There is a “Murder She Wrote” marathon on and I have an idea.
The show, even with the movies, didn’t really have an ending just a last episode. It happens to a lot of shows.
Things we know about Jessica Fletcher and Cabot Cove:
1) She has a LOT of nieces, nephews, and cousins (and children of cousins). In a very brief internet search there was only agreement on 2 brothers. But there is disagreement on sisters vs sisters in law.
2) If someone makes the effort to maintain contact (and she likes them) she will absolutely make the effort too.
3) She was an English teacher before the show started, presumably a good and well liked one.
4) A LOT of people have died in Cabot Cove.
I have an idea for a show.
Jessica’s funeral is packed. All the relatives, fans, friends. She’s buried next to her husband in Cabot Cove. Then there’s the will. She was very organized all physical items were already designated to specific people. Certain items probably warrant museum donation. Her liquid assets and future proceeds from her books go to a charitable foundation. All the good relatives approve.
Then there’s this 1 envelope with a letter, a key, and the necessary paperwork. It’s specifically left to 1 of Jessica’s former students who she’s kept regular contact with over all the years.
The key is to a storage container in the next town over. It’s filled with notes, theories, photos about a serial killer (maybe multiple). Apparently there mysteries are unsolved.
Additional options. Jessica ran a writing cloud when she was teaching and the inheritor of the key was a member, many members were at Jessica’s funeral. Jessica suspected a serial killer lived in Cabot Cove but did most of their murders elsewhere (except for the occasional slip).
The former student can have whatever profession makes sense