Firsts on the 1st: New Series Characters Being Introduced in December 2013 Mysteries

The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books recently updated its list of December 2013 hardcover mysteries as well as shelved new December paperbacks on The Mystery Bookshelf.

In this series of monthly posts, which we call Firsts on the 1st, we're introducing readers to new series characters who will make their mysterious American debut in print during December.

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Title: Once Upon a Lie
Author: Maggie Barbieri
Series Character: Maeve Conlon
Formats: Hardcover and ebook

What we know about the character: Maeve Conlon is the divorced mother of teen daughters, who also owns a bakery.

Her first case: Maeve Conlon's life is coming apart at the seams. Her bakery is barely making ends meet, and one of her daughters spends as much time grounded as the other does studying. Her ex-husband has a new wife, a new baby, and a look of pity for Maeve that's absolutely infuriating. Her father insists he's still independent, but he's slowly and obviously succumbing to Alzheimer's. And now, her cousin Sean Donovan has been found dead, sitting in his car in a public park, shot through the head.

There was never much love lost between Maeve and Sean and she's not exactly devastated by his death, but suddenly the police are poking around asking the family questions. It's just one more hassle Maeve doesn't have time for, until she realizes that her father, whose memory and judgment are unreliable at best, is a suspect in the murder. Maeve is determined to clear his name, but is she prepared to cope with the dark memories and long-hidden secrets that doing so might dredge up?

— ♦ —

Title: Lending a Paw
Author: Laurie Cass
Series Character: Minne Hamilton, Bookmobile Cat
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook

What we know about the character: Minne Hamilton is a librarian in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan; her rescue cat is named Eddie.

Her first case: Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can't seem to shake the furry little shadow. But in spite of her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!

Minnie and Eddie's first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble — until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who's reached his final chapter.

Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they'll work to find the killer — because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue.

— ♦ —

Title: Marathon
Author: Genie Davis
Series Character: Lynn Bryant
Formats: Hardcover and ebook

What we know about the character: Lynn Bryant is an ex-cop, now private investigator in Houston, Texas.

Her first case: Lynn Bryant finds her life in danger as she investigates the murder of troubled psychic Karen Shaw, uncovering a web of death and destruction involving Karen's artist boyfriend Johnny; the abusive home life of a teenage girl; and the girl's lying, womanizing father. Lynn's former Houston P.D. boss and current boyfriend, Frank, advises stepping back.

But Lynn's bound for Karen's high desert hometown, and discoveries about Karen's life that surprisingly and intimately affect her own. Marathon is a page-turning, high-powered mystery thriller that moves from the high rises of Houston to the desert ranches of Big Bend Country, exposing the terrifying consequences of love, death, and family ties so twisted it takes all of Lynn's investigative skills to unravel them.

— ♦ —

Title: Murder, She Barked
Author: Krista Davis
Series Character: Holly Miller, Paws and Claws
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook

What we know about the character: Holly Miller is an amateur sleuth in this "Paws and Claws" mystery series.

Her first case: Holly Miller's life has gone to the dogs. She has no job, her boyfriend's former flame is sniffing around, and a scruffy but loveable Jack Russell Terrier is scattering crumbs all over her borrowed car. Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, a troubling phone call about her grandmother sends her rushing home to the family inn on Wagtail Mountain.

The staff — and a frisky Calico kitten named Twinkletoes — adopts Holly and her new dog on arrival. But someone in this friendly town is bad to the bone. One of the employees at the inn has been killed in a hit-and-run accident — which is looking anything but accidental. Now Holly and her furry companions will have to nose out the murderer before someone else gets muzzled.

— ♦ —

Title: Rosarito Beach
Author: M. A. Lawson
Series Character: Kay Hamilton
Formats: Hardcover and ebook

What we know about the character: Kay Hamilton is a DEA Agent in San Diego.

Her first case: Bold, brash, and beautiful, Kay Hamilton is not your average DEA agent — she's as infuriating as she is irresistible. Having recently been transferred to San Diego after a case in Miami brought her more notoriety than medals, Kay once again finds herself embroiled in an international bust. Tito Olivera, younger brother of drug czar Caesar Olivera, is within her grasp. If she takes down Tito, Kay is positive that Caesar will follow — and when Caesar falls, so does the largest and most vicious cartel in Mexico.

