Nelly Knows Mysteries: All Manners of Murder (2026)

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Two years ago, Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement, the first in what seemed like it was going to become a series, premiered. I was not a huge fan of it.

This year, a second Nelly Knows Mysteries premiered. As I watch all of the new mysteries, I knew this would be no exception. It took two years for us to get a second one, but it was worth the wait. One change was made for the better and I enjoyed All Manners of Murder much more than the first one.

Nelly (Pascale Hutton) is an advice columnist. In All Manners of Murder, she receives a phone call from someone she replied to in the advice column. An invitation to a dinner party is extended to Nelly so she could be there when bad news is delivered to the estranged family. Nelly accepts the invitation, but asks Detective Mike Hogan (Kavan Smith) to be her plus one. Of course, this is not a date. It's work-related. Or is it? They attend the dinner party, which turns deadly when one of the guests is murdered. How could this have happened and who is responsible for such a heinous crime?

The mystery in this one was strong. I do wish it stayed a "locked room" through most of the movie, but at least the crime took place during the dinner party, which narrowed down the suspects. An incident took place in the opening scene in the movie, and when the characters were introduced after that, I immediately knew who the masked person was. That wasn't the solution to the whole mystery, though. I did identify a second culprit correctly, but it was still fun to watch everything unfold and to see if I would be right.

One major issue I had with the first installment in this series was the character of Nelly. She was too over-the-top perky for my taste. Her character seemed fake. Well, apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt that way because she was toned down quite a bit in this second one. She was fun-loving, not over-the-top. I liked the change and I hope she stays that way if the series continues.

This is Hallmark, so not surprisingly, we did get a touch of romance between Nelly and Detective Mike. I'm enjoying the slow progression of their relationship and I'm excited to see what the next steps are for them. The romance aspect of the movie was just right. It did not interfere with the mystery aspect at all. And I love how Nelly's help on the case is most appreciated.

Longtime Hallmark fans will notice some familiar faces in the form of supporting characters in this movie. I was not expecting any of them, so I was pleasantly surprised. Their appearances didn't feel forced. They all fit right in and they felt like natural additions to the cast. I am curious about where the series is going with one of them, though, as he is one of the characters in another mystery series as well. It seems like he could become a regular character in the Nelly Knows Mysteries.

If you enjoy Hallmark's cozy mysteries, I think you'll be happy with this one. Although I got confused with some of the many clues and it felt convoluted close to the end, it had all the right ingredients to make an overall great mystery. I'll be on the lookout for more in this series.

Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

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Of all the movies that Hallmark airs, the cozy mysteries are my favorites. I'm especially delighted that my favorite mystery series lives on. Although I discovered the series just five years ago, the first one, A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery premiered eleven years ago. I had seen a couple other movies on Hallmark before, but this is the one that made me want to stay. So every time a new one in the series premieres, count me in.

Sugar and Vice is the thirteenth movie in the series. In this installment, The Cookie Jar bakery owner, Hannah Swensen (Alison Sweeney), caters the grand re-opening of the Lake Eden Inn. After a dead body is found during the party, however, everyone is suddenly trapped with a potential murderer. A severe storm has hindered the ability for more authorities to arrive at the scene of the crime so Hannah and her family and friends do some sleuthing to try to find the culprit before anyone else becomes a victim.

This movie had the potential to be a true locked "room" mystery. Unfortunately, less than half the movie takes place at the event where the murder happened. It almost felt like two different movies when the night ended and Hannah was back at her bakery. As much as I love the bakery scenes, it would have been a welcome change to set this movie almost entirely at the party.

All that aside, though, I did enjoy the movie. As always when I watch this series, I felt like I was meeting up with old friends. While some were missing, most of the regulars were there and they were all delightful to watch. I had to smile every time Hannah offered people cookies in exchange for information. I was seriously craving cookies the whole time.

