The big business that is medicine has made its way into the sleepy hamlet of Cavot Cove. And despite all promises to the contrary. The outcome for one Mimi Vandorne proves nothing short of deadly.

Murder In Red may be the 49th offering in this iconic series. But the plot, pacing, characters, and twists are fresher and more engaging than ever. Things seem to take more of a personal turn for Jessica this time around however. As it seems that she is forced to come to grips with her own mortality.

First, with the passing of her friend and local librarian, Jane. At the start of things.
Then with the suspicious death "a la murder" of one Mimi Vandorne.
Questions that need answers abound.
But each answer does little more than lead to more questions.
Questions about Mimi, her past, her secrets, and a long ago choice. That her present day quest for health and wellness at the newly minted Clifton Clinic may now bring to light.
Couple this with a peek into the darker side of medicine. As per goings on at the clinic. And what we have here is a book that lovers of a more cerebral cozy won't want to miss.
There's even an assist from across the pond in the form of George Sutherland. Scotland Yard Inspector, and dare we to hope "potential love interest" for Jessica,?
That is if she can stay alive long enough...

That being said...
This one sitting wonder has it all.
Big pharma, greed, scandal, family secrets, hints of romance and more. All brought together with that Jessica Fletcher panache that we all know and love.

Reviewer's Note
This title is the 49th of a continuous series that may be read on whole or in part.
All opinions herein are those of WTF Are You Reading? And as such the critique provided bears no influence from the publisher or it agents.

Murder in Red is the first Murder She Wrote book I've had the chance to read. I enjoyed the show when I was growing up and loved Angela Lansbury's character. As I read Murder in Red, Angela is who I channeled as Jessica Fletcher, as I'm sure others have done, as well. I found the mystery surrounding her friends and a shady new private hospital well written. I enjoyed the characters, how Jessica was able to ferret out the mysteries and solve the murder of one friend and the disappearance of another.

Clifton Clinic's portrayal as a shady clinic and worthy of such suspicions intrigued me. The entire book, plot, and characters kept me engaged in the story from start to finish. I was completely surprised by the ending and how everything wrapped up. I will definitely be reading more of the books in the series now that I've had a taste.

This was a fun, cute cozy mystery! I love the theme throughout, and I will definitely be continuing with the series.

I enjoyed this Jessica Fletcher mystery book. Reminds me of all the shows I used to watch when I was growing up. Really fun read.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Jessica Fletcher has been one of our favorite female sleuths for over three decades. She changes with the times in every way except that she still doesn’t drive. Jessica, a former substitute high school English, still rides her bicycle around Cabot Cove, Maine, and still takes the train to major metropolises such as Boston, DC, or the Big Apple. Each mystery is better than the last. Her delightful, challenging mysteries are interrelated. For example, in Murder in Red, we again see Chief Inspector George Sutherland from Scotland Yard, introduced to us – and to Jessica – in the 1990 series opener, Gin and Daggers. This time I learned something I hadn’t remembered from the past, that she is a jogger.

Dr. Seth Hazlitt, a close friend of Jessica, has been losing patients in recent months to Clifton Clinic/ Clifton Care Partners. Dr. Clifton opened the clinic just outside Cabot Cove less than a year ago, and it is incredibly popular for regenerative medicine and for clinical trials of serious or lethal diseases. It is also known among those with the best insurance available or the ability to pay cash for their services.

Jean O’Neal, former librarian in Cabot Cove, was well-known and loved. After suffering for years with MS, she finally retired when she could not physically do the work. Jean was a patient at Clifton, participating in a trial that gave her several months of life with a better quality until succumbing to her disease. Most folks in Cabot Cover attended her funeral, then headed to the library for the reception.

Mimi Van Dorn moved to town nearly 10 years ago. She and Jessica bonded through their love of books, volunteering for Friends of the Library, and playing cards. Jessica discovers how little she really knew Mimi. When they were leaving the funeral, Jessica saw Mimi during an angry conversation on her cell phone. Mimi stepped into the road as an old Jeep Cherokee came around the corner, revved the engine, and raced directly to Mimi. Jessica dashed after her and pushed Mimi out of the way. Mimi went back to her heated call, and Jessica saw her at the library reception.

Mimi is now a patient of Dr. Clifton. The specialist has her off caffeine, sugar, and gluten. Seth had been treating her for diabetes for quite some time, but Mimi was a challenge, not wanting to give everything up. Seth speculates that she is going to the clinic for regenerative – primarily cosmetic – medicine. When Mimi has a seizure at the at the reception, Seth gives CPR until the EMT’s take over. At the hospital, she is in a coma, but at least stable.

It is when Jessica goes into the hospital that she sees George Sutherland coming into the hospital, a special friend she was thinking of a short time earlier. He is at Cabot Cove Hospital to see Dr. Clifton and have tests done that can’t be done at Clifton Clinic. George has a room already at Hill House, where Jessica is staying while her home undergoes extensive repairs. He promised to call her when he was done at the hospital.

