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Murder She Wrote (Jessica Fletcher) Books in Order

Part ofJessica Fletcher Books in Order

Explore the Murder She Wrote books by Jessica Fletcher in order, with quick summaries, series background, reading order tips, and where to begin.

Last updated: July 11, 2026

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Murder She Wrote (Jessica Fletcher) books in publication order

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67 books

1

Hooray for Homicide

by Donald Bain

1985

When a Hollywood producer working on one of Jessica's novels is murdered, the case ties into a millionaire's disappearance at sea. Jessica follows the trail from publishing to show business, where money and image keep getting in the way of the truth.

2

The Murder of Sherlock Holmes

by Donald Bain

1985

At a costume party on her publisher's country estate, Jessica finds a guest dressed as Sherlock Holmes murdered. With suspects packed under one roof, her first case as a sleuth becomes a classic closed-circle puzzle.

3

Lovers and Other Killers

by Donald Bain

1986

Jessica's vacation turns busy fast, first with a killer lurking around Seattle academia, then with a deadly fox hunt in Kentucky. Two very different settings give her two chances to prove that polite people can still hide dangerous motives.

4

Gin & Daggers

by Donald Bain

1989

Jessica heads to London to visit a celebrated mystery writer, only to find the trip ruined by murder. In an elegant country-house setting, she must sort through literary rivalries, secrets, and a killer close at hand.

5

Manhattans & Murder

by Donald Bain

1994

A Christmas book trip to New York takes a dark turn when Jessica spots Cabot Cove crook Waldo Morse working as a sidewalk Santa, then finds him dead. The city is festive, but the case quickly turns mean and complicated.

6

Brandy and Bullets

by Donald Bain

1995

Jessica helps oversee a Cabot Cove mansion's conversion into an art colony, only to watch the creative dream turn deadly. As artists start dying under suspicious circumstances, she has to uncover who brought murder to the studio.

7

Martinis & Mayhem

by Donald Bain

1995

Jessica travels to San Francisco to promote her latest book and catch up with Inspector George Sutherland. Between the city's glamour and a sudden murder, what should have been a pleasant visit becomes another case.

8

Rum & Razors

by Donald Bain

1995

Looking for sunshine in St. Thomas, Jessica checks into a beautiful island inn and senses trouble almost at once. When the owner turns up dead by the lagoon, paradise gives way to a sharp, dangerous investigation.

9

A Deadly Judgment

by Donald Bain

1996

In Boston, Jessica helps an eccentric lawyer defend a tycoon accused of killing his brother. When the defendant's only alibi ends up dead, the trial becomes even more dangerous and Jessica may be next in the killer's sights.

10

A Palette for Murder

by Donald Bain

1996

In the Hamptons, Jessica indulges her quiet love of painting and joins a sketch class by the sea. Then a young model is found dead in the studio, drawing her into a case of art, money, and deception.

11

Murder on the QE2

by Donald Bain

1997

Jessica sets sail for London aboard the QE2 as one of several guest lecturers. When a fellow speaker is murdered at sea, the luxury voyage turns into a tight, time-sensitive mystery with nowhere for the killer to hide.

12

The Highland Fling Murders

by Donald Bain

1997

A British book tour leads Jessica and friends to Inspector George Sutherland's family castle in Scotland, where old legends still hang in the air. When a local killing echoes the ghost story haunting the estate, she cannot look away.

13

A Little Yuletide Murder

by Donald Bain

1998

Jessica hopes for a peaceful Christmas in Cabot Cove, but the season is spoiled when the town's Santa is murdered. Holiday cheer gives way to old grudges, local suspicion, and another case that refuses to stay buried.

14

Murder in Moscow

by Donald Bain

1998

Jessica joins an American publishing group in Moscow and walks straight into intrigue far beyond books. After a Russian publisher is poisoned, she finds herself caught between politics, espionage, and people who do not want the truth exposed.

