Review: Face of the Enemy by Joanne Dobson and Beverle Graves Myers

A Mysterious Review of …

Face of the Enemy by Joanne Dobson and Beverle Graves Myers. A New York in Wartime Mystery.

Review summary: This is a riveting mystery set during the early weeks of America's involvement in World War II, with a Japanese woman accused of murder. The supporting cast of characters is impressive as is the richly drawn setting, all conveying a sense of what it was like to live in New York City at this historic time for the country. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Face of the Enemy
Joanne Dobson and Beverle Graves Myers
A New York in Wartime Mystery
Poisoned Pen Press (September 2012)

Publisher synopsis: December, 1941: With New Yorkers painfully aware of their vulnerability after the Pearl Harbor attack, the FBI prowls the city snatching up Japanese residents. Tension increases for a sensitive Japanese artist when she’s accused of murder as well as espionage. Is Masako Fumi guilty? Or a victim of racial paranoia? Nurse Louise Hunter is outraged and vows to help her friend.

When the murdered body of Masako’s art dealer is discovered in the gallery where he’d been closing down her controversial show, Masako’s troubles multiply. Homicide detective Michael McKenna doubts her guilt, but an ambitious G-man schemes to lever the homicide and ensuing espionage accusations into a political cause célèbre.

Struggling to focus on one man’s murder while America plunges into a worldwide war, Louise and McKenna defy both racism and ham-fisted government agents in order to expose the real killer.

    

First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for October 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 October 2012, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens.

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A Rockin' Mystery
Franklin W. Dixon
The Hardy Boys: Secret Files

This series, featuring The Hardy Boys as pre-teens, is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Frank and Joe are thrilled to learn that the popular band, Crush, is scheduled to perform in Bayport's huge Battle of the Bands — and even more excited when they find out that their friend's brother, Dylan, is the bass guitarist. But on the day of the performance, Dylan's prized guitar has gone missing!

Could someone from a rival band have taken it in hopes of gaining an advantage? Or could the culprit be someone closer to home? It's up to Frank and Joe to investigate this rocking mystery — or else Crush might be crushed in the competition!

— ♦ —

Who Could That Be At This Hour?
Lemony Snicket

This first of the "All the Wrong Questions" books is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

In a fading town, far from anyone he knew or trusted, a young Lemony Snicket began his apprenticeship in an organization nobody knows about. He started by asking questions that shouldn't have been on his mind. Now he has written an account that should not be published, in four volumes that shouldn't be read.

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The Journey to Atlantis
Thea Stilton
Geronimo Stilton

This entry in the long-running series is recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

At the beach by Mouseford Academy, one of the Thea Sisters discovers a mysterious boy with blue skin washed up on the shore. He speaks an unfamiliar language, so the Thea Sisters call Thea Stilton to help figure out how to communicate with him. She sets the mouselings on an exciting journey across the world to hunt for clues about the boy's origins. Could he be prince of the underwater world of Atlantis? It's up to the Thea Sisters to get him home!

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Behind the Bookcase
Mark Steensland

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

Spending the summer at her grandmother's house is the last thing Sarah wants to do — especially now that Grandma Winnie has died — but she has no choice. Her parents have to fix the place up before they can sell it, and Sarah and her brother, Billy, have to help. But the tedious work turns into a thrilling mystery when Sarah discovers an unfinished letter her grandmother wrote: Strange things are happening behind the bookcase …

Sarah's mother dismisses the letter as one of Grandma Winnie's crazy stories, but Sarah does some investigating and makes a remarkable discovery: behind the bookcase is a doorway into Scotopia, the land where shadows come from. With a talking cat named Balthazat as her guide, Sarah begins an unforgettable adventure into a world filled with countless dangers. Who can she trust? And can she face her fears, not only in Scotopia, but also back at Grandma Winnie's house, where more secrets and strange goings-on await her?

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Danger Goes Berserk
Mac Barnett
Brixton Brothers

This fourth entry in the series is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12. (Lexile measure: 620L.)

It's a routine case …

… or at least as routine as a cases get when you're a twelve-year-old private detective who's been sleuthing for just a few months: Steve Brixton must don a neon wetsuit and work undercover to retrieve a stolen surfboard.

But when the assignment goes all wrong, Steve finds himself caught inside mysteries involving wild surfers, pirate smugglers, thick-necked goons, and a sixth-grader who can't find his gym shorts.

