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Murder, She Wrote #33

Nashville Noir

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In the brand-new novel in the USA Today bestselling series, Jessica Fletcher learns that some songs end on a fatal note.

Jessica Fletcher knows that creativity must be nurtured. So when a young lady from Cabot Cove shows promise as a singer and songwriter, Jessica and a local citizens committee send Cyndi on a scholarship trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where she can benefit from professional instruction.

Only weeks later, Cabot Cove is shocked to hear of the cold-blooded murder of a brash country music publisher-by the young talent Cyndi! And as Cyndi's mother begs Jessica to help her daughter, Jess heads to the country music capital of the world to help the wayward starlet.

Jessica finds that the murdered man was no country gentleman, with a list of ex-wives, cheated partners, swindled singers, and stolen songs that has Jessica swinging to-and-fro in the search for a killer. And if she can't uncover the culprit soon, Jessica knows that poor Cyndi will never get the chance for an encore...

276 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2010

43 people are currently reading
831 people want to read

About the author

Jessica Fletcher

117 books1,054 followers
Librarian’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 and published by the New American Library. The author credit for the novels is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher." 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 99 reviews
Profile Image for Kerry Bonham.
98 reviews2 followers
April 4, 2020
Very good story. I liked the details about Country Music and Nashville's history.
Profile Image for L.E. Fidler.
717 reviews77 followers
June 17, 2010
oh jessica, where did we go wrong? it's not just the stetson hat.

ours was a relationship built on mutual love and affection. you were like the childless grandmother i always wished i had. then, they sold the rights to your stories to a man whose name makes me giggle. here's part of the problem: mr. bain is as comfortable inside a woman's head as elizabeth hasselbeck is at the democratic national convention. he eliminates some of the strife by assuming the persona of a septuagenarian mystery writer whose libido has shriveled up many moons ago; however, when jessica must interact with members of the opposing gender she gets all type A and stand-offish. laura mulvey would rant about the spectacle of the male gaze or gender masquerade, i'll settle for something more simple. the difference between an author who comfortably writes from the female perspective and this one is huge.

oh and the murderer is so easy to spot you'll get sort of pissed that it's taking jessica so long to get her act together and solve it.
Profile Image for Shana.
245 reviews
October 14, 2025
Thankfully, the annoying character was secluded to the beginning of the book, but this was good! Talk about sifting through a pack of liars. 😬😬
Profile Image for _Erica_.
94 reviews5 followers
May 25, 2023
Una storia davvero incalzante dove la nostra Jessica si sente quasi responsabile per quello che è successo a una sua concittadina Cindy che si è trasferita a Nashville per intraprendere la carriera di musicista di musica country. Qui Cindy viene accusata di omicidio,ma la signora Fletcher arriva in suo aiuto per scagionarla da ogni accusa,perché per lei Cindy è innocente. Qui collabora con la polizia e l’avvocato difensore della ragazza per trovare prove che dimostrino il contrario.
Io l’ho ascoltato in audio libro e l’interpretazione della voce narrante mi è piaciuta molto non mi ha mai fatto perdere il filo,ne sono rimasta davvero soddisfatta. E voi ascoltate gli audiolibri o siete di più per il cartaceo? Io devo dire che mi piacciono,è una valida alternativa per leggere di più e non accumulare libri in casa. Anche se il mio preferito rimarrà sempre il Libro!!

Voto
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Amanda Carruthers.
171 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2018
I’ve never read a Jessica Fletcher mystery but since I live right outside if Nashville I decided to give u5 a read and I wasn’t disappointed. I know basically every location in the book and was pleasantly surprised that all landmarks were described accurately. Highly recommended!!!
Profile Image for Jon.
116 reviews
March 29, 2023
interesting story

An interesting enough murder mystery which reads a lot like watching an episode of Murder, She Wrote. Dialog-driven, lots of matter-of-fact observations, etc. But no interesting, clever, original bits of writing. No insights into Jessica Fletcher via inner monologue or how she came to this point in her life, making for flat characters the reader never really gets to know well, or what their motivations are. Three stars for being entertaining if nothing else.
Profile Image for Aparna.
652 reviews8 followers
October 27, 2023
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: All in all a decent plot and a might effort from Jessica to exonerate an innocent girl. Even though abrupt ending, I still think it’s a neat cozy mystery for those rainy days or for those snowy days where you can curl up by the fire and enjoy the read.

Nashville in Noir is the 33rd novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on April of 2010. Jessica is sent to Nashville when one of the Cabot Cover resident's daughter, Cyndi Gabriel, is charged with murder of a brash music producer. Now Cindy and her family rely on Jessica to solve the crime, free her from the charges and give her a chance for encore in her music career.

