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Murder, She Wrote #25
Una recita quasi perfetta. La Signora in Giallo
Jessica Fletcher è a Mohawk House, dimora d'epoca convertita in albergo, dove è in corso un appuntamento molto particolare. Siamo infatti nel pieno dell'elettrizzante "week-end del mistero", un evento a cui gli ospiti dell'hotel devono partecipare attivamente: oltre agli incontri letterari con famosi giallisti sono previsti quiz, concorsi e un thriller teatrale a puntate di cui il pubblico dovrà trovare la soluzione. Per aumentare il coinvolgimento, realtà e finzione sono continuamente mescolate: la trama è rimpolpata attingendo alla suggestiva (e sinistra) atmosfera del posto, e altri attori circolano in incognito interpretando un ruolo anche fuori scena. Così, quando uno dei protagonisti si accascia sul palco come da copione, ma ucciso per davvero, Jessica, interpellata sul da farsi, prende una decisione coraggiosa: continuare il programma come se niente fosse. Una tormenta di neve ha infatti tagliato fuori l'hotel dal mondo dopo l'arrivo dei primi agenti, bloccando lì anche l'assassino, ed è fondamentale evitare che le persone intrappolate sappiano dell'accaduto. In un quadro surreale e dai risvolti grotteschi, tra poliziotti veri, detective finti, misteriose dame in nero e improbabili sospettati, in cui teatro e vita vissuta si specchiano l'uno nell'altro, la coraggiosa Signora in Giallo indaga con la consueta perspicacia e impeccabile bon ton, fino al sorprendente finale.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2006
112 people are currently reading
849 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Fletcher
114 books1,059 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jessica Fletcher (born Jessica Beatrice MacGill, and writes under the initialed J.B. Fletcher) is a fictional character from the US television series Murder, She Wrote.
In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, a series of official original novels have been written by American ghostwriter Donald Bain and published by the New American Library. The author credit for the novels is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher." When the first novel in the series, Gin and Daggers, was published in 1989 it included several inaccuracies to the TV series including Jessica driving a car which she could not do as she never learned to drive. Due to fans pointing out the errors, the novel was republished in 2000 with most of the inaccuracies corrected.
Source: Wikipedia
Jessica Fletcher (born Jessica Beatrice MacGill, and writes under the initialed J.B. Fletcher) is a fictional character from the US television series Murder, She Wrote.
In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, a series of official original novels have been written by American ghostwriter Donald Bain and published by the New American Library. The author credit for the novels is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher." When the first novel in the series, Gin and Daggers, was published in 1989 it included several inaccuracies to the TV series including Jessica driving a car which she could not do as she never learned to drive. Due to fans pointing out the errors, the novel was republished in 2000 with most of the inaccuracies corrected.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
August 26, 2017
This was a super quick read that I had had on my Audible shelf for a while (one of their 99 cent deals). It was cute, just like the TV show, although the narrator had a tough time with her Maine accent.
Jessica had been invited to be a guest-author-judge, along with two others, at a murder mystery weekend event held in an old (and, perhaps, haunted) Connecticut hotel. When a staged murder turns into a real murder, Jessica assists the local police in finding the killer, all while keeping the attendants in the dark and continuing with the event. They are helped by the arrival of a blizzard which prevents any of the suspects from leaving.
The "mystery" was pretty easy to figure out, but... I've been watching the TV series since the 80s and adore the character of Jessica Fletcher.
Jessica had been invited to be a guest-author-judge, along with two others, at a murder mystery weekend event held in an old (and, perhaps, haunted) Connecticut hotel. When a staged murder turns into a real murder, Jessica assists the local police in finding the killer, all while keeping the attendants in the dark and continuing with the event. They are helped by the arrival of a blizzard which prevents any of the suspects from leaving.
The "mystery" was pretty easy to figure out, but... I've been watching the TV series since the 80s and adore the character of Jessica Fletcher.
January 21, 2015
I enjoyed this, but I can't give it a really high rating, because the writing is mediocre and the plot predictable. The solution to the murder was a tired cliche and the villain was also a rather unfortunate stereotype. Not hugely offensive, but slightly, because it falls into a broad category of stories with villains like this. I don't want to reveal who it is, but if you read it, you'll probably know what I mean.
The writing was passable, but since I listened to it on audio, I was really struck by a lot of repetetive phrasing in the form of <>, he said. <>, I said. <>, he said. going on for entire conversations.
