I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Author Jessica Fletcher has started writing her latest mystery novel and the research is going well until a real-life mystery begins interrupting her work. The former editor of Cabot Cove’s newspaper is back in town because she’s concerned about a friend and wants Jessica’s assistance. Evelyn is afraid Bertha Mae’s memory may be failing and that fitness guru, Martin Terranova, may be taking advantage of that to charm the older woman out of her money. When Martin is found murdered in his own weight room, Evelyn becomes the prime suspect and needs Jessica’s help more than ever to find the real killer.

I like watching the Murder, She Wrote television program, but you don’t need to be a fan of the show to enjoy this series of books. There have been a couple different authors, but Terrie Farley Moran does a great job of portraying these beloved characters. It’s nice spending time with Jessica, Mort, Dr. Seth Hazlitt, and the other Cabot Cove residents. Jessica and Seth’s banter is amusing and the author captures the right notes of joking and affection between them. Jessica is always willing to help a friend and she can’t resist an intriguing mystery, so she is willing to put her writing aside to help investigate Martin’s murder. I like that Cabot Cove Sheriff Mort Metger respects Jessica’s sleuthing skills and takes any clues she finds seriously.

Evelyn can be an annoying character, but nobody deserves to go to prison for a crime they didn’t commit, so it’s good she has Jessica in her corner. Jessica goes above and beyond to find out more about Martin and who had a motive to kill him, as well as making sure Bertha Mae is doing okay. In addition to helping the former newspaper editor, Jessica also helps the current editor, Dan Andrews, look into a possible case of embezzlement. Jessica has a lot going on in this book, but it keeps the story moving and the reader engaged. I like the way all of the loose ends come together for a satisfying ending to the case and the book.

~ Christine

We all know the hesitation we have when one of our favorite books becomes a TV show or a movie. But what about when one of our favorite TV shows becomes a book? I have been a Murder, She Wrote TV show fan since its original run (yes, I’m dating myself) and even now it’s one of my ‘comfort shows’. And the only reason (besides lack of time) that it’s taken me until book 57 to give this series of novels a try is that I was nervous as to how it would match up with all the things I love about the TV show. Well, I needn’t have worried. As I was reading Murder She Wrote: Fit For Murder I could hear the beloved characters’ voices (especially Seth’s!) and see them on the screen of my mind just as clearly as if I was watching it as a TV episode. Terrie Farley Moran has done an excellent job of staying true to the cadence and tone of the show while continuing to keep the characters engaging and the plot original.

In our new visit to Cabot Cove (and I’m so glad that my first dip into this series is one that’s set in this fave locale), Jessica welcomes back an old friend and becomes concerned about another one. There are several ever-evolving layers to this mystery, preeminent among them being murder, and the growing suspect list covers longtime residents and newcomers alike as well as doing double duty when a secondary mystery comes to the forefront too. Jessica’s first person POV allows us to tag along for the investigation and get a taste of life in Cabot Cove in the process – if only we could taste the delicious food they eat too! The mysteries took some turns I didn’t predict, and I enjoyed ‘helping’ Jessica figure out whodunit.

Bottom Line: Author Terrie Farley Moran excels at staying true to the voice and vibe of the original characters and maintaining the timeless nature of Cabot Cove while also creating new people and stories to entertain us. Fit For Murder may start with innocuous neighborly concern for an elderly Cabot Cove resident but it soon moves into some interesting subplots as twisty as the most complex yoga pose. Fans of Murder, She Wrote will be delighted by this return to the world of Jessica Fletcher, whether they’ve been following the books from the beginning or – like me – are just tuning in.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I'm so glad they decided to return to Cabot Cove as the location for this mystery. And that they included her friends in helping her to solve the mystery. And who doesn't want to kill the fitness instructor?! which was perfect b/c I was afraid there would be workouts or smoothie recipes at the back of this book.
Who wants that - no one!
But luckily there was plenty of eating, baking and going out to restaurants. Totally normal cozy!

