First Clues, Mysteries for Kids: New Titles for October 2013

First Clues: Mysteries for Kids is pleased to announce a selection of new mystery, suspense and thriller books (including series titles) scheduled for publication during October 2013, listed in approximate order of reading level, from books for younger readers to books for teens and young adults.

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The Mystery of Meerkat Hill
Alexander McCall Smith
Precious Ramotswe

Recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Precious wants to be a detective when she grows up. She is always practicing at being a detective by asking questions and finding out about other people's lives. There are two new students in her class, a girl called Teb and a boy called Pontsho. She learns that they are brother and sister, and — even more exciting — that Pontsho has a clever pet meerkat named Kosi.

One day, Teb and Pontsho's family's cow disappears. Precious helps them look for clues to find the cow. But getting the cow back home will require some quick thinking and help from an unexpected source.

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The Spaghetti Max Mystery
David A. Adler
Cam Jansen

Recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

How do you find someone you've never seen?

Mr. Jansen's best friend from childhood, "Spaghetti" Max, is coming for a visit. Cam Jansen, her best friend Eric, and Mr. Jansen go to the airport to meet Max. While they're looking for him, a distressed traveler asks Cam to help him find his missing daughter. But what use is Cam's photographic memory if she has never seen the missing girl? And where is Spaghetti Max? Can Cam solve this double mystery?

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Enter the Dragon Mystery
Sarah Kinney
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Graphic Novels

Recommended for readers aged 7 to 9.

Pre-teen detective Nancy Drew and her best friends Bess and George have seen a lot while solving mysteries in River Heights. But none of them have ever met a dragon before!

When the exotic pet mysteriously appears on their teacher's desk, the Clue Crew have to discover where it came from, how to get it back home, and most importantly, how to take care of it in the meantime.

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Nowhere To Run
Jude Watson
The 39 Clues: Unstoppable

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

The Cahill family has a secret. For five hundred years, they have guarded the 39 Clues — thirty-nine ingredients in a serum that transforms whomever takes it into the most powerful person on earth. If the serum got into the wrong hands, the disaster would rock the world. So certain Cahills have always made it their mission to keep the serum safe, buried, locked away. Until now.

Thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, are the latest guardians of the Clues. They think they've done everything right, but a tiny mistake leads to catastrophe. The serum is missing and Dan and Amy have to get it back and stop who stole it … before it's game over. For everyone.

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Russian Roulette
Anthony Horowitz
Alex Rider

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Alex Rider's life changed forever with the silent pull of a trigger.

When Ian Rider died at the hands of the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, Alex, ready or not, was thrust into the world of international espionage — the world's only teenage spy. Alex vowed revenge against Yassen and the two have battled ever since. Yet, years ago, it was none other than Alex's own father who trained and mentored Yassen, turning him into the killer he would eventually become.

What makes us choose evil? Why did one boy choose to kill while another chose to risk his life to save others? In some ways, Alex Rider and Yassen Gregorovich are mirror images of each other. Yet the paths they traveled turned them into mortal enemies.

This is Yassen's story. A journey down a darkened path.

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The Mystery of the Mischievous Maker
Rene Saldana
Mickey Rangel

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

It's Monday morning, and kid detective extraordinaire Mickey Rangel is on the hot seat. "You must be wondering why I've called you to my office," said Mrs. Abrego, the school principal. And in fact, Mickey has been racking his brain and sweating bullets, trying to figure out what he has done to warrant being pulled out of homeroom. Could it have been the spitball fight with his twin brother Ricky on the bus? How could word have gotten to Mrs. A that quickly?

When she instead brings up the recent rash of graffiti on school grounds, Mickey is initially horrified that she might think he's involved. But he quickly realizes why she has called him in: she needs his help! Mrs. A has heard that Mickey is a detective, and he confirms that he's the "real deal", with an online certificate to prove it. She wants him to unmask the Mischievous Marker, the person writing messages all over the school's walls.

