Season Nine of Murder, She Wrote gets under way with an episode set at a Milan Film Festival, where Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) is attending the premiere of a movie based on one of her novels. The film's producer Catherine Wayne (Susan Blakely) is as well known for her string of box-office successes as she is for her shabby treatment of underlings; in fact, as the story begins, she is seen refusing to release an up-and-coming young director from his ultra-restrictive contract. Inevitably, Catherine is murdered, and Jessica is obliged to investigate the case.

Randall Sloan (Brian McNamara), a former student of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), returns to Cabot Cove to research his new book. Despite several ominous warnings to drop the project, Randall is determined to complete his volume, a searing expose of a 30-year-old scandal involving two of the town's most prominent families, that Latimers and the Weymouths. You guessed it: Randall is killed, and Jessica is enlisted by Sheriff Mort Metzger (Ron Masak) to help find the killer.

Arriving at Kennedy International Airport, a confused Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is kidnapped by the minions of respected philanthropist Maxwell Hagen (Ken Howard). After being released, Jessica complains to the authorities, who refuse to believe her story, or at least act as if they don't believe her. It turns out that Jessica was mistaken for another woman, a government "mole" who was fleeing for her life--and when that woman turns up murdered, Jessica is determined to bring the culprit to justice.

This episode is set in Ireland, where Jessica (Angela Lansbury) has arrived to research a new book in the company of her college colleague, retired Irish detective Sean Culhane (George Hearn). Invited to stay at the home of wealthy developer Neal Gillen (Dakin Matthews), Jessica and Sean are among those present when Gillen suddenly dies, presumably of natural causes. It turns out, however, that Gillen's death may have been premeditated--and may also have been tied in with a local legend concerning the spirit of a "crying woman."

Returning to New York after a brief absence, Jessica learns to her chagrin that she has been introduced in cartoon form as "Jessica Fox" ("I'll just follow my nose") in a comic strip specializing in political satire. Unfortunately, "Jessica Fox" has been making a number of libelous statements, prompting several important people to threaten Jessica with legal action. In her determination to take the comic strip's creator to task, Jessica is plunged into a maelstrom of blackmail and murder. Featured in the cast as a ink-stained cartoonist is Mell Lazarus, creator of the popular comic strips "Miss Peach" and "Momma."

Jessica (Angela Lansbury) swings into action when entrepreneur Max Teller (Steve Forrest), who had recently converted a former western mining town into a tourist attraction, is murdered. The killing may have been linked to the legendary lost treasure of a notorious stagecoach robber. Graham Greene of Dances with Wolves fame guest stars as the town's Native American sheriff Sam Keeyani, whom Jessica assists in his investigation of the murder (or is it the other way around?)

Len Cariou is back as Michael Hagarty, semi-retired British secret agent and longtime friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). On this occasion, Hagarty is distressed that his estranged daughter (Kim Johnston Ulrich) has become engaged to a young man engaged in questionable business practices with a mob-connected Hong Kong financial house. When the fiancé is murdered, Hagarty is accused of the crime, but Jessica can't believe he did it (nor can the audience!)

Millionaire oilman Buck Wilson (Wayne Tippet), the father of Jessica's editor, has disappeared--and along with him $150,000,000 from his corporate account has vanished. Brought in to investigate the matter, psychic Marika Valenti (Natalja Nogulich) claims to have had a vision that Wilson is dead. Jessica (Angela Lansbury) enters the fray when Marika herself turns up murdered.

Taciturn Gulf War veteran Charles McComber (Sean O'Bryan) returns to his home town of Cabot Cove in hopes of being reunited with his fiancee Beth Forsythe (Eileen Seeley). Instead, a murder occurs at a Christmas party where McComber has shown up uninvited. Hoping to clear McComber of suspicion, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) uncovers a dark secret tied in with embezzlement, betrayal and blackmail.

On this occasion, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is at a recording studio, taping another of her "Mysteries for the Blind" album. During a break, she is invited to watch the recording of a heavy-metal rock video. In the course of the action, record producer Freddie Major (Edd Byrnes) is shot to death--and for the remainder of the episode, Jessica sifts through several suspects and miles of magnetic tape in hopes of finding a clue as to the murderer's identity.