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Jessica Fletcher #2
Murder, She Wrote (Original): Hooray for Homicide
There are two exciting parts to this novel covering a week or so in the life of mystery writer Jessica Fletcher.
The first? When multi-millionaire Stephen Earl is reported lost at sea near Cabot Cove, it seems a tragic accident. Then Jessica talks to Earl's daughters who were travelling on the family yacht with their father. She discovers that things are not what they seem. Soon she finds herself on the trail of cold-blooded killer...
The second? We all know that Jessica's first novel turned out to be a tremendous success. So much so that Hollywood came calling. A well-known producer bought the rights to turn The Corpse Danced at Midnight into a movie. A horror movie! Our author is appalled and travels to California to convince him to kill the project. Unfortunately for the producer, the killing was done not to the movie, but to him!
Librarian's note #1: Hooray for Homicide is a novelization of the 2nd and 4th episodes of the first season of the hit TV series.
Librarian's note #2: this is the original MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4 volumes: #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). Improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #3: the current Murder She Wrote series by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain began in 1989 with #1, Gin & Daggers for which there was a 2nd edition in 2000. There are 60 volumes in the current series to date (May 2025).
The first? When multi-millionaire Stephen Earl is reported lost at sea near Cabot Cove, it seems a tragic accident. Then Jessica talks to Earl's daughters who were travelling on the family yacht with their father. She discovers that things are not what they seem. Soon she finds herself on the trail of cold-blooded killer...
The second? We all know that Jessica's first novel turned out to be a tremendous success. So much so that Hollywood came calling. A well-known producer bought the rights to turn The Corpse Danced at Midnight into a movie. A horror movie! Our author is appalled and travels to California to convince him to kill the project. Unfortunately for the producer, the killing was done not to the movie, but to him!
Librarian's note #1: Hooray for Homicide is a novelization of the 2nd and 4th episodes of the first season of the hit TV series.
Librarian's note #2: this is the original MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4 volumes: #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). Improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #3: the current Murder She Wrote series by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain began in 1989 with #1, Gin & Daggers for which there was a 2nd edition in 2000. There are 60 volumes in the current series to date (May 2025).
203 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 1985
About the author
James Anderson
25 books66 followersJames Anderson was educated at Reading University where he gained a History degree and although born in Swindon, Wiltshire, he lived for most of his life near Cardiff.
He worked as a salesman before becoming a copywriter and then a freelance journalist, contributing to many newspapers, house journals and specialist magazines. He later turned to writing novels, the first of which was 'Assassin' (1969).
As well as his general thrillers, he wrote three books featuring Inspector Wilkins beginning with 'The Affair of the Blood-Stained Egg Cosy' in 1975. The series continued with 'the Affair of the Mutilated Mink Coat' (1981) and ended with 'The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cuff Links' (2003).
He also wrote three novels based on the television series 'Murder, She Wrote', which were 'the Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985), Hooray for Homicide' (1985) and 'Lovers and Other Killers' (1986). In total he wrote 14 novels and one play.
He died in 2007.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
He worked as a salesman before becoming a copywriter and then a freelance journalist, contributing to many newspapers, house journals and specialist magazines. He later turned to writing novels, the first of which was 'Assassin' (1969).
As well as his general thrillers, he wrote three books featuring Inspector Wilkins beginning with 'The Affair of the Blood-Stained Egg Cosy' in 1975. The series continued with 'the Affair of the Mutilated Mink Coat' (1981) and ended with 'The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cuff Links' (2003).
He also wrote three novels based on the television series 'Murder, She Wrote', which were 'the Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985), Hooray for Homicide' (1985) and 'Lovers and Other Killers' (1986). In total he wrote 14 novels and one play.
