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| The Law & Harry McGraw | |
| Novels | |
| Games | |
| DVDs |
Since 1989 a series of official Murder, She Wrote novels have been released. Continuing with the spirit of the series, the credited authors of these novels are Donald Bain and Jessica Fletcher. Donald Bain continues to write Murder, She Wrote novels, with up to three novels being released each year. The novels are released internationally by Signet Books, which is a subsidiary of The Penguin Group.
Premise[]
The novels of the series tend to follow a similar format to episodes of the TV Show. Starting with Jessica either meeting the soon to be deceased or discovering a body, and continues with Jessica being drawn into the middle of the investigation, and ultimately solving the case. The novels frequently include recurring characters from the series such as Seth Hazlitt, Mort Metzger, Grady Fletcher, Michael Haggerty, Harry McGraw, Dennis Stanton and Amos Tupper whom frequently drag Jessica into adventures involving grave danger and even espionage. Minor characters such as Eve Simpson and Gradys wife Donna Mayberry have also appeared.
List of Novels[]
| Cover | Title | # of Pages | Victim | Culprit | Release Date | Author |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Gin and Daggers | 272 | Marjorie Ainsworth | Jane Portelaine | June, 1989 (1st Edition) April 1, 2000 (2nd Edition) |
Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
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's hosting a party on her estate to celebrate her latest book. But a routine business trip becomes murderous business--when Jessica discovers Marjorie stabbed to death in her own bedroom... | ||||||
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Manhattans and Murder | 304 | George Marsh;
Susan Kale; Unnamed Priest |
Waldo Morse;
Joe Charles; Alphonse Rizzi |
December 1, 1994 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Promoting her latest book in New York, Jessica Fletcher encounters a former drug smuggler dressed up in a Santa suit and sets up an interview with him, only to discover the unlikely St. Nick dead the next day. | ||||||
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Rum and Razors | 304 | Walter Marschalk | Fred Capehart | April 1, 1995 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica is on vacation in St. Thomas when she discovers the corpse of hotel owner Walter Marschalk. The island police suspect a hot-tempered ex-employee but cool-headed Jessica will discover who's the real serpent in Eden. | ||||||
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Brandy and Bullets | 288 | Maureen Beaumont | Michael O'Niell
Joseph Meti |
August 1, 1995 | |
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Cabot Cove's posh retreat offers struggling artists a European spa, psychiatry and even hypnotism. But soon the retreat begins to look like a health hazard. A suicide attempt and a brutal murder quickly arouse the sheriff's attention--and Jessica's. And when an old friend mysteriously disappears, Jessica fears a twisted genius is at work writing a scenario for murder. | ||||||
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Martinis and Mayhem | 304 | Mark Steffer | Nancy Antonio | December 1, 1995 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica travels to San Francisco to investigate the case of a wrongly convicted woman. With help from Scotland Yard's Inspector Sutherland, Jessica turns "The City by the Bay" on its head, racing for the truth before she becomes a target herself. | ||||||
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A Deadly Judgement | 304 | Jack Brannigan;
Cynthia Warren |
Gina Albertson (Jack);
Billy Brannigan (Cynthia) |
April 1, 1996 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is off to Boston to help her eccentric lawyer friend, Malcolm McLoon, defend a tycoon accused of fratricide. Even so, Jessica anticipates enough time to take in the sights of New England's historic capital. Meanwhile, her sleuthing talents will come in handy when two acquaintances dive into the case. | ||||||
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A Palette for Murder | 304 | Joshua Leopold;
Miki Dorsey; Jo Anne Forbes; Hans Mueller |
Chris Turi | October 1, 1996 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, of Cabot Cove, Maine, visits the Hamptons on Long Island. Here, she plans on relaxing while taking a sketching class and doing some painting. Of course, Jessica never rests for very long. Soon, she is caught up in yet another mystery. A model turns up dead, and Jessica once again takes on the role of detective to find out who is behind this murder and why. | ||||||
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Highland Fling Murders | 304 | Daisy Wemyss | Evan Lochbuie | April 1, 1997 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica and friends visit a castle in the village of Wick rumored to be haunted by Scotland's most celebrated spectral woman. But when a local lass is found murdered in the same gruesome style as the legendary witch, terror overtakes the town! It's Jessica's most horrifying case yet--one that pits her against a killer from this world, or maybe the next! | ||||||