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The Secret Cellar
Michael D. Beil
Red Blazer Girls

This fourth entry in this series is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Mysteries seem to find the Red Blazer Girls: when Sophie finds a secret message in the antique fountain pen she bought for her father, the girls are on a case. Soon, they're at the home of the pen's original owner, a secretive man who kept to himself. His house is full of puzzles, all of which protect a hidden treasure, and the Blazers will do anything to get to the bottom of things. Throw in an ill-tempered bookstore owner with a motive, a missing will, a walking stick that doubles as a key, a school Christmas play, and a rat named Humphrey, and it all adds up to another thrilling adventure for the Red Blazer Girls.

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Pineapples in Peril
Cheryl Linn Martin
Hawaiian Island Detective Club

This first in a new series is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Thirteen-year-old Leilani Akamai and her friends, Maile and Sam, are the only official members of The Hawaiian Island Detective Club. Leilani pictures a summer full of secrets and stakeouts as she and her friends aim to solve their first real crime, a case of pineapple vandalism at Tong Plantation. It's all Leilani has to look forward to now that her younger brother, Kimo, has already ruined her summer. Thanks to him, surfing is out and she blames him for her broken arm, now in a clunky, itchy cast. To top things off, Kimo might interfere with the pineapple case and blow their entire investigation! The ugliness continues when Leilani's beloved surfboard ends up in the hands of her dreaded enemy. Can she get her board back and solve the first case of the Hawaiian Island Detective Club? This summer will be one to remember.

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The Tokyo Treasure
Kevin Sylvester
Neil Flambe

Another fourth in series, this mystery is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

World-class chef Neil Flambé isn't thrilled when his cousin Larry moves to Japan to work on an online manga comic book. Now who'll help him in the kitchen? But he finds a replacement in Gary the bike courier, and life, and the restaurant, moves on without Larry. That is, until the news that life may have really left Larry behind — he's been lost at sea.

Neil is devastated. But then he checks Larry's online manga. There's a subtle change in the plot, something Neil and Larry had discussed — something only Neil would notice. Is this a cryptic message from beyond the grave — or is Larry still alive? Determined to find out, Neil heads to Japan to solve his next mystery.

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The Labyrinth of Lies
Jordan Jacobs

This stand-alone, which may also be the first in a series, is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

There's nothing Samantha Sutton wants more than to become an adventure-seeking archaeologist like her brilliant Uncle Jay. Samantha's big dreams are finally coming true when Jay invites her along on a summer excavation of an ancient temple in the Peruvian Andes.

But this adventure isn't exactly what she thought it would be with her nosy older brother, Evan, and Jay's colleagues monitoring her every move. And she has to deal with the local legend, EI Loco: a ghostly madman who supposedly haunts the ruins. But when the project's most important finds go missing, it's up to Samantha to solve the mystery before the treasures of the temple are lost forever.

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The Quick Fix
Jack D. Ferraiolo
Matt Stevens

This sequel to The Big Splash is recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

When the star of the basketball team is blackmailed, it's up to Matt, the lone voice for justice in a morass of middle school corruption, to figure out who's behind the scheme. Is it eighth-grade crime lord Vinny “Mr. Biggs” Biggio, who has made his name peddling forged hall passes and leading a crew of social assassins who send enemies to the Outs with a humiliating squirt-gun blast below the belt? Or is it his lieutenant and Matt's former best friend, Kevin? Or a pair of scheming twins who sell Pixy Stix to sugar-addicted classmates? One thing's for sure: There won't be a quick fix for the trouble at this middle school.

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Becoming Holmes
Shane Peacock
Boy Sherlock Holmes

The final book in this award-winning series is recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

The surprising and shocking conclusion to the Boy Sherlock Holmes series. (No further synopsis available from the publisher.)

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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; Junior Sleuths, ages 10 to 12; and Apprentice Sleuths, ages 13 and older).

Telemystery: NBC Developing Crime Drama Featuring Young Thomas Edison

Last night we reported on two crime drama projects, one each at ABC and CBS … but we missed NBC's most recent project (via Deadline).

Titled Edison and set in 1880s New York City, the storyline follows a young Thomas Edison, who works as a consultant for the police department and "uses his inventor instincts and retro-cool devices to deconstruct crime scenes and pioneer new technology."

Daniel C. Connolly (Longmire) will write the script and co-executive produce.

Superior Justice by Tom Hilpert is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Superior Justice by Tom Hilpert 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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Superior Justice
Tom Hilpert
Publisher: Tom Hilpert

Jonah Borden is not your typical Lutheran pastor, and he takes pains to make sure everyone knows it. He's a tough-guy, thinks-he's-funny, rock-music-playing, gourmet-cooking, painfully-moderate-drinking, hard-boiled man of the cloth. He is even available for a bit of romance, under the right circumstances.

