Jessica takes a teaching position in New York, gets an apartment and finds its previous tenant murdered.
A policeman-turned-professor challenges Jessica to solve a series of campus muggings that soon escalates to murder.
Sheriff Metzger assumes his younger brother, the black sheep of the family, is guilty of murder, as charged.
New computer owner Jessica discovers hackers gathering information for blackmail, a crime that leads to murder.
Jessica probes a 20-year-old unsolved murder after attending the funeral of a New Orleans jazz great.
Jessica attempts to prove a battered wife innocent of killing her husband after failing to convince the woman to defend herself.
Jessica tries to disprove charges against her friend's boyfriend, suspected of murdering a Las Vegas casino manager.
After Jessica speaks at an exclusive men's club, they ask her to investigate when one of their members is murdered and they are all suspects.
Jessica finds herself amid international espionage while attending a trade reception in Washington, D.C.
Jessica is convinced that a ballerina who died during her premiere performance in a new ballet was actually murdered.
Cabot Cove suspects a woman (Mary Crosby) playing a witch in a community play is the real thing; guest Robert Vaughn.
The would-be producer (Ron Leibman) of the movie adaptation of Jessica's latest book dies, leaving Jessica to identify possible suspects.
While visiting an old friend (Dina Merrill) who runs a Monte Carlo hotel, Jessica investigates the murder of a ruthless businessman with numerous enemies.
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.
Jessica reopens a 16-year-old murder case at the urging of a dying author (Van Johnson) who felt injustice was done.
Jessica attends a political fundraiser with her friend Drew (Mike Farrell), but the focus turns to murder when another guest's chauffeur is murdered.
A physical-fitness instructor (Jason Beghe) who has captivated Cabot Cove's female population is linked to the murder of a con artist.
Jessica's first publisher (Arthur Hill), imprisoned for murder, is paroled and requires her help when he is suspected of a similar crime.
Jessica's friend Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) is called to investigate when a purported Mark Twain manuscript leads to murder.
Jessica becomes enmeshed in feuds, infidelity and murder in Nashville when visiting her friend, blues singer Patti Sue Diamond (Florence Henderson), whose country-singer husband, Bobby (Jimmy Dean) is having trouble with his manager.
Insurance investigator Dennis Stanton confronts murder and arson while on a case involving a famous pianist (Ricardo Montalban).
Jessica and Seth inadvertently get entangled in a crime family's power struggle after a sniper attack in Boston wounds a mob boss.
A writer is murdered after sending Jessica a manuscript exposing a kidnapping scam, and Jessica's friend, private investigator Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) is caught near the body.
Jessica becomes involved in a dangerous espionage case in Athens, Greece, after a chance encounter in Paris with British agent Michael Haggerty (Len Cariou).
A parishioner confesses murder to a pastor, who cannot divulge the truth when an innocent man is accused.
An undelivered letter that Jessica finds in an antique bureau, purchased at a rummage sale, unleashes arson and murder.
Jessica becomes involved in a double-murder investigation when she attends an opera opening with old friend Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) in San Francisco.
Jessica spends the weekend on a remote island with a tycoon (Gene Barry) who thinks his life is in danger.
Jessica's friend, a top-flight homicide detective (Barry Newman), investigates the cover-up of a young woman's murder.
Jessica may be forced into public office when a woman arrives in town claiming Cabot Cove's bachelor mayor is the father of her five children.
The questionable identity of a body found by a railroad track leads to murder and becomes the inspiration for Jessica's latest novel.
Jessica befriends a Cabot Cove newcomer who is a murder suspect.
Jessica's niece (Genie Francis) is a suspect in the murder of a real-estate client, a rich movie heiress in Beverly Hills.
Jessica attends a variety-show reunion to research the 25-year-old unsolved murder of TV host Richie King (Kim Strauss), and while she's investigating, a show writer (Gavin MacLeod) is shot backstage.
One of Jessica's former students (Diana Canova), a script writer for a TV show, must find the killer of a network executive or look for another job.
Jessica's old friend, NYPD Detective Lt. O'Malley (Pat Hingle), investigates the suspicious suicide of a wealthy New York developer's wife.
Jessica's old friend, former jewel thief turned insurance agent Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell), becomes involved in a high-society murder.
While Jessica is in Texas to attend her cousin Ann's wedding, the bridegroom is murdered, as was Ann's first fiance 15 years earlier.
Jessica's nephew and his wife enjoy housesitting in Cabot Cove until they discover the body of a peg-legged murder victim on the living room floor.
Michael Haggerty (Len Cariou) falls for a widow (Deidre Hall) whose volatile brothers-in-law pose a threat.