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Murder, She Wrote #1
Gin & Daggers
Jessica Fletcher is off to London to deliver the keynote address at a mystery writers convention. She's also looking forward to seeing her mentor, Marjorie Ainsworth, who will be hosting a party at her country estate to celebrate her latest book. Marjorie is the grand dame of mystery writing but she's in frail health.
The routine business trip for Jessica becomes murderous--when she discovers Marjorie stabbed to death in her own bedroom.
Librarian's note #1: there are two editions of this novel, a rarity in the field. The second in 2000 contained a small number of corrections - especially on the subject of Jessica not being able to drive.
Librarian's note #2: there is an earlier MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4-volume original series: #1, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985); #2, Hooray for Homicide (1985); #3, Lovers and Other Killers (1986); and #4, Murder in Two Acts (1986). But improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #3: the characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the first 20 books in the current Jessica Fletcher / Donald Bain MSW series. They are #1, Gin & Daggers (1989) with a 2nd edition in (2000); #2, Manhattans & Murder (1994); #3, Rum & Razors (1995); #4, Brandy & Bullets (1995); #5, Martinis & Mayhem (1995); #6, A Deadly Judgment (1996); #7, A Palette for Murder (1996); #8, The Highland Fling Murders (1997); #9, Murder on the QE2 (1997); #10, Murder in Moscow (1998); #11, A Little Yuletide Murder (1998); #12, Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999); #13, Knock 'Em Dead (1999); #14, Trick or Treachery (2000); #15, Blood on the Vine (2001); #16, Murder in a Minor Key (2001); #17, Provence - To Die For (2002); #18, You Bet Your Life (2002); #19, Majoring in Murder (2003), and #20, Destination Murder (2003). But improvements welcome! Needed - a librarian to give the same treatment for #21 and on.
The routine business trip for Jessica becomes murderous--when she discovers Marjorie stabbed to death in her own bedroom.
Librarian's note #1: there are two editions of this novel, a rarity in the field. The second in 2000 contained a small number of corrections - especially on the subject of Jessica not being able to drive.
Librarian's note #2: there is an earlier MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4-volume original series: #1, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985); #2, Hooray for Homicide (1985); #3, Lovers and Other Killers (1986); and #4, Murder in Two Acts (1986). But improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #3: the characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the first 20 books in the current Jessica Fletcher / Donald Bain MSW series. They are #1, Gin & Daggers (1989) with a 2nd edition in (2000); #2, Manhattans & Murder (1994); #3, Rum & Razors (1995); #4, Brandy & Bullets (1995); #5, Martinis & Mayhem (1995); #6, A Deadly Judgment (1996); #7, A Palette for Murder (1996); #8, The Highland Fling Murders (1997); #9, Murder on the QE2 (1997); #10, Murder in Moscow (1998); #11, A Little Yuletide Murder (1998); #12, Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999); #13, Knock 'Em Dead (1999); #14, Trick or Treachery (2000); #15, Blood on the Vine (2001); #16, Murder in a Minor Key (2001); #17, Provence - To Die For (2002); #18, You Bet Your Life (2002); #19, Majoring in Murder (2003), and #20, Destination Murder (2003). But improvements welcome! Needed - a librarian to give the same treatment for #21 and on.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
377 people are currently reading
3898 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Fletcher
115 books1,060 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 319 reviews
September 18, 2017
This is the first novel in the long-running Murder, She Wrote book series that accompanies the show of the same name.
In Gin & Daggers, Jessica Fletcher finds herself traveling to London to give an opening speech, and in doing so makes time to spend with a dear friend, who happens to be the most popular mystery fiction writer in the world, Marjorie Ainsworth.
Marjorie is of an advanced age and believes herself to be near death. During Jessica's stay, Marjorie hosts a get-together with her niece, some people in the publishing business, and of course, some questionable characters (it wouldn't be a Jessica Fletcher novel without these ne'er do wells, would it?).
During Jessica's overnight stay at Marjorie's estate, she stumbles upon a crime scene: her dear friend Marjorie has been murdered. And to make matters worse, she becomes a suspect in the media circus that surrounds the crime.
To clear her own name, Jessica uses her sharp detective skills to track down the real killer.
This was a solid 3-star read, even though I found myself skimming across some parts. I wouldn't re-read this one as life's too short, but I do recommend it for people who like cozy mysteries or the Murder, She Wrote tv show.
In Gin & Daggers, Jessica Fletcher finds herself traveling to London to give an opening speech, and in doing so makes time to spend with a dear friend, who happens to be the most popular mystery fiction writer in the world, Marjorie Ainsworth.
Marjorie is of an advanced age and believes herself to be near death. During Jessica's stay, Marjorie hosts a get-together with her niece, some people in the publishing business, and of course, some questionable characters (it wouldn't be a Jessica Fletcher novel without these ne'er do wells, would it?).
During Jessica's overnight stay at Marjorie's estate, she stumbles upon a crime scene: her dear friend Marjorie has been murdered. And to make matters worse, she becomes a suspect in the media circus that surrounds the crime.
To clear her own name, Jessica uses her sharp detective skills to track down the real killer.
This was a solid 3-star read, even though I found myself skimming across some parts. I wouldn't re-read this one as life's too short, but I do recommend it for people who like cozy mysteries or the Murder, She Wrote tv show.
January 9, 2012
I'm a big Murder She Wrote fangirl. I loved watching the series on tv as a teen and I was thrilled to discover that there is a series of novels set around the characters.
Gin and Daggers is the first novel of the series. Jessica is abroad in London for a conference and to visit friend and fellow mystery writer, Marjorie Ainsworth. Her plans to sightsee get derailed when Marjorie turns up dead and Jessica is the prime suspect!
I really enjoyed this novel. The mystery was great and kept me guessing till the end. Jessica is a likable sleuth and there were plenty literary references to keep my bookish senses amused. I will definitely be reading more books in this series.