15

Knock 'em Dead

by Donald Bain

1999

Jessica is thrilled when one of her novels is chosen for a Broadway adaptation, but backstage tensions soon turn lethal. As bodies start appearing offstage, she has to figure out who is willing to kill for a hit.

16

Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch

by Donald Bain

1999

Visiting a friend's ranch, Jessica is drawn into the deaths of a vacationing couple and the messy business behind the land around them. With a local reporter at her side, she digs into greed, development, and murder out West.

17

Trick or Treachery

by Donald Bain

2000

Halloween in Cabot Cove grows stranger when a spiritual medium arrives and a self-proclaimed witch is found dead in a graveyard. Jessica follows the rumors, grudges, and staged scares to the very real killer.

18

Blood on the Vine

by Donald Bain

2001

A trip to Napa Valley for rest becomes work when an old Hollywood friend dies in what looks like suicide. Jessica starts asking questions and finds a vineyard full of enemies, resentments, and sour secrets.

19

Murder in a Minor Key

by Donald Bain

2001

At the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Jessica enjoys insider access until arts critic Wayne Copely is found dead beside a famous voodoo queen's grave. To solve it, she has to read the city as closely as she reads people.

20

Provence to Die for

by Donald Bain

2002

Jessica travels to Provence expecting superb food and a slower pace, then lands in the middle of a culinary murder mystery. The setting is beautiful, but the appetites around her are not all harmless.

21

You Bet Your Life

by Donald Bain

2002

Two years after witnessing a friend's Las Vegas wedding, Jessica returns to find the bride accused of murdering her high-rolling husband. Casino glamour, media attention, and a long list of grudges make the case anything but simple.

22

Destination Murder

by Donald Bain

2003

A scenic rail trip through British Columbia becomes far less relaxing when a traveler dies after sipping a Bloody Mary. With the suspects gathered in a luxurious dining car, Jessica has to solve the case before the journey ends.

23

Majoring In Murder

by Donald Bain

2003

Jessica takes a visiting professor role at a small college just as its first tornado in decades tears through town. When one man who ignored the warning turns up dead, campus drama and hidden motives come into focus.

24

A Vote for Murder

by Donald Bain

2004

In Washington, Jessica joins a senator's literacy push and expects receptions, speeches, and political small talk. Instead she finds a chief of staff dead, and her search leads from Virginia parlors to the FBI.

25

Dying to Retire

by Donald Bain

2004

Jessica attends a funeral at a Florida retirement community and begins to suspect her friend's natural death was helped along. With a lively group of retirees aiding her, she looks past the sunshine for a killer.

26

Margaritas and Murder

by Donald Bain

2005

Jessica travels to San Miguel de Allende with her publisher and friends for a little rest and sun. But when one of them is kidnapped for ransom, the trip becomes a tense race to find him alive.

27

The Maine Mutiny

by Donald Bain

2005

Cabot Cove's first Lobster Festival should be good publicity for the town and a useful assignment for Jessica. Instead, her reporting pulls her into a knot of murder and harbor-town intrigue.

28

A Question of Murder

by Donald Bain

2006

At a writers' conference in the Berkshires, Jessica agrees not to spoil a murder-mystery party hosted by friends. Then a young actor's staged death turns out to be real, and nobody knows where the script ends.

29

Three Strikes and You're Dead

by Donald Bain

2006

While visiting friends in Arizona, Jessica watches their foster son shine on the baseball field, only to see his rival found dead the next day. With the young player marked as the obvious suspect, she digs into the team's darker side.

30

Coffee, Tea, or Murder?

by Donald Bain

2007

Jessica boards an inaugural flight from Boston to London at the invitation of a Cabot Cove entrepreneur. The trip should end with a reunion with George Sutherland, but murder at the airport brings turbulence instead.

31

Panning for Murder

by Donald Bain

2007

A cruise to Alaska becomes serious when Jessica's friend's sister, chasing a family gold claim, vanishes from the ship. Following the missing woman's trail puts Jessica up against greed, old stories, and fresh danger.

