Special Offer: 23 Poisoned Pen Press eMysteries for 99 Cents

Last month, we mentioned that Poisoned Pen Press was offering 23 of its ebook mystery titles for 99 cents each. Much to our surprise, a month later it is still going on!

All 23 are series books, and many are first in series. We've read and reviewed mysteries by most of these authors — including a half dozen or so of the titles listed — and have nothing but praise for each. We encourage you to take advantage of this offer while it is still available!

For your convenience, we've listed all 23 mysteries below with links to popular ebook editions (Kindle, Nook, iBook, and Kobo).

Important Note: These titles were priced at 99 cents 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.

— ◊ —

Primitive Secrets
Deborah Turrell Atkinson
Series: Storm Kayama

Screenscam
Michael Bowen
Series: Rep and Melissa Pennyworth

The Old Buzzard Had It Coming
Donis Casey
Series: Alafair Tucker

Till the Cows Come Home
Judy Clemens
Series: Stella Crown

Dangerous Undertaking
Mark de Castrique
Series: Barry Clayton

In the Shadow of the Glacier
Vicki Delany
Series: Molly Smith

Artifacts
Mary Anna Evans
Series: Faye Longchamp

Shadows in the Night
Jane Finnis
Series: Aurelia Marcella

Heartshot
Steven F. Havill
Series: Posadas County

Mad Dog & Englishman
J. M. Hayes
Series: Mad Dog and Englishman

Interrupted Aria
Beverle Graves Myers
Series: Tito Amato

The Commission
Michael Norman
Series: Sam Kincaid

Silver Lies
Ann Parker
Series: Inez Stannert

The Heat of the Moon
Sandra Parshall
Series: Rachel Goddard

Family Claims
Twist Phelan
Series: Pinnacle Peak

Artscape
Frederick Ramsay
Series: Ike Schwartz

Four for a Boy
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer
Series: John the Eunuch

Wine of Violence
Priscilla Royal
Series: Prioress Eleanor

HardScape
Justin Scott
Series: Ben Abbott

Done Deal
Les Standiford
Series: John Deal

Concrete Desert
Jon Talton
Series: David Mapstone

A Case of Imagination
Jane Tesh
Series: Madeline Maclin

Desert Wives
Betty Webb
Series: Lena Jones

First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for March 2012

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 March 2012, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens.

— ◊ —

Chase Against Time
Steve Reifman
A Chase Manning Mystery

In a last-ditch effort to save Apple Valley Elementary's award-winning music program from looming budget cuts, the PTA plans to auction off a recently-donated, handcrafted cello at the school’s annual fund-raising dinner. Confidence is high—until the cello turns up missing the morning of the event. The school principal charges Chase Manning, a fifth grader who has dreamed of playing in the Sixth Grade Honors Orchestra his whole life, with finding the cello by three o'clock. Each hour of the school day involves surprising and suspense-filled plot turns as Chase pursues the elusive cello. This single-day, real-time mystery thriller truly is a Chase against time!

This first in a new series is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

— ◊ —

The Lost Journal: Mysteries of the Nile
Phillip Steele

You hold in your hands the long-lost journal of 1920s newspaper reporter Herbert Fothergill. Its contents detail an expedition to Egypt to solve the mystery of the mummy's curse. The Unsolved Mysteries Department is stumped — they need you to uncover the truth! This hands-on adventure is packed with special items, including a foldout map and scrapbook documents that will help you solve the mystery … and learn cool, real-world facts about ancient Egypt in the process.

This adventure book is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

— ◊ —

Time Camera
Simon Rose

The massive explosion in which Eleanor Chamberlain died at her research laboratory was seen as a tragic accident. Or was it the perfect crime? Two years later, Jake and Lydia discover a mysterious camera, capable of taking pictures of the distant past … and the future. As they uncover the shocking truth and learn secrets that people will kill to protect, Jake and Lydia are soon propelled into a deadly and desperate race against time to save the future.

This stand-alone mystery is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

— ◊ —

The Mastermind Plot
Angie Frazier
A Suzanna Snow Mystery

Suzanna "Zanna" Snow can hardly believe her luck: She's just arrived in Boston, the city she's wanted to visit for as long as she can remember. Think of all the mysteries waiting to be solved here! Her grandmother and cousin, Will, welcome her warmly, but her famous detective uncle, Bruce Snow, seems anything but pleased. He doesn't want Zanna meddling in his current case involving a string of mysterious warehouse fires along the harbor front. But Zanna can't help herself. Is someone setting the fires? Just when she thinks she's on to something, a strange man starts following her. Is he a threat? Zanna needs to solve the case before she has the chance to find out.

