Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) No Accounting for Murder (1987) User Reviews

The Ghost in the Office

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 28 November 2017]

Grady is now working for an accountancy agency in New York, he's dealing with demanding clients, and a ghost in the office, things are moved, his sandwiches are taken. Grady's taken out to lunch by his Aunt Jessica one night, and as he returns to his Office he finds his boss Ralph Whitman dead. As he's the person to discover the body, Grady is suspected by the charming Lieutenant Timothy Hanratty. Grady also has to deal with the IRS, who's agent Lester Grinshaw believes Grady to be the head of a major tax swindle in the Cayman Isles.

I've always had a fondness for this episode, it's light hearted, intriguing and definitely charming. One of the better stories for Grady I think it's fair to say, he gets a little more to do in this episode then many of his others. I would love to read Grady's CV to see how many jobs he's had, and where's his beautiful love interest.

The acting is impeccable, Barney Martin is a delight as Irish cop Hanratty, such a shame it would be two years til he'd return, his scenes with Lansbury are a delight. I particularly liked Geoffrey Lewis's IRS Agent Grinshaw, he was great.

It's a little daft in parts I guess, the scene where the hidden 'ghost' comes to Jessica's aid is a little silly, but it's part of the show's charm. Good fun 8/10

Grady Inadvertently Faces Tough Clients, Tax Fraud, a Phanthom and Murder Charges

[WeatherViolet · 7/10 · 27 October 2009]

This episode marks one of the last appearances by, and final television role for Classic film star Dorothy Lamour, who began her fifty year screen career in 1937. Peggy Doyle and Barney Martin have also since passed.

One winter's day in New York City (with actually on-location snowfall filming), there is much activity at accounting agency co-owned by Ralph Whitman (Michael Tolan) and Paul Carlisle (James Noble), of which its staff includes Secretary Connie Norton (Kate Vernon), Security Guard Harry Caldwell (Tom McFadden), Custodian Mrs. Weems (Peggy Doyle) and Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton) as Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Visitors include clients Mrs. Ellis (Dorothy Lamour), and Marty Giles (Ron Masak in his pre-Mort Metzger days), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Agent Lester Grinshaw (Geoffrey Lewis), estranged wife of Ralph, Lana Whitman (Patty McCormack) and The Phantom (Paul Comi), who lurks behind the scenes to scrutinize activity.

Grady awaits the arrival of his Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who steps from the elevator as Connie screams for Security Guard Caldwell to apprehend the Phanthom, whom she sights in the corridor, for all to discover that he has tackled Grady.

But Grady's problems are just beginning. IRS Agent Grinshaw slaps a summons on him when it is discovered that the agency has been shielding clients' tax payments in an overseas account bearing Grady's name.

That night, several who are connected with the accounting firm are seen entering the building, before a garroter strangles a victim with drapery cords.

NYPD Lieutenant Timothy Hanratty (Barney Martin) and Joe, Police Sergeant (Charles Walker) are assigned to the case, in which all fingers point to Grady, while additional blackmail threats continue around the agency.

Jessica rises to the occasion of defending Grady, by obtaining information from various suspects, paying a visit to the local IRS office with Grady, to discover that agents pay squealers an Informant's Fee for providing information toward tax fraud suspects, to search through the building's hidden passageways in search of the Phanthom, and also to pay a visit to Marty's Merchandisers, to discover that its "Going OUt of Business" sale has been going on since 1968.

As everyone tries to crack down upon Neptune Ventures, the Caribbean account to which payments of six tax blackmail victims is stored, the perpetrator goes after another prospective victim with drapery cords, as Jessica hangs onto the Charles Hammond file and suspects that there is "No Accounting for Murder." The cast is rounded out by a Seller at Marty's Merchandisers (Michael J. London).

Grady in another jackpot

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 5 April 2018]

Jessica Fletcher's most frequent relation appearing on Murder She Wrote is her nephew by marriage Grady Fletcher. He's an accountant and you would think that's as non-violent a profession as there can be. But during the course of the series Michael Horton kept getting into all kinds of jackpots that Aunt Jess had to get him out of.

