Leafing Through Pages – Trick or Treachery (Murder, She Wrote # 14)

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Stars: 3 / 5

Recommendation: It was a very quick read, and very quick solve, a little predictable, a lot more spookier and at the end a fun book to read. An enjoyable and entertaining Halloween mystery with element of spooky woven into it successfully.

Trick or Treachery is 14th novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on October 1, 2000. Arrival of a medium who is a con, and an eccentric woman accused of being a witch, causes strange things happening. They lead to the murder of this eccentric woman, and now the whole town is spooked. Jessica again takes upon herself to find the truth before more spooky stuff happen. 

This is my take on the series of books written by a plethora of authors and Jessica Fletcher (fictional author) based on the 80s and 90s popular American crime drama television series Murder, She Wrote. These books are ghost written by Donald Bain and fictional author Jessica Fletcher for the first 43 books until 2015. Then Donald Bain wrote these with Renee Paley Bain and Jon Land for four more books before Jon Land alone continued with Jessica Fletcher for 5 more books until 2020. Starting 2021 the series was picked by Terrie Farley Moran again pairing with the fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. As of 2023, 56 books have been written in this series. They are all written in first person narration.

Halloween’s is a month and a half away, and this was the perfect next pick for me to keep the mood of the season.

For a change we don’t see the appearance of George Sutherland in the book. Sometimes I feel if there is a romance to be brewed between them why don’t they meet often and for longer periods of time.

There is confusion on a few characters who frequently appear in the series. For instance, Tim Purdy was introduced as an investment advisor a few books ago. Then he was shown as the treasurer of chamber of commerce. And in this book he is a historian and president of Cabot Cove’s historical society. So is he having multiple hats or the author simply is forgetting his original role and keep pushing him in different roles?

However it is clear now that Mara’s Luncheonette is a dockside restaurant. So that makes now more sense when the author calls it as a Luncheonette in a few books and Dockside Restaurant in other. Again Pat Hitchcock was shown as Cabot Cove’s popular nurse in the previous book Knock ‘Em Dead, the 13th book and in this she is portrayed as a teacher. Again multiple has? Or confusion on part of the author?

There are ghosts, backstabbing tragedies, animosity amongst the folks, and above all murder. However, most of the plot is spent in interrogation of all of the suspects. Again Jessica comes up with the solution for the murder, but for a change she takes Sherriff Mort into her confidence before doing the big reveal.

It was a very quick read, and very quick solve, a little predictable, a lot more spookier and at the end a fun book to read. An enjoyable and entertaining Halloween mystery with element of spooky woven into it successfully.

Spoiler Alerts:

1. Plot Reveals:
   1. Characters of interest: Lucas Tremaine, head of Society of Paranormal Investigation; Paul Marshall, owner of Marshall-Scott Clothing’s store; Artie Sack, an old time gardener; Matilda Swift, believed to be a witch; Erica Marshall, daughter of Paul; Jeremy Scott, Paul’s dead partner Anthony Scott’s son; Warren Wilson, VP of Marshall-Scott Clothing’s store; Robert and Laura Wandowski, work for Paul, and their daughter Julie; Alice, Paul’s secretary; Mrs. Sack, Artie’s sister-in-law and Paul’s housekeeper.
2. Sub Plots:
   1. Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt, long-time friend in Cabot Cove, Maine; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard; Morton “Mort” Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Adele /  Maureen?; Eve Simpson, realtor friend working at Cabot Cove Realty; Sam Booth, mayor of Cabot Cove; Ethan Cragg, Cabot Cove’s chief town elder.
   2. Literary contacts and friends: her publisher Vaughan Buckley of Buckley House, his fashion model wife Olga Buckley and their dogs Sadie and Rose; Harry McGraw, her private eye friend; Matt Miller, her literary agent & his wife Susan.
   3. Other Characters appear frequently: Josh, the mailman; Jed Richardson, only bush pilot for Cabot Cove and owner of Jed’s Flying Service, and his wife Alicia; Mara, restaurant owner of Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel; Richard “Dick” Mann, Fire Chief; Charlene Sassi, a baker; Susan Shevlin, travel agent and her husband Jim who is the Mayor of Cabot Cove; Professor Donskoy; Roberta Dougherty, bookstore owner; Richard Koser, photographer, and his wife MaryJane; Barbara DePaoli, Chamber of Commerce’s secretary; Anthon Colarusso, dentist; Beth and Peter Mullin, owners of flower shop Old Tyme Floral; Sam Davis, investment advisor; Jack Decker, publisher of Cabot Cove’s monthly magazine; Peter Eder, Cabot Cove’s symphony orchestra; Bob Daros, owns Heritage Fuel; Tim Purdy, treasurer of chamber of commerce and historian and president of  Cabot Cove’s historical society, also an investment advisor; Pat Hitchcock, Cabot Cove’s popular nurse and teacher?; Gloria Watson, Wendell’s mother; Joseph “Joe” Turco, an attorney; Marcia Davis, costume designer; David and Jim Raneri, owners of Charles Department Store; Ralph Mackin, town attorney; Ed and Joan Lerner, retirees; Brenda Brody, copy editor of Cabot Cove Insider; Doug Treyz, dentist, and his wife Tina; Jack and Marilou Decker, publishers of Cabot Cove Insider; Peter and Roberta Walters, owners of the radio station; Horace Teller, publisher of Cabot Cove News; Doris Sitar, assistant manager at Cabot Cove Savings Bank; Dmitri, owner of local taxi company; Phil Wick, field manager of the phone company.
   4. Sheriff Metzger’s office staff & other law enforcement: Deputy Andy Jenks; Deputy Jack; Rookie Wendell Watson; Deputy Harold; Deputy Jerry; Alfred Gillo, medical examiner; Judge Kaplan; Marie Poutre, dispatcher.
   5. Jessica Fletcher’s family: Grady Fletcher, nephew that she and her late-husband Frank raise, his wife Donna and child Frank.
   6. In the 6th book, A Deadly Judgment, Dr. Seth Hazlitt is seen dating jury consultant Jill Farkas at the end of the book. Did that spill into any subsequent books? At least I don’t remember from reading either the 7th book A Palette for Murder or the 8th book The Highland Fling Murders. May be this was only pat of the 6th book plot.
   7. We continue to see Mort Metzger’s wife being called as Maureen. But she was named Adele in the TV show…and also in the 50th book, A Time for Murder, she was back to Adele. Not sure when Bain changed it back to Adele since I have a few more books to go before I reach the 50th book, but perhaps the readers made him change it back.
   8. We see George and Jessica continue to meet in every other book, increasing their intimacy. But I guess the romance will still have to wait.
   9. From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
   10. From the 10th book, Murder in Moscow:
       1. There is still no resolution as to who or how Ward Wenington was killed in D.C. and why Vladislav “Vlady” Staritova was killed in Russia. What was the connection?
       2. Alexandra Kozhina disappears at the end of the plot. And will she surface in another book?
   11. From the 51st book, The Murder of Twelve:
       1. Author Land gives considerable mystery to Seamus McGilray’s character. I wonder if he resurfaces in a future book.
       2. Towards the end of the book, Mort jokes that Jessica should run for mayor. Hmm…something to look forward to I suppose.
   12. In the 50th book, A Time for Murder, Jessica is shown at Hill House, Cabot Cove’s very own Inn due to a fire at her Victorian home at 698 Candlewood Lame. I wonder if the 49th book, Murder in Red, has anything to do with her house getting caught fire which almost killed her.
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
   1. Matilda Swift is referred to as Ms. Swift in some cases and Mrs. Swift on other pages.