Gin and Daggers is the first novel of the series. Jessica is abroad in London for a conference and to visit friend and fellow mystery writer, Marjorie Ainsworth. Her plans to sightsee get derailed when Marjorie turns up dead and Jessica is the prime suspect!
I really enjoyed this novel. The mystery was great and kept me guessing till the end. Jessica is a likable sleuth and there were plenty literary references to keep my bookish senses amused. I will definitely be reading more books in this series.
September 28, 2025
3 Stars. A good start to the new series. Our favourite mystery writer is visiting London to speak to the International Society of Mystery Writers and spend time with her old friend Marjorie Ainsworth, the leading writer in the field, who is in declining health. At Ainsworth Manor, Jessica finds a bevy of relatives, writers, publishers and staff, all of whom have an interest in Ms. Ainsworth. Negative rumours abound about some of them. Marjorie is soon dead with a dagger in her chest and Jessica is the number one suspect! She is sure the solution can be found in the question, "Was Marjorie's latest best seller, Gin and Daggers, penned by her or a ghost-writer?" Readers are sure to enjoy three things: her London travelogue including the seedy parts, stepping inside the publishing business in the pre-Internet era, and watching Dr. Hazlitt and Sheriff Metzger play a role in the final scene. I smiled when a Scotland Yard Inspector fell for her. You'll find the clues somewhat easy to pick-up. Mine was the 2000 edition with corrections on the 1989 original; watch for the added comment by Jessica, "I'm afraid I don't drive, in England or the United States." On to #2. (Ap2018/Se2025)
January 12, 2025
If you are looking for a mystery book that does not have nasty curse words or detailed sex scenes, you will enjoy all the books in these series--Murder, She Wrote. I decided to start reading the series again since I have missed some of the books in it and I really like them. They are as nice as the series on television themselves. October 13, 2012
Started the series again. I really enjoy these series. Sept. 16, 2016.
Read it again. Jan. 11, 2025.
Started the series again. I really enjoy these series. Sept. 16, 2016.
Read it again. Jan. 11, 2025.
August 12, 2025
4.25 stars ...
This was a Goodreads recommendation ... I assume based on how many mysteries/cozy mysteries I read. I've seen a few episodes of the old TV show (one of the few shows my mom enjoys) and thought they were cute but "cheesy" and dated. I had no idea there was a book series so gave this one (the first in a 61-book series) a look with low expectations. Turns out I thoroughly enjoyed it and was quite impressed with the writing and plot. From experience, I know that these types of series tend to get better as you go along, so I'm very much lookin' forward to the rest of the "episodes". 👍😁👍
This was a Goodreads recommendation ... I assume based on how many mysteries/cozy mysteries I read. I've seen a few episodes of the old TV show (one of the few shows my mom enjoys) and thought they were cute but "cheesy" and dated. I had no idea there was a book series so gave this one (the first in a 61-book series) a look with low expectations. Turns out I thoroughly enjoyed it and was quite impressed with the writing and plot. From experience, I know that these types of series tend to get better as you go along, so I'm very much lookin' forward to the rest of the "episodes". 👍😁👍
June 4, 2023
I remember a time, as a child, where I would watch ‘Murder, she wrote’ with my brother almost every night. We were just kids but we loved the cozy mystery vibes and we often tried to figure out who the murderer was. Now, as an adult, I still enjoy watching the show, mostly because of the nostalgia it gives me. When I found out there were ‘Murder, she wrote’ books, I just knew I had to read them. And now I finally started my journey to solve murders with Cabot Cove’s own mystery writer Jessica Fletcher.
Let’s talk about the things I enjoyed first. This book was very similar to the show, there’s a murder and Jessica is helping the police solve it. She is her distinguished but judgemental self and everyone seems to love her. The writing is okay, it was written 34 years ago, actually in the year I was born, and I think it fits in that time.
Something I didn’t like was that I felt like the author thought his readers were stupid. We get a lengthy introduction to a handful of characters, their names, who they are and what they do for a living. Over the course of the book, we always get reminded who said characters are. For example the brother in law of the victim is one of the characters we meet right in the beginning, his name is Tony. Over and over we are told that Tony is the brother in law, that he is married to the victim’s sister. And this happens for mostly every character, even Jessica is referred to with her full name and occupation a few times. I mean, you would think that I could remember the main character and that she’s an author. This repetition got a little much after some time.
My goal is to read the whole series of 56 books over the next few months. I won’t read them back to back, though, and read some other books in between, but I’m still excited to come back to this precious childhood memories and see if the books and the writing improve over time.
Let’s talk about the things I enjoyed first. This book was very similar to the show, there’s a murder and Jessica is helping the police solve it. She is her distinguished but judgemental self and everyone seems to love her. The writing is okay, it was written 34 years ago, actually in the year I was born, and I think it fits in that time.
Something I didn’t like was that I felt like the author thought his readers were stupid. We get a lengthy introduction to a handful of characters, their names, who they are and what they do for a living. Over the course of the book, we always get reminded who said characters are. For example the brother in law of the victim is one of the characters we meet right in the beginning, his name is Tony. Over and over we are told that Tony is the brother in law, that he is married to the victim’s sister. And this happens for mostly every character, even Jessica is referred to with her full name and occupation a few times. I mean, you would think that I could remember the main character and that she’s an author. This repetition got a little much after some time.
My goal is to read the whole series of 56 books over the next few months. I won’t read them back to back, though, and read some other books in between, but I’m still excited to come back to this precious childhood memories and see if the books and the writing improve over time.
February 2, 2019
I recently read the very latest in this series (mainly because it was a brand new book in my library and I just couldn't resist lol), but I wanted to start at the very beginning to see how writing styles, times, etc. have changed.