I've read other "Murder, She Wrote" novels and I always enjoy them for the pleasant characters and atmosphere. They're better than the television show, frankly. And this one was better than some I've read. I definitely enjoyed it and immediately decided to pick up another book in the series.
Incidentally, the reader for the audio version, Cynthia Darlow, starts out a little shakey, but settles in after a while. By the end of the novel, she's doing quite a good imitation of Angela Lansbury's Jessica Fletcher. In a later one in the series ("A Slaying in Savannah"), she is spot on.
The writing was passable, but since I listened to it on audio, I was really struck by a lot of repetetive phrasing in the form of <>, he said. <>, I said. <>, he said. going on for entire conversations.
I've read other "Murder, She Wrote" novels and I always enjoy them for the pleasant characters and atmosphere. They're better than the television show, frankly. And this one was better than some I've read. I definitely enjoyed it and immediately decided to pick up another book in the series.
Incidentally, the reader for the audio version, Cynthia Darlow, starts out a little shakey, but settles in after a while. By the end of the novel, she's doing quite a good imitation of Angela Lansbury's Jessica Fletcher. In a later one in the series ("A Slaying in Savannah"), she is spot on.
January 18, 2015
“Murder, She Wrote” was one of my favourite shows in the 80s (I know it ran until 1996, but I’ll always connect it with the 80s) and I’ve often wondered if this book series was any good. When I saw this audio book on sale for 3$ I thought it was a good time to try one.
This book took place in 2006, but to me Jessica Fletcher exists only in the 80s; she shouldn’t know about futuristic things like the Internet, Google, DVDs, Cell Phones and Laptops!!! that ruins her mystique! But for fans of the books, I suppose keeping her current makes them feel like the TV series is living on.
When watching the TV series I always preferred episodes that took place in Cabot Cove featuring Dr Hazlitt and Sheriffs Tupper and Metzger, so I was disappointed that this book wasn’t set there – but for 3$ I can’t complain.
The plot of this book irritated me: someone REALLY DOES die in a murder mystery weekend. Ugh, it’s been done to death! (no pun intended) I vividly remember an episode of The Golden Girls exploiting that same theme.
I also wished the narrator was Angela Lansbury, how can anyone else truly personify Jessica?? Still, this narrator was not bad and I did think she did sound a little like her in moments.
Cute overall, but I don’t think I’ll be adding other instalments of the book series onto my wish list (this was book 25 in a series that is up it it’s 43rd instalment) but if I see another one on sale one day for 3$, I’ll bite.
This book took place in 2006, but to me Jessica Fletcher exists only in the 80s; she shouldn’t know about futuristic things like the Internet, Google, DVDs, Cell Phones and Laptops!!! that ruins her mystique! But for fans of the books, I suppose keeping her current makes them feel like the TV series is living on.
When watching the TV series I always preferred episodes that took place in Cabot Cove featuring Dr Hazlitt and Sheriffs Tupper and Metzger, so I was disappointed that this book wasn’t set there – but for 3$ I can’t complain.
The plot of this book irritated me: someone REALLY DOES die in a murder mystery weekend. Ugh, it’s been done to death! (no pun intended) I vividly remember an episode of The Golden Girls exploiting that same theme.
I also wished the narrator was Angela Lansbury, how can anyone else truly personify Jessica?? Still, this narrator was not bad and I did think she did sound a little like her in moments.
Cute overall, but I don’t think I’ll be adding other instalments of the book series onto my wish list (this was book 25 in a series that is up it it’s 43rd instalment) but if I see another one on sale one day for 3$, I’ll bite.
October 13, 2021
This was one of the best MSW's I have read thus far. The plot and mystery were extremely intriguing and I had a lot of fun figuring it out. It played out pretty close to the way I thought I would even with the twists I figured were coming. Great read!!
August 17, 2019
Always a pleasure rereading an old book and visiting a good friend
July 1, 2022
I think most MSW books will get 4/5 stars because they simply bring me joy.
May 23, 2023
Riassumerei questo libro con poche semplici parole:
Ho scoperto l’assassino P R I M A di Jessica Fletcher.
(È anche vero che in questo periodo mi sto facendo la full immersion di episodi della serie tv quindi sono abbastanza sul pezzo.)
Ho scoperto l’assassino P R I M A di Jessica Fletcher.
(È anche vero che in questo periodo mi sto facendo la full immersion di episodi della serie tv quindi sono abbastanza sul pezzo.)
