## Book Card | Key | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Title (IT)** | Non chiamatemi Jessica Fletcher | | **Title (EN)** | Don't Call Me Jessica Fletcher | | **Author** | Guerra, Alice | | **Year** | 2025 | | **Series** | Alice Guerra (2) | | **Type** | novel | | **Genre** | Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Chick Lit | | **Genre (Save the Cat)** | Whydunit, Buddy Love | | **Tropes** | Amateur Sleuth, Meddling Old People, Police Are Useless, Red Herring, Will They or Won't They?, Belligerent Sexual Tension, In Medias Res, Love Triangle, Bunny Boiler (Obsessive Love), MacGuffin, Odd Couple, Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Clingy Jealous Girl, Sympathetic Magic | --- ## Review: Don't Call Me Jessica Fletcher Alice Guerra returns with a sequel that expertly blends brilliant comedy with a provincial _Cozy Mystery_. While the town of Mestre is paralyzed by the international theft of the Mona Lisa, our protagonist—a reluctant influencer and proud "grouch"—finds herself dealing with a much more domestic yet emotionally devastating mystery: a series of thefts involving items of no economic value (snails, used lipsticks, old photos) but heavy with sentimental significance. Structurally, the work adheres to the Hero's Journey model in a parodic key. The undisputed strength lies in the "Refusal of the Call" stage: Alice's resistance to becoming an amateur sleuth ("I am not Jessica Fletcher") creates effective comic conflict, magnificently supported by the "Maranteghe," a Greek chorus of meddling old ladies who steal the show. However, the structure shows some weakness in the "Ordeal" phase. Chiaretta's emergency labor, while a funny scene, feels structurally disconnected from the main mystery, diluting the investigative tension. The resolution of the case also suffers from a degree of randomness: the discovery of the stolen goods happens accidentally, depriving the protagonist of an active moment of deduction that would have better cemented her growth. The use of narrative tropes is mixed but self-aware. The author cleverly plays with the "Amateur Sleuth" trope and interestingly subverts the "Bunny Boiler" (obsessive lover) trope, transforming the antagonist into a figure that elicits more sympathy than fear. Recommended for readers seeking a lighthearted, self-deprecating read, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella or those who loved the neighborhood dynamics of _Only Murders in the Building_, but with a distinctive Italian flair. --- ## Structural Analysis (Hero's Journey & Archetypes) > [!INFO]- (click to expand) > # Structural Analysis: Non chiamatemi Jessica Fletcher > ## Logline > A reluctant, misanthropic influencer must juggle the return of an obsessive childhood friend, an investigation into petty but emotionally devastating household thefts, and an attraction to a gruff police commissioner, learning that to "swim" through life's difficulties, she must accept she is not alone. > ## Brief Summary > Alice Guerra, an influencer from Mestre who craves tranquility ("muso da can"), finds herself embroiled in chaos. While the city is in the global spotlight for the theft of the Mona Lisa, Alice must deal with the return of her childhood friend Vespasiana from America, crushed by a breakup. Simultaneously, a series of bizarre thefts strikes her inner circle: her Aunt Rosanna's snails ("bovoletti"), photo albums, a lipstick. Pushed by her aunt and against her will, Alice investigates, often crossing paths with Commissioner Salvatore Lo Cascio, with whom she has a love-hate relationship. Amidst misunderstandings, disastrous dates, and forced cohabitation, Alice discovers the thief of the small items is Vespasiana herself, who was attempting magic rituals to find love. Alice confronts her, helps her friend mature, and finally accepts her feelings for the commissioner, starting an imperfect but real relationship. > ## Archetypes and Characters > | **Archetype** | **Corresponding Character(s)** | **Brief Description** | > | ---------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | > | **Hero** | Alice Guerra | Reluctant protagonist, misanthropic, prefers solitude but is dragged into action. | > | **Mentor** | Aunt Rosanna | Constantly pushes Alice to action (investigate), albeit naggingly