Jessica's first adventure took her to London, England where a mystery conference was taking place. Her old friend, a world-famous author named Marjorie Ainsworth was killed in her home while Jessica was staying with her, and of course the very inept local inspector immediately pegged Jessica as the suspect, since her necklace was found in the woman's room. When Scotland Yard stepped in, Jessica was relieved, and chief inspector Sutherland took her on a few small dates as they discussed the case. Jess used a local PI whose reputation was not the shiniest, but Jessica was one to walk to her own drummer and form her own opinion, so she decided to work with the man.
I had guessed one of the twists toward the end, but I hadn't guessed the killer. This was in true Murder, She Wrote and Agatha Christie fashion, since the suspects were all gathered at the end while Jessica gave her thoughts and accusations. I loved that the once-despised PI got to have a little moment of fame, since without his help, the case may have not been solved as quickly.
I always loved the TV show and wonder why I didn't get into these books sooner.
Jessica's first adventure took her to London, England where a mystery conference was taking place. Her old friend, a world-famous author named Marjorie Ainsworth was killed in her home while Jessica was staying with her, and of course the very inept local inspector immediately pegged Jessica as the suspect, since her necklace was found in the woman's room. When Scotland Yard stepped in, Jessica was relieved, and chief inspector Sutherland took her on a few small dates as they discussed the case. Jess used a local PI whose reputation was not the shiniest, but Jessica was one to walk to her own drummer and form her own opinion, so she decided to work with the man.
I had guessed one of the twists toward the end, but I hadn't guessed the killer. This was in true Murder, She Wrote and Agatha Christie fashion, since the suspects were all gathered at the end while Jessica gave her thoughts and accusations. I loved that the once-despised PI got to have a little moment of fame, since without his help, the case may have not been solved as quickly.
I always loved the TV show and wonder why I didn't get into these books sooner.
April 17, 2019
What a treat! This book was an absolute delight. Fun, buoyant, and worthy of the tone and characterizations of the TV series. What I appreciated was how we got to explore the mystery from Jessica Fletcher’s point of view, follow her thought process and solve the mystery with her every step of the way. They got her *voice* right. I can’t wait to read other “Murder, She Wrote” novels! I can see why this series remains popular on its own long after the show ended.
April 16, 2025
It is very difficult to put this murder mystery down so I had to keep reading.
September 5, 2019
Not as cosy as the TV show but a nice cosy read. Much needed platter cleanse so can jump back into and finish Red Sister.
Write-up coming soon, though might not show till possible Crime Reading Month on The Pewter Wolf September 2019
***
The first book in the series, best selling author Jessica Fletcher is off to London for be a keynote speaker as a mystery writers convention. She’s also looking forward to meeting her friend and fellow crime writer, Marjorie Ainsworth, who she’s hasn’t seen in so long. When Marjorie invites Jessica to a house party to celebrate the release of her new novel, Gin and Daggers, Jessica happily accept. But the party ends with murder when Jessica discovers Marjorie stabbed in her bed…
When I first discovered this book spinoff series existed, I went “This is no way going to be as fun as the TV show” and yet I still wanted to read at least one of the titles in this series. And it’s a long series. At the time of you guys reading this, its 50th instalment will be published this coming November. FIFTY BOOKS in this series, and it’s not going to end any time soon as it’s still hugely popular, plus the TV is still hugely popular with reruns still airing on TV channels round the world (according to me Googling, 5USA is the UK home for Jessica now, but ITV, BBC and Alibi have all been home in the past ten years).
So… what do I think of this?
Where the heck do I start? Of course this isn’t the TV show. The TV series is far better, as this felt… I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s a light, fluffy read with some of the Murder She Wrote vibes. Not all of the vibes, but some.
But you can tell this was the first in the book series as Jessica did and said things that felt very out of character. And it did feel a tad dated as this, I think, was first published in the late 1980s and was the first book in the book seres (I have been told via several reviews that the author gets Jessica from around the tenth book onwards so maybe I should try another book later in the series…)
Plus, it’s a bit weird reading a book inside Jessica Fletcher’s head when the TV series is a much more relaxed. I think, because of this, people might find this a tad jarring and, like I did find that I was skimming in some places.
But, and here is the thing, I didn’t expect it to be good or to rock my world. I expected it to be an easy, cosy read with vibes to the TV show. Hell, I expect it to be a trashfire! So, my bar for this was low, and was surprised that I did like it. I don’t think I would read it again in the same way I would happily binge-watch the series, but I’m not going to say I will never read another book in the series. I have my eye on one or two titles, but I can understand why no UK publishers publish this series…
Write-up coming soon, though might not show till possible Crime Reading Month on The Pewter Wolf September 2019
***
The first book in the series, best selling author Jessica Fletcher is off to London for be a keynote speaker as a mystery writers convention. She’s also looking forward to meeting her friend and fellow crime writer, Marjorie Ainsworth, who she’s hasn’t seen in so long. When Marjorie invites Jessica to a house party to celebrate the release of her new novel, Gin and Daggers, Jessica happily accept. But the party ends with murder when Jessica discovers Marjorie stabbed in her bed…
When I first discovered this book spinoff series existed, I went “This is no way going to be as fun as the TV show” and yet I still wanted to read at least one of the titles in this series. And it’s a long series. At the time of you guys reading this, its 50th instalment will be published this coming November. FIFTY BOOKS in this series, and it’s not going to end any time soon as it’s still hugely popular, plus the TV is still hugely popular with reruns still airing on TV channels round the world (according to me Googling, 5USA is the UK home for Jessica now, but ITV, BBC and Alibi have all been home in the past ten years).
So… what do I think of this?
Where the heck do I start? Of course this isn’t the TV show. The TV series is far better, as this felt… I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s a light, fluffy read with some of the Murder She Wrote vibes. Not all of the vibes, but some.
But you can tell this was the first in the book series as Jessica did and said things that felt very out of character. And it did feel a tad dated as this, I think, was first published in the late 1980s and was the first book in the book seres (I have been told via several reviews that the author gets Jessica from around the tenth book onwards so maybe I should try another book later in the series…)
Plus, it’s a bit weird reading a book inside Jessica Fletcher’s head when the TV series is a much more relaxed. I think, because of this, people might find this a tad jarring and, like I did find that I was skimming in some places.