32

A Slaying in Savannah

by Donald Bain

2008

Jessica inherits the chance at a million dollars, but only if she can solve a decades-old Savannah murder. Settling into a haunted old mansion, she finds that greed in the present may be as dangerous as the crime in the past.

33

Murder on Parade

by Donald Bain

2008

Cabot Cove's Fourth of July celebration is bigger than ever thanks to an overbearing businessman bankrolling the festivities. When he winds up dead on fireworks night, Jessica faces a town full of suspects.

34

A Fatal Feast

by Donald Bain

2009

Jessica is already juggling writer's block, Thanksgiving dinner, and a visit from George Sutherland when she stumbles over a body in Cabot Cove. The holiday setting is warm, but the case is anything but cozy.

35

Madison Avenue Shoot

by Donald Bain

2009

Grady talks Jessica into visiting New York and appearing in an advertising campaign he is helping produce. Then a hated executive is murdered on set, leaving Jessica to untangle ambition, nerves, and family loyalties.

36

Nashville Noir

by Donald Bain

2010

When a gifted young singer from Cabot Cove is accused of murdering a country music publisher, Jessica heads to Nashville to help. Behind the bright lights and big dreams, she finds a harsher world than anyone back home expected.

37

The Queen's Jewels

by Donald Bain

2010

Jessica finally gets her long-awaited voyage on the Queen Mary 2, only to find herself shadowed by a stolen diamond and a murder. Once the ship is at sea, the chase for both jewel and killer becomes inescapable.

38

Skating on Thin Ice

by Donald Bain

2011

A young skater's hopes of competing in pairs are ruined by a string of suspicious accidents at the rink. When one member of the trio ends up dead, Jessica looks beneath the polished surface for jealousy and sabotage.

39

The Fine Art of Murder

by Donald Bain

2011

An Italian art theft leaves Jessica shaken, and months later the aftermath reaches Cabot Cove when an old friend's son begs for help. To solve his mother's murder, she may have to trace the crime all the way back to Italy.

40

Domestic Malice

by Donald Bain

2012

Jessica joins the board of Cabot Cove's women's shelter and soon meets a badly abused woman who refuses to press charges. Days later the case turns to murder, and the town's respectable surface starts to crack.

41

Trouble at High Tide

by Donald Bain

2012

Vacationing in Bermuda, Jessica hears rumors of killings that echo Jack the Ripper. She dismisses the talk until a young woman is found dead on the beach and the pattern starts to look frighteningly real.

42

Close-up on Murder

by Donald Bain

2013

Hollywood comes to Cabot Cove to film one of Jessica's older novels, reopening a notorious local murder. When the actress playing the victim is shot for real, Jessica has to separate old scandal from a brand-new crime.

43

Prescription for Murder

by Donald Bain

2013

A Florida book trip reunites Jessica with Seth Hazlitt and draws them into a dangerous medical case. When a physician working on a potentially huge Alzheimer's treatment dies in a staged accident, business and espionage collide.

44

Aloha Betrayed

by Donald Bain

2014

On Maui to lecture about community help in police work, Jessica teams up with retired detective Mike Kane after a fellow speaker is found dead below a cliff. The case soon turns on local activism, land, and betrayal.

45

Death of a Blue Blood

by Donald Bain

2014

Jessica and George Sutherland spend New Year's at an English castle where a lady's maid is found dead before the ball. Then a second death by poison turns aristocratic manners into a full house of suspects.

46

Killer in the Kitchen

by Donald Bain

2015

Jessica's favorite local restaurant is threatened when a famous chef opens next door and sparks a nasty feud. After the celebrity cook is stabbed, Jessica sets out to clear the obvious suspect and find the real killer.

47

The Ghost and Mrs Fletcher

by Donald Bain

2015

Eve Simpson is trying to sell one of Cabot Cove's oldest houses, but the place is falling apart and rumored to be haunted. When the owner dies after predicting his own end, Jessica suspects something more solid than a ghost.

48

Design For Murder

by Donald Bain

2016

Jessica heads to New York during fashion week to support a Cabot Cove designer's big debut. A model's sudden death on the runway, and another soon after, show how lethal the glamour business can be.