This second Suzanna Snow mystery is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

— ◊ —

The Dead of Night
Peter Lerangis
The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers

The Vespers have crossed a line. Amy and Dan were devastated when the Vespers kidnapped seven Cahills around the world, holding them hostage until Amy and Dan delivered an impossible ransom. But at least the hostages were Cahills — members of the world's most powerful family, trained to face all odds.

Now the Vespers have gone too far. They've kidnapped Atticus, an innocent 11 year old boy and Dan's only friend. Now Dan and Amy are in the struggle of their lives. Because if they can't outwit the Vespers, the unthinkable will happen … Atticus will die.

This third in the series of The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

— ◊ —

The Night of the Living Dogs
Trina Robbins
The Chicagoland Detective Agency

Yes, Chicagoland is an odd place. But the word is out that Megan, Raf, and Raf's talking dog Bradley are the team to go to when weirder things than usual start happening. Their Chicagoland Detective Agency takes danger in hand (and paw) to find a mysteriously missing puppy and an even more mysterious pack of dogs that only shows up once a month.

Bradley's nose knows from the start that this is more than a simple case of stray pets … and a whole lot more than a stray case of full-moon transmogrification! Will high tech and haikus be enough to save them from the world's worst case of doggy breath?

The Chicagoland Detective Agency graphic novels are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

— ◊ —

The Mutant Mathletes
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
A Lunch Lady Graphic Mystery

The Breakfast Bunch have joined the mathletes team, and are all set to win the championship trophy for Thompson Brook Elementary School — they only need to beat the defending champs from Willowby Academy. But Lunch Lady notices something strange about the opposing matheletes and their sinister coach. Will she and her sidekick Betty be able to sort out the suspicious competitors before they snatch victory away from the Breakfast Bunch?

The Lunch Lady Graphic Mysteries are recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

— ◊ —

The Adventure of the Black Peter
Sophie Rohrback
On the Case with Holmes and Watson

Are you a detective? Get on the case with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to solve an impossible mystery. See if you can figure out how Holmes pulls the facts together so quickly. Clues at the back of the book will reveal his process of reasoning and how he solved the crime. Who killed Captain Peter Carey? Everyone knows that Captain Carey, nicknamed Black Peter, was a nasty, cruel character. But who would murder him and why? Can Holmes, Watson, and Inspector Lestrade find the brutal killer before it's too late?

Three additional books in the series are also being published this month: The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, The Adventure of the Three Garridebs, and The Gloria Scott.

On the Case with Holmes and Watson graphic novels, based on the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, are 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).

New Trailer for Easy Money II, Adapted from the Crime Novels by Jens Lapidus

Two years ago a Swedish-language film adaptation of Snabba Cash, a 2006 crime thriller by Jens Lapidus, was released in Europe. The film is finally coming to the US as Easy Money this July, but in the meantime, a sequel based on the final two books of what the author calls his "Stockholm Noir Trilogy", Aldrig Fucka Upp (2008) and Livet Deluxe (2011), is in post-production for an August 2012 release in Sweden.

A trailer for this second film, simply titled Easy Money II, is now available and we've embedded it below. (It is in Swedish, with English subtitles.)

Both films star Joel Kinnaman — you may recognize him from his role on AMC's The Killing — as Johan "JW" Westlund, who is drawn into the world of organized crime for the money to support a lifestyle well above his means.

Warner Bros. has optioned the first book for an English-language film adaptation with Zac Efron attached to star … though this information is some two years old.

Waiting for Armando by Judith K. Ivie is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Waiting for Armando by Judith K. Ivie 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.

— ◊ —

Waiting for Armando by Judith K. Ivie
A Kate Lawrence Mystery
Publisher: Mainly Murder Press

About Waiting for Armando (from the publisher): When prominent attorney Alain Girouard is found murdered, and his secretary becomes the leading suspect, Kate Lawrence and her colleagues band together to exonerate one of their own.

Possibilities include the many women Girouard discarded over the years, a horticulturist with an interest in deadly flora, the victim’s wife, who has a surprising lover of her own, and a local clairvoyant.

Each clue puts Kate closer to the truth but further into danger when the murderer decides to put an end to her meddling.

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):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Deadly Friendship by Sam Phillips is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Deadly Friendship by Sam Phillips 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.

