Me and Murder, She Wrote

by Peter S. Fischer

From a sleepy little small town in the middle of Long Island to a place at the table in the exciting world of network television, I lived the impossible dream. I am 35 years old, happily married, scraping along well enough, but obsessed with the reality that I am not living the life I had always dreamt of. And then in a set of circumstances that would be unbelievable in a nickel and dime B movie, my world suddenly changes and I find myself writing scripts for and rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in television and the movies.Me and Murder, She Wrote Glenn Ford, Lorne Greene, Sam Elliott, Rock Hudson, Robert Urich, Hal Lindon, Robert Young, Telly Savalas, Roger Moore, Robert Culp, William Devane, Robert Blake, and so many more, but especially Peter Falk and Jerry Orbach and a very special lady in my life to whom I owe a great deal, Angela Lansbury. This, then, is my career in Tinseltown, the good days and the bad, the good guys and the not-so-good, the thrilling successes and the depressing failures, all a part of the fabric of an adventure that had no right happening….but did.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Ebooks

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2013

About the author

Peter S. Fischer is a prolific writer producer with over 25 years of experience in network television. Among
his many credits is "Murder, She Wrote" which he co-created with the well-known television team of Richard
Levinson and William Link. He also served as Executive Producer for the first seven years and contributed
over 50 scripts. As producer he was the winner of two Golden Globes from the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association for Best Television Drama and also received an Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America.
In 2011, Mr. Fischer released book one of "The Hollywood Murder Mysteries", "Jezebel in Blue
Satin". The series continues in book two, "We Don't Need no Stinking Badges".
A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, he is the father of three, grandfather of six and
currently lives with his wife Lucille in the Monterey Bay area of Central California.

Reviews

[Nate LaClaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a confession to make: I am a Murder, She Wrote junkie. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I am a huge fan of the series, so when I saw Peter S. Fischer’s “unauthorized” autobiography available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read and review it. In Me and Murder, She Wrote: My Adventures in Television with Angela Lansbury, Peter Falk and Jerry Orbach…Among Others, the Murder, She Wrote creator, television producer, and writer tells the story of his career, its highs and its lows, with tremendous candidness.

Throughout the book, Mr. Fischer shares remembrances of the many people that he worked with throughout his career along with insight into the workings of the television industry (at least at the time when he was writing and producing for TV). He recalls meeting Angela Lansbury and realizing that she was Jessica Fletcher (he also recalls her response when he told her this). His experiences and feelings towards such stars as Peter Falk, Hal Linden, Jerry Orbach, and Harry Morgan and so many others are also shared among this book’s pages, as are so many stories about things that happened on and off the set during the production of the many TV movies and series that he was involved with.

In case you haven’t figured it out, I loved this book. Peter S. Fischer’s writing style is fun and so is the insight into people and TV shows that I grew up watching and still enjoy (along with many I was unfamiliar with).

If you are a fan of Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, Peter S. Fischer, Angela Lansbury, Peter Falk, or probably even television of the 1970s through 1990s in general, you will enjoy this book. I sure did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing these things in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and Murder, She wrote is a Grove Point Press publication released in September 2013. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Peter S Fischer gives us an account of how he decided to become a writer, his first forays into screen writing which led to a few made for TV movies. This led to his writing one script for the mystery show "Columbo". Peter's script was the only one Peter Falk really liked and he kept wanting to bring Peter Fischer back for more, which he did for awhile.
Eventually, Peter Fischer went on to other things, writing for other shows, and made for TV movies. One show he worked on and spoke on in detail was "Ellery Queen." But, in 1984, Murder, She Wrote came together and the show was a huge success.
Peter recalls his relationship with Angela Lansbury and the various cast members. For the most part the series went really smoothly until it just sort of ran out of steam. It is obvious that Peter really enjoyed this period in his career. There were Emmy's and Golden Globes, long friendships and fond memories.
Peter's life of course knew it's share of sadness and tragedy. Some of these events taking a serious toll on his enthusiasm for his job. Peter appears to have had a solid marriage and supportive wife.

I had a wonderful time remembering the Columbo mysteries and various other shows Peter worked on. My daughter and I used to watch Murder, she wrote, mainly in reruns and on Netflix and were amazed at all he guest stars. Peter remembers these scripts vividly. As he spoke of them, I did remember some pieces of those shows. I also loved the stories he told of Jerry Orbach who played a seedy detective on the show from time to time.

