Trick of the Eye, A Suspense Thriller by Jane Stanton Hitchcock, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Trick of the Eye by Jane Stanton Hitchcock, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, HarperCollins.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $1.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (10/02/2013 at 3:00 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.

— ♦ —

Trick of the Eye by Jane Stanton Hitchcock
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: HarperCollins

Trompe l’oeil artist Faith Cromwell is hired to paint the famed ballroom of an opulent Long Island estate, but her patron is obsessed with the long-unsolved murder of a daughter, and soon Faith begins to piece together the details of the grisly, shocking crime.

The deeper Faith delves into the house’s mystery, the more she realizes that she has inadvertently stepped into the starring role of a bizarre, and quite possibly fatal, charade.

This novel was adapted into a Hallmark Channel made-for-television movie that aired in 1994.

      

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.

Ghost Gone Wild by Carolyn Hart, New in Bookstores This Week

Today's new hardcover mystery title, scheduled to be published this week by Berkley Hardcover, is Ghost Gone Wild by Carolyn Hart.

For a list of more new hardcover mysteries published this month, visit our New Mysteries page for October 2013. For new paperback mysteries, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where a selection of October 2013 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers are shelved.

— ♦ —

Ghost Gone Wild
Carolyn Hart
Series: Bailey Ruth Raeburn (4th)

Bailey Ruth loves to return to earth as an emissary from Heaven's Department of Good Intentions. Problem is, she's a bit of a loose cannon as far as ghosts go — forgetting to remain invisible, alarming earthly creatures — so she's far from the top of department head Wiggins's go-to list for assignments.

That's why she's surprised when the Heaven-sent Rescue Express drops her off at a frame house on the outskirts of her old hometown, Adelaide, Oklahoma, where a young man is playing the drums. What kind of rescuing does he need — drum lessons? But when a window cracks and a rifle barrel is thrust inside, only Bailey Ruth's hasty intervention saves Nick Magruder from taking a bullet. When she materializes to reassure him, she finds she can't go back to vanishing. What gives?

It turns out she's been tricked by Nick's late aunt — Delilah Delahunt Duvall — to come to the young man's rescue, which means she isn't back on earth in service of the department. Wiggins has no idea where she is — and now she may be trapped in Adelaide forever. Unless she can help Aunt Dee snare the person who wants her nephew dead …

      

Runner Runner in Theaters October 04, 2013

Runner Runner. Opens in theaters October 04, 2013.

Princeton grad student Richie (Justin Timberlake), believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

Directed by Brad Furman from an original screenplay by Brian Koppelman and David Levien.

Running time: 91 minutes. Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Watch a trailer for the film below:

MystereBooks: Blood of Paradise by David Corbett, Available this Month at a Special Price

Every month Amazon releases a new selection of Kindle books priced $3.99 or less.

Today's featured title from the Mystery & Thrillers category is Blood of Paradise by David Corbett. This Kindle book was listed at $1.99 as of the date and time of this post, Wednesday, October 02, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET, and should be available at this price through the end of the month.

More information about the book is below; if other vendors have priced-matched this title, links to their sites are also shown.

— ♦ —

Blood of Paradise by David Corbett
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Mysterious Press

Jude McManus has landed on his feet. Following time in the army, he scored work as an "executive protection specialist" in El Salvador, where he safeguards a hydrologist for good money and gets to surf during his downtime. But this slice of paradise comes with post-civil-war dangers, and distance won't erase his cruel memories of Chicago. Ten years earlier, his cop father was outed as part of the Laugh Masters, a group of police officers investigated for robbing and brutally beating drug dealers. In the wake of the scandal, the family fell apart, and his father died under suspicious circumstances.

When McManus gets a call from Bill Malvasio — one of his dad's closest friends and an escaped member of the Laugh Masters, now living in El Salvador — the past comes knocking in a big way. Malvasio opens up about what really happened, and seeks help for another member of McManus's father's old crew. Is the disgraced ex-cop being straight with McManus? Hidden corruption abounds, and it will take all of McManus's wits to come away with the truth — and his life — intact.

