Murder She Wrote: Murder Backstage
Murder She Wrote #58
By: Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran
ISBN: 9780593640753
Author’s website: terriefarleymoran.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Jessica Fletcher’s British cousin, Emma MacGill, will be traveling to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, to perform with internationally famous star of stage, screen, and television Derek Braverman in an old-fashioned musical revue. Emma would love for Jessica to join her there and suggests she bring along some friends. Having just finished her latest book, Jessica is ready for a vacation and is delighted to agree. Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger are huge fans of Braverman, so they are eager to tag along, and their fanboy behavior gives Jessica and Mort’s wife, Maureen, more than occasional cause to roll their eyes.
Upon arrival in Edmonton, Jessica is quickly outed as mystery writer J. B. Fletcher, and despite numerous protests, a hotel staffer arranges a book signing for her. This and touristy adventures arranged for the group make for a much busier trip than Jessica was expecting. When a hotel bartender, who also happens to be a stagehand for Emma’s play, turns up dead backstage at the theater, Jessica’s fun and relaxing vacation quickly becomes anything but. (From Goodreads)
Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this new Murder She Wrote mystery! This author has no end of increasingly creative situations and crime scenes Jessica encounters! Seeing Edmonton, Alberta, through her eyes was fascinating, and I was delighted to read of the historical and natural museums and settings Jessica and her Cabot Cove friends visited. The characters invited me into their adventure from the first page and held my attention throughout.
Emma, Jessica’s favorite cousin, is a well-known, beloved stage actress in England. Jessica was excited to hear that Emma was crossing the pond to co-star in a celebratory revue based on the stage and screen career of Derek Braverman. Derek just turned eighty and planned to retire. When Emma said they would be in Edmonton, Alberta, for a couple months, she convinced Jessica that it would be a great vacation spot. Jessica could stay at the hotel where they would be and have girl time around rehearsals and performances.
Jessica’s old friends, Doctor Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger, were thrilled at the thought of her meeting their childhood hero. The two grown men were the ultimate fanboys when it came to Derek. Emma suggested that Jessica bring Seth, and he didn’t hesitate make plans. Within hours, Mort and his charming wife Maureen also made plans to go. They would get there a couple weeks before the show opened, see the sights when Emma was busy, and attend the opening night.
When Derek deigned to meet them, he fawned over Jessica until she politely set a boundary, but he barely looked at his lifelong fans, Mort and Seth. The more they saw him, the more he seemed, at times, like a petulant, demanding little boy. The husband-and-wife directing and producing team, Alan and Rosalie, did not get along well. The assistant director, Dennis, distanced himself from everyone. A bartender at the hotel, Quint, had a few ladies he showed interest in until he “borrowed” money and moved on to the next one. He mysteriously added a part time, second job as a stage hand with no experience or motivation to learn.
One evening, Emma planned to spend time with Jessica but was called for a costume fitting at the theater, so she invited Jessica to join her. Spencer, one of the stage hands, drove them there. While Emma was talking with the costume designer, they heard Spencer’s shout. He found Quint’s body lying on the orchestra lift, apparently murdered.
The inspector questioned people involved with the revue multiple times. At first there didn’t seem to be a reason to suspect any of them. Jessica and Emma looked into people involved with the revue or the hotel. They found several women Quint treated poorly, but nothing to point to any of them as killers. Edmonton was Derek’s hometown so he wanted his highly publicized farewell performances there. They even considered whether someone from his past with a long-term grudge was looking to kill Derek, and Quint was an unintended victim.
I continue to learn about Jessica and her Cabot Cove friends in each new novel. Those associated with the musical revue and the hotel were defined as well as necessary to maximize their roles. I could almost picture them and hear some of their conversations, especially the special fans of Jessica’s who kept a close eye out for her in the hotel lobby.
One thing I enjoy in any genre of novel is learning about the history of the setting and if there are any natural habitats to enjoy. This mystery satisfies both interests, and I appreciated the fascinating sights Jessica and her friends saw in Edmonton. Their driver knew the best places to satisfy their interests, and he enjoyed doing a bit of snooping for them.
This was not an easy case to solve! The police inspector wanted to arrest Spencer, and Jessica sought proof that he wasn’t the killer. One tiny clue led me to my pet suspect, but I couldn’t determine a motive. Several people had motives but didn’t feel right. The murder was masterfully solved by Jessica with help from old friends and new. I was very pleased with the outcome, as well as the surprise letter Jessica received when back in Cabot Cove. I highly recommend this novel. Each book in the series can be read as standalones, so even if one hasn’t read any yet, this is a perfect place to start!
