Book Review: Murder Most Trivial by Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early (Murder She Wrote #63)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Familiar faces in a fun mystery

Cons: Pacing a little off early on

The Bottom Line:

Filming a game show

Hunting a killer on set

Characters we love

Can Jessica Answer the Killer Question Correctly?

My favorite episodes of Murder, She Wrote were always the ones set in Cabot Cove because I enjoyed the relationships that Jessica Fletcher had with her friends, but especially Seth Hazlitt and Mort Metzger. So, seeing that they were going to play a starring role in Murder Most Trivial, even if the book takes our characters to Los Angeles, made me anxious to read it.

When Jessica, Seth, Mort, and Mort’s wife, Maureen, take part in a trivia contest at the grand opening of an Irish themed pub in Cabot Cove, they never expect to win, much less that the prize will be a trip to Los Angeles to be contestants on Trivia Pub Live, a new live trivia game show. However, things take a deadly turn when one of the crew is found dead after the first day of tapping. Will the team be able to find a killer and stay in the competition?

The main mystery takes a little while to get going, but the time is spent on a few subplots and setting up the main mystery. Once the mystery gets going, the book kicks into high gear, and I was never disappointed. There are plenty of suspects and lots going on, which means everyone has to sort through what is and isn’t important to solving the mystery. I was satisfied with the resolution to the mystery. And I liked how the subplots played out as well. 

We really do get lots of the other Cabot Cove characters in this book, and I enjoyed getting to see Seth and Mort off the clock. Well, mostly off the clock since they were unofficially getting involved in the case. I even laughed a couple of times at their interactions. 

And those aren’t the only familiar faces we see. We also get one of Jessica’s nieces and her husband. I immediately remember who they were, too, which made it extra fun. 

There are a lot of suspects here, but I was able to keep them straight. Some come alive more than others, but that’s mostly a factor of how much page time they get. 

We also get a tour of Los Angeles via filming locations for various mystery TV shows. I’ve got to admit, I haven’t sought many of these places out, so I enjoyed this tourism via the page in my local area. Don’t worry, these scenes lead into discussions of the happenings in the mystery so they don’t slow things down. 

Once again, we are treated to a fun mystery with a fantastic sleuth. Fans of the show or the books will enjoy Murder Most Trivial. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Snowy with a Chance of Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early (Murder, She Wrote #60)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters we love expertly captured in a good mystery

Cons: Pacing in the beginning off a few times

The Bottom Line:

Jessica at home

With mystery on her street

Characters perfect

Jessica Fletcher Finds Murder at Home

I’ve dipped in and out of the Murder, She Wrote novels over the last few years. When I saw that Barbara Early was joining the franchise, I knew I had to give her efforts a try, so I picked up Snowy with a Chance of Murder. 

If you’ve missed the novel, yes, they are tie-ins to the TV series. Yes, they’ve expanded on the world of the show. This is book 60, after all. But you don’t need to read them in order. I certainly haven’t. I figure there is the occasional reference I am missing by not doing that, but there is nothing that has seriously impacted my enjoyment of these books. 

This book opens with Jessica Fletcher getting ready to head out on a mystery themed Caribbean cruise as a special guest, the perfect thing to counter the cold of February in Cabot Cove, Maine. But a slip on the ice lands her in a wheel chair instead. 

Trapped inside, her new neighbors catch her attention. The man is a snow sculptor, although his sculptures are in questionable taste. They are drawing the attention of people in town, resulting in crowds. Meanwhile, there’s been a murder in a food truck, but Sherif Metzger has a suspect, if only he can locate her. Will Jessica get drawn in even though she’s stuck in a wheel chair?

If you are getting Rear Window vibes, you wouldn’t be too far out of line. In fact, the characters make that connection at one point. However, the action isn’t limited to Jessica’s house. She still gets out and about quite a bit, which keeps things from feeling too claustrophobic. 

It also keeps the story from being a clone of the movie, which I appreciated. I did find the beginning a bit uneven. There are multiple storylines being introduced, but even so, it felt like we were treading some of the same ground we’d already covered. However, when the plot really kicked into gear, it was fun watching everything fall into place. 

As any fan of the series (TV or book) knows, the joy of the Cabot Cove episodes is the community of characters we get to know. I’m thrilled to say this book captures that perfectly. We see lots of names fans will recognize, and they all felt just like they did in the show. I could picture the actors delivering the lines. I especially liked Jessica’s relationship with Mort Metzger, which the books haven’t always captured well. I even laughed at some of the character interactions. 

While spring may be just around the corner, there’s still time to curl up with a good book. If you want to capture some of those winter vibes, you’ll be glad you picked up Snowy with a Chance of Murder. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book

Book Review: Debonair in Death by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran (Murder, She Wrote #54)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Captures the characters and their relationships from the classic show perfectly

Cons: Pacing in the first half could be better

The Bottom Line:

Death at gallery

Slip back into Cabot Cove

Delightful for fans

Art Shop Owner Murdered in Cabot Cove

While I have enjoyed the books in the Murder, She Wrote series that I’ve read, I didn’t feel that the author captured Jessica and her relationships with those in Cabot Cove accurately.  That’s why I was looking forward to seeing how Terrie Farley Moran would do in Debonair in Death, her first novel in the series set in Cabot Cove.  I’m happy to say she nailed the characters.

Everyone in town is buzzing about Nelson Penzell, the new partner in the art shop down on the water in Cabot Cove.  He is handsome, so the ladies, especially, are very happy to talk about him and try to catch his eye.  Jessica Fletcher hasn’t interacted with him much, but she just doesn’t quite see the appeal.

Tragedy strikes one night when Nelson is murdered inside his shop.  Coreen, the nail tech at Loretta’s salon is found screaming outside Nelson’s shop, covered in his blood.  Naturally, Sheriff Metzger looks at Coreen as the killer, but Jessica doesn’t think Coreen would hurt anyone.  Can she figure out what is going on?