But when a mysterious stranger shows up on her doorstep, all of Kay's carefully laid plans are thrown out the window. The Olivera case suddenly becomes far more personal — not to mention dangerous — and Kay must be willing to sacrifice everything to get her man.

— ♦ —

Title: Murder and Moonshine
Author: Carol Miller
Series Character: Daisy Hale McGovern
Formats: Hardcover and ebook

What we know about the character: Daisy Hale McGovern is a waitress at H & P's Diner in sleepy southwestern Virginia.

Her first case: All small towns have secrets — and plenty of them — as every small-town waitress knows. Daisy is no different. A young, recently separated waitress, she hears more than her fair share of neighborhood gossip while serving plates of hash and peach cobbler. But when a reclusive old man shows up at the diner one day, only to drop dead a few minutes later, Daisy quickly learns that some secrets are more dangerous to keep than others — especially when there are money and moonshine involved.

The man's death was suspicious, and no longer sure who she can trust, Daisy turns sleuth while also seeking to protect her sick mother and keeping a handle on Aunt Emily, her goading, trigger-happy landlord. Caught between whiskey and guns, a handsome ATF agent and a moonshine-brewing sweet talker, and a painful past and a dangerous present, Daisy has her work cut out for her. There's trouble brewing in her small town, and before it passes, many secrets will come to light.

— ♦ —

Title: Rosemary and Crime
Author: Gail Oust
Series Character: Piper Prescott
Formats: Hardcover and ebook

What we know about the character: Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in the South, owns Spice it Up!, a spice shop in her adopted hometown, Brandywine Creek, Georgia.

Her first case: Piper Prescott has got her sass back. She might be down, but don't count her out. "Change of life?" she asks. Bring it on. Recently divorced, Piper decides to pursue a dream she's secretly harbored: owning her own business.

But Piper's grand opening goes awry when the local chef who's agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed. Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn't have a witness to her alibi, making the case look like a slam dunk to brand new police Chief Wyatt McBride. Desperate to uncover the truth — and prove her innocence — Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF Reba Mae Johnson to help track down the real culprit. The pair compile a lengthy list of suspects and work to eliminate them using their own creative brand of sleuthing techniques including stakeouts, breaking and entering, and one very unorthodox chocolate pie.

When Piper narrowly avoids being a victim of a hit-and-run, she knows she's getting closer to the truth, but can she catch the killer and clear her name before she becomes the next victim?

— ♦ —

Title: The Vanishing Thief
Author: Kate Parker
Series Character: Victorian Bookshop
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook

What we know about the character: Georgia Fenchurch owns a bookshop in Victorian London.

Her first case: When a frantic woman comes to Georgia claiming that her neighbor, Nicholas Drake, has been abducted by the notorious Duke of Blackford, Georgia and the Archivist Society agree to take the case. But Drake is no innocent — he is a thief who has been blackmailing many of the leading members of London society. To find Drake and discover who is behind his abduction, Georgia and her beautiful assistant, Emma, will have to leave the cozy confines of their bookshop and infiltrate the inner circles of the upper crust — with the help of the dashing but dubious Duke of Blackford himself.

But the missing thief and his abductor are not the only ones to elude Georgia Fenchurch. When she spies the man who killed her parents years ago, she vows to bring him to justice once and for all … at any cost.

— ♦ —

Title: The Norfolk Mystery
Author: Ian Sansom
Series Character: County Guides
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook

What we know about the characters: Professor Swanton Morley, an omnivorous intellect, and his assistant, Stephen Sefton, hope to produce a guide to every county in England.

Their first case: It is 1937, and disillusioned Spanish Civil War veteran Stephen Sefton is broke. So when he sees a mysterious advertisement for a job where "intelligence is essential," he eagerly applies.

Thus begins Sefton's association with Professor Swanton Morley, whose latest project is a history of traditional England, with a guide to every county.

They start in Norfolk, but when the vicar of Blakeney is found hanging from his church's bell rope, Morley and Sefton find themselves drawn into a rather more fiendish plot. Did the reverend really take his own life, or is there something darker afoot?

— ♦ —

Title: Murder in the Rockies
Author: Eldon G. Smith
Series Character: Andrew Coyle
Formats: Trade Paperback and ebook

What we know about the character: Andrew Coyle is a lawyer in late 19th century Denver.