    

Important Note: 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.

Calamity Jayne, A Tressa Jayne Turner Mystery by Kathleen Bacus, Now at a Special Price

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Calamity Jayne by Kathleen Bacus, now available at a special price, courtesy of the publisher, Gemma Halliday Publishing.

The ebook format of this title was priced at $0.99 from the listed vendors (below) as of the date and time of this post (10/02/2013 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.

— ♦ —

Calamity Jayne by Kathleen Bacus
A Tressa Jayne Turner Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing

Tressa Jayne Turner has had it up to here with the dumb-blonde jokes and a childhood nickname that's harder to get rid of than her favorite pair of cowboy boots. Thanks to one Rick Townsend, Iowa Department of Natural Resources officer, local hottie, and general pain in Tressa's behind, everyone knows her as "Calamity Jayne". Just because she may be a little accident prone and trouble seems to sometimes find her, Tressa can't get anyone in her small town to take her seriously.

That is, until Tressa finds a seriously dead body and an opportunity to get "Ranger Rick" and a skeptical citizenry to see that she's no longer that skinny kid with scraped knees. How? By resurrecting her job as a reporter for the hometown paper and solving a murder no one else believes happened … no one, that is, except the killer.

Now Tressa is one not-so-dumb blonde who's out to gain a little hometown respect — or die trying.

    

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.

A New MystereBook: Dying for a Daiquiri by Cindy Sample

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 …

Dying for a Daiquiri by Cindy Sample is the third mystery in this cozy series featuring divorced mother of two Laurel McKay.

— ♦ —

Dying for a Daiquiri by Cindy Sample
A Laurel McKay Mystery
Publisher: Cindy Sample
Publication Date: September 30, 2013

When Laurel McKay attends a Hawaiian wedding, her vacation soon becomes more deadly than the calorie count in her daiquiri. Her post-wedding holiday upends after a beautiful hula dancer is found dead on the rocks below the oceanfront restaurant owned by Laurel's brother and sister-in-law.

When a family member is arrested for the murder, Laurel is plunged into a mystery where exotic Big Island locations — a coffee plantation, black sand beaches and a volcano — reveal their deadly side. And where is her hunky on-again/off-again boyfriend detective when she needs him?

Laurel zip-lines and four-wheels her way through the island paradise unearthing long hidden secrets. Will ingenuity and pluck be enough? Or will this hula be her last?

  

Telemystery: Fox Developing Adaptation of How To Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller

Fox Television is developing a drama series adapted from Kirsten Miller's young adult novel How To Lead a Life of Crime. Mike Daniels (Sons of Anarchy) is writing the script.

In a Book Trends review of the novel, a 6th grade teacher writes, "Readers are grabbed from page one, and their attention is held to the very end. Not only is the backdrop to the novel engaging and exciting, but the character development also adds to the novel's ability to captivate its audience."

More about the book, below.

— ♦ —

How To Lead a Life of Crime
Kirsten Miller
A YA Fantasy Thriller

A Meth Dealer. A Prostitute. A Serial Killer.

Anywhere else, they'd be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they're called prodigies. The most exclusive school in New York City has been training young criminals for over a century. Only the most ruthless students are allowed to graduate. The rest disappear.

Flick, a teenage pickpocket, has risen to the top of his class. But then Mandel recruits a fierce new competitor who also happens to be Flick's old flame. They've been told only one of them will make it out of the Mandel Academy. Will they find a way to save each other — or will the school destroy them both?

      

Please Welcome Mystery Author Morgan C. Talbot

with Morgan C. Talbot

We are delighted to welcome back mystery author Morgan C. Talbot to Omnimystery News today, courtesy of Red Adept Publishing, which is coordinating her current book tour. We encourage you to visit all of the participating host sites; you can find her schedule here. Red Adept Publishing is also giving our readers a chance to win one of three Amazon gift certificates; details and entry form, below.