— ◊ —

Deadly Friendship by Sam Phillips
A Rick Cunningham Mystery
Publisher: Crossroads Publishing

About Deadly Friendship (from the publisher): Rick Cunningham can’t believe his ears when a caller to a radio talk show accuses his friend and co-worker, Marty Farber, of planting a pipe-bomb in a school classroom that blew his teacher to bits. The sixteen-year old crime was never solved, alleges the caller, because Marty’s influential father conspired with police to cover it up. The caller concludes with the veiled threat that providence is about to take revenge on all of the participants in the crime.

About to wrap up a financial consulting job for Fort Lauderdale’s Century Bank, Rick is asked by Marty’s father, Louis, president of the bank, to discreetly search out the identity and whereabouts of the caller. Louis refuses to enlist the aid of the law, citing the negative publicity that could result for his family as well as the bank. Although inwardly concerned that Louis may be planning to harm the caller, Rick agrees, and is immediately confronted with the mysterious death of the former police chief, one of those on the telephone caller’s list!

Casting aside continuing struggles with his romantic life, Rick enters the Farbers’ murky world of secrets, conspiracies and murder.

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):

Amazon Free Kindle Edition Download Link.

For more free mystery ebooks, visit our Free MystereBooks page.

Blood of the Wicked by Leighton Gage is Today's Barnes&Noble Nook Daily Find

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Blood of the Wicked by Leighton Gage as today's Barnes&Noble Daily Find. The deal price of $2.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, February 25, 2012.

— ◊ —

Blood of the Wicked by Leighton Gage
A Mario Silva Investigation
Publisher: Soho Crime

This is a terrific debut to a terrific series — we've reviewed all five books in the series to date — set in present day Brazil. We called Blood of the Wicked "a strongly written and powerful novel that will be remembered long after the final pages are read."

About Blood of the Wicked (from the publisher): In the remote Brazilian town of Cascatas do Pontal, where landless peasants are confronting the owners of vast estates, the the bishop arrives by helicopter to consecrate a new church and is assassinated.

Mario Silva, Chief Inspector for Criminal Matters of the Federal Police of Brazil, is dispatched to the interior to find the killer. The Pope himself has called Brazil’s president; the pressure is on Silva to perform. Assisted by his nephew, Hector Costa, also a federal policeman, Silva must battle the state police and a corrupt judiciary as well as criminals who prey on street kids, the warring factions of the Landless League, the big landowners and the Church itself, in order to solve the initial murder and several brutal killings that follow. Justice is hard to come by. An old priest, a secret liberation theologist, finally metes it out.

Read our review of Blood of the Wicked by Leighton Gage.

Important Note: Barnes&Noble updates its Nook Daily Find every day at approximately midnight PT. The title referenced above is available at a discounted price for Saturday, February 25, 2012 only.

Download Link(s):

B&N Nook Daily Find.

Amazon Kindle Price Match (today only).

New Poster, Trailer for Action Thriller The Raid: Redemption

A new poster (right; click for larger image) and trailer (below) for the martial arts action-thriller The Raid: Redemption has been released. The tagline: "1 ruthless crime lord. 20 elite cops. 30 floors of chaos."

The film stars Iko Uwais as Rama, a member of a special forces team, who arrives at a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord. The building has become a sanctuary to killers, gangs, rapists and thieves seeking accommodation in the one place they know they cannot be touched by the police. When a spotter blows their cover, Rama and his team must fight their way through every floor and every room not just to complete their mission … but to survive their bloody ordeal.

Also known as Serbuan maut — its original Indonesian title — the film is directed by Gareth Evans from his own screenplay. It opens in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on March 23rd, 2012.

Rex Libris Comic Film Adaptation Gets New Screenwriter

Walden Media is reportedly moving forward with the film adaptation the comic series "Rex Libris" by hiring Ben Zazove to write the screenplay. The studio acquired the rights last year from Warner Bros., where it had been in back-burner development for years.

Thirteen issues of the comic, written and illustrated by James Turner, were published from August 2005 through October 2008. The first five issues were collected into the graphic novel Rex Libris, Volume One: I, Librarian, with the remaining issues in Rex Libris, Volume Two: Book of Monsters.

Rex Libris is the Head Librarian at Middleton Public Library. His unending struggle against the forces of ignorance and darkness leads him to travel to the farthest reaches of the galaxy in search of overdue books. Wearing his super thick bottle glasses, and armed with an arsenal of high technology weapons, he strikes fear into recalcitrant borrowers, and can take on virtually any foe from zombies to renegade literary characters.