Not only did George not call or return to his room at Hill House, Seth called early the next morning with the shocking news that early that morning, Mimi died at the hospital. It is noted that the plug for the ventilator was pulled almost out of the socket, but its alarm had not sounded, suggesting murder. According to security tapes, only the nurse making regular rounds had been there, and Dr. Clifton, claiming to be unable to sleep, was there to see how she was doing. Seth believes Clifton is at fault, and George, his new patient, is missing. As Jessica tries to find who tried to run Mimi over and locate George, she learns some of Mimi’s secrets, including the adult son she never talked about.

The author shows throughout how Jessica’s thought processes work, especially as she seeks to discover what or who killed Mimi, where George is, why he is in Cabot Cove, and exactly what kinds of trials Clifton conducts at his clinic. I find Jessica’s musings interesting as she considers this stage of her life and her friends. Even after almost 50 novels, there is something more to learn about Jessica, Seth, Mort, Cabot Cove’s sheriff, and Harry McGraw, the best PI Jessica has worked with. Clifton, Tripp, Fred and others specific to this novel are defined as well as necessary.

This mystery captivated me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. It is fast-paced, with stunning plot twists that keep it fresh and exciting. I like how observant Jessica is, and wish I had the talent of seeing and processing the clues as she does. She and George have made a good team over the years, able to discuss cases and bounce ideas off each other. There were a couple things I did figure out, but Mimi’s secrets were a challenge, as well as what happened to her and where George is – a man with a secret or two of his own. The end brought a huge surprise I didn’t anticipate; overall, I was very satisfied with the resolution. I highly recommend this mystery and am looking forward to many more!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Jessica is back in Cabot Cove attending a funeral of the librarian who died. When her friend Mimi is almost run over Jessica rushes to save her only to have her friend fall into a coma. While at the funeral it is revealed that many of Seth's patients have been using a new company called Clifton Care Partners. Which has Seth despondent and contemplating retiring. When Mimi winds up dead the next day, Jessica has trouble buying what happened!

It isn't long before Jessica learns that George is in town seeking medical treatment from the same clinic. Last time we saw George it was a Thanksgiving at Jessica's. Jessica is still back to her tricks of sneaking around trying to find out who killed Mimi and why? Could it have been an ex-husband or someone out to silence her for another reason?

As Jessica digs in she finds she knows little about her friend. She wonders if she ever knew Mimi. The secrets Mimi holds are deep and shock Jessica and take her from Cabot Cove to Washington D.C. to Rhode Island. What I love about this series is the various people we see. Anyone from George to Seth to Harry McGraw it was such fun to go on a ride with Jessica and see where it ends up and we get to learn more about Frank and how he died. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Jessica!

I love pretty much ALL cozy mysteries, but I have a special place in my heart for a few of my favorite amateur sleuths—Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, and of course, the irreplaceable Jessica Fletcher. In Jon Land’s latest installment in the Jessica Fletcher catalog, Murder She Wrote: Murder in Red, Jessica Fletcher is back with a mystery that hits close to home in Cabot Cove, ME. The death of a friend, a suspicious medical clinic, and the return of an old friend make this a fun read with a good mystery and an ending I never would have guessed!

I was so excited to pick this up and see Jessica Fletcher back in Cabot Cove, ME for this book, after her wild adventures all the way to the white house in the last one! Really, I like to see Jessica Fletcher anywhere, if I’m being honest. But boy, Cabot Cove is sure a dangerous place to live!!!

As the book opens, the residents of Cabot Cove are at a funeral for the local librarian. A new clinic poaching clients right and left from Jessica Fletcher’s long time friend and physician Seth is the talk of the reception. The Clifton Clinic seems to operate in flashy yet mysterious ways, touting a number of services without clear medical protocol. Jessica’s friend Mimi Van Dorn is one of the patients, there for treatment of her diabetes and some anti-aging regimen.

But when Mimi dies suddenly of seemingly medical-related complications, Jessica and Seth suspect that there may be more to Mimi’s death than meets the eye. And they soon discover they are right—Mimi’s death is anything but natural. And then one of Jessica’s dear friend George arrives in town for a medical procedure at the Clifton Clinic… Jessica knows she must get to the bottom of what is happening at that clinic before another person loses their life.

I have to say, that Clifton Clinic really had me suspicious! It was a bit too slick, and the owner a bit too smug. But the patients seemed happy, even if they were paying an arm and a leg for their procedures and treatment. You do have to wonder though if they’d be quite as happy if they found out that they may pay with their life...

Jessica’s friend George was such a sweet part to this. They are a couple that would be together if their work and geography didn’t separate them. Jessica’s fondness for her friends and loved ones is one of her most endearing qualities, and it softens her up when she can be quite sassy and direct other times! I loved her repartee with the other characters too. Jessica Fletcher may be getting older, but her mind is sharp as a tack!