Morgan last visited with us in November 2012 when we discussed the first book of her "Caching Out" mysteries. The third in the series, Nine Feet Under (Red Adept Publishing; July 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats) was published this summer and we asked her to tell us why readers love quirky characters.

— ♦ —

Photo provided courtesy of
Morgan C. Talbot

One of the foremost tropes in any good cozy mystery series is the uniqueness of its characters. Specifically, the flighty, paranoid, lovelorn, obsessed, and in all other ways lopsidedly larger-than-life characters. Often, the wildest traits don't belong to the main character. Her friends / enemies / frenemies / love interests / random acquaintances can either help or hinder the solving of the case, depending on what their foibles and quirks are, how strongly they present, and how they interact with actual plot points.

So sure, we cozy readers are used to an adorable parade of the unusual: the OCD sufferer; the girl who talks to the dead; the pet cat; the knitting granny; the power shopper, the supersmeller. They're usually upbeat forces for good, charging forth into the world, encouraging those around them, and stepping up in time of need.

But why do we love them? Why are they such a powerful trope in the cozy subgenre of mystery novels? Why do we love the quirky?

They make us feel better about being who we are, in two separate and oddly opposite ways. Their distinct and obvious quirks make them stand out, sometimes to ridicule even in their fictional world. They're purposely created for us to giggle at. They deliberately have antics and hijinks. They can be troublemakers, never really realizing how difficult it can be to live around such a person. Compared to their shout-out-loud, off-center existence, we're relieved to be so normal!

Yet at the same time, the quirky are often very confident and generous people, at least to all the right characters. They are not ashamed of their faults and foibles. They're too busy having a purpose and living as best they can. They shake off doubt, and they're never discouraged by repeated failures. They soldier on with a smile, and we envy their solid confidence.

We love the quirky because we are the quirky, and because we wish we were better quirky than we are. No one is quite so human as the cozy mystery quirky — that flawed mirror of our own existence.

— ♦ —

Morgan is an outdoorsy girl with a deep and abiding love for the natural sciences. Her degrees involve English and jujitsu. She enjoys hiking, camping, and wandering in the woods looking for the trail to the car, but there isn't enough chocolate on the planet to bribe her into rock climbing.

When she's not writing, she can be found making puzzles, getting lost on the way to geocaches, reading stories to her children, or taking far too many pictures of the same tree or rock.

She lives in Eastern Washington with her family. For more information about the author and her work, please find her on Facebook and Twitter.

— ♦ —

Nine Feet Under
Morgan C. Talbot
A Caching Out Mystery (3rd in series)

Greed and betrayal make a deadly combination …

Margarita and Bindi have big plans for the Fourth of July, involving borrowed bicycles, a geocaching power trail, live podcasts, and plenty of fun. But their day quickly goes awry when they stumble upon what looks like a murder in progress.

Strange rivalries and secret alliances test Margarita's puzzle-solving skills, and Bindi suffers a rather painful setback when she comes face to face with someone she never thought she'd see again.

The overly stoic sheriff can't be in two places at once, so the girls need to figure out whodunit and rescue the next potential victim before the explosive finale.

        

— ♦ —

Use this link if you cannot see the Rafflecopter widget

Angel's Prey by J. E. Mullany is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Angel's Prey by J. E. Mullany as today's third free mystery ebook (A Valkyrie Novel; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, October 02, 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.

— ♦ —

Angel's Prey
J. E. Mullany
A Valkyrie Novel
Publisher: Shantytown Publishing

Valerie Vaughn foils an attempted hit on her and kills the assassin, not knowing he was only half of a husband and wife team of killers. The wife Emiliya Hristova, aka The Angel of Death, has vowed revenge on Valkyrie and everyone she holds dear.

Meanwhile, Valerie and her analyst Echo have to learn to work under PIA's new Chinese-American CEO.

  

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.

Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney as today's second free mystery ebook (An Ellen McKenzie Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, October 02, 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.