As I said, the relationships in this book are wonderful.  We don’t see all the Cabot Cove characters we love, but we get to see plenty of them, and they all feel true to their characters on the show.  While Jessica and Sheriff Metzger disagree on who the prime suspect might be, they do so fairly agreeably.  You can tell there is mutual respect there, even if they disagree about what might be happening.  The relationships of all the returning characters are so critical since fans of the series always loved the Cabot Cove episodes.  We didn’t get as many as everyone seems to think we did while the show aired, but those are definitely some fan favorites.

Unfortunately, the pacing of the plot is uneven, especially in the first half.  Fortunately, things do pick up as we head into the second half of the book, and we get some fun twists before Jessica figures it all out.  The characters that are brought in to this book as suspects are also strong, and I enjoyed getting to know them.

Fans of Murder, She Wrote will definitely be glad they picked up Debonair in Death.  This book provides the perfect chance to catch up with old friends.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Killing in a Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran (Murder, She Wrote #53)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jessica, most other characters, good mystery

Cons: Suspects are a bit thin, pacing at times

The Bottom Line:

Jessica on trip

When friend accused of murder

Classic franchise feel

Jessica Gets Back on the Road to Murder

I know I’ve jumped in very late to the Murder, She Wrote novels, basically picking up with the last few in the series.  However, I noticed something with the books I have read – they had all mostly centered on Cabot Cove.  Since I keep trying to point out how much Jessica Fletcher traveled in the show, I am quite happy to see her back on the road in Killing in a Koi Pond, the first novel in the series from Terrie Farley Moran.

Jessica has traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, to visit her college friend Delores.  Delores has recently remarried, and she is still very much in love with Willis.  Delores thinks that Willis is just wonderful, but at dinner that first night, Jessica sees a different side of Willis.  He appears controlling and manipulative to the family and friends who are there.

Jessica wakes up early the next morning and gets ready to go for a quick jog.  However, she only makes it as far as the Koi Pond.  That’s when she finds Willis’s dead body.  Jessica immediately suspects foul play, but Delores can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt Willis.  When the police begin to look at Delores as a killer, Jessica jumps in to figure out what really happened.  Can she prove her friend innocent?

As much as I enjoyed the previous books in the series (the only ones I’ve read), at times they felt a little off from the series.  There was more of a thriller component to them than the series usually had, and some of the climaxes were stretching credibility for what Jessica would be able to do.  This book feels like a return to the franchise that we’ve known for almost 40 years.  We’ve got a murder and a limited number of suspects, with Jessica trying to figure out exactly what is going on.

While we get cameo appearances from a couple of regulars, this is pretty much Jessica’s show.  Anyone who loves the character will be thrilled to get to spend more time with her.  Delores and several other characters are equally as charming; I especially loved how Delores grew as the book progressed.  I did find Delores’s step-granddaughter, Abby, to be much younger than she was supposed to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved the character, but she felt like she should have been four or five years old.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the suspects were as well developed.  It might have helped if we’d spent more time getting to know them better.

And the thinner suspects made it harder to me to stay engaged in the plot.  Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining, and there were some good twists and a classic Murder, She Wrote climax.  But I felt the pacing was uneven.

Overall, I did enjoy the book.  It reminded me very much of a classic travel episode from the show, and we got so many of them over the years.

I really got a kick out of some references to a mystery convention that Jessica had attended right before her trip.  The conference is obviously Malice Domestic, a conference devoted to cozy mysteries.  It only came up in passing a couple of times, but it made me smile.

If you are a fan of Murder, She Wrote, you’ll enjoy Killing in a Koi Pond.  It’s got that wonderful feeling of being a missing episode of the TV show.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Murder in Season by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #52)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jessica at Christmas, Grady, fun mystery

Cons: Ending a bit rushed, other characters a tad off

The Bottom Line:

Bodies old and new

Present puzzle at Christmas

Jessica must solve

‘Tis the Season to be Murdered

In all the years Murder, She Wrote was on the air, it only did one Christmas themed episode.  Since I’ve only read a fraction of the books, I don’t know if we’ve checked in with Jessica Fletcher at all during the holiday in them before now, but we definitely get a Christmas visit with the newest novels, Murder in Season.

The reconstruction on Jessica’s house is finally winding down, and she is thrilled to be home.  She is celebrating by inviting her nephew Grady and his family up for Christmas.  She’s looking forward to a wonderful time.

Unfortunately, there is one last project for the house – a new septic system.  It gets even more complicated when the team digging up her old septic system discovers human remains.  One of the skeletons appears to be centuries old, but the other is more recent.  All this is uncovered just as a reporter for a tabloid TV show arrives in town to film a story about why there are so many murders in Cabot Cove.

The investigation begins to unravel secrets from the founding of the town in the 1790’s.  While that might explain one of the skeletons, how does the more recent skeleton tie in to those secrets?

Mysteries that cover generations can be hard to pull off.  I often find myself wondering why we should care if everyone involved is dead.  This book avoids that by quickly making it very apparent that whatever the secrets of the past might be, they have very modern repercussions.  I appreciated that as it helped draw me into the story.  I wasn’t quite as gripped as I’ve been reading the last few books, but this one did hold my interest.  The solution was a bit abrupt, but it does answer our questions.

While the Cabot Cove episodes were always my favorite of the show, my second favorite were any episodes Grady appeared in.  (And yes, I was especially happy when he appeared in Cabot Cove.)  It was fabulous to see him in this book, and I loved the scenes he was in.  His character felt spot on, although I do wish we’d gotten a bit more with Donna.

As to the other regulars, I will once again say that they feel just slightly off.  It doesn’t help that a couple of running gags are once again driven into the ground.  Still, I’m being mostly nitpicky here, and I enjoyed spending time with them.