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Murder On The QE2 | 304 | Marla Tralaine;
Troy Radcliff |
Tony Silvestrie (first murder on orders of Lila Sims) | October 1, 1997 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Bestselling mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher is invited to travel to London on the grand dame of ocean liners, the Queen Elizabeth II, as one of seven guest lecturers. The night they set sail, a fellow speaker is found brutally murdered. Now Jessica has just four days at sea to find the killer...before she finds more of her colleagues, or even herself, dead in the water! | ||||||
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Murder In Moscow | 304 | Vladimir Staritova | Unknown (possibly assassinated) | May 1, 1998 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher visits Moscow as part of a United States publishing group to help Russia succeed as a democracy. But the poisoning of a Russian publisher, who possessed information which could topple the government in power, places her in a dangerous situation. Jess turns to the American Embassy for help, only to discover that the United States government is involved... | ||||||
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A Little Yuletide Murder | 304 | Rory Brent | Mary Walther | October 1, 1998 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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It's beginning to look a lot like murder... Jessica Fletcher is planning to spend a cozy Christmas in Cabot Cove. But when Rory Brent is found shot to death on his farm, there will be no peace on earth until his killer is found. Everyone assumes the culprit is Brent's longtime enemy, Jake Walther. But Jessica uncovers evidence that makes her believe otherwise. Snooping into the small town's past for a motive, Jessica is determined to deliver the real killer before Christmas. The trouble is, the next sound she hears this silent night may be a scream-her own... | ||||||
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Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch | 272 | Paul Molloy;
Geraldine Molloy (nee Jankowski) |
Joel Louden (on orders of Veronica Morrison) | May 1, 1999 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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While visiting an old friend's ranch in Colorado, bestselling mystery author Jessica Fletcher is caught in a fiendish plot of revenge when one of the guests is found stabbed to death. Soon after, the victim's wife is also discovered murdered in a gruesome fashion. With the police at a loss, and the rest of the ranch guests on edge, Jessica decides to do some research into the past of some of the less than cordial guests. What she discovers may help her crack the case...if it doesn't get her killed first! | ||||||
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Knock 'em Dead | 288 | Harry Schrumm;
Vic Righetti; Roy Richardson; Unnamed actress, actor, director, and producer |
Jill Factor (Harry);
Arnold Factor (Vic); all other murders by Jenny Forrest |
October 1, 1999 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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When one of her mystery books is turned into a Broadway play, Jessica hits the Big Apple to help out the production. But when dead bodies offstage start upstaging the performers onstage, it's up to Jess to drop the curtain on a killer! | ||||||
 |
Trick or Treachery | 272 | Anthony Scott (1 year ago)
Matilda Scott-Swift |
Warren Wilson | October 1, 2000 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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With the arrival of a spiritual medium in town, the annual Halloween party in Cabot Cave takes on a real scary tone. When a self-proclaimed witch ends up dead in the graveyard, Jessica stirs through a witches' brew of motives--and concocts a scary scheme of her own to make sure the guilty ghoul doesn't get away with murder. | ||||||
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Blood on the Vine | 272 | Bill Ladington | Bruce Ladington | April 1, 2001 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is visiting the Napa Valley wine country while doing research for her next book, and invites her old friend, Scotland Yard detective George Sutherland to join her at a cozy Bed and Breakfast. No sooner do they arrive than they find the valley abuzz over the murder of a waiter at the restaurant owned by infamous ex-Hollywood heavyweight Bill Ladington. Ladington’s blatant womanizing and involvement in a bitter vineyard land dispute have already marked him as a dubious character—and a possible suspect. But when Ladington turns up dead himself from a supposed “suicide,” Jessica knows that a murderer is on the loose—and with a little help from George, she must try and bottle up a motive for murder from an extensive list of less-than-vintage suspects… | ||||||
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Murder in a Minor Key | 272 | Virgil Franklin;
Elijah Williams; Wayne Copely |