and comically. Loosely, the imaginary Jessica Fletcher. | > | **Threshold Guardian** | Alice's Reluctance / Vespasiana | Alice's laziness and cynicism block the journey's start. Vespasiana, with her chaos, disrupts Alice's peace but forces change. | > | **Herald** | Aunt Rosanna / News Reports | The Aunt brings news of domestic thefts; News reports bring news of the Mona Lisa theft (background). | > | **Shapeshifter** | Salvatore Lo Cascio | Commissioner; appears initially hostile/cold, then interested, then offensive, finally loving. His nature shifts in the Hero's eyes. | > | **Shadow** | Vespasiana (as Thief) | Represents the emotional void and desperation Alice fears or tries to avoid. She is the hidden antagonist of the "petty thefts". | > | **Ally** | The "Maranteghe" (Old Ladies) | The Greek chorus of elderly women supporting the investigation and providing comic relief. | > | **Trickster** | Luigino / Mariano | Comic characters who bring chaos and false leads (wrongly suspected). | > ## The Hero's Journey Stages > | **Journey Stage** | **Event(s) in the Story** | > | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | > | **1. The Ordinary World** | Alice at home with her cats, her influencer job, and her desire to be left alone. The routine of Mestre. | > | **2. The Call to Adventure** | Vespasiana's return and Aunt Rosanna's call reporting the theft of the "bovoletti". | > | **3. Refusal of the Call** | Alice doesn't want to host Vespasiana (but caves) and repeatedly refuses to investigate ("I am not Jessica Fletcher"). | > | **4. Meeting the Mentor** | Aunt Rosanna's constant pressure forcing her to act and go to the Commissioner. | > | **5. Crossing the First Threshold** | Alice accompanies her aunt to the police station and begins, reluctantly, to gather clues on the domestic thefts. | > | **6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies** | The hellish cohabitation with Vespasiana; encounters/clashes with Lo Cascio; futile investigations into Luigino and Mariano; the disastrous birthday dinner. | > | **7. Approach to the Inmost Cave** | Alice begins to suspect the thefts are connected and internal to the circle. Emotional tension with Lo Cascio rises (restaurant argument). | > | **8. The Ordeal** | Chiaretta's emergency labor during the wedding. Alice must take control, showing maturity and coolness under pressure. | > | **9. The Reward** | The realization of her own strength ("whole apple"). Alice understands she doesn't need completing, but can desire someone. | > | **10. The Road Back** | Alice discovers the stolen goods in Vespasiana's makeup bag. The mystery is solved. | > | **11. The Resurrection** | The final confrontation with Vespasiana: Alice doesn't condemn her but spurs her to grow. Subsequently, Alice goes to Lo Cascio and declares herself ("Caramelize me"), overcoming her fear of relationships. | > | **12. Return with the Elixir** | Alice has found balance: she has a relationship (without rigid labels), has helped her friend, and maintained her independence. | ## Structural Analysis (Save the Cat!) > [!INFO]- (click to expand) > # Structural Analysis: Don't Call Me Jessica Fletcher > ## Logline > When an antisocial influencer is forced to host a delusional friend and investigate ridiculous neighborhood thefts, she must learn to open her heart to the police commissioner she's trying to avoid, before she ends up a victim of loneliness herself. > ## The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) > | **Beat** | **Story Event** | **Critical Notes** | > | ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | > | **1. Opening Image** | Alice in jail (Prologue). | Effective _In Medias Res_ establishing the comic tone and conflict with authority/Lo Cascio. | > | **2. Theme Stated** | Alice reiterates she is a "muso da can" (grouch) and wants to be alone. | Theme is loneliness vs. connection. Alice believes solitude is safety. | > | **3. Set-Up** | Alice's routine, introduction of the "Maranteghe" (Old Ladies), Mestre context with Mona Lisa theft in background. | Establishes the quirky ordinary world. | > | **4. Catalyst** | Vespasiana's return (desperate) and the theft of Aunt Rosanna's snails. | Breaks Alice's equilibrium (space invaded) and forces action (investigation). | > | **5. Debate** | Alice doesn't