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.

The book opens with a beautiful song written and composed by David A. Stewart. Not sure if the real David Stewart had written this or not but the lines are beautiful. I couldn’t find anywhere to assert that.

We get a lot of history as usual from Jessica's eyes she explores Nashville - both good and shady neighborhoods - as she tries to find the real killer and exonerate Cindy. Again we see a different way of police procedures by the police at Nashville.

I was confused at one thing though. Didn’t the CCC - Cabot Cove Cares - have a recording of the song that Cindy sang in Cabot Cove, before sending a copy to Roderick the music executive? That could have clearly shown that the song was Cindy's and that Sally Prentice has stole it from her. I wonder why that was not brought up at any point to prove the conspiracy that Roderick was running,

I also wish Bain had rectified several errors with various characters - wife's names are different in different books; last names are different; occupations are different. Also may be Bain should tone down Jessica's rumination about always telling that she doesn’t want to be part of a murder investigation. She inadvertently cannot stop her curious brain so he should just make it her character rather than keep giving a sort of guilt feeling for her.

The ending was different than normal that I expected. She confronts the killer very abruptly without any inclination that she was ready to reveal them. It felt a bit rushed and abrupt for me.

All in all a decent plot and a might effort from Jessica to exonerate an innocent girl. Even though abrupt ending, I still think it’s a neat cozy mystery for those rainy days or for those snowy days where you can curl up by the fire and enjoy the read.

Spoiler Alerts:

1. Plot Reveals:
a. Cindy Blaskowitz's family and friends: Janet, Mother; Emily, Liz & Mia, sisters; Jamal Washburn, Cindy's attorney; Wally Brolin, a fellow musician and friend;
b. Other characters: Elsie Fricket; Roderick Marker, a music executive; Mrs. Lynee Granger, Cindy's landlady; Bart Grossman, an entertainment attorney; Detective Biddle; Marilyn Marker, Roderick's 3rd wife; Brandon, Mrs. Granger's nephew; Alicia Piedmont, Heather Blackwood, Barrie& Sammy, neighbors of Cindy; Sally Prentice, another upcoming country singer; Mrs. Edwina "Eddy" Anderson, Rod's secretary; Clevon Morgan, security at Rod's building; Buddy, staff person of Rod's office; Mr. Laidlow, prosecuting attorney; Jeremy, Rod's son from his first marriage; Mr. Lewis Whitson, Rod's partner;

