A TRACE OF MURDER is one of the last of the Columbo series, and its odd to see the detective as a much older, weather-beaten character. He still seems to be in good shape though, and Peter Falk is certainly on very good form in what turns out to be a distinctly average mystery.
The guest star this time around is Shera Danese, Falk's real-life wife. She conspires with her lover to frame her domineering husband for murder, to get him sent to prison so she can get her hands on his fortune. To complicate matters further, her lover is a forensic expert who ends up working as Columbo's assistant on the case. How long before the wily detective sees through the charade?
A TRACE OF MURDER seems to have been hastily written as the mystery isn't up too much. The bit at the end where Columbo grabs a random couple of restaurant workers to explain the intricacies of the plot is an example of writing at its most threadbare. Even so, this is still a charming story and there's plenty of humour which works really well. I love the scene where Falk is flabbergasted after a sudden realisation, and the "three eyes are better than one" gag is top notch. This is still a Columbo well worth watching if only for the character. Barry Corbin is also great fun as the short-tempered husband.