But, and here is the thing, I didn’t expect it to be good or to rock my world. I expected it to be an easy, cosy read with vibes to the TV show. Hell, I expect it to be a trashfire! So, my bar for this was low, and was surprised that I did like it. I don’t think I would read it again in the same way I would happily binge-watch the series, but I’m not going to say I will never read another book in the series. I have my eye on one or two titles, but I can understand why no UK publishers publish this series…
August 9, 2019
Murder, She Wrote is extremely famous in Italy. It was a constant on TV at lunch time for years, and everyone knows the show. I saw many episodes and I have read many of the books in Italian. But now I am in such a mystery mood that I want to read them all in order and in English. So I started with the very first one.
I have to say, it wasn't the best of all the ones I have read. But regardless, it was such a treat. It was very reminiscent of Agatha Christie's books (not in quality of course) as they are all very naive and innocent. I mean, there is no gore, no sex, so drugs or heavy drinking. Which means they are perfect for a goody-goody prude as myself! I love this kind of cozy books, where even murder isn't that crude.
The fact that Jessica is old-ish appeals to my old soul, and I love hearing how she reads before bed, drinks tea and has nice meals in restaurants. Add to that that she is a mystery writer (dream job!) and solves crimes on the side (dream side job!), and you get the picture of my ideal detective.
I think that is what really appeals to me, together with the fact that she is young enough to travel and being active, that makes it so interesting for me to read.
The mystery itself was interesting and well-crafted. I figured out quite a lot before the revelation, but it surely was nice and complex enough, and I was satisfied in the end.
The setting in London is lovely, and I really like George Sutherland!! He and Jessica are so cute together! (Even though they are never going to be a real couple sigh)
A thing I loved about this book is how Jessica always had places to go. Every day she had tons of invitations and people to meet, so I never got bored.
All in all, I would say this is the first book in the series and you can tell. There are some other books in the series that are way better developed and thrilling, but it was nevertheless a lovely Saturday read.
I have to say, it wasn't the best of all the ones I have read. But regardless, it was such a treat. It was very reminiscent of Agatha Christie's books (not in quality of course) as they are all very naive and innocent. I mean, there is no gore, no sex, so drugs or heavy drinking. Which means they are perfect for a goody-goody prude as myself! I love this kind of cozy books, where even murder isn't that crude.
The fact that Jessica is old-ish appeals to my old soul, and I love hearing how she reads before bed, drinks tea and has nice meals in restaurants. Add to that that she is a mystery writer (dream job!) and solves crimes on the side (dream side job!), and you get the picture of my ideal detective.
I think that is what really appeals to me, together with the fact that she is young enough to travel and being active, that makes it so interesting for me to read.
The mystery itself was interesting and well-crafted. I figured out quite a lot before the revelation, but it surely was nice and complex enough, and I was satisfied in the end.
The setting in London is lovely, and I really like George Sutherland!! He and Jessica are so cute together! (Even though they are never going to be a real couple sigh)
A thing I loved about this book is how Jessica always had places to go. Every day she had tons of invitations and people to meet, so I never got bored.
All in all, I would say this is the first book in the series and you can tell. There are some other books in the series that are way better developed and thrilling, but it was nevertheless a lovely Saturday read.
July 11, 2017
I like cozy mysteries, and I like Murder, She Wrote. I've been watching a lot of it for life reasons lately so I decided to check out the spinoff book series. It's... not good. In fact, it's bad. Fractally bad. Every bit of it, upon closer examination, is bad in new and exciting ways.
On a basic level, the prose is dreadful. Stilted, purple, clunky - you name it. The characterization is a complete mess, and there is almost no sense that this character is the same as the Jessica Fletcher on TV. Part of the problem is the first-person view - there's no way that the inside of her head isn't going to be jarring, and it would take a thoroughly competent writer to make that leap, and this book doesn't have one. The language doesn't work, the dialogue doesn't work, and the "romance" is agonizing.
The murder plot is reasonably solidly-constructed, as these things go, although there are a few too many extraneous bits. The body in the river isn't concluded in a satisfactory manner, the attempt to frame Jessica was weak and poorly thought-out (seriously, at this point in her career, as per the book, she has a *hell* of a reputation for solving real-world mysteries. Why ensure her involvement? Rather the opposite would make more sense) and the whole thing hinges on some assumptions about how much money mystery writers make that don't seem particularly well-grounded. But mechanically, all the pieces are there.
It's just a shame that the characterization is such an all-over mess, because there's very little to grab on to. These globetrotting, famous-people mysteries were never the best bits of the TV show anyway, and they only work when the one-off characters involved are sufficiently engaging. This book has all the problems of one of those, and none of the charm.
Short version: there are many charming cozy mysteries out there. This isn't one of them.
On a basic level, the prose is dreadful. Stilted, purple, clunky - you name it. The characterization is a complete mess, and there is almost no sense that this character is the same as the Jessica Fletcher on TV. Part of the problem is the first-person view - there's no way that the inside of her head isn't going to be jarring, and it would take a thoroughly competent writer to make that leap, and this book doesn't have one. The language doesn't work, the dialogue doesn't work, and the "romance" is agonizing.
The murder plot is reasonably solidly-constructed, as these things go, although there are a few too many extraneous bits. The body in the river isn't concluded in a satisfactory manner, the attempt to frame Jessica was weak and poorly thought-out (seriously, at this point in her career, as per the book, she has a *hell* of a reputation for solving real-world mysteries. Why ensure her involvement? Rather the opposite would make more sense) and the whole thing hinges on some assumptions about how much money mystery writers make that don't seem particularly well-grounded. But mechanically, all the pieces are there.