And the mystery was pretty engaging! I couldn’t quite tell where it would go, but let’s just say an old scandal may come to light and hold the key to a few of the answers to this mystery! And even when that was revealed, I wouldn’t have guessed the ending. This was a great mystery with a fantastic conclusion, that fans of Jessica Fletcher and first-timers alike will love!

Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.

I was pleasantly surprised. Let’s be honest here – sometimes long running series like these, especially if they’re based on a television show, can be badly written and cheesy. Folks can get tired and just repackage each book a bit, knowing people will read or buy the material because they’re a fan. It didn’t seem beyond the realm of possibility when the covers were all regurgitations of the same photos of Angela Lansbury.

The tone and writing of the book were spot on to Mrs. Fletcher’s language and style used in the television show. So, it was clever, polite, and tinged with humor. There were a couple of corny running themes – banter with the local sheriff, nostalgia over Mrs. Fletcher’s late husband, a cast of allies who can give her a ride to where she needs to rush off to in order to gather the next clue. It was an enjoyable type of corn.
It was also wonderful to see Jessica getting with the times. These books are definitely not stuck in the 90s. Jessica was Googling and making calls on her cell phone like a curious millennial. Her cop friends were able to help her follow leads with fancy tech and apps.

In this latest mystery, Jessica Fletcher is on the case after a friend of her dies while participating in a sketchy clinical trial. Smelling malpractice, Jessica uncovers secrets about her friend that she never knew, an old friend she thought she knew, and some greasy people in the medical field dodging the FDA. Sometimes, medically themed books can be a little dry, but it was interesting to read about the behind-the-scenes process of healthcare and experimental drugs. I’m not entirely sure the information was entirely accurate as some of the details didn’t align with my own clinical trials/research training, but I was willing to suspend belief.

Murder in Red is book forty-nine in the "Murder, She Wrote" series by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land. Jessica Fletcher friend Mimi Van Dorn dies after visiting a new Medical Client for a simple procedure. Jessica decides to investigate due to her feeling of uneasiness in regards to the death of Mimi. However, Jessica's investigation unearths more then she thought. The readers of Murder in Red will continue to follow Jessica's to find the answer into the death of Mimi Van Dorn.

Murder in Red is another excellent addition to the "Murder, She Wrote" mystery series. I love the way Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land portrayed their characters. Murder in Red is well written and researched by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land. I like the way Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land describe the setting of Murder in Red. While reading Murder in Red, it transported me back to Cove Grove, Maine.

The readers of Murder in Red will learn about medical malpractice and how it can affect everyone involved. Also, the readers of Murder in Red will start to understand the consequences the vanity can have on a person.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for my ARC copy for an honest review. I recommend this book.

Jessica is back this time with a mystery in her own home town of Cabot Cove, Maine. John Land is Jessica Fletcher's new co-author, and we are once again entertained with more adventures of the great crime-solving retired English teacher. This time her old friend George Sutherland shows up in Cabot Cove for a drug trial at a local private hospital. Jessica is of upset George is ill especially after the loss she suffered with her husband years ago. When her friend Mimi dies after seeking treatment to delay aging at the same private hospital, Jessica is on the case working with series regular, Mort the sheriff. I wish there had been more of one of my favorite characters, Seth Hazlitt, which meant there was a lack of Cabot Cove characters saying, "Ayah". Murder in Red is standard JB Fletcher and a fun mystery to fill an afternoon.

Title: Murder She Wrote: Murder In Red

Series: Murder She Wrote book 49

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 320

May 28th 2019


In the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series, Jessica loses a loved one to unnatural causes and sets her sights on the mysterious local hospital before more people wind up dead on arrival...


Jessica Fletcher's favorite gin rummy partner, Mimi Van Dorn, checks into the brand-new Clifton Care Partners, a private hospital that's just opened up shop in town, for a simple procedure—one that leads tragically, and inexplicably, to her death. Seeking justice in her inimitable fashion, Jessica decides to pursue her own investigation on the hospital and its shadowy business dealings.


On the trail of what initially appears to be medical malpractice, Jessica digs deeper and learns her friend was actually a victim of something far more sinister. Death is bad for business, but murder is even worse, and Jessica will find plenty of both as she races to bring down Clifton Care Partners before someone else flatlines.


Mt thoughts

Rating: 5

Would I recommend it? yes

Will I read more of the series? yes

Read this brought back memories of watching the old reruns of the tv show Murder She Wrote , in fact I would say that the characters where and are well written and it's like your not even read a book but is watching the tv show , just like the show Jessica and her friends get into trouble no matter what and the.characters are on point .There was times that I even forgot that I was read a story because it was similar to the show , with that said I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my

This was a must read for me as I am a huge Murder, She Wrote fan. Overall, I enjoyed the story. There was some repetition in the story and a few things felt out of place. I enjoyed the banter between Jessica and her counter parts. That really made it feel like the original members of J.B. Fletcher's crew!!
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review for an honest opinion!