Doug Norstad, a member of Jonah Borden's church, is arrested for a vigilante killing. Norstad shares his true alibi with Borden, under the privileged status of religious confession. Knowing now that the man is innocent, Borden must prove it somehow, without divulging his secret. Along the way he uncovers a twisted series of murders and cover ups. Before it is all over, Borden himself has been bribed, beaten, shot, and arrested for murder. Even worse, he may be falling in love.

  

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.

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

Chalk Valley by D. L. Johnstone is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Chalk Valley by D. L. Johnstone 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.

— ♦ —

Chalk Valley
D. L. Johnstone
Publisher: D. L. Johnstone

In a remote mountain valley in British Columbia, a human monster preys on innocent lives. After teenagers discover the body of a missing girl in Chalk Valley, searchers find the remains of two more victims secreted deep in the woods. A serial killer is at work.

Chalk Valley police detective John McCarty is picked to lead a task force to find the murderer. But inexperience, politics and McCarty’s own inner demons quickly overwhelm him and the investigation falters.

Meanwhile, on a dark, lonely highway many miles from Chalk Valley, RCMP Sergeant Dave Kreaver comes across a van crashed at the side of the road. The driver is anxious to leave the scene. But Kreaver discovers an unconscious teenaged girl in the van. Kreaver feels in his gut that the driver could be the serial killer everyone’s looking for, but his inquiries are ignored. The task force is in well over its head, buried by thousands of leads and potential suspects. His supervisors tell him to back off and let the task force do its job.

Kreaver is in a deadly cat and mouse game with a murderous psychopath, a race against time with innocent victims in play. Operating alone and without official sanction, can he stop the Chalk Valley Killer before he claims more lives?

  

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.

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

Phoenix Splinter by Branli Caidryn is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Phoenix Splinter by Branli Caidryn 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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Phoenix Splinter
Branli Caidryn
Publisher: Battle King Press

Nineteen-year-old Keith Groenewald is an escaped experiment from Area Fifty-One. Harbored by a secret society, Veluz, Keith develops his telekinetic abilities, making him a key weapon for their covert missions. While working as part of an elite mercenary force, Keith is unsettled by rumors that Veluz may have orchestrated the experimentation that gave him his powers.

With each passing mission he learns his purpose goes far beyond that of a corporate pawn or mercenary-for-hire. His very existence is other worldly, not just alien, but something far more profound.

As he delves deeper into Veluz and their sinister goals of worldwide economic and political dominance, he pulls away from friends, family, and his hopes for a normal life — only to discover that every truth has its price and this one may cost him everything.

  

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.

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

Off the Grid by Mark Young is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Off the Grid by Mark Young 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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Off the Grid
Mark Young
A Gerrit O'Rourke Mystery
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing

Murders, bombings and a cryptic message force police detective Gerrit O’Rourke to live Off the Grid for his own survival — and that of the nation.

MIT educated, Force Recon trained, Gerrit joined the Seattle police department seven years ago after his parents perished in a car bomb in that city. A government-sanctioned coalition recruits Gerrit to retrieve information vital to U.S. interests, where he discovers the murdered body of a scientist dumped in a Vienna, Austria hotel room. This discovery — coupled with an intercepted message about a covert operation called Project Megiddo — hurls Gerrit into an international thriller that forever changes his world.

Others emerge to aid in Gerrit’s fight. Alena Shapiro, a former Mossad agent — whose parents fled their Russian homeland to resettle in Israel — seems to watch over Gerrit like a guardian angel. Joe Costello, a cyber security specialist who promises to unlock the secrets of Gerrit’s tragic history. Hank "Redneck" Riley, a reformed Aryan racist — making amends for his past — uses his unusual skills to give these crusaders an edge against an unyielding foe. Finally, Willy Williams, former banger from San Francisco, elevates his street skills to become a formidable computer hacker.

Facing overwhelming odds, Gerrit and his small band of fighters struggle within the shadows of a global conflict. Advanced technologies are the tools; global supremacy the goal. Gerrit must learn to fight and survive in an Orwellian future that begins today.

  

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.

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

Isle Royale by John Hamilton is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Isle Royale by John Hamilton 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.

— ♦ —

Isle Royale
John Hamilton
Publisher: RavenFire Media

The year: 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.

One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian bootleggers arrive. The gang’s leader is Sean LeBeck, former lover of Collene MacDougal — the lightkeeper’s wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.

The lightkeeper’s son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter "Chippewa". A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves. Given one last chance at redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day.

  

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.

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

Telemystery: ABC, CBS Order Crime Drama Projects

Two more Telemystery-ish network projects to report on tonight.