want to investigate ("I'm not Jessica Fletcher") and struggles to tolerate Vespasiana. | Resistance to change. | > | **6. Break into Two** | Alice agrees to host Vespasiana and accompanies her aunt to the police station regarding the theft. | Actively enters the chaotic "new world". | > | **7. B Story** | The relationship with Commissioner Lo Cascio. | Starts with arrest/beach, continues with awkward encounters. | > | **8. Fun and Games** | Absurd cohabitation, clumsy investigation attempts (visiting Luigino), Alice and Vespy's Tinder dates. | Comic moments showing character contrast. | > | **9. Midpoint** | Alice's Birthday / Dinner at Lo Cascio's. | False defeat/victory. They get closer (sex/intimacy) but he hurts her by belittling her job. Emotional stakes raise. | > | **10. Bad Guys Close In** | Thefts continue (lipstick, photos, bike). Vespasiana becomes increasingly unstable (runs to London). | Internal and external pressure mounts. Alice feels trapped. | > | **11. All Is Lost** | Alice feels alone and misunderstood. Fights with Lo Cascio at New Year's; realizes Giovanni (Tinder) isn't the one. | Moment of emotional emptiness. Feels the failure of her barriers. | > | **12. Dark Night of the Soul** | Alice reflects on being a "whole apple" but bruised. Realizes Vespasiana is lying. | Inner realization. | > | **13. Break into Three** | Alice intuits the truth about the thefts and decides to check Vespasiana's makeup bag. | Moves from passive/victim to resolving action. | > | **14. Finale** | Discovery of stolen goods. Confrontation with Vespasiana. Rush to hospital for Chiaretta (maturity test). Reconciliation with Lo Cascio. | Resolution of all plots (Mystery and B Story). | > | **15. Final Image** | Alice and Lo Cascio together, "candied apples". | Mirror of opening (jail/solitude vs union/freedom). | ## Narrative Trope Analysis > [!NOTE]- (click to expand) > # Narrative Trope Analysis: Don't Call Me Jessica Fletcher > ### Amateur Sleuth > 🔗 Card: [Amateur Sleuth](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Amateur%20Sleuth.md) > - **Definition:** A character with no law enforcement ties who solves crimes or mysteries, often better than the police. > - **Description and Context:** Alice is constantly pushed by her aunt to investigate petty neighborhood thefts, assuming the role of Jessica Fletcher despite her reluctance and the presence of a real commissioner (Lo Cascio) dealing with "serious" crimes. > ### Meddling Old People > 🔗 Card: [Meddling Old People](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Meddling%20Old%20People.md) > - **Definition:** Elderly characters who interfere in others' business, often gossiping or conducting their own investigations. > - **Description and Context:** The "Maranteghe" (Aunt Rosanna, Ornella, Teresina) are the engine of the investigation, pushing Alice to act, commenting on everyone's love life, and interfering with police work. > ### Police Are Useless > 🔗 Card: [Police Are Useless](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Police%20Are%20Useless.md) > - **Definition:** The official police are portrayed as incompetent, slow, or focused on the wrong track, forcing the amateur protagonist to solve the case. > - **Description and Context:** Lo Cascio is too busy with the international theft of the Mona Lisa (which he fails to solve) to deal with the snails. Ultimately, Alice solves the local mystery, while the police are clueless on the main case (solved later by third parties). > ### Red Herring > 🔗 Card: [Red Herring](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Red%20Herring.md) > - **Definition:** A clue, event, or suspect placed in the plot with the intention of misleading the investigators (and the reader) away from the truth. > - **Description and Context:** Suspicion repeatedly falls on Luigino (because he's odd) and Mariano (because he's forgetful/sockless), distracting from the real culprit, Vespasiana. > ### Will They or Won't They? > 🔗 Card: [Will They or Won't They](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Will%20They%20or%20Won't%20They.md) > - **Definition:** A romantic dynamic between two characters characterized by prolonged sexual tension and obstacles. > - **Description and Context:** The relationship between Alice and Lo Cascio is a constant