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Murder, She Wrote #18
You Bet Your Life
Has Jessica Fletcher discovered a set-up in sin city?
When her old Cabot Cove friend Martha decided to get married in Las Vegas, Jessica made the trip to see her walk down the aisle. But what were the odds that she’d be back two years later—to console Martha as she stands accused of her husband’s murder?
Jessica’s never been one to gamble, but she’s willing to bet that Martha isn’t guilty. Her husband was a high-rolling Las Vegas local with three ex-wives and plenty of jealous acquaintances. After joining Martha’s defense team, Jessica combs through the man’s past in an effort to find the real killer. But as the media attention grows—and Jessica is interviewed by the news anchors of Court TV—the stakes are raised, and Jessica learns how to play for keeps.
Librarian's note #1: there is an earlier MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4-volume original series: #1, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985); #2, Hooray for Homicide (1985); #3, Lovers and Other Killers (1986); and #4, Murder in Two Acts (1986). But improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #2: the characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the first 20 books in the current Jessica Fletcher / Donald Bain MSW series. They are #1, Gin & Daggers (1989) with a 2nd edition in (2000); #2, Manhattans & Murder (1994); #3, Rum & Razors (1995); #4, Brandy & Bullets (1995); #5, Martinis & Mayhem (1995); #6, A Deadly Judgment (1996); #7, A Palette for Murder (1996); #8, The Highland Fling Murders (1997); #9, Murder on the QE2 (1997); #10, Murder in Moscow (1998); #11, A Little Yuletide Murder (1998); #12, Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999); #13, Knock 'Em Dead (1999); #14, Trick or Treachery (2000); #15, Blood on the Vine (2001); #16, Murder in a Minor Key (2001); #17, Provence - To Die For (2002); #18, You Bet Your Life (2002); #19, Majoring in Murder (2003), and #20, Destination Murder (2003). But improvements welcome! Needed - a librarian to give the same treatment for #21 and on.
When her old Cabot Cove friend Martha decided to get married in Las Vegas, Jessica made the trip to see her walk down the aisle. But what were the odds that she’d be back two years later—to console Martha as she stands accused of her husband’s murder?
Jessica’s never been one to gamble, but she’s willing to bet that Martha isn’t guilty. Her husband was a high-rolling Las Vegas local with three ex-wives and plenty of jealous acquaintances. After joining Martha’s defense team, Jessica combs through the man’s past in an effort to find the real killer. But as the media attention grows—and Jessica is interviewed by the news anchors of Court TV—the stakes are raised, and Jessica learns how to play for keeps.
Librarian's note #1: there is an earlier MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4-volume original series: #1, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985); #2, Hooray for Homicide (1985); #3, Lovers and Other Killers (1986); and #4, Murder in Two Acts (1986). But improvements welcome!
Librarian's note #2: the characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the first 20 books in the current Jessica Fletcher / Donald Bain MSW series. They are #1, Gin & Daggers (1989) with a 2nd edition in (2000); #2, Manhattans & Murder (1994); #3, Rum & Razors (1995); #4, Brandy & Bullets (1995); #5, Martinis & Mayhem (1995); #6, A Deadly Judgment (1996); #7, A Palette for Murder (1996); #8, The Highland Fling Murders (1997); #9, Murder on the QE2 (1997); #10, Murder in Moscow (1998); #11, A Little Yuletide Murder (1998); #12, Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999); #13, Knock 'Em Dead (1999); #14, Trick or Treachery (2000); #15, Blood on the Vine (2001); #16, Murder in a Minor Key (2001); #17, Provence - To Die For (2002); #18, You Bet Your Life (2002); #19, Majoring in Murder (2003), and #20, Destination Murder (2003). But improvements welcome! Needed - a librarian to give the same treatment for #21 and on.
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
99 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Fletcher
107 books1,064 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jessica Fletcher (born Jessica Beatrice MacGill, and writes under the initialed J.B. Fletcher) is a fictional character from the US television series Murder, She Wrote.
In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, a series of official original novels have been written by American ghostwriter Donald Bain. The author credit for the novels is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher." The series has been continued by authors Renée Paley-Bain, Jon Land, Terrie Farley Moran, and Barbara Early.
When the first novel in the series, Gin and Daggers, was published in 1989 it included several inaccuracies to the TV series including Jessica driving a car which she could not do as she never learned to drive. Due to fans pointing out the errors, the novel was republished in 2000 with most of the inaccuracies corrected.
Source: Wikipedia
Jessica Fletcher (born Jessica Beatrice MacGill, and writes under the initialed J.B. Fletcher) is a fictional character from the US television series Murder, She Wrote.