Peter Fischer now writes Classic Hollywood Mysteries and these books can be found on Amazon.com

Overall this in an A.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, Me and Murder, She Wrote. It was pretty good - very lightweight and easy to read. It was an autobiography of Peter Fischer, the prolific writer and producer of television shows such as Ellery Queen, Colombo, and Murder, She Wrote. He took off running soon after he moved his family to Los Angeles and got his bearings in television writing. In addition to series writing, he produced many well-known movies of the week during his tenure of 20+ years in television. I am in my 50s, so it wasn't hard to recall many of the people and shows he wrote about. Some of the passages in the book were funny; others were heartbreaking. This book brought several old series and long-dead players back to life.

"Happy" Hollywood lives like Peter Fischer's happen because of talent, hard work, vigor, integrity, good sense, some luck, and strong allies. He was a highly-respected writer who loved to work, loved his family and friends, respected his colleagues, didn't do drugs, and didn't cave in to show-biz egos. Strong men brook no nonsense because they know their worth. A proud man, Fischer retired with dignity and went on to pen popular Hollywood mystery novels. A writer's writer who followed his dreams. This biography is one of the few drama-free Hollywood accounts that I've come across. It was fun to read.

3 stars

[Jenn Estepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not the most literary of memoirs, as a dedicated fan of Murder She Wrote and other shows Fischer worked on, I highly enjoyed this. It's definitely a snapshot in time of Hollywood and television, and a pretty honest one. And it's lovely to hear that my devotion to Angela, Jerry Orbach and Peter Falk is not misplaced. While I don't agree with Fischer on all his takes regarding MSW (UGH, to the Dennis Stanton episodes),I had a great time reading it.

[Kevin Eggleston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of working with the formidable Angela Lansbury (the other parts of his career were less interesting).

[Danny Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zippy, fun autobiography about Fischer’s career. It’s surprisingly honest about how the sausage gets made, and very indicative of a certain era of television production where all of the execs are men and young secretaries are repeatedly referred to as beautiful.

The last chapter and afterward are pitches to buy his mystery books, and it’s somehow charming that he has such a lead touch with it, further proving his own points at being bad at self promotion.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a fan of both Colombo and Murder She Wrote, I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane and getting in behind the scenes with the author.

[Harry Hol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I am a big fan of Murder, She Wrote. I can't exactly explain why. I was 11 years old when I saw the first episode, and have seen every episode plus the tv movies. There's just something very relaxing about the weekly cosy mystery, especially the first few seasons when plots where still fresh and settings fairly original.

So when I discovered this memoir by series creator Peter S. Fisher, I just had to pick it up. And I was not disappointed. Even though Fischer is never really going deep, and some chapters boil down to a list of plots and guest stars, it did give me a sense of what it's like to create and write a series in 80s and 90s Hollywood.

As I said, Fisher never goes very deep, and his prose can best described as 'workman like'. It's pleasant and to the point. It's a quick and easy read, which sometimes feels like the talking-head interviews you find on many DVD 'special feature documentaries'. You know the type: a bit too clean and nice and lovey dovey, with júst enough actual behind-the scenes insight to keep it interesting.

The truly fascinating bits are Fischer's "failures", which actually do show how TV is (was? we're talking 80s and 90s) made. I just wish a bit more of this honesty and analysis found its way to the Murder, She Wrote chapters.

If there's just one slight disappointment, it's the last chapter, which is nothing more than a promotional blurb for the author's self-published Hollywood Mystery novels. It felt out of place and for all the "I don't want to sell myself anymore" statements in the previous chapter, this last bit was distinctly off-key.

Even with all the caveats, I really enjoyed the book and felt I learned a bit more about the show I love and the people who made it.

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining account of Fischer's development as writer and producer. As a fan of the Columbo TV series, it seemed whenever I was struck by a particularly well-written episode, it was often written by Fischer - and ditto for the Murder, She Wrote series. (MSW quickly deteriorated in quality after the 6th season when Ms. Lansbury, by ultimatum, decided to redesign her "Jessica" role and hauled in her relatives to direct and co-produce, i.e., when she moved Fischer and the old guard out.)
Fischer was the writer/editor of a small automotive monthly on Long Island but wrote scripts and stories on the side. Turns out his brother was "in the biz" in California, and offered good suggestions when Peter sent him a script that was good but not in proper submission format. So good was it that when studio bigwigs sent it to Rod Serling for a second opinion and revisions, Mr. Serling wrote a note back, stating "This script needs no revisions." And Peter was on his way.
He and legends Richard Levinson and William Link became a trio of cooperative friends/creators over the following years.
The book offers helpful hints to would-be writers, but is primarily a set of interesting anecdotes about coworkers, production inside information, with emphasis on four or five TV series he developed, often produced and often wrote for.
Well worth the time for all the background information and humor, if you like reading about writing creativity/practical problems of the beloved series of the end decades of the 1900s. I enjoyed it very much.

