List of Murder, She Wrote novels

Last updated

This is a list of fictional novels either from or inspired by Murder, She Wrote .

Contents

During the series many novels that J.B. Fletcher wrote, were mentioned. Her first novel, The Corpse Danced at Midnight, was made into a film in one episode, and later in the series another was made into a theatre play. The novel A Killing at Hastings Rock also underwent development to become a virtual reality video game.

In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, a series of official original novels have been written and published by the New American Library. The co-author credited for all of the novels is the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher". The first novel, Gin & Daggers, authored by American ghostwriter Donald Bain, included several inaccuracies to the TV series including Jessica driving a car which she could not do as she never learned to drive. Due to fans pointing out the errors, the novel was republished in 2000 with most of the inaccuracies corrected.

The title The Stain on the Stairs had previously been used by Agatha Christie in The Murder at the Vicarage as the title of a supposed detective story.

Fictional novels

Novels that were written by the fictional character of Jessica Fletcher (J.B. Fletcher) within the storyline of the series:

Novelizations

A number of episodes were the basis for a series of novels released in the mid 1980s by Avon Books. The first three books in the series were written by James Anderson and the fourth was written by David Deutsch. Each book, with the exception of The Murder of Sherlock Holmes, utilizes two episodes from the show as the basis for its story.

James Anderson

  1. The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (April 1985) [38]
    • based on the two-hour pilot episode of the same name.
  2. Hooray for Homicide (November 1985) [39]
    • based on the episodes "Deadly Lady" and "Hooray for Homicide".
  3. Lovers and Other Killers (February 1986) [40]
    • based on the episodes "Lovers and Other Killers" and "It's a Dog's Life".

David Deutsch

  1. Murder in Two Acts (April 17, 1986) [41]
    • based on the episodes "Sing a Song of Murder" and "Murder in the Afternoon".

Spin-off novels

The following are novels inspired by the series, which are published by the New American Library. Donald Bain began writing the series in 1989 and continued authoring the books until his death in 2017. Bain's wife, Renée Paley-Bain (1945–2016), participated in writing the books beginning in 2002, [42] and received a co-author credit for the final three books on which she worked. After Bain's death in 2017, author Jon Land was approached to take over the series. [43] Land would go on to author six books in the series.

In 2020, it was revealed that author Terrie Farley Moran would be taking over the series beginning in 2021. [44] [45]

Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

  1. Gin & Daggers (June 1989) [46]
  2. Manhattans & Murder (December 1994) [48]
  3. Rum & Razors (April 1995) [49]
  4. Brandy & Bullets (August 1995) [50]
  5. Martinis & Mayhem (December 1995) [51]
  6. A Deadly Judgment (April 1996) [52]
  7. A Palette for Murder (October 1996) [53]
  8. The Highland Fling Murders (April 1997) [54]
  9. Murder on the QE2 (October 1997) [55]
  10. Murder in Moscow (May 1998) [56]
  11. A Little Yuletide Murder (October 1998) [57]
  12. Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (May 1999) [58]
  13. Knock 'em Dead (October 1999) [59]
  14. Trick or Treachery (October 1, 2000) [60]
  15. Blood on the Vine (April 2001) [61]
  16. Murder in a Minor Key (October 2001) [62]
  17. Provence – To Die For (April 2002) [63]
  18. You Bet Your Life (October 2002) [64]
  19. Majoring in Murder (April 2003) [65]
  20. Destination Murder (October 7, 2003) [66]
  21. Dying to Retire (April 6, 2004) [67]
  22. A Vote for Murder (October 5, 2004) [68]
  23. The Maine Mutiny (April 5, 2005) [69]
  24. Margaritas & Murder (October 4, 2005) [70]
  25. A Question of Murder (April 4, 2006) [71]
  26. Three Strikes and You're Dead (October 3, 2006) [72]
  27. Coffee, Tea, or Murder? (April 3, 2007) [73]
  28. Panning for Murder (September 25, 2007) [74]
  29. Murder on Parade (April 1, 2008) [75]
  30. A Slaying in Savannah (September 30, 2008) [76]
  31. Madison Avenue Shoot (April 7, 2009) [77]
  32. A Fatal Feast (October 6, 2009) [78]
  33. Nashville Noir (April 6, 2010) [79]
  34. The Queen's Jewels (October 5, 2010) [80]
  35. Skating on Thin Ice (April 5, 2011) [81]
  36. The Fine Art of Murder (October 4, 2011) [82]
  37. Trouble at High Tide (April 3, 2012) [83]
  38. Domestic Malice (October 2, 2012) [83]
  39. Prescription for Murder (April 2, 2013) [84]
  40. Close-Up on Murder (October 1, 2013) [85]
  41. Aloha Betrayed (April 1, 2014) [86]
  42. Death of a Blue Blood (October 7, 2014) [87]
  43. Killer in the Kitchen (April 7, 2015) [88]

Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain with Renée Paley-Bain

  1. The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher (October 6, 2015) [89]
  2. Design for Murder (April 5, 2016) [90]
  3. Hook, Line, and Murder (October 4, 2016) [91]

Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain with Jon Land

  1. A Date with Murder (May 1, 2018) [92]

Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land

  1. Manuscript for Murder (November 6, 2018) [93]
  2. Murder in Red (May 28, 2019) [94]
  3. A Time for Murder (November 26, 2019) [95]
  4. The Murder of Twelve (May 26, 2020) [96]
  5. Murder in Season (November 24, 2020) [97]

Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

  1. Killing in a Koi Pond (June 8, 2021) [98]
  2. Debonair in Death (November 2, 2021) [99]
  3. Killer on the Court (May 17, 2022) [100]
  4. Death on the Emerald Isle (January 3, 2023) [101]
  5. Fit for Murder (January 23, 2024) [102]
  6. Murder Backstage (April 2, 2024) [103]

Anthologies

Beginning in 1997, a series of three anthologies were released, each featuring a number of stories by different authors. While none of the stories tied into the series (save for one story by Charlaine Harris in the first book, with Jessica Fletcher as a supporting character), each book was captioned as "Jessica Fletcher presents...", with the fictitious character being credited as the author of the book's introduction and making a short comment at the start of each story.

  1. Murder, They Wrote (1997) [104]
  2. Murder, They Wrote II (1998) [105]
  3. More Murder, They Wrote (1999) [106]

Young Adult novels

  1. By the Time You Read This I'll Be Gone by Stephanie Kuehn (October 5, 2022) [107]
  2. Carry My Secret to Your Grave by Stephanie Kuehn (October 31, 2023) [108]

Related Research Articles

<i>Murder, She Wrote</i> American crime drama television series (1984–1996)

Murder, She Wrote is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series focuses on the life of Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer and amateur detective, who becomes involved in solving murders that take place in the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine, across the United States, and abroad. The program ran for 12 seasons from September 30, 1984, to May 19, 1996, for a total of 264 episodes and included amongst its recurring cast Tom Bosley, William Windom and Ron Masak, as well as a vast array of guest cast members including Michael Horton, Keith Michell and Julie Adams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aileen Wuornos</span> American serial killer (1956–2002)

Aileen Carol Wuornos was an American serial killer. In 1989–1990, while engaging in street prostitution along highways in Florida, she shot dead and robbed seven of her male clients. Wuornos claimed that her clients had either raped or attempted to rape her, and that the homicides of the men were committed in self-defense. Wuornos was sentenced to death for six of the murders. She was executed on October 9, 2002, by lethal injection after spending more than 10 years on Florida's death row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Perry</span> English author (1938–2023)

Anne Perry was a British writer best known as the author of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and William Monk series of historical detective fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Fletcher</span> Television detective

Jessica Beatrice "J. B." Fletcher is a fictional detective and writer and the main character and protagonist of the American television series Murder, She Wrote. Portrayed by award-winning actress Angela Lansbury, Fletcher is a best-selling author of mystery novels, an English teacher, amateur detective, criminology professor, and congresswoman. In 2004, Fletcher was listed in Bravo's "100 Greatest TV Characters". AOL named her one of the "100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters". The same website listed her among "TV's Smartest Detectives". She was ranked at number six on Sleuth Channel's poll of "America's Top Sleuths". Guinness World Records called her the "most prolific amateur sleuth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Easton</span> American actor (born 1967)