In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, a series of official original novels have been written by American ghostwriter Donald Bain. The author credit for the novels is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher." The series has been continued by authors Renée Paley-Bain, Jon Land, Terrie Farley Moran, and Barbara Early.
When the first novel in the series, Gin and Daggers, was published in 1989 it included several inaccuracies to the TV series including Jessica driving a car which she could not do as she never learned to drive. Due to fans pointing out the errors, the novel was republished in 2000 with most of the inaccuracies corrected.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
August 25, 2018
I loved it! Great mystery!
September 28, 2025
4 Stars. A good one, and different for Jessica. Mrs. Fletcher joins the defence team at the murder trial of her good friend, former Cabot Cove resident Martha (Reemes) Kildare. Jess has been involved in trials before - in A Deadly Judgment (MSW current series #6), she was a jury consultant for Malcolm McLoon, an attention-seeking attorney in Boston. But here she joins the staff and investigators assembled by Martha's criminal attorney, Vince Nastasi. And sits with him at the defence table in the courtroom. It's a sensation; Court TV is covering the Las Vegas trial and can't get enough on-air time with the famous mystery author. She proves to be a natural at public relations and the media, teasing them about details which can't yet be released, and using the opportunity to look for potential witnesses. Two years earlier in same city, Martha married the victim, Victor Kildare, a wealthy businessman with numerous but difficult-to-pin-down interests. One of his associates was a big thug of a man, the illusive "Chappy." Is the mob involved? At one point our favourite sleuth ventures a bit of change on a slot machine! But this happens in Vegas and I can say no more. (De2024/Se2025)
April 23, 2021
Wow 😲
È solo il secondo della serie che leggo, ma l’ho trovato decisamente meglio dell’altro (Delitto à la carte).
È un gran bel mix, un po’ alla Perry Mason (che tra l’altro viene anche citato), tra indagini esterne e udienze in tribunale. Il tutto nel ristretto e variopinto mondo di Las Vegas.
Era un’attrattiva innegabile. Las Vegas, con tutte le sue luci sfavillanti, era una festa continua, una celebrazione perpetua.
Ma non è tutto oro quello che luce... Un bellissimo ambiente, certo, ma ciò non lo rende esente da crimini e brutalità. Anzi. E allora eccolo servito, il delitto. La tragedia bussa... e l’intraprendente J. F. risponde.
La trama è ben costruita, i personaggi mi sono piaciuti (eh, sì... anche quelli negativi), l’ambientazione è descritta molto bene e l’atmosfera che si respira è di attesa, fino al colpo di scena finale, che trova il proprio spazio in un’aria satura di elettricità.
Congratulazioni, Jessica Fletcher. Ottimo lavoro.
📚 Biblioteca
✍️ La Signora in Giallo
È solo il secondo della serie che leggo, ma l’ho trovato decisamente meglio dell’altro (Delitto à la carte).
È un gran bel mix, un po’ alla Perry Mason (che tra l’altro viene anche citato), tra indagini esterne e udienze in tribunale. Il tutto nel ristretto e variopinto mondo di Las Vegas.
Era un’attrattiva innegabile. Las Vegas, con tutte le sue luci sfavillanti, era una festa continua, una celebrazione perpetua.
Ma non è tutto oro quello che luce... Un bellissimo ambiente, certo, ma ciò non lo rende esente da crimini e brutalità. Anzi. E allora eccolo servito, il delitto. La tragedia bussa... e l’intraprendente J. F. risponde.
La trama è ben costruita, i personaggi mi sono piaciuti (eh, sì... anche quelli negativi), l’ambientazione è descritta molto bene e l’atmosfera che si respira è di attesa, fino al colpo di scena finale, che trova il proprio spazio in un’aria satura di elettricità.
Congratulazioni, Jessica Fletcher. Ottimo lavoro.
📚 Biblioteca
✍️ La Signora in Giallo
July 8, 2020
I needed something light and easy to read and this one delivered!
I enjoyed that the novel was different than the others in the series in that a lot of scenes were in the courtroom. I liked the trial aspect and was curious on how Jessica was going to play a role. Wasn’t a huge fan of how the defence lawyer just added her to the defence team though.
Would recommend and will be picking up another novel in the series!
I enjoyed that the novel was different than the others in the series in that a lot of scenes were in the courtroom. I liked the trial aspect and was curious on how Jessica was going to play a role. Wasn’t a huge fan of how the defence lawyer just added her to the defence team though.
Would recommend and will be picking up another novel in the series!
