Even if you have never picked up a Jessica Fletcher book before, or watched an episode of the series, you will be a fan after reading this book.  In this outing, Jessica is down South, in beautiful Savannah, trying to solve a 40-year-old murder. Her chum Tillie Mortelaine has died, and left her a legacy to be shared with the Savannah literacy organization Jessica helped found. However, in order to receive the bequest, Jessica has to find out who murdered Tillie's fiancé... 40 years ago! Reluctantly, Mrs. Fletcher has gone to Savannah, and is rooming at Tillie's classic old mansion, along with a cast of rather strange and bizarre guests. It is with some dismay that Jessica realizes that two ghost hunters are in residence, determined to put the spirit of the dead man, Wanamaker Jones, to rest. Add to the mix a live-in current boyfriend of the recently departed Tillie, an irascible lawyer, a tight-lipped cook of long standing and a curmudgeonly doctor à la Seth Hazlett, and you know that the intrepid Jessica Fletcher has a lot to do to get that one million dollar inheritance!

It is a bit disappointing not to have more of Savannah's beauty explored in this book — but what there is,is accurate and tempting — if you have never been to this gracious and unique Southern city, put it on your list of places to visit. Not that Jessica has a lot of time to see the sights, for she is hitting walls of non-cooperation wherever she goes. The police have closed the case as unsolvable, there is a niece and nephew who would love to see Jessica fail, (with the money returning to the estate,) and there seems to be a secret (or two) that Miss Goodall, the housekeeper has kept firmly under her gray curly hair.

Given the setting, the spooky and the ghostly seem to fit right in. As with many old houses, doors seem to open on their own, and bumps and squeaks seem to be the norm. Is the house haunted by some otherworldly presence, or is someone trying to scare Mrs. Fletcher away? Jessica's solid Yankee upbringing and staunch level-headedness is keeping her centered, and as the story comes to its conclusion the reader can't help but try to figure out the motives, victims and murderer before she does! This is a great autumn read, with the coming of the creepy Halloween season; and this adventure with Jessica Fletcher, as with the others in the book series, will give the reader several pleasurable hours. ENJOY!