An aging but successful and wealthy crime fiction writer blames the death of her niece on the girl's husband. One night she invites him up to the house to sign their wills before getting him to leave and return within a few minutes so she can spring a trap (locking him in her soundproof safe). Detective Columbo arrives and suspects the writer of murder but clues are few and far between. Written by Scott Dawson sdawson@easynet.co.uk

Paul Gerard is a famous gourmet whose books about restaurants can decide the fate of a chef. In his way, Paul is a very powerful man, but Paul is threatened by Vittorio Rossi, the proprietor of a renowned restaurant, and one night, after a fight with Paul, Vittorio is poisoned by a bottle of wine he himself had uncorked. Lt. Columbo begins to investigate and we have no doubt that, between a steak and some Chinese dim sum, he will find out who killed Rossi, his motive, and the way he did it. Written by Baldinotto da Pistoia

Kay Freestone is a West Coast TV executive whose boss, Mark McAndrews, is also her secret lover. When he gets promoted to a position in New York, he dumps her - and even denies her the job he's leaving. Her consolation prize is a new Mercedes. She's more interested in the gun he drops on the bed - after he jokingly invites her to shoot him. Joking or not, she takes him up on it. Later, he's found shot to death in his office. Kay seems to have been in the projection room when it happened. She was screening her pet project - a violent TV film called The Professionals - for her superiors. When our rumpled, redoubtable Lt. Columbo investigates, he learns this Emmy-winning producer can commit a bloody act just as well as film it. Written by J. Spurlin

Dr. Eric Mason is a self-controlled man who teaches how to get control over one's own life. Six months earlier, his wife died suddenly in an inexplicable car accident. Now his best friend, Dr. Charles Hunter, dies when Eric's two Doberman pinschers, Laurel and Hardy, suddenly tear him apart in Eric's kitchen while Eric is away. Lt. Columbo love dogs and needs to figure out what happened before Laurel and Hardy are put down and Dr. Mason gets away with murder. Written by Baldinotto da Pistoia / revised by statmanjeff

Devlin is an Irishman. In his youth he was a terrorist but now he is a famous writer and, officially, a supporter of an American society proposing to help the victims of terrorism. Actually he is buying from Pauley weapons for the terrorists. Devlin kills him because he thinks he has been betrayed. Lt. Columbo is responsible for the inquiry and becomes friendly with Devlin, but it is very dangerous to be familiar with Lt. Columbo when you are a murderer. Written by Baldinotto da Pistoia / corrected by statmanjeff