If you have read my description of what a Cozy Mystery is then you are aware of the trepidation I assume neighbors of Jessica Fletcher (the main sleuth) must feel whenever she is in town. Every week, Jessica (beautifully played by Angela Lansbury) is on the quest to find a murderer! In fact there were so many murder in her hometown (Cabot Cove, Maine) that she finally had to establish a living base in New York City, perhaps at the insistence of her Cabot Cove neighbors >>> those still alive that is! (Actually, she has a second home there so that she can be closer to her publisher, as well as teach criminology classes.)
Jessica is a retired high school English teacher who writes best selling mystery novels. Her novels are so popular in fact, that whenever she visits either New York City or an exotic locations (of which there are many, especially in later seasons) the police assigned to the case (which Jessica will invariably solve) welcome her to join them in solving the case, since they are big fans of her mystery novels.
At the beginning of the TV series, I believe most of the shows were based in Cabot Cove, a quaint fishing village where (just about) everyone is on a first-name basis. Jessica has a close circle of friends – which includes easily-agitated Dr. Seth Hazlitt (William Windom), Sheriff Amos Tupper (Tom Bosley), realtor Eve Simpson (Julie Adams), and Sheriff Mort Metzger (Ron Masak). Of course, Jessica knows everyone very well. Her knowledge can be attributed with either having had them in one of her English classes or them being parents of her students. Also, her good friends (Seth and Eve) love to share gossip!
I doubt there are any mystery shows that are more Cozy than Murder, She Wrote. Even though the shows are based on murder, they are never graphic, nor do the shows ever focus on the “let’s-gross-out-the-audience” realistic forensic scenes. (I believe they were considered “family fare” when they originally aired.)
Best selling Cozy Mystery author Donald Bain writes the Murder She Wrote book series which is based on this show. I picture Angela Lansbury every time I read one of Bain’s Cozies. I can’t imagine any other actress trying to take this role on. I strongly recommend you try watching Murder, She Wrote – if you’re one of the few people who hasn’t already enjoyed this TV series.
Lydia says
An FYI note: Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel will be having a Murder, She Wrote marathon this Saturday, June 10, starting at 9:00 AM (Eastern). I’ve always been a fan of this series with the wonderful Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher. I really need to check out the book series based on the show!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for the suggestion Lydia! One of the great things about this show is that it is often periodically available on TV.
Petie says
Well, that means I grocery shop after work today and ‘nest’ on the sofa for the marathon !!! Thanks, Lydia, for the ‘head’s up’ !!!
Lydia says
You’re very welcome! Enjoy! 🙂
Sharon S says
I’ve been enjoying the marathon practically all day. In fact, I’m watching it right now — “A Quaking in Aspen.”
Carolyn says
I love this show! My only problem is finding episodes I haven’t seen already. Since most of the shows were made in the 1980’s – 1990’s, it is fun to see some actors pop up from time to time who went on to become big stars. This is one of the tv shows where just hearing the opening theme songs makes me feel happy & “cozy”.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carolyn, yes, it’s always interesting seeing who will turn up, either actors who haven’t made it big yet or big names of yester-year who were appearing on the show after a long and successful career.
Linda Y. says
I discovered “Murder, She Wrote” on re-runs and promptly started going through them season by season. I’m a bit sorry to say I’m already on Season 10! Jessica is such a lovable lady that I hate to think of her adventures coming to an end. I recently started on the books as well and hope to grow to love them as well.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, it does sometimes feel like a shame when you’re reaching the end of a long run of a show you love! Still, it’s good that in this case at least there’s a decent length series of books to follow it up with.
Frieda says
I personally love reading all the Murder She Wrote books written by Donald Bain and Jessica of course….there are over 20 of these books published in various forms….enjoy
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Frieda, yes, that’s definitely worth mentioning. I think that Donald Bain does a very good job of capturing the feel of the show!
Joppy says
MrsJ and I used to love this series when it first aired, but like others, it seemed to overstay its welcome. We did feel that initially it was a little ‘Columboesque’ in that you could usually guess the murderer from the starting credits – “this weeks guest star is….” – but we enjoyed it anyway. I understand that US viewers now think Angela Lansbury IS an American, rather than the English rose she is.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joppy, yes, sometimes it’s pretty easy to guess who dunnit by looking at the most famous name on the credits list.
Paula says
I love that show and still watch it now I agree no one else can be Jessica Angela did a fabulous job with the character
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Paula, she certainly did define the role!
PamB says
Oh how I enjoy this series. I have all the ‘Murder She Wrote’ DVDs and go to sleep most nights watching them. No commercials on DVDs!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
PamB, it certainly is nice to be able to just watch a full episode from beginning to end without interruption!
