Ep 18. No Laughing Murder

Jessica Fletcher finds herself in the middle of another mystery when a famed comedian is found dead after a performance at a local comedy club. The comedian, Harvey Chase, was known for his crude humor and cut-throat style, often targeting other performers and audience members in his act. Despite his controversial behavior, Harvey had many fans and followers, making his death a shock to the comedy community.

Jessica initially attends Harvey's show with her friend, Adam, who is a big fan. However, during the performance, she notices a strange man lurking in the shadows. Later that night, she hears a loud argument coming from Harvey's dressing room, but dismisses it as just part of the comedy act. The next morning, Jessica is shocked to learn that Harvey has been found dead in his dressing room, apparently strangled with a microphone cord.

As Jessica begins to investigate the murder, she discovers that many people had a motive for killing Harvey, including his wife, his ex-wife, a former comedy partner, and several comedians who Harvey had insulted in his act. Jessica gains insight into the cutthroat world of comedy and learns that Harvey had made many enemies over the years.

One suspect is Brandy, Harvey's current wife, who had been recently separated from Harvey. She becomes a prime suspect as it is revealed that their relationship unraveled after Harvey's obsession with his career caused Brandy to give up on her own. Brandy's hotel room is where a piece of evidence that points to a murder weapon is found.

Another suspect is Bob, Harvey's former comedy partner. They had a falling out and were publicly feuding right before Harvey's death. Jessica discovers that Bob is in debt and cannot afford to pay for his own comedy club. Harvey's death would mean ownership of it to Bob, following which, it can be sold for a huge sum of money.

As Jessica worked to unravel the mystery, she receives a threatening letter along with a suspicious phone call, warning her to leave the case to the police. She is not easily intimidated and continues with her work.

Jessica eventually uncovers a crucial piece of evidence that ties the murder to a young comedy writer who was also in the club that night. She realizes that the writer had been impersonating one of the regular performers in order to get a closer look at Harvey. The writer had heard Harvey threaten to destroy his comedy career, which led to him killing Harvey in a fit of rage.

With Jessica's help, the killer is brought to justice and the comedy community is able to seek closure after Harvey's untimely death.