
Mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher - a down-to-earth, middle-aged widow - ferrets out the criminals in idyllic Cabot Cove, Maine, which apparently is the murder capital of the United States for the show's 12-season run. Though while traveling, she uncovers a fair number of killers as well.
Jessica is accused of false testimony and bribery in the death of an escaping murderer, and the man's daughter (Carrie Hamilton) takes Jessica to court.
When Jessica suffers a broken arm, she hires a typist to meet her deadline, but she must clear the woman of a murder charge.
Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) tries to clear a man of charges he murdered an unscrupulous divorce attorney.
Jessica reopens a 16-year-old murder case at the urging of a dying author (Van Johnson) who felt injustice was done.