Book Review: Murder on the QE2 by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

Murder on the QE2 (Murder, She Wrote #9). Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain. Signet (1997). 304 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line: "The older I get, the harder it is to surprise me."

Summary:  Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is invited to sail on the Queen Elizabeth II as one of seven guest lecturers.  She's also been asked to write a mystery play to be conducted one act per day during the crossing.  She has sailed on the QE2 before.  She and her husband took the crossing just months before he died.  While she is looking forward to making the crossing again, she misses her husband.  

Once aboard the ship she is introduced to the other lecturers and the cast of the play she wrote.  She is also introduced to Mary Ward, a woman who solved a murder mystery to win a trip on the QE2.  Jessica and Mary become fast friends.  One morning the two of them are taking a walk on the deck when Mary spots a bare foot sticking out of a life boat.  They soon discover the body of Marla Tralaine, famous actress and lecturer on the crossing.  Working with head of security, Jessica and Mary attempt to uncover secrets and discover the murderer. 

My thoughts:  A murder aboard a ship is always interesting as the murderer has to be someone on board.  The other passengers often feel afraid for their own safety and this can often take the fun out of the experience.  In this case, the captain and crew wanted to avoid letting passengers on the ship know that a murder had been committed.  They were able to keep it under wraps for several hours, but it wasn't long before rumors started circulating.

Jessica was really looking forward to taking this crossing.  She envisioned herself relaxing for hours with a good book, sitting on the deck wrapped in blankets and enjoying some of the entertainment provided by the ship.  Unfortunately, once the body of actress Marla Tralaine is found, Jessica's time is not her own.  Head of security on the ship asks for Jessica's help.  I enjoyed the addition of Mary Ward as a companion for Jessica in this story.  She is a woman who loves to read mysteries and do crossword puzzles.  She adds a new angle to Jessica's thoughts.  The two of them often dine together and sometimes take walks on the deck.  They are able to bounce ideas off one another and it is ultimately Mary who identifies the killer.

The list of suspects is long and many of them are actors, which complicates matters further.  Actors are often good at pretending to be someone they are not.  There are lots of secrets to uncover, some helpful and some not.  The killer was identified in a very unique way that was a lot of fun.

I enjoyed taking this crossing with Jessica and look forward to her next adventure. 

Quotes:

"My cabin was especially inviting at the moment. Two lamps cast a warm glow over the room, and the gentle rocking of the ship almost make it feel as though I were in a cradle. The thought of climbing into bed and reading a good book until falling asleep was compelling."

"'But isn't that what's enjoyable about being alive? Something new every day.'"

"She seemed always to see the good in people, to find a reasonable explanation for bad behavior."