While the mystery could have been elevated if most of it was set at the party, I thought it was fairly well done and fun to watch unfold. I did identify the culprit very early in the movie and I never changed my mind, but that didn't stop me from enjoying everything leading up to the big reveal and beyond. I have to admit, I was proud of myself when I noticed a clue early on that eventually came into play near the end. 

There wasn't a huge focus on romance in this installment. Hannah and her boyfriend seem happy with their growing relationship and Delores also seems happy. That's always nice to see, but I'm glad these scenes didn't take too much time away from the mystery. 

If you are looking for a light-hearted cozy mystery to watch, look no further than the Hannah Swensen series. While each installment is a self-contained mystery and can be watched as a standalone, it's fun to watch it from the beginning to see how characters and relationships change.

If you've read the books, don't expect the movies to be the same. The earlier ones follow the books more closely, but the more recent ones do not. That makes me happy because it's more to love in the Hannah Swensen universe. More mysteries to solve without knowing what happens is okay with me!

Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery premiered on The Hallmark Channel and is now streaming on Hallmark+. It will likely air again on The Hallmark Channel, but if your library has the Hallmark+ Hoopla Bingepass, you can also watch it that way free of charge. 

And I'm so excited it was announced they are definitely making another one in this series. I will be back to watch it!

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.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back (2025)

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Since I am a latecomer to Hallmark, I did not start watching the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series until a few years ago. Once I did begin watching it, I was hooked and I binged all of them up to that point. After that, I started watching the new ones as they were released. To the Moon and Back, the latest, and what many are speculating might be the last movie in the series, premiered this April.

It centers around a five-year old letter that was found in a newly renovated building. Since the envelope is illegible, the POstables open it and read the letter. The four of them are unable to figure out any clues based on what is in the letter, but when they share it with their co-worker, she enlightens them. They then go on a quest, specifically, a road trip, to follow the clues and find the person who wrote the letter. But it doesn't stop there. You'll have to watch to see what happens next.

Hallmark gave this movie no promotion, which is unfortunate because it's one of the strongest installments in the series. It isn't without potential flaws that are up for debate, but they don't give me any reason to dislike the movie. In fact, I watch all new Hallmark movies (except during the Christmas season because there are so many) and I can say this is by far my favorite of the year so far. It makes me happy that the series was redeemed, because the one before this was one of the worst. The POstables are back this time and I loved it!

One of the problems with the previous installment, A Tale of Three Letters, was that Shane's (Kristin Booth) personality was a complete departure from all other movies that came before it, which caused uncomfortable and uncharacteristic tension between her and Oliver (Eric Mabius). In this movie, however, Shane was back to her usual self, and so was there relationship. Forget about A Tale of Three Letters for a moment (or more). If you enjoyed these characters in all other previous movies and in the original series, you will enjoy their chemistry in To the Moon and Back.

Another problem I had with A Tale of Three Letters was that there was too much forced emphasis on the POstables and not enough on the mystery. The mystery was lackluster and their personal storyline felt off. Don't get me wrong. The main reason we keep coming back to this series is because we love the main characters. Up until A Tale of Three Letters, they had natural chemistry. That natural chemistry was restored in To The Moon and Back. Their personal lives progressed in a satisfying way and simultaneously, the mystery was strong. It was a lot of fun to see them follow the clues to find the sender of the mysterious letter. I also really enjoyed the storyline between Oliver and his father. No spoilers, so I'll just leave it at that. 

Something else I really liked about To the Moon and Back was that it had just the right amount of humor. There was one really fun "Who's on first" type of exchange between Shane, Oliver, Norman (Geoff Gustafson), and Rita (Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe) that had me smiling. I wonder how many takes they had to do for that scene because I can't imagine the actors themselves didn't find it amusing. And there's more. There is a light sprinkling of humor throughout the movie.

The editing was also done to perfection. Again, no spoilers, but I can say one of the final scenes had me in tears because it was so beautifully done. People will question if it was a good way for the mystery to conclude, but isn't that part of the fun of a show like this? I don't think the answer is black and white.