49

Hook, Line, and Murder

by Donald Bain

2016

A fly-fishing contest should be a relaxing outing for Jessica and Maureen Metzger, until their guide's violent past resurfaces. When an escaped convict, a murdered lawyer, and Maureen's disappearance collide, Cabot Cove is thrown into crisis.

50

A Date with Murder

by Jessica Fletcher

2018

Jessica Fletcher looks into a friend's suspicious death and uncovers a shady dating service with money, secrets, and more than one victim around it. The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that the killer may already be watching her.

51

A Time for Murder

by Donald Bain

2019

An old case from Jessica Fletcher's past refuses to stay buried. Returning to the years when Frank was alive and Grady was still young, Jessica must untangle how an earlier murder still casts a shadow.

52

Manuscript for Murder

by Jessica Fletcher

2019

Jessica receives an explosive unpublished novel from her publisher just before his apparent suicide. Following the manuscript's clues pulls her into a deadly political conspiracy that reaches far beyond New York.

53

Murder in Red

by Jessica Fletcher

2019

When Jessica Fletcher's friend dies after a routine procedure at a new private hospital in Cabot Cove, she suspects more than malpractice. Her search for answers exposes a darker scheme before more people wind up dead.

54

Murder In Season

by Jessica Fletcher

2020

Christmas has come to Cabot Cove, and Jessica is busy with family plans and the town parade while her home nears completion. Then a reporter and a centuries-old local mystery turn the holiday into another dangerous case.

55

The Murder of Twelve

by Jessica Fletcher

2020

Stranded in a hotel during a historic blizzard, Jessica Fletcher finds herself trapped with a wedding party, twelve uneasy guests, and a killer. The snowbound weekend turns into a tense closed-circle mystery.

56

Debonair in Death

by Jessica Fletcher

2021

A murder in Cabot Cove's art and treasure trade puts one of Jessica's favorite local women under suspicion. To clear her name, Jessica joins forces with Michael Haggerty and uncovers a case much bigger than it first appears.

57

Killing in a Koi Pond

by Jessica Fletcher

2021

After a writers' conference, Jessica visits an old college friend at her grand South Carolina home. When the friend's wealthy new husband turns up dead in the koi pond, Jessica faces a house full of possible enemies.

58

Death on the Emerald Isle

by Jessica Fletcher

2023

Jessica's speaking trip to Belfast turns into a detour through Northern Ireland when she agrees to deliver paintings for a neighbor. Once a family member turns up dead, old secrets and local tensions come to the surface.

59

Killer on the Court

by Jessica Fletcher

2023

Jessica expects a quiet beachside visit with Grady, Donna, and young Frank, but Donna soon finds her boss dead on a tennis court. With the small community locked down, Jessica has to solve the case before the family getaway is completely wrecked.

60

A Killer Christmas

by Jessica Fletcher

2024

Cabot Cove is ready for Christmas until a missing man returns to stop the sale of his family home and soon after a prospective buyer is murdered. Jessica is not convinced the most obvious troublemaker did it.

61

Fit for Murder

by Jessica Fletcher

2024

Evelyn Phillips draws Jessica into concerns about an older friend's charming young yoga instructor neighbor. When the man is found dead in his weight room and Evelyn becomes the top suspect, Jessica starts pulling apart the performance.

62

Murder Backstage

by Jessica Fletcher

2024

Jessica joins Emma MacGill and friends in Edmonton for a musical review starring a beloved entertainer. The vacation ends when a hotel bartender, who also works backstage at the theater, is found dead.

63

A Body in Boston

by Jessica Fletcher

2025

A lecture trip to Boston includes dinner with Harry McGraw, until a young woman stumbles into the bar covered in blood after finding her boyfriend's corpse. Jessica is soon balancing Harry's blackmail case with a murder that hits closer to home.