His first case: As his first case after graduating from an east coast law school, Andrew Coyle travels west to defend a rancher accused of murdering a miner. Public opinion and all the circumstantial evidence are against the accused and his tenderfoot lawyer. Coyle determines that he must find the real killer in order to prove his client's innocence.

But the task proves daunting and he is shot at on two different occasions, nearly burnt up in a cabin fire, and beat up in a barroom brawl. Along the way, Coyle meets the haberdasher's daughter, and a rocky romance ensues. Sensing that he is loosing the case in the courtroom, Coyle has an inspiration — using technology that is new in the 1890s. It is a gamble, but Coyle's only chance, and the only way he can save his client from hanging.

— ♦ —

Title: Staged to Death
Author: Karen Rose Smith
Series Character: Caprice De Luca, Home Stager
Formats: Mass Market Paperback and ebook

What we know about the character: Caprice De Luca has successfully parlayed her skills as an interior designer into a thriving home staging business.

Her first case: Caprice DeLuca stages houses for high-end clients. When she discovers a body in the castle-mansion she staged to sell and starts asking questions, she finds herself in danger.

On the way to solving the murder, Caprice's large Italian family helps and hinders. She also finds romance with Dr. Seth Randolph. But does her brother's partner, attorney Grant Weatherford, care about her, too? Or is he just worried she'll get herself killed and her family will blame him?

— ♦ —

For a list of more hardcover mysteries scheduled for publication during December, please visit our New Mysteries home page. If you're interested in new paperbacks, visit The Mystery Bookshelf, where you can discover a library of new mysteries, also updated with December 2013 releases. See also our regularly updated eBook site for new mysteries, suspense novels and thrillers, MysterEbooks.com.

Please also 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.

A New MystereBook: Paydown by Nick Stephenson

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 during November 2013 priced $4.99 or less …

Paydown by Nick Stephenson is a prequel novella to the series featuring Leopold Blake, expert criminology consultant for the FBI.

— ♦ —

Paydown by Nick Stephenson
A Leopold Blake Mystery Thriller
Publisher: WJ Books Ltd.
Publication Date: November 30, 2013
Price: $0.99 (as of 12/01/13 01:30 PM ET)

Greed can be murder …

When a high-flying Wall Street investment banker is found brutally killed, what started out as a simple fraud case turns into expert criminologist Leopold Blake's first ever murder investigation.

Now, with the financial world at the brink of collapse, Blake must put aside his differences and work with NYPD Detective Mary Jordan to find and stop the killer before it's too late. As the glamor of Wall Street is stripped away by a series of catastrophic discoveries, Leopold will have to decide how much he is prepared to risk in order to uncover the truth - and whether it's a price he's willing to pay.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for the price indicated on the date and time as shown. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

MystereBooks: A Question of Honor by Charles Todd, 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 A Question of Honor by Charles Todd. This Kindle book was listed at $2.99 as of the date and time of this post, Sunday, December 01, 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.

— ♦ —

A Question of Honor by Charles Todd
A Bess Crawford Mystery
Publisher: William Morrow

Bess Crawford enjoyed a wondrous childhood in India, where her father, a colonel in the British Army, was stationed on the Northwest Frontier. But an unforgettable incident darkened that happy time. In 1908, Colonel Crawford's regiment discovered that it had a murderer in its ranks, an officer who killed five people in India and England yet was never brought to trial. In the eyes of many of these soldiers, men defined by honor and duty, the crime was a stain on the regiment's reputation and on the good name of Bess's father, the Colonel Sahib, who had trained the killer.

A decade later, tending to the wounded on the battlefields of France during World War I, Bess learns from a dying Indian sergeant that the supposed murderer, Lieutenant Wade, is alive — and serving at the Front. Bess cannot believe the shocking news. According to reliable reports, Wade's body had been seen deep in the Khyber Pass, where he had died trying to reach Afghanistan. Soon, though, her mind is racing. How had he escaped from India? What had driven a good man to murder in cold blood?

Wanting answers, she uses her leave to investigate. In the village where the first three killings took place, she discovers that the locals are certain that the British soldier was innocent. Yet the present owner of the house where the crime was committed believes otherwise, and is convinced that Bess's father helped Wade flee. To settle the matter once and for all, Bess sets out to find Wade and let the courts decide.