If you've been following this series from the beginning, this is definitely one you'll want to see. I know a lot of people are saying enough is enough. We need to be done with this series. While I will be okay if this is the last one, To the Moon and Back made me crave more. Time will tell if that happens.

Mystery Island: Winner Takes All

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In 2023, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries (now rebranded as Hallmark Mystery) premiered Mystery Island. It was set on a resort island where tourists come together to solve a fictional mystery. However, they found themselves in the midst of a real murder investigation. I wasn't sure how this could become a series, but here we are. The second installment in the series, Winner Takes All, premiered this month, and there are more to come.

Winner Takes All is set on the same resort island where criminal psychologist Emilia Priestly (Elizabeth Henstridge), detective Jason Trent (Charlie Weber), and Jane Alcott (Kezia Burrows) plan fictional murder mysteries for guests to enjoy. When the resort is losing money, they offer a promotion. Several eccentric people then travel to the resort to partake in the latest mystery.  But lo and behold, another real-life murder takes place. Once again, guests are thrust into the middle of a real investigation.

The setting for this series is quite the departure from most Hallmark mysteries. We are back on the island for Winner Takes All and it's just as breathtakingly beautiful as it was the first time around. The resort where the guests stay is elaborate and elegant. I likely would never have the amount of money it takes to stay at this resort, but it's fun to get away through the magic of television.

In this installment, the characters were the highlight for me. All of the guests have unique personalities and backstories. However, by far, my favorite character was mystery writer, Cassandra, played by Kristin Booth. Hallmark fans will surely be familiar with her, as she plays Shane in the beloved Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. In Winner Takes All, she plays quite a different character, and she does so with perfection.

If you like romance with the lead characters in your cozy mysteries, I'm not sure how you'll feel about this series. It's definitely a slow burn.  There is some fun flirting, but not much development with their relationship. Sometimes it does take time for a romance to develop.  If it happens too quickly, it often isn't believable. So I'm okay with slow burns. However, up to this point, I'm not sure I buy them as a couple. I don't sense much romantic chemistry, at least not yet. I do think they have great chemistry as a sleuthing team and I'd be okay if it stayed that way. Not every mystery needs romance, not even in the Hallmark universe.

The mystery aspect is two-fold. We get to see how the real-life mystery is solved and we also watch the mystery game unfold. Unfortunately, it's the mystery aspect that brought this movie down a bit for me. Rather than giving us clues to help us solve the mysteries along the way, we are given a ton of information at the end. Also, I figured out the whodunnit for the real-life mystery as soon as this character was introduced. Of course, I didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, but I just knew this character committed the real-life crime. 

Another problem with this series is that the murder rate at this one resort is climbing. After two murders at the same resort, who would want to vacation there? While I love the locked-room aspect, perhaps future installments should focus only on solving the mystery game. One might argue that most cozy mysteries have high murder rates in their settings, but the difference is those are entire towns. The murders in the Mystery Island movies, so far, have taken place at the one specific location.

In general, though, I'm a huge fan of Hallmark mysteries and I will definitely watch future installments in this series. I do prefer small town cozies over ones that take place in exotic locations, but I'm still here for it. It is good to mix it up. One thing I can say about Hallmark is that they do have a variety of mysteries that people with different tastes can enjoy.

Mystery Island: Winner Takes All originally premiered on both the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Mystery. Mysteries sometimes re-air, but it is also currently streaming on Hallmark+.

Which would you prefer - murder mysteries in small towns or in exotic locations? Also, with two murders at the resort now, is this a place you would vacation?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major (2023)

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Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major is a Hallmark movie based on the book, Murder in G Major (Gethsemane Brown Mystery 1), by Alexia Gordon. I have not yet read the book, so my review is only based on the movie with no comparison. After watching this movie multiple times and enjoying it each time, I definitely want to read the series.

