Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker (2024)

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When Candace Cameron Bure was with the Hallmark Channel, I really enjoyed her as Aurora Teagarden. So I was very excited to learn she would be starring in a new cozy mystery movie franchise on Great American Family. I have now seen the first one, Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker, twice and it's finally time for me to review it. I have not read any of the books in the series by Candace Havens that this movie franchise is based on, so my review is based only on the film.

Ainsley McGregor (Candace Cameron Bure) is a criminologist who has recently moved from Chicago to the small town of Sweet River, Texas. It is in Sweet River that she is about to open Bless Your Arts, a shop where artisans' creations are sold. She is also teaching a class in criminology at the local community college.

Things are going well for Ainsley until a dead body is found at a winery owned by her friend who becomes a prime suspect in the murder investigation. Ryan (Robin Dunne), Ainsley's brother, happens to be the town's sheriff and he is less than pleased that Ainsley is determine to get to the bottom of this case and prove her friend's innocence.

Overall, this is a strong start to what I hope is the beginning of several more Ainsley McGregor mystery movies. The first few minutes started out a bit bumpy, but it quickly improved. It briefly begins in present day, then briefly goes back in time one day, then jumps back to present day where we thankfully stay for the remainder of the movie. I didn't think those time jumps were necessary. The story could have been told in one continuous timeline and it would have flowed better.

Although I did identify the culprit early in the movie, it was solely based on a hunch. I do wish there were more clues throughout the movie leading up to the big reveal, but it was still a lot of fun watching Ainsley investigate and discuss the case with her friends.

If you like a bit of romance in your cozy mysteries, you'll be pleased to know there is a budding relationship in this one. Their scenes together felt a bit awkward to me in the beginning. Perhaps it was meant to be that way. The more Ainsley interacted with her potential love interest, the more comfortable I felt. I'm excited to see if and how their relationship develops in future installments.

I really loved all of the characters in this first installment. They are each unique in their own way and their interactions are so much fun to watch. I hope to see all of them in future movies in the series. One of my favorite relationships in this first installment was between Ainsley and Ryan. They have a typical brother and sister rapport. They tease each other sometimes, but it's clear that they care about each other. I love seeing adult siblings interact with each other in these kinds of movies. They are often some of my favorite character relationships.

A second movie in this series has already aired and I recorded it. In fact, it was that second movie that finally gave me the nudge to review this one. I didn't want to move on until I published this review. Now I can watch A Case for the Yarn Maker. I'm very excited to see what mystery Ainsley and her friends will investigate and speculate on next, and I'm also looking forward to seeing growth in the characters and their relationships. This movie also nudged me to add the book series to my ever-growing TBR list.

If you enjoy watching cozy mysteries, I highly recommend Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker. Although it is not a holiday-themed movie, it is set around Christmastime. So it's especially perfect for this time of year.

Golden Gratitude - J is for Jewelry

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

J is for jewelry. It had been a while since I worked with any jewelry, but this week I finally repaired a pair of earrings I made several years ago. It felt good to hold the tools in my hands again and work with them.

Your turn!

Sunday Post 118

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

It's been a minute (six weeks, to be exact) since I've shared a Sunday Post. I've had things to do on the weekends since the end of September, so I've had to scale back on some blogging. Combined with three weekly appointments, I've had a lot going on. Unfortunately, I haven't even had time to go to the farmer's market on Saturdays, and they are now closed for the season.  Sigh...

I got together with some friends for a monthly meetup tonight, but that's the only thing (besides the usual grocery shopping yesterday) that I had to leave home for this weekend. As of right now, I have nothing but grocery shopping planned for the next two weekends, and my physical therapy appointments are down to once a week. So I should have more time and energy for blogging.

One of the highlights of the past several weeks was on November 1st when my local library, in collaboration with Sisters in Crime, hosted their annual event featuring mystery writers. This year's event was the most well-attended one since 2020. There were about 55 of us in person, in addition to about 30 more who tuned in virtually. Fifteen mystery writers came to talk about their new or upcoming book releases. Afterwards, those of us who attended in person had a chance to meet and greet them. It was very informal. It felt like I was hanging out with friends. I had met some of them before, while others were new to me. It was also nice to see a reader friend I was previously only connected to online, then met in person for the first time at this same event last year.

I also attended an event for local author, Beth Martin, at a nearby bookstore. It was great to meet her and I came home with way more books I had intended to buy (as was also the case at the author event at my library). I also attended a Friendsgiving lunch, with friends of course. On October 25th we also got together for a Game Day to celebrate World Spina Bifida Day. We played Apples to Apples, which is always a lot of fun.

The past several weeks were honestly filled with some lows too, but I'm thankful I had the highs to balance it out. I enjoyed the fun events, but I'm also glad things are beginning to settle down now. Oh, and the windows in my unit were replaced, so now they can all be opened with ease and I can enjoy the crisp, cool fall weather. Soon the screen door will be replaced and it will be even better. Long story short, it's broken. It will be replaced with a stronger mesh that is more pet proof. (No, that's not the reason my current one is broken, but it's best to upgrade since it has to be replaced anyway.)

At home, I've been reading, blogging a little, working on a fall-themed 1000-piece puzzle (which I hope to finish by the end of November), coloring, and working in my Murdle puzzle book. My goal is to finish book 1 by the end of the year so I can begin book 2 early next year.

Speaking of books...

IN THE BOOKS

As many of you know, I usually have multiple books going at once. I don't read all of them every week, so from now on, I will only list the ones I made progress with the previous week.

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I finished It's Not About the Food, by Mary Perry. She takes a look at deeper issues that might be causing us to make unhealthy dietary choices. The author draws on her own and on her patients' experiences to explain the ideas. There are practical strategies for addressing obstacles.

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I finished Murder Under the Marquee (Elmo Simpson Mystery 2), by J.C. Kenney. I enjoyed this second installment. Although the main character, who is also the narrator, did go off on some tangents unrelated to the present circumstances, the characters are fun and the mystery is well-crafted. I'll definitely read book 3 in this quirky and fun series.

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I listened to Cold Clay (Shady Hollow 2), written by Juneau Black and narrated by Cassandra Campbell. I loved this one even more than I did the first one. To read my full review, click here. To read some excerpts from it and to learn more about the book, click here.

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I listened to Secondhand Spirits (Witchcraft Mystery 1), written by Juliet Blackwell and narrated by Xe Sands. This was the October pick for The Cozy Mystery Book Club. This is a well-crafted mystery. I especially loved one of the final scenes. However, I didn't like the moderate swearing and dark themes, which made it difficult to connect with the characters.

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I listened to Be My Ghost, written by Carol J. Perry and narrated by C. S. E. Conney. The flow of the mystery felt a little off to me and I didn't enjoy the mild language, but I liked the characters, premise, and setting. It is set around Halloween. I may continue the series.

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I read an ARC of Deck the Halls with Homicide (Killer Chocolate Mystery 3), by Christina Romeril. I loved this one! It's my favorite one in the series so far and I'm so happy there will be more! To read my full review, click here.

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I listened to Mirror Lake (Shady Hollow 3), written by Juneau Black and narrated by Cassandra Campbell. This is another solid installment in the series. This one has a more complex mystery to solve. I enjoyed it!

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I listened to The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer (Paws and Claws Mystery 2), written by Krista Davis and narrated by Jeanie Kanaley. This is a delightful series and this one was especially fun, as it is set around Halloween. However, I had a difficult time keeping track of all the characters. It's a series that I'd definitely consider reading more of, though.

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I listened to Thanksgiving Treachery (Holiday Cozy Mystery 7), written by Tonya Kappes and narrated by Christina Sagnimeni. This is  one of the few Thanksgiving cozies I know of and I enjoyed it. It took some time for the mystery to get going, but once it did, it was good. No doubt, I'll continue this series. I love the characters and the setting.

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I listened to Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (Baker Street Mystery 1), by Valerie Burns. This is the November pick for The Cozy Mystery Book Club. I had a difficult time connecting with the main character, and the mystery seemed to take a backseat. I loved Baby, the dog. I also enjoyed getting to know the deceased Aunt Octavia. I do think the series has potential.

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I read an ARC of Vampires, VCRs, and Violence (Bewitcher's Beach Mystery 5), by Emily Fluke, and I really enjoyed it. Look for my full review coming soon!

IN PROGRESS

I read a few more chapters in The Puzzler: One Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaw to the Meaning of Life, by A. J. Jacobs. I'm on track to finish by the end of the year, as I only have a few more chapters to go.

It's been a while since I've mentioned Murdle, the book of logic puzzles based on murder mysteries, by G.T. Garber. I finished the first three sections, so only one more section to go. There are 25 puzzles in each section. I'm planning to finish by the end of the year so I can move on to book 2.

I'm currently listening to Death Checked Out, (Larkspur Library Mystery 1), written by Leah Dobrinska and narrated by Eliza Summers. This has been on my TBR for a while, so I'm happy I'm finally listening to it. I'm about 10% into the book and I'm enjoying it so far.