And yes, Christmas is a strong element in the book.  I loved those scenes.  They made me want to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate, look at the lights on my tree, and listen to Christmas carols.

Murder in Season is a Christmas treat for fans of Murder, She Wrote.  Even if you don’t get to read it during December, it will help capture the Christmas magic any time of year.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book

Book Review: The Murder of Twelve by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #51)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong, page turning plot

Cons: Character relationships

The Bottom Line:

Trapped in a blizzard

With a killer on the loose

Page turning thriller

Weddings are Murder

When I describe cozies to those who haven’t read them before, I often compare them to Agatha Christie and Murder, She Wrote.  The two come together for The Murder of Twelve, which is a page turning read.

The blizzard of the century is bearing down on Maine, with predictions of three feet of snow in Cabot Cove.  Jessica Fletcher isn’t in any hurry to get back to her suite at Hill House, the hotel where she has been staying while her home is being rebuilt.  Instead, she is happy to help Sheriff Metzger figure out what is happening to the stranger found just outside of town, dead in his car.  At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but Jessica quickly finds evidence that it was murder.

When she does finally return to the hotel, she discovers that a wedding party has checked in.  However, the bride and groom are missing and the family can’t seem to stand each other.  Then the bodies begin to pile up.  What is happening at the hotel?  How does it tie in to the stranger in the car?

Make no mistake about it, this book reads much more like a thriller than a cozy mystery.  Or, more accurately, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.  There’s no foul language and the violence is kept to a minimum, but it is tense.

Now, that isn’t to say that this isn’t a good book.  I was very much caught up in the story and had to know what was going to happen next.  Jessica is kept very busy trying to stop a string of murders from continuing, and I couldn’t wait to see how she would do it.

With much of the book taking place at Hill House in the middle of the record storm, we don’t see as much of any of the series’ supporting players.  The focus of the book is on Jessica and the suspects, and they are more than enough to support this book.  I came to care for many of the suspects, which made me care even more about the outcome.

This isn’t to say that we don’t see some of the regular supporting players here, we just don’t see as much of them as we normally night.  In some cases, that helped cut down on the issues I’ve noted in their relationships in the previous books.  I will say, I am getting very tired of Harry McGraw’s one joke.  It’s time to do something different with that character if we are going to continue to see him.

The descriptions of the weather are excellent.  I was reading this book as the weather was finally starting to warm up for a Southern California spring, but it made me shiver with winter cold.  Considering how much I hate snow, it might not take much to make me feel cold, but still, I was very impressed with how much I could feel the cold seeping into my body.

All the complaints really are minor.  I couldn’t get through this book fast enough, and I was satisfied when I turned the final page.  The Murder of Twelve will keep you engrossed far longer than you had planned once you pick it up.

NOTE: I received an ARC of the book.

Book Review: A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #50)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong mysteries – past and present

Cons: Climax is over the top, characters sniping at each other

The Bottom Line:

Revisit murder

In light of current events

Milestone entry

Jessica’s First Murder Mystery Comes Back to Haunt Her

This year marks thirty-five years since Jessica Fletcher first graced our TV screens in Murder, She Wrote.  And this month, the franchise reaches another milestone with the publication of A Time For Murder, the fiftieth novel based on the long running show.

Years before she wrote her first novel, Jessica was involved in a murder case.  At the time, she and her husband, Frank, were living in Appleton, Maine, and raising their eight-year-old nephew Grady.  Jessica was a long-term substitute English teacher at the high school.  One morning, the principal of the high school was found in his office, and Jessica finds herself involved in figuring out what happened to him.

What brings this case from twenty-five years ago to mind?  A reporter from Cabot Cove High School asks Jessica about it in an interview.   Jessica dodges talking about the case, as she normally does, but when she decides to go and share a little more with the reporter, she realizes she was talking to an imposter.  Who interviewed her?  What is her interest in the case?

I picked up the book skeptical since it has been long established that Jessica’s first real life murder case was the murder she solved in the pilot episode.  (Speaking of which, they spoil that particular mystery in the first chapter here.  But after thirty-five years, I doubt there are many fans who haven’t seen it yet.)  I was happy to see how they explained that away so that this new book still fits with what has come before.  Since this is set twenty-five years in the past, we are obviously outside of real time with these novels.  With as young as Grady is, I’m not sure that even works with the timeline of the series, but I’d have to go back and rewatch the pilot to verify that.  Either way, I just accepted the books logic and moved on.

And I’m glad I did because this book was a lot of fun.  We spend part of the time in the past, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse of Jessica’s life with Frank and Grady as a boy.  There are some other surprises and cameos from the past that fans will absolutely enjoy.  Plus, the mystery is good.  This story is dribbled into the action of the present, and each time we returned to now, I was a little disappointed since I wanted to find out what had happened all those years ago.  And don’t worry, it is always clearly marked when we are moving to the past, so both timelines are easy to follow.

The majority of the book takes place in the present as Jessica works to figure out how the past is impacting what is happening to in the present.  Both storylines are compelling, so when it was time to return to the past, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to know what would happen next in the present.  (Never happy, am I?)  In other words, I was once again pulled into this book and had a very hard time putting it down.

Unfortunately, my issues with the books I’ve read continue here.  The climax is an over the top action scene that stretches credibility.  It is page turning, but it also doesn’t feel right for this franchise.  Likewise, Jessica, Mort, and Seth snipe at each other a bit too much for my recollection of their relationships in the later seasons of the show.

On the other hand, Jessica has stopped swearing, which I appreciated tremendously.

It is obvious this book was written with its milestone status in mind.  The mystery from the past allows us to introduce a few Easter eggs that fans will love as they read.

It is a testament to the characters that Murder, She Wrote has so many fans so long after it debuted.  If you are one of them, I recommend you pick up A Time For Murder.  You’ll be glad you did.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner Monday, December 2nd, so please leave your comment before midnight Pacific Time on 12/2.  You will have until midnight on 12/7 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 12/8.

