Leafing Through Pages – Murder in Season (Murder, She Wrote # 52)

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Stars: 3 / 5

Recommendation: Jon Land managed to write 5 books but there were so many inconsistencies that he never addressed. However, this was one of his great story since it involves history, a case from past and a case from present. This kind of setup appeals me. Decent plot so we don’t need to rush read it.

Murder in Season is the 52nd novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Jon Land & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on November of 2020.

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.

Jessica is finally back in her renovated home, but some renovations still pending, she plans for her nephew Grady and his wife Donna and kid Frank to come celebrate Christmas with her. However, the construction crew find two bodies buried in her backyard – one centuries old and one very recent. Are they connected? Jessica dredges thru Cabot Cove’s dark past, history of the founding fathers, tries to solve both murders while all along preparing for the festivities. Hopefully this wont be her last celebration before the killer outsmarts her?

This book reminded me of two episodes from original TV show. The agoraphobia factor reminded me of the Season 9, Episode 16 titled Threshold of Fear. While the history involving slaves reminded me of the 2001 TV movie The Last Free Man aired under the Murder, She Wrote umbrella.

Harry McGraw makes an appearance and gets actively involved in the investigation. However, he doesn’t stop calling Jessica as “Little Lady” and continually rebuffs about unpaid bills that he never invoices. I don’t remember the TV show having these two traits for Harry’s character.

In the end though he gifts Jessica with a leather bound notebook with “Murder, She Wrote” imprinted on gold letter as the title. This closes the tie with the TV show where we see the same leather bound book in the opening credits. Now that we know this was the last book Jon Land wrote, I believe he brought everything together to give a cohesive closure for his books.

Amos Tupper also makes a brief appearance albeit just over a phone call. When Donald Bain wrote the books, the town historian was Tim Purdy. However in this book it’s Fred Hardesty is the president of Cabot Cover Historical Society. I have been noticing these inconsistencies between books written by Donald Bain vs books written by Job Land.

Land makes this a wholesome family affair what with Harry McGraw in Cabot Cove and also we see Jessica’s nephew Grady, his wife Donna and son little Frank visiting her. Being the holiday season book, I believe Land made it a wholesome family business. Only person missing was George Sutherland in this book.

Another inconsistency I read from the TV show is the Jessica’s nephew Grady’s wife Donna wants to be a homemaker in the TV show, but in this she is having her own business restoring old books and custom binding. Also Donna appears a shy person in the book while on TV she was much more open with Jessica.

Jon Land managed to write 5 books but there were so many inconsistencies that he never addressed. However, this was one of his great story since it involves history, a case from past and a case from present. This kind of setup appeals me. Decent plot so we don’t need to rush read it.

Spoiler Alerts:

Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:

On Pg. 189, Line 7 from bottom, doesn’t need “of” in the sentence.

Jessica’s accountant was Herb Mason until this book. In this Jon Land named him Herb Katz.

Plot Reveals:

Characters we see here: Ben McMasters, building contractor; Tad Hollenbeck, TV tabloid reporter; Selina, Cameraperson; Angie, producer; founding fathers – John Henry Cabot, Earl Grove Hutchinson, John Van Webb; Franklin McMullen and Wyatt Rackley; Clara Wizzenhunt, Wyatt Rackley’s descendant; Selina Sanches, Camerawoman for TV show Stalker; Angie Lawrence, Producer for Stalker; Terry McMullen, Frank McMullen’s descendant; Asa Cabot, John Henry Cabot’s descendant; James Carnevale, Asa’s assistant; Lucas Rackley, Clara’s nephew; Dan Kinder, John Van Webb’s descendant;

Mort finally retires his red Cadillac Eldorado and takes on the standard police issue SUV for his cruiser.

Grady is starting his own accounting firm in this book.

Sub Plots:

Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard, formerly with British Special Air Service; Morton “Mort” Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Maureen / Adele; Eve Simpson, realtor friend with Cabot Cove Realty aa Simpson 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; Herb Mason, her accountant.

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, owns the local Gas-and-Go; Mara, owns Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel per the 51st book / Thomas Wilkerson per the 47th book; 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; Brad Crandall; SeaBasket, a supermarket; Father Donald Barnes; Becky Thayer, owner of Cabot Cove Catering; Doris Ann, librarian; Ansell Hodges, homeless veteran; Clara, Seth’s longtime receptionist; Carl Cragg, Ethan’s cousin and Building inspector;

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; Deputy Billy Simms; NYPD lieutenant with Major Case Squad Artie Gelber; Deputy Muldoon;

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. Adele is a former marine per this book.

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. Now that Bain is gone and Land has taken over, will there be a back story or will he just leave it as one of the names without explanation.

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.

From the 47th book:

Mort jokes that Jessica is a magnet for murder; and Jessica quips that can she use that as a title. We know that this title has never been done so far in her books or the fictional ones she wrote on the TV show. May be a future book?

Again we don’t see the criminal Armand Dejong’s body found. So did he succumb to the injuries caused by fire or escape?

From the 48th book, Manuscript for Murder:

We come to know that Mort was in Vietnam that we had never heard either on TV show or the earlier books.

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.