June 13, 2025
I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I have enjoyed the others. However, I loved the Court TV point of views
September 5, 2025
An entertaining entry in the Murder, She Wrote series. This one leans heavily into courtroom drama—so much so that “court TV” essentially becomes a character in the story. It pulls Jessica away from Cabot Cove, which doesn’t always work for me, but here it was an interesting change of pace.
The setup was strong, with flashbacks reaching back years, and I liked both the characters and the story overall. There were moments where the narrative dragged a bit, taking its time to wrap up, and I didn’t feel like there were a ton of great clues along the way.
One standout character for me was “Dirty Pete” Cross—a Las Vegas pilot who enjoys being a watcher (and I’ll put “watch” in quotation marks there). He made for an intriguing foil for Jessica and added some color to the story.
What worked best, though, was the way the authors blended familiar Cabot Cove characters with the newer ones while layering in the courtroom drama. It made for a fun and engaging read, even if not quite top-tier in the series.
The setup was strong, with flashbacks reaching back years, and I liked both the characters and the story overall. There were moments where the narrative dragged a bit, taking its time to wrap up, and I didn’t feel like there were a ton of great clues along the way.
One standout character for me was “Dirty Pete” Cross—a Las Vegas pilot who enjoys being a watcher (and I’ll put “watch” in quotation marks there). He made for an intriguing foil for Jessica and added some color to the story.
What worked best, though, was the way the authors blended familiar Cabot Cove characters with the newer ones while layering in the courtroom drama. It made for a fun and engaging read, even if not quite top-tier in the series.
August 24, 2019
Un'ottimo libro giallo con l'infallibile scrittrice-detective Jessica Fletcher.
April 26, 2011
You Bet Your Life by Jessica Fletcher was a very quick read that still felt too long. It's the first in the series I have read & since I loved the series, I'd hoped to feel the same about the books. I won't judge a series by just one book but this one was disappointing. The locale, Las Vegas, never felt either exciting enough or tawdry enough to be interesting, and except for Jessica's voice, which sounded as true as ever & enjoyable, and the accused murderer who was appropriately lovely & a pleasant Perry Mason scene at the end, the book was mostly flat & felt somewhat "churned out."
I look forward to reading another one in the series. Maybe back at Cabot Cove where Jessica was understandably eager to return.
Recommended: for true-blue fans of Jessica Fletcher.
I look forward to reading another one in the series. Maybe back at Cabot Cove where Jessica was understandably eager to return.
Recommended: for true-blue fans of Jessica Fletcher.
May 30, 2019
I haven't reached for a cozy murder mystery in a couple years because they became very predictable, but I'm happy to have picked this one up!
The eighteenth installment of this series proved to be an addicting read that kept me guessing. It was nice to be back alongside Jessica Fletcher however the ending wrapped up too quickly for my tastes.
The eighteenth installment of this series proved to be an addicting read that kept me guessing. It was nice to be back alongside Jessica Fletcher however the ending wrapped up too quickly for my tastes.
September 16, 2013
One of my favorite Murder, She Wrote books so far. Simple mystery, yet cozy and well written.
January 4, 2020
I found this in my Little Free Library and the show is one of my guilty pleasures. The book is on par with the show.
March 16, 2019
My favourite Murder She Wrote book so far!
September 26, 2023
Stars: 4 / 5
Recommendation: Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this cozy addition to the series giving Jessica a better role as an amateur sleuthing. As always the ending was a little quick, but at least we got to see her completely solve the case this time as opposed reading about it later in the final chapter.
You Bet Your Life is the 18th novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on October 1, 2002. Jessica comes back to Las Vegas to defend her friend Martha who is accused of murdering her husband and Jessica is the only one who believes her. Now she has to wade through the myriad suspects and at the same time raise her stakes to capture the killer.
This is my take on the series of books written by a plethora of authors and Jessica Fletcher (fictional author) based on the 80s and 90s popular American crime drama television series Murder, She Wrote. These books are ghost written by Donald Bain and fictional author Jessica Fletcher for the first 43 books until 2015. Then Donald Bain wrote these with Renee Paley Bain and Jon Land for four more books. After Donald Bain passed away in 2017, Jon Land alone took the baton and continued with Jessica Fletcher for 5 more books until 2020. Starting 2021 the series was picked by Terrie Farley Moran again pairing with the fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. As of 2023, 56 books have been written in this series. They are all written in first person narration.
I think this is one of the better novels in the series. Begins with a flashback for a couple chapters before taking the readers into a courtroom drama. It’s Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this book. And Jessica does her sleuthing as usual along with being part of the defense team.