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 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 / Barbara?; 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, 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, and his wife Ellen; 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; Reginald "Reggie" Weems, insurance agent; Richard Jenkins & Sal Marterella, city council members; Jack Wilson, the Veterinarian, and his wife Tobe; Evelyn Phillips, editor of Cabot Cove Gazette;
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. We finally get to see the reason behind Mort's wife's name confusion. Seems to be that Adele left Mort for big city lights and he marries Maureen later. But why did the wife's name go back to Adele in the 50th book, A Time for Murder. Looks like the confusion is not completely alleviated.
g. I remember reading one of the later books (and couldn’t figure out which one was that) where we see Sam Booth as the mayor of Cabot Cove. However, since I started reading the series from the beginning, looks like the mayor of Cabot Cove is Jim Shevlin. I wonder if Sam Booth surfaces as I remember from way back read.
h. The prominent photographer of Cabot Cove's last name is spelled differently in the 30th book A Slaying in Savannah. Up until the he was "Koser" and now he is "Kaser" in this book. Wonder if it will change back in future.
i. In the 27th book Coffee, Tea or Murder? we see that Jed's wife is named Barbara. But up until then she was named Alicia. Wonder if Bain will have a backup story for that in future books.
j. From the 9th book, Murder on the QE2: Mary Ward has been a prominent character in this book. Will she resurface again?
k. 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?
l. 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.
m. 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.
Profile Image for Pat.
343 reviews2 followers
December 1, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. Jessica Fletcher is one of my favorite characters. As I read, I can just see Angela Lansbury getting into trouble. I have read all 33 of the Murder, She Wrote mysteries and have never tired of the character or the stories. I recommend them to mystery readers who want a gentle read.
Profile Image for Leona.
493 reviews7 followers
March 20, 2011
I love the Murder She Wrote novels even though I never watched the show when it originally aired. Jessica Fletcher has grown on me over the last several years. As you can see, this is the 33rd in the series and I've read each and every one of them.
Profile Image for Kirsten Joanna.
34 reviews
January 16, 2012
I am a big fan of classic TV shows, and when I found out there were books for Murder She Wrote... I almost tackled my computer trying to put one on hold! I totally love Jessica but I don't really like it that they put Jessica Fletcher as an author when she is just a fictional character.
Profile Image for Melmo2610.
3,526 reviews
September 12, 2022
I like this Nashville themed mystery Jessica finds herself involved in. As someone who’s a fan of country music this was a fun one for me. Not my favorite MSW but definitely one I have enjoyed twice now.
566 reviews13 followers
May 3, 2010
Great book, could not put the book down. Read it in two days.
260 reviews
May 8, 2010
Another great Murder, She Wrote book. I really enjoy reading about Jessica's sleuthing adventures.
Profile Image for Joanna.
260 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2011
I thought this Jessica Fletcher book was better written than some of the others that I have read.
Profile Image for Alessandro Lorini.
362 reviews7 followers
May 24, 2019
Oltre a essere bello e appassionante mi ha fatto scoprire la musica country.... che bella che è... chi mi regala un viaggio a Nashville??
Profile Image for Simona Ferrari.
19 reviews1 follower
April 21, 2020
Avevo davvero bisogno di un racconto di Jessica!
Anche se questo si svolge a Nashville e non nella mia amata Cabot Cove, il libro è, come sempre, ricchissimo di emozioni e suspense!
Profile Image for Lisa.
153 reviews1 follower
June 13, 2022
This story was too boring! I think I’m tired of Donald Bain’s version of Jessica Fletcher.
Profile Image for Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle.
1,431 reviews23 followers
March 30, 2025
Jessica Fletcher rolls into Nashville Noir like the calm eye of a rhinestone hurricane. One minute she’s minding her own business in Cabot Cove, the next she’s knee-deep in the country music industry’s dirtiest secrets, trying to clear the name of a hometown girl turned rising starlet — now prime suspect in the murder of one of Nashville’s sleaziest power players. We’re talking dead bodies, stolen songs, and more backstabbing than a CMA afterparty. And Jessica? She’s about to outmaneuver every cowboy in the room.

The trouble starts with Cyndi, a bright, ambitious young woman from Cabot Cove who wins a music scholarship awarded by a local citizens committee — one Jessica serves on. So when Cyndi’s mentor turns up dead and she’s found at the scene, it’s personal. Jessica’s not just stepping in to solve a crime — she’s protecting someone from her own backyard, and she is not about to let this girl get railroaded by fame, fear, or a lazy investigation.

The vibes are pure Southern-fried drama: jealous exes, washed-up legends, sketchy contracts, and cutthroat producers who smile while they steal. Jessica walks into Music Row like it’s just another crime scene — and honestly? It kind of is. She navigates egos, heartbreak, and platinum-plated deception with her usual surgical calm, slicing through the industry’s glittery facade like it’s tissue paper.

The mystery itself? Solid, but not standout. The pacing has that slow drawl feel, and the big twist probably won’t catch you off guard. It's more steady shuffle than boot-stomping banger. But the tension still holds, carried on the back of strong character dynamics and Jessica’s no-nonsense commitment to justice.

At book thirty-three, Jessica Fletcher is a force of nature. Drop her anywhere — small town, big city, corporate boardroom, recording studio — and she will find the rot beneath the surface and expose it with terrifying efficiency. This case may not be her most complex, but the stakes are personal, and that gives it just enough spark to keep things moving.

Three and a half stars. A slower burn, but still satisfying — especially if you like your murder cozy, your setting country, and your heroine politely unstoppable.
Profile Image for The Mystery Reader.
346 reviews6 followers
September 5, 2025
In the thirty-third book of the series by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain, our favorite author heads to Nashville to help a young woman from Cabot Cove accused of murder. It's a great excuse for Jessica to dive into the world of country music, and the setting provides a fresh backdrop for a classic whodunnit.

The authors do a great job of using the music industry to create a colorful cast of characters. The victim, a publisher with a long list of enemies from ex-wives to cheated singers, gives Jessica plenty of motives to sort through. The plot is a solid puzzle that kept me engaged as she navigates the world of music and mystery.

This book is a great example of what makes the series so enjoyable. It provides a reliable and entertaining mystery in a unique location. The new backdrop and music-themed plot add a fresh feel that makes this a standout entry.

Overall, it's a very solid and entertaining mystery. I would highly recommend it to fans of the series and anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery with a fun, unique setting.