Set in idyllic yet fictional Cabot Cove, Maine, this book has everything you want from a long standing cozy mystery series: charming characters, red herrings, and an amateur detective (Jessica) working alongside the local sheriff.
We see Jessica commit a minor crime in this one - oh my! But all is fair in love & catching a murderer, especially when your friend is under suspicion.
This read exactly like an episode of Murder, She Wrote and I loved every second of it.
Jessica Fletcher is the ultimate baddie
Thank you @Netgalley and @berkleymystery for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

MURDER, SHE WROTE: FIT FOR MURDER
By Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran
The Fifty-Seventh Murder, She Wrote Mystery

Former newspaper editor, Evelyn Phillips, is back in Cabot Cove for a visit, but instead of relaxing she's causing a ruckus. She's concerned her friend Berthe Mae is losing her marbles, so smitten is she with the new yoga instructor. Convinced the man is up to no good Evelyn convinces Jessica to help her check into things. After taking a class with the man Jessica does notice his familiarity with the much older women in the group. Before they can determine if he truly does have bad intentions, he's found dead in his gym...and it's no accident. With Berthe Mae inconsolable and Evelyn a suspect, Jessica will have to look into the fitness guru's past to determine just who killed him.

Cabot Cove is such a charming town with its friendly citizens and lovely scenery. I can picture Jessica cycling through town, waving at her neighbors, and enjoying good food and company, even if at times she'd rather be alone. Just being in Cabot Cove is relaxing and enjoyable...even with all the murders! And in FIT FOR MURDER we have more than one crime to attend to.

I really enjoyed the mystery here. A variety of events clouded the picture, making me wonder what was relevant. In fact, when a second crime was committed, I wondered if it was related to the murder. For a little town, there sure is a lot of crime and drama!

While light-hearted, the fifty-seventh Murder, She Wrote Mystery tackles a serious subject, the exploitation of the elderly. The authors tackle the subject with grace, but I'm glad awareness is brought to a subject often hidden; young, fit lotharios ingratiating themselves with elderly women just to get their money.

MURDER, SHE WROTE: FIT FOR MURDER is a classic mystery that leaves you with a feeling that, despite some problems, all's right with the world.

Fit for Murder is the 57th, and latest installment, in the long-running and beloved Cozy Mystery series, Murder, She Wrote. If I am counting correctly, this is the 36th-book that I have read in the series. I absolutely adore Jessica Fletcher. These are my go-to, number one, comfort reads.

They're nostalgic, relaxing and always entertaining. I just love MSW and its intrepid amateur sleuth.

This mystery is entirely set in Jessica's hometown of Cabot Cove, Maine. As much as I love when Jessica travels, getting to learn about different places and being dazzled by new settings, I do always love a story set in Cabot Cove. I enjoy the comfort of being with Jessica at home, surrounded by her very best friends, and often nosy neighbors. This installment was no exception to that.

This mystery involves a new-to-town fitness instructor, Martin Terranova, who causes quite the stir by paying a little too much attention to some of his older clientele. One woman in particular, Bertha Mae Cormier, whose property abuts Terranova's gym, appears to be of particular interest to the trainer, decades her junior.

When one-time Cabot Cove Gazette editor, Evelyn Phillips, points out the startlingly-unbalanced relationship to Jessica, she can't help but agree. The optics aren't great, but what could Terranova stand to gain from a relationship with Bertha Mae?

Shortly after Terranova comes to Jessica's attention, he is found dead in his weight room. Before you even say it, no, Jessica didn't do it. We all know that, but someone did. We go along with Jessica as she digs into Terranova's past and tries to suss out the killer. With Jessica's friend Evelyn as the leading suspect, the clock is ticking. Jessica needs to get to the bottom of this and quickly, before Evelyn takes the fall.

This was a fun one. I love how in a tither the whole town got about this guy's presence. It was like they had never seen a personal trainer before. People flocked to him, but were also highly suspicious of everything he did.

There were a lot of interactions amongst the townspeople during Jessica's investigation and I really enjoyed that. Many of the characters, most actually, we've met before in previous installments, so it was fun seeing them again.
I also enjoyed Evelyn being back and she and Jessica working together. Evelyn is bullheaded and has a tendency to steamroll through anything in her path, but Jessica seems to be a calming force for her. That worked well here.

