Murder on the QE2(1997)

Jessica FletcherDonald Bain

Bestselling mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher is invited to travel to London on the grand dame of ocean liners, the Queen Elizabeth II, as one of seven guest lecturers. She's done it before in these novels - speak on mystery writing. This time she has also written a short mystery play, to be performed one act-a-day during the crossing. The other lecturers will make guest appearances. Sounds like fun.

During the evening of the very day they set sail, a fellow speaker is found brutally murdered. She was going to play one of the characters in Jessica's mystery play but she died even before the first act! Now Jessica has just four days at sea to find the killer before she finds more of her colleagues, or even herself, dead in the water!

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.