But when she stumbles on the horrific truth, something that even the famous writer Rudyard Kipling had kept secret all his life, she is shaken to her very core. The facts will damn Wade even as they reveal a brutal reality, a reality that could have been her own fate.

  

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

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.

A New MystereBook: Deadly Switch by Karen Dodd

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 during November 2013 priced $4.99 or less …

Deadly Switch by Karen Dodd introduces Gavin Stone, a charismatic international property developer and his estranged and bitter daughter, Alexis. In this first thriller of the series, a man is found dead with a needle in his arm in Stone's waterfront mansion.

— ♦ —

Deadly Switch by Karen Dodd
A Stone Suspense
Publisher: Karen Dodd
Publication Date: November 30, 2013
Price: $3.99 (as of 12/01/13 12:30 PM ET)

From the gruesome discovery in an exclusive enclave of West Vancouver, British Columbia, this thriller takes you on a wild ride from Italy's Amalfi coast, to the idyllic seaside town of Carmel, California.

Gavin Stone's tormented daughter, Alexis, searches frantically for her missing father, matching wits with devious criminals. With demons of her own to fight, she shouldn't care about proving him innocent of murder and embezzlement — but she does.

  

Important Note: This book was listed for the price indicated on the date and time as shown. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

Reviews of Mystery and Suspense Books for Kids, New This Week on Book Trends (131130)

Book Trends, a review site for young adult's and children's books, published several new book reviews this past week. We're presenting here a summary of those in the mystery/suspense/thriller category.

Revenge by Gabrielle Lord. A Conspiracy 365 Thriller. Lexile measure: 680L. Reviewed by a 6th grade teacher, who writes, "Readers of the Conspiracy 365 series should definitely pick up Revenge, but don't hold it to the same expectations." (Read the full review of this middle grade action/adventure thriller, here.)

For more reviews of children and young adult books of all genres, visit Book Trends; their reviews will amaze you! You can also follow Book Trends on Twitter.

Winner of the 2013 Ngaio Marsh Award Announced

The 2013 Ngaio Marsh Award for the best crime, mystery, or thriller novel written by a New Zealand citizen or resident was given to Paul Thomas for his Tito Ihaka mystery Death on Demand.

The judging panel called the novel "clever, beautifully written, and highly entertaining".

(Hat tip to Mystery Fanfare for alerting us to this news.)

An Excerpt from Deadly Heat at The Cottages by Fred Lichtenberg

Deadly Heat at The Cottages
by Fred Lichtenberg

We are delighted to welcome mystery author Fred Lichtenberg to Omnimystery News today.

Fred's new mystery of "sex, murder, and mayhem" is Deadly Heat at The Cottages (Fred Lichtenberg; October 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we are pleased to introduce you to it with an excerpt from the book, the first chapter.

