The Body in the Trees by Jessica FletcherMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The leaves are at the peak of fall color, and Cabot Cove is at its most dangerous!
Murder, She Wrote: The Body in the Trees is the 62nd book in the cozy mystery series based on the past television show, which it takes its name from, and is, of course, penned by Jessica Fletcher and co-author Terrie Farley Moran. The story, set in Cabot Cove, Maine, during prime leaf-peeper season, is a wonderful page-turner, with multiple storylines woven together.
When the body of a young woman, a tourist in town with several girlfriends for a fall color and coastal fishing tour, is found caught in the limbs of a tree from an apparent fall from the scenic point on a ridge above, everyone assumes it to be a tragic accident. But when Dr. Seth Hazlitt does an on-the-scene examination of the body, what he discovers points toward her being involved in some kind of altercation before her fall, indicating foul play.As Sheriff Mort Metzger and Jessica work in concert but independently to figure out how the young woman ended up on the ridge, Mort is also struggling to find The Bicycle Bandit, a masked individual who is grabbing women’s purses around town and racing off on a bike. Jessica is also trying to research and write her next book while preparing to participate in an upcoming children’s hospital event for Halloween, as her phone is literally ringing off the hook with requests for help with any number of other matters.
I’m always delighted to return to Cabot Cove and to the active, fascinating life of former teacher, now acclaimed mystery writer, Jessica Fletcher, or J.B. Fletcher, her nom de plume. Author Terrie Farley Moran has shouldered the Murder, She Wrote series and has done an outstanding job of capturing the stylish charm and tone of the original television show while also bringing in a breath of fresh, revitalizing air to it. Keeping a 62-book series interesting and fresh is quite an amazing feat. But Moran consistently outperforms my expectations.Jessica is her same observant self, and so put upon, in this installment, at every ring of the phone; it is a wonder she is ever able to get as much done as she does. Next-door neighbor, Maeve O’Bannon, is busy as well with their mutual neighbor, the elderly and until now independent Ruth Lewandowski, who is showing her age and beginning to forget recently held conversations. Mort is almost overwhelmed with his cases, especially when the mayor, Jim Shevlin, takes an unusually aggressive interest in things in the name of protecting the town’s reputation as a ranking tourist destination. Naturally, Maureen is worried about her husband, and I was glad she could take an active role in helping him come out on top.
The story is well-paced with just the right number of distractions to keep readers invested and, hopefully, prevent them from solving the mysteries too soon. There were several promising suspects, and the resolution may come as a surprise to many. However, there were clues along the way for sharp armchair detectives to discover and consider. The story is smooth and absorbing, and I happily read the entire book in one great evening.I recommend THE BODY IN THE TREES to cozy mystery readers, especially those who are fans or familiar with the former TV program.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.View all my reviews