Philip Beaudin | October 1, 2001 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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A Funeral in New Orleans Jessica Fletcher has a writer’s conference in New Orleans and can’t resist staying an extra week for the annual Jazz Festival. In her short time there, she gets a chance to sample everything the city has to offer— its delectable food, its wonderful music and, of course, its unique brand of murder and corruption… Arts critic Wayne Copely is desperately searching for the fabled recordings of New Orleans jazz legend Little Red LeCoeur. But when he hears that his old friend Jessica Fletcher is in town, he’s more than happy to take a break from work and give her an insider’s view of the festival. Unfortunately, her jazz lesson and his search are tragically cut short when he turns up dead next to the grave of an old voodoo queen. And when the cops pass off the bizarre event as a mere ‘accidental death’, it’s up to Jessica to get to the bottom of it... | ||||||
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Provence - To Die For | 272 | Chef Emil Bertrand | Claire (last name unrevealed) | April 1, 2002 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher settles in France for a much-needed holiday and idyllic Provence offers plenty of diversions--including cooking classes with esteemed chef Emil Bertrand. But Jessica's getaway is cut short when Chef Bertrand is murdered with one of his own customized carving knives. Jess is soon cooking up her own investigation, and whips up a medley of motives. | ||||||
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You Bet Your Life | 272 | Victor Kildare | Henry Quint (with Cindy Kildare as a willing accomplice and Oliver Smith as an unwilling accomplice) | October 1, 2002 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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When her old friend Martha decided to get married in Las Vegas, Jessica Fletcher made the trip to watch her walk down the aisle. But what were the odds that she’d be back two years later—to watch Martha stand accused of her husband’s murder? Jessica’s never been one to gamble, but she’s willing to bet that Martha isn’t guilty. Martha’s husband was a high-rolling Las Vegas local with three ex-wives and plenty of jealous acquaintances. After joining Martha’s defense team, Jessica combs through the man’s past to find the real killer. But as the media attention grows—and Jessica is interviewed by the news anchors of Court TV—the stakes are raised, and Jessica learns how to play for keeps. | ||||||
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Majoring in Murder | 272 | Kate Adler;
Wes Brannigan |
April 1, 2003 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | |
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Celebrity mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is riding out Schoolman College's first tornado in over sixty years. As a visiting professor, she is there to teach a creative writing class. But after two men choose to brave the tornado rather than take shelter and one of them is found dead-Jessica wonders if her darkest suspicions are strictly academic. | ||||||
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Dying to Retire | 272 | Portia Shelby | Marina Rodriguez | April 6, 2004 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is in a Florida retirement community for the funeral of a dear old friend whose heart gave out-only to discover that the woman's death from natural causes may have been artificially induced. With the help of a feisty group of young-in-spirit retirees, Jessica must track down the clues and find out who prescribed the fatal treatment... | ||||||
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Destination Murder | 272 | Alvin Blevin | Elliot Vail | September 7, 2004 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher takes a three-night train trip with her friend and his railroad association through scenic British Columbia. But when a member of the entourage takes a sip of a Bloody Mary and dies, police begin investigating. The suspects gather in the Starlight Express dinner car, and it's up to Jessica to do some unplanned sleuthing before everyone's plans are derailed by death. | ||||||
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The Maine Mutiny | 288 | Henry Quint | Levi Carver | April 5, 2005 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is pitching in to help Cabot Cove's first Lobster Festival by writing an article about the lifestyle of the local lobstermen. But instead of getting the story, she becomes tangled in a net of intrigue and murder. And she better sink her claws into this puzzling case-or she may find herself becoming the next catch of the day. | ||||||
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A Vote for Murder | 272 | Nicki Farlow | Walter Grubin | September 6, 2005 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is in Washington, D.C., to support a new literary initiative set forth by a prominent senator. But when the senator's chief-of-staff dies mysteriously, Jessica discovers just how deadly politics can be. | ||||||
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A Question of Murder | 288 | Mrs. Sydney Powell (10 years ago);
