Murder by the Book
Synopsis
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.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Robert Hays
D.H. 'Hank' Mercer / Biff Deegan
Catherine Mary Stewart
Marissa
Christopher Murney
Lt. Greenberg
Fred Gwynne
Victor Greville
Celeste Holm
Claire
Jonathan Moore
Nicholas Rubinstein
Martin Neufeld
Pete
Michael Copeman
Bunty Webb
Eric Keenleyside
Robin Ward
Eric Fink
Thick Wilson
Al Bernardo
Louis Di Bianco
Marc Gomes
Raymond Hunt
James Walton
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Mel Damski
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Norell, Mel Arrighi, Andy Siegel
- Original Score
- Mark Snow, Henry Mancini, Billy Goldenberg
- Original Title
- Murder by the Book
- Country of Origin
- Canada, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Production Studios
- Orion Television, Peter Nelson Production
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Mel Damski
Michael Norell, Mel Arrighi, Andy Siegel
Mark Snow, Henry Mancini, Billy Goldenberg
Donald H. Birnkrant
Joanne D'Antonio
Peter Nelson
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Nelson
Producer
Mel Damski
Director
Mark Snow
Original Music Composer
Donald H. Birnkrant
Director of Photography
Joanne D'Antonio
Editor
Gavin Mitchell
Production Design
William Mesa
Visual Effects Supervisor
Ernie F. Orsatti
Stunt Coordinator
Henry Mancini
Original Music Composer
Billy Goldenberg
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Murder by the Book.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Murder by the Book.
MGM+ US - Mystery Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
500 best 87's movies
Similar Titles to Murder by the Book
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.7
7.4
8.4
8.4
8.1
7.0
7.0
5.7
7.2
4.3
6.2
7.1
6.9
9.0
9.0
7.5
7.6
6.0
More Like Murder by the Book
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Murder by the Book
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Murder by the Book 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 directed Murder by the Book?
Murder by the Book was directed by Mel Damski.
Who stars in Murder by the Book?
The principal cast of Murder by the Book includes Robert Hays, Catherine Mary Stewart, Christopher Murney, Fred Gwynne, Celeste Holm.
When was Murder by the Book released and how long is it?
Murder by the Book was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 1h 40m.
Who composed the musical score for Murder by the Book?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Murder by the Book was composed by Mark Snow, Henry Mancini, Billy Goldenberg.
Is Murder by the Book based on a book or true story?
Murder by the Book is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Mel Arrighi".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Murder by the Book?
Murder by the Book holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).