The story reminded me of the Season 8 Episode 7 "Terminal Connection" from the Murder, She Wrote TV Show. Although in this Martha Kildare is not necessarily abused by her husband Victor, he comes across as a very demanding and sometimes insensitive person.
A scene directly from O. J. Simpson's trial is used in this plot. The famous scene where he tries on gloves that allegedly were used during the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Albeit here the gloves are of the female defendant as opposed to a male one in the former trial.
Incidentally, the protagonist Martha, had portrayed the lead role in Cabot Cove's Village Theater Troupe's production of Witness For Prosecution. Recently I read the 10th book, Witness In Death, in the long-running In Death series by J.D. Robb that had alluded to this very same play. Both books were written two years apart, the latter in 2000 and the former in 2002.
It's been 15 years since Court TV's final episode aired. But it was very intriguing to read about Court TV in this plot and the workings how the reporters and attorneys tied to Court TV are portrayed and how they showcase a murder trial.
Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this cozy addition to the series giving Jessica a better role as an amateur sleuthing. As always the ending was a little quick, but at least we got to see her completely solve the case this time as opposed reading about it later in the final chapter.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Martha Kildare's family and friends: Victor Kildare, her husband; Betsy Cavendish, her friend in LV; Jane, Victor's daughter from his first wife; Daria, the first wife; Bunny, Victor's second wife; Cindy, Victor's third wife;
b. Victor's associates & friends: Tony McKay, business partner; Henry Quint, business manager; Pearl Quint, Henry's sister and secretary; Oliver Smith, Victor's driver and majordomo; Joseph Ciappino "Chappy", business associate; Mrs. Isobel Alvarez, the housekeeper;
c. Attorneys and Law Enforcement: Shelby Fordice, Prosecutor; Vincent "Vince" Nastasi, defense attorney; Judge Mavin Tapansky; Evelyn, Vince's secretary; Dean Brown, Vince's assistant attorney; Charles "Charlie" J. Biddle, Vince's investigator,
2. Sub Plots:
a. Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt, long-time friend in Cabot Cove, Maine; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard; Morton "Mort" Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Adele / Maureen?; Eve Simpson, realtor friend working at Cabot Cove Realty; Sam Booth, mayor of Cabot Cove; Ethan Cragg, Cabot Cove’s chief town elder;
b. Literary contacts and friends: her publisher Vaughan Buckley of Buckley House, his fashion model wife Olga Buckley and their dogs Sadie and Rose; Harry McGraw, her private eye friend; Matt Miller, her literary agent & his wife Susan; Paulette, Matt's assistant;
c. Other Characters appear frequently: Josh, the mailman; Jed Richardson, only bush pilot for Cabot Cove and owner of Jed's Flying Service, and his wife Alicia; Mara, restaurant owner of Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel; Richard "Dick" Mann, Fire Chief; Charlene Sassi, a baker; Susan Shevlin, travel agent and her husband Jim who is the Mayor of Cabot Cove; Professor Donskoy; Roberta Dougherty, bookstore owner; Richard Koser, photographer, and his wife MaryJane; Barbara DePaoli, Chamber of Commerce's secretary; Anthon Colarusso, dentist; Beth and Peter Mullin, owners of flower shop Old Tyme Floral; Sam Davis, investment advisor; Jack Decker, publisher of Cabot Cove's monthly magazine; Peter Eder, Cabot Cove's symphony orchestra; Bob Daros, owns Heritage Fuel; Tim Purdy, treasurer of chamber of commerce and historian and president of Cabot Cove's historical society, also an investment advisor; Pat Hitchcock, Cabot Cove's popular nurse and teacher?; Gloria Watson, Wendell's mother; Joseph "Joe" Turco, an attorney; Marcia Davis, costume designer; David and Jim Raneri, owners of Charles Department Store; Ralph Mackin, town attorney; Ed and Joan Lerner, retirees; Brenda Brody, copy editor of Cabot Cove Insider; Doug Treyz, dentist, and his wife Tina; Jack and Marilou Decker, publishers of Cabot Cove Insider; Peter and Roberta Walters, owners of the radio station; Horace Teller, publisher of Cabot Cove News; Doris Sitar, assistant manager at Cabot Cove Savings Bank; Dmitri, owner of local taxi company; Phil Wick, field manager of the phone company; John St. Clair, professor of business law at Cabot Cove Community College; Dr. Jennifer "Jenny" Countryman, Seth's partner;
d. Sheriff Metzger’s office staff & other law enforcement: Deputy Andy Jenks; Deputy Jack; Rookie Wendell Watson; Deputy Harold; Deputy Jerry; Alfred Gillo, medical examiner; Judge Kaplan; Marie Poutre, dispatcher;
e. Jessica Fletcher’s family: Grady Fletcher, nephew that she and her late-husband Frank raise, his wife Donna and child Frank;
f. We continue to see Mort Metzger's wife being called as Maureen. But she was named Adele in the TV show…and also in the 50th book, A Time for Murder, she was back to Adele. Not sure when Bain changed it back to Adele since I have a few more books to go before I reach the 50th book, but perhaps the readers made him change it back.