Paul Brody |
Peter Brody (Mrs. Powell);
Sydney Powell - Pomerantz (Paul) |
April 4, 2006 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher is in the Berkshires attending a writers’ conference at a historic mansion where her friends the Savoys are hosting a murder-mystery party. As both a crime solver and a mystery author, Jessica is an old hand at this kind of thing. So she swears to the Savoys that she won’t reveal the secrets of their play and goes about enjoying the weekend with her colleagues. But when a young actor’s murder scene appears all too real, no one can tell what’s scripted and what isn’t. They say the show must go on, but everyone is wondering: Who really dunit? | ||||||
 |
Margaritas and Murder | 288 | Woody Lancaster | None (accidental suicide) | September 5, 2006 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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San Miguel de Allende is a picturesque town in central Mexico’s highlands that attracts artists, retirees, and those in need of some rest and relaxation. So when publisher Vaughan Buckley and his wife, Olga, invite Jessica to join them for a little R & R, she jumps at the opportunity to spend time basking in the sun and enjoying Mexican culture with her friends. But there are those who don’t share Jessica’s appreciation for the arts. Ruthless kidnappers abduct Vaughan and demand a considerable ransom for his safe return—or else Olga will be made a widow. Jessica can’t imagine why local criminals would be interested in Vaughan. To solve the mystery, she turns her attention to his friends in San Miguel—friends who don’t appreciate Jessica poking her nose into their business.... | ||||||
 |
Three Strikes and You're Dead | 288 | Harrison Bennett, Jr. | Sylvester Cole | October 3, 2006 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Visiting her old friends Judge Jack and Meg Duffy in Arizona, Jessica watches their foster son hit the winning run for the Mesa Rattlers in a AA league playoff game. She and the Duffys are thrilled at Ty Ramos's success, but team owner Harrison Bennett is not. His son Junior and Ty are bitter rivals, and the tension at the team dinner later that evening threatens to empty the dugouts. By the next morning, Junior Bennett is dead, and Ty is the prime suspect. Jessica finds it hard to believe that such a fine young man would wreck his life in a moment of anger - and when she starts looking into the Rattlers' recent season, she finds out that for some people, baseball is more than just a game. | ||||||
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Coffee, Tea or Murder | 288 | Wayne Silverman | Betsy Scherer | April 3, 2007 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Mrs. Fletcher learns that the friendly skies aren't so friendly after all. When Cabot Cove's own Wayne Silverton debuts his new airline, he invites Jessica Fletcher and other locals on the inaugural flight from Boston to London. Jessica is thrilled for the opportunity to visit her dear friend, Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland. But the reunion hits turbulence when George is called to the airport to investigate the apparent murder of Wayne Silverton. Jessica and George decide to put their sleuthing skills together. But there's a full passenger list of suspects-and Jessica's going to have to catch a killer before she can catch a flight home. | ||||||
 |
Panning for Murder | 288 | Wilimena Copeland (kidnapped);
Jerry Quincy; Maurice Quarle |
Howard Winslow/Bill Henderson | September 25, 2007 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Jessica's much-deserved cruise becomes a working vacation when her friend Kathy tags along, hoping to locate her sister Wilimena, who vanished from the same vessel. Distantly related to Alaska's most famous madam-a woman who may have struck it rich during the Gold Rush-Wilimena apparently took the cruise to find the treasure. Now, as Jessica and Kathy investigate Wilimena's disappearance, they learn that she was quite outspoken about her gold claim-and may have attracted the wrong kind of attention. And now that attention has been turned on Jessica and Kathy. | ||||||
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Murder On Parade | 288 | Joseph Lennon | Dante (with Cynthia Welch as an accomplice) | April 1, 2008 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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The Cabot Cove residents are pulling out all the stops for their celebration of the 4th of July this year. But amidst the pleasures of planning the big event, there is tension too. Joseph Lennon, a very successful businessman, has recently relocated to Cabot Cave and is funding a big fireworks show and rock concert. There are many in town who don't like him throwing his wealth and power around to get things done his way. When Mr. Lennon's body is found the evening of the fireworks show, Jessica has a long list of potential suspects. | ||||||
 |
A Slaying In Savannah | 304 | Wanamaker Jones
(Murdered 40 Years Ago); Tillie Mortelaine |
Tillie Mortelaine (Wanamaker);
James Pettigrew (Tillie) |