The culprit has left numerous clues in his postings mainly a pronounced lack of grammar and spelling skills and that, along with an anonymous message from a supposed eyewitness pointing the finger at Mickey's life-long nemesis, Bucho, seem to make for an easy case to solve. But Bucho has denied the accusation and asked for Mickey's help. So Mickey flabbergasted but intrigued is "on the case."

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Fire Storm
Andrew Lane
Young Sherlock Holmes

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Young Sherlock's friend and her father have vanished. Their house looks as if nobody has ever lived in it; the neighbors claim never to have heard of them. Sherlock begins to doubt his sanity, until a clever clue points him to Scotland. Following that clue leads him into a mystery that involves kidnapping, bodysnatchers, and a man who claims he can raise the dead. Only the budding detective Sherlock can untangle the mind-bending — and dangerous — puzzles that ensnare his friends.

Think you know Sherlock Holmes? Think again!

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Dead City
James Ponti
A Dead City Thriller

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

When Molly Bigelow discovered that zombies shared New York with humans, she didn't think life could get more shocking. Then she learned that her mother was once one of the greatest zombie killers ever — and she discovered that her dead mother is not technically dead at all (although she isn't alive, either).

Molly's efforts to keep these secrets and to help her Omega team track down the identity of the original thirteen zombies will take her from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade to New Year's Eve in Times Square. Her loyalties to friends and family will be put to the test. And her life will be changed in ways she never could have imagined.

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Tower of the Five Orders
Deron R. Hicks
The Shakespeare Mysteries

Recommended for readers aged 10 to 12.

Colophon Letterford's life changed overnight when she uncovered Shakespeare's lost manuscripts. Now the authenticity of those manuscripts is in question … and the centuries-old family publishing business is in danger. Thirteen-year-old Colophon travels from Oxford's lofty Tower of the Five Orders to the dank depths of London's sewers in her pursuit of truth and honor. But the stakes are high …

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The Private School Murders
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Recommended for readers aged 13 and older.

Wealthy young women are being murdered, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. Her first case was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now she's working to exonerate her brother of his girlfriend's homicide. And danger just got closer.

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer … and Tandy perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?

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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).

Murder in the Mangroves, A Mango Bay Mystery by Marty Ambrose, Now at a Special Price

Amazon has discounted over 200 of its imprint titles to just 99 cents, including 34 books published by Thomas & Mercer. One of these books is featured, below.

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Murder in the Mangroves by Marty Ambrose
A Mango Bay Mystery
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Mallie Monroe's life as a reporter on Coral Island has finally settled down. She's adjusted to the Florida lifestyle, received a small raise, and is enjoying a playful romance with island cop Nick Billie.

Things start to heat up when Mallie's old boyfriend, Cole, reappears and she finds herself torn between two men.

But just before the annual Mango Festival which had promised to be a pleasant distraction the body of the Mango Queen is found in the mangroves. So it s back to business and Mallie is assigned to report on the case. She soon finds that the murderer isn't the only one in town to worry about, as her investigation begins digging up old secrets that many islanders prefer to remain buried.

Can Mallie find the key to the Mango Queen s death before the killer plants her under the nearest tropical tree? And if she survives that, will she be able to decide whether Nick or Cole holds the key to her heart?

  

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.

Two Charles Lenox Mysteries by Charles Finch, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature the first two mysteries in the Charles Lenox series by Charles  Finch, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Minotaur Books.

The ebook format of these titles was priced at $2.99 each from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (09/30/2013 at 1:00 PM ET). 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 Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
A Charles Lenox Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Minotaur Books

On any given day in London, all Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, wants to do is relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist another chance to unravel a mystery, even if it means trudging through the snow to her townhouse next door.

One of Jane's former servants, Prudence Smith, is dead — an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prudence dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by an elusive lack of motive in the girl's death.

When another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence? Or was it something else entirely, something that Lenox alone can uncover before the killer strikes again — disturbingly close to home?