Book Review: I'll Be There for You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Interesting look at the run of Friends

Cons: Little new, pushing modern political and social agenda

The Bottom Line:

A classic sitcom

Gets a behind the scenes book

That has some issues

The One Where We Look at the Friends Phenomenon

I’m a fan of Friends, and I enjoy getting a behind the scenes look at things in Hollywood.  Between the two, I was immediately interested in reading I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends when I heard about it last year.  It took me until now to actually find the time to pick it up.  Sadly, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped it would be.

The book is written by Kelsey Miller, who starts out telling us what a fan of the show she is.  She used to plan her trips to the gym around the show, in fact.  And she knows lots of other big fans of the show, so researching the show was a natural fit.

Over the course of the book, we get a well-researched look at the show and the impact it has had on the US and the world in the 25 years since it premiered.  We learn about how the creators met and came up with the show, the path the actors took before they landed on the show, and some of the bumps and growing pains that everyone experienced during the 10 years the show was on the air.  There is also talk about the impact the show has had on fashion, trends, and overall pop culture the world over.

As the end notes make very clear, this is a well-researched book.  There are pages of notes at the end (although it is hard to follow for sure which facts from the book the notes are referring to).  However, that is one of the issues with the book.  Most of these are stories we’ve already heard.  Granted, it’s been long enough that the details are hazy in my mind, but it would have been nice to see some new insights from the cast and crew about the show and its legacy at this point in time.  There is none of that here.

We also get Kelsey’s thoughts on the seasons and a few key episodes.  Honestly, I hadn’t thought about the trajectory and arc of the show in the way she laid out, but I will now.  I found myself agreeing with her thoughts most of the time.  And remembering how and when the show was picked up for more episodes also helps explain some of the issues with the later seasons of the show.

The bigger issue comes when she tries to look at the show via a 2018 lens.  She brings up the standard issues that are leveled against the show – the lack of a diverse cast or guest star list, the homophobic jokes (at least when viewed through certain lenses today), the sexist way the women are treated at times.  Now, I’m not going to deny any of these things.  However, I wonder why this show is singled out for them.  These were quite common on TV back then and even now, depending on the show.  And yet, people keep coming back to this show over and over again as a bad example and treating it worse than they do other shows.

I think this was my biggest sticking point with the book.  This is the part where Ms. Miller conducted original interviews, contacting various figures in the areas she maintains should be offended by these elements in the show.  Heck, there’s almost an entire chapter of the book focused on the wedding of Susan and Carol in season two and why it isn’t the milestone in TV history that it could have been (despite it being a pretty major TV milestone).  And yet, these experts all pretty much said the same thing I did.  “Yes, the show should have paid more attention to (insert issue here), but this was TV and the culture at the time, and the show was just trying to be a comedy and not trying to push an agenda.”  However, Ms. Miller clearly isn’t happy with that answer, as she includes some pretty snide comments , especially in the footnotes.

This attitude also comes through in the final chapter.  Instead of devoting much of this chapter to trying to show Friend’s lasting impact and popularity or discuss what the cast has done since (both of which are in there), the majority of the chapter is devoted to the lawsuit brought by one of the writer’s assistants who sued due to a hostile work environment after being fired.  Now, I’m not going to argue that this shouldn’t have been included in the book.  However, she goes out of her way to wish the outcome of the suit had been different and tying it into the #MeToo movement in Hollywood of the last couple of years.  A valid comparison?  Maybe, but there are also very noticeable differences.  Worthy of so much time, especially as the last thing the book talks about?  Probably not.  And, for the record, I wouldn’t have lasted one day in the writer’s room as described in the lawsuit, so I don’t think that is a good work environment, even for a show like Friends, which spends plenty of time talking about sex.

So far, this sounds fairly negative, right?  This is a case where it is easy to see and point out the flaws.  While I was reading the book, I was hooked.  I’d pick it up, and I’d be lost in the stories about a show I love.  The pages flew by, and I’d have a hard time setting it down again.  And, as the book was discussing filming the final couple of episodes, I was finding myself as chocked up as I am every time I watch them.

If you are a die-hard fan of Friends, you’ll be tempted like I was to read I’ll Be There for You.  And you’ll probably wind up enjoying it even though it adds little new to the discussion of the show.

Book Review: Murder in Red by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #49)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong mystery; familiar characters

Cons: A bit too much ruminating, a bit slow to start

The Bottom Line:

When friend is murdered

Jessica leaps to action

Fun, gripping story

Can Jessica Solve One Friend’s Murder to Save Another?

Thirteen years ago this month, Jessica Fletcher solved her last murder – on TV.  Thanks to the magic of tie-in novels, she has kept right on solving baffling cases, and Murder in Red in the latest of her exploits.

Jessica is feeling sad and a bit philosophical when the book opens since she is at a funeral.  Shockingly, it is a funeral of someone who died of natural causes, but it has still caused her to reflect on life and resolve to spend some time with those who holds dear.

However, the reception isn’t over before Mimi Van Dorn collapses.  She and Jessica are friends, serving together of the Friends of the Library Board.  Mimi is in a coma, but she takes a turn for the worse that night.  Dr. Seth Hazlett thinks Mimi had a little help, and Jessica quickly finds evidence that confirms his theory that Mimi’s death was murder.

Seth wasn’t happy because Mimi was one of his many patients who had been leaving his practice in favor of the Clifton Clinic that just opened up on the outskirts of Cabot Cove.  As Jessica tries to figure out what happened to her friend, she begins to wonder if Seth has good reason to not trust the clinic.  Or is there a secret from Mimi’s past that lead to her murder?  With another good friend going to the clinic for medical help, Jessica will have to figure things out quickly.