There was some drama included involving the town Budget Office, which I wasn't expecting and frankly, I'm not sure why was included. The book was exciting enough just following the mystery surrounding Terranova's murder.
With that being said though, that was really the only thing I felt was a little wonky. Overall, I have been so delighted with Terrie Farley Moran being at the helm of this series.

Since the passing of the series original author, Donald Bain, Farley Moran has done the best job of capturing the original tone and feel of the series. I am so happy this long-running series is still going strong and I will continue to pick them up for as long as they are published.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Another great installment from Terrie Farley Moran. These books are the epitome of Cozy to me, and I'll continue reading them until the end of time. Keep 'em coming!!!

Fit for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran sees Jessica letting Evelyn Phillips direct her to an interesting dilemma with Bertha Mae and a certain yoga teacher named Martin Terranova.

Will Jessica solve the mystery?

Jessica Fletcher
All Jessica Fletcher wants to do is work on her latest novel, but everyone keeps pulling her into doing something else.
Especially Evelyn Phillips when she returns to help her friend Bertha Mae. Once they do, Evelyn has it in her head that there is a story, and Jessica doesn't know what to think. Except that something does seem suspicious. Jessica is a great character, and I always feel like I'm curled up at home whenever I enter these stories. I love how she can solve this one and the other things that happen in Cabot Cove.

Martin Terranova, the Victim
Martin Terranova is the victim and someone that Evelyn Phillips isn't happy with as he's being overly friendly with Bertha Mae. Basically, he is flirting with her when he should be teaching her yoga and not feeling her up. Martin is flirty with many of his clients, who are all older, mature women. Could they be leaving him money to keep his business going? Jessica seems very suspicious of his intentions on some of his clients during a session she saw. To make matters worse, when Martin dies, Evelyn convinces Jessica to be on the case because Bertha Mae spirals even worse.

I honestly didn't see who did it. I was so off-base on it, but it actually makes sense now that I'm thinking about it.

Five Stars
I am giving five stars to Fit for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran. If you like reading a book that plays out like a television episode, this series is perfect for you. At least from the few books that I have read, it seems to be. I love reading this series. It makes me try to solve the mystery with Jessica. Ms. Moran has done a perfect job writing with Jessica and portraying all of the characters like they are still on the show.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Fit for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Dollycas's Thoughts

I have wanted to jump back into this series for a while and was happy to do it with this book. In Fit for Murder, the former editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, Evelyn Phillips, returns to town because she is worried about Bertha Mae Cormier and her "weird" behavior. When she receives no help from Dr. Seth Hazlitt, she insists Jessica come with her to pay a visit on the woman. At first, Jessica sees no real change in Bertha Mae, but then when the over 80-year-old woman starts to talk about a "show starting" she does get a little concerned. Then they see Bertha Mae's new neighbor, Martin Terranova, appear outside his home/business and hop on a treadmill. Apparently, he is the show. Bertha Mae is clearly smitten with the man and she explains that by taking his classes she has become a new woman.

Jessica and Evelyn decide to attend the next class with Bertha Mae and they notice Mr. Terranova is very flirty and attentive to Bertha Mae and to his other elderly clients. Evelyn is positive the man is after Bertha Mae's money and she is going to prove it. But before she gets a chance, Martin Terranova is found dead and it wasn't an accident. He was murdered and sadly the former editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette is going to need Jessica's help because she is the #1 suspect in his death.

____

The reason I love this series is that it unfolds just like an episode of the popular television show that I have started binging on again now that all 12 seasons are available to watch on Peacock. While many of the actors from the series including Angela Landsbury have passed away I love that Terrie Farley Moran and Berkley have kept them alive and on new adventures of crime-solving in these books. I enjoy all the relationships Jessica has built over the years and that the author continues to bring new people to Cabot Cove to keep these stories current and fresh.

