Latest Books The Big Thrill Recommends: MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER BACKSTAGE by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

The Big Thrill Recommends: MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER BACKSTAGE
by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

Recommended by Ellen Quint

Terrie Farley Moran, along with co-author J.B. Fletcher, brings fans the 58th book in the beloved series based on the CBS television show Murder, She Wrote. Those who watched or continue to re-watch the popular series (now available for streaming and binging) view Jessica Fletcher and her neighbors in Cabot Cove as friends they love to spend time with. So, it is with delight that we join Jessica and her close companions on a trip to Edmonton, Canada.

Jessica accepts an invitation from her British cousin, actress Emma MacGill, to travel to Edmonton to see her in a musical revue featuring the internationally famous star of stage and screen, Derek Braverman. Fans will recognize Emma from the TV series, where both she and Jessica were played by the late Angela Lansbury. Emma’s invitation also extends to some favorite Cabot Cove characters: Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Sheriff Mort Metzger, and his wife Maureen. Readers get to travel with the whole crew as they tour Edmonton’s historic sites—until a murder occurs, drawing Jessica into what she does best: unraveling a crime using her intellect, keen powers of perception and observation, and her charm.

I must make one disclosure: a key character is named Quint Chabon. While my last name is the same as his first name, there is no relation.

Imagine what it takes for an author to co-write another addition to such a well-established series. The late Don Bain co-wrote the first book, Gin and Daggers, published in 1990 and contributed 46 books to the series. Jon Land took over as co-author with Jessica in 2018. You can read an interview with Jon Land about his approach to the series here. Then, in 2021, Moran took the reins.

As she makes clear on her website, this is both a thrill and a privilege. Each author stepping into this role must balance providing fans with what keeps them coming back to the series—endearing and familiar characters—while adding their own creativity to keep the series fresh.

Moran accomplishes just that in this addition to the series, giving fans the opportunity to see Jessica in both the ordinary—like her morning fitness run—and the brave and extraordinary—like confronting the guilty without flinching. The result is an entertaining and engaging opportunity to join Jessica’s circle of friends once again.

The Big Thrill Recommends: MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER BACKSTAGE by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran