Jessica Fletcher only features briefly in this episode.
This is a bookend episode featuring Dennis Stanton. It confirms that Jessica's books feature repeat characters. In the opening dialogue with Nadine, the fan at the book signing the back and forth with Jessica, Nadine, and Dennis, this is the take away. It is also stated that in Jessica's books that Dennis Stanton has become Damien Sinclair. Stanton says that Sinclair is "a pale imitation of the original". It does not say who the other characters are.
At this point we know that S3e14 and S6e12 bookends were based on a JB novels. No other bookend episodes (as of this point) were stated to be based on a JB Fletcher novel, Jessica introduced them as having happened to 'real' people.
This is the 3rd Stanton bookend episode S6e19, S7e3, (and this one) S7e8 and the 5th overall appearance of Stanton S5e2 and S6e8 were not bookend episodes. This is as of this point in the series.
At this point we know that S3e14 and S6e12 bookends were based on a JB novels. No other bookend episodes (as of this point) were stated to be based on a JB Fletcher novel, Jessica introduced them as having happened to 'real' people.
This is the 3rd Stanton bookend episode S6e19, S7e3, (and this one) S7e8 and the 5th overall appearance of Stanton S5e2 and S6e8 were not bookend episodes. This is as of this point in the series.
This is the first of two "Murder, She Wrote" episodes that David Birney and Roy Dotrice appeared in together. The other episode is S10,E3: "The Legend of Borbey House".