A delightfully fun, well-written entrée into the sequence of Jessica Fletcher books, "ghosted" by Donald Bain. The
book series started in 1989, when Murder, She Wrote was still on the air. Mr. Bain has been consistent in
keeping Jessica's character intact, and even enhancing her image, although the show went off the air in 1996.
Even if you have never picked up a Jessica Fletcher book before, or watched an episode of the series, you will
be a fan after reading this book. In this outing, Jessica is down South, in beautiful Savannah, trying to solve a
40-year-old murder. Her chum Tillie Mortelaine has died, and left her a legacy to be shared with the Savannah
literacy organization Jessica helped found. However, in order to receive the bequest, Jessica has to find out who
murdered Tillie's fiancé... 40 years ago! Reluctantly, Mrs. Fletcher has gone to Savannah, and is rooming at
Tillie's classic old mansion, along with a cast of rather strange and bizarre guests. It is with some dismay that
Jessica realizes that two ghost hunters are in residence, determined to put the spirit of the dead man, Wanamaker
Jones, to rest. Add to the mix a live-in current boyfriend of the recently departed Tillie, an irascible lawyer,
a tight-lipped cook of long standing and a curmudgeonly doctor à la Seth Hazlett, and you know that the intrepid
Jessica Fletcher has a lot to do to get that one million dollar inheritance!
It is a bit disappointing not to have more of Savannah's beauty explored in this book — but what there
is,is accurate and tempting — if you have never been to this gracious and unique Southern city, put it on
your list of places to visit. Not that Jessica has a lot of time to see the sights, for she is hitting walls of
non-cooperation wherever she goes. The police have closed the case as unsolvable, there is a niece and nephew who
would love to see Jessica fail, (with the money returning to the estate,) and there seems to be a secret (or two)
that Miss Goodall, the housekeeper has kept firmly under her gray curly hair.
Given the setting, the spooky and the ghostly seem to fit right in.
As with many old houses, doors seem to open on their own, and bumps
and squeaks seem to be the norm. Is the house haunted by some otherworldly
presence, or is someone trying to scare Mrs. Fletcher away? Jessica's
solid Yankee upbringing and staunch level-headedness is keeping
her centered, and as the story comes to its conclusion the reader
can't help but try to figure out the motives, victims and murderer
before she does! This is a great autumn read, with the coming of
the creepy Halloween season; and this adventure with Jessica Fletcher,
as with the others in the book series, will give the reader several
pleasurable hours. ENJOY!
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Margaritas
and Murder #24
A
Question of Murder #25
Three
Strikes and You?e Dead #26
A
Slaying in Savannah #30
The
Fine Art of Murder #36
Trouble
at High Tide #37
Domestic
Malice #38
Close-up
on Murder #40
Aloha
Betrayed #41
Death
of a Blue Blood #42
The
Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher #44
Design
for Murder #45