September 30, 2008 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Jessica is saddened when her eccentric old friend Tillie Mortelaine passes away and surprised to learn that Tillie has left her a million dollars. But there are strings attached. Jessica must use the money to help the literacy fund she and Tillie established years ago in Savannah, Georgia. And she will receive the money only if she can solve a mystery within the month: the murder of Tillie’s fiancé, Wanamaker Jones. As Jessica settles into Tillie’s Savannah mansion and meets Tillie’s boarders, she also discovers that the spirit of Wanamaker Jones haunts the grounds. And that there are those in Savannah who are looking to cash in on Tillie’s demise and Jessica’s failure... | ||||||
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Madison Avenue Shoot | 288 | Betsy Archibald | Jimbo Barnes | April 07, 2009 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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When Jessica Fletcher's nephew, Grady, asks her to visit him in New York City, she's happy to reunite. The production firm Grady works for is creating commercials featuring big-name celebrities, and he has proposed that Jessica star in one. She reluctantly agrees. But when one of the most creative-and despised-bigwigs, Betsy Archibald, is found murdered on the set, there's a long list of suspects. And Jessica soon finds herself not just a witness in a murder case-but the only one who can uncover the killer... | ||||||
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A Fatal Feast | 288 | Hubert Billups | Linda Carson-Canto | October 06, 2009 | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
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Jessica Fletcher would like nothing more than to sit back and relax as Thanksgiving comes to Cabot Cove. But this year, she’s already got more on her plate than she can handle. Jessica is suffering from a rare case of writer’s block, and the deadline for her new novel is fast approaching. Also, her friend, Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland, is coming from London to experience the American holiday. But most distressing of all, Jessica is hosting a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner for a guest list that is growing by the day. The last guest on said list turns out to be a mysterious hobo who has been watching Jessica's house for a while. His name is Hubert Billups. Jessica carries on toward her culinary conquest, and she couldn’t be more thankful about the results. Until she and George take a post-turkey stroll and stumble upon Hubert Billups's body with a carving knife stuck in his chest! | ||||||
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Nashville Noir | 288 | Roderick Marker | Alicia Piedmont (with Wally Brolin as an accomplice) | April 6, 2010 (E-Book) April 6, 2010 (Hardcover) March 1, 2011 (Paperback) |
Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
|
Jessica Fletcher knows that creativity must be nurtured. So when a young lady from Cabot Cove shows promise as a singer and songwriter, Jessica and a local citizens committee send Cyndi on a scholarship trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where she can benefit from professional instruction. Only weeks later, Cabot Cove is shocked to hear of the cold-blooded murder of a brash country music publisher-by the young talent Cyndi! And as Cyndi's mother begs Jessica to help her daughter, Jess heads to the country music capital of the world to help the wayward starlet. Jessica finds that the murdered man was no country gentleman, with a list of ex-wives, cheated partners, swindled singers, and stolen songs that has Jessica swinging to-and-fro in the search for a killer. And if she can't uncover the culprit soon, Jessica knows that poor Cyndi will never get the chance for an encore... | ||||||
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The Queen's Jewels | 288 | Walter Soon-Yang;
Kim Chin-Hwa |
October 5, 2010 (E-Book) October 5, 2010 (Hardcover) |
Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | |
| Jessica Fletcher has always wanted to take a transatlantic voyage on the legendary Queen Mary II. Now, she's finally getting her chance. She's hoping to fly to London, spend a few quiet days visiting, and then depart on the high seas. When she calls her old friend, Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland, to let him know she's on her way, he mentions the case of an enormously valuable diamond that was stolen from its wealthy owner, who was murdered during the heist. Jessica is well aware of the story. But when she finally boards her dream ship, the deadly mystery appears to have followed her up the gangplank. Now, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she must try to enjoy the sumptuous seaborne surroundings while she tries to find a priceless diamond-and the killer desperate enough to take a life for it. | ||||||
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Skating on Thin Ice | 288 | Alexei Olshanski | Lyla Fasolino | April 5, 2011 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