First from CBS, which is developing a crime drama titled Solve For X in which a game developer in San Francisco consults for a local police task force. Ilene Chaiken (The L Word) will write the initial script and executive produce. (Chaiken was also behind the last year's Quean project that was abandoned as being too similar to story elements of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.)

The second project is from ABC, which has ordered a script for Wrongful Death. The setting for this crime drama is Florida, where a former cop-turned-felon-turned-Tampa insurance adjuster reluctantly teams with an energetic but unpolished millennial at a private investigation firm to investigate wrongful deaths. Donald Todd (Samantha Who?, Hart of Dixie) with write and executive produce the script.

Both these news items (1, 2) first appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.

Telemystery: Your Fall 2012 Schedule for Wednesday, September 26th

Here is your Telemystery Fall 2012 Schedule for Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 (all times are ET/PT) …

At 9 PM on CBS is the eighth season opener for Criminal Minds. In an episode titled "The Silencer", when a Texas prisoner escapes during a transfer, he leaves behind victims with his unique trademark, sewing their mouths shut, a signature the BAU remembers as unique to the unsub "The Silencer". While they investigate who he was and who he's become, the BAU also gets to know the newest member of the team (Jeanne Tripplehorn as Alex Blake).

Also at 9 PM is the two hour premiere of the fourteenth season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: the first hour is titled "Lost Reputation" and second "Above Suspicion". The SVU squad is reeling from the fallout after Captain Cragen wakes up with a dead escort — a potential witness in an SVU case — in his bed. Tensions run high at the precinct as the detectives contend with District Attorney Paula Foster's investigation of Cragen, as well as the arrival of a tough new captain, Steven Harris. Brian Cassidy treads an increasingly narrow line as an undercover cop in Bart Ganzel's escort organization, as Detective Nick Amaro struggles with the case and his marriage.

At 10 PM, CSI returns with its thirteenth season opening episode, "Karma to Burn". D. B. Russell's granddaughter was kidnapped in last season's finale cliffhanger and now he leads the CSI team on a hunt to find her. Guest stars include Peri Gilpin as D. B.'s wife Barbara, Enrique Murciano as Detective Carolos Moreno, and Conor O'Farrell as former undersheriff Jeffrey McKeen.

Finally, though not a new episode per se, ABC is airing a one-hour recap of the first season of Revenge titled "The First Chapter". Revenge airs its second season premiere on Sunday, September 30th at 9 PM.

This Week's New Games of Mystery and Suspense — and more — from Big Fish Games (120925)

Here is this week's list of new games — many of which include elements of mystery and suspense — available to purchase and download from Big Fish Games.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Big Fish Games, which is updated daily, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can use this link to see the relevant page on BigFishGames.com.

Three Character Posters for Thriller Argo

Three character posters from the true story-inspired thriller Argo have been released by the studio (right, below; click for slightly larger images). The taglines: "The missiong was a movie." "The movie was a cover." "Hollywood bought the plot."

Directed by Ben Affleck from a screenplay by Chris Terrio, Argo is based on former CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez's account of the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

The film stars Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez (right), John Goodman as scriptwriter John Chambers (below left), and Alan Arkin as producer Lester Siegel (below right) together with Bryan Cranston, Kyle Chandler, and Victor Garber.

Argo opens in theaters October 12th, 2012.

Telemystery: USA Renews Covert Affairs and White Collar

USA Network announced today that both Covert Affairs and White Collar have been renewed.

Covert Affairs, which is currently airing its third season — though on a short break; it returns on October 16th — has been picked up for a fourth season of 16 episodes. The series has typically aired during the summer and fall.

White Collar, which recently concluded the first half of its fourth season, has been given an order of 16 episodes for its fifth season. The series typically airs in two phases, the first half during the summer and the remaining episodes during the winter (after the first of the year).

We've updated this information to our new Telemystery Scoresheet, a list of all US series that are currently, or soon will be, airing on the networks.

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (120925)

Here is today's list of the Bestselling Free Kindle Crime Fiction: the top nine mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers.

We're using a script to embed an RSS feed from Amazon.com, which is updated hourly, but if you cannot see the box below — or have scripts blocked — you can click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com.

New Hardcover Mysteries for October 2012

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of new hardcover mysteries with books scheduled for publication in October 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 October new mystery books page, which will become the default home page for the site on October 1st.