October 11, 2025
There were some crazy characters in this book. 😆 But as usual, I like l enjoyed the progression of the mystery, the clues that were subtle, and the unveiling at the end that I completely got wrong this time. 😂 I always enjoy a Murder She Wrote novel. 🤩🤩
November 11, 2018
I enjoyed the actual story. I thought it was a pretty good example of the TV series. I did not like the narrator (Cynthia). I disliked her voice, though that's probably a personal quibble.
April 11, 2023
This one was so much fun!
April 27, 2022
Cheesy, campy
But definitely a page turner.
I do love the nostalgia that comes with murder she wrote
But definitely a page turner.
I do love the nostalgia that comes with murder she wrote
December 27, 2018
I thought I had this one and while I got half of it, dang it- not all of it! I love the locked room mysteries and this was one of them! ;]
July 21, 2020
My third foray into the Murder She Wrote book series was average. What helps this book most is the setting, a hotel in the midst of a snow storm, helps a lot by how avid Jessica is in investigating the murder that took place. This is one of those were I was able to figure it all out before the reveal, so I was pleased by that.
Some of the secondary characters were pleasant, others were not, though I had a big gripe with the book, in that while one character is displayed as an abusive husband and Jessica dislikes him as she should, another character, the director of the murder mystery play and a friend of Jessica's, is downright abusive towards one of the actresses only because she has a high-pitched voice, and yet Jessica is dismissive of it, and in fact everyone is except for only one of the other actresses, who is all but ignored in her concern, and the fact that the guy gets away with his abusive behavior towards the actress left a very sour taste in my mouth. It bugged me so bad that it's the sole reason I bumped down the rating from a 3 to a 2. Hopefully other books don't have that nasty problem in them.
Some of the secondary characters were pleasant, others were not, though I had a big gripe with the book, in that while one character is displayed as an abusive husband and Jessica dislikes him as she should, another character, the director of the murder mystery play and a friend of Jessica's, is downright abusive towards one of the actresses only because she has a high-pitched voice, and yet Jessica is dismissive of it, and in fact everyone is except for only one of the other actresses, who is all but ignored in her concern, and the fact that the guy gets away with his abusive behavior towards the actress left a very sour taste in my mouth. It bugged me so bad that it's the sole reason I bumped down the rating from a 3 to a 2. Hopefully other books don't have that nasty problem in them.
March 27, 2025
Jessica Fletcher knew exactly what she was signing up for when she agreed to spend the weekend at Cliffside, a drafty, possibly haunted mansion nestled in the snowy Berkshires. The plan? A writers’ conference-slash-immersive murder mystery weekend hosted by her flamboyant friends Wallace and Beverly Savoy — married playwrights with a flair for the dramatic and a talent for turning literally everything into a stage production. There’s no illusion of peace here. This is not a quiet retreat. It’s a full-on performance, complete with actors, costumes, fake clues, and a script that Jessica’s been looped in on — at least, the parts she’s supposed to know.
The guest list is a fever dream of literary egos. Think screenwriters, novelists, theater critics, and a handful of “working” actors who all seem deeply committed to their own reputations. Some are friends of the Savoys. Some are rivals. All of them are there to workshop their writing, show off just enough to stay relevant, and participate in the grand staged whodunnit planned for the weekend. Everyone gets assigned a role. Everyone knows it’s a game. Until someone takes it way too far and kills one of the actors — for real.
What was supposed to be a murder mystery play turns into an actual locked-room crime scene, and suddenly all those smug writers with pens full of plot twists are looking at each other like one of you did it and I have notes. The house is snowed in. The phones are dead. The local cops aren’t getting there anytime soon. And Jessica? She may have agreed to act in a fake murder, but she did not sign off on becoming a suspect in a real one.
Wallace Savoy is every inch the fading theater giant — over-the-top, attention-hungry, and prone to ominous monologues about betrayal and artistic purity. His wife Beverly plays the quieter half, all polite smiles and strategic silences, but you get the feeling she’s been planning her own private subplot for years. The rest of the attendees are deliciously petty: people nursing grudges, professional jealousy, and more than one publishing disappointment they’ve been stewing over since the Clinton administration. Everyone has something to prove. Everyone has something to hide. And now they’re all stuck in a snowbound murder trap with Jessica Fletcher quietly watching like she’s reading the final chapter before the rest of them even know they’re in trouble.