| Christine Allen's dream of competing in pairs figure skating competitions becomes a nightmare when a series of "accidents" ruins her practice sessions with her partner and coach. And when the body of one of the trio is found dead at the arena, Jessica is determined to uncover the chilling motives behind the murder... | ||||||
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The Fine Art of Murder | 304 | October 4, 2011 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | ||
| Jessica’s art-viewing Italian vacation is interrupted by a pair of gunmen who steal a painting and kill a retired police officer in the process. Agreeing to help identify the crooks should they be caught, Jessica returns to Cabot Cove and puts the shocking experience behind her. Months later, Wayne Simsbury, the stepson of an old friend, comes to her for help. Wayne’s father has been shot to death. Not only has Wayne’s stepmother, Marlise, been charged with the murder, but Wayne himself claims to have witnessed the crime. Unsure what to do, he has sought out Jessica—the one person his stepmother had always claimed could help with any problem. Now, on top of a seemingly open-and-shut murder case to crack in Chicago, Jessica finds herself back in Italy helping the police make their case against the art thieves—and she faces a looming danger that may connect the Italian killers to the fate of her old friend.... | ||||||
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Trouble at High Tide | 304 | April 3, 2012 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | ||
| While on vacation in Bermuda, Jessica Fletcher is surprised to hear the local population is abuzz over a trio of murders, each bearing an eerie resemblance to the 1888 Jack the Ripper killings. Jessica dismisses the panicked chatter as just that-until her friend Thomas Betterton's niece is found dead on the beach after a party. And when Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland arrives to investigate, Jessica can't help but get involved-an act that brings her dangerously close to a killer... | ||||||
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Domestic Malice | 304 | October 2, 2012 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | ||
| Jessica has always been civic-minded, so when the director of the Cabot Cove Women’s Shelter asks her to join the board of directors, she readily accepts, even though the shelter has been in the crosshairs of an unreasonable councilman who’d like to see it closed. One night while Jessica is at the shelter, a woman walks in battered and bruised. Her husband is a respected businessman and regarded by all as a pillar of the community. Could this paragon of virtue have beaten his wife? Despite Jessica’s support and advice, the woman refuses to stay at the shelter, press charges, or even report the abuse. But a few days later, the entire town is shocked to hear that domestic abuse has turned to murder. Investigating the crime, Jessica soon discovers that the woman’s family has secrets and lies that go beyond domestic violence—and that the real killer may be hiding behind a wall of silence that could send the wrong person to prison…. | ||||||
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Prescription for Murder | 288 | Alvaro Vasquez | Xavier Vasquez | April 2, 2013 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
| When her latest book tour brings bestselling author Jessica Fletcher to Tampa, Florida, she’s thrilled to learn that her travel plans overlap with those of her good friend, Cabot Cove’s own Dr. Seth Hazlitt. Seth is in town visiting Alvaro Vasquez, a renowned physician he befriended while participating in a research program in Havana. Vasquez, who has defected from Cuba to Tampa, is developing a potentially groundbreaking cure for Alzheimer’s disease. If he’s successful, his American backers stand to make millions. But there is a growing fear that the drug may fall into the hands of a powerful pharmaceutical company. Jessica attends a party at Vasquez’s lavish home, but the celebration ends abruptly when guests witness Vasquez seemingly struck by lightning. Jessica and Seth do some digging into the physician’s checkered past and learn that his death was no accident. As they work together to find a cure for the common killer, they become enmeshed in international intrigue involving the local police, the FBI, the CIA—and begin to wonder if they’ll ever see Cabot Cove again. | ||||||
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Close-Up on Murder | 304 | Vera Stockdale | Ernest Zalagardia | October 1, 2013 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain |
| Cabot Cove is about to be invaded—by Hollywood. One of Jessica’s older novels is being made into a big-budget movie. The producer has decided to shoot most of the film on location in town, since the book was loosely based on a murder that shocked Cabot Cove over a decade earlier. The murder occurred when a judge named Ruth Harris was gunned down while walking her dog. The prime suspect: an enraged husband whom the judge ruled against in a child custody case. But further investigation pointed to the victim’s own husband—and ultimately to his mistress, accused of eliminating her rival. Unfortunately, everyone on the set has a hidden agenda. Mitchell Elovitz, a novice director wants his shot at the big-time. Vera Stockdale, a fading star, making a comeback, has many unreasonable demands. Her astrologer, Estelle Fancy, sees trouble in the stars. And a stranger on the movie lot is stalking Jessica. But fiction and reality fatally collide when Vera Stockdale, who is playing the judge, is shot—the only witness her dog—and there’s a cast and crew of possible suspects. With tensions between locals and the Hollywood horde mounting, Jessica must find the killer before anyone else is left on the cutting-room floor. | ||||||