Michael Easton is an American film, television and voice actor, writer, and director. Although the Emmy-nominated actor may be best known for his work on the series Ally McBeal, VR.5,Total Recall 2070, One Life to Live and General Hospital, he is also the author of several critically-acclaimed novels, including the trilogy Soul Stealer, and is an accomplished director whose films have earned multiple independent film awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caril Ann Fugate</span> American convicted of 1958 murder spree at age 14

Caril Ann Fugate is the youngest female in United States history to have been tried and convicted of first-degree murder. She was the adolescent girlfriend of spree killer Charles Starkweather, being just 14 years old when his murders took place in 1958. She was convicted as his accomplice and sentenced to life imprisonment. In 1976, she was paroled after serving 18 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawley Harvey Crippen</span> American executed homeopath

Hawley Harvey Crippen, colloquially known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopath, ear and eye specialist and medicine dispenser who was hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, for the murder of his wife, Cora Henrietta Crippen. He was one of the first criminals to be captured with the aid of wireless telegraphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Castle</span> Fictional character in the crime series Castle

Richard Edgar "Rick" Castle is a fictional character on the ABC crime series Castle. He is portrayed by Nathan Fillion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Neill Cream</span> Scottish-Canadian serial murderer

Thomas Neill Cream, also known as the Lambeth Poisoner, was a Scottish-Canadian medical doctor and serial killer who poisoned his victims with strychnine. He murdered up to 10 people in three countries, targeting mostly lower-class women, prostitutes and pregnant women seeking abortions. He was convicted and sentenced to death, and was hanged on 15 November 1892.

Donald Sutherland Bain was an American author and ghostwriter, having written over 115 books in his 40-year career.

<i>Cover Up</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Cover Up is an American action/adventure television series that aired for one season on CBS from September 22, 1984, to April 6, 1985. Created by Glen A. Larson, the series starred Jennifer O'Neill, Jon-Erik Hexum, Antony Hamilton, and Richard Anderson.

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird Blakemore is an American novelist. Under her maiden name, Jessica Bird, she writes contemporary romance novels, and as J.R. Ward, she writes paranormal romance. She is a three-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, once as Bird for Best Short Contemporary Romance for From the First and twice as Ward for Best Paranormal Romance for Lover Revealed and Dearest Ivie, and her books have been on The New York Times Best Seller list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zodiac Killer in popular culture</span>

The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California from at least the late 1960s to the early 1970s. His identity remains unknown. His crimes, letters and cryptograms to police and newspapers inspired many movies, novels, television and more.

<i>Cop Hater</i> 1956 novel by Ed McBain

Cop Hater (1956) is the first 87th Precinct police procedural novel by Ed McBain. The murder of three detectives in quick succession in the 87th Precinct leads Detective Steve Carella on a search that takes him into the city's underworld and ultimately to a .45 automatic aimed straight at his head.

<i>87th Precinct</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

87th Precinct is an American crime drama starring Robert Lansing, Gena Rowlands, Ron Harper, Gregory Walcott and Norman Fell, which aired on NBC on Monday evenings during the 1961–1962 television season.

Tana French is an American-Irish writer and theatrical actress. She is a longtime resident of Dublin, Ireland. Her debut novel In the Woods (2007), a psychological mystery, won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Barry awards for best first novel. The Independent has referred to her as "the First Lady of Irish Crime".

Jon Land is an American author of thriller novels.

<i>Cardinal</i> (TV series) Canadian television series

Cardinal is a Canadian crime drama television series, which was first broadcast on January 25, 2017, on CTV and Super Écran. The series adapts the novels of crime writer Giles Blunt, focusing on police detective John Cardinal and his partner Lise Delorme, who investigate crimes in the fictional city of Algonquin Bay.

