The Return of Preston Giles
Originally aired
November 18, 1990
Directed by
Walter Grauman
Motive
Blackmail with documents showing her husband, Kendall, was involved in some questionable dealings; refusal to hand over said documents after obtaining copies from Bergman.
"The Return of Preston Giles " is the seventh episode of the seventh season of Murder, She Wrote
Summary [ ] Years after Jessica Fletcher's first case, Preston Giles is released from prison and is placed on parole. Within the first twenty-four hours of his release, a murder arises and all fingers point to Preston. Jessica has to find out who the real murderer before her first murderer and former love is tried for a murder he may or may not have committed.
Starring [ ] Regular cast [ ] Recurring cast [ ] Guest stars [ ] Lois Chiles as Millie Stafford
George Coe as Martin Bergman
Arlene Golonka as Gloria Winslow
Michael McKean as Ross McKay
Todd Susman as Sergeant Spencer Slocum
Brynn Thayer as Linette McKay
Gordon Thomson as Kendall Stafford
Regina Leeds as Dorothy Torrez
Kriss Turner as Secretary
Steven Connor as Mr. Chester Phelps
Michael Fairman as Cabby Trivia [ ] The character Preston Giles appeared in the original pilot, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes .
The final screen appearance of Arthur Hill.
The trivia items below may give away important plot points:
This particular story is unusual for this series, as Jessica does not actually solve the mystery like she usually does. Preston Giles is clever enough to tape-record the murderer's confession of the murder of the crooked accountant. Preston's own murder is then subsequently recorded.
Millie (played by Lois Chiles) is at odds with Linette, her husband's mistress. In the movie Death on the Nile (1978), Chiles co-starred with Angela Lansbury and played a murder victim named Linette. Here, Chiles' character is the murderer. Home media releases [ ] External links [ ] Season 1
The Murder of Sherlock Holmes • Deadly Lady • Birds of a Feather • Hooray for Homicide • It's a Dog's Life • Lovers and Other Killers • Hit, Run and Homicide • We're Off to Kill the Wizard • Death Takes a Curtain Call • Death Casts a Spell • Capitol Offense • Broadway Malady • Murder to a Jazz Beat • My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean • Paint Me a Murder • Tough Guys Don't Die • Sudden Death • Footnote to Murder • Murder Takes the Bus • Armed Response • Murder at the Oasis • Funeral at Fifty-Mile
Season 2
Widow, Weep for Me • Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly • Murder in the Afternoon • School for Scandal • Sing a Song of Murder • Reflections of the Mind • A Lady in the Lake • Dead Heat • Jessica Behind Bars • Sticks and Stones • Murder Digs Deep • Murder by Appointment Only • Trial by Error • Keep the Home Fries Burning • Powder Keg • Murder in the Electric Cathedral • One Good Bid Deserves a Murder • If a Body Meet a Body • Christopher Bundy - Died on Sunday • Menace, Anyone? • The Perfect Foil • If the Frame Fits
Season 3
Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 1 • Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 2 • Unfinished Business • One White Rose for Death • Corned Beef and Carnage • Dead Man's Gold • Deadline for Murder • Novel Connection • Magnum on Ice • Obituary for a Dead Anchor • Stage Struck • Night of the Headless Horseman • The Corpse Flew First Class • Crossed Up • Murder in a Minor Key • The Bottom Line is Murder • Death Takes a Dive • Simon Says, Color Me Dead • No Laughing Murder • No Accounting for Murder • The Cemetery Vote • The Days Dwindle Down • Murder, She Spoke
Season 4
A Fashionable Way to Die • When Thieves Fall Out • Witness for the Defense • Old Habits Die Hard • The Way to Dusty Death • It Runs in the Family • If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly • Steal Me a Story • Trouble in Eden • Indian Giver • Doom with a View • Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs. Fletcher's Chowder? • Harbinger of Death • Curse of the Daanav • Mourning Among the Wisterias • Murder Through the Looking Glass • A Very Good Year for Murder • Benedict Arnold Slipped Here • Just Another Fish Story • Showdown in Saskatchewan • Deadpan • The Body Politic
