Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Flecher & Terrie Farley Moran

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Jessica Fletcher’s British cousin, Emma MacGill, will be traveling to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, to perform with internationally famous star of stage, screen, and television Derek Braverman in an old-fashioned musical review. Emma would love for Jessica to join her there and suggests she bring along some friends. Having just finished her latest book, Jessica is ready for a vacation and is delighted to agree. Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger are huge fans of Braverman, so they are eager to tag along, and their fanboy behavior gives Jessica and Mort’s wife, Maureen, more than occasional cause to roll their eyes.Upon arrival in Edmonton, Jessica is quickly outed as mystery writer J. B. Fletcher, and despite numerous protests, a hotel staffer arranges a book signing for her. This and touristy adventures arranged for the group make for a much busier trip than Jessica was expecting. When a hotel bartender, who also happens to be a stagehand for Emma’s play, turns up dead backstage at the theater, Jessica’s fun and relaxing vacation quickly becomes anything but.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I love the show and have been really enjoying the book series.

My Impression:  I'm pretty sure this series is the ulimate in cozy reading.  This was such a fun read because not only is Jessica on vacation but she has Seth, Mort and Maureen with her.  I like seeing Mort especially as a character but in a nonofficial capacity.  As well, I always loved when Jessica's cousin showed up on the show and it was just as fun in fiction form.   This was also definitely a case of don't meet your heroes.  

The theater and hotel were a fun setting for this mystery with lots of different characters and interesting scenarios.  A number of people have a reason to want the victim out of the way and Jessica is on top of figuring out the whos and the whys (as well as ducking an unwanted author signing event).  I really enjoyed reading this mystery and it was well paced from beginning to end.  This is truly a series you can jump in anywhere and any time spent with Jessica Fletcher is always a good time!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely!  I'll be looking forward tothe next book and I'd love to go back and read the earlier books.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozy mysteries you really should try this series.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *