Family History Mysteries: Buried Past (2023)

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Family History Mysteries: Buried Past, was the first mystery to air on Hallmark this year. It premiered in January. It is based on the book series by Brynn Bonner, which I have not read. I've watched this movie at least three times now (I've lost exact count), each time with the intention of reviewing it immediately after. This review is long overdue, but I'm finally sharing it with you today.

Sophie (Janel Parrish) is a genealogist whose job and passion is bringing long lost families together. When her best friend, Jonathan (Morgan David Jones), has a relapse with leukemia and needs to find a match for a bone marrow transplant, his only hope might be his father who he and his brother, Jackson (Niall Matter), thought died many years ago. After secrets are revealed, there is reason to believe their father is still alive. Sophie uses her expertise and resources, with Jackson by her side, to search for him in the hopes that he might save his son's life.

While all of this is happening, there are a few subplots. There is a touch of romance with the two leads and with two side characters. Both are fun to watch and the romance never overpowers the main plot of the movie. The chemistry is great with all of the characters. In addition to the romance, Sophie's assistant, Esme (Kyana Teresa), is working on a separate case that I also found intriguing. I was rooting for happy endings all around.

Each time I watch this movie I enjoy it more and more. The nature of the mystery deviates from the norm, as this is not a typical murder mystery. Kudos to Hallmark for giving us mystery fans something different, but equally enjoyable.

There were times when I felt the characters under-reacted to secrets being revealed. I would like to have seen more emotion. It was also predictable, but I've come to accept that's the case with pretty much every Hallmark movie. There was never really any element of surprise, which made it an easy watch.

Janel Parrish makes a great sleuth and she portrays Sophie so well. She isn't someone who simply meddles in other peoples' business to find answers. She's strong, resourceful, intelligent, and down-to-earth. One of my favorite scenes is when she's having Chinese takeout for dinner with Jackson. They seem like the girl and guy next door who I would want to get to know. Sophie also has a strong and valid motivation for wanting to find her best friend's long lost father.

I don't know if more movies are planned for this series, but I would definitely watch future installments. There is certainly room for much more, even when it comes to Sophie learning more about her own family. I also think Family History Mysteries would work well as a weekly series, with each episode running for about an hour. Whether it's in the form of movies or a series, I am wanting to see more.

What do you think of mystery movies that don't revolve around murder? Do you enjoy them or would you rather see a murder mystery?