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RALPH ABANO WAS ON A MISSION. HIS first job since leaving the big house and his damn car breaks down. Thank God this stone-white Grand Cherokee became available — with a full tank of gas no less — or he might have been fired on the spot. His whole life had been a series of good luck, bad luck. And this situation was no different. He took a hard right out of the parking lot and aimed east on Atlantic Boulevard in Margate, Florida.
 Ralph's stress reliever was whistling, so he blew the "The Star-Spangled Banner" through his lips as he entered Interstate 95 north. He remained in the right lane and maintained the speed limit. He couldn't afford to get stopped. Not in this car anyway. When Ralph finished whistling — he knew only a few tunes, all patriotic — his right hand reached across to turn on the car radio. He stopped. Did he hear a strange sound coming from inside the car? Snoring? His eyes shot up and searched the rearview mirror. What the hell was that?
 An elderly woman … snoring. This can't be happening. Not now when he was so close to completing the deal. He swerved onto the shoulder and stopped. He tapped the rearview mirror a few times wondering what to do. Then, as though the woman had sensed him staring, she opened her eyes.
 "Marty?"
 This was not part of the plan.
 The woman rubbed her eyes. "You're not Marty."
 No shit, lady!
 "Who are you, mister?"
 Ralph shot an arm across to the glove compartment and opened it. He fumbled through the mess of crumbled papers, a handful of pens designated First Margate Federal Bank and a Pleasure Pack of condoms before pulling out the registration.
 "I'm a friend of … Marty Singer."
 The old woman, wearing a red straw hat with a red velvet ribbon tilted to one side, raised an eyebrow, and shifted in her seat. "Oh." She reached for the armrest in front of her and checked the seat. "Where's Rachel?"
 "With Marty?"
 The woman scrutinized Ralph. "Not for nothing, young man, but I'm a little confused. You weren't in the car when I fell asleep. Am I missing something here?"
 Thinking quickly, Ralph forced a convincing smile. He fixed his eyes on the hat. The poor thing looked like an aging movie star. "That's true. I'm doing them a little favor since Marty and Rachel wanted to be alone tonight. I took over the driving at the restaurant. Don't worry, we'll have fun."
 She frowned. "But they promised to take me out for my eightieth birthday."
 Eighty?
 "And now I'm here with you. Who are you again?"
 "Ralph."
 "Ralph what?"
 "Just Ralph."
 The woman leaned forward. "I'm just Sylvia. Nice to meet you." She extended her cold, limp hand, which Ralph shook quickly. He realized he had a problem and was concerned that any line of questioning would increase his chances of getting caught. So he played it safe and pointed to her hat. "You might want to straighten that."
 He was about to shift into drive when Sylvia said, "Now I get it. This is a setup for my birthday, right? And I thought they were going to surprise me with one of those phallic symbol cakes."
 I need to dump this woman.
 "So how does it work, Ralph? You take me for a joy ride, we go to some fancy restaurant, and then you drive me back to my place where we make wild sex?"
 She's alive and crazy.
 "Because after you ply me with a few glasses of wine, I'm yours forever."
 Ralph's jaw dropped.
 "Just kidding, sonny. You're a nice looking young man but much too young for my liking. Nothing personal. So where are we going for dinner?"
 When Ralph stalled on a destination, Sylvia leaned back in her seat and said, "Surprise me."
 Ralph pulled out of the shoulder and cursed his piece of shit car that broke down on him. Now he's stuck with this … excess baggage.
 Ralph kept one eye on the road while watching the old biddy. She removed her straw hat and placed it on the seat. He was colorblind, so he couldn't tell if this Sylvia woman's hair was blue or purple. He didn't much care either. He had to consider his next move. He could throw her out on the interstate, but that would be cruel.
 "What are you thinking about up there, Ralph?"
 "Nothing."
 "You look intense. You said this was going to be fun, no?"
 Ralph's head began to pound. He feigned a smile through the rearview mirror. "Right, fun." He could tell the old woman was dressed up like she was going to a wedding. She'd have to settle for fast food because he needed to be somewhere in less than an hour.
 "So, Ralph, what's your last name?"
 "Abano," he said too quickly. I'm incriminating myself!
 "Italian?"
 "Right, Italian." Why did I say Italian? I'm not Italian. I'm Portuguese.
 "You look pretty handsome from what I can see. You remind me of that actor, what's that guy's name? You know, the one who was married to Elizabeth Taylor?"
 Ralph wanted to bang his head against the steering wheel.
 "Help me here, Ralph. I know she was married like eight times. It's on the tip of my tongue."
 How the hell would I know? His brain searched one of its compartments and retrieved the only old-time actor he knew.
 "John Wayne?"
 Sylvia laughed. "They weren't married to each other. Besides, you don't look that tall. Are you even six feet?"
 This woman doesn't shut up. "Yeah, I'm six feet, OK?"
 "Sure, six feet is good." Then Sylvia remembered. "Eddie Fisher, the Jewish guy."
 "What?"
 "He was married to Elizabeth Taylor. You look a little like him. Well, when he was younger anyway. He's dead now. Are you really Marty's friend? Cause you seem too nice. Marty's rather testy."
 Ralph stepped on the gas.
 "Hey, cowboy, you're speeding."
 Ralph's headache escalated. Maybe he should drop this woman off at the next exit, find a gas station, and have her catch a taxi back home. By then he'd already arrive at his stop, The Cottages, and dumped the car. He checked the rearview mirror one more time. She had a sweet smile, like his grandmother. He loved Granny. Maybe if she would just stop yapping. "I gotta make a stop first, OK?"
 "OK. And by the way, you said, I gotta make a stop first. Gotta isn't a word. It's grammatically incorrect, slang. I was a teacher for forty-five years, I know."
 Ralph pressed his temple.
 "Will Marty and Rachel be joining us at some point? I can't wait to thank them for this birthday surprise."
 "Yeah, later."
 Sylvia nodded. "By the way, I'm kind of hungry. I generally eat about five o'clock. You know, early bird. It has to be close to six by now … And I have a touch of hypoglycemia. I think I might have passed that one on to Rachel. She can get real … difficult when she's hungry. Sorry, I'm talking out of school."
 Maybe if she shoved some food in her mouth she'd be quiet for a while. Ralph didn't have time to search for a restaurant, but the damn woman probably would whine until he found one. And then, as though the Lord heard his plea, he noticed yellow arches off the highway like an apparition. He exited the interstate and worked his way over to the drive-through, and stopped behind a black Audi R8 Spyder sports car and snickered. Rich guy, poor meal.
 "Ralph, I thought you said you had to make a stop first. I could have waited."
 He shoved the car in park and shifted in his seat. "You said you were hungry!"
 "Are you hungry, Ralph?"
 He closed his eyes tight. When he opened them, Sylvia was smiling.
 "You got an aspirin?" he asked.
 "You mean do you have an aspirin? Yes, I do." She removed a CVS generic from her beige handbag and dropped two tablets into Ralph's hand.
 He popped the painkillers into his mouth and chewed voraciously before swallowing.
 "Well?"
 "I still have the headache."
 "That's not what I mean. Thank you would be nice."
 "Fuck!"
 "No, Ralph. That word should only be used on special occasions, like when you're really upset. I don't think a headache counts unless, of course, you have a migraine. Do you have a migraine, Ralph?"
 Why me? He shook his head.
 "That's good. So getting back to me giving you the pain pills, what do you say?"
 "Thank you?"
 "Correct." Sylvia raised her head and gazed through the windshield. She shook her head. "Damn lines. Hit the horn, Ralph. My hypoglycemia is getting worse."