— ♦ —

Give First Place to Murder
Kathleen Delaney
An Ellen McKenzie Mystery
Publisher: PublishAmerica

Murder at a small county fair Arabian horse show? Not possible. But Ellen McKenzie is staring at the body of a young groom, pinned to a hay bale by a pitchfork. Who could have wanted him dead?

It seems several people, and they are all connected to the show barn where Ellen's daughter has taken a summer job. Worried that somehow Susannah might be in danger, Ellen starts asking questions. It isn't until the barn's trainer is found dead in the bathroom at the prestigious Region 11 Arabian show in Santa Barbara that Ellen realizes she had better find the murderer fast, before he or she strikes again.

She's too late. Ellen and Susannah end up locked in a horse van, hurtling through the night to what looks like almost certain death.

  

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 Dead Virgins by K. M. Ashman is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Dead Virgins by K. M. Ashman as today's free mystery ebook (An India Sommers Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, October 02, 2013 at 7:10 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.

— ♦ —

The Dead Virgins
K. M. Ashman
An India Sommers Mystery
Publisher: Silverback Books

India Sommers is a librarian and a talented historian, so when a stranger asks her opinion on an ancient but obviously fake coin she thinks no more about it. That is, until he is murdered outside the very library she works in.

It soon becomes apparent that there is far more to this situation than meets the eye and she is quickly recruited by Brandon Walker, a special service intelligence officer, investigating the disappearance of a very special young girl.

As the facts unravel, they realize that an ancient artifact linked to the cult of the Vestal Virgins from ancient Rome may hold the key to her whereabouts and Brandon draws on India's vast historical knowledge to unravel clues that date right back through history to the time of the great flood.

Slowly, the full horror and mind blowing truth of what they have discovered becomes clear and they become involved in a race against time in a horrific and shocking finale.

  

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.

Winner of the 2012 Hammett Prize Announced

Howard Owen has been named the winner of the 2012 Hammett Prize for his novel Oregon Hill . The award, given by the North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers, recognizes literary excellence in the field of crime writing for books published in 2012.

 indicates a review by Mysterious Reviews; click on the icon to visit the site.

As She Left It by Catriona McPherson is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature As She Left It by Catriona McPherson as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Wednesday, October 02, 2013.

— ♦ —

As She Left It
Catriona McPherson
A Novel of Suspense
Midnight Ink

When she was twelve years old, Opal Jones escaped her mother's endless drinking. Now, returning to their small Leeds cottage after her mum's death, Opal feels like she's gone back in time. Nosey Mrs. Pickess is still polishing her windows to a sparkle. Fishbo, Opal's ancient music teacher, still plays trumpet with his band. And much to Opal's delight, her favorite neighbor, Margaret Reid, still keeps an eye on things from the walk in front of her house.

But a tragedy has struck Mote Street. Margaret's grandson, Craig, disappeared some ten years ago, and every day he's not found, shame and sorrow settle deeper into the neighborhood's forgotten corners. As the door she closed on her own dark past begins to open, Opal uncovers more secrets than she can bear about the people who were once her friends.

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 (131002)

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

• The Daily Deal is Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Royal Detective: The Lord of Statues, just $2.99 through Sunday, October 06, 2013 only.

Visit the Omnimystery Entertainment Network for more games of mystery and suspense!

— ♦ —

Today's Daily Deal is Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles

Charles Baskerville is the latest victim of a centuries-old curse! Now, Henry Baskerville needs Sherlock Holmes' help to break the curse, before another murder occurs! Travel to legendary Baskerville Hall, and figure out exactly what is going on, and what the mysterious Hound of the Baskervilles is after. Crack the case in this incredible Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Wednesday, October 02, 2013 — for $2.99.

— ♦ —

The current Catch of the Week is Royal Detective: The Lord of Statues

You have been summoned to save the alpine village of Martlet, which has been taken over by statues! What made these statues come alive, and how can you stop them from destroying Martlet? The answer lays in the story of Princess, a young girl who was left on the statue maker's doorstep at birth. Find out who enchanted the statues and why in this charming game set in a small European town.

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, October 06, 2013.