Despite being a fan of the TV show for years, this is only the third book I’ve read, so I don’t know if this has always been true or not, but I’ve noticed that in the three books I’ve read, we’ve spent a lot of time in Cabot Cove, Maine.  On one hand, I love that town and the characters there, but on the other, I keep defending the town as not being as deadly as everyone thinks since Jessica spent so much time traveling during the TV series.  The books are trying to prove me wrong!  Actually, there are some jokes in the book about the town’s high murder rate, and I must admit I laughed at them.  The trail does lead Jessica out of state, so we spend time traveling, mostly in New England, but the heart of the action is in Cabot Cove.

I have also found that the victims in the books I’ve read are closer to Jessica than in the TV show.  Usually in the show, she was trying to clear family or friends of murder, here, friends seem to be the victims.  This gives the book more of a somber tone, but it also still drives Jessica to solve the murder.  She learns some surprising things about Mimi along the way to the ultimate solution, which was logical and had an action-packed climax.  I question whether Jessica could have really pulled that climax off, but this is fiction, so I’ll let it slide.

This is the first book I’ve read that features George Sutherland, a Scotland Yard inspector who was introduced in the books and has been an occasional love interest for Jessica, something that has apparently divided fans.  (Personally, I always thought she’d get together with one of the characters from the show, so her having a love life again doesn’t surprise me.)  Anyway, I had to look him up to see who he was.  That’s what I get for jumping into the series of books so late, right?  Anyway, I enjoyed meeting him.  Naturally, we get to see Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger again.  I found their relationship with Jessica to be much closer to the TV series in this book than the last book, which I was happy to see.  The rest of the cast are strong as well; there isn’t a weak character in the bunch.

When I’ve reviewed the last two books, I’ve commented on the foul language that was scattered throughout, surprising since it was out of place for this franchise.   I was happy to find this book was completely free of foul language.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I did find the beginning a tad slow, partially because Jessica spent time ruminating on life.  She ruminates some other times over the course of the book; I know this is supposed to be part of her character development, but it was feeling a bit forced to me here.  Fortunately, the plot did build and I was very hooked before too much time passed and once again couldn’t put it down the closer I got to the end.

Over the twelve years of Murder, She Wrote on TV, Jessica Fletcher build a loyal fan base.  Any of those fans will be happy to pick up Murder in Red and revisit this old friend.  I know I was.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner Tuesday June 4th, so please leave your comment before midnight Pacific Time on 6/4.  You will have until midnight on 6/9 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 6/10.

Book Review: Manuscript for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #48)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Page turning plot

Cons: Darker for franchise; characters mean to each other

The Bottom Line:

Jessica in race

Caught in political plot

Average result

Is Jessica Reading a Motive for Murder?

Last year, I finally read my first Murder, She Wrote novel even though I’ve been a fan of the TV series for years.  I enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading Manuscript for Murder, the newest in the series.  Unfortunately, I had a mixed reaction to it.

Jessica Fletcher is in New York City for the launch of her newest book.  As a result, she has a run in with Thomas Rudd.  The two authors share the same publisher, but Rudd doesn’t have nice things to say about Lane Barfield.  Rudd thinks that Lane is skimming money off his royalties.  Jessica finds it hard to believe, but she decides to look into it.

However, before Jessica can fully do that, both Rudd and Lane are dead.  And Jessica begins to think that the motive is the political thriller that Lane asked her to read.  Is that as crazy as it sounds?  Or is Jessica now in danger herself?

Without giving too much away (beyond what the title implies), this book turns into a political thriller to rival the one that Jessica is reading.  It’s definitely different territory for the franchise (at least based on the TV show), but I quickly got caught up in the action.  There was so much danger, I devoured the book as quickly as I could to find out how Jessica was going to survive it all.

Along the way, the book turns the franchise very gray.  I wouldn’t call it fully dark, but some of the twists and turns of the plot definitely were darker than anything we would normally find on the show.  These bothered me at the time and are still bothering me now.

What bothers me more is how Jessica interacted with some of the other characters.  We get plenty of recurring characters like Harry McGraw and Artie Gelber, not to mention Mort and Seth back in Cabot Cove.  However, none of these characters really seem to get along.  I suspect that the author was going for teasing, but instead it comes across as mean.  Mind you, these are all characters I looked forward to seeing on the show since I loved seeing Jessica interacting with them.  They were friends.  Here, they don’t really come across as friends.

And there’s the fact that we really have two different plots.  I can’t even say one is a sub-plot since it really gets dropped.  This book actually would have worked better if it had focused on the story the author really wanted to tell.

This is a hard book to rate as a result.  On the one hand, I was racing through it, but on the other, I was deeply disappointed with aspects of it.

If you are a fan of Murder, She Wrote, there is no reason to rush out and read Manuscript for Murder.  If it is a sign that Jon Land is planning to take the series darker, maybe I will stick with my DVD set when I want to revisit Jessica Fletcher.  Or try to read the earlier novels.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Book Review: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham (Veronica Mars #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great mystery as excuse to visit with old friends

Cons: None worth telling about

The Bottom Line:

Woman left for dead

But who was the attacker?

Marshmallows will love

Can Veronica Track Down an Attacker?

Somehow, I let Mr. Kiss and Tell sit on my book shelves unread for several years now.  I've been meaning to get to it.  After all, I was a big fan of the TV show Veronica Mars, I enjoyed the movie, and I enjoyed the first book based on the characters.  It took the promised Hulu revival to get me to finally pick up the book, but really, it was no surprise that when I finally picked up this book, I enjoyed it as well.

For those who aren't familiar with the series, the TV show Veronica Mars introduced us to a teenage detective played by Kristen Bell.  It never found the audience it deserved, and it was canceled after 3 seasons.  About 10 years later, we were able to revisit the characters via a fan funded big screen movie, which was followed with the two tie in novels.