64

Snowy with a Chance of Murder

by Jessica Fletcher

2025

After a bad fall leaves Jessica stuck in a wheelchair, she passes the time watching a strange new neighbor create risqué snow sculptures. Then a blizzard hits, the man is found dead in the yard, and Jessica has to investigate from her window.

65

The Body in the Trees

by Jessica Fletcher

2025

Autumn tourists come to Cabot Cove for hiking and foliage, but one of them never comes back from the woods. When the missing woman is found tangled high in a tree, Jessica learns she brought a dangerous secret to town.

66
New

A Killing in Real Estate

by Jessica Fletcher

2026

Cabot Cove is split over a luxury hotel proposal when a powerful developer is found dead in the woods. Jessica suspects the apparent heart attack was murder, and the town's battle over progress suddenly gets personal.

67
New

Murder Most Trivial

by Jessica Fletcher

2026

A pub trivia win sends Jessica, Seth, Maureen, and Mort to Los Angeles for a televised tournament. Before the games really begin, a crew member is murdered and Jessica has to solve a case surrounded by cameras and mystery-show lore.

Murder She Wrote (Jessica Fletcher) books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes"

    The Murder of Sherlock Holmes

    by Donald Bain

    1985Murder She Wrote, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Hooray for Homicide"

    Hooray for Homicide

    by Donald Bain

    1985Murder She Wrote, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Lovers and Other Killers"

    Lovers and Other Killers

    by Donald Bain

    1986Murder She Wrote, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Gin & Daggers"

    Gin & Daggers

    by Donald Bain

    1989Murder She Wrote, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Manhattans & Murder"

    Manhattans & Murder

    by Donald Bain

    1994Murder She Wrote, Book 5
  6. Book cover for "Rum & Razors"

    Rum & Razors

    by Donald Bain

    1995Murder She Wrote, Book 6
  7. Book cover for "Brandy and Bullets"

    Brandy and Bullets

    by Donald Bain

    1995Murder She Wrote, Book 7
  8. Book cover for "Martinis & Mayhem"

    Martinis & Mayhem

    by Donald Bain

    1995Murder She Wrote, Book 8
  9. Book cover for "A Deadly Judgment"

    A Deadly Judgment

    by Donald Bain

    1996Murder She Wrote, Book 9
  10. Book cover for "A Palette for Murder"

    A Palette for Murder

    by Donald Bain

    1996Murder She Wrote, Book 10
  11. Book cover for "The Highland Fling Murders"

    The Highland Fling Murders

    by Donald Bain

    1997Murder She Wrote, Book 11
  12. Book cover for "Murder on the QE2"

    Murder on the QE2

    by Donald Bain

    1997Murder She Wrote, Book 12
  13. Book cover for "Murder in Moscow"

    Murder in Moscow

    by Donald Bain

    1998Murder She Wrote, Book 13
  14. Book cover for "A Little Yuletide Murder"

    A Little Yuletide Murder

    by Donald Bain

    1998Murder She Wrote, Book 14
  15. Book cover for "Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch"

    Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch

    by Donald Bain

    1999Murder She Wrote, Book 15
  16. Book cover for "Knock 'em Dead"

    Knock 'em Dead

    by Donald Bain

    1999Murder She Wrote, Book 16
  17. Book cover for "Trick or Treachery"

    Trick or Treachery

    by Donald Bain

    2000Murder She Wrote, Book 17
  18. Book cover for "Blood on the Vine"

    Blood on the Vine

    by Donald Bain

    2001Murder She Wrote, Book 18
  19. Book cover for "Murder in a Minor Key"

    Murder in a Minor Key

    by Donald Bain

    2001Murder She Wrote, Book 19
  20. Book cover for "Provence to Die for"

    Provence to Die for

    by Donald Bain

    2002Murder She Wrote, Book 20
  21. Book cover for "You Bet Your Life"

    You Bet Your Life

    by Donald Bain

    2002Murder She Wrote, Book 21
  22. Book cover for "Majoring In Murder"

    Majoring In Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2003Murder She Wrote, Book 22
  23. Book cover for "Destination Murder"

