Top 10 Most Popular Books In The “Murder She Wrote” Series

We just revisited the “Murder She Wrote” book series as Angela Lansbury, Star of “Murder, She Wrote” recently died at 96. What follows is the list of Top 10 best and most popular books in the series per reviews and ratings by readers, compiled by Mystery Tribune.

Murder, She Wrote: The Queen’s Jewels (Murder She Wrote Book 34)

Jessica Fletcher has always wanted to take a transatlantic voyage on the legendary Queen Mary 2. Now, she’s finally getting her chance. But when the investigation of a stolen diamond follows her up the gangplank, she must try to enjoy the sumptuous seaborne surroundings while searching for a priceless diamond-and the person desperate enough to take a life for it.

Murder, She Wrote: A Slaying in Savannah (Book 30)

Jessica is surprised to learn that her old friend, Tillie Mortelaine, has bequeathed Jessica one million dollars—as long as she solves a decades-old mystery. She must find out who murdered Tillie’s fiancé, Wanamaker Jones, who’d been shot to death during a New Year’s Eve party in Tillie’s home.

As instructed by Tillie’s lawyer, Jessica arrives in Savannah and settles into Tillie’s mansion. There she discovers that the spirit of Wanamaker Jones is still very much alive—and that there are those in Savannah looking to cash in on both Tillie’s demise and Jessica’s failure. Now, Jessica must uncover the ghosts of history—and deal with a few pesky spirits in the present—if she is to put the past to rest and solve a murder. Hopefully she won’t wind end up getting put to rest herself.

Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Season (Book 52)

With work on the reconstruction of her beloved home almost complete, Jessica Fletcher is in high holiday spirits, spearheading the annual Christmas parade and preparing for her nephew Grady and his family to come to town.

The only thing dampening the holiday cheer is the discovery of two sets of bones on Jessica’s property: one set ancient, the other only about a year old. It’s concluded that they were both placed there during the reconstruction, and Jessica suspects that, despite the centuries between them, the remains might be connected.

Soon tabloid reporter Tad Hollenbeck arrives in Cabot Cove to write a story about what he calls “the murder capital of the country.” But when Tad himself is murdered, Jessica speculates that his arrival, his death, and the discovery of the bones are all somehow linked.

As Jessica digs deeper to find the connection between the bones and Tad’s murder, everything seems to come back to a mystery that has long plagued Cabot Cove. If she wants to solve the case, she’ll need to delve into her beloved town’s dark history, or else this holiday season may be her last.

Murder, She Wrote: The Murder of Twelve (Book 51) 

Still staying at the Hill House hotel while her beloved home is being rebuilt, Jessica Fletcher finds herself sharing the space for a weekend with a dozen members of a wedding party who have gathered there for a rehearsal dinner. The families of the bride and groom can’t stand each other but have agreed to put aside years of long-simmering tension to celebrate the nuptials.

Unfortunately, weather forecasters underestimated the severity of a storm that turns into a historic blizzard that dumps nearly five feet of snow on Cabot Cove, leaving everyone stranded.

But the hotel guests have bigger things to worry about than bad weather conditions and potential cold feet, because a murderer has shown up in-invited–one who has vowed to take them down one by one.

Murder, She Wrote: A Time for Murder (Book 50)

Young Jessica Fletcher’s life couldn’t be more ordinary. She teaches at the local high school while she and her loving husband, Frank, are raising their nephew Grady together. But when the beloved principal dies under mysterious circumstances, Jessica knows something is off and, for the very first time, investigates a death.

Present-day Jessica returns to high school for a colleague’s retirement party and has fun seeing familiar faces. That is, until the colleague winds up dead–and his death has mysterious links to Jessica’s very first murder case.

With nothing but her own instincts to guide her, Jessica embarks on a quest to find out what really happened all those years ago and who’s behind these murders. Because time is running out to catch this killer.

*****

Mystery Tribune’s Reading Lists provide coverage of the best novels in crime, mystery and thriller genre and are available here.

Image credit: “Murder She Wrote” Tv show.