TONIGHT ON MURDER, SHE WROTE, Angela Lansbury is coming in via helicopter.
Distinguished painter Diego (the iconic Cesar Romero) is under siege by one of his Mediterranean island guests during his worst birthday party ever. Among the suspects: it might be his awfully young bride (Cristina Raines), his fabulous but arthritic ex-wife (Capucine), a philanthropic do-gooder (Judy Geeson), his handsome son (Fernando Allende), the art gallery owner (Stewart Granger), or maybe it's Robert Goulet.
Inspector Henry Kyle (Ron Moody) is on the case, examining discarded cigarettes and determining who pulls matches with which hand. Naturally, Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) is getting in the way, and she has her own suspicions.
Unfortunately, no one thinks about hiding the many weapons displayed on the wall (nor did anyone secure the planter urns on the balcony). But the scenery is stunning, the weather is temperate, and the studio is on fire. Oh no!
PAINT ME A MURDER, as this Agatha Christie-style whodunnit is high on suspects, surprise entrances via French doors, suspicious heart attacks, missing servants, and local children painting pictures of donkeys. Matlock wishes...