User Reviews

Thirteen of the foureen "Murder, She Wrote" episodes which Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) introduces and summarizes (commonly known as "Bookend Episodes"), but does not participate in the action, occur during Seasons Six and Seven, but now in Season Three, we're up to the first of these, as Jessica narrates this enactment of her latest J.B. Fletcher Mystery, "Murder in a Minor Key."

Set upon a southern California campus, this centers around three graduate students, Chad Singer (Shaun Cassidy), Jenny Coopersmith (Dinah Manoff) and Michael 'Mike' Prentice (Paul Clemens), who become entangled in a web of faculty corruption and adultery, as well as murder.

This begins in an off-campus piano lounge, as Pianist (Brenda Thompson) performs instrumental selections, including a composition which Mike Prentice immediately recognizes as his creation from a Music course assignment. Mike approaches the piano bench to prove by the Pianist's witness that he knows the score by heart. (This plot device is coincidently used in one of Jessica's "real life" future "MSW" episodes, without her reflecting upon having incorporated it into a storyline from one of her books.)

Mike subsequently grabs the sheet music and storms across campus to confront Music Professor Tyler Stoneham (George Grizzard) amid one of his instructional sessions, an intrusion to which the professor adamantly objects, thus demanding to reprimand Mike in his office after the class dismisses.

Afterwards, Mike charges Tyler with stealing his property, to publish for his own profit, without consent from its author, a charge which Tyler refuses to acknowledge. So, Mike plans to sneak into the office after hours, to obtain his rightful property.

While biding his time in a storage room, Mike awaits Tyler's exit, while Professor Harry Papasian (Rene Auberjonois) enters the office which they share, to confront Tyler amid a disagreement. Music Publisher Max Hellinger (Herb Edelman) also enters to search for a folder containing sheet music which he deems rightfully his.

Vice Chancellor Simon (Tom Hallick), meanwhile, walks through the quad with campus newspaper editor Danny Young (Scott Jacoby), amid a student protest, which can be heard from the floors of the Music Department.

After Mike believes that the way is clear for him to sneak into the faculty office, he carries a flashlight to search for his folder in a cabinet, when a Security Guard Hargrove (Alexander Folk) appears at the door to catch Mike with the goods, and right beside a body, which has been stabbed by a tuning fork.

And so, it is up to Chad Singer and Jenny Coopersmith prove Mike's innocence, by enlisting the assistance of Danny Young to investigate the murder.

Chad visits Christine Stoneham (Karen Grassle) under the suspicion that she has been carrying on with Vice Chancellor Simon, a notion which she denies to the point of aiming a pistol at Chad, while Jenny traces Reagan Miller (Jennifer Holmes) in San Diego, who is believed to have been involved with Tyler as he often disappeared on Christine and left town to publish students' compositions under his name.

As Lieutenant Perkins (William Hubbard Knight) investigates, Chad then manages to gather suspects, one and all, to orchestrate a re-enactment of the night of the "Murder in a Minor Key."

The cast is rounded out by Hope Haves as Young Woman, Paris Vaughan as Pauline, Alex Henteloff as Raymond Parnell, and Stephen Swofford as Templeton.

This episode marks the most recent television acting credit to date for Hope Haves, as well as the only acting credit to date for Producer and Production Manager Stephen Swofford This also represents the first of two "MSW" guest roles each for Karen Grassle, Jennifer Holmes, and Rene Auberjonois, the first of three for Tom Hallick, the second of three for George Grizzard, and the third of ten "MSW's" for Herb Edelman, including his upcoming seven episodes in the role of NYPD Lieutenant Artie Gelber.

George Grizzard, acting on television and in film since 1955, and Herb Edelman, acting since 1964, have unfortunately since passed.

This episode has we viewers visiting the Cabot Cove home of JB Fletcher and having Angela Lansbury tell us the tale of a story she's working on.

It begins with three students Shaun Cassidy law student, Dinah Manoff who we never learn what her major is and Paul Clemens who is a music major. At a nice piano lounge bar Clemens hears a theme he submitted to his professor George Grizzard being played as a preview for a new Broadway score.

Clemens confronts Grizzard who blithely dismisses him. But of course Grizzard is the kind who would pull all kinds of dirt on people including wife Karen Grassle. But it's Clemens who gets caught by campus security in Grizzard's office with a dead Grizzard.

Law student Cassidy goes to work and such other folks as Broadway producer Herb Edelman, colleague Rene Auberjonois, and lyricist Jennifer Holmes are all suspect and their are others.

The solution, all a question of timing and geography.

This episode really looks like a pilot for another series with Shaun Cassidy who already had credits as a TV sleuth in the Hardy Boys a decade earlier. Too bad it wasn't picked up.

This episode starts in an unusual way with Jessica Fletcher having received the galley proof of her latest mystery book and speaking directly to the audience...she mentions her beloved nephew Grady and the silly gift of feathered slides! Then she starts to share what her latest novel is about...three young California students, one of who is a music student and gets himself in to trouble right away.

A music student discovers that his professor has ripped off his original composition. When he tries to get his hands on the original which the professor has in his locked files...the professor ends up dead in the same room. Suspects abound in this who done it.

Thankful one of our three students is a law student and determined to help get his friend off.

Jessica narrates the tale surrounding her newest novel while wearing snazzy slippers Grady gifted her about a music student who accuses his professor of plagiarism, only to be accused of his murder when he is found dead with a tuning fork in his inard in his office on campus.