      

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The September Society by Charles Finch
A Charles Lenox Mystery (2nd in series)
Publisher: Minotaur Books

Read our review of The September Society by Charles Finch

In the small hours of the morning one fall day in 1866, a frantic widow visits detective Charles Lenox. Lady Annabelle's problem is simple: her beloved son, George, has vanished from his room at Oxford. When Lenox visits his alma mater to investigate, he discovers a series of bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to the September Society.

Then, just as Lenox realizes that the case may be deeper than it appears, a student dies, the victim of foul play.

What could the September Society have to do with it? What specter, returned from the past, is haunting gentle Oxford? Lenox, with the support of his devoted friends in London's upper crust, must race to discover the truth before it comes searching for him, and dangerously close to home.

      

Click on the Amazon button to see also the special Whispersync offer associated with this title.

Important Note: These books were 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.

A New MystereBook: Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander

Here is a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers …

Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander is the first entry in this new series from the author of dark, gritty, and emotionally-packed romantic suspense.

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Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander
A Lost and Found Romantic Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Jerrie Alexander
Publication Date: September 29, 2013

Ex-Army Ranger Tyrell Castillo's first mission for Lost and Found, Inc. goes awry when his contact is kidnapped, and he's left scrambling for weapons and explosives. He'll have to blow up a drug cartel's compound, rescue the woman, and keep her safe while they cross the sweltering hot Colombian jungle.

Driven by the need for revenge, Ana Maria Vega Cisneros doesn't want to be rescued. She wants revenge. She'll risk her life to ensure the drug lord who killed her family suffers the same fate.

The cartel leaves a trail of blood on their hunt for Ty and Ana. When Ty receives the order to kill the drug lord with extreme prejudice, he and Ana will face the enemy head on. Can Ty protect the woman who's hell bent on vengeance? The woman he's grown to love?

  

Telemystery: Cagney & Lacey, Diagnosis Murder, Jack Irish, The Mod Squad, and Poirot, New This Week on DVD

Telemystery, your source for one of the most comprehensive listings of crime drama, amateur sleuth, private investigator, mystery and suspense television series, mini-series and made-for-television movies, now available on or coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or Video-on-Demand, is profiling five series from our site being released this week.

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Cagney & Lacey
Season Four

Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly star as Chris Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey, two NYPD homicide detectives in this CBS crime drama. With contrasting personalities, each have a different perspective on both personal and professional situations.

This fourth "volume" is actually the fifth season of the series. The true first season stars Meg Foster as Chris Cagney, but these episodes tend to be overlooked when talking about the series as a whole.

      

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Diagnosis Murder
Season Five

In this season of the series, Dr. Mark Sloan (Dick Van Dyke) puts his stethoscope aside once again to take on political conspirators and fellow doctors and in the course almost loses Steve … then ends up on death row, charged with the attempted murder of his own son. It's Code Red at County General Hospital.

This fifth season originally aired from September 1997 to May 1998 on CBS.

  

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Jack Irish
Season One

Guy Pearce is Jack Irish, the brooding antihero of Australian writer Peter Temple's award-winning novels. Reeling in the wake of his wife's murder, the former lawyer has reinvented himself as a part-time private investigator and full-time alcoholic, intent on drowning his demons.

When an old client dies after leaving Jack several frantic voicemails, the PI realizes he can't outrun or outdrink his past. Jack returns to the world that took everything away from him — a seedy place of lowlifes, corruption, violence, and retribution. As much as he tries to break away, the underworld is where he thrives—and the only place he can find redemption.

This DVD set includes two feature-length mysteries, "Bad Debts" and "Black Tide", adapted from the first two books in Temple's series featuring the character.

    

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The Mod Squad
Season Four

The Mod Squad are three hipper-than-hip undercover cops with a touch of menace and plenty of attitude, and stars Michael Cole as Pete Cochren, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as Linc Hayes.

Younger looking than they were, these three police officers were able to earn the confidence of the bad guys, infiltrate their domain, and then bust their backsides while still looking good.