It's just a shame that the characterization is such an all-over mess, because there's very little to grab on to. These globetrotting, famous-people mysteries were never the best bits of the TV show anyway, and they only work when the one-off characters involved are sufficiently engaging. This book has all the problems of one of those, and none of the charm.
Short version: there are many charming cozy mysteries out there. This isn't one of them.
August 28, 2020
From the outset, I enjoyed Gin & Daggers. As a resident of London, I found the parts that detailed the beautiful locations surrounding my home interesting to read, although I can understand some people getting bored with them. The story was well developed, but there seemed to me to be too many different plot strands; there was the murder, the novel, the second murder, Jessica being a suspect, the conference, and the mugging all being investigated at once. The ending wasn't much of a surprise, really. There were some errors in the story, such as the mention of Jessica Fletcher driving a car (tut tut tut) and naming Mort Metzger "Morton" throughout (???) but overall it was fairly enjoyable. Particularly interesting was the sparks between George and Jessica...
7/10 😊
7/10 😊
January 8, 2016
while in london attending a murder mystery writers conference jessica becomes involved in the murder case of an old friend, and everyone is a suspect who attended the convention, including herself after her necklace is found beside the victim. it is a good book, and one well worth reading
November 27, 2015
My first book in this series and I think I'll enjoy reading through these although I never watched the TV show.
July 22, 2023
Jessica Fletcher è a Londra per partecipare ad un convegno che vede riuniti i maggiori esponenti della letteratura gialla del momento, fra cui una sua carissima e famosissima amica che presenterà il suo ultimo lavoro, Gin & pugnali appunto, ma che verrà uccisa prima che ciò accada. Voci più o meno mormorate lasciano intendere però che il libro non sia frutto della penna dell’autrice ma che sia opera di un suo protetto, un giovane scrittore sconosciuto, che a sua volta scompare... forse morto.
Ma si sa, con la nostra scrittrice-detective niente è mai come sembra.
L’indagine non pare decollare, ogni protagonista ha il suo bello scheletro nell’armadio o la sua bella maschera.
Ma basta un guizzo, una giusta intuizione e il mistero è chiarito e il responsabile consegnato alla giustizia.
Molto carino, leggero e con disseminati vari riferimenti a personaggi ed autori del fantastico universo del libro giallo.
🌍 LdM - Sfida UK 🇬🇧
✍️ La Signora in giallo
Ma si sa, con la nostra scrittrice-detective niente è mai come sembra.
L’indagine non pare decollare, ogni protagonista ha il suo bello scheletro nell’armadio o la sua bella maschera.
Ma basta un guizzo, una giusta intuizione e il mistero è chiarito e il responsabile consegnato alla giustizia.
Molto carino, leggero e con disseminati vari riferimenti a personaggi ed autori del fantastico universo del libro giallo.
🌍 LdM - Sfida UK 🇬🇧
✍️ La Signora in giallo
July 8, 2010
This is one of the worst books I've ever read. I will say that at least grammatically everything was correct.
I bought this book as a joke. I thought it was funny and I'm going to give it to a friend who likes Murder, She Wrote. I was bored so I started to read it. I don't know why, but I started and I could stop. So I read the book to the end. The overall plot was mildly interesting. The idea of Jessica Fletcher going to a mystery writer conference in London was somewhat interesting, but there was too much explanation of London and British culture that anyone should know and ESPECIALLY Jessica Fletcher. Regarding some things it was like she lived in a cave. It just wasn't believable.
Don't read this book. You have no reason to. It's an insult to Murder, She Wrote and Jessica Fletcher.
I bought this book as a joke. I thought it was funny and I'm going to give it to a friend who likes Murder, She Wrote. I was bored so I started to read it. I don't know why, but I started and I could stop. So I read the book to the end. The overall plot was mildly interesting. The idea of Jessica Fletcher going to a mystery writer conference in London was somewhat interesting, but there was too much explanation of London and British culture that anyone should know and ESPECIALLY Jessica Fletcher. Regarding some things it was like she lived in a cave. It just wasn't believable.
Don't read this book. You have no reason to. It's an insult to Murder, She Wrote and Jessica Fletcher.
September 17, 2014
3.5 STARS
Cabot Cove writer, Jessica Fletcher is on her way to London to deliver a speech at a writer's conference and is looking forward to visiting her British writer friend, Marjorie Ainsworth. Marjorie is stabbed in her bed on the night Jessica is visiting and finds there is more to the murder than what the local cops believe.
If you like the show, Murder, She Wrote you will enjoy this novel. It has most of the characters from Cabot Cove and you get a better characterization of them. This is definitely a cozy mystery for the weekend.
Cabot Cove writer, Jessica Fletcher is on her way to London to deliver a speech at a writer's conference and is looking forward to visiting her British writer friend, Marjorie Ainsworth. Marjorie is stabbed in her bed on the night Jessica is visiting and finds there is more to the murder than what the local cops believe.
If you like the show, Murder, She Wrote you will enjoy this novel. It has most of the characters from Cabot Cove and you get a better characterization of them. This is definitely a cozy mystery for the weekend.
July 16, 2022
I love Murder, She Wrote and adore Angela Lansbury's Jessica Fletcher, but unfortunately this book's characterization of her was not it. At all. This is my first foray into the Murder, She Wrote books, and I'm honestly quite discouraged to see that the same author wrote most of them, because I'm less than impressed - and more than a bit displeased - with the way he wrote Jessica's characterization. Not to mention the blatant male gaze present throughout the whole book.
I love Jessica Fletcher because she's just so refreshingly unconventional in every way. Firstly, we direly need more protagonists who are badass older women who subvert gender roles every day (Jessica loves both baking apple pies in her seaside town and solving murders everywhere she goes, and it's perfect xD). And I just love how Jessica combines badassery and kindness, doesn't care for money, fame or power in spite of having become a world successful writer of mystery novels, always keeps an open mind and constantly hones her curiosity for learning new things, for example, about other countries and peoples (she's not a typical EEUU citizen in more than one way welp), and she seems to always have a special affinity for the more oppressed minority groups. The Jessica Fletcher of this book is quite dissimilar from this profile, though :S She is written as quite more conventional, displaying a somewhat narrower mind in her inner thoughts, and also displaying less of the badassery and aplomb that so defines her. And it's a shame.
