From a Mystery Movie Is Announced to the Weird and Wild World of Writing in 2023
From a Mystery Movie Is Announced to the Weird and Wild World of Writing in 2023
Plus, Lupin Part Three hits Netflix on October 5th
Well, it’s an interesting time to be a Murder, She Wrote fan.
A new movie based on the series was announced to be in the works. Several years ago, I remember the idea was being thrown around to do a series reboot, but fan protest was too loud (there was even a bit of pushback at the time from Jessica Fletcher herself, Angela Lansbury). Octavia Spencer was set to take on the titular role, and I for one would’ve loved to see her in it. She has a lovely range in her acting and always comes off as poised but welcoming, just like Jessica.
FYI, the show has also recently been revived as a young adult mystery series with one of Jessica’s numerous nieces taking over as the lead sleuth. The second book in the series comes out on October 31st. I purchased the first book out of curiosity, but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. It’s still in my TBR pile.
Murder, She Wrote also made an appearance on the picket lines of the WGA strike. Angela Lansbury’s son, Anthony Shaw, was on hand alongside a handful of others associated with the show to protest.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming movie? I’m curious about who they’ve picked to play Jessica. If Octavia Spencer’s no longer available, Jamie Lee Curtis would be great.
I’ve got a great link roundup for you below. And, quick reminder, you can find more mystery related content at @moremysteryplease on Instagram.
THE BIRTH AND DEATH OF TWO GREAT MYSTERY WRITERS
On LitReactor, Christopher Schultz wishes Agatha Christie, born on September 15th, a happy birthday and offers an interesting take on my favorite of her novels, And Then There Were None.
And, in an older article over at Smithsonian Magazine, Natasha Geiling reflects on the tragic and mysterious death of Edgar Allan Poe. He died on October 7th. As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, October is a big month for Edgar Allan Poe lovers this year. Beyond the obvious (ahem, Halloween), the Edgar Allan Poe International Festival is October 7th and 8th in Baltimore.
Additionally, his famous short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, has been remade into a limited Netflix series by Mike Flannigan and drops on October 12th.
BOOTLEGGERS AND GANGSTERS
Rebecca Hesse at Mental Floss gives readers a lineup of 8 gutsy gals who kept the alcohol flowing during Prohibition.
Meanwhile, at Something Is Going To Happen, Joseph Koenig relays the exploits of journalist Florabel Muir, who wasn’t afraid to rub elbows with gangsters if it got her the scoop.
BOOK BLIPS
J. Kingston Pierce shares an opinion piece from a 1905 newspaper article declaring the “decline and fall of the fictional sleuth” on The Rap Sheet.
Over on CrimeReads, you can find an excerpt from translator Lucia Grave’s introduction to the Folio Society’s edition of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s beloved novel, The Shadow of the Wind. The Folio Society is known for its beautiful (and super pricey) limited editions of well-known novels and, looking at the thumbnails on the site, this edition of The Shadow of the Wind doesn’t disappoint.
Jacqueline Feldman, via The Paris Review, provides insight on how Paris booksellers are preparing for next year’s Summer Olympics.
On her site, Margot Kinberg muses that solving the mystery of a whodunit hinges on the sleuth getting to know the victim.
At Terrible Minds, Chuck Wendig lays out why being a writer right now is weirder and more worrisome than before.
And lastly, Lupin Part Three drops on Netflix October 5th. Somehow, this slipped past my radar until now. Part One and Two were amazing, so I’ll definitely be binging this in a couple of weeks.
And we’re at the end of this newsletter. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with more links. Until then, here’s a list of three mystery themed games I enjoy that you might too:
Gloom by Atlas Games (CARD) - Okay, technically this isn’t a mystery game. The goal is to wipe out your “family” and leave only death and destruction in your wake. But, a large portion of the gameplay is each player coming up with an original storyline on the spot or adding on to an existing one. Because of this, crafting a game with wicked mysteries intertwined isn’t difficult. The story, and the direction it goes, is in your hands.
Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases by Microids (VIDEO GAME) - It takes a minute to get the hang of utilizing the mind map and making connections, but my daughter and I are having a blast trying to deduce our way through this game. We’re playing on Playstation, but the game’s available on other platforms as well.
Rear Window by Funko (BOARD) - I’ve mentioned this game on Instagram. One player is the director and, through trial and error, the other players determine if the director’s movie involves a murder and, if so, who did it.