[Laura Bang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really needed an editor! It reads like Fischer just typed the whole thing in order and never looked back at what he wrote. There are also several times where he says he doesn't quite remember a particular detail and it's something he very easily could have looked up online (but then, in the last couple of chapters he mentions his aversion to modern technology and how he only grudgingly moved from a typewriter to a computer...), which made me take the rest of his recollections with a grain of salt. Still, this was a very interesting read and I would recommend it for fans of Murder, She Wrote and anyone interested in the business of television writing in the 1970s and 1980s. (Fischer was also involved in Columbo and several other, more short-lived series and movies-of-the-week, but Murder, She Wrote definitely gets the most ink in here.) It was especially fun to hear what it was like for Fischer to work with Peter Falk and Angela Lansbury.

[Margarida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a passionate fan of Murder, She Wrote. One of my earliest memories is sitting beside my mom in the living room at evenings while she watched an episode after a hard day at work. I own the whole series in DVD and even the TV movies. And I LOVE Angela Lansbury, of course. The eternal Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast (one of my favorite movies of all time) and a Disney Legend by right. So it was only natural for me to read the memoir of the man who invented the series in the first place, Peter S. Fischer. And what an enjoyable read it was! Peter tells it all, from the beginning of his career to the very final episode of MSW, from the award parties to the actors who were difficult to work with... It is a gem for the fans and a very interesting book for everyone who likes movies and television. A quick and fun read in a moment of need. Loved it!

[Samsalaqueen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Peter Fischer tries to rewrite history and tries to make himself look better than he was.

I am a massive MSW fan, great admirer of Angela Lansbury and I did my research over the years and his angle just doesn't add up!

There is a reason why it is an UNAUTHORISED autobiography and he covers his track from the get go by basically saying: I can't prove anything, I just write from memory.

He is a good writer and once I saw it more like fanfiction rather than a peek behind the scenes, I was entertained. I can't give this a high rating though because people with less background knowledge might believe him and I don't want a part in this.

[Jason Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was downright giddy to discover and begin reading this book. (I guess that works as a “tell someone you’re old without telling them you’re old.”)
It was not exactly what I anticipated, or what it is labeled and marketed to be. Rather than a behind-the-scenes history of MSW, it’s Fischer’s career memoir. MSW info comprises something like a fourth of the pages. Still, I did enjoy additional stories of Columbo, working with Jerry Orbach, failed pilots, etc.
On the negative side, Fischer seems fairly bitter about much of his journey. AND… The final chapter here is blatantly designed to sell you on his new mystery novels.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I bought this book, I was focusing only on the "Murder, She Wrote" section, not realizing that the book contained more than just that. The author was a co-creator, writer, and producer on Murder, She Wrote, but he did other things in the business, which are also covered in the book. He stayed with Jessica Fletcher for 7 seasons, then left, so that is where his memories end. Still, it is a fascinating look at behind-the-scenes events and people who helped create this wonderful series. I also enjoyed learning some tidbits about Columbo and Peter Falk. Fun and entertaining.

[Caitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

The only interesting parts of this book involved Angela Lansbury and Murder, She Wrote. Everything else didn’t interest me and it was written in an odd vignette style, which made the stories lack depth and didn’t make them interesting to me. It felt like it was short and at times took too long to get to the point at the same time.

However, I thought it was funny that he called Angela Lansbury “Angie,” that was a fun tidbit. I need (and wanted) more MSW at the beginning.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Murder, She Wrote and got this book just to get some behind the scenes info. I enjoyed that part of the book. I was happy to read about "Columbo" in these pages as well. I was unaware that Peter Fischer wrote for that series - another of my favorites. The parts of the book that were about his career that didn't involve Columbo or Jessica Fletcher were not as good.

[Mrs. Lynn Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd give six stars if I could. It's well written, an interesting subject (if you're a fan of 80s TV), and funny! The title is slightly misleading, because it's not all about Murder She Wrote, but that didn't detract from it.

I liked his writing so much that I've ordered some of his Hollywood mystery series.

[Reba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talk about the ultimate bait and switch. Only about a fourth of this book was actually about Murder, She Wrote & Angela Lansbury. Maybe even less. Not what I was hoping for when I set out to read this one.

