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A top notch Columbo from beginning to end. I particularly like the interaction between Columbo and the killer, Ruth Gordon.

As an avid Columbo fan, I can't recall another one in which he doesn't set up the killer at the end as he does in other episodes. In this one, as he's trying to determine the correct sequence of the boxes and the "message" that the nephew left behind, it finally dawns on him.

The music in this episode is very good as well, as it is in many of other ones.

Ruth Gordon at her best. This episode is my favorite of the whole Columbo series. Peter Falk and Ruth Gordon worked so well together that they should both be inducted into the television hall of fame, regardless of the rest of their work. Even the music was outstanding in this episode.

I love this episode of Columbo. Maybe it's because Ruth Gordon is in it and she is wonderful as successful mystery writer Abigail Mitchell, an American version of Dame Agatha Christie. She is delicious to watch as the perky, lovable author who suffered a terrible loss when her niece died in a drowning accident. She blames her niece's husband, the nephew. She plans to kill him to avenge her death since the police have abandoned her. I would have loved somebody else than Mariette Hartley to play Veronica. I never really like Hartley in anything personally. And of course with Columbo, there are some laughs like when he questions Veronica at a belly-dancing class. Ruth's Abigail is a smart sleuth herself and she matches wits with Columbo always played wonderfully by Peter Falk.

Don't waste time reading my review. Go out and see this astonishingly good episode, which may very well be the best Columbo ever written! Ruth Gordon is perfectly cast as the scheming yet charming mystery writer who murders her son-in-law to avenge his murder of her daughter. Columbo is his usual rumpled, befuddled and far-cleverer-than-he-seems self, and this particular installment features fantastic chemistry between Gordon and Falk. Ironically, this was not written by heralded creators Levinson or Link yet is possibly the densest, most thoroughly original and twist-laden Columbo plot ever. Utterly satisfying in nearly every department and overflowing with droll and witty dialogue and thinking. Truly unexpected and inventive climax tops all. 10/10...seek this one out on Netflix!

As others have undoubtedly pointed out, the generic weaknesses in this series tend to be 1) the motivation for the murderer is often insufficient, and 2) the hints are sometime so obscure, it's implausible to think that even Columbo's well-hidden genius would suffice to solve the case. But, in this episode, neither of these issues are weak points. The motivation for the murder is strong and the hints are sufficient, but not too obvious (so that Columbo gets to do some very clever detective work).

Here, the writing, dialog, humor, music, and acting are all top-notch.

The writing couldn't be better. There's never a dull moment.

The dialog is excellent, especially during the interactions between Columbo and the murderer (Ruth Gordon). To take one small example, there is a subtle role reversal when the murderer asks Columbo "one more thing...". Watch closely, since there are a lot of little gems like this.

Television shows from this era that take themselves too seriously---think "Mannix"---have not aged well, so IMHO, reviewers should lighten up when it comes to humor. But, I do have to admit that the humor in Columbo doesn't always hit the mark. However, here there are some true laugh-out-loud moments (the footprint/shoe scene is hilarious and "dog" does some of his best "acting"). Best of all, the humor fits perfectly into the flow, adding to the sum total instead of being a mere distraction or time filler.

Usually, the music in Columbo doesn't make much of an impression on me. This episode is an exception. The music heightens the dramatic scenes and seems to move from background to foreground (and vice-versa) at just the right times.

Peter Falk is in top form and Ruth Gordon is dynamite---it's hard to believe she was 80 years old at the time.

This is television from a different time, when some thought and effort went into each episode (at the opposite extreme is the "reality" drivel that dominates TV today). Of course, it didn't always work. In truth, it failed far more often than it worked. But on those occasions when it did succeed, greatness was possible.