g. From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
h. From the 10th book, Murder in Moscow:
i. There is still no resolution as to who or how Ward Wenington was killed in D.C. and why Vladislav "Vlady" Staritova was killed in Russia. What was the connection?
ii. Alexandra Kozhina disappears at the end of the plot. And will she surface in another book?
i. In the 50th book, A Time for Murder, Jessica is shown at Hill House, Cabot Cove’s very own Inn due to a fire at her Victorian home at 698 Candlewood Lame. I wonder if the 49th book, Murder in Red, has anything to do with her house getting caught fire which almost killed her.
j. From the 51st book, The Murder of Twelve:
i. Author Land gives considerable mystery to Seamus McGilray’s character. I wonder if he resurfaces in a future book.
ii. Towards the end of the book, Mort jokes that Jessica should run for mayor. Hmm…something to look forward to I suppose.
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
a. On Pg. 71, Line 4 from bottom, it should be "…were being played…"
b. In several places the defense attorney Vince is referred to a Victor. For instance On Pg. 87, at the bottom of the page, Evelyn addresses him as Victor. Again on Pg. 229, in the middle of the page, he is named as Victor again.
Recommendation: Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this cozy addition to the series giving Jessica a better role as an amateur sleuthing. As always the ending was a little quick, but at least we got to see her completely solve the case this time as opposed reading about it later in the final chapter.
You Bet Your Life is the 18th novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on October 1, 2002. Jessica comes back to Las Vegas to defend her friend Martha who is accused of murdering her husband and Jessica is the only one who believes her. Now she has to wade through the myriad suspects and at the same time raise her stakes to capture the killer.
This is my take on the series of books written by a plethora of authors and Jessica Fletcher (fictional author) based on the 80s and 90s popular American crime drama television series Murder, She Wrote. These books are ghost written by Donald Bain and fictional author Jessica Fletcher for the first 43 books until 2015. Then Donald Bain wrote these with Renee Paley Bain and Jon Land for four more books. After Donald Bain passed away in 2017, Jon Land alone took the baton and continued with Jessica Fletcher for 5 more books until 2020. Starting 2021 the series was picked by Terrie Farley Moran again pairing with the fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. As of 2023, 56 books have been written in this series. They are all written in first person narration.
I think this is one of the better novels in the series. Begins with a flashback for a couple chapters before taking the readers into a courtroom drama. It’s Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this book. And Jessica does her sleuthing as usual along with being part of the defense team.
The story reminded me of the Season 8 Episode 7 "Terminal Connection" from the Murder, She Wrote TV Show. Although in this Martha Kildare is not necessarily abused by her husband Victor, he comes across as a very demanding and sometimes insensitive person.
A scene directly from O. J. Simpson's trial is used in this plot. The famous scene where he tries on gloves that allegedly were used during the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Albeit here the gloves are of the female defendant as opposed to a male one in the former trial.
Incidentally, the protagonist Martha, had portrayed the lead role in Cabot Cove's Village Theater Troupe's production of Witness For Prosecution. Recently I read the 10th book, Witness In Death, in the long-running In Death series by J.D. Robb that had alluded to this very same play. Both books were written two years apart, the latter in 2000 and the former in 2002.
It's been 15 years since Court TV's final episode aired. But it was very intriguing to read about Court TV in this plot and the workings how the reporters and attorneys tied to Court TV are portrayed and how they showcase a murder trial.