    Destination Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2003Murder She Wrote, Book 23
  24. Book cover for "Dying to Retire"

    Dying to Retire

    by Donald Bain

    2004Murder She Wrote, Book 24
  25. Book cover for "A Vote for Murder"

    A Vote for Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2004Murder She Wrote, Book 25
  26. Book cover for "The Maine Mutiny"

    The Maine Mutiny

    by Donald Bain

    2005Murder She Wrote, Book 26
  27. Book cover for "Margaritas and Murder"

    Margaritas and Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2005Murder She Wrote, Book 27
  28. Book cover for "A Question of Murder"

    A Question of Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2006Murder She Wrote, Book 28
  29. Book cover for "Three Strikes and You're Dead"

    Three Strikes and You're Dead

    by Donald Bain

    2006Murder She Wrote, Book 29
  30. Book cover for "Coffee, Tea, or Murder?"

    Coffee, Tea, or Murder?

    by Donald Bain

    2007Murder She Wrote, Book 30
  31. Book cover for "Panning for Murder"

    Panning for Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2007Murder She Wrote, Book 31
  32. Book cover for "Murder on Parade"

    Murder on Parade

    by Donald Bain

    2008Murder She Wrote, Book 32
  33. Book cover for "A Slaying in Savannah"

    A Slaying in Savannah

    by Donald Bain

    2008Murder She Wrote, Book 33
  34. Book cover for "Madison Avenue Shoot"

    Madison Avenue Shoot

    by Donald Bain

    2009Murder She Wrote, Book 34
  35. Book cover for "A Fatal Feast"

    A Fatal Feast

    by Donald Bain

    2009Murder She Wrote, Book 35
  36. Book cover for "Nashville Noir"

    Nashville Noir

    by Donald Bain

    2010Murder She Wrote, Book 36
  37. Book cover for "The Queen's Jewels"

    The Queen's Jewels

    by Donald Bain

    2010Murder She Wrote, Book 37
  38. Book cover for "Skating on Thin Ice"

    Skating on Thin Ice

    by Donald Bain

    2011Murder She Wrote, Book 38
  39. Book cover for "The Fine Art of Murder"

    The Fine Art of Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2011Murder She Wrote, Book 39
  40. Book cover for "Trouble at High Tide"

    Trouble at High Tide

    by Donald Bain

    2012Murder She Wrote, Book 40
  41. Book cover for "Domestic Malice"

    Domestic Malice

    by Donald Bain

    2012Murder She Wrote, Book 41
  42. Book cover for "Prescription for Murder"

    Prescription for Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2013Murder She Wrote, Book 42
  43. Book cover for "Close-up on Murder"

    Close-up on Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2013Murder She Wrote, Book 43
  44. Book cover for "Aloha Betrayed"

    Aloha Betrayed

    by Donald Bain

    2014Murder She Wrote, Book 44
  45. Book cover for "Death of a Blue Blood"

    Death of a Blue Blood

    by Donald Bain

    2014Murder She Wrote, Book 45
  46. Book cover for "Killer in the Kitchen"

    Killer in the Kitchen

    by Donald Bain

    2015Murder She Wrote, Book 46
  47. Book cover for "The Ghost and Mrs Fletcher"

    The Ghost and Mrs Fletcher

    by Donald Bain

    2015Murder She Wrote, Book 47
  48. Book cover for "Design For Murder"

    Design For Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2016Murder She Wrote, Book 48
  49. Book cover for "Hook, Line, and Murder"

    Hook, Line, and Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2016Murder She Wrote, Book 49
  50. Book cover for "A Date with Murder"

    A Date with Murder

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2018Murder She Wrote, Book 50
  51. Book cover for "Manuscript for Murder"

    Manuscript for Murder

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2019Murder She Wrote, Book 51
  52. Book cover for "Murder in Red"

    Murder in Red

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2019Murder She Wrote, Book 52
  53. Book cover for "A Time for Murder"

    A Time for Murder

    by Donald Bain

    2019Murder She Wrote, Book 53
  54. Book cover for "The Murder of Twelve"