The author has plotted out an interesting mystery. Gym owner Martin Terranova was clearly up to something to get himself killed. Jessica is going to help Sheriff Mort Metzger prove it. She gets some assistance from the new editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, Dan Andrews, as she tries to find out if the victim has a pattern of deceit. As expected the sheriff isn't always happy with Jessica's efforts but when she finds more suspects and evidence the sheriff's deputies missed he has to admit the woman has great instincts and the ability to make clues fit together. It is fun to tag along with her and see how her mind makes sense of all the information she takes in. Some clues really stood out to me and they put me on the right track to pin down the killer.

Ms. Moran tangled an intriguing subplot within the murder mystery regarding some shenanigans at the fire department. Of course, Jessica gets involved there too making sure the right person is held accountable.

My visit to Cabot Cove was fun and entertaining. Murder, She Wrote: Fit for Murder is well-plotted and well-written. If you are like me and have fallen behind on this series or if you a new to Jessica Fletcher and her amateur sleuthing this is the perfect book for you. Readers are given enough history about the characters and Cabot Cove to dive right in.

It looks like Jessica and her friends are going to be busy this year! Book 58, Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage will be released on April 2, 2024, followed by Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas on October 8, 2024.

I enjoyed this newest edition of a Jessica Fletcher novel. I love that Jessica is always so polite to her friends and everyone she meets. I love how she rides around Cabot Cove on her bicycle. I enjoyed how this story revolved around a gym and small town gossip. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Jessica Fletcher steps in to solve a mystery when an older lady in Cabot Cove is enamored of a much younger fitness instructor who is mysteriously killed. When a kindly man in the neighborhood is suspected, Jessica works to find the truth and clear her neighbor's name.

I wanted to read Murder, She Wrote: Fit For Murder because I absolutely love this series of mysteries. (And of course I loved the TV series Murder, She Wrote as well.) The books are always such cozy reads. I enjoy Jessica's detection skills, her details about writing mysteries, and Cabot Cove and Jessica's familiar friends.

This was a well written, well paced mystery. There were several strong leads for Jessica to follow, including traveling to a neighboring town to do some detecting. She even takes a chance exploring the crime scene on her own.

There was a great deal of detail about Jessica's writing process in this book, and that was particularly interesting to read. I loved little details like her membership in Sisters in Crime.

This was a great addition to the Murder, She Wrote series, and I enthusiastically recommend it to other fans of cozy mysteries. (I recommend the entire series!)

Martin Terranova makes a big splash in Cabot Cove with his new yoga and meditation classes. He has especially become friends with the older women in town. Jessica Fletcher hears that one of her friends, Bertha Mae Cormier, has been acting strange and is enchanted by Terranova.

Jessica decides to check up on Bertha Mae and see how true the rumors are. She quickly learns that they are very true, and Bertha Mae seems totally taken with Terranova. When he turns up dead in his gym, the town doesn’t know what to think. Was it an accident or is there something nefarious behind his death.

Jessica and her friends throw themselves into the investigation. They are determined to not only find a killer, but help Bertha Mae get back on her feet after this terrible loss.

This is a traditional and charming mystery series that keeps you guessing. I was totally taken by surprise at the ending. I didn’t suspect the culprit at all.

Although I haven’t read the entire series, it didn't matter. I believe they are truly standalone stories contained in each book. As I read this book, I felt as if I was watching an episode of the TV show with Angela Lansbury in the starring role. It was a fun visit for me to Cabot Cove. I must do it more often.

I look forward to more in this series, as well as reading the ones I missed from the backlist. Maybe even catching the TV show every once in awhile.







FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I always love returning to Cabot Cove, Maine with Jessica Fletcher. It makes me happy and brings back nostalgic memories. I thoroughly enjoyed Murder She Wrote: Fit For Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran.

Poor Jessica! She always seems to get stuck right in the middle of a murder just as she’s on a deadline for her next book! Well, it wouldn’t be Murder She Wrote otherwise! In Murder She Wrote, Fit for Murder, the former editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, Evelyn Phillips, comes back to town in a panic! She’s worried about her good friend Bertha Mae whose texts have been kind of wonky lately. It turns out, she’s right to be worried! Something is just not right with the new fitness center and teacher!