push-and-pull, hindered by misunderstandings, pride, and Alice's refusal to commit. > ### Belligerent Sexual Tension > 🔗 Card: [Belligerent Sexual Tension](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Belligerent%20Sexual%20Tension.md) > - **Definition:** Two characters who constantly argue or pretend to hate each other but hide a strong mutual attraction. > - **Description and Context:** Alice and Lo Cascio insult each other, tell each other off, yet end up in bed together and are clearly attracted to one another. > ### In Medias Res > 🔗 Card: [In Medias Res](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/In%20Medias%20Res.md) > - **Definition:** The story begins in the middle of the action or at a moment of crisis, later explaining how events reached that point. > - **Description and Context:** The book opens with the Prologue of Alice in jail asking for a bidet, creating immediate curiosity about the preceding events (Redentore night). > ### Love Triangle > 🔗 Card: [Love Triangle](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Love%20Triangle.md) > - **Definition:** A romantic relationship involving three people, often with the protagonist torn between two interests. > - **Description and Context:** For a brief period, Alice dates Giovanni (the perfect guy from Tinder) while still emotionally tied to Lo Cascio, creating a choice conflict. > ### Bunny Boiler (Obsessive Love) > 🔗 Card: [Bunny Boiler](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Bunny%20Boiler.md) > - **Definition:** A female character who becomes obsessively unstable after a romantic rejection. > - **Description and Context:** Vespasiana embodies this trope parodically: she steals items to cast love spells, stalks her ex on social media, runs off to London to see him. > ### MacGuffin > 🔗 Card: [MacGuffin](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/MacGuffin.md) > - **Definition:** An object that serves to motivate the plot and characters, but whose specific nature is unimportant. > - **Description and Context:** The Mona Lisa (and on a smaller scale, the snails). The theft of the Mona Lisa drives the background plot and pressures Lo Cascio, but the painting itself isn't relevant to Alice's growth, only the chaos it generates. > ### Odd Couple > 🔗 Card: [Odd Couple](THE%20HERO'S%20ATLAS/TROPES/Odd%20Couple.md) > - **Definition:** Two characters with opposite personalities forced to work or live together. > - **Description and Context:** Alice (cynical, sloppy, homebody) and Vespasiana (glamorous, obsessive, healthy) forced to cohabit create much of the comedy. > ### Manic Pixie Dream Girl > 🔗 Card: [Manic Pixie Dream Girl](https://www.google.com/search?q=THE%2520HERO%27S%2520ATLAS/TROPES/Manic%2520Pixie%2520Dream%2520Girl.md "null") > - **Definition:** An eccentric, vibrant female character whose main function is to teach the protagonist (often brooding or cynical) to enjoy life. > - **Description and Context:** Vespasiana, with her gold outfits, New Age theories, and forcing Alice onto Tinder, constantly tries to shake the protagonist out of her "grouch" state, pushing her to experience new things and step out of her comfort zone. > ### Clingy Jealous Girl > 🔗 Card: [Clingy Jealous Girl](https://www.google.com/search?q=THE%2520HERO%27S%2520ATLAS/TROPES/Clingy%2520Jealous%2520Girl.md "null") > - **Definition:** A female character who becomes overly attached, possessive, or paranoid regarding her partner (or ex-partner). > - **Description and Context:** Vespasiana's obsession with her ex Giustino is a dominant trait: she compulsively checks his social media, interprets every like as a promise of eternal love, and even flies to London just to see him, unable to accept the end of the relationship. > ### Sympathetic Magic > 🔗 Card: [Sympathetic Magic](https://www.google.com/search?q=THE%2520HERO%27S%2520ATLAS/TROPES/Sympathetic%2520Magic.md "null") > - **Definition:** A type of magic based on imitation or correspondence, where similar objects or those that have been in contact can influence each other at a distance. > - **Description and Context:** It is revealed that Vespasiana was stealing significant personal items (lipstick, photos, snails) to perform "magic" rituals (complete with rhymes) in a desperate attempt to attract love and fix her romantic life.