Jessica Fletcher has a writer's conference in New Orleans and can't resist staying an extra week for the annual jazz festival. In her short time there, she gets a chance to sample everything the city has to offer-- its delectable food, its wonderful music and, after all this is Murder She Wrote, its unique brand of murder and corruption!

Arts critic Wayne Copely is desperately searching for the fabled recordings of New Orleans jazz legend Little Red LeCoeur. But when he hears that his old friend Jessica Fletcher is in town, he's more than happy to take a break from work and give her an insider's view of the festival. Unfortunately, her jazz lesson and his search are tragically cut short when he turns up dead next to the grave of an old voodoo queen. And when the cops pass off the bizarre event as an "accidental death," it's up to Jessica to get to the bottom of it.

Librarian's note #1: there is an earlier MSW series by James Anderson and David Deutsch. Novelizations of TV episodes. The characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the 4-volume original series: #1, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985); #2, Hooray for Homicide (1985); #3, Lovers and Other Killers (1986); and #4, Murder in Two Acts (1986). But improvements welcome!

Librarian's note #2: the characters, settings, etc. have all been entered for the first 20 books in the current Jessica Fletcher / Donald Bain MSW series. They are #1, Gin & Daggers (1989) with a 2nd edition in (2000); #2, Manhattans & Murder (1994); #3, Rum & Razors (1995); #4, Brandy & Bullets (1995); #5, Martinis & Mayhem (1995); #6, A Deadly Judgment (1996); #7, A Palette for Murder (1996); #8, The Highland Fling Murders (1997); #9, Murder on the QE2 (1997); #10, Murder in Moscow (1998); #11, A Little Yuletide Murder (1998); #12, Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999); #13, Knock 'Em Dead (1999); #14, Trick or Treachery (2000); #15, Blood on the Vine (2001); #16, Murder in a Minor Key (2001); #17, Provence - To Die For (2002); #18, You Bet Your Life (2002); #19, Majoring in Murder (2003), and #20, Destination Murder (2003). But improvements welcome! Needed - a librarian to give the same treatment for #21 and on.