Perry Mason crosses with Matlock in this cozy addition to the series giving Jessica a better role as an amateur sleuthing. As always the ending was a little quick, but at least we got to see her completely solve the case this time as opposed reading about it later in the final chapter.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Martha Kildare's family and friends: Victor Kildare, her husband; Betsy Cavendish, her friend in LV; Jane, Victor's daughter from his first wife; Daria, the first wife; Bunny, Victor's second wife; Cindy, Victor's third wife;
b. Victor's associates & friends: Tony McKay, business partner; Henry Quint, business manager; Pearl Quint, Henry's sister and secretary; Oliver Smith, Victor's driver and majordomo; Joseph Ciappino "Chappy", business associate; Mrs. Isobel Alvarez, the housekeeper;
c. Attorneys and Law Enforcement: Shelby Fordice, Prosecutor; Vincent "Vince" Nastasi, defense attorney; Judge Mavin Tapansky; Evelyn, Vince's secretary; Dean Brown, Vince's assistant attorney; Charles "Charlie" J. Biddle, Vince's investigator,
2. Sub Plots:
a. Friends of Jessica Fletcher: Dr. Seth Hazlitt, long-time friend in Cabot Cove, Maine; George Sutherland, senior inspector with Scotland Yard; Morton "Mort" Metzger, Cabot Cove Sherriff and his wife Adele / Maureen?; Eve Simpson, realtor friend working at Cabot Cove Realty; Sam Booth, mayor of Cabot Cove; Ethan Cragg, Cabot Cove’s chief town elder;
b. Literary contacts and friends: her publisher Vaughan Buckley of Buckley House, his fashion model wife Olga Buckley and their dogs Sadie and Rose; Harry McGraw, her private eye friend; Matt Miller, her literary agent & his wife Susan; Paulette, Matt's assistant;
c. Other Characters appear frequently: Josh, the mailman; Jed Richardson, only bush pilot for Cabot Cove and owner of Jed's Flying Service, and his wife Alicia; Mara, restaurant owner of Mara’s Luncheonette; Hank Weathers, a homeless war vet; Seamus McGilray, manager of Hill House Hotel; Richard "Dick" Mann, Fire Chief; Charlene Sassi, a baker; Susan Shevlin, travel agent and her husband Jim who is the Mayor of Cabot Cove; Professor Donskoy; Roberta Dougherty, bookstore owner; Richard Koser, photographer, and his wife MaryJane; Barbara DePaoli, Chamber of Commerce's secretary; Anthon Colarusso, dentist; Beth and Peter Mullin, owners of flower shop Old Tyme Floral; Sam Davis, investment advisor; Jack Decker, publisher of Cabot Cove's monthly magazine; Peter Eder, Cabot Cove's symphony orchestra; Bob Daros, owns Heritage Fuel; Tim Purdy, treasurer of chamber of commerce and historian and president of Cabot Cove's historical society, also an investment advisor; Pat Hitchcock, Cabot Cove's popular nurse and teacher?; Gloria Watson, Wendell's mother; Joseph "Joe" Turco, an attorney; Marcia Davis, costume designer; David and Jim Raneri, owners of Charles Department Store; Ralph Mackin, town attorney; Ed and Joan Lerner, retirees; Brenda Brody, copy editor of Cabot Cove Insider; Doug Treyz, dentist, and his wife Tina; Jack and Marilou Decker, publishers of Cabot Cove Insider; Peter and Roberta Walters, owners of the radio station; Horace Teller, publisher of Cabot Cove News; Doris Sitar, assistant manager at Cabot Cove Savings Bank; Dmitri, owner of local taxi company; Phil Wick, field manager of the phone company; John St. Clair, professor of business law at Cabot Cove Community College; Dr. Jennifer "Jenny" Countryman, Seth's partner;
d. Sheriff Metzger’s office staff & other law enforcement: Deputy Andy Jenks; Deputy Jack; Rookie Wendell Watson; Deputy Harold; Deputy Jerry; Alfred Gillo, medical examiner; Judge Kaplan; Marie Poutre, dispatcher;
e. Jessica Fletcher’s family: Grady Fletcher, nephew that she and her late-husband Frank raise, his wife Donna and child Frank;
f. We continue to see Mort Metzger's wife being called as Maureen. But she was named Adele in the TV show…and also in the 50th book, A Time for Murder, she was back to Adele. Not sure when Bain changed it back to Adele since I have a few more books to go before I reach the 50th book, but perhaps the readers made him change it back.
g. From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
h. From the 10th book, Murder in Moscow:
i. There is still no resolution as to who or how Ward Wenington was killed in D.C. and why Vladislav "Vlady" Staritova was killed in Russia. What was the connection?
ii. Alexandra Kozhina disappears at the end of the plot. And will she surface in another book?
i. In the 50th book, A Time for Murder, Jessica is shown at Hill House, Cabot Cove’s very own Inn due to a fire at her Victorian home at 698 Candlewood Lame. I wonder if the 49th book, Murder in Red, has anything to do with her house getting caught fire which almost killed her.
j. From the 51st book, The Murder of Twelve:
i. Author Land gives considerable mystery to Seamus McGilray’s character. I wonder if he resurfaces in a future book.
ii. Towards the end of the book, Mort jokes that Jessica should run for mayor. Hmm…something to look forward to I suppose.