[Tambra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book of the parts I read, I mostly read about Murder she wrote and read a few other things, Interesting book.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a die hard fan of both Murder, She Wrote and Colombo this was a light and easy read if a bit slow/boring at times.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading 'behind-the-scenes' books from the entertainment world.  I suspect this comes from my own professional work backstage.

This particular book caught my eye because 1) Murder, She Wrote was one of my wife's favorite television shows (along with Columbo), and 2) I lived and worked in LA at the same as most of this book takes place, and much of the industry was familiar to me then.

Fischer's writing is quite readable (no surprise, since he wrote popular mystery/drama for millions of people) and the book flows very easily.  I did find it, shall we say, 'interesting' that he often chose the incorrect pronoun when writing me/I ("...both he and Angie wish Bob and I good luck.") .

His flowery prose often made me chuckle ("Her eyelashes were long enough to erase a blackboard"), especially at times when I thought I was expected to be familiar with something ("We all know the cliché.  If we allow the camel to get his nose under the flap of the tent, pretty soon the rest of the camel is in your lap, taking up most of the space."  -- Really?  That's a cliché we all know?).  And occasionally I'd stop and have to think about a misplaced modifier or odd simile ("...sipping inedible coffee...").  But for whatever reason, it actually all made me like the guy a little bit more.  Made him seem down to earth.  That's not to say a little tougher editing might have been helpful!

But Fischer works hard to come off as 'down to earth.'  He tells us over and over how much of an outsider he really was in the Hollywood business.  How he didn't always follow the rules and didn't play the games that were expected of him, often because he didn't know the rules of the game.  And while there may be a great deal of truth in what Fischer says about this, the fact is, he was much more of an insider than 90% of the people 'in the business' in Hollywood.  An outsider doesn't get office space at Universal.  An outsider doesn't get calls from Peter Falk, asking him to write more Columbo episodes.  An outsider doesn't set ground rules for Peter Falk!  An outsider doesn't ... well, you get the point.  Fischer may have gotten in to the business sideways, through a family member, but he became an insider and thereby help set some of the rules for Hollywood.

But that doesn't change the fact that Peter S. Fischer was (is) a talented writer and creator.  And what most likely helped him tremendously (as he also points out on many occasions) was his ability to work fast.  His ability to understand the medium, be creative, and write quickly most likely is what made his career the success that it was.

One thing that surprised me was Fischer's willingness to be blunt and name names and lay blames.  If he didn't like someone or didn't think their work was quality, or if an actor was responsible for the failings of a show...he didn't mince words.  Never did his observations seem vindictive or angry ... simply his outlook on the issue.  Clearly this is someone who has retired from the industry and not looking to go back (Hollywood may be impatient, but it has a long memory).

Although I may disagree with his take on himself (being an outsider), I enjoyed his look at the Hollywood industry -- a perpective that we rarely get to see (we saw a similar perspective in When Variety Was King last year).

It is interesting to note that while this is labeled an autobiography (humorously modified as "unauthorized"), it really deals almost exclusively with his work in Hollywood.  Fischer writes often of his wife, but the rest of the family is nearly non-existent until we learn that a son has helped set up a publishing company.  read what you want in to this, since Mr. Fischer doesn't have much to say on family life.  His life and focus is on writing and producing during those years (according to the book).

Since his retirement from Hollywood, Fischer, who feels the need to always be writing, has been working on novels.  The last portion of the book talks a little more about them, along with information on where to find them (like his time in Hollywood, he decides to do novels his way instead of the mainstream publishers' way).  I'm intrigued enough that I will check out one or two of these mysteries!

Looking for a good book?  This is a very readable, fun look at Hollywood and the creating of a long-running, hit television series.

This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Grove Point Press in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation.

Thinking back on all the things that remind me of my mom, MURDER, SHE WROTE is definitely one of them. I remember how we would get snacks and beverages ready and plop down onto the couch to watch the latest episodes. During the commercials we would try to hash out the clues that have been presented to see if we could figure out who did it. Angela Lansbury was one of my mom's favorite actresses. Every time I am able to catch a MURDER, SHE WROTE rerun, I sit back and think of those wonderful times with my mom.

So of course, I wanted to read this book. I love the books that give glimpses at the creative processes behind the shows and also at the people who work their magic to allow us to escape into the various places that the shows bring us.

Me and MURDER, SHE WROTE takes us into the working life of Peter S. Fischer from his beginnings as a struggling writer up to his mystery novels. I loved reading about the time he spent writing for Columbo. As he was talking about certain things and episodes, I would try to remember each episode as best as I could. The same goes for most of the shows he was talking about. I think I have watched most of them.

