Horns by Joe Hill is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Horns by Joe Hill as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Sunday, January 27, 2013.

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Horns
Joe Hill
A Novel of Suspense
HarperCollins

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more — he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside …

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look — a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge … It's time the devil had his due …

This novel is being adapted for film starring Daniel Radcliffe; use this link to see an early image of Radcliffe in character.

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above 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.

Today's Mystery and Suspense Update from Big Fish Games (130127)

Here is today's mystery and suspense update from Big Fish Games …

• The New Release is Nightmare Adventures: The Turning Thorn.

• The current Catch of the Week is Haunted Manor: Queen of Death, just $2.99 through Sunday, January 27, 2013 only.

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Today's New Release is Nightmare Adventures: The Turning Thorn

Two weeks after the events of Nightmare Adventures: The Witch's Prison, Kiera Vale finds herself drawn back into a web of occult sciences, mysterious dark entities, and government secrets — woven by the agency known as A.R.C.A.N.E. Kiera is happy to receive the call, but soon after her arrival finds that things are not at all how she remembers them to be. What are these agents hiding, and why didn't they tell her the whole story? What is the true nature of the Blackwater "Witch"? Why is Dr. Thorn's young daughter locked up in a containment cell? From the top secret labs in the depths of A.R.C.A.N.E.'s headquarters to the distant spires of alien worlds, Ms. Vale will seek answers, solve cryptic puzzles, banish evil other-dimensional creatures, and perhaps even make a new friend over a game of Piggy Princess along the way.

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour.

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The current Catch of the Week is Haunted Manor: Queen of Death

After receiving a mysterious letter, you return home to find that your family has been murdered. The only survivor is your sister, Stella, who now needs you to save her! Dive into this hidden object adventure game and save your sister before its too late! Find a powerful amulet to stop an ancient evil and Concoct a powerful elixir to save Stella … and then confront the Queen of Death!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game at the special price of $2.99 through Sunday, January 27, 2013.

Review: Whispering Death by Garry Disher

A Mysterious Review of …

Whispering Death by Garry Disher. A Hal Challis Mystery.

Review summary: This crime novel is, for the most part, a police procedural that spends much of the early going simply setting up a pair of crimes all the while introducing the large cast of characters. It's slow going at times. But one of the storylines is so riveting, one that gets better as it develops, that it is definitely worth putting up with the tedium of its companion plot just to see how it plays out. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Whispering Death
Garry Disher
A Hal Challis Mystery
Soho Crime (December 2012)

Publisher synopsis: Hal Challis is in trouble at home and abroad: dressed down by the boss for speaking out about police budget cuts; missing his lover, Ellen Destry, who is overseas on a study tour. But there's plenty to keep his mind off his problems. A rapist in a police uniform stalks Challis's Peninsula beat, there is a serial armed robber headed in his direction and a home invasion that's a little too close to home. Not to mention a very clever, very mysterious female cat burglar who may or may not be planning something on Challis's patch.

Meanwhile, at the Waterloo Police Station, Challis finds his officers have their own issues. Scobie Sutton, still struggling with his wife's depression, seems to be headed for a career crisis; and something very interesting is going on between Constable Pam Murphy and Jeanne Schiff, the feisty young sergeant on assignment from the Sex Crimes Unit.

      

Review: The Buzzard Table by Margaret Maron

A Mysterious Review of …

The Buzzard Table by Margaret Maron. A Deborah Knott Mystery.

Review summary: It's hard to know what to make of this murder mystery, which comes across as a collection of seemingly random subplots that unfold in a sequential manner (from the point of view of a variety of characters) and are loosely tied together at the end. Fans of the series will doubtlessly be entertained by all the goings-on, but new readers are advised to start with one of the earlier books; this one will simply overwhelm. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

The Buzzard Table
Margaret Maron
A Deborah Knott Mystery
Grand Central (November 2012)

Publisher synopsis: Judge Deborah Knott and her husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, are back home in Colleton County amid family and old friends. But the winter winds have blown in several new faces as well.

Lt. Sigrid Harald and her mother, Anne, a well-known photographer, are down from New York to visit Mrs. Lattimore, Anne's dying mother. When the group gathers for dinner at Mrs. Lattimore's Victorian home, they meet the enigmatic Martin Crawford, an ornithologist researching a book on Southern vultures. He's also Mrs. Lattimore's long-lost nephew. With her health in decline, Mrs. Lattimore wants to make amends with her family-a desire Deborah can understand, as she, too, works to strengthen her relationship with her young stepson, Cal.

Anne is charmed by her mysterious cousin, but she cannot shake the feeling that there is something familiar about Martin … something he doesn't want her or anyone else to discover. When a string of suspicious murders sets Colleton County on edge, Deborah, Dwight, and Sigrid once again work together to catch a killer, uncovering long-buried family secrets along the way.

      

Today's Bestselling Free Kindle MystereBooks (130126)

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; as an alternative, you can click on the image to the right or use this link to see the relevant page on Amazon.com, which includes a list of both the Top 100 Paid and Top 100 Free Kindle Mysteries and Thrillers.