He died in 2007.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 28, 2025
3 Stars. I'm being generous here. There are four novelizations of Murder She Wrote TV episodes. I always wondered why Universal dropped the concept after so few entries and took a different direction by starting a new mystery series under the same title with many of the same TV characters, but with no connection to the show. With author Donald Bain. But it was a good decision - 60 volumes later! I guess the novelizations didn't work. Weak and short. Lacking character development. This is, in reality, two short stories held together by masking tape. One is the 4th TV episode, Hooray for Homicide from 1984. In it Jerry Lydecker, a well known Hollywood producer, decides to adapt Jessica's first novel, The Corpse Danced at Midnight, for which he bought the rights into a horror film. Jessica is furious and travels to LA. Soon after their tense meeting he's dead and she's a suspect! The other half is the 2nd TV episode, Deadly Lady. We hear that millionaire Stephen Earl fell off his yacht near Cabot Cove in a hurricane. It becomes murder when, a day later, he's found shot to death on the beach. The suspects? His four grown daughters. That's about it. (Ja2023/Se2025)
March 31, 2012
I admit I enjoyed this light hearted set of mysteries. I enjoyed the original TV series which in some ways remins me of the newer Midsomer Murers series. These books are apparenlty written from the TV series so Jessica's voice comes across exactly as she was in the series. I am a sucker for ncie old fashioned cozies that are not full of kids etc..
April 23, 2017
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: If you want an easy and quick murder mystery pick it up and you will enjoy it.
Just as Charles Osborne had novelized three of Agatha Christies plays (My review of those books here: http://inspirethoughts.livejournal.co...), James Anderson did a similar thing with Murder, She Wrote TV Series. He novelized a few episodes of this series into three books and this is the second of the three published in November of 1985. This particular book is adapted from two episodes - Deadly Lady first aired on October 7, 1984 and Hooray for Homicide first aired on October 28, 1984. I came across this book in a book sale at my local library and could not resist buying it. And here goes my review.
Cabot Cove is unusually slumped in a hurricane that has never occurred before. And some yachts get caught in it. The following day Ethan Cragg goes into rescue one of the yacht only to come back with something strange with it that warrants Sherriff Tupper to be at the dock on his arrival. Jessica's curiosity gets the best of her to go and see what is happening, only to find a dead body of the owner of the yacht - Stephen Earl - and his four daughters who come under suspicion - Maggie Earl, Grace Earl Lamont, Lisa Earl Shelby and Nancy "Nan" Earl. Well more of suspicion on a missing person until his body floats to the shore. Who is Ralph I reality? He just walks into Jessica's yard claiming a drifter. But is he connected to the murder in some way? And his secret calls to Paris in Kentucky, what are they about?
People who cross Jessica's path as the plots proceed along are - Ralph (a retiree who becomes a wanderer from town to town but now does handyman work for Jessica, for the moment), Brian Shelby (Husband to Lisa and VP of Mark of Earl cosmetics, that Stephen Earl owned) and Terry Jones (engaged to Nan a year ago but he had walked out on her).
The first plot segues neatly into the second plot in which, Jessica's first book The Corpse Danced at Midnight is of interest for a Hollywood producer and has bought an option much to the excitement of Jessica. Only the difference is that the producer - Jerry Lydecker, Hollywood's most controversial producer - was turning it into a horror movie. Jessica goes to Hollywood to have a word with him and set the plot straight. She confronts Jerry once in Hollywood, but to no avail. However, later she finds Jerry murdered on the set.
People Jessica's crosses path with while investigating the murder are - Martin Strindberg (Attorney handling the book transferred to movie), Norman Lester (a member of Strindberg's law firm), Allan Gebhart (scriptwriter of Jessica's novel), Eve Crystal (lead actress of the film), Marta Quintessa (Costume Designer of the film), Ross Hayley (Director of the movie), Scott Bennett (lead actor of the film), Mike Hernandez (Detective Lieutenant assigned to the case), Sergeant Brody (Works with the Lietenant) and Elinor Riggs (Wardrobe mistress).
Obviously the book is much more expanded than the episode, as each scene is elaborately explained; bits and pieces added that wouldn’t be needed for a TV episode. However, another easy read of two episodes of the series in script. Although it took a long time for me to finish it for some reason.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) Hooray for Homicide was Episode #4 from Season 1 of this series and Deadly Lady was Episode #2 from Season 1 of this series. Here are the links to both the TV episodes
a. Deadly Lady
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lh3bf
b. Hooray for Homicide:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lh1ed
2) I don’t know which episode but the character Ethan Cragg had completely disappeared from the series as it progressed, with no mention of about him even as casual reference. I wonder why that happened.