— ♦ —

Photo provided courtesy of
Fred Lichtenberg

Fred Lichtenberg is a native New Yorker who lives with his wife in Jupiter, Florida. He has one son. A passion for writing, Fred, who worked for the Federal Government, exchanged hats and is currently writing full time. In addition to writing mystery novels, Fred wrote and directed a one-act play titled The Second Time Around … Again, about finding love in a nursing home, at the Lake Worth Playhouse.

For more information about the author and his work, please visit his website at FredLichtenberg.com.

— ♦ —

Deadly Heat at The Cottages
Fred Lichtenberg
Sex, Murder, and Mayhem

The Cottages, a fun-loving, fifty-five and older community, offers every conceivable excitement … but murder.

That changes soon after Ralph Albano, thirty-five, and fresh out of prison for illegally videotaping the fifteenth anniversary of The Lion King, snatches a Jeep belonging to Marty Singer, a despicable and philandering scoundrel. Ralph doesn't realize Singer's eighty-year-old mother-in-law is asleep in the back seat until she begins snoring. But he can't turn back …

    

Death Will Extend Your Vacation by Elizabeth Zelvin is Today's Fifth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Death Will Extend Your Vacation by Elizabeth Zelvin as today's fifth free mystery ebook (A Bruce Kohler Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, December 01, 2013 at 7:50 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.

— ♦ —

Death Will Extend Your Vacation
Elizabeth Zelvin
A Bruce Kohler Mystery
Publisher: booksbnimble

A clean and sober group house might not be everyone's idea of a dream vacation in the Hamptons, but the aptly named Deadhampton seems just about perfect for recovering alcoholic Bruce Kohler, his main man Jimmy, and BFF Barbara the World-Class co-dependent. (Meaning she simply cannot mind her own business.)

Even the neighbors seem kindred spirits. Down the road's a big house in the dunes owned by a clean and sober playboy with a motley crew of house guests in recovery from drug, love, and sex addictions, compulsive overeating, bulimia, and anorexia, not to mention good old-fashioned alcoholism.

All goes swimmingly, so to speak, until Deadhampton lives up to its name in more ways than one way when the tide washes in the body of Clea, the trio's beautiful housemate. "Murder?" say the cops. "Piffle! You people are seeing pink elephants."

But Clea was an investigative journalist whose passions included environmental issues and men — lots of men. Our intrepid three aren't about to let this one go. So who needs the old addictions? Secrets, lies, and danger are the new sex, booze, and drugs!

  

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.