MystereBooks: This Week's Update of Kindle Crime Fiction Priced $2.99 or Less (130126)

Every month Amazon publishes a list of 100 Kindle books priced $3.99 or less. We thought we'd take that idea and improve on it, publishing a list of 100 Kindle mystery books priced $2.99 or less and updating it every week!

Here is our general criteria for selecting titles to include: books from major or specialty publishers of crime fiction and those written by authors familiar to us. There are far more than 100 to choose from, so we use our best judgment to narrow it down.

And just a reminder … as we add new titles, older ones are removed from the list. These books aren't likely to be repeated, so we encourage you to check in frequently!

Only one quick note: the "Sidney Sheldon" titles are pre-order, to be published this coming Tuesday, January 27th.

Below are listed the new $2.99 or less titles we added either today or mentioned in separate posts earlier this week; click on the cover or title for more information or to purchase the Kindle edition.

Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice! We strongly urge you to confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase is the price of the book.

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Nickel Plated by Aric Davis.

The Program by Gregg Hurwitz. A Tim Rackley Mystery (2nd).

Sandstorm by James Rollins. A SIGMA Force Thriller (1st).

Nothing Lasts Forever by Sidney Sheldon.

Morning, Noon & Night by Sidney Sheldon.

Night Blind by Michael W. Sherer. A Blake Sanders Mystery (1st).

Brighton Belle by Sara Sheridan.

Front Page Fatality by LynDee Walker. A Nichelle Clarke, Headlines in Heels Mystery (1st).

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Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice! We strongly urge you to confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of purchase is the price of the book.

The Godfather Collection on Blu-ray disc is the Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day

The Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day for Saturday, January 26th, 2013 is The Godfather Collection on Blu-ray disc.

Popularly viewed as one of the best American films ever made, the multi-generational crime saga The Godfather (1972) is a touchstone of cinema. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards and winning for Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay, The Godfather was followed by a pair of sequels: The Godfather Part II (which also was an Academy Award for Best Picture of 1974) and The Godfather Part III (1990).

The special deal price of $17.99 for the The Godfather Collection on Blu-ray disc is valid only for today, January 26th, 2013.

Read more about the book that started it all, below.

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The Godfather
Mario Puzo

When Mario Puzo's blockbuster saga was first published in 1969, critics hailed it as one of the greatest novels of our time. Since then, The Godfather has gone on to become a part of America's national culture, as well as a trilogy of landmark motion pictures.

Now, in this newly-repackaged 30th Anniversary Edition, readers old and new can experience this timeless tale of crime for themselves. From the lavish opening scene where Don Corleone entertains guests and conducts business at his daughter's wedding … to his son, Michael, who takes his father's place to fight for his family … to the bloody climax where all family business is finished, The Godfather is an epic story of family, loyalty, and how "men of honor" live in their own world, and die by their own laws.

    

Armchair Detective by Kelli Jae Baeli is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Armchair Detective by Kelli Jae Baeli as today's third free mystery ebook (An AKA Investigation; iTunes format only).

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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Armchair Detective
Kelli Jae Baeli
An AKA Investigation
Publisher: CreateSpace

Jobeth O'Brien awakens on the floor of her kitchen, her battered face and the memory of an angry visitor tells her that she is close to something important in her investigation.

In between this surveillance and delivering newspapers, her beloved ‘62 Falcon is the scene of middle-of-the-night romps with a lonely socialite, who gives her more than she bargained for.

Her quest for the truth pits her against errant husbands, a modern-day madam with a taste for blood, a horny landlady, a vicious attack dog, and the lies she tells herself. Amid these challenges, Jobeth stakes out her prey and runs for her life, continuing the investigation that pulls her into close calls, unexpected allies, and more secrets.

But Jobeth has secrets of her own, and only love can excavate them.

  

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.

Brogan's Island by Dave Gehrke is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Brogan's Island by Dave Gehrke as today's second free mystery ebook (A Murder Mystery Set in Minnesota; Kindle format only).

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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Brogan's Island
Dave Gehrke
A Murder Mystery Set in Minnesota
Publisher: E. P. Stud Publications

When Sammy Jo Kendrick slips beneath the waves of Lake of the Woods, all hell breaks lose 500 miles away in Minneapolis. Sammy Jo's not the first young woman to vanish into the vast lake, and if her disappearance isn't solved, she won't be the last.

The Kendrick mystery develops into Minneapolis Detective Sergeant Will Danaher's most challenging case; no suspect, no clues and no body. In order to unravel the mystery and save his career, Danaher will need unconventional help from unconventional sources; a grumpy old sheriff with secrets to hide, a lonely but married lake cabin housewife and a dead guy.

That leaves Detective Danaher in somewhat of a bind; don't tell anyone how he gained his evidence, and he looks like the killer. Or reveal his secret and get cashiered as a nutcase. Can he walk the tightrope between two bad options without letting his budding relationship with the pretty housewife affect his judgement?

In the meantime, there's a serial killer out there … and he's already stalking his next victim.

  

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.