The atmosphere is exactly what you want in a classic murder mystery: creaky stairs, flickering lights, wine-stained egos, and secrets buried deeper than the driveway under the snow. The tension builds not just because there’s a killer in the house, but because all these creative types are so used to performing, they can’t stop — even when their lives are at stake. And Jessica, naturally, slices through the theatrics with her signature calm, asking sharp questions and catching every detail while the rest of the guests spiral into melodrama.
This is one of the best entries in the series, full stop. It’s got that cozy claustrophobia you want from a snowed-in setting, the delicious paranoia of a locked-door mystery, and the added spice of writers behaving badly. The pacing is tight, the clues are planted smartly, and the final reveal is delivered with enough flair to make even the Savoys proud. Jessica doesn’t just solve the case — she delivers a master class in watching, listening, and staying three steps ahead of a room full of people who think they’re the smartest one there.
Four stars, easily. It’s peak Murder, She Wrote: elegant, twisty, a little theatrical, and anchored by a heroine who can outthink a killer and still make her flight home in time to file her manuscript.
The guest list is a fever dream of literary egos. Think screenwriters, novelists, theater critics, and a handful of “working” actors who all seem deeply committed to their own reputations. Some are friends of the Savoys. Some are rivals. All of them are there to workshop their writing, show off just enough to stay relevant, and participate in the grand staged whodunnit planned for the weekend. Everyone gets assigned a role. Everyone knows it’s a game. Until someone takes it way too far and kills one of the actors — for real.
What was supposed to be a murder mystery play turns into an actual locked-room crime scene, and suddenly all those smug writers with pens full of plot twists are looking at each other like one of you did it and I have notes. The house is snowed in. The phones are dead. The local cops aren’t getting there anytime soon. And Jessica? She may have agreed to act in a fake murder, but she did not sign off on becoming a suspect in a real one.
Wallace Savoy is every inch the fading theater giant — over-the-top, attention-hungry, and prone to ominous monologues about betrayal and artistic purity. His wife Beverly plays the quieter half, all polite smiles and strategic silences, but you get the feeling she’s been planning her own private subplot for years. The rest of the attendees are deliciously petty: people nursing grudges, professional jealousy, and more than one publishing disappointment they’ve been stewing over since the Clinton administration. Everyone has something to prove. Everyone has something to hide. And now they’re all stuck in a snowbound murder trap with Jessica Fletcher quietly watching like she’s reading the final chapter before the rest of them even know they’re in trouble.
The atmosphere is exactly what you want in a classic murder mystery: creaky stairs, flickering lights, wine-stained egos, and secrets buried deeper than the driveway under the snow. The tension builds not just because there’s a killer in the house, but because all these creative types are so used to performing, they can’t stop — even when their lives are at stake. And Jessica, naturally, slices through the theatrics with her signature calm, asking sharp questions and catching every detail while the rest of the guests spiral into melodrama.
This is one of the best entries in the series, full stop. It’s got that cozy claustrophobia you want from a snowed-in setting, the delicious paranoia of a locked-door mystery, and the added spice of writers behaving badly. The pacing is tight, the clues are planted smartly, and the final reveal is delivered with enough flair to make even the Savoys proud. Jessica doesn’t just solve the case — she delivers a master class in watching, listening, and staying three steps ahead of a room full of people who think they’re the smartest one there.
Four stars, easily. It’s peak Murder, She Wrote: elegant, twisty, a little theatrical, and anchored by a heroine who can outthink a killer and still make her flight home in time to file her manuscript.
March 26, 2021
I recently finished listening to Murder She Wrote: A Question of Murder written by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain and narrated by Cynthia Darlow.
This book appears to be a larger book in a series, but I don't think I need worry about spoilers. As far as I can tell the book is a stand alone mystery with no connection to anything before or after.
As far as I can determine Jessica Fletcher is the fictional author both on the front page and featured in the book. It seems Donald Bain is the real author. The book is very meta assuming you are reading a first person account of Jessica's experience with the murder. This not being meta enough, apparently, they include questions from the authors panel in the book in such a fashion that they are clearly directed at the listener.
The tale begins with mystery authors invited to a mystery weekend where participants attempt to solve a mystery put on by a theatre company. Inevitably one of the actors is really killed and a true mystery ensues. Unsurprisingly Jessica has her finger on the pulse of the mystery and will guide the reader through it.