Gethsemane Brown (Tamera Mowry-Housley) relocates to Ireland when she is hired as the new choir at a prep school. Her new cozy cottage where she will live happens to be the former home of a legendary Irish composer, Eamon McCarthy (Risteárd Cooper) and his partner, Orla O'Dell. (Orla has a small role in this movie and I cannot find the name of the actress anywhere. If you know her name, please let me know and I will insert it.) Years before Gethsemane moved into this home, Eamon and Orla were found dead. Their deaths were ruled a murder and a suicide.

Suddenly, soon after she moves in, the ghost of Eamon shows up and it turns out, Gethsemane is the only one who can see him. Eamon tells her that he did not kill Orla, nor himself. After her shock of seeing this ghost wears off, Eamon convinces Gethsemane to find out what really happened so that he can reunite with Orla in the afterlife.

I cannot express to you enough how much I adore this movie. It may even be my number one favorite Hallmark movie, non-mysteries included. I chose to re-watch it and finally review it today, St. Patrick's Day, because it was filmed in and is set in Ireland. Not only is the scenery stunning, but they found a way to incorporate it into the movie as if it's its own character. We sometimes see Gethsemane with Eamon or Inspector O'Reilly (Adam Fergus) walking around the picturesque landscape. Gethsemane lives in a cozy cottage, which has a certain kind of beauty of its own. I even enjoyed the pub scenes, and this is coming from someone who does not drink alcohol. It makes me feel like I'm there every time I watch it.

No mystery will receive five stars from me if the mystery element isn't strong, and it certainly is in this movie. I did suspect the whodunnit early on, but I also second guessed myself throughout the movie thinking it could have been someone else. The mystery is well-crafted and engaging. There are enough suspects to consider, but not too many to overwhelm the viewer. There are also lots of twists and turns as clues are revealed along the way. It was a fun ride figuring out how everything would come together.

Gethsemane makes for an intelligent, perceptive, and likable amateur sleuth. She's friendly, but determined to get answers. And I love that her vehicle is a bicycle, not a car. This was a surprise even to her. When she is riding, we get to enjoy the scenery even more so than if she were in a car. Her sidekick in this movie, Eamon, is also charming. He's a friendly and likeable ghost who I was rooting for throughout the entire movie. I really wanted him to have the closure he deserved.  He also provided just the right amount of humor. Gethsemane and Eamon are charming together.

Of course, this being a Hallmark movie, there a bit of a romance brewing. At one point, Eamon mentions the "triangle formation", referring to the beginning of a possible love triangle between Gethsemane, Inspector O'Reilly, and another teacher at the prep school, Griff (Marco Grazzini). It certainly wasn't too much and it distract from the mystery, but there is enough there to work with in possible future installments.

The end of this movie is bittersweet and it brought tears to my eyes. It wrapped up in such a touching way, bringing closure to this installment, but opening up the possibility for more. And I'm happy to say, Hallmark is filming more movies in this series. I don't know when, but I will definitely be there to watch it.

In the meantime, I highly recommend watching Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major. It is streaming on Hallmark+ and sometimes airs on Hallmark Mystery. It is also available on DVD. Every aspect of this movie makes it worth watching over and over again.

Mystery Island (2023)

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The second installment in the Mystery Island series, Winner Takes All, is premiering tonight on both the Hallmark Channel and on Hallmark Mystery. So if you don't have access to Hallmark Mystery or Hallmark+ (where it will start streaming on Friday), you can catch it on the main channel. So many options!

Although I watched Mystery Island last year and have watched it a few times since then, I never did review it. So let's take a look at the movie that started it all. Mystery Island premiered in 2023 and it stars Elizabeth Henstridge and Charlie Weber as the two leads.

Dr. Emilia Priestly (Henstridge) is in need of some rest and relaxation, so her good friend, Baroness Jane Alcott (Kezia Burrows) convinces her to take a vacation at an island resort where Jane has visited before. This isn't just any island, though. It's a resort where they play a murder mystery game and all of the guests are either suspects or the victim/s. Unfortunately, when Emilia and Jane visit this time, it turns into a real-life murder mystery. Emilia uses her expertise as a psychologist to help the authorities, including Detective Jason Trent (Weber), get to the bottom of this unfortunate event. 