But the main thing that really made me dislike this book more was the way that the male author displayed a blatant male gaze in each and every one of the descriptions involving women, especiallly the young female characters in the story. The book is written in first person from Jessica Fletcher's point of view, and can there be anything more incredibly jarring than Jessica Fletcher describing the young women she meets while solving the murders in an incredibly sexist and sexualized manner that reeked of male gaze :S? The book kept describing women's outfits and how tight and revealing they were (sometimes combining this drooling male gaze with the misogyny of how they were sl*ts and dressed inappropiately). The descriptions focused on women's cleavage more than once, just freaking because, and generally made a point of highlighting how beautiful and seductive and sensual the women were (or not, depending on the author's tastes). Wtf. I would be angry about having to read about a man describing all women in this way anyway, but the fact that it's supposedly Jessica goddamm Fletcher describing them like that? WTF. I'm personally offended on so many levels.
The descriptions in the book also engaged in casual fatphobia, body shaming and ageism, there was a completely unnecesary subplot featuring strip clubs because more male gaze, one sole mention of a "*nasty* homosexual relationship" (wtf), and the author also proved that he followed the archetypal American way of not bothering to learn geography beyond the United States - This Mediterranean European eyerolled so hard during a description of an Italian female character in which she was described as a 'sensual and exotic beauty' (bonus ethnic fetishism) with "Middle-Eastern features, perhaps from Lebanon, perhaps from Spain or Italy". The word he was looking for, if he wanted to use all three of those countries at the same time, would have been *"Mediterranean"*, and he would have been right, without any need to mix up the continents. Sigh xD.
The plot was alright, I guess, and it made me want to finish the book to find out if I was right about every whodunnit's main question (who the murderer(s) are), but I also found the mystery to have less quality than the standard series plotlines, and it also left me a bit dissatisfied as I felt that the book didn't tie all ends in a satisfactory way.
There are also way more male characters than female characters in the story, and the main points about all female characters' plots revolved very strongly around men. Which is something that we can also see in various episodes of the series, and not every Murder, She Wrote episode includes the healthy dose of social criticism that I tend to enjoy (although more than one does), but the book was overall lacking more in at least the unconventional and subversive element that Jessica Fletcher always adds to every episode no matter what.
Without divulging any of the whodunnit's twists, I also didn't quite like how Jessica kept either thinking about her late husband, or crushing on a handsome inspector from Scotland Yard. Jessica does indulge in sporadic love interests and casual lunch and dinner dates at the end of various episodes, and that's perfectly fine and more power to her, but the book often had Jessica thinking in a more engaged manner about men instead of you know, solving the murders. In the series, it's pretty much the other way around.
Finally, I felt that the characters of Doctor Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger and Jessica's dynamic with them also lacked the characterization of the series in more than one respect, and I actually found it patronizing and intrusive how the plot decided that they would both just travel from Maine to London and stay a few days to help Jessica out - as if she wasn't perfectly capable of solving murders wherever she goes with the help that she already would have found at hand had she needed it, as we have already seen in 12 seasons of the series :S xD The dynamic is not at all like that in the series most of the time, and what's more, Seth and Mort hardly added anything to the mystery solving per se, choosing instead to indulge in sightseeing and especially in a "boys' night out" drinking and enjoying the attention of lots of young, attractive women (eww). Nope.
I love Jessica Fletcher because she's just so refreshingly unconventional in every way. Firstly, we direly need more protagonists who are badass older women who subvert gender roles every day (Jessica loves both baking apple pies in her seaside town and solving murders everywhere she goes, and it's perfect xD). And I just love how Jessica combines badassery and kindness, doesn't care for money, fame or power in spite of having become a world successful writer of mystery novels, always keeps an open mind and constantly hones her curiosity for learning new things, for example, about other countries and peoples (she's not a typical EEUU citizen in more than one way welp), and she seems to always have a special affinity for the more oppressed minority groups. The Jessica Fletcher of this book is quite dissimilar from this profile, though :S She is written as quite more conventional, displaying a somewhat narrower mind in her inner thoughts, and also displaying less of the badassery and aplomb that so defines her. And it's a shame.
But the main thing that really made me dislike this book more was the way that the male author displayed a blatant male gaze in each and every one of the descriptions involving women, especiallly the young female characters in the story. The book is written in first person from Jessica Fletcher's point of view, and can there be anything more incredibly jarring than Jessica Fletcher describing the young women she meets while solving the murders in an incredibly sexist and sexualized manner that reeked of male gaze :S? The book kept describing women's outfits and how tight and revealing they were (sometimes combining this drooling male gaze with the misogyny of how they were sl*ts and dressed inappropiately). The descriptions focused on women's cleavage more than once, just freaking because, and generally made a point of highlighting how beautiful and seductive and sensual the women were (or not, depending on the author's tastes). Wtf. I would be angry about having to read about a man describing all women in this way anyway, but the fact that it's supposedly Jessica goddamm Fletcher describing them like that? WTF. I'm personally offended on so many levels.
The descriptions in the book also engaged in casual fatphobia, body shaming and ageism, there was a completely unnecesary subplot featuring strip clubs because more male gaze, one sole mention of a "*nasty* homosexual relationship" (wtf), and the author also proved that he followed the archetypal American way of not bothering to learn geography beyond the United States - This Mediterranean European eyerolled so hard during a description of an Italian female character in which she was described as a 'sensual and exotic beauty' (bonus ethnic fetishism) with "Middle-Eastern features, perhaps from Lebanon, perhaps from Spain or Italy". The word he was looking for, if he wanted to use all three of those countries at the same time, would have been *"Mediterranean"*, and he would have been right, without any need to mix up the continents. Sigh xD.