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

Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily Ashton, 7th) •  V. C. Andrews (Kindred Series, 2nd) •  C. C. Benison (Father Tom Christmas, 2nd) •  Michael A. Black (Leal and Hart, 3rd) •  Alison Bruce (Gary Goodhew, 4th) •  JoAnna Carl (Lee McKinney, Chocoholic, 12th) •  Joelle Charbonneau (Rebecca Robbins, 3rd) •  Laura Childs (Carmela Bertrand, Scrapbooking, 10th) •  Patricia Cornwell (Kay Scarpetta, 20th) •  Justin Cronin (Passage Trilogy, 2nd) •  Jeanne M. Dams (Dorothy Martin, 12th) •  Nelson DeMille (John Corey, 6th) •  James D. Doss (Charlie Moon, 17th) •  Elizabeth J. Duncan (Penny Brannigan, 4th) •  Ruth Dudley Edwards (Robert Amiss, 12th) •  Loren D. Estleman (Sherlock Holmes Short Stories •  Duncan Falconer (John Stratton, 8th) •  Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next, 7th) •  Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain (Murder, She Wrote, 38th) •  Dalton Fury ("Delta Force", 2nd) •  Rick Gavin (Nick Reid, 2nd) •  Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January, 10th) •  David Handler (Berger and Mitry, 9th) •  Charlaine Harris (Aurora Teagarden, 7th) •  Ellen Hart (Jane Lawless, 20th) •  Keigo Higashino (Manabu Yukawa, Detective Galileo, 2nd) •  Susan Hill (Simon Serrailler, 7th) •  Bill James (Harpur and Iles, 29th) •  David James (Amanda Thorne, 2nd) •  Iris Johansen (Eve Duncan and Joe Quinn, 14th) •  Darynda Jones (Charlotte "Charley" Davidson, 4th) •  Solomon Jones (Michael Coletti, 3rd) •  Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis (Nina Borg, 2nd) •  Todd Keisling (Donovan Candle, 2nd) •  Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga ("The Walking Dead", 2nd) •  Michael Lister (John Jordan, 5th) •  G. M. Malliet (Max Tudor, 2nd) •  Archer Mayor (Joe Gunther, 23rd) •  Keith McCarthy (Eisenmenger-Fleming, 9th) •  Jo Nesbø (Harry Hole, 9th) •  James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Daniel X, 5th) •  Anne Perry (Christmas Novellas, 11th) •  Brent Pilkey (Jack Warren, 3rd) •  Stella Rimington (Liz Carlyle, 7th) •  Imogen Robertson (Harriet Westerman, 3rd) •  Patrick Robinson (Mack Bedford, 4th) •  Michael Robotham (Joe O'Loughlin, 5th) •  John Sandford (Virgil Flowers, 6th) •  Alexander McCall Smith (Isabel Dalhousie, Sunday Philosophy Club, 9th) •  Sally Spencer (Monika Paniatowski, 5th) •  Shirley Tallman (Sarah Woolson, 5th) •  Patrick Taylor (Irish Country, 7th) •  Jane Tesh (David Randall, Grace Street, 2nd) •  Charles Todd (Holiday Tale •  M. J. Trow (Kit Marlowe, 3rd) •  Jeri Westerson (Medieval Noir, 5th) •  Lis Wiehl and Pete Nelson (East Salem Trilogy, 2nd) •  David Wong (David and John, 2nd) •  Sheila York (Lauren Atwill and Peter Winslow, 3rd)

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

Claude Berube (Connor Stark) •  John Billheimer (Lloyd Keaton) •  Carolyn Hart (Nela Farley) •  Andrew Hunt (Art Oveson) •  David Mark (Aector McEvoy) •  Peter May ("Isle of Lewis Trilogy") •  D. J. McIntosh ("The Mesopotamian Trilogy") •  Tim O'Mara (Raymond Donne) •  Mark Sullivan (Robin Monarch)

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

Dale Allan •  Piero Degli Antoni •  Albert Ashforth •  Iain Banks •  Robert Olen Butler •  Max Byrd •  Dorothy Cannell •  David Carnoy •  Reed Farrel Coleman •  Matthew J. Costello •  Mark Z. Danielewski •  Ted Dekker •  Louise Erdrich •  Felix Francis •  John Grisham •  Gerald Hammond •  William Heffernan •  Sheridan Hough •  Victoria Jenkins •  John Kerr •  Thomas M. Kostigen •  Dennis Lehane •  Donna Leon •  Jo-Ann Mapson •  Wil Mara •  John Martel •  Val McDermid •  Linda McDonald •  Peter Murphy •  Michael Newton •  Josh Pahigian •  James Patterson and Marshall Karp •  Andrew Rosenheim •  Robert J. Seidman •  Beth Tashery Shannon •  B. A. Shapiro •  Robin Sloan •  Richard Smolev •  Eva Maria Staal •  Larry D. Thompson •  Eliza Wood

For more information on any of these titles, please visit the October 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 October 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.