Murder, She Wrote: Manhattans & Murder [Paperback]

Jessica Fletcher (Author), Donald Bain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994 | Series: Murder She Wrote (Book 1)

Promoting her latest book in New York, Jessica Fletcher encounters a former drug smuggler dressed up in a Santa suit and sets up an interview with him, only to discover the unlikely St. Nick dead the next day. TV tie-in.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Fictional author/sleuth Fletcher, in New York City on a book tour, witnesses the apparent murder of an old acquaintance from her hometown of Cabot Cove, ME. Her involvement leads her to corrupt police, drug deals, mistaken identities, and more murders--as well as intense media attention and even a brief stay in a jail cell. Characters are interesting and well developed although the mystery loses its momentum before the end. While a few of Beth Porter's New York accents are overdone, most are believable, and her Maine accents are convincing as she maintains the integrity of the characters through her presentation of their vocal personalities. There's lots of New York atmosphere, too. A light, enjoyable mystery without much depth. Recommended for larger collections.

Melody A. Moxley, Rowan P.L., Salisbury, NC

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From AudioFile

Maintaining the charming fiction that Jessica Fletcher is a real person, Bain offers a first-person tale set primarily in New York City. When Jessica arrives in the city of millions, she instantly encounters someone from Cabot Cove who is trying to hide out. Quite a coincidence. No doubt Beth Porter was selected as the reader because she can, and does, sound just like Angela Lansbury. When various walk-ons speak, she changes her accent and intonations satisfactorily for purposes of character delineation. One feels obliged to mention that her Maine accent is just as abominable as the TV show's. But the star of the show, the insufferable Jessica, comes across in all her didactic glory. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Signet (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451181425
• ISBN-13: 978-0451181428
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one great book!, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Manhattans & Murder: Manhattans & Murder (G K Hall Nightingale Series Edition) (Paperback)

For anyone who likes mysteries, this book is for you. It's suspenful yet light-hearted all at the same time. I promise you that this book won't be a dissapointment. You should read it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, for the first one., November 16, 2003

By 

David (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: Manhattans & Murder (Paperback)

Actually this is the second title in the MSW series. The plot was interesting, and kept me at the edge of my seat. Most of the characters are two sided and interesting. I would highly reccomend this to anyone who enjoys the Television series.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reminisce with this nice alternative to the famous series, November 2, 2000

By 

Karina A. Suarez "Karina A. Fogliani-Ahmed" (Walt Disney World, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: Manhattans & Murder (Paperback)

Jessica B. Fletcher, the famous character of the mystery writer from Cabot Cove played by Angela Lansbury, needs no introduction. After the TV series came to an end, fans have a new opportunity to further share into the lives of all those beloved characters through this saga of mystery novels.

The first installment, "Manhattans & murder" was published for the Christmas season of 1994. Jessica is in New York for Christmas, doing what most famous authors do when in this city: promoting a new novel through numerous book signings, cocktail parties, TV and radio interviews, etc. The book jumps right in: during her own Christmas shopping spree Jessica happens upon an old acquaintance from Cabot Cove. The man, who goes by the name of Waldo Morse, is working for charity as a Santa Claus on Fifth Avenue . Although Jessica hasn't seen him in years, she remembers that it was rumored back then he'd had to "bolt" from his own wife and children because of some involvement with drug dealers. When her friend recognizes her he tenses up, and asks her to come the next day to talk. But what she witnesses the next day is his murder - or is it? Things are never as they seem and Jessica, who has the curiosity of a cat, is determined to find out what's going on no matter what. For the purpose she disguises her personality, hires a private car, and goes to the most decrepit places in New York (spying from the security of a limousine, of course). Murder is always close to Jessica, who has to deal with an arrogant detective of not too good a fame.

Far from being a particularly interesting plot, it does give a good insight of the dark world of the Federal Witness Protection Program and the NYPD. The setting, however, is wonderfully cozy, making some of us (like me, aspiring writer), do a lot of wishful thinking about the wonderful social life, all the media attention and the stays at wonderful hotels that are a common lifestyle for V.I.P.'s the world over. Even though this is not an extremely good beginning, the book will very much appeal to fans of the show, who will recognize Jessica's friends Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Morton Metzger, who are always on hand to accompany Jessica wherever she goes.

Mystery fans and future writers the world over will find in Jessica B. Fletcher a "model", who is always groomed to perfection, intelligent, independent, shrewd and surrounded by the most important people.