My goodness, do I love Murder She Wrote. Not surprising, since I am fairly sure the tv show was responsible for the cozy mystery trend that followed it. I was so excited to find out that there are books that continue the series only to find out that I have to play catch up on upwards of 50 of them. Missing a detail like that probably means that I won’t be a successful cozy sleuth anytime soon. Oh well, at least I love to read. I only hope that the rest of the books are as good as “Killing in a Koi Pond.”

In this book, Jessica has come into town to visit with an old college friend. At a dinner party on her first night there she can’t help but notice that her friend’s new husband has a temper and is quick to show it. He also seems to have a sadistic side, leaving everyone in the room a suspect when he turns up dead the next morning. There are the classic usual suspects, someone who owes money, someone who has been swindled, the family member about to be cut off, and the ever helpful business partner, to name a few. The only person Jessica is sure of is Delores, the widow.


I am very much aware of the fact that an author would have to do double duty in writing for such a well established series. First they have to remain true to the voice created by the original actors and writers. Then, they must be able to tell a cohesive whodunnit in their own right. Terrie Farley Moran has done a bang up job in both. This book truly felt as if I had been dropped into the show with old friends and new to fill out the cast. I can’t even begin to explain how exciting it was to read Harry Mcgraw in the late Jerry Orbach’s voice. The best part? No commercials. Plus, it reads well, with plenty of clues dropped in just the right places at just the right time with Jessica’s signature withholding of the key piece of evidence until the big reveal. I am going to have to find more books written by Terrie Farley Moran , MSW or otherwise.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

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Exactly what it says on the tin: Jessica takes a detour after a professional conference in Bethseda, Maryland, to visit an old college friend in Columbia, South Carolina. Delores Nickens is a twice-divorced, now happily married for the third time, newlywed; her husband, Willis Nickens, is a multimillionaire businessman who treats her like a queen. Jessica is happy for her old friend, but is less than impressed when she meets Willis - who is loud, arrogant, pompous, and nasty (all qualities of a successful businessman, I suppose). Unfortunately, when she wakes up the next morning, Jessica finds Willis face down in the koi pond, and even though there are quite a few people who are more than happy to see Willis dead, Jessica is sure that her friend isn't one of them. When the local sheriff proves to be less than helpful, Jessica finds herself as Delores's only hope for finding the real killer, and getting the law to move the target they've placed squarely on her back.

Boy was it nice to rekindle my interest in this series! After Donald Bain's death, the franchise owners made a serious mistake when they hired a thriller writer to take over the series, who promptly showed his clear ignorance of the canon and did his best to wreck the series. It's taken about six books, but mercifully, they've switched to a writer far more familiar with cozy mysteries, who is a MUCH better fit. She not only shows knowledge, but respect for the original TV series. Her take on Harry McGraw hews much closer to his original characterization, and I could picture 80s-era Jerry Orbach at his Boston gritty best!

She didn't get everything quite right - overplaying Seth's temper; too much name dropping of various labels, book titles, and authors; and her portrayal of the local sheriff's office is horrifically bad (look, they were on LivePD, so its pretty easy to see the real life deputies in action and see that none of them would've been as nasty to the family as they are portrayed here) - but it was much, much better than her predecessor, and the construction of the murder and reveal was absolutely spot-on for MSW. I wouldn't be surprised if this author is from South Carolina, for she certainly painted a lovely and authentic picture of the town - and I'm sure that helps when stepping up at #53 in a series as a first-time writer.

Brava! I'm so happy that this series is back on track, and look forward to reading future entries. ( )

Murder, She Wrote: Killing in Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2021 Berkley publication.

In this 53rd installment, Jessica is on one of her many trips away from Cabot Cove. This time she’s off to South Carolina for a small vacation, where she plans to visit Delores, an old college friend.

Delores is blissfully happy in her third marriage, but her happiness is short lived, when Jessica discovers her husband, Willis, dead in the Koi Pond. Jessica immediately suspects foul play, but unfortunately, she has a hard time convincing law enforcement to dig a little deeper. But once it has been established that Willis was indeed murdered, there seems to be no shortage of suspects…. Including Delores!

This is Moran’s first book in the MSW series, and it is the first book I’ve read in the series since 2018. If you are wondering if that is a coincidence- it’s not- and we’ll just leave it at that.

I am so happy the writing is back within the cozy format, and Jessica’s character traits are back to normal.

While I want the series to retain the charm we grew to love through the television series, and keep all the recurring characters, and their unique personalities and mannerisms pretty much the same, in that regard, that is not to say Jessica must stay in her quaint 1980s bubble.

Moran brings her up to date a bit, technology wise, while remaining true to everything else we love about this series- and I think it's about time.

Another thing that is back to normal is the pacing. If you remained loyal to the series, even after Donald Bain's death, you might need to adjust yourself back from the tempo of a thriller to the stride of a cozy- but that's as it should be- and I for one am happy to see the author reign that back in.

When it came to the plot and execution, it is possible Moran played it a little too safe. There were a few warbles, but overall it was a solid mystery.

I’m quite pleased with this addition to the series. Hopefully, I can go back to auto adding MSW to my TBR list again!!

4 stars ( )

Jessica’s back! And I for one am very happy about it. Co-authors Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran have perfectly captured the essence of the TV series and the early books. Jessica is still thorough, competent, determined (nosy), fearless, and even though she never takes any guff from anyone, she always retains her wit, humor, manners and common sense.

Everywhere she is, whether she stays home or goes visiting, a murder happens. And that’s the fun, because Jessica is the perfect one to solve it, and she’ll continue to “help” the authorities until solved it is

I was delighted to see Harry McGraw at work again in this story and to hear from grumpy best buddy Seth. I felt as if I was viewing another episode of the series; I could picture the characters, their voices, their mannerisms and enjoyed the often mundane but much needed descriptions of clothes, food, surroundings, Jessica’s jogs . . . .

Moran has done an excellent job with her first pairing with Fletcher. Looking forward to many more books in this totally enjoyable and satisfying series. ( )

Review of uncorrected ebook file

After Jessica Fletcher attends the Malice Domestic conference, she decides to visit her friend, Dolores, in South Carolina. Dolores, recently married to her third husband, Willis Nickens, lives in a palatial mansion with plenty of room for guests and Jessica is looking forward to some girl time, shopping, swapping stories, and relaxing.

Out for her regular early-morning jog, Jessica finds a body face-down in the koi pond. It’s Willis . . . and soon Dolores is the prime suspect in his murder. When Jessica sets out to investigate, she discovers that Willis was definitely lacking in the friend department . . . and more than one person had reason enough to want Willis dead.

But Sheriff Halvorsen is certain Dolores is the culprit. Will Jessica be able to find the truth that will free her friend?

The venerable series continues to shine in this, the fifty-third narrative. The characters are much as readers [and viewers of the long-running television series] expect them to be; the mystery is intriguing; and, of course, Jessica figures it out ahead of everyone else.

Harry McGraw and Seth Hazlitt both make appearances as Jessica juggles Cabot Cove responsibilities and staying in South Carolina to clear her friend; the other characters are sufficiently fleshed out and relatable. Early on, readers get a taste of Willis’s ruthless, fractious comportment; readers are not likely to be surprised when he is the one that turns up dead.

Astute readers may identify the culprit prior to Jessica’s spelling out of the clues that led her to the murderer, but the unfolding story offers enough intrigue and plot twists to keep the pages turning in this delightful, quick-read adventure.

Highly recommended, especially for “Murder, She Wrote” fans.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
#MurderSheWroteKillinginaKoiPond #NetGalley ( )