Broken Harmony by Roz Southey is Today's Fourth Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Broken Harmony by Roz Southey as today's fourth free mystery ebook (A Charles Patterson Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, December 01, 2013 at 7:40 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.

— ♦ —

Broken Harmony
Roz Southey
A Charles Patterson Mystery
Publisher: Creative Content

In Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1730s, life is not easy for an impoverished musician. For Charles Patterson, violinist, harpsichord player, composer and would-be church organist, it's about to get a whole lot harder.

First he is accused of stealing a valuable book. Then a cherished violin belonging to his flamboyant rival, Henri le Sac, disappears, rapidly followed by le Sac himself. And when the young apprentice he inherited from his rival is gruesomely murdered, Patterson starts to feel out of his depth.

Strange goings-on at the home of capricious Lady Anne leave him in fear for his health and sanity, and the lady's cousin, Esther Jerdoun, seems to be trying to warn him about something. The mystery deepens as the death toll mounts and it becomes clear that things are not quite as they appear …

  

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 Killing Bee by Matt Witten is Today's Third Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Killing Bee by Matt Witten as today's third free mystery ebook (A Jacob Burns Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, December 01, 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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The Killing Bee
Matt Witten
A Jacob Burns Mystery
Publisher: Matt Witten

Controversy abounds at the public elementary school where Jacob and Andrea Burns send their two sons. Somebody's cheating on the standardized tests. The principal wants to fire the new fifth grade teacher. Ambitious parents are frantic to get their kids into the gifted and talent program. The school psychologist is way too eager to label kids ADD.

All of these frustrations literally come to a head when the principal gets fatally bashed in the skull with a spelling bee trophy.

  

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.

Lana'i of the Tiger by JoAnn Bassett is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Lana'i of the Tiger by JoAnn Bassett as today's second free mystery ebook (The Islands of Aloha Mystery Series; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, December 01, 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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Lana'i of the Tiger
JoAnn Bassett
The Islands of Aloha Mystery Series
Publisher: Lokelani Publishing

In mid-November, Maui wedding planner Pali Moon is hustled into witness protection after sticking her nose in a hush-hush federal sting operation aimed at taking down a vicious drug lord. She's sent to the private island of Lana'i, Hawaii, to hang out while the feds finish up.

After a month she's bored, homesick and WITSEC's worst nightmare until she lands a job tending a cozy B & B in Lana'i City. Movie mogul Tyler Benson checks in and he decides on a whim to marry his long-time girlfriend on Lana'i — far from the stalking paparazzi.

But before long, the bushes are rustling with reporters and photogs hoping to get a scoop on the wedding or a candid photo of the reclusive celeb. Then a body is found in Tyler's fiancée's suite and the tabloids shout, amen! Who needs a ho-hum wedding when you can have a star-studded murder?

  

Important Note: This book was listed for free on the date and time of this post. Prices can and do change without prior notice. Please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.

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

Too Close To Home by Lynette Eason is Today's Featured Free MystereBook

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Too Close To Home by Lynette Eason as today's free mystery ebook (A Women of Justice Mystery; Kindle format only).

This title was listed for free as of the date and time of this post, December 01, 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.

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Too Close To Home
Lynette Eason
A Women of Justice Mystery
Publisher: Revell

The FBI has a secret weapon. But now the secret's out.

When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, the FBI sends in Special Agent Samantha Cash to help crack the case. Her methods are invisible, and she never quits until the case is closed.

Homicide detective Connor Wolfe has his hands full. His relationship with his headstrong daughter is in a tailspin, and the string of unsolved murders has the town demanding answers. Connor is running out of ideas — and time.

Samantha joins Connor in a race against the clock to save the next victim. And the killer starts to get personal.

Read our review of Too Close To Home by Lynette Eason.

  

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.

So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley is Today's Nook Daily Find

MystereBooks is pleased to feature So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley as today's Barnes & Noble Nook Daily Find.

The deal price of $1.99 is valid only for today, Sunday, December 01, 2013.

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So Shines the Night
Tracy Higley
A Novel of Historical Romantic Suspense

In a city teetering at the brink of anarchy, Daria finds hope among people of The Way.

She escaped a past of danger and found respite in beautiful Ephesus, a trading center on the Aegean coast, serving as tutor to Lucas, the wealthy merchant who rescued her.

But the darkness she fled has caught up with her.