3) Deviations from the original episode Deadly Lady:
a. In the episode, Ralph comes to Jessica Fletcher knowing full well who she was. However, in the book the author skipped that part.
b. Quite a few situations are written differently versus how the episode was pictured like - Jessica looks into a book at the library for Stephen Earl's pic while in the episode she looks at a picture in the paper;
c. Sherriff Tupper is shown to be smoking a cigarette while I don’t remember him doing it in any of the episodes on TV. Perhaps Tom Bosley who played Sherriff Tupper didn’t like smoking or didn’t want to be pictured with a cigarette in hand.
4) Deviations from the original episode Hooray for Homicide:
a. There is an additional scene in the TV episode showing the affair between Scott and Eve. But in the book it was just depicted in the form of conversations.
b. In the TV episode Jessica hosts a party in Eve's home with only the film crew invited (those being suspected of murder) but in the book she hosts it in her hotel room and has far more people invited - everyone she comes to know in LA since her arrival.
c. The book also concludes with Jessica giving second thoughts about writing but the TV episode just closes after the killer is revealed.
5) Jessica talks about having an Oscar category "Best Wardrobe Mistress". I believe there is one similar to it though - Best Costume Design.
6) Character / Geographical / Grammatical / Location / Historical Errors:
a. The author mentions about murder on Pg. 12, but then reverts to "missing person" on Pg. 16. There was no connection as to how that changed between the two pages, although the plot is basically about a missing person who turns up dead later. The whole conversation until Stephen Earl's dead body is found switches between "missing person" and "murder'" creating a confusion of sorts.
b. On Pg. 105 last para, "bed" is used instead of "bad" in the line "It wasn't too bad with Grace…."
c. On Pg. 185 3rd para from bottom, the line should be "…killed Jerry had me type…" instead it says .."my type.."
7) Didn’t know there was a city named Paris in the state of Kentucky here.
Recommendation: If you want an easy and quick murder mystery pick it up and you will enjoy it.
Just as Charles Osborne had novelized three of Agatha Christies plays (My review of those books here: http://inspirethoughts.livejournal.co...), James Anderson did a similar thing with Murder, She Wrote TV Series. He novelized a few episodes of this series into three books and this is the second of the three published in November of 1985. This particular book is adapted from two episodes - Deadly Lady first aired on October 7, 1984 and Hooray for Homicide first aired on October 28, 1984. I came across this book in a book sale at my local library and could not resist buying it. And here goes my review.
Cabot Cove is unusually slumped in a hurricane that has never occurred before. And some yachts get caught in it. The following day Ethan Cragg goes into rescue one of the yacht only to come back with something strange with it that warrants Sherriff Tupper to be at the dock on his arrival. Jessica's curiosity gets the best of her to go and see what is happening, only to find a dead body of the owner of the yacht - Stephen Earl - and his four daughters who come under suspicion - Maggie Earl, Grace Earl Lamont, Lisa Earl Shelby and Nancy "Nan" Earl. Well more of suspicion on a missing person until his body floats to the shore. Who is Ralph I reality? He just walks into Jessica's yard claiming a drifter. But is he connected to the murder in some way? And his secret calls to Paris in Kentucky, what are they about?
People who cross Jessica's path as the plots proceed along are - Ralph (a retiree who becomes a wanderer from town to town but now does handyman work for Jessica, for the moment), Brian Shelby (Husband to Lisa and VP of Mark of Earl cosmetics, that Stephen Earl owned) and Terry Jones (engaged to Nan a year ago but he had walked out on her).
The first plot segues neatly into the second plot in which, Jessica's first book The Corpse Danced at Midnight is of interest for a Hollywood producer and has bought an option much to the excitement of Jessica. Only the difference is that the producer - Jerry Lydecker, Hollywood's most controversial producer - was turning it into a horror movie. Jessica goes to Hollywood to have a word with him and set the plot straight. She confronts Jerry once in Hollywood, but to no avail. However, later she finds Jerry murdered on the set.
People Jessica's crosses path with while investigating the murder are - Martin Strindberg (Attorney handling the book transferred to movie), Norman Lester (a member of Strindberg's law firm), Allan Gebhart (scriptwriter of Jessica's novel), Eve Crystal (lead actress of the film), Marta Quintessa (Costume Designer of the film), Ross Hayley (Director of the movie), Scott Bennett (lead actor of the film), Mike Hernandez (Detective Lieutenant assigned to the case), Sergeant Brody (Works with the Lietenant) and Elinor Riggs (Wardrobe mistress).