And of course, the show that I know the best would be MURDER, SHE WROTE. I have watched each episode so many times that I can tell you within seconds of it starting which episode it is, the outline of the plot, and who did it. So hearing all the ins and outs of writing and shooting the scripts was great. Peter is a truly creative man who I admire greatly. Because no matter how great the actors are, if the script isn't good, the show won't be good. And Peter has definitely honed his craft to the point of being able to write credible scenes and create characters that could just walk out of your TV screen into your living room.

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter S. Fischer was a television writer and producer whose most famous work was on the early years of Columbo and the first six years of Murder, She Wrote. In this memoir, he recalls how he got into the TV business in his thirties by knowing someone in the business. Getting your foot in the door is only the first step though. He succeeded by getting a reputation for writing snappy scripts in record time and managed to land on two of the most popular series of the 1970s and 1980s.

Fischer tells his story in a conversational tone and keeps his focus on the TV shows and the personalities involved, rather than his personal life. It's a light and sometimes gossipy story, as he talks about which stars were easy to work with and which were demanding and difficult. More interesting is learning how an average guy from New York, married with children, changed careers in his thirties and had a very successful run of TV series and made-for-TV movies. There were flops as well as hits, but he got paid for all of it and retired when he got tired of the grind. It sounds as if it's possible to have a career in television and still be a nice guy.

Although the title is designed to grab the Murder, She Wrote fan, that show is only part of his story. I rarely watched MSW when it was on prime time TV and have only recently watched my first Columbo episodes. So you don't have to have been a 70s and 80s TV watcher to enjoy Fischer's reminiscences.

Like television, Fischer's memoir is light, quick, and undemanding. Fluffy and fun.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and Murder She Wrote by Peter S Fischer

264 Pages
Publisher: Grove Point Press
Release Date: September 15, 2013

Biography, Memoirs

I admit I loved watching Murder, She Wrote and still watch it on late night television. This book is written by the co-creator and writer for the series. Peter describes writing for other shows and the experiences behind the scenes with television executives and actors. I enjoyed his writing style and the photos scatter throughout the book.

After retiring from his screenwriting career, he retired to Las Vegas but decided it was a nice place to visit but not a great place to live. He moves back to California and after several bouts with boredom, buys a computer and begins to write again. This time his focus is on mystery novels named aptly, The Hollywood Murder Mysteries. He also wrote two books about the state of politics in the United States.

The writing style is easy to read and very entertaining. It was nice to have a sneak peak of what really happens in Hollywood. If you like memoirs or Hollywood, you will enjoy this book.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than just a look behind the scenes!
This book is much more than just a look behind the scenes of the successful series Murder She Wrote. It is a well written book of the story of one man’s journey into the world of writing in Hollywood. Mr. Fischer’s life is testimony to not giving up and believing in your craft. His story is fast paced and you’ll find yourself lost in the years gone by of stars and stories. A wonderful and genuine look at many famous names that make you wish you knew them personally. Not just a “name dropping” Hollywood book. Enjoy! NetGalley and Grove Point Press provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge lover of Murder She Wrote as a glance at my Goodreads shelf can tell you and I devoured this book from digital cover to digital cover. Fischer not only gives us a behind the scenes look at the show but details of what it was like to be a struggling television writer. I enjoyed hearing about his process and his stories about Jerry Orbach, Jean Stapleton and Angela L herself. This book is a must buy for any Murder She Wrote fan and one of my Favorite Reads of 2014.

*I got this book as a digital ARC from Net Galley but my Review opinions are my own.*

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great look at the ongoings that occur behind the scenes for murder she wrote as well as other great tv shows from and era I grew up on. I found myself remembering many of these shows and often wondered what had happen to them. I enjoyed Peter's reminiscing of his early days in Hollywood and the personal insight to many of my favorite actors and actresses. I'm intrigued by his other stories and I will have to check them out.

[Annice22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was good, it gave you a look at what goes on as TV shows are being made and how Peter Fischer career in writing took off. There were a few parts of the book I found boring but it was mostly because I didn't know what actor or TV show he was talking about.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little fluff piece to read. Enjoyable,but probably would have been more so if I was familiar with a lot of the shows and actors that were talked about. I was looking for a break from more serious, heavier reading. This was a good choice in that regard.

[Pam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one was a bit interesting as far as memoirs go, loved the part about how he found Jessica Fletcher and the actress who he got for the part, just perfect and plays the character beautifully, also liked the way the writer shares some of his experiences.