★★★★☆

#NashvilleNoir #MurderSheWrote #JessicaFletcher #DonaldBain #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #Nashville #AmateurSleuth #CountryMusic #Whodunnit #MysterySeries
Profile Image for Chuck Neumann.
206 reviews1 follower
July 30, 2018
I liked the "Murder she Wrote" TV series and the book series ghostwritten by Donald Bain. This is a good read, with a great look at Nashville. In many ways it was more a look at the city and the country music industry than a mystery. Jessica goes to Nashville to help a teenage girl from Cabot Cove who had recently gone to Nashville to break into the country music business and now finds herself charged with murdering a music producer. She works with the defense lawyer and the police to find who did kill him. You come across a lot of interesting characters but actual clues to the murder are few and far between. Things come together very fast at the end, perhaps a little to pat - for example the clinching evidence comes from a conversation the killer has with her friend that Jessica happens to overhear outside a Nashville bar. But it was interesting in its own way and a fun read if you enjoy "Murder She Wrote"
Profile Image for K Lamb.
111 reviews1 follower
March 14, 2019
Jessica Fletcher has done it again! I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Also, this served as a cautionary tale for those who are entering the music business or any business for that matter. Be careful who you deal with. There are a lot of crooks out there. Also, everyone doesn't want you to succeed and will pull every trick in the book to pull you down. Additionally, this book serves as a lesson to research thoroughly of those individuals or companies you handle business with. The young lady in this story learned her lesson the hard way, which almost cost her freedom. Jessica B. Fletcher is a bomb detective. Sheriff Metzer should hire her on to the force. I'm sure he needs a helping hand. LOL! ;-)
Profile Image for Daniel.
593 reviews8 followers
April 2, 2019
A young girl, Cyndi Gabriel, from Cabot Cove is sent to Nashville to pursue country music career. A music producer is murdered and Cyndi is seen running from the scene and eventually arrested for his murder. Jessica goes to Nashville to find out who really murdered the producer since she doesn't believe Cyndi did it. She meets a lot of people and ruffles a lot of feathers and eventually gets to the bottom of the case.
I reluctantly picked this novel up because I didn't think I'd enjoy it but I was pleasantly surprised. It's light reading and keeps you wondering what's going to happen. You know the person accused is innocent but you want to know who did it.
Profile Image for Elisa.
409 reviews1 follower
Read
December 13, 2022
La giovane cindy ha uno straordinario talento come cantautrice.
Jessica insieme all'associazione di cui fa parte a Cabot cove, concede una borsa di studio alla giovane che potrà così andare a nashville per studiare e fare fortuna.
Tutto sembra andare per il meglio finché cindy non viene accusata di omicidio.
Ci penserà l'intuito di Jessica a toglierla dai guai.

Leggere questo libro ė stato come vedere una puntata dell'amatissimo telefilm.
La storia ė molto carina e avvincente.
I personaggi sono narrati in maniera eccezionale.
L'intuito di Jessica sarà la chiave per stagionare la giovane cindy.

Jessica fletcher ė sempre Jessica fletcher
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cindy Vincent.
Author 15 books285 followers
February 23, 2021
I judge a book in large part by the way an author can put me into a story, whereby I can read along for hours, and not even be aware that I'm reading. Donald Bain was the kind of author who produced those types of books, and I am so sad that he's gone. Nashville Noir is but another example of his work, and this time Jessica Fletcher travels to Music City, whereby she quickly becomes embroiled in solved an entertainment-industry mystery. All very intriguing with colorful characters. If you like these types of cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this one.
333 reviews4 followers
March 8, 2023
I've just started reading this series, all out of order but it doesn't seem to matter. When I need a break from darker mysteries and need a fluffy cozy, these deliver. You always know exactly what you are going to get and there never seems to be a need for eye rolling. There are lots of cozies out there, some entertaining, some awful, these are consistent, so when you've had a streak of dreadful cutesy cozies that you couldn't finish, these are a reliable read.
Profile Image for megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)).
2,114 reviews13.8k followers
September 1, 2017
Another good installment to the best-selling mystery series. This one wasn't my favorite - I didn't really like any of the supporting characters, besides the accused girl's attorney. I didn't find Nashville, as a location, that exciting either and totally didn't buy Jessica in a Stetson hat. Despite these few misgivings it was definitely good and I will of course continue with the series!
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,737 reviews24 followers
December 24, 2018
The set up is a little bit of a stretch, but I like the setting of Nashville and the characters we meet with Mrs. Granger and Mr. Washburn. I like that there wasn’t a specific list of suspects. A couple appeared to be the leaders, but I wasn’t sure who it was until the end because the answer wasn’t totally straight forward. Not my favorite, but not the worst.
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