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
a. On Pg. 71, Line 4 from bottom, it should be "…were being played…"
b. In several places the defense attorney Vince is referred to a Victor. For instance On Pg. 87, at the bottom of the page, Evelyn addresses him as Victor. Again on Pg. 229, in the middle of the page, he is named as Victor again.
March 23, 2025
More a courtroom thriller than a normal MSW story, but the Jessica Fletcher magic is still there. Worth a read if you fancy something a bit different from the usual formula.
August 10, 2025
Rating 3.5
Nice entertaining easy read.
Haven’t seen any of the tv show for years now, but the story, characters and overall atmosphere generated by the writing felt very familiar to me.
One of these days will have to rewatch some of the episodes again.
Overall exactly as you would expect this book to be, fans of the show will enjoy it.
Nice entertaining easy read.
Haven’t seen any of the tv show for years now, but the story, characters and overall atmosphere generated by the writing felt very familiar to me.
One of these days will have to rewatch some of the episodes again.
Overall exactly as you would expect this book to be, fans of the show will enjoy it.
September 26, 2020
Read for the 2020 N.E.W.T.s
ARITHMANCY: Book that ends on an uneven number
Grade awarded: E
Court mysteries are SO not my thing.
I remember reading this for the first time in 2011, when I was in Las Vegas. I was so excited to read a book set in that city when I was there too, but I have no memories of this book, probably they were removed due to my disappointment. There is very little Las Vegas here, but A LOT of court time.
Jessica stays in court a lot, works with a lawyer, goes to visit her friend in prison, goes to Henderson, hangs around her friend's house...but no Vegas? We got just a glimpse of a wedding chapel, but then most of it could have been set in some non-denominational town.
Luckily the plot was cool, I wasn't sure about the identity of the culprit but I was close enough. I just didn't like that Jessica's friend was under process and at risk of being accused of murder. Stories where the protagonist must prove someone's innocence make me very anxious.
ARITHMANCY: Book that ends on an uneven number
Grade awarded: E
Court mysteries are SO not my thing.
I remember reading this for the first time in 2011, when I was in Las Vegas. I was so excited to read a book set in that city when I was there too, but I have no memories of this book, probably they were removed due to my disappointment. There is very little Las Vegas here, but A LOT of court time.
Jessica stays in court a lot, works with a lawyer, goes to visit her friend in prison, goes to Henderson, hangs around her friend's house...but no Vegas? We got just a glimpse of a wedding chapel, but then most of it could have been set in some non-denominational town.
Luckily the plot was cool, I wasn't sure about the identity of the culprit but I was close enough. I just didn't like that Jessica's friend was under process and at risk of being accused of murder. Stories where the protagonist must prove someone's innocence make me very anxious.
October 12, 2011
This one is also a comfort book from Jessica Fletcher series. I enjoyed reading it and remembering some good times in Vegas. However, one thing I was surprised to find that the tone Jessica uses while describing the Hispanic caretaker. She says something like this woman spoke excellent English (read in the brackets in spite of being Hispanic). Well, I have a little problem with this kind of attitude. Even in some other books Jessica says this openly. Now, first of all assuming that all Hispanics don;t speak good English is ridiculous. This is biased. And from the show I know that Jessica is not a biased person at all. In fact she is a warm and welcoming person, who finds friends at every place. perhaps the author would be more careful next time, while making such blatantly wrong statements.
May 2, 2012
In "You Bet Your Life", Donald Bain takes us to Las Vegas where Jessica Fletcher is seeing a friend (Martha Kildare) accused of murder whose wedding she was at 2 years ago. This particular mystery isn't all that badly done & contains characters that are a bit believable & a twist that has our detective on the defense team for our accused. What also helps is that this is a crime we don't see & are playing fill in the blank for the majority of the story. Add in Court TV reporters & one gets something different enough for this series to make it stand out amongst others. Bain keeps the action moving at a quick enough pace to not bore the reader with details & the story is short enough as to not get bogged down in itself which helps.
November 21, 2013
When her old friend Martha decides to get married in Las Vegas, Jessica Fletcher makes the trip to watch her walk down the aisle. But what are the odds that she'll be back two years later-to watch Martha stand accused of her husband's murder?
Jessica's never been one to gamble, but she's willing to bet that Martha isn't guilty. Her husband was a high-rolling Las Vegas local with three ex-wives and plenty of jealous acquaintances. Joining Martha's defense team, Jessica combs through the man's past to find the real killer. But as the media attention grows-and Jessica is interviewed by the news anchors of "Court-TV"-the stakes are raised, and Jessica learns how to play for keeps.