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Aloha Betrayed | 288 | April 1, 2014 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | ||
| Jessica is on the Hawaiian island of Maui, giving a lecture at Maui College on community involvement in police investigations—a subject she knows well. Her co-lecturer is legendary retired detective Mike Kane, a behemoth of a man who shares his love of Hawaiian lore, legends and culture with Jessica. Sadly, all the talking stops when the body of a colleague is found at the rocky foot of a cliff. Mala Kapule was a botanist and popular professor at the school, known for her activism and efforts on behalf of the volcanic crater Haleakala. The high altitude crater is already the site of an observatory, but plans to place the world’s largest solar telescope there split the locals, with Mala fiercely arguing to preserve the delicate ecology of the area. Was someone trying to muffle the protestors? Or was Mala’s killer making a more personal statement? Now, it’s up to Jessica, along with Mike, to uncover who was driven to silence the scientist…and betray the true meaning of Aloha. | ||||||
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Death of a Blue Blood | 288 | October 7, 2014 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | ||
| Jessica Fletcher and her friend Scotland Yard detective inspector George Sutherland are invited to attend a New Year’s Eve Ball at Castorbrook Castle, thanks to her British publisher. Shortly after arriving in the idyllic English countryside, Jessica discovers the body of a lady’s maid in the garden. While their host, Lord Norrance, his snobbish third wife, other members of the household, and party guests squabble over the tragic death in tight-lipped, perfectly mannered, thoroughly British style, family relations are strained as old wounds are reopened and cutting remarks are freely handed out. And that’s only during teatime! As midnight beckons at the ball the next night, the earl offers a toast, complete with fireworks. But the merriment crashes to a halt when he falls ill and dies, apparently poisoned—and the number of suspects with a grudge against the lord of the manor sprouts like English ivy. Now it’s up to Jessica and George to find the killer—or killers—before another corpse welcomes in the New Year.... | ||||||
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Killer In The Kitchen | 272 | Gerard "Pepe" Lebeouf | April 7, 2015 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain | |
| Jessica loves the Leg & Claw restaurant, owned by young couple Brad and Marcie. And the restaurant is the couple’s dream come true. But when famed chef Gerard “Pepe” Lebeouf decides to open an eatery right next to theirs, tensions rise fast and hot—and lead to a nasty confrontation between Lebeouf and Brad. So when Lebeouf is found dead with a knife planted in his chest, Brad becomes suspect number one. But plenty of others had a motive to kill Pepe, and it’s up to Jessica to uncover who really added murder to the menu. | ||||||
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The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher | 288 | Joe Cooper | October 6, 2015 (Hardcover) | Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain Renée Paley-Bain | |
| Jessica’s friend, Eve Simpson is the town’s premiere real estate agent and has recently taken on the task of selling one of Cabot Cove’s oldest properties—the Spencer Percy House, built in 1805 by a sea captain for his young wife. Its current occupant, Joe Cooper, a crusty former carpenter, is convinced he’s about to die and wants the house sold so he can give the proceeds to his grandson, who spent much of his youth there. But Eve’s got quite a challenge on her hands. Not only is the building in deplorable physical condition, it is also rumored to be haunted. When Joe’s deadly premonition becomes a reality, Dr. Seth Hazlitt is not so sure the man died of natural causes. As Jessica tries to get to the bottom of Joe Cooper’s death, a medium hired by Eve attempts to rid the house of the alleged apparition. But if Jessica isn’t careful, she may be the one who joins the ranks of the dearly departed. | ||||||
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Design for Murder | 272 | April 5, 2016
(Hardcover) |
Jessica Fletcher Donald Bain Renée Paley-Bain | ||
| Jessica is in Manhattan to attend the debut of new designer Xandr Ebon—formerly Sandy Black of Cabot Cove. He’s introducing his evening wear collection to the public and—more important—to the industry’s powers that be: the stylists, magazine editors, buyers, and wealthy clientele who can make or break him.
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