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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Spirit Of Christmas And Murder, July 9, 2000
This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder (Paperback)
Jessica Fletcher is back in Cabot Cove, Maine to celebrate Christmas. But when farmer Rory Brent is shot dead, her Christmas celebrations are thrown into turmoil as she follows a set of clues to the real murderer. This is a book that is extremely easy to read; like watching an episode of the TV show, it is uncomplicated and unpretentious. My only problem with this book is the small number of suspects which makes coming to your own conclusion that much easier. For fans of 'Murder, She Wrote', this is probably one of the best of the series to start with. For crime novel fans, it's not exactly Agatha Christie, but it's an enjoyable read all the same.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Yuletide" Delivers, April 5, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder (Paperback)
Having been a fan of the television series since the mid-1980s, I was happy to discover Donald Bain's continued novelizations. I began with "Yuletide" simply because holiday mysteries set in small snowy villages have always appealed to me. In terms of setting and plot, I was not disappointed. What I appreciate the most about novels based on television shows is the tremendous amount of information readers get about familiar characters. For instance, we learn about some of Jessica's habits when she's home in Cabot Cove: her favorite way to walk around town, her ability to strike up converstaion with her neighbors, and what foods she enjoys and doesn't enjoy! We even learn the first thing she does when entering her home. Above this, what was particularly striking was the flavoring of regional vocabulary. As a writing teacher, I was bothered by the half-dozen or so "typos" that appeared throughout the edition I read. Such sloppy editing from such an acclaimed myster writer is simply unacceptable. I'd suggest, Jessica, that you get a new editor! Otherwise, Bain's style, superbly reflected through the first person point of view, is easy and quick. I'm looking forward to reading other novels in the series--hopefully sans typos!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cute cozy, August 23, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder (Paperback)
For the past twelve years, the residents of Cabot Cove, Maine celebrate Christmas with a festival that started with a few carolers. Over the years, the gala event has evolved into a week long happening filled with tourists and guests, who want to partake in "America's most traditional Christmas celebration". Resident Jessica Fletcher is especially looking forward to her hometown's holiday celebration after spending the last few seasons away from home. However, Jessica's idyll time is abruptly over when her neighbor Rory Brent, who always plays Santa Claus, is found murdered. With one noted exception, the immediate suspect in everyone's mind is Maine's year round Scrooge, Jake Walther, a lunatic with a temper, who was known to loathe the victim. However, there is one person who thinks that maybe the wrong individual has been falsely accused of murder. Jake is in luck for that person is Jessica, who begins to seek the underlying reason that Santa was killed. The tenth novel in the ever popular "Murder She Wrote" series, A LITTLE YULETIDE MURDER, is a well written New England cozy in which readers know exactly what they are going to get since there are no surprise twists. It is sort of like going to McDonalds where the customer knows what the burger will taste like regardless of location. Still, the charm of this novel and its predecessors is that the characters and story lines remain true to the TV series. Though several TV movies are expected over the next couple of years, fans of Ms. Fletcher will find the novels are a superb replacement for the canceled weekly show. Harriet Klausner
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