The plot was alright, I guess, and it made me want to finish the book to find out if I was right about every whodunnit's main question (who the murderer(s) are), but I also found the mystery to have less quality than the standard series plotlines, and it also left me a bit dissatisfied as I felt that the book didn't tie all ends in a satisfactory way.
There are also way more male characters than female characters in the story, and the main points about all female characters' plots revolved very strongly around men. Which is something that we can also see in various episodes of the series, and not every Murder, She Wrote episode includes the healthy dose of social criticism that I tend to enjoy (although more than one does), but the book was overall lacking more in at least the unconventional and subversive element that Jessica Fletcher always adds to every episode no matter what.
Without divulging any of the whodunnit's twists, I also didn't quite like how Jessica kept either thinking about her late husband, or crushing on a handsome inspector from Scotland Yard. Jessica does indulge in sporadic love interests and casual lunch and dinner dates at the end of various episodes, and that's perfectly fine and more power to her, but the book often had Jessica thinking in a more engaged manner about men instead of you know, solving the murders. In the series, it's pretty much the other way around.
Finally, I felt that the characters of Doctor Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger and Jessica's dynamic with them also lacked the characterization of the series in more than one respect, and I actually found it patronizing and intrusive how the plot decided that they would both just travel from Maine to London and stay a few days to help Jessica out - as if she wasn't perfectly capable of solving murders wherever she goes with the help that she already would have found at hand had she needed it, as we have already seen in 12 seasons of the series :S xD The dynamic is not at all like that in the series most of the time, and what's more, Seth and Mort hardly added anything to the mystery solving per se, choosing instead to indulge in sightseeing and especially in a "boys' night out" drinking and enjoying the attention of lots of young, attractive women (eww). Nope.
January 28, 2025
I am in my Murder, She Wrote era, having recently started watching the television series for the first time, and I just love Jessica Fletcher. The appeal of this book for me was spending time with Fletch, as I call her, which was nice, but as it was published in 1989, it did feel dated in a way that was slightly offputting (the TV show being dated is part of the charm for me, but in book form it didn’t have the same effect) and it was just an OK read.
But I want to check out the next in the series because it’s a nice way to spend time with Fletch when I’m out of episodes to watch!
But I want to check out the next in the series because it’s a nice way to spend time with Fletch when I’m out of episodes to watch!
May 26, 2022
Book spoilers at the very end.
Just for background, I grew up watching re-runs of Murder, She Wrote when I was supposed to be doing homework. While I can't say I loved the series, I liked it more than my algebra teacher. I eventually read a few of the books, but I can't remember which ones.
Honestly, while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it probably won't be of interest to anyone who isn't already sentimentally attached to the franchise. The concept is preposterous. It's about a mystery novelist/amatuer detective who solves crimes with the help of her friends. Jessica Fletcher has to have the worst luck ever to be around so many murders. The books are a bit dated. They're also on the short side.
That said, this is a comfort read kind of book and I'll be picking up a few of them this summer. Jessica is a sweet, insightful character who values friendship. I like both having an older protagonist and having a widow who loved her husband as the central character.
In this book, Jessica goes abroad to visit her friend, the world's foremost mystery writer, on the eve of a conference. The writer/host is in serious decline and there are rumors that someone else wrote her latest book (Gin and Daggers). The woman is murdered and everyone in the house becomes a suspect.
Jessica meets with several people including a local constable, a investigator from Scotland Yard, a private investigator, and a woman who claims to have been the lover of the man who actually wrote the victim's most recent book. When that man also turns up dead and Jessica learns that there is an unpublished book that might have been stolen, Jessica begins to unravel an elaborate conspiracy.
I thought having her friends from Cabot Cove fly over to help was kind of ridiculous, and while I like all of the food references, they were a bit excessive.
And now for the spoilers:
Jessica spreads a rumor that she will announce the true identity of the author of Gin and Daggers at the writer's conference. She pretends to be convinced that the second victim (the writer's understudy/assistant) was the actual author.
Then she crashes a celebration dinner where she lays out the whole case and how she solved it. (Jessica laying out the case to a roomful of suspects is a key feature of this series.)
The murderer is the victim's niece, Jane. The victim did write Gin and Daggers. The unpublished manuscript was a fake written by her assistant. The plan was to reveal him as a literary genius when Gin and Daggers was attributed to him and then make a lot of quick money on the other manuscript (which was terrible).
Just for background, I grew up watching re-runs of Murder, She Wrote when I was supposed to be doing homework. While I can't say I loved the series, I liked it more than my algebra teacher. I eventually read a few of the books, but I can't remember which ones.
Honestly, while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it probably won't be of interest to anyone who isn't already sentimentally attached to the franchise. The concept is preposterous. It's about a mystery novelist/amatuer detective who solves crimes with the help of her friends. Jessica Fletcher has to have the worst luck ever to be around so many murders. The books are a bit dated. They're also on the short side.
That said, this is a comfort read kind of book and I'll be picking up a few of them this summer. Jessica is a sweet, insightful character who values friendship. I like both having an older protagonist and having a widow who loved her husband as the central character.
In this book, Jessica goes abroad to visit her friend, the world's foremost mystery writer, on the eve of a conference. The writer/host is in serious decline and there are rumors that someone else wrote her latest book (Gin and Daggers). The woman is murdered and everyone in the house becomes a suspect.
Jessica meets with several people including a local constable, a investigator from Scotland Yard, a private investigator, and a woman who claims to have been the lover of the man who actually wrote the victim's most recent book. When that man also turns up dead and Jessica learns that there is an unpublished book that might have been stolen, Jessica begins to unravel an elaborate conspiracy.
I thought having her friends from Cabot Cove fly over to help was kind of ridiculous, and while I like all of the food references, they were a bit excessive.
