While on vacation in Bermuda, Jessica Fletcher is surprised to hear the local population is abuzz over a trio of murders, each bearing an eerie resemblance to the 1888 Jack the Ripper killings.

Jessica dismisses the panicked chatter as just that-until her friend Thomas Betterton's niece is found dead on the beach after a party. And when Scotland Yard Inspector George Sutherland arrives to investigate, Jessica can't help but get involved-an act that brings her dangerously close to a killer...

Review

Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is exhausted after her last book tour and happily accepts an acquaintance’s offer of a free beach cabin in beautiful Bermuda. Recently some young women have been murdered on the island by a killer who seems to be channeling Jack the Ripper. For Jessica, it still promises to be a peaceful vacation with nothing on her itinerary except some shopping, sightseeing, and lounging on the beach with a good book. However, while taking a stroll on the beach, Jessica discovers the body of a beautiful young woman who is identified as Alicia, the niece of her host, Judge Betterton. Police assume Alicia is a victim of Bermuda’s Jack the Ripper, but it looks like the motive for this murder may be found a bit closer to home. Jessica, who has solved as many real murders as she has written about in her mystery novels, gives up on relaxing in the sun and starts investigating.

I like all of the Murder, She Wrote books, but those who prefer when Jessica does her sleuthing at home in Cabot Cove, Maine may be disappointed in this installment. The whole book takes place in Bermuda where Jessica is vacationing. While sometimes some of Jessica’s best friends travel with her, she is on her own this time and her Cabot Cover friends don’t play a role at all.

Since the brutal “Jack the Ripper” murders remain unsolved, the local police force in Bermuda get reinforcements from Scotland Yard and none other than Jessica’s dear friend Inspector George Sutherland is called in to assist in the investigation. Jessica is still devoted to her late husband Frank so while she and George enjoy a close friendship, they’ve not tried to make it into something more. They make a great investigative team and while there are some good scenes between the two of them, they don’t have the chance to spend much personal time together. The investigation has enough twists and red herrings to keep it interesting and the island setting and characters add to the enjoyment of the book.

Jessica is a likeable amateur detective. She is inquisitive, intelligent, and determined. Even when she takes some heat over her friendship with George and the possibility of her presence interfering in the investigation, she doesn’t hesitate to confront the issue head-on with George’s co-workers. She is fearless and at one point arms herself with a frying pan to protect herself against a possible intruder. Fans of the old television series will like the book, but it’s not necessary to have watched the TV show to enjoy the book. Trouble at High Tide, will appeal to most cozy mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple.

Reviewed by Christine K.

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