**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Full of lovely descriptions of Ireland, this addition to the Murder, She Wrote franchise has Jessica once again on the track of a killer. While by now the books are a little formulaic with plot and the climax at the end, I still turn to these for a fun entertainment. Jessica is a little different from her TV persona (I cannot help but think of Angela Lansbury as I read this series), but I find this Jessica just as captivating. While I did suspect the killer by the end of the book, I enjoyed the journey towards that conclusion. Great read! ( )

As cozy and comfortable as the previous series’ books, it still provides a fresh and exciting new story.

Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle is the 56th book in the long-running cozy mystery series based on the television show of the same name. This latest entry is as cozy and comfortable as all those before it, yet it still provides a fresh and exciting new story.

Jessica Fletcher is a kind and observant woman with an insatiable appetite for solving mysteries and serving up truth and justice. She builds a circle of new friends and acquaintances everywhere she goes who help her solve the crime. In this case, Maggie Nolan, the daughter of the owner of the hotel where Jessica is staying, is pulled into the matter. Maggie is also the fiancée of the son of one of Maeve's cousins, so she has a vested interest, making her involvement irresistible. The local chief inspector assigned to the official case comes to see Jessica’s value to his investigation. I enjoyed their back and forth, each trying to draw important information from the other.

The murder victim has gotten involved with some shady characters while gambling, but he’s also angered members of his own family and legitimate business associates. So, there are a couple of scenarios for Jessica and Maggie to consider and more than a few possible suspects. It was compelling reading as they followed their leads into Michael’s background and business dealings.

The setting in Belfast and Bushmills in Northern Ireland offered Jessica several attractive sightseeing opportunities, which are worked into the story. Some are off the usual tourist itinerary, and I was given a new appreciation for the depth of Ireland’s history and the travel opportunities available. The location descriptions were amazing, and even simple country drives sounded beautiful, relaxing, and familiar. It was easy to visualize the action in these settings.

With comfortable recurring characters and its well-known amateur sleuth, I recommend MURDER, SHE WROTE: DEATH ON THE EMERALD ISLE to cozy mystery readers who are fans of the previous books or the television show as well as newcomers ready to sample the long-running series.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. ( )

Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2023 Berkley publication.

Jessica heads to Belfast, Ireland to attend a Book Festival for a colleague who is unable to attend. Her stay is extended when, Maeve, her Cabot Cove neighbor, asks Jessica to do her a favor and deliver some family heirloom paintings to her family in Bushmills.

The last thing she anticipates is having to call Maeve with the news that one of her cousins has been murdered…

The television show, on which these books are based, featured a handful of episodes set in Ireland, and I do believe that Angela Lansbury had some Irish roots in real life, so I was happy to see the author once again remained true to the series, while taking us on a trip to Bushmills, Ireland!

This is the 56th installment in the series and the fourth by Terrie Farley Moran, but it is also the first MSW novel published after the death of Angela Lansbury. (To be released in early 2023) As such, there is a bit of a bittersweet pall cast over this one, but it also made the setting all the more fitting, though my favorite installments are normally those set in Cabot Cove.

As for the mystery, it stands up nicely, and I was invested in the story right way, though the clues could have been a bit more subtle in some places and Moran, while doing an admirable job, still seems a bit too tentative.

Other than that, this was another enjoyable installment in the series- and as always it is so nice to touch base with Jessica again-especially now, when I really needed to hear her voice again. I hope this series will continue Jessica’s legacy and help keep Lansbury’s memory alive for a long time to come!

3.5 rounded up. ( )