I prefer small town settings in Hallmark movies, whether it's a romcom or a mystery, so this was a little out of my comfort zone. I applaud Hallmark for venturing out to a completely different type of setting. I am sure this appeals to a lot of people. That being said, I did, however, enjoy the "locked-room" aspect of this mystery. We knew that it was highly likely someone at the resort was the culprit.

For the most part, I enjoyed the cast of characters. They all had their own personalities and brought something unique to the table. The one character that was a little too over-the-top for me was Jane. She was clearly VERY excited to visit the resort again and perhaps this time, win the game. Some of her over-the-top excitement rubbed off on Emilia at times too.

I thought the mystery was well done. There was a pool of suspects that had motives and means. I did not figure out the whodunnit. It came to a logical conclusion, but while watching it, the outcome never crossed my mind.

Because of the nature of this mystery, I'm not sure how this can become a series. But here we are with the second one premiering tonight. There was a hint of romance in the first one, so we will see where that goes. I'm curious to see how they will change things regarding the mystery. If too many real-life murders take place at this one resort, I'm not sure we can call it a vacation spot. I'm willing to give it a chance and see where it goes.

A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)

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A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery premiered on Hallmark Mystery on October 4, 2024 and is currently streaming on Hallmark+. This is the tenth movie in the Hannah Swensen series, which was originally called the Murder, She Baked series. A Sprinkle of Deceit is loosely based on the 25th installment in the book series, Coconut Layer Cake Murder, by Joanne Fluke.

In A Sprinkle of Deceit, Hannah (Alison Sweeney) is hired to to cater a high school reunion, which Lonnie (Daylin Willis) and Michelle (Tess Atkins) attend together. One of Lonnie's classmates has clearly had too much to drink, so he drives her home and makes sure she gets in safely. When she is later found dead, Lonnie, Lake Eden's detective and Michelle's boyfriend, is the prime suspect. Hannah sets out to clear his name.

In this movie, Hannah explains that the lease for her bakery, The Cookie Jar, was up and she had to make a decision. She decided to expand and rent a larger space. This seems like a logical business move. Although the bakery is larger, I still feel that small town charm. 

This was another strong installment in the series that I have loved from the beginning. Hannah and Chad (Victor Webster), Lake Eden's prosecuting attorney, are beginning to have more chemistry. Chad very much operates by-the-book, but he is beginning to accept that Hannah's involvement in the cases is helpful. I do question the prosecuting attorney's involvement in the town's murder cases, but this is loosely addressed in a brief conversation between Chad and Hannah. Apparently, folks who live in small towns like Lake Eden are multitaskers. Oftentimes in these movies the viewer must be able to suspend belief in order to enjoy them. Okay, so let's go with that and move on.

Norman (Gabriel Hogan) was not in this movie and he was missed. Hopefully, he will be back in future movies because he is one of my favorite characters. However, Delores (Barbara Niven), Andrea (Lisa Durupt) and Michelle (Tess Atkins) were delightful. They make for an entertaining sleuthing team and I love their family dynamics. There was also one hilarious cameo, which I will not spoil. I can say that Hallmark fans will be pleased.

The mystery element was well-crafted. I had the suspects narrowed down to two people, but my strongest suspicion turned out to be wrong. There were lots of twists and turns and it was fun to see how Hannah followed the clues.

I like the direction the series seems to be going and I'm very excited to see the next installment. Reality Bites premieres tonight (February 6, 2025) on Hallmark Mystery and will be streaming on Hallmark+ starting the next day. The entire series is streaming on Hallmark+. If you can't or don't want to pay for cable or streaming, check with your local library. If they have the Hallmark+ Bingepass, this is a way you can watch it for free.

If you have already read Coconut Layer Cake Murder, you need not worry about spoilers when you watch this movie. As with most of the movies in the series, many of the character names will be the same, but the plots are different. I recommend watching the series and reading the books as two separate forms of entertainment, with no expectations for them to be the same. I appreciate that they are different because they give us more stories to love in the same universe. 