This penultimate fourth season, which originally aired on ABC from September 1971 through March 1972, is being released in two DVD sets:

Season Four, Volume 1:  

Season Four, Volume 2:   

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Poirot
Series Seven and Eight

Agatha Christie's beloved detective solves complex cases with flair and finesse in these four feature-length mysteries from the hit series.

Set amid the unparalleled elegance of the Art Deco era, these beautifully remastered adaptations star David Suchet as Poirot, Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon.

The episodes are:

"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd": Poirot's much-needed retreat to the countryside is interrupted by the murder of a prosperous industrialist.

"Lord Edgware Dies": Following the death of a loathsome aristocrat, Poirot is stymied by his suspects' ironclad alibis.

"Murder in Mesopotamia": The detective travels to Iraq and finds himself embroiled in a web of rivalries, jealousy, and murder at an archaeological dig.

"Evil Under the Sun": A sojourn in Devon turns into an investigation for Poirot after the body of a beautiful young woman is found on the beach.

    

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Visit the Telemystery website to discover more television mystery series currently available on and coming soon to DVD, Blu-ray disc, or video on demand.

Please Welcome 2013 Shamus Award Winning Author Paul D. Marks

with Paul D. Marks

We are delighted to welcome back novelist Paul D. Marks to Omnimystery News today. Paul last visited with us in May 2012 just after his mystery White Heat (Timeless Skies Publishing; May 2012 trade paperback and ebook formats) was published … and subsequently won for a Shamus Award earlier this month from the Private Eye Writers of America for Best Indie PI Novel. Congratulations Paul!

Paul writes today about the next book in the series, an article he titles, "Thoughts on the B Story and Sequels".

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Photo provided courtesy of
Paul D. Marks

Since I'm getting ready to release Broken Windows, the sequel to White Heat, and as I'm working on the third book in the series, I've started thinking a lot about what I feel worked and didn't work in the first book. Also what I could have done better and what I want to achieve in future books. One thing that stands out is the way the B story integrates with the main story, as well as how the first book influences and improves the second.

I tried to do a lot of things in White Heat. I think most worked and some could have worked better. Often in mysteries we see a private eye working one case and only that one case, as if his job life is lived in a vacuum. So, one of the things I wanted to show is that a private eye works on more than one case at a time. To that end, I have Duke Rogers and his partner Jack Riggs work on the main case of Teddie Matson, an upcoming actress who is murdered and whose murder Duke has inadvertently contributed to. At the same time, Duke and Jack work a stalking case for a woman named Laurie Hoffman. Both cases run simultaneously in alternating chapters, though the main focus is on the Teddie Matson case.

The chapters that deal with Teddie are in Duke's first person point of view, while the Laurie Hoffman chapters are in third person. This doesn't seem to bother most people. But there was one reviewer on Amazon who mentioned that she didn't like it. I didn't think it would be a problem as the POV only changes in different chapters, not within them, so I didn't think it would be confusing or an issue. But each to his/her own taste.

In White Heat, the two stories or cases aren't really connected, except in the sense that through the Laurie Hoffman case, Duke gains insight into why the Weasel, as Duke refers to the bad guy in Teddie's case, stalked Teddie. Duke gains this insight through confronting Laurie's stalker and applying those insights to the Teddie Matson case, but otherwise the two stories don't really interconnect. My original intention was not necessarily to have them interconnect, but to show a private eye working multiple cases at one time and from one case he gleans insight into the other.

I liked and still like the idea of having more than one thing going on at the same time. So in Broken Windows, the sequel, I have Duke cashing in on his new-found notoriety and fame as he handles new clients. However, there is a B story in alternating chapters again. This time the B story is about Eric, a young lawyer who's lost his job because of an ethics violation. He's now living in a crummy Venice walk-up and is desperate for money. Instead of him being a client of Duke's, which would make it parallel to the B story in White Heat, Eric's story initially seems unrelated to Duke, his case or anything to do with him.

But if that were all, I'd be writing two separate novels under one cover. So, eventually, as the novel progresses, Eric's story and Duke's investigation come together on a collision course where their meeting is inevitable.

The problem here is trying to keep the reader interested in both stories at the same time, especially as we know that Duke and Jack are the main characters. So in the beginning one might wonder who the hell this Eric dude is and why is he here? However, because readers have read plenty of stories and have certain expectations, they will assume that somehow these "stories" will interconnect at some point. But my job as the writer is to keep both interesting and exciting enough to keep the reader interested until the inevitable clash comes. And I hope I've done that. Time will tell when Broken Windows is released.

Even though White Heat is my first published novel, I am an experienced writer in other areas. But one never stops learning or trying to hone their craft. If I were to reread White Heat today I'm sure I'd find a hundred things I'd want to change. One tries to take those things and improve them the next time around.

So that's where I am now as I work on book three in the series. It will be interesting to see how readers respond to Broken Windows and that will probably influence how I write book three. And I will be just as interested as readers to find out more about Duke and Jack along the way.

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Paul D. Marks is the author of over thirty published short stories in a variety genres, ranging from noir to straight mystery, satire to serious fiction. He has also published numerous magazine/periodical articles as well as having done film work. In a former life, Paul was a script doctor, making his living from optioning screenplays of his own and rewriting other people's scripts or developing their ideas. He holds the distinction of being the last person to have shot on the fabled MGM backlot before it was torn down to make way for housing.

For more information about Paul and his work, please visit his website at PaulDMarks.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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White Heat
Paul D. Marks
A Duke Rogers Mystery

Private investigator Duke Rogers finds an old "friend" for a client. The client's "friend," an up and coming black actress, ends up dead. Duke knows his client did it. Now, feeling guilty, he wants to find the client/killer. He starts his mission by going to the dead actress' family in South Central L.A. — and while there the Rodney King riots ignite.

And while he tries to track down the killer he must also deal with the racism of his partner, Jack, and from the dead woman's brother, Warren. He must also confront his own possible latent racism — even as he's in an interracial relationship with the murder victim's dead woman's sister.

      

Tampa Star by T. S. O'Neil is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Tampa Star by T. S. O'Neil as today's third free mystery ebook (The Blackfox Chronicles; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 30, 2013 at 7:30 AM ET. 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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Tampa Star
T. S. O'Neil
The Blackfox Chronicles
Publisher: T. S. O'Neil

In 1974, Char Blackfox heads to Florida in to rebuild a life shattered by the war in Viet Nam. He's a Seminole Indian and former Green Beret who leaves the army and moves to Tampa Bay with the vain hope of a new beginning.

He gets a job, meets a beautiful woman and life seems to finally be going his way; until reality smacks him in the face. He throws in with the wrong crowd; a small time Irish-American hoodlum, a corrupt cop and an exiled Mafia Capo and his life spirals out of control.

In 2004, a combat hardened Force Recon Marine is released from active duty and returns to Florida to find his estranged father; a guy no one can find but everyone is looking for.

  

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.

The Dark Before Dawn by Laurie Stevens is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Dark Before Dawn by Laurie Stevens as today's second free mystery ebook (A Gabriel McRay Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, September 30, 2013 at 7:20 AM ET. 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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The Dark Before Dawn
Laurie Stevens
A Gabriel McRay Mystery
Publisher: Follow Your Dreams Productions

High in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, grisly murders are taking place. On each of the victim's bodies a note is left for L.A. Sheriff's detective, Gabriel McRay. The killer's identity is locked in the suppressed memory of a horrifying trauma from Gabriel's own childhood.

Teamed with his forensic pathologist girlfriend and his psychiatrist, Gabriel runs two parallel investigations. The first: a dark journey into the terrifying recollections of his past and the second: the hunt for a serial killer who seems to know more about Gabriel  … than he knows himself.

  

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.