This story can be best described by the term "formulaic." This is unerringly unoriginal to the point of tedium. The only thing unusual about the book is the sheer variety of backgrounds the participants have, which stretched credulity to the breaking point.
I would normally review the narrator at this point. I say normally because I can't tell if Cynthia Darlow is the best or worst narrator ever. If she chose to do this sheer variety of accent's, sex, age, ethnicity, and other eccentric backgrounds on her own then she may be among the worst narrators. If, however, due to the sheer variety of characters as well as the direction she was given she did this, then she is a mad genius. Whatever else her narration did, it kept me awake despite the bland novel.
Conclusion: This mystery is formulaic and trite. I won't say it's bad. I cannot, however, say it's good. If you can get it on sale pick it up, otherwise I would suggest finding better fare.
This book appears to be a larger book in a series, but I don't think I need worry about spoilers. As far as I can tell the book is a stand alone mystery with no connection to anything before or after.
As far as I can determine Jessica Fletcher is the fictional author both on the front page and featured in the book. It seems Donald Bain is the real author. The book is very meta assuming you are reading a first person account of Jessica's experience with the murder. This not being meta enough, apparently, they include questions from the authors panel in the book in such a fashion that they are clearly directed at the listener.
The tale begins with mystery authors invited to a mystery weekend where participants attempt to solve a mystery put on by a theatre company. Inevitably one of the actors is really killed and a true mystery ensues. Unsurprisingly Jessica has her finger on the pulse of the mystery and will guide the reader through it.
This story can be best described by the term "formulaic." This is unerringly unoriginal to the point of tedium. The only thing unusual about the book is the sheer variety of backgrounds the participants have, which stretched credulity to the breaking point.
I would normally review the narrator at this point. I say normally because I can't tell if Cynthia Darlow is the best or worst narrator ever. If she chose to do this sheer variety of accent's, sex, age, ethnicity, and other eccentric backgrounds on her own then she may be among the worst narrators. If, however, due to the sheer variety of characters as well as the direction she was given she did this, then she is a mad genius. Whatever else her narration did, it kept me awake despite the bland novel.
Conclusion: This mystery is formulaic and trite. I won't say it's bad. I cannot, however, say it's good. If you can get it on sale pick it up, otherwise I would suggest finding better fare.
May 1, 2025
"A Question of Murder" takes Jessica Fletcher to a writers' conference in the Berkshires, which sounds pretty tame, right? Except her friends are hosting a murder-mystery party at this old mansion, and wouldn't you know it, someone actually ends up dead! It makes you wonder if Jessica can ever just have a relaxing weekend.
What I liked about this one is the whole "play within a play" thing. You've got this staged murder mystery going on, and then a real body shows up, so everyone's trying to figure out what's part of the script and what's not. It's a clever setup, especially with a bunch of writers in the mix – you know there are going to be some creative minds at play (pun intended!).
Jessica, as always, is in her element. She promises her friends she won't interfere with their party, but once a real crime happens, all bets are off. She's got that great combination of being a sharp observer and just generally nosy in the best way possible. The setting of the writers' conference is fun too, with all these different personalities and potential motives lurking around.
It's a classic cozy mystery vibe, with Jessica piecing things together in that methodical way we love. While the "fake murder turns real" trope isn't brand new, Bain does a good job of keeping you guessing about who the real killer is and what their motive might be. If you enjoy a good whodunnit with a theatrical twist, this one's a solid choice.
★★★★☆
#AQuestionOfMurder #JessicaFletcher #DonaldBain #MurderSheWrote #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #BookLover #Reading #Books #Bookish #BookRecommendation #CozyReads #Whodunnit #MysteryBooks #WritersConference #Berkshires #AmateurSleuth #TheatricalMystery
What I liked about this one is the whole "play within a play" thing. You've got this staged murder mystery going on, and then a real body shows up, so everyone's trying to figure out what's part of the script and what's not. It's a clever setup, especially with a bunch of writers in the mix – you know there are going to be some creative minds at play (pun intended!).
Jessica, as always, is in her element. She promises her friends she won't interfere with their party, but once a real crime happens, all bets are off. She's got that great combination of being a sharp observer and just generally nosy in the best way possible. The setting of the writers' conference is fun too, with all these different personalities and potential motives lurking around.
It's a classic cozy mystery vibe, with Jessica piecing things together in that methodical way we love. While the "fake murder turns real" trope isn't brand new, Bain does a good job of keeping you guessing about who the real killer is and what their motive might be. If you enjoy a good whodunnit with a theatrical twist, this one's a solid choice.