One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)

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One Bad Apple premiered in April of 2024. It is the 4th movie in the Hannah Swensen Hallmark mystery series, but the 9th overall if we're including the Murder, She Baked series. All of these movies are from the same universe and have the same main characters, but the series was renamed after the first five movies.

In One Bad Apple, Hannah (Alison Sweeney) is teaching a baking class at the local college. During one of the sessions, some of her equipment explodes. It is ruled an accident, but when one of Hannah's colleagues is later found dead, our baker turned amateur sleuth suspects otherwise and she begins to investigate this mystery.

As usual, I really enjoyed this installment in the long-running cozy mystery series. It continues to be my favorite series on Hallmark with its light-hearted feel and fun mysteries. This installment brought back the scenes at the beginning and end of the movie where Hannah is baking and also doing a voiceover where she compares baking to real life. This is one of the elements of the original Murder, She Baked series that I loved, so I'm happy it was brought back.

I also once again enjoyed all of the main characters, although some things with them were different in One Bad Apple. They biggest change was that Cameron Mathison, who played Detective Mike Kingston and Hannah's love interest, is no longer filming Hallmark movies (at least not at the time of this writing). I won't give specific spoilers, but his character was written out the show and someone else is the new detective. I really missed not seeing Cameron Mathison, but I'm satisfied with the way they dealt with his departure.

New to the series is Victor Webster, who plays the prosecuting attorney, Chad. Hannah's and his lives intersect in this installment, so we will have to keep watching to see how their interactions unfold. It's likely he will become Hannah's new love interest, but I think it will be a very different kind of relationship than what Hannah had with Mike. I do appreciate that they are not rushing it. 

Barbara Niven returned as Hannah's mother, Delores, but her role in this installment is very different. She is now a somewhat over-the-top private investigator. I loved her in this role. She added the best light-heartedness and comic relief. I'm interested in seeing her as a private investigator in future installments. I think we're in for some fun times ahead!

I have always enjoyed Gabriel Hogan as Norman and I'm so happy he was back in this movie sleuthing with Hannah. I love the way he supports and grounds her. Although Andrea, Hannah's sister, played by Lisa Durupt, didn't have a huge role, I'm glad they found a way for her to make an appearance. I also enjoyed seeing Michelle, Hannah's younger sister, played by Tess Atkins. I like the way the character of Michelle has evolved since she joined the cast a few movies ago.

As for the mystery element in this movie, I did figure out who the culprit was almost as soon as the character were introduced. However, this was completely based on a gut feeling, not on any clues. I was still curious to see how the mystery would unfold and if my guess would be correct. It was a fun mystery to untangle, complete with a suspenseful conclusion.

So, while this wasn't my favorite installment in the series, I'm still a fan. I'm glad they are not exactly like the books. That way if you see the movies, but haven't read the books yet, or vice versa, there won't be any spoilers. If you're expecting the books and movies to be the same, you will be met with disappointment, but if you view them as two different forms of entertainment, I think you will appreciate them for what they each are. And like the books, each movie in the series is a self-contained mystery. However, because of ongoing storylines, the movies are also best enjoyed in order, starting with Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.

August Caboodle of Movies and Books

Hi everyone! 

I'm a little late, but here are my monthly lists of movies watched and books finished in August.

MOVIES

Letterboxd allows for half star ratings for movies, but I'm sticking to whole instead of sliced mushrooms. The heart indicates when the movie had the "it" factor, that something special that makes it a favorite of mine. It's probably one I would re-watch. It does not have to earn five mushrooms in order to earn a heart. There could be plot holes, etc., but if it was still immensely enjoyable, it earned a heart. The number on the left is the date in August when I watched the movie. 

