Unto his mansion on the private Reynard Island, Henry Reynard (Gene Barry) gathers his family and associates to proclaim an important announcement.
His party consists of Henry's fastidious daughter, Alice Reynard Carson (Marj Dusay); Henry's carefree son, Jason Reynard (Keir Dullea); Jason's selfish wife, Valerie Renard (Cassie Yates); Alice's childish young adult daughter, Kimberly Carson (Jill Carroll); Kimberly's social-climbing fiancé, Preston Howard (John Callahan); Henry's attentive physician, Doctor Hubbard Dabney (Philip Abbott); and Henry's domestic assistants, Mr. Forest (Curt Lowens) and Mrs. Forest (Victoria Boothby).
Reynard Island remains undefined of any specific location. Because Henry had made his fortune in lumber, and because he travels to Chicago, one possibility may situate this parcel of land somewhere around Lake Michigan. Anyway, its distance from the mainland is minimal and may be reached by motorboat or helicopter.
When a helicopter Pilot (H. Ray Huff) transports one final guest to the isolated Reynard Island, festivities may commence, for Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) now enters the mysterious estate (after the Pilot returns to the mainland, leaving the ten to fend for themselves.
When Henry had met Jessica at a book publisher's board meeting in Chicago, they had conducted charity benefit fund-raising. And now, he discloses his purpose for the invitation: for a one million dollar reward for the charity of her choice, Henry asks Jessica to investigate his family to determine who has been trying to kill him.
Jessica, naturally, refuses the challenge, as "This is a matter for the authorities," thus returning the check bearing her name, which he returns into the drawer of his desk, alongside a report from a detective, as well as a copy of his revised will.
But that evening, when the group gathers in the upstairs library, a thunderstorm erupts, the electricity goes off, the motorboat is disabled, and a gunshot is heard from the downstairs foyer. Doctor Hubbard Dabney pronounces the victim deceased, and now everyone else must await authorities from the mainland.
Sheriff Brademus (Morgan Woodward) and Sergeant Stokley (Jeremy Roberts) arrive from the mainland the next morning, with Jessica volunteering to investigate, when they hear three screams from the boat house.... For Mrs. Forest stumbles across another body.
And now Reynard family members polarize at odds, as the plot thickens yet once again, with a surprise appearance to compound the matter of grading reactions to discover who passes this "Test of Wills."
His party consists of Henry's fastidious daughter, Alice Reynard Carson (Marj Dusay); Henry's carefree son, Jason Reynard (Keir Dullea); Jason's selfish wife, Valerie Renard (Cassie Yates); Alice's childish young adult daughter, Kimberly Carson (Jill Carroll); Kimberly's social-climbing fiancé, Preston Howard (John Callahan); Henry's attentive physician, Doctor Hubbard Dabney (Philip Abbott); and Henry's domestic assistants, Mr. Forest (Curt Lowens) and Mrs. Forest (Victoria Boothby).
Reynard Island remains undefined of any specific location. Because Henry had made his fortune in lumber, and because he travels to Chicago, one possibility may situate this parcel of land somewhere around Lake Michigan. Anyway, its distance from the mainland is minimal and may be reached by motorboat or helicopter.
When a helicopter Pilot (H. Ray Huff) transports one final guest to the isolated Reynard Island, festivities may commence, for Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) now enters the mysterious estate (after the Pilot returns to the mainland, leaving the ten to fend for themselves.
When Henry had met Jessica at a book publisher's board meeting in Chicago, they had conducted charity benefit fund-raising. And now, he discloses his purpose for the invitation: for a one million dollar reward for the charity of her choice, Henry asks Jessica to investigate his family to determine who has been trying to kill him.
Jessica, naturally, refuses the challenge, as "This is a matter for the authorities," thus returning the check bearing her name, which he returns into the drawer of his desk, alongside a report from a detective, as well as a copy of his revised will.
But that evening, when the group gathers in the upstairs library, a thunderstorm erupts, the electricity goes off, the motorboat is disabled, and a gunshot is heard from the downstairs foyer. Doctor Hubbard Dabney pronounces the victim deceased, and now everyone else must await authorities from the mainland.
Sheriff Brademus (Morgan Woodward) and Sergeant Stokley (Jeremy Roberts) arrive from the mainland the next morning, with Jessica volunteering to investigate, when they hear three screams from the boat house.... For Mrs. Forest stumbles across another body.
And now Reynard family members polarize at odds, as the plot thickens yet once again, with a surprise appearance to compound the matter of grading reactions to discover who passes this "Test of Wills."
