The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

“Jessica Fletcher” & Donald Bain: Murder She Wrote Mysteries

Murder, She Wrote: Manhattans & Murder (Murder She Wrote Book 2) As I told you a little while back, I’m going to start to look more closely at the most recommended Cozy Mystery authors and series you all have recommended. This time, I’m taking a look at Donald Bain (and “Jessica Fletcher‘s”!) first Murder, She Wrote mystery, Manhattan & Murder. Oh, and before I forget, Donald and “Jessica” have been recommended many times, so I must not be the only one who enjoys their Cozy Mysteries! (Gin and Daggers is actually the first Murder, She Wrote mystery – although it was republished chronologically as the 13th book. Hope that makes sense!)

I have to be honest – normally I don’t expect a lot when I hear that a television show or movie has a series of books based on the format. Generally such works seem like blatant cash-ins, with little actual effort going into their production, and whatever magic was involved in the show tends to get lost in translation. This hasn’t ever been the case with the Murder, She Wrote mystery books, a fact that I think can be traced to Donald Bain’s (and “Jessica Fletcher’s”!) quite excellent work.

Of course, the classic cast and the characters they portrayed in the show certainly do help set the stage. Jessica Fletcher is one of the greatest personifications of the author-sleuth, a mystery writer who uses her imagination and “experience” with fake murders to helps solve actual crimes. Her recurring supporting cast from Cabot Cove also help set the right tone, with just the right amount of small city affability without turning them into caricatures. I’m not sure I’d enjoy the books as much if I didn’t have a perfect mental image of Jessica Fletcher already in my head – but fortunately this isn’t a question I’ll ever need answered. If you enjoy the television series and love reading Cozy Mysteries, I’m sure you’ll love Donald Bain’s (and “Jessica Fletcher’s”!) book adaptations of the Murder, She Wrote television show.

P.S. If you’re interested in other entries about some highly recommended Cozy Mystery series, you can see them on the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site.

Emily Brightwell (Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series) – One of the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Authors on the Cozy-Mystery Site

Mrs. Jeffries and the One Who Got Away (Mrs.Jeffries Mysteries Book 33) I know I have mentioned (many times!) that I am a little compulsive about certain things, so it was just a matter of time before I actually sat down and made a tally of how many times Cozy Mystery readers recommended Cozy Mystery authors for our monthly recommendations lists.

Once I had the Cozy Mystery authors all tallied up, I thought I would be finished with this (rather time consuming) endeavor of mine. But then I started thinking, hey, I should highlight some of the most recommended Cozy Mystery authors for my blog.

Emily Brightwell is one of the most recommended Cozy Mystery authors on our monthly recommendations lists. Mrs. Jeffries, her main sleuth, is a policeman’s widow in Victorian England. She heads the household staff of Inspector Gerald Witherspoon. He is quite lucky to have such a woman in his household! It turns out that the Inspector is a bumbling, not-so-clever Scotland Yard detective. However, because of Mrs. Jeffries’ sleuthing efforts, he has become a very well known gets-his-culprit type of Victorian era detective. Mrs. Jeffries is a great sleuth, and she is quite anonymous in her efforts: She lets the Inspector believe he solves the mysteries.

Emily Brightwell (aka Cheryl Lanham, Cheryl Arguile, & Sarah Temple) started writing the very popular Mrs. Jeffries Mystery series in 1993 (The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries) and will be releasing her 33rd, Mrs. Jeffries and the One Who Got Away early next year.

(As an aside, I have always thought that it is interesting that the Inspector got top billing in the first Cozy Mystery of this series, but thereafter Mrs. Jeffries was clearly the star of the titles.)

If any of you all would like to add a little something about why you enjoy (and in some cases recommend) Emily Brightwell‘s Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series, please post a comment. Thank you!

P.S. If you’re interested in other entries about some highly recommended Cozy Mystery series, you can see them on the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site.

Tarquin Hall: Vish Puri Mystery Series

The Case of the Missing Servant: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator (A Vish Puri mystery Book 1) I just added a new (to me) author on the Cozy Mystery site. I was in a hurry to add him, since I will be recommending him as my July 2012 Cozy Mystery Books Recommendation in just a few minutes.

Tarquin Hall writes the Vish Puri Mystery Series, which is an absolute delight to read. It is set in Delhi, India – not your typical mystery series setting. (Last month, it was recommended as one of June 2012 Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, so this series will be making the list two months in a row.)

Tarquin Hall, a journalist, has begun a mystery series that I will liken to three of my favorite mystery series. I can definitely see some Hercule Poirot in Vish Puri, as well as some Sherlock Holmes, mixed in with a little No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series. (Yes, I am aware that Vish would not like me to say he is anything like Sherlock Holmes!)

Vish reminds me a lot of Poirot because of his inflated (but accurate!) view of his own abilities, especially vis-à-vis the police. Vish (or “Chubby” – as his close friends and family call him) is the founder of the Most Private Investigators agency, and seems genuinely preoccupied with righting wrongs. Vish  is able to overlook a lot of society’s prejudices, and seems comfortable relating to both rich and poor. Vish, like Poirot, seems to have a canny ability to size up people.

Vish reminds me of Sherlock Holmes because of his inflated (but accurate!) view of his own abilities, especially vis-à-vis the police. (Hmmm, haven’t I said this very same thing before?) Vish enjoys amazing people with his powers of deductions, almost to the point of playing parlor tricks. Vish uses all sorts of disguises for himself, as well as his staff. He involves himself in the actual story, putting himself right into the action, rather than simply observing all of the facts.

Enter, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. As I have said many times, I am a huge fan of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Hall manages to do for India, what McCall Smith does for Botswana. Hall is able to fill all of our senses with India. He acquaints us with the sounds, smells, bright colors, and human conditions of Delhi. Tarquin Hall is a wonderful storyteller. As in McCall Smith’s series, we are able to see Vish in both his professional capacity, as well as his home life. (I hope to see a lot more of his interfering Mummy-ji in the following mystery books!) All of the characters are three dimensional, and have back stories.

If you are looking for a new a mystery series to follow that is humorous, smart, entertaining, different, and downright fun, I recommend you take a look at Tarquin Hall’s Vish Puri Mystery Series. I’m glad I did!

If you’re interested in reading more of these brief revisits of some of the more popular Cozy Mystery Series that I’ve written in the past, you can find them at the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site.

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