5 Junebug (2024) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

8 Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery (2024) 🍄🍄

9 Summer in the Vineyard (2017) 🍄🍄🍄

13 My Dreams of You (2024)🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

19 A Costa Rican Wedding (2024) 🍄🍄🍄

20 August Creek (2017) 🍄🍄🍄

27 Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement (2024) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

30 The Magic of Lemon Drops (2024) 🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

It probably won't surprise most of you that all of these are Hallmark movies. Two of them are from 2017 that I had on my watchlist for a while and the others are 2024 premieres. The two older ones were just okay for me, but most of the 2024 premieres were great. Although I really loved The Magic of Lemon Drops and I now want to read the book it's based on, my favorite of the month was definitely My Dreams of You. It had the perfect combination of magic (alternate reality is one of my favorite tropes) and summer feels. I can see myself watching it over and over again. It is my number one favorite movie of the year so far.

BOOKS

I don't give hearts for books like I do for movies because I rarely re-read books. When I do, it's usually because I haven't reviewed it yet and I need to refresh my memory before I do or because it's part of a book club and I need to refresh my memory for that reason. Otherwise, there are too many books that I want to read and it would take too much time to re-read them. Also, many of them are part of a series, of which I have so much catching up to do.

Here's what I read and listened to in August. Reviews are linked to the titles. Some are full reviews, while others are brief ones on my Sunday Posts.

📱 = e-book

🎧 = audiobook

📖 = physical book

🍄🍄🍄🎧

A Train is Late This Christmas, written by C.P. Ward and narrated by Penny Wyatt-Gold

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The Widows of Malabar Hill (Preveen Mistry 1), written by Sujata Massey and narrated by Soneela Nankani

🍄🍄🍄🍄📱

The Summer of Yes, by Courtney Walsh

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

Crime and Parchment (Rare Books Mystery 1), written by Daphne Silver and narrated by Barrie Kreinik

Some of these were out of my comfort zone, but I'm so glad I read and listened to them. They turned out to be some of the best books of the year for me so far.

Have you ever read or listened to a book that was out of your comfort zone and you ended up loving it? Tell me in the comments!

Rising Phoenix (2020)

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As the 2024 Paralympic Games begin in Paris next week, I'm going a bit off the theme of my blog. This isn't a cozy, but it's a topic that's very personal to me, and one that I feel the whole world should know more about.

"Rising Phoenix" is a 2020 Netflix original documentary about the Paralympics.  One of the co-producers of "Rising Phoenix" is Tatyana McFadden. She is originally from Russia, but in her childhood, she was adopted, and then she moved to Maryland to be with her adopted family. Like me, she was born with Spina Bifida. I have been following her story at the local level since she was in high school. It is because of her activism that students with disabilities are allowed to compete in high school sports alongside their other classmates under Maryland's Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act. She has competed in the Paralympics, where she has won many medals, and she will be competing in this summer's Paris Games starting next week. She can also now add producer to her growing list of achievements.

"Rising Phoenix" had my attention from the very beginning. It starts out with a narration that compares Paralympians to the Avengers.  The narrator says that Paralympians, like the Avengers, are "a team of superheroes who try to save humankind, save people, fight for success." The documentary goes on to highlight the stories of several Paralympians, with some of the politics of the Games seamlessly woven into it. I shed tears in the beginning of the film, as I often do with the opening ceremonies, because of what the Paralympics means to people with disabilities and to the world in general. It is a very honest documentary, touching on issues (such as inequalities in pay) that many people are likely not aware of. However, it also filled me with hope because of the many obstacles that have already been overcome. For example, did you know that just weeks before the 2016 Paralympics, those games almost didn't happen because they ran out of money, even though a certain amount had already been allocated specifically for that event? And when it did happen, there were almost no spectators in the beginning because it wasn't advertised. Thankfully, those Paralympics ended in success.

My only criticism of "Rising Phoenix" is that they didn't focus enough on the Winter Games. It was primarily about summer events and those athletes. The only mention of the Winter Games was when Tatyana McFadden talked about why she participated in them. They were in Russia that year, her hometown. So she figured out a sport (cross country skiing) that she could do...and off she went! It was touching to see that her birth mom was there to see Tatyana compete. Although this was epic, I would have loved to see more winter sports highlighted, such as sled hockey.