Which leads us to the question, do you need all the background to completely enjoy this book?  Probably not.  Any background information truly needed is provided in the book.  Heck, I haven't rewatched any of my DVDs or reread the first book in three years, and I followed what happened here, okay.  But it is something that fans are going to enjoy the most.

This book finds Veronica Mars hired by the Neptune Grand to clear them of responsibility for an attack that left a young woman almost dead several miles away.  Before she was found, she was last in the hotel.  At first, she claims she can't remember what happened in the attack, but then she names someone on the hotel's staff.  With a client who wants Veronica to prove them innocent and a victim who thinks Veronica's only motive is to discredit her, can she find the truth?

Meanwhile, Weevil's trial is winding down.  Will the jury reach the correct verdict?  And will Veronica's father ever be able to use the stories he's found of the Sherriff department's evidence planting?

Okay, so that last bit is definitely something you'll need some background on since this is a plot thread that started in the movie and stretched across the first book to be resolved here.  I was surprised when no other books came out considering how much the fans loved them, but the authors obviously planned it this way since everything is wrapped up here, at least as far as this storyline goes.

And the main mystery?  It takes a few pages to get going, but once it does, I was hooked.  The plot leads us in some interesting directions before Veronica begins to figure out what really happened.  We also get to revisit our favorite characters and some minor characters from the series even pop up.  I loved that since I love these characters.  The climax is good and wraps things up appropriately.

What really surprised me where was how I felt about Veronica's relationship with Logan.  Honestly, I have never rooted for Veronica to wind up with this spoiled rich bad boy.  In fact, I've been rooting for pretty much anybody but Logan.  However, this book really developed Logan and their relationship, and I found myself rooting for them to find a way to keep making their relationship work.  I never thought I'd find myself saying that, either.

I said it when I read the first book several years ago, and I'll say it again.  My biggest complaint with this book is that it was written third person.  In the series and the movie, we always got a nice voiceover from Veronica, and I missed her perspective and snark here.  But that's a minor issue overall.

Mr. Kiss and Tell will appeal most to fans of Veronica Mars, but it does have a great mystery for anyone to solve.  And if you aren't a fan of this series, you really should fix that anyway, so you can enjoy this book.

Book Review: A Date with Murder by Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain, & Jon Land (Murder, She Wrote #47)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters we love; twists in the mystery

Cons: Ending not quite satisfying

The Bottom Line:

Cabot Cove murder

Jessica still in top form

Delight for her fans

Cabot Cove is Still Proving to be Deadly

Despite the fact that I’ve been a fan of Murder, She Wrote for years, I must admit I’ve never read one of the tie in novels to the TV show.  Oh, I’ve bought a few over the years, but I hadn’t actually picked them up to read – until now.  I jumped in with A Date with Murder, and I’m glad I read it.

It’s Labor Day, and that means that the entire town of Cabot Cove is at the Wirth home for their annual picnic.  Jessica Fletcher is enjoying hanging out with her friends and neighbors, especially Barbara “Babs” Wirth, who has become a good friend over the years.  The day ends in tragedy, however, when Babs’ husband Hal suffers a fatal heart attack.

Something about it doesn’t feel right to Jessica, however.  That feeling only grows when someone tries to warn her away from the Wirths and then a second body turns up..  Was Hal’s death more than it seems?

I have often defended the TV series, pointing out that Jessica actually traveled more than she was home for the murders that she solved on the show.  Having said that, the episodes set in Cabot Cove were always my favorites since I enjoyed the supporting cast.  As a result, I’m glad that the first book I wound up reading was set in this small Maine town.  I felt right at home and enjoyed catching up with Seth and Mort as well as Jessica.  I could easily picture the three of them as the book captures their personalities from the show perfectly.  A couple other supporting players from those episodes put in appearances as well.

The new characters felt like the guest stars from the episode.  I don’t know if they previous appeared in the books or not, but everything I needed to know about them was here for this book.  Because Jessica cared about them, I found them sympathetic and likable, and I got invested in the book as a result.

We are treated to a great mystery.  There were plenty of twists and surprises along the way, and I was completely hooked.  However, the book didn’t quite wrap up as well as I would have liked.  There was a chapter that was a lot of exposition – explanation we needed to fully understand how things had happened – but it felt slow.  Meanwhile, in the rush to wrap things up after that, a rather key plot point is overlooked.

Having not read any of the previous entries in the series, I was a bit surprised by the couple of swear words in the book.  I don’t know if this was a first for the novels or not, but they definitely didn’t fit within the world of the show for me.

On the other hand, I didn’t feel I had missed anything by skipping the other books in the series and jumping in here.  This is still the same Jessica we know and love from the series, and it was wonderful to connect up with this old friend.

Overall, I enjoyed A Date with Murder, and I’m kicking myself for not starting to read these tie ins sooner.  I will soon be making another date with Jessica myself and suggest her many fans plan to do the same.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner Tuesday May 8th, so please leave your comment before midnight Pacific Time on 5/8.  You will have until midnight on 5/13 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 5/14.

Book Review: Driving Heat by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great mystery to keep you turning pages, fun tie ins to Castle

Cons: Supporting characters could be a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

The next mystery

Keeps Nikki guessing and us

Turning the pages

Heat Drives Toward Another Case Solved

Every year, I look forward to reading the latest Nikki Heat mystery by “Richard Castle.”  Yes, I find the mysteries to be good, but I also enjoy seeing what small references to the show Castle they slip into the book.  Driving Heat is the seventh in this bestselling series, and it’s another wonderful ride.

For those who aren’t in on the joke and the series, these novels were inspired by the TV show Castle.  In that show, Nathan Fillion plays Richard Castle, a bestselling author who decides to base his latest character on NYPD detective Kate Beckett.  This character?  Nikki Heat.  Of course, to do that, Castle must follow Beckett around helping her solve cases.  Somewhere along the way, it was decided that the books Castle was writing should actually be written and published for fans of the show to read.  The identity of the real writer remains a mystery (although I’ve seen some credible theories about who is writing them.)  Bits and pieces of the show appear in each book, although the books are strong enough to stand up on their own to any mystery lover.

