The Search for Peter Kerry

This is a good episode. My review is prompted by instantly recognizing both the interior and the exterior of the church where the funeral takes place, which occurs early in the episode. The church in question is the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, which is at the corner of Sixth and Commonwealth Streets. It is a lovely church, and I was often there for services, and in the course of attending high school next door: we had our weekly chapel in the church on Fridays, and there were wonderful Christmas services there, which I often attended, along with other students.

Indeed, we did my high school graduation within the fine old church! Seeing it brought a shout of pleased surprise as I began watching the episode!

Yep, it was right about mid-way through season 5 that the show decided they were going to "address" social issues and stump for the Democratic Party. Why else would they have characters lighting up cigarettes in this episode for no earthly reason other than to give other characters the chance to bash smoking, or mention that 20 years previously two friends went to a Democratic Party rally? Why not a sporting event? Shows always ruin themselves with this kind of propaganda and this one is no exception. Disappointing.

An old friend of Jessica's believes his long lost grandson has been discovered, with the help of a piece of music.

This series has been wonderfully varied, and has seemed inspired by various different films, as soon as I started watching this one, I got vibes of Anastasia, only the role Anastasia is played by a Man.

I think this is a cracking episode, perhaps a less original story than you'd first think, but it's still a terrific watch.

I loved the cast here, I thought the Detective in particular was great, even if he did pinch her scrambled eggs in the final scene.

It made me chuckle how it's yet another friend who's in need of Jessica's help, you have to wonder when the poor Dear can get any writing done.

It's excellent, 8/10.

Jessica Fletcher uses her mystery writer's instincts to investigate murder and intrigue when the heir to a fortune appears after a 20-year absence. An excellent mystery that stars Marc Singer as the possible heir to millions and Michael Beck as the hard smoking opportunist. From the time Singer is introduced as a possible heir you have a strong feeling that a scheme is happening, especially with Beck owing his wife loads of money. But, as always, there's a twist in the tale and it all ends with a hopeful ending.

It surprises me that three previous reviewers did not recognize that this Murder She Wrote story was based in large part on the classic film Anastasia where Ingrid Bergman an amnesia victim is passed off by Yul Brynner as the heir to the Romanoff crown.

Only in this story the Anastasia part is played by Marc Singer, the grandson of William Prince whose aide Mason Adams has supervised a missing persons investigation for 20 years.

Quite by accident Angela Lansbury is having lunch with Michael Beck who was the roommate in college of the grandson and he hears a pianist playing a melody he recognizes as a song written by the grandson.

Here the story does not follow the film though as Beck in the Yul Brynner role is murdered. It seems as though the idea was to make a dupe out of Jessica Fletcher who doesn't dupe so easily.

It's not too hard to figure out who murdered Beck. Still it's a fun story.