★★★★☆
#AQuestionOfMurder #JessicaFletcher #DonaldBain #MurderSheWrote #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #BookLover #Reading #Books #Bookish #BookRecommendation #CozyReads #Whodunnit #MysteryBooks #WritersConference #Berkshires #AmateurSleuth #TheatricalMystery
December 13, 2022
This addition to the MSW book series is told in true “Whodunnit” style and is, in my opinion, one of the better MSW novels. Jessica is invited to a Murder Mystery Weekend as a guest writer. When someone is murdered in plain sight, Jessica becomes involved not only with the mystery at hand, but also with in a cold case.
This is a murder within a murder within a murder. The characters are quirky and the mystery fairly challenging to solve. I didn’t solve it, having missed the importance of one particular clue, which is why this MSW is so clever—I was too preoccupied with wondering how Jessica was missing the obvious to realize she was 10 steps ahead.
There’s also some fun trivia questions about mystery writers at the start of each chapter.
This is a murder within a murder within a murder. The characters are quirky and the mystery fairly challenging to solve. I didn’t solve it, having missed the importance of one particular clue, which is why this MSW is so clever—I was too preoccupied with wondering how Jessica was missing the obvious to realize she was 10 steps ahead.
There’s also some fun trivia questions about mystery writers at the start of each chapter.
January 29, 2018
In this installment of Murder She Wrote, Jessica is a guest writer at a murder mystery weekend. The resort holding the weekend is an old building called Mowhawk House that has many secrets. When of the murder mystery actors is killed for reals, Jessica and her fellow writers investigate along with a bevy of guests.
As part of the murder mystery weekend, guests are challenged to answer trivia questions about famous mysteries. These are included in the beginning of each chapter and made for extra fun.
Minus one star for a domestic violence situation that should have been handled better, but overall a good read.
As part of the murder mystery weekend, guests are challenged to answer trivia questions about famous mysteries. These are included in the beginning of each chapter and made for extra fun.
Minus one star for a domestic violence situation that should have been handled better, but overall a good read.
May 9, 2025
Possible spoilers.
Jessica is invited to be a panelist for a murder mystery weekend at a cozy resort in the Berkshires. Presented by producers of interactive murder mystery plays, the weekend gets off to a bang when the actor playing the murder victim in the play is actually murdered. The competitive audience thinks it’s all part of the play although some suspect it isn’t. Enlisted by the local detective to assist when the entire hotel gets snowed in (of course!), Jessica must sift through the clues and catch the killer before he/she can escape. A fun and twisted little plot although there was a dead giveaway (see what I did there?) less than halfway through the story.
Jessica is invited to be a panelist for a murder mystery weekend at a cozy resort in the Berkshires. Presented by producers of interactive murder mystery plays, the weekend gets off to a bang when the actor playing the murder victim in the play is actually murdered. The competitive audience thinks it’s all part of the play although some suspect it isn’t. Enlisted by the local detective to assist when the entire hotel gets snowed in (of course!), Jessica must sift through the clues and catch the killer before he/she can escape. A fun and twisted little plot although there was a dead giveaway (see what I did there?) less than halfway through the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2019
Murder She Wrote is one of my series, both on television and in books. I can happily say that Jessica did not let me down in this one. Though I figured out some features of the story, I did not guess the murderer. You can see Jessica going through the actions of the plot as the story unfolds. And the setting, the Mohawk Hotel in the Berkshires, was quite interesting, almost like a character in its own right. These are just a few of reasons to pick up this book or any in the series for that matter; I have yet to come across a bad one.
January 23, 2022
Anytime I read this series I always experience a wave of nostalgia mainly because I have such vivid memories of watching this show with my grandmother, she loved this show and I enjoyed the time we spent together and in time I learned to love it as well.
I am enamored with the trope of the closed circle mystery, when friends and strangers alike are trapped together somewhere unable to escape and they instead have to solve the murder in their mist. In this case Jessica is at a murder mystery weekend at a historical hotel when a snowstorm surrounds them and then one of the employees is murdered and they have to figure out whodunnit. The actual mystery wasn't that great, it wasn't awful but a few of the big twists you could see coming a million miles away and the solution isn't really a surprise. But even having said all that I still liked it.