One of the reasons I love the Cabot Cove setting so much is the familiar characters. Jessica’s good friend Dr. Hazlitt frequently visits her for dinner or meets her for breakfast at the diner. I love their friendship! Sheriff Mort Metzger along with his deputies trust Jessica’s instincts though she often interferes a little too much for his liking. Other newer characters and brand new characters make appearances too. All of the characters are well-written and have a variety of personalities which make for much more interesting interactions.

The mystery is well-plotted with clues scattered throughout to lead you to the murderer. The mystery takes Jessica and newspaper editor Dan on a couple of road trips to look for clues. Pay close attention to the clues, and try not to get led astray by red herrings!

I enjoyed reading Murder She Wrote: Fit for Murder, and I recommend it for its cozy Cabot Cove setting, wonderful characters, and well-plotted mystery! I’m looking forward to Jessica’s next adventure!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Jessica gets to solve a mystery in Cabot Cove, my favorite backdrop for the crime-solving mystery writer. One of the things I like about the Murder She Wrote Series is the different "worlds" the writers take us through. This time, Jessica is investigating the murder of Martin Terranova, a fitness guru who is a little too slick, and a little too interested in older women with big bank accounts. We get to hop around Cabot Cove with Jessica and visit familiar characters. I've noticed other reviews where the reader felt that was repetitive, but for a true fan, that's exactly what we want. What's going on at the diner, the newspaper, the beauty shop?
Terry Farley Moran does a great job of keeping these characters and places alive. The only negative I have was Jessica kept "dieting" during the book which made me feel guilty for the snacking I did while reading it. On the positive side, I liked the friendship forming between Jessica and the new editor of the newspaper. If you love Jessica Fletcher and her world, I would recommend this book.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Every time I open a new mystery in this series, I know I will enjoy how every mystery is as fresh as the ones preceding it. Another is the wonderful, three-dimensional characters and how most people of Cabot Cove work together and help each other.

Cabot Cove’s new resident is fitness instructor Martin Terranova. He moved next door to a delightful senior, Bertha Mae, who has been friends for many years with Evelyn, the former editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette. After some of their recent communications, Evelyn flew back to find out what was wrong with her friend. She was writing and talking weird, and Evelyn wonder if she should no longer live alone.

Jessica didn’t see Bertha Mae often enough know anything was wrong until Evelyn arrived and asked Jessica to visit her. She was at the crucial research and synopsis preparation stage for her next mystery, but she listened and understood Evelyn’s concerns.

Martin opened a gym and yoga studio in the pool house of his luxury home. He offers substantial attention to older ladies in his classes. A caress here, a lightly massaged shoulder there, treating Bertha Mae as his favorite. Evelyn was concerned that Martin was making plans to live off Bertha Mae, especially when she talked about marrying a younger man.

Bertha Mae began to seem confused. Items of hers were disappearing. Her medicine bottles were hidden in odd places, and family memorabilia couldn’t be found. She fired her part-time housekeeper, accusing her of stealing, and Martin contacted the police claiming that a local man had some of Bertha Mae’s family treasures, which were found in his shed. It looked as if Martin were her hero and would-be caretaker, and Evelyn was concerned that he would steal her substantial assets.

Within days, Martin was found dead, possibly from an accident while lifting weights. Bertha Mae was devastated and became unable to function, especially when the autopsy indicated that he had been murdered. Had there been other women set up in a similar fashion? He had purchased his home with cash. Jessica, Mort, the local sheriff, and Dan, the newspaper editor, want to find who killed Martin, and restore another man’s reputation by proving he didn’t steal. A witness put Evelyn on Martin’s property the night he died. Was it the old snooping habits of an investigative reporter, or payback for what she thought he was doing to Bertha Mae?

The hours spent visiting Jessica and the people in Cabot Cove are among my favorite. I liked getting to know Dan, editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, better. He made an excellent partner for Jessica’s “snooping”. Dan has access to many avenues of research that Jessica doesn’t. He is a newspaperman with scruples that others appreciate. Her longevity in Cabot Cove and knowledge of many of the departmental workings are invaluable to him.

Pierce, the new fire chief, Angus, the retired fire chief, and Dan needed her expertise in handling an embezzlement scheme for which Angus was set up to take the fall. Her years of involvement with the Fire Department could provide direction for them to deal with a thief in the town’s budget office.

Jessica continued to help learn who killed Martin and how best to help Bertha Mae. She is not alone in any of these ventures, and she is able to solicit help from others, especially those who know Bertha Mae better than she does, so she can get back to her new mystery.

The suspect list was short, as little evidence was found. Dan joined Jessica at some places, including those out of town, to help prove Evelyn innocent and learn more about Martin’s past. If they can find others he may have conned, it might point out the real killer. While I guessed who did kill Martin and why, this time it gave me no joy to be right. Every loose end for every challenge, including Jessica’s research and synopsis, were resolved. I highly recommend this mystery and series!

As I have come to expect from this series this was a fun coziest of cozy mysteries with a likable cast, an interesting mystery, and a comfortably familiar setting. I was extra thrilled to see that this book took place in Cabot Cove and interested to see that Evelyn makes an appearance.

This was an interesting mystery which starts with Jessica and Evelyn trying to figure out if an elderly friend is being scammed by her neighbor, a handsome workout guru. The mystery takes an unexpected turn when said guru winds up dead. Jessica and the rest of the group in Cabot Cove are scrambling to figure out what happened and clear an innocent town resident's name.

This was a fun cozy light read. I've enjoyed Moran's books in this series and this was no exception. She's wonderful at keeping the cozy setting and general feel of the series. This is incredibly long running series but an easy one to jump into - especially if you've watched a couple of episodes of the show.

I always look forward to a new Murder, She Wrote book. This one didn’t disappointment me. All Jessica’s regulars are here with her in Cabot Cove, along with the few newcomers essential to the story. Recommend for readers of this series or people with fond memories of the TV show.

Murder She Wrote: Fit for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is the latest installment in the Murder, She Wrote series (Book Fifty-Seven). I enjoyed returning to Cabot Cove and visiting all the familiar characters. It seemed, though, that they tried to include every character in the town (there were too many). The story is easy to read. I could envision the scenes in my head (of course, the characters looked like the actors from the series). I felt that the story lacked depth. The main mystery involved the death of town’s latest fitness guru, Martin Terranova. Jessica, of course, is on the case. She finds clues in Martin’s home that Sheriff Metzger and his team missed (a little hard to believe). The killer can easily be identified long before the reveal. There is a secondary storyline involving embezzlement that does not relate to the murder mystery. Both storylines are neatly wrapped up at the end. I found this tale similar to an early episode in the television series. Murder She Wrote: Fit for Murder is pleasant, but I wanted more substance.

A new fitness instructor, Martin Terranova, has come to Cabot Cove and he's a big hit with the women in town - especially older women. When former Cabot Cove Gazette editor, Evelyn expresses her concern about Bertha Mae's adulation of Martin, Jessica is strong-armed into helping to establish his credentials. When he's found dead in his gym Jessica is swept up in a murder investigation. Was Martin legitimate or did he prey on lonely, susceptible elderly women? Why is it proving difficult to discover any information about him? Using her skill as a mystery writer, Jessica follows leads Mort and his team missed during their investigation and once again solves the crime.
This was a quick, pleasant read but not the best in the series. Jessica finds important and obvious clues in the dead man's house . Clues that Mort's team should have spotted easily and it requires a stretch of imagination to believe they were overlooked. There's also s strange sub-plot about embezzlement in the county offices that has no relation to the primary plot. These two deficiencies were glaring and resulted in a two-star rating.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Books for the advanced reader's copy.

This was another wonderful novel from Murder, She Wrote series. These series has everything that I was enjoying from the other books in this series. The characters felt like they belonged in this world and I was enjoying the characters in this story.