Murder, She Wrote

by Bridget Kies

Series edited by Barry Keith Grant

128 Pages, 17 b&w illus.

Paperback
9780814350119
Publication Date: February 2025

$24.99

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Description
Authors
Praise

Embark on a journey through the mysteries of Cabot Cove to learn why Murder, She Wrote is a timeless classic.

Discover the secrets behind the enduring appeal of Murder, She Wrote (CBS, 1984–96) in this captivating investigation of the long-running mystery series. Author Bridget Kies details the show's lasting impact owing to several interconnecting factors tied to the series' genre, cast, and reception.

Murder, She Wrote was a trailblazing "cozy" murder mystery, blending suspense and charm to captivate a wide and varied audience. Bolstered by Angela Lansbury's established star power, the iconic amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher is beloved by fans across generations and around the world. Kies also points to the series' extratextual tie-in novels, made-for-TV movies, licensed products, and crossovers and attempted spinoffs that helped create a franchise universe that lives on today. With insights into the show's twelve remarkable seasons, its rise to global fame, and data from fandom interviews, this book is a must-read for fans and newcomers alike. Embark on a journey through the mysteries of Cabot Cove and beyond to learn why Murder, She Wrote remains a timeless classic.

Bridget Kies is associate professor of film studies and production at Oakland University in Michigan. She is the coeditor, with Megan Connor, of Fandom, the Next Generation. Her research has been published in Television and New Media, VIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture, Feminist Media Histories, and more. She has served on the editorial board of Popular Culture Review since 2023.

Kies has written an outstanding book that will appeal to fans of Murder, She Wrote as well as TV scholars, and it brilliantly uses aspects of TV studies, fan studies, and textual analysis to offer a rich reading of the show and its legacy. The insights into the series' production history and Lansbury's stardom and involvement in the show, along with a focus on why the show and Lansbury have meant so much to fans, make this a fitting addition to the TV Milestones series and emphasize why the quirky residents and murders of Cabot Cove continue to resonate with fans and audiences today long after the show's end.

~Brian Faucette, author of Hawaii Five-O (Wayne State University Press)

Kies's analysis provides a much-needed discussion of popular television. She thoroughly grounds her views on Murder, She Wrote with appropriate critical support in the areas of genre, fan experience, Lansbury's position on the series, and the show's continued influence on popular media and culture.

~Phyllis M. Betz, editor of Writing the Cozy Mystery: Authors' Perspectives on Their Craft

Fans and scholars alike will delight in this accessible and well-researched study of a much-beloved series. A true Cabot Cove aficionado, Bridget Kies delivers a compelling yet decidedly fun dive into Murder, She Wrote.

~Alice Leppert, author of TV Family Values: Gender, Domestic Labor, and 1980s Sitcoms