Today's Second Featured Free MystereBooks
MystereBooks is pleased to feature the two first-in-series mysteries by Ann Charles as today's second free mystery ebooks.
This title was listed as free as of the date and time of this post. Prices are subject to change without notice. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your transaction.
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Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles
A Deadwood Mystery
Publisher: Corvallis Press
This first in a series introduces amateur sleuth Violet Parker. It was the winner of the 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
About Nearly Departed in Deadwood (from the publisher): Little girls are vanishing from Deadwood, South Dakota. Fearing her daughter might be next, single mom, Violet Parker, is desperate to find the monster behind the abductions. Short on time and long on worry, she refuses to give up her dream of a fresh start in Deadwood. But with a malicious coworker trying to get her fired, a secret admirer sending her creepy messages, and a sexy stranger hiding skeletons in his closet, Violet could end up as one of Deadwood's dearly departed.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
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Dance of the Winnebagos by Ann Charles
A Jackrabbit Junction Mystery
Publisher: Corvallis Press
This first in a series introduces amateur sleuth Claire Morgan.
About Dance of the Winnebagos (from the publisher): When Claire's grandfather and his army buddies converge in the Arizona desert, it's her thankless job to keep them out of trouble with the opposite sex. But when she finds a human leg bone and partners with a reluctant geotechnician to dig up secrets from the past, trouble finds her. She's losing her heart. Worse, if she doesn't stop digging, she could lose her life.
Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
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