There is no image on the major sites yet, but I'm currently reading an ARC of Poison and Prejudice (Rare Books Mystery 3), by Daphne Silver. This has the potential to be my favorite one in the series. I'll keep you posted! It releases later this month.

UP NEXT

I don't know what's next, but I'll be sure to let you know!

ON THE SCREEN

• The Toys that Built America - I finished binging the entire series. This was a really fun series that included games and toys I grew up with. It was interesting (and sometimes unsettling) to see what went on behind the scenes.
• The Mega-Brands that Built America - There aren't as many episodes in this series, so I finished watching all of them already. Another interesting series, though I like the food and toys ones more.
• Murder, She Wrote - I finished season 4. I'll post my review before moving on to season 5.
• Three's Company - I guess I've been dabbling in 80's (in this case also 70's) shows. I've seen every episode of this one already, multiple times. So it's a rewatch. I finished season 1, which was just a short six-episode run!
• Bewitched - I was looking for something short and sweet to watch during Halloween week, so I chose a Halloween episode of Bewitched. I've seen portions of this show before, but this was the first time I watched an entire episode and actually paid attention. It was fun. I'll probably binge the entire series at some point.
• Cheers - I know I'm super late to the party, but I've been watching this show for the first time. I'm about halfway through season 1 and enjoying it. However, I'm not sure some of the storylines would be acceptable today. I'll probably finish season 1, then consider taking a break from it.
• Hallmark movies - I won't list them all, but I will say I'm mostly still watching fall-themed movies. I'm rewatching some old favorites and watching some for the first time. I'll dive into Christmas movies after Thanksgiving. I've heard some good things about a few of the new ones that have already aired.
• Thunderbolts - This was pretty good. I canceled my Disney+ account, so I borrowed it from the library. I look forward to the Marvel series moving forward.
• The Fantastic 4: First Steps - I thought this was a solid movie from beginning to end. I appreciate that, for the most part, they don't rely on foul language. It's a mostly clean movie with an engaging plot.
• Halloweentown series - I rewatched the first three movies in preparation for a Hallmark movie that was inspired by the series. I enjoyed all of them, including the Hallmark movie, Haul Out the Halloween.
• Wicked - I have been waiting since last year to watch this movie and I loved it! I borrowed it from my library, and as soon as the sequel is available on DVD I'll borrow that one too. I may even rewatch the first one before watching the second one.
• The Ghost and Mrs. Muir - This was my first time watching this 1947 movie and I enjoyed it. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but once it got going, I was hooked.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 09/27 - Weekly Recap
• Book Review - 09/30 - The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday (Borrow a Bookshop 1), by Kiley Dunbar
• Book Review - 10/02 - Cold Clay (Shady Hollow 2), by Juneau Black
• Author Guest Post - 10/25 - Daryl Wood Gerber
• Book Review - 10/30 - Autumn Flowers, Apples, and Vegetables

I've also posted a bunch of puzzles, which you can find by clicking here.

And finally, I'm doing my annual Golden Gratitude, which you can find here.

Have a great week!

Golden Gratitude - I is for Invitation

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

I is for invitation. I'm grateful for an invitation that was extended to me to join a small online book club of sorts. The genre will be cozy mysteries, but instead of us all reading the same book, we will read whichever books we want to and gather online monthly to discuss them. My library has a book club that is run in a similar, but not for any specific genre. I went once and enjoyed it, but the time is not ideal for me. This new online book club will be the perfect fit for me! I love that we're keeping it small and discussing cozies of our own choosing.

Your turn!

Golden Gratitude - H is for Hoopla

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

H is for Hoopla. I use Hoopla through my library a lot to listen to audiobooks. I've also occasionally used it to watch some movies using the Hallmark+ bingepass. It's a great free resource for patrons and I'm so thankful all three libraries I'm a member of still use it. Each library has a different selection on Hoopla and there's also a monthly limit, so it helps to have the option to use it through all three libraries.

Your turn!

Golden Gratitude - G is for Grids

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

G is for grids. Sometimes it's the little things in life. I'm grateful for grids that are given to complete logic puzzles. One example is Murdle. I'm sure some of you out there can solve those puzzles without the grids, but they are so helpful to me and they make completing the puzzles so much more enjoyable.

Your turn!

Golden Gratitude - F is for Friendsgiving

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

F is for Friendsgiving. This is the friend version of Thanksgiving. I got together with some friends on Saturday and we had a Friendsgiving lunch. The food was okay, but the company was great!

Your turn!