Season 5
J.B. as in Jailbird • A Little Night Work • Mr. Penroy's Vacation • Snow White, Blood Red • Coal Miner's Slaughter • Wearing of the Green • The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel • Prediction: Murder • Something Borrowed, Someone Blue • Weave a Tangled Web • The Search for Peter Kerry • Smooth Operators • Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble • From Russia... with Blood • Alma Murder • Truck Stop • The Sins of Castle Cove • Trevor Hudson's Legacy • Double Exposure • Three Strikes, You're Out • Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Part 1 • Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Part 2
Season 6
Appointment in Athens • Seal of the Confessional • The Grand Old Lady • The Error of Her Ways • Jack and Bill • Dead Letter • Night of the Tarantula • When the Fat Lady Sings • Test of Wills • Class Act • Town Father • Good-Bye Charlie • If the Shoe Fits • How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying • The Fixer-Upper • The Big Show of 1965 • Murder - According to Maggie • O'Malley's Luck • Always a Thief • Shear Madness • The Szechuan Dragon • The Sicilian Encounter
Season 7
Trials and Tribulations • Deadly Misunderstanding • See You in Court, Baby • Hannigan's Wake • The Family Jewels • A Body to Die For • The Return of Preston Giles • The Great Twain Robbery • Ballad for a Blue Lady • Murder in F Sharp • Family Doctor • Suspicion of Murder • Moving Violation • Who Killed J.B. Fletcher? • The Taxman Cometh • From the Horse's Mouth • The Prodigal Father • Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy? • Thursday's Child • Murder, Plain and Simple • Tainted Lady • The Skinny According to Nick Cullhane
Season 8
Bite the Big Apple • Night Fears • Unauthorized Obituary • Thicker Than Water • Lines of Excellence • Judge Not • Terminal Connection • A Killing in Vegas • The Committee • The List of Yuri Lermentov • Danse Diabolique • The Witch's Curse • Incident in Lot 7 • The Monte Carlo Murders • Tinker, Tailor, Liar, Thief • Ever After • To the Last Will I Grapple With Thee • Programmed for Murder • Day of the Dead • Angel of Death • Badge of Honor • Murder On Madison Avenue
Season 9
Murder in Milan • Family Secrets • The Mole • The Wind Around the Tower • The Dead File • Night of the Coyote • Sugar & Spice, Malice & Vice • The Classic Murder • A Christmas Secret • The Sound of Murder • Final Curtain • Double Jeopardy • Dead Eye • Killer Radio • The Petrified Florist • Threshold of Fear • The Big Kill • Dead to Rights • Lone Witness • Ship of Thieves • The Survivor • Love's Deadly Desire
Season 10
A Death in Hong Kong • For Whom the Ball Tolls • The Legacy of Borbey House • The Phantom Killer • A Virtual Murder • Bloodlines • A Killing in Cork • Love & Hate in Cabot Cove • Murder at a Discount • Murder in White • Northern Explosion • Proof in the Pudding • Portrait of Death • Deadly Assets • Murder on the Thirtieth Floor • Time to Die • The Dying Game • The Trouble with Seth • Roadkill • A Murderous Muse • Wheel of Death
Season 11
A Nest of Vipers • Amsterdam Kill • To Kill a Legend • Death in Hawaii • Dear Deadly • The Murder Channel • Fatal Paradise • Crimson Harvest • Murder by Twos • Murder of the Month Club • An Egg to Die For • The Scent of Murder • Death 'n Denial • Murder in High "C" • Twice Dead • Film Flam • Murder a la Mode • The Dream Team • School for Murder • Another Killing in Cork • Game, Set, Murder
Season 12
Nailed • A Quaking in Aspen • The Secret of Gila Junction • Big Easy Murder • Home Care • Nan's Ghost: Part 1 • Nan's Ghost: Part 2 • Shooting in Rome • Deadly Bidding • Frozen Stiff • Unwilling Witness • Kendo Killing • Death Goes Double Platinum • Murder in Tempo • The Dark Side of the Door • Murder Among Friends • Something Foul in Flappieville • Track of a Soldier • Evidence of Malice • Southern Double-Cross • Race to Death • What You Don't Know Can Kill You • Mrs. Parker's Revenge • Death by Demographics
"The Return of Preston Giles" at the Internet Movie Database