I am enamored with the trope of the closed circle mystery, when friends and strangers alike are trapped together somewhere unable to escape and they instead have to solve the murder in their mist. In this case Jessica is at a murder mystery weekend at a historical hotel when a snowstorm surrounds them and then one of the employees is murdered and they have to figure out whodunnit. The actual mystery wasn't that great, it wasn't awful but a few of the big twists you could see coming a million miles away and the solution isn't really a surprise. But even having said all that I still liked it.
February 26, 2022
This was a solid mystery! I found myself reading this more and more as I got further into it. I tend to read several novels at a time, but I did find that this one kept jumping up to the forefront as I got further into it. I can’t say it’s perfect—so few novels are—but I’m such a Jessica Fletcher fan, a “Murder, She Wrote” fan—that this novel was as near to perfect as can be without actually hitting the mark. Enjoyable, without the problems of other novels missing the mark when it comes to the characters. Really loved it.
November 21, 2022
Mystery author Jessica Fletcher is invited to spend a weekend at a historic hotel in Connecticut and participate in an interactive play that starts off with a murder. Only trouble is one of the actors really was killed! Add a once-in-a-generation blizzard and you have a tantalizing locked room mystery. There are plenty of old jealousies, scores to settle, and mistaken identities that make for an enjoyable story. A nice addition to this installment of the always reliable series is that each chapter starts with a trivia question about the craft of detective fiction.
December 15, 2024
I enjoyed this one a lot!
A theatre troupe is putting on a murder mystery play for the weekend at an old hotel, and Jessica is invited to be there for an author panel. Things go horribly wrong when the murder that was supposed to take place in the play turns out to be real.
This is one of those locked-room types, because the hotel is sealed off due to a late-winter snowstorm.
I don’t know how Jessica manages to be diplomatic all the time and hold her tongue against horrible people while still expressing disapproval, but that’s what makes her special.
A theatre troupe is putting on a murder mystery play for the weekend at an old hotel, and Jessica is invited to be there for an author panel. Things go horribly wrong when the murder that was supposed to take place in the play turns out to be real.
This is one of those locked-room types, because the hotel is sealed off due to a late-winter snowstorm.
I don’t know how Jessica manages to be diplomatic all the time and hold her tongue against horrible people while still expressing disapproval, but that’s what makes her special.
July 7, 2021
This ain't good writing even by cozy mystery standards and there's some hmmm less than comfortable treatment of a character in drag late in the novel but it's not outright phobic and tho I clocked one of the twists, the ending solution was pretty clever. The narrator of the audiobook starts out awful - somehow Jessica, known Mainer, sounds like she's from Georgia - but she improves over time and by the end, she's at least saying the name Mark correctly lmao
January 28, 2024
An isolated, snow-bound, resort hotel and an interactive murder mystery weekend subplot promised a lot of fun, but it didn’t quite deliver. The plot was, at times, too ridiculous to allow me to suspend my disbelief, and while the side characters were interesting, there were too many. Most of them were under developed. On the plus side, Jessica was really enjoyable and felt very much in character.
May 19, 2024
This was just a fun entry in the series. I'm a sucker for a murder mystery where the suspects can't leave. This one takes place at a hotel during a blizzard. I'll admit that , at times, the plot was all over the place, but it made up for that with a ton of suspects and lots of atmosphere. A few points were introduced a bit late in the story, but that happened on the TV show quite often. Don't miss this one.
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July 1, 2025Five stars bc the OG cozy mystery vibes are strong!! I love vegging out and taking a nap with Murder She Wrote tv episodes playing in the background. This audiobook was the exact same feeling. Very fun to listen to while doing a puzzle or crochet. The narrator is not Angela but her voice is uncannily similar and she does a lot of voices and accents for all the other characters too. The funniest part of this whole book? the explanation to the reader of what a drag queen is lol
May 8, 2018
I don't know why exactly, but I really enjoyed this one. I think it may be my favorite of those I've read. I typically like the ones where Jessica is away from Cabot Cove, and this one had the whole play within the story thing going on. It was just really entertaining. I'd figured everything out fairly early on, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment. Highly recommended!
May 8, 2019
Jessica is really in the thick of it this time when a murder-mystery weekend becomes all to real. Even though I was able to figure out who the killer was before it was revealed I still really liked it. The "mystery" lady was a easy guess but still it was enjoyable. Not sure if Jess will be signing up for any author panels anytime soon or trying to help out any theatre friends either.
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