<i>The Shooting Party</i> (Chekhov novel) 1884 novel by Anton Chekhov

The Shooting Party is an 1884 novel by Anton Chekhov. It is his longest narrative work, and only full-length novel. Framed as a manuscript given to a publisher, it tells the story of an estate forester's daughter in a provincial Russian village, who is stabbed to death in the woods during a hunting party, and the efforts to uncover her killer.

References

  1. Season 1, Episode 1; "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes"
  2. Season 1, Episode 2; "Deadly Lady"
  3. Season 1, Episode 10; "Death Casts a Spell"
  4. Season 1, Episode 13; "Murder to a Jazz Beat"
  5. Season 2, Episode 6; "Reflections of the Mind"
  6. Season 2, Episode 7; "A Lady at the Lake"
  7. Season 2, Episode 11; "Murder Digs Deep"
  8. Season 3, Episode 14; "Murder in a Minor Key"
  9. Season 3, Episode 21; "The Days Dwindle Down"
  10. Season 3, Episode 22; "Murder, She Spoke"
  11. Season 4, Episode 2;"“When Thieves Fall Out"
  12. Season 4, Episode 3; "Witness for the Defense"
  13. Season 4, Episode 8; "Steal Me a Story"
  14. Season 4, Episode 9; "Trouble in Eden"
  15. Season 4, Episode 21; "Deadpan"
  16. Season 5, Episode 12; "Smooth Operators"
  17. Season 6, Episode 12; "Goodbye, Charlie"
  18. Season 7, Episode 18; "Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy?"
  19. Season 8, Episode 1; "Bite the Big Apple"
  20. Season 8, Episode 10; "The List of Yuri Lermentov"
  21. Season 8, Episode 14; "The Monte Carlo Murders"
  22. Season 9, Episode 1; "Murder in Milan"
  23. Season 9, Episode 3; "The Mole"
  24. 1 2 Season 9, Episode 4; "The Wind Around the Tower"
  25. 1 2 Season 9, Episode 14; "Killer Radio"
  26. Season 10, Episode 3; "The Legacy of Borbey House"
  27. Season 10, Episode 5; "A Virtual Murder"
  28. Season 10, Episode 9; "Murder at a Discount"
  29. Season 10, Episode 10; "Murder in White"
  30. Season 10, Episode 11; "Northern Explosion"
  31. Season 10, Episode 15; "Murder on the Thirtieth Floor"
  32. Season 11, Episode 1; "A Nest of Vipers"
  33. Season 11, Episode 5; "Dear Deadly"
  34. Season 11, Episode 17; "Murder a la Mode"
  35. Season 12, Episode 10; "Frozen Stiff"
  36. Season 12, Episode 24; "Death by Demographics"
  37. Movie 4; The Celtic Riddle
  38. "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  39. "Hooray for Homicide". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  40. "Lovers and Others Killers". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  41. "Murder in Two Acts". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  42. Bain, Donald. "Discussion". Archived from the original on 2014-07-17. I've been writing the MSW series for 25 years, with Renee's help the last dozen years or so.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  43. "Jon Land Takes on a Classic as the New Voice Behind the Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote Book Series". Early Bird Books. April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  44. "Murder, She Wrote: Killing in a Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran". Penguin Random House. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  45. "Say Hi to Jessica Fletcher!". TerrieFarleyMoran.com. July 25, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  46. Gin & Daggers. ISBN   0070032394.
  47. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (April 2000). Gin and Daggers. ISBN   0451199987.
  48. Manhattans & Murder. ISBN   0451181425.
  49. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (April 1995). Rum & Razors. ISBN   0451183835.
  50. Brandy & Bullets. ISBN   0451184912.
  51. Martinis & Mayhem. ISBN   0451185129.
  52. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (April 1996). A Deadly Judgement. ISBN   0451187717.
  53. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (October 1996). A Palette for Murder. ISBN   0451188209.
  54. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (April 1997). The Highland Fling Murders. ISBN   0451188519.
  55. Murder on the QE2. ISBN   0451192915.
  56. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (May 1998). Murder in Moscow. ISBN   0451194748.
  57. A Little Yuletide Murder. ISBN   0451194756.
  58. Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch. ISBN   0451194764.
  59. Knock 'em Dead. ISBN   0451194772.
  60. "Trick or Treachery". Penguin. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  61. Blood on the Vine. ISBN   0451202759.
  62. Murder in a Minor Key. ISBN   0451204344.
  63. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (April 2002). Provence - To Die For. ISBN   0451205669.
