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Stars: 4 / 5
Recommendation: It’s race against time mixed with emotional story of redemption with a scope of long overdue justice makes this a strong plot to read. Even though a cozy mystery I read this in one go, and did get my hairs up in some of the scenes.
Hook, Line and Murder is the 46th novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain, his wife Renee Paley-Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on October 4 of 2016.
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. After Donald Bain passed away in 2017, Jon Land alone took the baton and 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 October 2024, 59 books have been written in this series. They are mostly written in first person narration.
In this book, Jessica participates in the Annual Cabot Cove Derby, a fly fishing competition; and joins her for the weekend is Maureen Metzger, Sherriff Mort Metzger’s wife. Little do they know that an escaped convict and murderer Darryl Jepson is waiting to take revenge on the Sherriff. And both ladies get in the middle of all of this when Maureen is kidnapped and the lawyer that Darryl was represented by gets murdered right after he escapes from prison,
For the first time, authors Donald Bain and his wife wrote this plot in three parts. Although the parts continue without break. So why were the chapters split into parts, I Couldn’t understand.
The plot also rehashes why Mort’s wife Maureen is his second wife and what happened to his first wife Adele. This is different from the TV show where Mort is married to Adele all through the show’s life.
With all the chaos thrown into the plot, it took a while for me to figure out that there are two criminals involved, one an escaped convict and one a killer, involved in two separate crimes. The authors also went towards my gut feeling in the end.
It’s race against time mixed with emotional story of redemption with a scope of long overdue justice makes this a strong plot to read. Even though a cozy mystery I read this in one go, and did get my hairs up in some of the scenes.
Spoiler Alerts:
Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
On Pg. 266 and 277, Jessica talks about the entire ordeal taking a day. And that she was going to be picked up by Dr. Seth the next day. However, in the next page when she is in the hospital to visit Maureen, she expresses that it was days for Maureen disappeared and released.
Plot Reveals:
Maureen Metzger suggests a Veggie Egg Benedict to be on the menu at Mara’s Luncheonette. However instead of using just Spinach like the ones we see in restaurants outside, here they use other vegetables also.
Brian Kinney’s family – He is Jessica and Maureen’s fishing guide for the weekend; his wife Alice, daughter Emma; his father Tom Kinney, diseased perhaps; Alice’s housekeeper in her maternal home, Helen; his 5 musketeer friends including him – Hank Thomson, Darryl Jepson, Cory Caruthers, Jeff Grusen.
Darryl’s Aunt Dorothy “Dee” Darcy Luce
Sharon Bacon, an acquaintance; Peggy Abelin on and off secretary to the murdered defense attorney Wes Caruthers;
Maureen talks about rinsing out the mugs with boiling water before use. This is to remove soap residue. However, at my home we have a practice of rinsing out any dishes or utensils with water prior to use, not necessarily boiling water always.
Some of the authors Jessica recommends to Maureen are Molly MacRae, Sheila Connolly and Mary Kennedy
Other law enforcement – Brandon Peabody, game warden from Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Warden Gabrielle “Gabby” Ong and her dog Tigger from the K-9 division; FBI Special Agent Ian Perle;
Sub Plots:
Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard; Morton “Mort” Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Maureen / Adele ?; Eve Simpson, realtor friend with Cabot Cove Realty; Sam Booth, mayor of Cabot Cove; Ethan Cragg, Cabot Cove’s chief town elder.
Literary contacts and friends: her American 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; Paulette, Matt’s assistant; her British Publisher Griffin Semple, son of her original publisher Archibald Semple
Other Cabot Cove characters: Josh, the mailman; Jed Richardson, bush pilot and owner of Jed’s Flying Service, and his wife Alicia / Barbara?, His brother Harvey eho rund the local Gas-and-Go; Mara, owns Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel; Richard “Dick” Mann, Fire Chief; Charlene Sassi, baker; Susan Shevlin, travel agent and her husband Jim, 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 Old Thyme 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, and investment advisor, and his wife Ellen; Pat Hitchcock, Cabot Cove’s popular nurse and teacher?; 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; John St. Clair, professor of business law at Cabot Cove Community College; Dr. Jennifer “Jenny” Countryman, Seth’s partner; Reginald “Reggie” Weems, insurance agent; Richard Jenkins & Sal Marterella, city council members; Jack Wilson, the Veterinarian, and his wife Tobe; Evelyn Phillips, editor of Cabot Cove Gazette; Maniram Chatterjee & his wife Hita, jewelry shop owners; Sanford Teller, public relations agency; Lee, postmistress; Loretta Spiegel, owns beauty salon; Barnaby Longshoot;
Sheriff Metzger’s staff & other law enforcement: Deputy Andy Jenks; Deputy Jack; Rookie Wendell Watson and his mother Gloria; Deputy Harold; Deputy Jerry; Deputy Evan; Deputy Chip; Alfred Gillo, medical examiner; Judge Kaplan; Marie Poutre, dispatcher; Officer Edgar; Gladys, a civilian dispatcher;
Jessica Fletcher’s family: Grady Fletcher, nephew that she and her late-husband Frank raise, his wife Donna and child Frank.
We know the reason as to why Mort Metzger’s wife is called Maureen as of the 20th book A Slaying in Savannah. Mort and Adele get divorced and Adele goes back to New York. Mort marries Maureen who becomes his second wife. All of Donald Bain’s novels starting 20th book have this scenario. However Jon Land novels they remain married and his wife is back to being called Adele. Perhaps starting the 47th book when Jon Land co-authors with Donald Bain. However, I distinctly remember her name being changed to Adele in the 50th book, A Time for Murder.
I remember reading one of the later books (and couldn’t figure out which one was that) where we see Sam Booth as the mayor of Cabot Cove. However, since I started reading the series from the beginning, looks like the mayor of Cabot Cove is Jim Shevlin. I wonder if Sam Booth surfaces as I remember from way back read.
From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
From the 10th book, Murder in Moscow:
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?
Alexandra Kozhina disappears at the end of the plot. And will she surface in another book?
In the 27th book Coffee, Tea or Murder? we see that Jed’s wife is named Barbara. But up until then she was named Alicia. Wonder if Bain will have a backup story.
From the 30th book:
Tom Craig offers Michael Haggerty a book deal to write about his escapades as an undercover British spy.
There is no closure as to who actually kills the person in the first murder.
Will Jennifer Kahn, the alleged jewel thief, walk away free since they could only find circumstantial evidence against her and nothing concrete?
From the 37th book: If I ever try the sidecar recipe I will have to post it again referring the 37th book. But Angela Lansbury did print a cookbook based on the food items shared either in the episodes or by characters of the series.
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.
From the 51st book, The Murder of Twelve:
Author Land gives considerable mystery to Seamus McGilray’s character. I wonder if he resurfaces in a future book.
Towards the end of the book, Mort jokes that Jessica should run for mayor. Hmm…something to look forward to I suppose.
Galavant Reflections 