Manhattans and Murder

The Murder, She Wrote Mysteries, Book 2

By: Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain

Narrated by: Beth Porter

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Cabot Cove's crime-solving novelist Jessica Fletcher goes to New York just prior to Christmas, where a sidewalk Santa leads her into another mystery in this installment of the USA Today best-selling series.

Promoting her latest books brings best-selling mystery writer Jessica Fletcher to New York for Christmas. Her schedule includes book signings, chat-show appearances, department store shopping...and murder. But it all begins with a sidewalk Santa staring at Jessica with fear and recognition.

©1994 Universal Studios Licensing LLLP (P)2003 AudioGO

A release of an older Donald Bain book in the series, thank goodness

There have been a few sadly disheartening, and unsuccessful attempts, by newer authors, to reproduce the success of Donald Bain at capturing the Jessica Fletcher character popularized by Angela Lansbury in the TV series Murder, She Wrote. This book represents Donald Bain’s classic representation of the original; integral, caring, bright, kind, inquisitive, honourable JESSICA FLETCHER character.

Audible pls bring back more of these golden oldies until a modern author can channel Donald Bain

Terrible narrator

I could barely listen to this because of the narrator. The story was ok but not great. I will try one with the usual narrator.

One of the worse narratations...

The story was better than average. Reading the book was much better than listening to this narration. Simply can't call it a performance. Disappointing as I do love to listen to the cozies while driving.

Narrator speaks very quickly.

The story is ok but the narrator speaks very fast and the accents are strange in places.

Narrator ruins this book

While some characters have clear voices, unfortunately the voice of Jessica Fletcher does annoy. It is TERRIBLE.

Good story, but bad voice actor

I am so happy they have released an older novel on audiobook, but the voice actor they used really distracted from the story. Really took me out of the book. At first, I thought she may have a speech impediment, but the more I listened, the less I heard.

Love love love this!

I have always loved the Murder She Wrote stories! Fletcher and Bain did a great job of this book. Beth Porter is amazing as a narrator! The story line keeps you scratching your head about who did what and why! The ending was great! I couldn’t stop listening. I did an all nighter. Now I get to sleep😁. Or on to the next one!👍

Vintage Jessica!

I own all of the audio books in this series. I loved this one. The story was interesting and told in a straight-forward, fast-moving way. I enjoyed the narration too. It was a very different voice for Jessica but it grew on me. I hope more of the older books will be turned into audio books.

Not as good as the others

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the normal JB Fletcher books and the narrator is horrible. All the quirky voices are soo bad much prefer the other lady.

Not as good as the others ..

Story was way too long- they could have wrapped it up with shorter chapters. Narrator was ok but not as good as Cynthia Darlow .

And this Jessica Fletcher ,unfortunately, sounded like a prudish rude woman. And as a New Yorker, I was a little offended by her description about various parts of the city. Did not enjoy this book as I had the other 5.

MUCH better than Margaritas & Murder (in Mexico)

So much better than the other 'free' Jessica Fletcher book! This was an interesting idea, had better defined characters, a faster pace, and a believable storyline (well, in Mrs Fletcher's world!).
One of Jessica's journeys should have been edited out or précised to a single paragraph its contents served no purpose.
The female narrator voices Seth & Morton convincingly. The whole story made me feel very Christmassy...but glad I'm in an English Cabot Cove rather than vast a metropolis.

awful narration

Found this hard to listen to as the narration was really bad. I won't be listening to anymore with this narrator. Story itself was fine.

Meh

Narrator was awful with the accents. I don’t know why sheriff Metzger has a Maine accent when he’s from New York.

Great story

Great story well read. Typical Jessica story. Great outcome and like the ending ! Cats funny

AWFUL - Narrator So Bad I Had To Stop

I just couldn't get through this as the narration is simply awful. She makes characters sound stupid and her diction is terrible.
I will NEVER listen to any story using this narrator

I love Jessica Fletcher, but don’t waist your time with this one

Please trust the reviews: this is not a good audiobook!

The narrator is terrible, really bad, even painful to listen too at times, all the accents she tries to replicate comes out as simply unnatural and ridiculous.

The story is poor, boring, not engaging enough for me, I really struggled to reach the end.

Average

Not a great story, very messy. I was disappointed that the narrator chose a ridiculous Maine accent for Sheriff Metzger, considering in the show he’s actually from New York. It was surprisingly off putting.

Entertaining story

I always enjoyed the Murder She Wrote episodes on TV and so tried this audiobook. These are not great literature by any stretch of the imagination or even great crime writing but it is entertaining if you like Jessica Fletcher and the narration is o.k. It has nostalgia value for me and so I will be listening to more of them.

Pretty woeful

Which the narrator isn't quite as annoying as the previous one (Margaritas and Murder) still poor, giving the impression they'd not read the script before - constantly providing an unnecessary roller coaster of delivery and being surprised by the punctuation. And I seriesly doudt the author has even watched Murder, She Wrote as the characters are wrong, to the extet Mort (en ex NYPD cop) is renamed Moron and described as finding New York somewhere he wouldn't feel comfortable in. Also the mystery is pretty non existent.

Another great Jessica Fletcher story

well paced and narrated
great to see some familiar characters and in line with the TV show