Obviously the book is much more expanded than the episode, as each scene is elaborately explained; bits and pieces added that wouldn’t be needed for a TV episode. However, another easy read of two episodes of the series in script. Although it took a long time for me to finish it for some reason.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) Hooray for Homicide was Episode #4 from Season 1 of this series and Deadly Lady was Episode #2 from Season 1 of this series. Here are the links to both the TV episodes
a. Deadly Lady
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lh3bf
b. Hooray for Homicide:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lh1ed
2) I don’t know which episode but the character Ethan Cragg had completely disappeared from the series as it progressed, with no mention of about him even as casual reference. I wonder why that happened.
3) Deviations from the original episode Deadly Lady:
a. In the episode, Ralph comes to Jessica Fletcher knowing full well who she was. However, in the book the author skipped that part.
b. Quite a few situations are written differently versus how the episode was pictured like - Jessica looks into a book at the library for Stephen Earl's pic while in the episode she looks at a picture in the paper;
c. Sherriff Tupper is shown to be smoking a cigarette while I don’t remember him doing it in any of the episodes on TV. Perhaps Tom Bosley who played Sherriff Tupper didn’t like smoking or didn’t want to be pictured with a cigarette in hand.
4) Deviations from the original episode Hooray for Homicide:
a. There is an additional scene in the TV episode showing the affair between Scott and Eve. But in the book it was just depicted in the form of conversations.
b. In the TV episode Jessica hosts a party in Eve's home with only the film crew invited (those being suspected of murder) but in the book she hosts it in her hotel room and has far more people invited - everyone she comes to know in LA since her arrival.
c. The book also concludes with Jessica giving second thoughts about writing but the TV episode just closes after the killer is revealed.
5) Jessica talks about having an Oscar category "Best Wardrobe Mistress". I believe there is one similar to it though - Best Costume Design.
6) Character / Geographical / Grammatical / Location / Historical Errors:
a. The author mentions about murder on Pg. 12, but then reverts to "missing person" on Pg. 16. There was no connection as to how that changed between the two pages, although the plot is basically about a missing person who turns up dead later. The whole conversation until Stephen Earl's dead body is found switches between "missing person" and "murder'" creating a confusion of sorts.
b. On Pg. 105 last para, "bed" is used instead of "bad" in the line "It wasn't too bad with Grace…."
c. On Pg. 185 3rd para from bottom, the line should be "…killed Jerry had me type…" instead it says .."my type.."
7) Didn’t know there was a city named Paris in the state of Kentucky here.
August 27, 2024
Rating 3
An entertaining read that adapts 2 of the first episodes from this long running tv show into novellas.
Would have seen the original shows but cannot remember anything about them now so no idea how close the adaptations are but overall the book reminded me very strongly of the series and main character.
An entertaining read that adapts 2 of the first episodes from this long running tv show into novellas.
Would have seen the original shows but cannot remember anything about them now so no idea how close the adaptations are but overall the book reminded me very strongly of the series and main character.
April 26, 2024
Good stories and cosy but the first one has four sisters, which makes it tricky to follow. In the second story Jessica is rather annoying as she gets furious about how a movie producer intends to adapt her book. Get over it, love, it was all in the contract and everyone knows that's how it works. Plus she sniffs at a scantily clad young lady on the poster of a movie he's produced and says are you proud of this? Like he's done something wrong. Standard movie T&A, surely. Then she forces a young woman to take a cold shower just because she's had a few drinks. The new Puritans!
March 28, 2021
I usually love the Murder She Wrote books but I really struggled with this one. It’s based on the episodes Hooray For Homicide and Deadly Lady and I feel it would have been better to only have been based on one of the episodes. It was almost written like a manuscript of the two episodes which made it extremely boring to read and I must admit that I skimmed through the last 50
odd pages of the book. I much prefer the novels by Donald Bain.
odd pages of the book. I much prefer the novels by Donald Bain.
June 14, 2024
Always enjoy a cozy mystery, and in the early morning hours, when I cannot sleep, J.B. Fletcher is often on the Hallmark Mystery channel. Hooray for Homicide is an original novelization from the TV program, Murder, She Wrote.
April 30, 2015
a very gripping novel. i liked Jessica Fletcher and it reminds me of miss marple from agatha christie's novel.
August 14, 2020
A light and entertaining read.
October 4, 2023
This second installment of the original series is actually two short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. I can see why they took off in film and print.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews