How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying

With all the money that JB Fletcher makes with her novels it seems natural that she would be investing. The place she is investing with is a firm headed by partners Jerome Calvin and Farley Granger.

Calvin is the son of the original partner of the firm and he is getting in over his head a lot. But he has a good secretary in Lela Ivey whom he keeps trying to make, but her heart is loyal to her blue collar boyfriend Joe Maruzzo.

But when Calvin's head gets bashed in one night, the cops in the person of Detective Kenneth Tighe zero in on Ivey and Maruzzo. Of course it's not and that's when Angela Lansbury goes to work.

Good ensemble performances, singling out Edd Byrnes who has risen from parking cars on Sunset Boulevard back in his salad days to a too smooth broker. He's got a few angles he's working all by himself.

Jessica Fletcher has arrived in New York City to see her financial advisor. While her portfolio has done well, Jessica and practically everyone has difficulty seeing Philip...as his secretary makes a variety of excuses for him. In fact, while he's out playing golf and schmoozing, it seems his secretary is actually doing his job. Later, when Philip is found with his head stove it, the police think that perhaps this secretary did it...especially since she's been signing his name to various stock trades. To make matters worse for her, the cop investigating the case seems to hate stock brokers!

This is a decent episode and well worth seeing.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

For an episode with such an imaginative title (also one of the longest titles for a 'Murder She Wrote' episode, a very close second to "Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs Fletcher's Chowder" by about four or five letters), the story here is surprisingly ordinary. It's still a good episode, with a nicely paced and intriguing story with plenty of well-drawn suspects and one of Season 6's most surprising endings (seeing as the murderer is actually one of the more likable characters), just not a particularly imaginative or living-up-to-its-title one.

Credit is due for making the victim as suitably unlikable as possible (though they are one of those "victim stamped over forehead the moment they're introduced" characters) without making them so loathsome that the viewer feels sorry for everybody including the murderer and starts to not care as to who did it. While still liking "If the Shoe Fits" for the acting and the character interaction, that it had one of the most detestable victims on 'Murder She Wrote' (and took it a bit too extremely) was somewhat one of the main issues with its also derivative mystery.

Angela Lansbury is terrific as always in one of her best roles, while Morgan Brittany, Edd Byrnes, David Groh and particularly Farley Granger fare strongly in support, Candice, Jerome and Lela Ivey as Norma being the most likable characters and the ones you root for most. John Calvin enjoys himself and doesn't shy away from making it easy to see why the character is hated. The only real acting debit is Barry Van Dyke, he doesn't have an interesting character in the first place (basically heard in one scene and then face to face with Jessica in another, a plot-device character essentially who's barely in it) but Van Dyke is rather wooden and his line delivery is limited in expression (not even his threatening is that convincing).

Production values as ever are slick and stylish. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune. The writing is suitably light-hearted and intriguing.

Overall, good if not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Jessica is on hand to help a young secretary out, after she's accused of murdering her lazy boss.

I really enjoyed this episode, very well made, very solid, there's actually little here to fault. It's not the most unique episode you'll ever watch, but it does have some very strong characters, and nice performances.

One think you might just come away thinking, is for 1990, just how progressive it is, we are so used to having the male leads as the great providers, it's nice to see a strong female central character, who's in the role of bread winner, (no pin intended.)

We had several boss murdered by employee or other involved person episodes, this is one of the better ones.

I suppose the only criticism I could make is that once again the victim is glaringly obvious, series five seemed to get away from that, this run of episodes seems to have fallen back into that formula. Only a minor quibble though.

Very good, 8/10.

When a stockbroker is killed, the suspect list seems endless. Of course, Jessica gets involved when the victim's secretary and her boyfriend get booked for murdering him. It's a good episode with a fine setup of characters and an interesting insight into Wall Street. Farley Granger and Ed (kookie from 77 sunset strip) Brynes also star.