Petie says
Without a doubt one of the most wonderful TV series ever made. And Angela Lansbury is perfect for the role. Like you, I picture her as well in all the books. I’m so glad it’s on TV early on the week-ends when I get up so I can re-live my favorite episodes. Incident on Lot 7 (the Psycho/Norman Bates house) is one of my all time favorites.
A few weeks ago a stray Maine coon cat came into our lives (I feed and dole out love to feral cats in the neighborhood) and she instantly became Jessica!
Thank you so much for doing a ‘special blog’ on Jessica !
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Petie, it certainly is a strong indication that a TV series might be a classic when it can still be found on the air 20 years after it finished in reruns!
Debra says
Thanks ever so much for this wonderful post about the Murder, She Wrote mysteries! MSW has long been a favorite in my household, which includes three generations. And as you stated, I picture Angela Lansbury every time I read one of these mysteries! I look forward to new entries to the MSW series and credit author Donald Bain with maintaining the integrity of the show in each book. Thanks again!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Debra, Donald Bain certainly does do a good job of keeping the books with the same tone as the television series!
Debra says
Yes, indeed, he does, Danna!
Jim says
I really had not watched Murder, She Wrote when it was originally on
TV, but now that we can watch old reruns, etc. I am enjoying it. I love cozy mysteries, and I especially like seeing the guest stars that we used to watch in other show. I think this series is a classic. I cannot see it ever going off the air completely.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jim, it certainly has withstood the test of time so far, and I would agree that it is quite likely to continue doing so!
SB says
FYI:. Jessica’s teaching writing courses, in specific, mysteries. She’s also related to a great many people in Cabot Cove, either through her family or her deceased husband’s. It was the normalcy of her life that made/make the mysteries so cozy.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
SB, that’s a good point – the everyday routine of normal people is certainly an important element in making something feel “Cozy”.
Penny says
I absolutely LOVE Angela Lansbury. She is a true delight. I’m a big fan of hers. She actually played Miss Marple in the Mirror Crack’d. Probably the only thing she’s done that I haven’t seen her in. I never got to see Murder She Wrote when it originally aired. I watch it all the time now. I heard that Murder She Wrote was to be redone. I’m not sure ANYONE else can be Jessica Fletcher. I don’t think I want to see them try.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Penny, I’m pretty sure that those plans fell through… and I do agree that it would be very unlikely that a new Jessica would satisfy anyone who had seen enough of the old series with Angela Lansbury!
Anthony says
I have the the DVDs of all the seasons. I go through the entire show season by season once every three years. That way I forget who committed the Murder and it’s like watching them for the first time. Today’s TV crime shows are no match for Jessica Fletcher. Forget CSI and all their gore. Murder She Wrote is far more entertaining and Angela Lansbury is a national treasure!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anthony, there’s definitely something to be said about a mystery series long enough that you can’t remember the earlier episodes by the time you’ve seen the whole run!
Sharon S says
I love both the Murder, She Wrote book series and TV show. (Lydia, thanks for the info on the Murder, She Wrote marathon this weekend!) I’d like to mention three of the books which I think are perfect for summer reading. I read all three a couple of summers ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I may even read them again: Dying to Retire (takes place in Florida and the Keys), Murder on Parade (takes place in Cabot Cove over the July 4th weekend), and Trouble at High Tide (Jessica takes some R&R in Bermuda). Enjoy!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sharon, thanks for the recommendations!
Aphid says
If 3 characters hate you, you had better lie down, you are about to be dead. It broke my heart to see that Wojo and Les Nessman were murderers.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Aphid, yes, it would certainly be important to try to stay popular if you happened to live in Cabot Cove, murder capitol of the world!
Nena says
I am really enjoying your blog. Thanks for all the upcoming cozies!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Nena, you’re welcome, and I’m glad that you’re enjoying the blog!
Claire says
I’m reading the MSW books now and watching the reruns on tv everyday. I know that Donald Bain writes the books with “Jessica Fletcher”. I would like to know if there is a real woman who writes with him? In a way, I hope so. For some reason–not a logical one, mind you–I don’t normally read books written by men. At least, I don’t think I do. I don’t have anything against men . It’s just that I like books by Agatha Christie, MC Beaton, Krista Davis, Laura Childs, Sarah Graves and I dearly love the work of the late Joan Hess (especially the Maggody series), etc. Now, for all I know, those could be men. It just so happens that my favorite writers are women who write cozies. I guess it’s because there’s usually not as much gore, vulgar language, and graphic sex. Of course, the language gets a little vulgar in the Maggody series but, gracious, those books are funny.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Claire, yes, as you indicated you’ve already seen in another post, Donald Bain wrote a large number of his Murder, She Wrote mysteries with his wife, Renée Paley-Bain.
Frieda says
Sad that they are now both deceased. I sincerely hope that another author will become “Jessica Fletcher” and write more books for us devoted fans!!
Mark G says
All of Murder She Wrote is now on the Peacock app! It’s worth the $4 month just for that!! 😉