  64. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (October 2002). You Bet Your Life. ISBN   0451207211.
  65. Majoring in Murder. ISBN   0451208323.
  66. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2003). Destination Murder. ISBN   0451210484.
  67. Dying to Retire. ISBN   0451211715.
  68. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald; Fischer, Peter S.; Levinson, Richard; Link, William (2003). A Vote for Murder. ISBN   0451213033.
  69. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (5 April 2005). The Maine Mutiny. ISBN   0451214684.
  70. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2005). Margaritas & Murder. ISBN   0451216628.
  71. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (4 April 2006). A Question of Murder. ISBN   0451218175.
  72. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2006). Three Strikes and You're Dead. ISBN   0451219678.
  73. Coffee, Tea, or Murder?. ISBN   0451220870.
  74. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2007). Panning for Murder. ISBN   978-0451222206.
  75. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2008). Murder on Parade. ISBN   978-0451223678.
  76. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2008). A Slaying in Savannah. ISBN   978-0451225054.
  77. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2009). Madison Avenue Shoot. ISBN   978-0451226037.
  78. Bain, Donald; Fletcher, Jessica (2009). A Fatal Feast. ISBN   978-0451227966.
  79. "Nashville Noir". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  80. The Queen's Jewels. ISBN   0451231260.
  81. "Skating on Thin Ice". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  82. "The Fine Art of Murder". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  83. 1 2 "Trouble at High Tide". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  84. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2013). Prescription for Murder. ISBN   978-0451239365.
  85. "Close-Up on Murder". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  86. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald (2014). Aloha Betrayed. ISBN   978-0451466549.
  87. "Death of a Blue Blood". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  88. Killer in the Kitchen. ISBN   0451468384.
  89. Fletcher, Jessica; Bain, Donald; Paley-Bain, Renée (2015). This Ghost of Mrs. Fletcher. ISBN   978-0451477361.
  90. "Design for Murder". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  91. "Hook, Line, and Murder". Goodreads. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  92. A Date with Murder. ISBN   0451489276.
  93. Fletcher, Jessica; Land, Jon (2018). Manuscript for Murder. ISBN   978-0451489302.
  94. Fletcher, Jessica; Land, Jon (2019). Murder in Red. ISBN   978-0451489333.
  95. Fletcher, Jessica; Land, Jon (2019). A Time for Murder. ISBN   978-1984804303.
  96. Fletcher, Jessica; Land, Jon (2020). The Murder of Twelve. ISBN   978-1984804334.
  97. Fletcher, Jessica; Land, Jon (2020). Murder in Season. ISBN   978-1984804365.
  98. Fletcher, Jessica; Moran, Terrie Farley (8 June 2021). Killing in a Koi Pond. ISBN   978-0593333594.
  99. Fletcher, Jessica; Moran, Terrie Farley (2 November 2021). Debonair in Death. ISBN   978-0593333624.
  100. "Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court by Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran". Penguin Random House. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  101. "Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court by Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran". Penguin Random House. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  102. "Murder, She Wrote: Fit for Murder by Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran". Penguin Random House. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  103. "Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran". Penguin Random House. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  104. "Murder, They Wrote". Amazon. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  105. Greenberg, Martin Harry; Foxwell, Elizabeth (1998). Murder, They Wrote II. ISBN   1572973390.
  106. Foxwell, Elizabeth; Greenberg, Martin Harry (October 1999). More Murder, They Wrote. ISBN   0425169901.
  107. "Murder, She Wrote: By The Time You Read This I'll Be Gone, Stephanie Kuehn". 16 May 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  108. "Murder, She Wrote #2: Carry My Secret To Your Grave". October 30, 2023. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023.

Notes

  1. Author Donald Bain released a revised second edition in April 2000, omitting passages which had Jessica Fletcher driving a car.