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Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: This book captures the essence of the TV show better than what Jon Land wrote. Felt like reading a modified version of Donald Bain rather than a Terry Farley version. She brought the supporting characters neatly tied in with her plot despite the grammatical errors.
Killing in Koi Pond is the 53rd novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Terrie Farley Moran & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on June of 2021.
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.
This is the first book written by Terrie Farley Moran replacing Jon Land. Perhaps that’s why the title was very obvious as opposed to other books. 🙂 In this installment, Jessica is visiting her friend Dolores Nickens, in Columbia, NC but ends up being embroiled in solving the murder of her friend’s husband, Willis Nickens much to the frustration of local police.
The author Terry dedicates this book in memory of her father, Thomas M. Farley. She shows Jessica visiting the World’s Largest Fire Hydrant while in Columbia, and I assumed it a fiction. Oh no Siree, there is indeed such a sculpture for real created by Blue Sky.
Donald Bain had penned a story under this umbrella with the title “Domestic Malice (# 38)”. In this book, author Terry has Jessica attend a writer’s conference in Bethesda, Maryland called “Malice Domestic” before she goes to Columbia, NC visiting her friend. Interesting!!
Whoever edited or proofread this book hasn’t done justice to Terry. There are unusual number of grammatical errors that cannot be ignored while reading.
Author Terry brings in Harry McGraw to help Jessica investigate. Considering the crime happens in a different place than Cabot Cove or NY, she definitely need a private eye’s help since the law enforcement wont be willing to accept help for civilians if one doesn’t know or had worked with her. 🙂
Author Terry has Jessica reading the latest novel by Ann Cleeves starring Detective Vera Stanhope. That is one my favorite BBC show that I watch on PBS when it airs. Must be a favorite of Terry too.
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.
This book captures the essence of the TV show better than what Jon Land wrote. Felt like reading a modified version of Donald Bain rather than a Terry Farley version. She brought the supporting characters neatly tied in with her plot despite the grammatical errors.
Spoiler Alerts:
Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
On Pg. 66, Line 6, it should be “…for a minute or two…”
On Pg. 70, Line 7, it should be “…here should have told me….”
On Pg. 70, Line 8, it should be “…would have asked you…”
On Pg. 70, Line 9, shouldn’t it be “members” instead of “membership”
Plot Reveals:
Characters we see here: Clancy Travers and his daughter Abby, widower and son-in-law to Wills Nickens from his first marriage, Dolores is Willis’ second wife; Marla Mae, house help; Norman Crayfield’s, Willis’ business partner; Lucinda Green, housekeeper and cook; Tom Blomquist and his wife Candace “Candy” Parker, Willis’ neighbors; Marjory Ribault, used to live at Manning Hall, the current residence of the Nickens’; Deputy Sheriff Luther Lascomb; Sheriff Zeke Halvorson; Elton Anderson, brother of Marla Mae; Arnold Bailey, President of local merchants’ association; Evelyn Young, Deputy Coroner; Arabella, Abby’s Godmother; Marcus Holmes, Willis’ lawyer; Francis McGuire, lawyer;
Marjory shares a tip of using confectionery sugar on the lemon halves before squeezing them to make a delicious lemonade. Have to try sometime.
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. Grady plans to open his own accounting firm in book #52.
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.
Galavant Reflections 