I always enjoy Jessica's adventures, though I would not want to be her friend.
Jessica's never been one to gamble, but she's willing to bet that Martha isn't guilty. Her husband was a high-rolling Las Vegas local with three ex-wives and plenty of jealous acquaintances. Joining Martha's defense team, Jessica combs through the man's past to find the real killer. But as the media attention grows-and Jessica is interviewed by the news anchors of "Court-TV"-the stakes are raised, and Jessica learns how to play for keeps.
I always enjoy Jessica's adventures, though I would not want to be her friend.
August 19, 2016
The character of Jessica Fletcher's innocent friend, Martha, was so annoyingly naive and whiney that she immediately became extremely unlikeable to me. Her only Las Vegas friend, "nonstop–talkative" Betsy, was exhaustingly annoying, too. The inserts of “Court TV” and their anchors’ input were both distracting and boring, and they didn’t add much to the storyline, either. In fact, with the exception of Jessica Fletcher and the Mexican housekeeper, I didn’t like any of the characters in this book and as a result, I really didn't care what happened to them at all, especially poor innocent Martha!
October 23, 2024
Two years ago Jessica Fletcher visited Las Vegas for the nuptials of a beloved friend and former Cabot Cove resident Martha Reemes to Victor Kildare. Now Jessica's returned to Las Vegas to help her friend prove her innocence. Martha is accused of murdering her husband Victor, is being kept in the jail with criminals, and the prosecution is stacking a lot of evidence against her at trial. Jessica is helping out in any way she can, including doing legwork for her lawyer and even going so far as to get on her team. When she digs up a most surprising clue it proves just what the defense needs...and opens a whole new can of worms.
October 2, 2010
This book was alright, but it wasn't my favorite Murder She Wrote book. Jessica's friend is on trial for murder- and a hefty portion of the book revolved around the day to day comings and goings of the trial itself. As a lawyer I appreciated the research that the author did- he was on point with legal practice and procedure- but even I found the court room scenes a little slow. Still, this book was a good read.
May 26, 2017
Jessica's friend Martha got married in style to a Las Vegas casino high roller. But when Martha's whale of a husband turns up dead two years later, Jessica joins the defense team. Can Jessica navigate Sin City's gambling dens and run the gauntlet of Court TV reporters to prove her friend's innocence?
I greatly enjoyed this entry in the series. The fast-paced world of Las Vegas proved a good change of venue for Jessica, and the conclusion was satisfying.
I greatly enjoyed this entry in the series. The fast-paced world of Las Vegas proved a good change of venue for Jessica, and the conclusion was satisfying.
June 4, 2017
I'm afraid this one was just okay. While I still adore Jessica and her Cabot Cove friends, too many other things pushed this one down in rating. Either Jessica is exceptionally smart or both lawyers in this one were morons, because she bested them both at every turn, as well as the villains. And there were just too many coincidences in this one to suit me. Oh well, they can't all be wonderful.
May 24, 2019
When Jess attends a wedding 💒 in Las Vegas, she doesn't think that 2 years later she would be back attending the murder trial of the bride 👰. She knows her friend isn't guilty of murdering her groom so she joins the defense team and investigates 🔍 like only she can. With the help of Court Tv broadcasting 📺 the trial, what happens in the Vegas courtroom doesn't stay in the Vegas courtroom😉.
July 10, 2024
A somewhat different approach to the crime than the usual with a time skip and lots of flashbacks. More emphasis on legal procedures than usual, and I figured out the murderer and the motivation well before Jessica did. But I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the characterization and the relationships between the residents of Cabot Cove.
April 12, 2025
This one is certainly different. Not only the murder, but also the investigation are long gone and it comes to the trial, when Mrs Fletcher steps on the scene and tries to help acquitting her friend of killing her husband. And all of this happening in scorching hot and exciting Las Vegas. Had fun reading.
March 28, 2018
This book is one of my favorites so far. I loved that the majority of it took place in court - the murder trial was very good. Twists, turns, lies and more kept me turning the pages and reading quickly. Love love love these books.
May 26, 2023
Jessica goes to Las vegas to support her former home town friend. The woman was accused of murdering her husband. Jessica was certain she was innocent of the crime and joined the defense team in order to clear her friend's name and find the true killer.
March 7, 2024
I prefer the Murder, She Wrote books that don't take place in Cabot Cove. This one was particularly enjoyable because there was very little input from Seth and Mort. I'll take a bunch of Las Vegas gangsters over those two old women any day.
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