(Related article: Variety.)

New Hardcover Mysteries for March 2012

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of new hardcover mysteries with books scheduled for publication in March 2012. Please note that some titles may publish early, and may already be available, and some may be delayed, published at a later date.

Below we're listing those authors with returning series characters, new series characters, and non-series or stand-alone mysteries in separate sections. All titles are available on our March new mystery books page, which will become the default home page for the site on March 1st.

• Authors with mysteries featuring returning series characters (in italics) this month:

Hal Ackerman (Harry Stein, 2nd) —  Jane Adams (Naomi Blake, 7th) —  Susan Wittig Albert (China Bayles, 20th) —  Ted Bell (Alexander Hawke, 7th) —  Cara Black (Aimée Leduc, 12th) —  Rhys Bowen (Molly Murphy, 11th) —  C. J. Box (Joe Pickett, 12th) —  Laura Childs (Theodosia Browning, Tea Shop, 13th) —  Jane K. Cleland (Josie Prescott, Antiques, 7th) —  Jack Coughlin and Donald A. Davis (Sniper, 5th) —  Clive Cussler and Justin Scott (Isaac Bell, 5th) —  David Dickinson (Lord Francis Powerscourt, 11th) —  Paul Doherty (Brother Athelstan, 11th) —  Alex Dryden (Moscow Spy Thrillers, 3rd) —  Kate Ellis (Wesley Peterson, 16th) —  Mary Anna Evans (Faye Longchamp, 7th) —  Kate Flora (Joe Burgess, 3rd) —  Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen, 15th) —  Christopher Fowler (Bryant and May, 9th) —  Kerry Greenwood (Corinna Chapman, 6th) —  Elizabeth Gunn (Sarah Burke, 4th) —  Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian, 27th) —  C. S. Harris (Aurora Teagarden, 5th) —  Charlaine Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr, 7th) —  Veronica Heley (Abbot Agency, 5th) —  Victoria Houston (Paul "Doc" Osborne, Loon Lake, 12th) —  Merry Jones (Harper Jennings, 2nd) —  John J. Le Beau (Franz Waldbaer, 2nd) —  Adrian Magson (Harry Tate, 3rd) —  Lou Manfredo (Joe Rizzo, 3rd) —  Scott Mariani (Ben Hope, 7th) —  Keith McCarthy (Lance Elliot, 3rd) —  Gerard O'Donovan (Mike Mulcahy, 2nd) —  Brad Parks (Carter Ross, 3rd) —  Thomas Perry (Jane Whitefield, 7th) —  Leif G. W. Persson (Lars Martin Johansson, 5th) —  Mary Reed and Eric Mayer (John the Eunuch, 9th) —  Yrsa Sigurðardóttir (Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, 3rd) —  Roz Southey (Charles Patterson, 6th) —  Sally Spencer (Inspector Blackstone, 9th) —  Lyndon Stacey (Charlie Whelan, 2nd) —  Olen Steinhauer (Milo Weaver, 3rd) —  Jon Stock (Daniel Marchant, 2nd) —  James Thompson (Kari Vaara, 3rd) —  Kate White (Bailey Weggins, 6th) —  Randy Wayne White (Doc Ford, 19th) —  Tina Whittle (Tai Randolph, 2nd) —  Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs, 9th)

• Authors with mysteries introducing characters (in italics) in a new series this month:

Nicci French (Frieda Klein)

• Authors with non-series or stand-alone mysteries this month:

Marian Babson —  Dan Barden —  Louis Begley —  Suzanne Brockmann —  Harlan Coben —  Mike Cooper —  Stephen Dau —  Byron L. Dorgan and David Hagberg —  Tom Epperson —  Lyndsay Faye —  Matthew Glass —  Heather Graham —  Robert Greer —  Gemma Halliday —  Nick Harkaway —  Noah Hawley —  Jonnie Jacobs —  Steven John —  A. J. Kazinski —  Ted Kosmatka —  Joe R. Lansdale —  Owen Laukkanen —  Adam Levin —  Fuminori Nakamura —  James Patterson and David Ellis —  Richard North Patterson —  Chris Pavone —  Frank Peretti —  Tim Powers —  James Rollins —  M. J. Rose —  Kieran Shields —  Jack Steel —  Maggie Toussaint —  Andrew Vachss —  Kate Wilhelm —  Irvin D. Yalom

For more information on any of these titles, please visit the March new mysteries page on our website. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where you can discover a library of new mystery, suspense and thriller books, also updated with March 2012 releases.

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.