Me and Murder, She Wrote: My Adventures in Television with Angela Lansbury, Peter Falk, and Jerry Orbach... Among Others

Fischer spent more than 20 years writing scripts for TV movies and classic series like Columbo, but is best known as one of the creators of Murder, She Wrote. "In so many ways my career has been a fairy story," he writes in this account of his transformation from insurance investigator and trade magazine publisher to writer and producer at Universal Studios and now author of Hollywood-themed murder mysteries. Fischer's humorous tone and comments addressed to readers create a sense of intimacy, but the insider's view he offers is not a tell-all. For the most part, Fischer is generous with compliments for particular producers, directors, and actors, occasionally venting about big egos that sabotaged projects and industry executives. He seems stoical about the arbitrary, cutthroat nature of show businesses, attributing much of his success to lucky breaks and his ability to turn out a story quickly. Yet by pointing to creatively challenging projects and enduring friendships forged despite fears of missing deadlines, going over budget, and cancellations, he convincingly supports his argument that life becomes satisfying only when you follow a dream, however improbable.