Murder, She Wrote: Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch [Mass Market Paperback]

Jessica Fletcher (Author), Donald Bain (Author)

Book Description

Series: Murder She Wrote | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

While visiting an old friend's ranch in Colorado, bestselling mystery author Jessica Fletcher is caught in a fiendish plot of revenge when one of the guests is found stabbed to death. Soon after, the victim's wife is also discovered murdered in a gruesome fashion. With the police at a loss, and the rest of the ranch guests on edge, Jessica decides to do some research into the past of some of the less than cordial guests. What she discovers may help her crack the case...if it doesn't get her killed first!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jessica Fletcher is a bestselling mystery writer who has a knack for stumbling upon real-life mysteries in her various travels. 

Donald Bain, Jessica Fletcher’s longtime collaborator, is the writer of over eighty books, many of them bestsellers.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Signet (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451194764
• ISBN-13: 978-0451194763
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An overtaking book., August 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (Mass Market Paperback)

I read the 22 chapters in five days. That's a new record for me. I didn't want to stop reading when I had to go somewhere. For those mystery lovers this book WILL fascinate you. May I suggest you buy it, you'll never be sorry.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (Mass Market Paperback)

Jessica and Seth Hazlett are off to a beautiful ranch in Colorado owned by two of their good friends. They happen to be staying at the ranch when a family is having their annual reunion. Then a man and a women check into the ranch during dinner one night, the man is murdered so Jessica decides to investigate. This is a wonderful book, but it's plot is very similar to the Murder She Wrote book Rum & Razors.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seth Sat on a Horse. He Fell Off of Course., May 20, 2008

By 

Dennis Phillips "The Book Friar" (Bulls Gap, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder, She Wrote: Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (Mass Market Paperback)

A nice couple from Cabot Cove has made a new life for themselves running a Colorado dude ranch and after many invitations they get Jessica and Seth to come for a visit. The week set for their visit just happens to also be the week of the annual Morrison family retreat at that same ranch and once the Morrison clan arrives Jessica and Seth find themselves surrounded by an ill tempered, self centered and obnoxious bunch of spoiled rich people. Considering that there is always a murder when Jessica comes to town I found myself hoping that one of the family Morrison was going to be the victim but of course they say that only the good die young so I knew that I probably wouldn't get my wish.

Once the first body turns up the local authorities arrive on the scene and immediately ask Jessica for her help. From there the story takes the reader along with the famous mystery writer and her pudgy physician friend as they do a good bit of snooping while at the same time trying to enjoy some of the ranch activities. Along the way Jessica is startled while fishing by an apparent stalker, Seth takes a terrible spill from a horse and Jessica gets the scare of her life while flying with another guest in a small plane.

The scenery and atmosphere of rural Colorado is described in glowing detail as is the food served by the ranch's new chef. Seth worried about all of the weight he was going to gain from eating all of that great food and I think that I gained ten pounds just reading about it. The work of some of the ranch hands is also wonderfully described and the overall descriptions are so vivid that I could almost feel the cool morning air.

I must admit that I am partial to the books that feature Seth and his presence added a great deal to this book, or at least it did for me. On the other hand there were some important clues that were withheld from the reader that would have made the solution to the mystery clear long before it otherwise came into sharp focus. Unfortunately, even with the withheld clues this mystery was a bit on the predictable side and the end itself was a tad anticlimactic. As a matter of fact it becomes pretty obvious who is responsible for the murders (yes there is more than one) almost a hundred pages before the end of the book. Thankfully Seth was there to liven things up or the last third of the book might well have been a bit boring. With Seth in the picture though the story was fun right up to the end and as for me having fun is what reading these cozy mysteries is all about.