Murder, She Wrote

Catch Murder, She Wrote (Starring Angela Lansbury) on Hallmark Channel

  • By Elaine Petrone
  • Photo Courtesy of Hallmark

Several years ago, I was asked by a group of people my age — if I could be anyone else other than myself, who would I choose? Although confusing to others, the answer seemed obvious to me. I said I would like to be not the venerable actress Angela Lansbury but the wonderfully beloved character she portrayed, J.B. Fletcher, on the classic whodunit primetime TV show Murder, She Wrote.

Jessica Fletcher’s home is in a beautiful picturesque seaside town in Maine (the fictional Cabot Cove) where it miraculously never snows! (Unfortunately, her neighbors keep dying.) She is a successful and talented writer of murder mysteries, she is rich, and she has friends that live all over the world. Imagine traveling to far-away places (Paris, Egypt, London, etc.) and always flying first class! She usually stays at the finest hotels (always preregistered and given access to the best clothes for any occasion) or is a very welcome house guest of several of her many relatives. It should also be noted that wherever she travels people turn up dead! Luckily for us, she is always clever enough to find those guilty of the dastardly deeds. Declining population aside, her life seems pretty perfect to me.

For more than 30 years “MURDER, SHE WROTE” is still airing reruns on the Hallmark channel. Watch it!