    The Murder of Twelve

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2020Murder She Wrote, Book 54
  55. Book cover for "Murder In Season"

    Murder In Season

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2020Murder She Wrote, Book 55
  56. Book cover for "Killing in a Koi Pond"

    Killing in a Koi Pond

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2021Murder She Wrote, Book 56
  57. Book cover for "Debonair in Death"

    Debonair in Death

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2021Murder She Wrote, Book 57
  58. Book cover for "Death on the Emerald Isle"

    Death on the Emerald Isle

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2023Murder She Wrote, Book 58
  59. Book cover for "Killer on the Court"

    Killer on the Court

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2023Murder She Wrote, Book 59
  60. Book cover for "Fit for Murder"

    Fit for Murder

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2024Murder She Wrote, Book 60
  61. Book cover for "Murder Backstage"

    Murder Backstage

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2024Murder She Wrote, Book 61
  62. Book cover for "A Killer Christmas"

    A Killer Christmas

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2024Murder She Wrote, Book 62
  63. Book cover for "Snowy with a Chance of Murder"

    Snowy with a Chance of Murder

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2025Murder She Wrote, Book 63
  64. Book cover for "A Body in Boston"

    A Body in Boston

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2025Murder She Wrote, Book 64
  65. Book cover for "The Body in the Trees"

    The Body in the Trees

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2025Murder She Wrote, Book 65
  66. Book cover for "Murder Most Trivial"

    Murder Most Trivial

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2026Murder She Wrote, Book 66
  67. Book cover for "A Killing in Real Estate"

    A Killing in Real Estate

    by Jessica Fletcher

    2026Murder She Wrote, Book 67

Series background & context

The Murder, She Wrote books revolve around Jessica Fletcher, a widowed former English teacher from Cabot Cove, Maine, who became a bestselling mystery novelist almost by accident and then kept finding herself in the middle of real crimes. The setup is wonderfully steady. Jessica might be home, on a book trip, visiting friends, or taking what should be a quiet holiday. Soon enough someone is dead, the obvious suspect looks wrong, and Jessica starts asking the patient questions everyone else skipped.

Cabot Cove is the series' true home base. That small-town setting gives the books their warmth, their gossip, and a lot of their humor. Jessica knows how people talk when they are hiding something, and she knows when old resentments are pretending to be neighborliness. Recurring figures like Dr. Seth Hazlitt, sheriffs Amos Tupper and Mort Metzger, Maureen Metzger, nephew Grady, Harry McGraw, and George Sutherland help the books feel lived in, even when each mystery is mostly self-contained.

But the books are not stuck in Maine.

A big part of the fun is how far they let Jessica roam. She turns up in London, Moscow, Provence, Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, Arizona, Nashville, and aboard ocean liners and trains, always carrying the same mix of courtesy, curiosity, and stubbornness. Some stories lean into travel atmosphere, like Murder on the QE2, Provence to Die for, and Death on the Emerald Isle. Others stay closer to Cabot Cove and its local trouble, like The Maine Mutiny, Domestic Malice, or The Ghost and Mrs Fletcher.

The series also spans a few distinct eras. The earliest books tied closely to the television world, including The Murder of Sherlock Holmes and the other James Anderson novelizations. The long original-novel run really takes shape with Gin & Daggers and continues for decades, first in a very classic cozy mode, then with somewhat brisker, more contemporary entries like A Date with Murder, Murder in Red, and Killing in a Koi Pond. Different writers helped carry the line forward, but the heart of it stays recognizable.

Jessica is the reason that consistency works.

She is not flashy. She is observant, decent, and hard to rattle. She notices the extra glance, the forced alibi, the social detail that does not fit. The stakes matter, but the books rarely confuse bloodshed with excitement. What keeps readers coming back is the balance: a comfortable world, a fair mystery, a smart central character, and the quiet pleasure of watching her put things right. If you want cozy mysteries with strong settings, recurring friends, and a sleuth who wins with patience instead of swagger, this series knows exactly what it is doing.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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