And now for the spoilers:
Jessica spreads a rumor that she will announce the true identity of the author of Gin and Daggers at the writer's conference. She pretends to be convinced that the second victim (the writer's understudy/assistant) was the actual author.
Then she crashes a celebration dinner where she lays out the whole case and how she solved it. (Jessica laying out the case to a roomful of suspects is a key feature of this series.)
The murderer is the victim's niece, Jane. The victim did write Gin and Daggers. The unpublished manuscript was a fake written by her assistant. The plan was to reveal him as a literary genius when Gin and Daggers was attributed to him and then make a lot of quick money on the other manuscript (which was terrible).
October 3, 2021
Knowing that Murder, She Wrote seems to be such an institution in the world of cozy mysteries, I had high expectations coming in. For reference, I haven't actually seen any of the TV episodes before, but I feel like they would be a good pre-requisite for this book.
Perhaps I should have lowered my expectations because this wasn't a super satisfying read for me.
I get the sense Bain expected that many of his readers would already be familiar with Jessica Fletcher and her friends, which is definitely fair at the time given that the TV series came out first. However, this doesn't quite work for newbies to the series like me.
I kind of feel like I've been plopped into a world I don't quite understand. If you told me that this was a book from the middle of a series, I would have believed you! I think more development of Jessica and her background would be necessary to help new readers familiarize themselves with the series, but fans probably won't need these reminders.
This is a mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, with a big cast and lots of twists and turns, which made for a fun read. However, I felt that the book ended way too abruptly. Because there were so many threads in the mystery, the book could have benefitted from spending more time on the end so as to wrap everything up neater.
If you're already a fan of Murder, She Wrote or you want to find out more about this series, I'd recommend giving this book a shot at your local library. Otherwise, I don't think I would recommend this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Perhaps I should have lowered my expectations because this wasn't a super satisfying read for me.
I get the sense Bain expected that many of his readers would already be familiar with Jessica Fletcher and her friends, which is definitely fair at the time given that the TV series came out first. However, this doesn't quite work for newbies to the series like me.
I kind of feel like I've been plopped into a world I don't quite understand. If you told me that this was a book from the middle of a series, I would have believed you! I think more development of Jessica and her background would be necessary to help new readers familiarize themselves with the series, but fans probably won't need these reminders.
This is a mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, with a big cast and lots of twists and turns, which made for a fun read. However, I felt that the book ended way too abruptly. Because there were so many threads in the mystery, the book could have benefitted from spending more time on the end so as to wrap everything up neater.
If you're already a fan of Murder, She Wrote or you want to find out more about this series, I'd recommend giving this book a shot at your local library. Otherwise, I don't think I would recommend this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
December 28, 2016
Yay a new cozy series to check out!
Jessica Fletcher (main character from the tv show Murder, She Wrote) is in London for a mystery conference and to also see her friend and famous mystery writer, Marjorie Ainsworth. Unfortunately after a dinner party, Jessica finds Marjorie murdered in her own bedroom. Jessica is found to be the lead suspect, so she leads the charge to clear her name.
I have never watched Murder, She Wrote, but my mom is a huge fan. I told her about the series and she wanted me to check it out before she started reading it. I have to admit that I enjoyed it! All of the characters had a motive for killing Marjorie so it was fun to try to figure out who the really killer was.
Can't wait to read the next books in the series.
Jessica Fletcher (main character from the tv show Murder, She Wrote) is in London for a mystery conference and to also see her friend and famous mystery writer, Marjorie Ainsworth. Unfortunately after a dinner party, Jessica finds Marjorie murdered in her own bedroom. Jessica is found to be the lead suspect, so she leads the charge to clear her name.
I have never watched Murder, She Wrote, but my mom is a huge fan. I told her about the series and she wanted me to check it out before she started reading it. I have to admit that I enjoyed it! All of the characters had a motive for killing Marjorie so it was fun to try to figure out who the really killer was.
Can't wait to read the next books in the series.
September 5, 2018
I am a huge fan of everything Murder, She Wrote and have watched all of the shows...like every single episode...twice but I have always struggled with the books. I am ashamed to admit that I like the show much better than the books, but I am still faithful to Jessica. In the first novel based off the show Jessica is headed to London to present a keynote speech to at a writers conference. She is looking forward to seeing her mentor Marjorie, who is a famous writer herself. Marjorie throws a party and Jessica happens to stumble upon Marjorie's body and becomes a suspect. Jessica, in her usual Jessica fashion must use her keen detective skills to prove her own innocence and find Marjorie's killer.
September 16, 2015
Murder, She Wrote is one of the most endearing and long lasting American TV mystery series. It starting in 1984 and ended 1996 with Angela Lansbury starring as Jessica Fletcher, a well known teacher turned mystery writer after the death of here beloved husband, Frank. Reruns are still being shown on the Hallmark Mystery Channel. Gin and Daggers is the first of the novels written by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain. As always, Jessica is able to solve the murder of a friend with a few 'red herrings' thrown in for good measure, a spark of romance and some excellent, familiar characters.
April 28, 2021
Gin and Daggers by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain is the first book in the Murder She Wrote Mystery series. Author Jessica Fletcher is in London to present at a mystery writers convention, staying with her friend and fellow author Marjorie Ainsworth, when Marjorie is stabbed and killed during the night. I have been a long time fan of the television series and books and decided to start from the beginning. I did notice a few inconsistencies such as Jessica driving. I also found it odd that Seth and Mort would travel to London after the murder to assist. An interesting mystery otherwise.
June 13, 2019
I like how its written, like Jess and I are in her kitchen having tea or coffee and she's telling me about her latest trip. What I don't like is the way the characters are different then how they are on the show. Mort's not even married yet in the books!
April 28, 2012
Another down and enjoyed. On to the next.
December 28, 2016
Well enough written and what you'd expect from a Murder She Wrote novel.
March 12, 2017
A good cozy read. Really liking this series. Great effort for Book #1. Will definitely go on to more of them.
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