Long before Murder, She Wrote, Ellery queen was entertaining viewers with the exact same crime format: a mysterious murder, a long list of clues, red-herrings and suspects (featuring an array of top weekly guest stars) and a pioneering format where Ellery turned to the viewer, reviewed the case and invited them to guess whodunit before he revealed the killer! Set in the 1940s and based on one of Americas greatest literary heroes, Jim Hutton stars as Ellery queen a mystery writer who uses observation and his brilliant mind to help his Police Inspector father (David Wayne) unravel the clues and uncover the cleverest of crimes.