Category: The Novels of J.B. Fletcher

The Corpse Danced at Midnight

Published April 1984 by Coventry House, New York
J.B. Fletcher’s first novel

Jessica taking in her first success in S1 E1: “The Murder of Sherlock Holmes”
Jessica at a book signing to promote her debut novel in S1 E1: “The Murder of Sherlock Holmes”
David Tolliver reads J.B. Fletcher’s first novel in S1 E6: “Lovers and Other Killers”

In the first episode of the series, “The Murder of Sherlock Holmes,” one of Jessica’s television interviewers reveals that in The Corpse Danced at Midnight the killer is a pregnant ballerina.

In S1 E4: “Hooray for Homicide,” we learn a little bit about another character in the novel, Johnny:

It’s also implied that Corpse was about 200 pages long. This might seem a bit short, but actually would make it similar in length to typical works by Agatha Christie and Rex Stout.

In S1 E4: “Hooray for Homicide,” Corpse is *almost* made into a movie.

A poster for the ill-fated film version.

Dirge for a Dead Dachshund

Published July 1984
J.B. Fletcher’s fourth novel

Dirge for a Dead Dachshund as seen in S1 E8: “We’re Off to Kill the Wizard”

Estimated Publication Date

MSWSW’s estimated publication date for Dirge for a Dead Dachshund is July 1984. The novel first appears in S1 E2: “Deadly Lady.” During this episode, Jessica says that the book is in pre-publication. The events of “Deadly Lady” occur in June or July of 1984. The second time we see Dirge, in S1 E8: “We’re Off to Kill the Wizard,” it has been published. The events of “Wizard” occur in late July 1984.

The front of Dirge in S1 E2: “Deadly Lady”
The back of Dirge in S1 E2: “Deadly Lady”

A Faded Rose Beside Her

Published May 1984
J.B. Fletcher’s second novel

In the second episode of the series, “Deadly Lady”, we learn that Jessica has now published multiple books. Ethan chides Amos about reading “too many of Jessica’s books.” And the deadly lady herself, Maggie Earl, tells Jessica that she read her latest book.

The book discussed in “Deadly Lady”, Dirge for a Dead Dachshund, is in pre-publication. Therefore, there must be at least one book published between The Corpse Danced at Midnight and Dirge. More likely, there are several, because in S1 E3: “Birds of a Feather,” which I’ve placed in late September 1984, we learn that Jessica has published six novels. 

One of the books published between Corpse and Dirge is most likely A Faded Rose Beside Her. It’s one of the books visible in Jessica’s kitchen in “Deadly Lady.” I’ve placed the events of “Deadly Lady” during the summer (June – August) of 1984. To allow “Deadly Lady” to occur as early as June 1984, I’ve estimated a May 1984 publication date for A Faded Rose Beside Her.

In the opening scene of S1 E2: “Deadly Lady,” the five books pictured below are as follows:

  1. Unknown, possibly another J.B. Fletcher novel, but unlikely, since the back cover (visible in second picture) does not have Jessica’s photo, like the back of Dirge. Still, keep an eye out for J.B. Fletcher books that are yellow with red script on the spine in later episodes.
  2. A Faded Rose Beside Her
  3. A reference book; in the second picture we can see the thumb index in the pages.
  4. The Corpse Danced at Midnight, Jessica’s first published book
  5. Dirge for a Dead Dachshund, which we learn is in pre-publication during S1 E2: “Deadly Lady”.
Jessica lights a hurricane lamp during, well, a hurricane in S1 E2: “Deadly Lady”
Jessica is about to take a phone call in S1 E2: “Deadly Lady”