Handlung

The pervasive stench of death looms over Jessica and Seth's visit to his cousin's South Carolina plantation.

Seth's cousin Buford has a newly-developed magnolia, a contract for it with a company who will do anything to get possession, a co-researcher with differing opinions, a girlfriend who may be more interested in money than love, and a stepdaughter with her hand out. When he is murdered, there are more than enough suspects to bewilder the county sheriff.—mama.sylvia

While driving south to Florida, Seth Hazlett and and Jessica Fletcher stop off to visit the Hazlett estate and his cousin Buford Hazlett. Seth and Buford have had a friendly rivalry since childhood and despite their advancing years, little has changed. Buford and his partner Kendall Ames have developed a very special magnolia tree, the extract from which has been contracted to a cosmetics firm that wants to use it in their new perfume, Forever Scarlett. Buford, however, decides to break that contract in the hopes of getting more money. His step-daughter has returned home from living in New York and he's correct in assuming that she is now broke and needs financial assistance. He's also become close to his estate manager Evelyn Colby and that has caused a number of people around them to become jealous. It's no surprise when Buford is found dead but Seth is taken aback when he learns that he has inherited half of the estate with the other half going to Evelyn. It's left to Jessica, however, to uncover the identity of the murderer.—garykmcd

Driving Jessica to Orlando, Seth visits his South Carolina cousins Rob and Buford. Soon after, Buford is killed, leaving his estate to its manager and Seth. The estate is key to the contract for a priceless magnolia perfume crop production he developed with local botanist Kendall Ames. However, Buford wanted to break his contract with Nina Larson's New York company. Jessica and County Sheriff John Lindley find both family and business interests provide interesting motives.—KGF Vissers