Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle by Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran

Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle (Murder, she wrote, #56)

by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

A trip to Northern Ireland becomes unexpectedly grim for Jessica Fletcher in this new entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series.

Jessica Fletcher is quick to accept an invitation to replace a speaker who couldn’t attend a Book Festival in Belfast, Ireland. When her Cabot Cove neighbor Maeve O'Bannon hears about the trip, she asks Jessica to deliver some paintings to her family in the village of Bushmills. Happy to extend her travels and see more of the Irish countryside, Jessica agrees.
 
The festival goes off without a hitch, and it seems like Jessica is in for a relaxing vacation. But then Maeve’s cousin Michael is discovered dead under suspicious circumstances. Jessica finds herself once again in the midst of a murder investigation, and she’ll have to dig into the O'Bannon family’s secrets to unmask the killer. 
 
 

Reviewed by annieb123 on

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Death on the Emerald Isle is the 56th (!!!) Murder, She Wrote mystery. Due out 3rd Jan 2023 from Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is an eminently readable and enjoyable mystery "co-written" by Terrie Farley Moran. This outing sees Jessica flying to Belfast as a guest speaker for a local book festival. The festival actually wraps up without any issues, and it's only when she agrees to deliver some paintings for a neighbor back in the Cabot Cove that dead bodies start popping up. 

These books are such comfort reading. There's something very relaxing about starting a read which is already a known quantity before opening the covers or reading a single sentence. They're consistently well written, cleverly constructed, fast paced, clean, and without graphic violence or language.

I enjoyed the book, but I daresay I'd avoid any college reunion, wedding, vacation, cruise, or christening to which "Aunt Jess" is invited for fear of tripping over a recently murdered friend or acquaintance. "We know you're busy, just send a card, thanks!". I'm sure there are actuarial tables and insurance agents who have lectures and workshops on the statistical improbability of violent crime in her immediate vicinity, no matter *where* she finds herself. 

The mysteries are self-contained and can be read in any order. This is a perennial favorite for binge reading and highly recommended.

Four stars. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

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Reading updates

  • 2 January, 2023: Started reading
  • 2 January, 2023: Finished reading
  • 2 January, 2023: Reviewed