Friends of the accused - Chad Singer, a law student from the deep south, and Jenny Coopersmith, a quirky young lady from New York investigate and learn that others had enough motive to take the tune out of the professor's heartbeat. The investigation is standard, made enjoyable by Shaun Cassidy, a charismatic actor who was one of the Hardy boys. This bookend starts with a entertaining and funny narration by Jessica, funny because of her line about sheriff Amos Tupper. It's a good mystery, liked the college setting, the suspects and the denouement was fine.

This episode has a special place in my heart because I had the good fortune of seeing some of it being filmed, and meeting the stars Shaun Cassidy and Herb Edelman. But just my luck that this is the first one not to feature Jessica in the story, so I unfortunately never got to see Angela Lansbury. However, despite this being one of the introduced episodes of Jessica's and other reviewers putting it down, this is actually a great plot, actors and mystery.

This story appeared in 1965 on the ninth season of Perry Mason as "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor." It is not a similar story. It is the SAME story. The best way for a person to see this is to watch both shows. The credits on the Perry Mason show say the story was written by Lawrence L. Goldman. The Murder, She Wrote writing credits went to Gerald K. Siegel and Peter S. Fischer. I have searched many internet sites and haven't seen any other comments about this. I checked Lawrence L. Goldman's writing credits on this site and it did not appear that he wrote using any other names. Watch both stories and decide for yourself.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

The first of fourteen bookend episodes (episodes where Jessica only introduces the story, or in one case didn't appear at all, and somebody else solves the crime), "Murder in a Minor Key" had an interesting premise (who doesn't love an episode centred around music) but to me has always one of the lesser episodes of Season 3, along with "Dead Man's Gold" and "Night of the Headless Horseman". Not awful but could have been great.

"Murder in a Minor Key's" biggest issue, and it is an element that very nearly kills the episode completely dead is the pacing, a lot of it drags especially in the middle that tended not to go anywhere. Considering the premise, the story could and should have been much more interesting.

Would have actually forgiven "Murder in a Minor Key's" lack of originality but not so that the mystery had relatively little to it with parts so padded out it feels like filler. Both the character of Mike and the dialogue are on the bland side, though Mike is not a complete dead-weight of a character and doesn't annoy you and the dialogue does have some thought-provoking and amiable moments.

Not having Jessica solving the crime and barely in it was unusual at this point in the show, and being an early bookend the episode suffers a little without Jessica and felt like it could have been an episode of any detective mystery show but in a way not 'Murder She Wrote'.

On the other hand, the production values are slick and stylish. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

"Murder in a Minor Key's" highlight is the denouement which is very clever and answers all the questions that needed answering.

Also keeping "Murder in a Minor Key" afloat is the strong cast, with standout performances from George Grizzard, Rene Auberjonois and Herb Edelmann.

In summary, watchable but very much a minor episode. 5/10 Bethany Cox

When enjoying a night out with friends Mike Prentice hears an artist performing what he believes to be one his compositions. Prentice checks it out and discovers his music teacher Professor Tyler Stoneham has stolen his work. That's not Stoneham's only act of plagiarism, a new music dictionary he'd put together with Professor Harry Papasian is published, without Papasian's name on it. Stoneham is found dead.

It's certainly different. The episode doesn't follow the usual format, instead, Jessica narrates it as one of her books. On this evidence she's not the best writer around, having watched the series from beginning to this point, I'd class this as the first poor episode to date, it is so boring, and having Jessica as narrator rather then directly in the story simply doesn't work. The characters are dull and uninteresting, they've reverted to making the bad guy (Stoneham) the obvious murder candidate, having everyone loathing him.

If you can get to the ending without falling asleep you'll do well. On the plus side, the production values are great, and there is something charming about Lansbury narrating the episode from the comfort of a Fireside chair wearing fluffy slippers.

It just doesn't work. 4/10

Perry Mason: The Case of the Cheating Chancellor introduced by jessica--from novel....a plus.

Cassidy acting as Jessica.

Weak denoument.

"Murder in a Minor Key" is an unusual episode in that Jessica Fletcher is NOT a character in the story. Instead, the story begins with her talking to the audience and telling you that this is her latest story...and the episode is her latest novel...with Shaun Cassidy filling in for the Jessica Fletcher role. And, no he does NOT dress like her and say he's Miss Fletcher...but this would have been cool! According to IMDB, the show did 14 episodes like this...and this is the first.

As far as whether or not you'll like this format, it's up to you. My wife didn't...she missed seeing Jessica Fletcher working a case. I liked it, as it was nice to see a story you KNOW isn't real. After all, how many REAL murders can Jessica stumble into?! My problems with the episode are more because of the plot.

As usual, the story introduces a character that simply NEEDS killing! Professor Stoneham (George Grizzard) is a real piece of work. First, he steals the work of one of his music students and has it published...without the student's name on the piece! Second, he committed an unusual form of plagiarism. Although he wrote a book with another professor, Stoneham put only his own name on the book! And, finally, he is a horrid husband and all-around jerkface.

Instead of Jessica, Chad Singer (Shaun Cassidy) investigates the case himself...even though he's just a college student. In the end, he sets up the stereotypical finale where all the suspects are gathered together and the killer admits the crime...though it's really NOT proven that they did anything wrong! As a result...it's pretty weak.