Murder by the Book (1987): cast, story & where to watch
1987 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1987, Murder by the Book is a comedy, thriller, crime and mystery film directed by Mel Damski, running about 100 minutes.
What it’s about. Mild-mannered mystery writer D. H. Mercer has become so immersed in his material that his creation, hard-boiled private eye Biff Deegan, constantly appears to him as a hallucination. Intent on getting rid of Biff, and replacing him with a more civilized detective, Mercer soon finds himself in a genuine mystery involving art fraud, murder, and a beautiful lady in peril.
Who’s in it. Murder by the Book stars Robert Hays as D.H. 'Hank' Mercer / Biff Deegan, Catherine Mary Stewart as Marissa, Christopher Murney as Lt. Greenberg and Fred Gwynne as Victor Greville, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Murder by the Book has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo and MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Murder by the Book page.
If you liked it. Fans of Murder by the Book tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Murder by the Book (1987)?
- In US, Murder by the Book is available to stream on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel and Philo. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Murder by the Book worth watching?
- Murder by the Book holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, thriller, crime and mystery. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Murder by the Book?
- Murder by the Book stars Robert Hays, Catherine Mary Stewart, Christopher Murney, Fred Gwynne and Celeste Holm.
- When was Murder by the Book released?
- Murder by the Book was released in 1987, with a runtime of about 100 minutes.