Horton is now in an investment firm run by James Noble with a second in command Michael Tolan who becomes our murder victim. Barney Martin plays an NYPD homicide cop with a delightful Irish brogue and he and Angela Lansbury have some charming scenes. It's with the greatest of reluctance that Martin arrests Horton and he's happy when Lansbury clears her nephew.

The firm occupies an old building riddled with secret passages more than likely due to Prohibition days. Rumored there's phantom within the walls. Lansbury discovers Paul Comi living there and for keeping his secret she gets more than repaid.

Ron Masak is in this one and plays a shady discount store owner who is a suspect, one of two roles before he became Sheriff Mort Metzger.

But can Grady keep avoiding jobs with jackpots?

No accounting for murder

[coltras35 · 8/10 · 19 August 2023]

Jessica has come to visit Grady at the New York accountancy firm where he works when the young man's terrible luck strikes again - coming back from dinner, he finds his boss Ralph Whitman dead at his desk, an ominous message scrawled in red on the walls. As the only person known to have been present, and one of the names mixed up in a scam involving some mysterious company called Neptune Ventures, the police fix on Grady as the primary suspect.

Dopey Grady gets into trouble again when he finds his boss dead - of course, his aunt is at hand to help and she has ghosts behind walls to contend with. It's a fun episode, the office building setting is really atmospheric, the camerawork is fine, and the Irish detective is a great foil for Jessica. A solid episode.

NYC

[safenoe · 8/10 · 31 January 2021]

You can really feel the New York snow in this episode, where the production team made an effort to film various NY scenes including the snow. Anyway, the warmth soon disappears with a murder at Grady Fletcher's accounting firm, with Grady being set up big time. Combine this with a mysterious guy living behind the walls of the firm, and you get a surreal MSW for sure.

Interestingly, in one scene you see a portrait of then president, Ronald Reagan, as this episode debuted in 1987.

Murder at the accountancy agency

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 11 August 2017]

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

"No Accounting for Murder" is a decent episode but not a great one. The main thing that it suffers from is Grady, the character has always been bland, annoying and often useless and Michael Horton sucked energy out of his scenes more often than not, both are the case here to the extent that it's not easy to root for him or whether he's innocent or not (though it is rather predictable what the answer is). The mystery itself is not always compelling, with a sometimes dull pace and a "who cares" feel to the story.

The victim is the typical uniformly hated "victim stamped over forehead" one, and one doesn't really get to know the murderer either.

However, there are a lot of good things about "No Accounting for Murder". Production values are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote'. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

Writing is thought-provoking, light-hearted and amiable and it is fun figuring out with both amusement and bewilderment at the whereabouts of Grady's business and affording an apartment like the one he has.

Excepting Horton (which has everything to do with the character himself, Horton has been capable elsewhere), the acting is solid. Angela Lansbury can do no wrong and Michael Tolan and Dorothy Lamour are particularly note-worthy of the guest supporting cast. It was interesting to see Ron Masak before he became Amos Tupper's replacement Sheriff Mort Metzger.

In conclusion, decent if lacking. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Phantom of the highrise.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 9 November 2022]

"No Accounting for Murder" is yet another episode starring Jessica's nebbish nephew, Grady. For me, this was a bit of a disappointment as Grady is a perennial loser...a guy who is just pathetic. Despite this, the episode is still decent and watchable.

Jessica arrives in New York to visit Grady and soon hears that the highrise where he works is supposedly haunted by some sort of phantom! Amazingly, enough it does turn out that there IS someone living inside the walls...much like that pesky old Phantom of the Opera. Some think this unseen person is the man responsible for murder...but Jessica has other ideas.

This is not a bad episode at all and the crime itself is quite interesting. I just don't enjoy seeing Grady again and again, as he's just pathetic and whiny. Still, if you ignore him the show is quite satisfying.