Leafing Through Pages - The Queen's Jewels (Murder, She Wrote # 34)
First posted on WordPress here.
For review of all movies and TV shows by Dame Angela Lansbury, go here.
For movies, TV shows and books surrounding actors and actresses who were part of Dame Angela Lansbury’s 80’s and 90’s American crime drama television series Murder, She Wrote, go here on my other blog on LiveJournal and here on WordPress.
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: Despite a little open ended conclusion, it is a very good read and exactly what you expect from a Murder, She Wrote novel or a TV series episode. The setting was great, and the mystery very intriguing involving terrorism and jewel heists keeping the reader on the edge.
The Queen's Jewels is the 34th novel in the long-running Murder She Wrote series co-written by Donald Bain & fictional writer Jessica Fletcher. It was first published on October of 2010. Jessica sets to be onboard the Queen Mary 2 (QM2), a much awaited crossing that she was doing from London to New York, and at the same time taking the much needed downtime and vacation. However, a jewelry heist, espionage and terrorism invades into her peaceful time and is forced to participate in the investigation.
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.
Two things I found different with this book. Firstly, it opens with a prologue that shows the reader the murder and heist in the very first two pages of the book. Secondly, Jessica's 6 to 7 day crossing on Queen Mary 2 is depicted day by day with each day being a subtitle for the chapter.
Surprising character was the entry of Michael Haggerty, the British Spy working for MI6. All along I had thought that Author Bain created George Sutherland, Jessica's love interest and good friend who is also an inspector with Scotland Yard, based on Michael Haggarty. Turns out I was wrong, as he makes his appearance in this book.
He was much better in the TV show than in the book. He was made to look very pushy bordering on threats, and a consummate flirt with pretty ladies, no matter what age they are. I also found a little brashy in the book. And poor Jessica gets torn between her interest for George vs the lure of an investigation that Michael keeps reeling in.
Although he expresses his interest in having more than just friendship with Jessica, I found him very obnoxious and goes as far as blaming Jessica for something she did not do. He does refer to their first meeting in the Season 2 Episode 1 "Widow, Weep for Me" on the TV Series which aired on Sept 29, 1985.
The most interesting fact is that Bain introduces an Indian couple who are becoming a growing community in Cabot Cove, like any town in US. Also there is history about Hope Diamond and how it was separated from a larger piece of diamond, the second one called Heart of India in this book. We also get to see some of Indian Hindi language words creeping into the text.
However, it saddens me that something that was a property of India is still residing in Smithsonian Museum instead being handed back to the Indian Government. I hope one Hope Diamond goes back home.
I remember Jessica taking a crossing on the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) in the 9th book, Murder on the QE2. However, Bain mentions in this book that she has taken multiple trips on QE2 which never had been mentioned in any books since that 9th book. He however gives a closure to QE2 and why QM2 is replacing it.
Again George Sutherland makes his appearance, which is expected since the beginning of the book is set in London. However, his participation is very brief as he is pulled in different directions trying to follow leads on the murder and diamond heist.
If you remember Dennis Stanton from the TV episode, a jewel-thief turned insurance investigator, then you would be pleased to see him in this book. It felt like Bain got all the TV characters in one place with characters from his book for this episode. However, I didn’t remember that his wife Elizabeth had died, and that is what put him on the edge to do jewel heists in the beginning. I always thought he was a single man with no ties attached and that is the way he liked to live.
We also see reference to the Season 9 Episode 20, "Ship of Thieves" from TV series originally aired on May 2nd 1993. This was the last episode in which we had seen Dennis Stanton make an appearance, and in the book Jessica alludes to that meeting.
We get a lot of history as usual from Jessica's eyes as she spends a few days in London before her trip back on Queen Mary 2. We also get lessons in nautical terminology as well as workings of a ship as big as this cruise. We also get the perils of publishing that authors face and how they get their books published.
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 felt so many open ended questions that perhaps could be addressed in the court of law in England. But I felt a closure was missing.
Despite a little open ended conclusion, it is a very good read and exactly what you expect from a Murder, She Wrote novel or a TV series episode. The setting was great, and the mystery very intriguing involving terrorism and jewel heists keeping the reader on the edge.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Jessica's companions and acquaintances on the QM2: Kim Chin-Hwa, Korean venture capitalist, and his girlfriend Betty LeClair, a once fashion model; Harrison "Harry" Flynn, Richard & Marcia Kensington, a young British couple; Jennifer Kahn and her traveling companion Ms. Kiki Largent.
b. Staff on the QM2: Rupesh, Jessica's cabin steward.
c. Other characters: Thomas "Tom" Craig, Jessica's British publisher; Baroness Cynthia Walthrop & her husband Jacob; Paula Simmons, Jessica's British editor; Madge & Gerald Wilson, American documentary film team; Uri Peretz, an Israeli spy.
d. Tom Craig offers Michael Haggerty a book deal to write about his escapades as an undercover British spy.
e. There is reference to a very expensive luxury perfume called Shalini in the book. The name sounded Indian so I was curious why it was called a luxury perfume. Turns out it is a French Parfum but made with exotic flowers of rare occurrence. No wonder its very pricey.
f. Will Jennifer Kahn, the alleged jewel thief, walk away free since they could only find circumstantial evidence against her and nothing concrete?
g. RAW, the Research and Analysis Wing of India's government intelligence agency, comes to light in this book. Simulated around CIA this is one of the powerful agency in India.
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; Maniram Chatterjee & his wife Hita, jewelry shop owners.
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. Although we know the reason why Mort's wife is different than the TV series, I distinctly remember her name being changed 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.
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
a. When Jessica receives two letters from Harry Flynn, it is mentioned that she doesn’t recognize the name addressed to on the second letter. But earlier in the book, Harry does talk about his daughter Melanie with Jessica. I was surprised that Bain mis-quoted it.