This book opens on a day of change for Nikki Heat.  It’s her first day as Captain of the twentieth precinct.  However, the day gets off to a rough start before she even makes it in the office when the body of her psychiatrist, Lon King, is found.  With such a personal connection to the victim, Nikki begins to investigate in addition to taking on her new responsibilities.

Things take an interesting turn when video of the doctor’s office finds Nikki’s fiancée, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jameson Rook, going into the office.  He refuses to discuss why he was there, driving a wedge between them and complicating Nikki’s case.  What secret is Rook hiding?  Can she juggle her new administrative duties and still solve the case?

Obviously, the character of Nikki Heat is following the career path of Kate Beckett (who just became a captain this season on the show as well), although she has gone through a different path to get there.  In fact, it was interesting seeing a precinct without the work place drama in this book, something that has added complications to the mystery in the past multiple books in the series.  Part of me enjoyed that, and part of me missed it.  On the other hand, I do like the detectives who are under Nikki, and watching them all work together is quite fun.

The plot is great as well.  It starts a little slowly, but it continues to build until we reach a great climax.  The story managed to surprise me along the way, and the ending was absolutely wonderful. 

Of course, I do have to point out my annual disclaimers about the characters.  While Nikki and Rook are fully developed, the rest of the regulars are a bit thin.  Roach, the detective duo of Raley and Ochoa, based on the TV characters of Ryan and Esposito, are certainly better, but the other trio of homicide cops could be more sharply defined, although they are defined enough for us to like them.  Likewise, these books always read slowly.  It’s not that I’m not into the story, but I’ve finally figured out the type is smaller than I’m used to.  Once I mentally get myself in the space for how long it will take me to read the book, I’m fine.

As I said, these books would be wonderful mysteries even if you didn’t watch the TV show.  However, if you do, you’ll spot a few small references or throw away lines that are from the show.  These moments always make me smile if not laugh outright, and I love them.  And in this book, those in jokes include the name of the murder victim.

So whether you watch the show or not, consider picking up Driving Heat.  You’ll be lost in a great mystery before you know it.

(Now, if only next year’s book can avoid the missteps they are doing on this season of Castle, we’ll be in great shape.)

Looking for more of these creative tie ins?  Check out the Nikki Heat Mysteries in order.

Book Review: Mr. Monk and the New Lieutenant by Hy Conrad (Monk #19)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Monk and the gang in one last adventure

Cons: Plot a little weak, it looks like the end from the franchise.

The Bottom Line:

And here’s what happened

One last mystery to solve

As Monk franchise ends

Mr. Monk Takes a Final Bow

By my count, Monk is going crazy right now with Mr. Monk and the New Lieutenant.  Why?  This is the third ending for the characters (TV series, Lee Goldberg’s final book, and now the real final book).  Plus, this is the nineteenth tie in novel to the TV show.  Heck, since I didn’t start watching the show until season 2, this makes 11 and a half years that I’ve been a fan.  For someone who loves evenness and order, all of these odd numbers are completely unacceptable.

And if you are scratching your head right now, then you’ve never meant Adrian Monk.  He was the main character of the TV show Monk, which aired on the USA Network from 2002 until 2009.  He is a brilliant detective who suffered from OCD and phobias too numerous to name (but he has a laminated list).  The resulting episodes contained a wonderfully addicting mix of comedy and mystery with great character development.  Along the way, a series of tie-in novels starring the characters were started, and this is the final book in that series.

Things are slow for Monk and Teeger, Consulting Detectives, and they have been for a few months.  Worse yet, Captain Stottlemeyer’s new lieutenant is doing his best to under pay them when they are needed to consult on a case.  However, when Monk and Natalie Teeger go to the funeral of a prominent judge, Monk immediately discovers he was murdered.  Worse yet, Captain Stottlemeyer comes down with the exact same symptoms.

Meanwhile, Natalie goes behind Monk’s back and takes on a divorce case for a woman she finds staring at their sign in the parking lot.  It appears to be a simple enough case; Natalie can knock it out on her own without Monk’s help.  Until Natalie gets a shock and suddenly needs Monk’s help.  Can they juggle this case while keeping Stottlemeyer alive?

I will say I felt the plot was a little weak in this one.  I had a pretty good handle on what was happening before the end.  However, that didn’t mean I enjoyed the book any less.  With Monk, the joy was always in the journey, not the final destination.  I read the book in one day because when I set the book down at one point, it started calling to me again and I just had to finish.  The pages always fly by, and this book was no exception.

Part of what makes this book so great are the characters that fans have come to know and love.  They are present here again, and it is easy to picture the actors delivering the lines as the events unfold.  Since Hy Conrad (one of the writers on the show) took over the novels, he’s been working on some character arcs.  Things ended where I thought they would, and I think fans who were disappointed with the final episode of the series will appreciate this ending so much more.

And, of course, there is the comedy.  Even though we know all of Monk’s quirks, I still found some things to laugh at as I was reading (usually as my roommate walked into the room, it seemed).  It might not be as fresh as it once was, but there were still some moments that caught me off guard that I really enjoyed.

But seriously, couldn’t they have put out one more book to give us 20 novels and reach 12 years for me as a fan?  Why didn’t they consult with me?  Of course, someone new might step forward and write more books, but for now it does appear this is the end of the franchise.

I really don’t recommend you jump in here if you are new to Monk.  Whether you start with the show or the earlier novels is up to you, but you will enjoy your time spent with him.  Longtime fans will find Mr. Monk and the New Lieutenant bittersweet as we enjoy one more adventure with the characters we love while also saying goodbye.

Thank you, Mr. Monk.  It’s been a wonderful ride.

Need to back up?  Once you get started, you'll obsessive compulsively read the Monk novels in order.

Book Review: Raging Heat by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great story, character development, nods to show

Cons: Writing could be stronger (as usual)

The Bottom Line:

As body plummets

And hurricane approaches

Can Nikki solve case?

Nikki’s Weirdest Case Yet

Whoever came up with the idea of actually writing the Nikki Heat books is an absolute genius.  These novels are based on the hit ABC show Castle – sort of.  See, the character Richard Castle is a writer working on a series of books based on the character of Kate Beckett.  Each fall, he releases the next in the series, and that book is published in the real world for all to read as well.  As I said, genius, right?  Raging Heat is the latest of the books in the series, and I once again found myself completely entertained.

It’s been a couple of years since Nikki Heat finally solved the murder of her mother, and the resulting years have provided a routine to her life.  All that is about to change when a body falls into her case load – literally.

The man falls from the sky into the local planetarium.  There’s no ID, and very little of him left to identify.  Yet slowly Nikki begins making her case, a case that seems to be leading to a commissioner for the Port Authority.  Meanwhile, her boyfriend Rook has developed some leads that point in other directions.  Whose intel is correct?  Can Nikki make a case against a man so well connected?  And will Nikki and Rook’s relationship survive this case?

If you were paying attention, the first few books in the series were actually compressed into a year, which left us several years behind real time.  Even with that two year jump, we aren’t completely caught up.  How can I tell?  This book is set in the lead up to Hurricane Sandy, which was two years ago.  That actually adds to the drama of the book and definitely impacts the climax.  I knew that would be the case as soon as I realized when the book was opening, but I loved just how it all played out.

Even without that added drama, the mystery is good.  The plot twists and turns all over the place, and I didn’t truly get a sense of where it was going until about the time Nikki did.  There are some great action scenes as well that kept me turning pages.

There are four characters based on the four main characters of Castle, and I dare any fan to read the book without picturing the actors in the parts.  It makes for a very fun dynamic as fans read, and in many ways I feel like it is an extended episode of the show.  Of course, there are some added characters who enhance it as well.  We get some good character development for all of them here, and I like where things are going.

Of course, fans of the show will certainly enjoy the Easter Eggs written in just for the fans.  While the mystery itself is original, there are scenes and references that are nods to the show.  In fact, I think this book had the first Firefly reference in it for the books.  These add a fun layer that always makes me smile.

However, I still maintain that you could read the book without being a fan of the show.  These references are just throw away lines or set ups for a scene.  Everything you need to know for the book is right here because it really is self-contained.

I will make my annual notice about the writing.  It is denser than I normally read, and the print is smaller.  Between the two, this is not nearly as fast as I normally enjoy.  There are some weak spots in the writing as well.  Still, it is completely worth the added time.  I really look forward to these books each year and get a kick out of them.

Speaking of getting a kick out of things, I loved the acknowledgements.  As fans of the show know, season six ended with Richard Castle going missing.  They play on that here, having an intern piece together the acknowledgements that Castle would have written if he could.  Just a fun little bit.

But those nods to the fans wouldn’t have been enough to keep me coming back if the mysteries weren’t good on their own.  Fortunately, Raging Heat proves again just how fun the series of novels is.  Fans of the show must read them, but anyone who enjoys a mystery will enjoy the book as well.

And if you haven't started reading the books yet, here are the rest of the Nikki Heat Mysteries in order.

Book Review: Mr. Monk is Open for Business by Hy Conrad (Monk #18)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Laughs with characters we love and strong mysteries

Cons: Monk might have a few, but I don't

The Bottom Line:

Two puzzling plots

Keep us entertained with laughs

Along with the twists

Mr. Monk and the New Business

It's always hard to say goodbye to characters I've loved from a TV show.  Fortunately, even though Monk has ended, the novels based on that show keep right on going.  Mr. Monk Is Open For Business is the latest in a long line of funny, entertaining novels.

It's a big day for Monk and Teeger, Consulting Detectives - it's the first day in their new office.  But before Natalie can even throw a proper grand opening party, they have their first client.  Daniela Grace, a local lawyer that Natalie has met, has been hired by a man accused of murder.  After all, he was found with a shovel in an empty field dragging a recently deceased body.  While maintaining his innocence, he refuses to say what he was doing in the lot.

They are just beginning to investigate this case when they are called to the scene of an office shooting.  Amy Devlin has been in charge, and somehow the suspect slips right by the police.  Miraculously there is one survivor, and Monk immediately takes to her.  However, there is no trace of the gun man.  Can Monk find this mysterious murderer?

I'm always hesitant to jump into a series that is this well established, although I think you could do so.  Author Hy Conrad gives enough background that you'd know who the characters are pretty easily without spoiling anything major that has gone before.  I will say that the novels that have taken place after the series ended have been more tied into each other, showing more growth and change for the characters.  That continues here as well, although I am very curious to see where the next book in the series goes considering how some things were left in the last few pages.

The characters, as always, are spot on from the show, and I can easily picture the actors saying the lines as I'm reading.  The cast of characters not from the show are equally as strong, and I love them, too.

I was proud of myself - I had one part of one of the mysteries figured out fairly early on, although I did start to doubt myself for a while.  Even so, I had fun watching Monk figure things out, and there were lots of clues I missed along the way.  Both plots reach logical and satisfactory conclusions.

And, just like the show, this book is filled with humor.  When I wasn't outright laughing at the antics of the characters, I was grinning at the pages.

The pages flew by all too quickly.  I read the entire book on a lazy day.  That just means I have to wait longer for the next one, unfortunately.

If you are looking to escape into a fun story, Mr. Monk Is Open For Business is for you.  All it wants to do is entertain you, and it succeeds in spades.

Looking for more mysteries?  Here are the Monk Novels in order.