Customer Reviews

Murder, She Wrote: Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This book was the first "Murder She Wrote" book I ever purchased. I am a big fan of the TV show and watch it every day without fail. I think this was a great story and kept me very interested page after page. She puts as much mystery in her books as she does on tv. I hope to collect as many more books as I can.

It was a cute book, and I enjoyed the mystery...yet i think that the murderer was predictable. All events lead up to the person, and was a let down to a real thriller.

I recomend this for younger audiences, because they might be more intrigued than a person over 15.

Good book to kill time with, but not for a scare.

I won't mention the major plot flaw in this book.

The important thing here is that in this book Jessica deliberately inflicts emotional abuse on an emotionally vulnerable 15-year-old girl. Her reason? So she could confirm a hunch.

The only good news is that this is the only example in the 20 or so books that I've read in this series so far of Jessica committing a deliberate act of unjustified cruelty.

The story is compelling, wondering who-done-it up to the last minute.
I was very surprised at who the killer was. A good twist.
I wish there was more description of the beautiful scenery in which the Powderhorn Ranch is located -- Gunnison, Colorado -- high in the mountains.
Jessica Fletcher's natural curiosity is always at a peak. She just can't let things to chance. She will investigate until she gets her answers all lined up in order.

Wow! Talk about a bad book. I have read a lot of Murder She Wrote books and have loved them all...Until I got to this one. If only I could go back in time and have never read that book. Trust me on this one, don't waste your time on this book when there are so many other wonderful books you can find and read!

The novels about Jessica Fletcher are generally delightful for those of us who loved (and still love) the TV series. The novels give personal insights on her thinking and on her friendships.

As the number of novels multiplies, a sameness has developed, however. I have read all the novels except one, and am beginning to have "deja vu, all over again," to quote the pundit Yogi Berra.

This one was interesting but predictable. Found myself trying to rush through it, rather than enjoying the flavor of the book.

I have enjoyed all of the Murder, She Wrote mysteries so far, until now. After "A Little Yuletide Murder," the lenghth of the books have gotten too short in page length....