The high priests of Artemis once controlled the city, but a group of sorcerers are gaining power. And a strange group who call themselves followers of The Way further threaten the equilibrium. As Daria investigates Lucas's exploits into the darker side of the city, her life is endangered, and she takes refuge in the strange group of believers. She's drawn to Paul and his friends, even as she wrestles with their teachings.

When authorities imprison Lucas for a brutal crime, Daria wonders if even Paul's God can save him. Then she uncovers a shocking secret that could change everything — Lucas's fate, her position in his household, and the outcome of the tension between pagans and Christians. But only if she survives long enough to divulge what she knows.

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.

Popular Books by Best-Selling Authors is Today's Kindle Daily Deal

MystereBooks is pleased to feature Popular Books by Best-Selling Authors as today's Amazon Kindle Daily Deal.

The deal price of $1.99 each is valid only for today, Sunday, December 01, 2013. All six of the "Disaster Series" mysteries by Max Allan Collins are included in this promotion, and we're highlighting the first in the series, The Titanic Murders, below.

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The Titanic Murders
Max Allan Collins
The Disaster Series
Thomas & Mercer

When a passenger is found dead inside a locked cabin aboard the opulent Titanic, it’s a crime worthy of "the Thinking Machine", the popular fictional investigator who solves mysteries using formidable logic. So who better to crack this real-life case than author Jacques Futrelle, the man behind America’s favorite detective?

On board for a romantic getaway with his wife, Futrelle agrees to conduct a stealth inquiry. The list of suspects on the Titanic’s first-class deck is long and includes the brightest lights from high society, each with no shortage of dark secrets. As the mammoth ship speeds across the Atlantic toward its doom, Futrelle races to uncover which passenger has a secret worth killing for — before the murderer strikes again.

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 (131201)

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

• The New Release is Death at Cape Porto: A Dana Knightstone Novel (Collector's Edition).

• The Daily Deal is Twilight Phenomena: The Lodgers of House 13, just $2.99 today only!

• The current Catch of the Week is Awakening: The Skyward Castle, just $2.99 through Sunday, December 01, 2013 only.

• Today's Special Deal — Happy Holidays Sale! All Standard and Collector's Edition Games are Sale Priced! Use coupon code JOY to get any Collector's Edition game for just $7.99 or use coupon code CHEER to get any Standard Edition game for just $3.99. Offer valid through December 1st, 2013 only until 11:59 PM PT.

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

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The New Release today is Death at Cape Porto: A Dana Knightstone Novel (Collector's Edition)

Return to Europe in a brand new adventure as Dana Knightstone, the best-selling novelist with a gift for clairvoyance. A tragic legend attracts you to Portugal, where you were planning to set the backdrop of your latest love story. But upon checking into a mysterious hotel, you discover that your abilities are not just limited to interacting with ghosts. Delve into a past obscured by untruths that have imprisoned an innocent soul who, without your help, will never have the chance to clear his name. Find clues buried in old newspaper clippings and collect useful items as you explore the romantic locales of Portugal.

This is a special Collector's Edition release full of exclusive extras you won't find in the standard version, including: Bonus chapter: Dana puts things right; 40 hidden card collectibles; Challenging achievements to earn; Replayable cutscenes; and Wallpaper, concept art, and soundtrack.

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

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Today's Daily Deal is Twilight Phenomena: The Lodgers of House 13

It is 1980s England and there's a beautiful 3-floor mansion in the shade of branchy trees. With a friendly landlord and inexpensive rent, most people would envy those who live here. But bloody things are happening inside of this house. Guests are beheaded, and with every new victim humankind is getting closer to meeting a horrible monster. Is there anyone to prevent this nightmare?

A sample version is available to download and play for free for one hour. You can purchase this game today only — Sunday, December 01, 2013 — for $2.99.

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The current Catch of the Week is Awakening: The Skyward Castle

This is the tale of young Princess Sophia, who awakens from a magical century-long slumber into a land threatened by an ancient evil. Braving the dangers of an unfamiliar world, Princess Sophia has travelled far to discover the fate of her exiled kingdom. Having no magic of her own in a land built with living magic, she must overcome the many foes, perils and obstacles with her wit, skill and allies. Can Princess Sophia lift the curse that plagues her people? Find out in this epic conclusion!

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, December 01, 2013.