Mellington Hall by Meredith Resce is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Mellington Hall by Meredith Resce as today's free mystery ebook (A Novel of Romantic Suspense; Kindle format only).

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.

For a summary of all of today's featured titles, plus any that may have appeared before and are repeat freebies, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

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Mellington Hall
Meredith Resce
A Novel of Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Golden Grain Publishing

When Sarah Montgomery finds a man lying half-dead in the snow, she doesn't stop to think of the consequences of trying to save his life.

But being a Good Samaritan to a stranger yields nothing but trouble. In her parents' absence, she struggles against a deadly fever and a vicious snow-storm, doing her best to save the life of a stranger.

But when her self-righteous neighbours eventually come to see how she fared during the storm, they draw a very different conclusion, and before she knows it, her reputation is in tatters, and she has been cast out of the church and her home.

Alone and destitute, Sarah is determined to seek work as a servant from the man whose life she has saved. But all is not well for the master of Mellington Hall. Someone wants Lord Alan Mellington dead, and he doesn't know who or why. The only person he seems to be able to trust is the gamekeeper's daughter, Sarah Montgomery, who has intervened to save his life not once but twice.

  

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.

Lost In Italy by Stacey Joy Netzel is Today's Kindle Romantic Suspense Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Lost In Italy by Stacey Joy Netzel as today's Amazon Kindle Romantic Suspense Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Saturday, January 26, 2013.

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Lost In Italy
Stacey Joy Netzel
A Novel of Romantic Suspense
CreateSpace

Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that's just in the first three hours.

Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence--including holding Halli's family as collateral.

Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from the murderers to get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?

Important Note: This book was listed at the price mentioned above 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.

Telemystery: Promotional Poster and Video for Body of Proof, Season 3

A promotional poster for the (shortened) third season of Body of Proof has been released by the network (right; click for slightly larger image). The tagline: "No guts. No glory."

Dana Delany stars as medical examiner Megan Hunt in this "creatively revamped" season. Two new cast members join her quest to find justice for the dead and prevent harm to the living.

Twenty years ago Megan had her heart broken. Not that she would ever admit it. As a surgical resident in New York City, she stitched up a wounded young cop named Tommy Sullivan who was shot during a drug bust, and a passionate love affair began. It ended just as tempestuously when he cheated on her. Reeling from this betrayal, she returned to Philadelphia vowing never to be hurt again.

Now, after a long career in New York City Detective Tommy Sullivan (Mark Valley) has relocated to Philadelphia where he and his new partner Detective Adam Lucas (Elyes Gabel) have drawn the unenviable job of teaming with Megan to solve homicide cases. Needless to say Megan is stunned by Tommy's presence, wants nothing to do him and immediately suspects he has somehow engineered his new post to rekindle their relationship. Is she right? Does he have a prayer? Their personal history will animate every investigation they are uncomfortably forced to work on together.

Body of Proof returns on ABC on Tuesday, February 19th at 10 PM ET/PT. Watch a preview, below.

Telemystery: Promotional Poster for New ABC Series Red Widow

A teaser poster for the new ABC crime drama Red Widow has been released by the network (right; click for slightly larger image). The tagline: "No time to mourn."

Based on the 2010 Dutch television series Penoza, Radha Mitchell stars as the widow of a murdered man who crossed the Bratva — Russian gangsters — and is now forced to work with them to repay his debt. But FBI also wants her to cooperate with them in order to bring the Bratva organization down.

The 8-episode first season of Red Widow premieres on ABC on Sunday, March 3rd at 9 PM ET/PT.

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MystereBooks: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Grand Central.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $2.99 from the listed vendors (below) 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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Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
A Leo Demidov Thriller (1st)
Publisher: Grand Central

Stalin's Soviet Union strives to be a paradise for its workers, providing for all of their needs. One of its fundamental pillars is that its citizens live free from the fear of ordinary crime and criminals.

But in this society, millions do live in fear … of the State. Death is a whisper away. The mere suspicion of ideological disloyalty-owning a book from the decadent West, the wrong word at the wrong time-sends millions of innocents into the Gulags or to their executions. Defending the system from its citizens is the MGB, the State Security Force. And no MGB officer is more courageous, conscientious, or idealistic than Leo Demidov.

A war hero with a beautiful wife, Leo lives in relative luxury in Moscow, even providing a decent apartment for his parents. His only ambition has been to serve his country. For this greater good, he has arrested and interrogated.

Then the impossible happens. A different kind of criminal-a murderer-is on the loose, killing at will. At the same time, Leo finds himself demoted and denounced by his enemies, his world turned upside down, and every belief he's ever held shattered. The only way to save his life and the lives of his family is to uncover this criminal. But in a society that is officially paradise, it's a crime against the State to suggest that a murderer-much less a serial killer-is in their midst. Exiled from his home, with only his wife, Raisa, remaining at his side, Leo must confront the vast resources and reach of the MBG to find and stop a criminal that the State won't admit even exists.

Winner of the 2009 Thriller Award for Best First Novel.

      

Important Note: This book was listed at the above mentioned price 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.