This is just a minor complaint. I highly recommend watching this documentary as we head into the Paralympic Games next week. When it's done, you will not only be educated on the games, but you will also be filled with more hope than you probably ever thought possible.

July Caboodle of Movies and Books

Hi everyone! 

I am no longer going to call this Top Ten Tuesday because I haven't participated in that blog hop for a while. I will, however, continue to share with you my monthly lists of movies watched and books finished. 

MOVIES

Letterboxd allows for half star ratings for movies, but I'm sticking to whole instead of sliced mushrooms. The heart indicates when the movie had the "it" factor, that something special that makes it a favorite of mine. It's probably one I would re-watch. It does not have to earn five mushrooms in order to earn a heart. There could be plot holes, etc., but if it was still immensely enjoyable, it earned a heart. 

The number on the left is the date in July when I watched the movie. Most of the time, I watch half a movie in the morning while having breakfast and the second half in the afternoon while having lunch. Hallmark movies, which are mostly what I watch, are all less than 90 minutes long without commercials, so via DVR, I can easily watch one per day most days.

All except one of these are Christmas movies. I fully embraced Christmas in July!

1  Falling Like Snowflakes (2024)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

2  Holiday Road (2023)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

3  Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees (2022)🍄🍄🍄

5 Cross Country Christmas (2020) 🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

7 The Santa Clause 2 (2002) 🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

8 Three Wise Men and a Baby (2023) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

9 Crown for Christmas (2015) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

10 Hitched for the Holidays (2012)🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

12 The Spirit of Christmas (2015) 🍄🍄🍄

 

12 Cranberry Christmas (2020) 🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

14 Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters (2024) 🍄🍄🍄

15 Rescuing Christmas (2023)🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

16 A Very Merry Mix-Up (2014)🍄🍄

18 Where Are You, Christmas? (2021) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

19 A World Record Christmas (2023) 🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

21 The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause 🍄🍄🍄🍄

22 A Very Vermont Christmas 🍄🍄

23 Operation Nutcracker 🍄🍄🍄

24 Ice Palace Romance 🍄🍄🍄

25 Rescuing Christmas 🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

26 Christmas in Toyland 🍄🍄🍄🍄

Non-Hallmark Movies:

Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees (Lifetime)

The Santa Clause 2 (Streaming on Disney+)

The Spirit of Christmas (Lifetime, Hoopla, YouTube)

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (Streaming on Disney+)

Favorite Movies:

The Santa Clause 2

Hitched for the Holidays

Rescuing Christmas

A World Record Christmas (click title for my review)

Non-Christmas Movie

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters

Overall, I love this series of movies. However, this latest installment is my least favorite. This is the problem when you have a romantic storyline (or two) in the mystery movies. At a certain point, there's only so much you can do that's worth watching. Otherwise, those storylines and the conflicts feel forced. I think if they just focus on the mysteries (which are not usually murders in this series), it could be great. I would love for this to go back to the one hour episodes it used to be, but I doubt that will happen.

Extended Cut Notes

Three Wise Men and a Baby was the extend cut, which aired for the first time on the Hallmark Channel this July. The original aired on the Hallmark Channel last year. I liked them both equally, and honestly I couldn't tell which scenes were added in for the extended cut, which was about 15 extra minutes.

I watched Rescuing Christmas twice this July. This movie premiered on the Hallmark Movies App last year and aired on the Hallmark Channel this July for the first time. I watched the regular version, then watched the extended cut on the streaming app. While both were immensely enjoyable and worthy of five stars, I highly recommend watching it on the app if you can. The 15 extra minutes we get is worth it!

If you don't want to subscribe to Hallmark Movies Now (like me), you can check and see if Hoopla has the Hallmark Movies Now Bingepass through your local library. If so, you can borrow the bingepass for 7 days at a time and watch Hallmark Movies Now for free...and you can borrow it as many times as your heart desires as long as you're within your monthly Hoopla limit. The bingepass counts as one borrow (unless you borrow it again).

BOOKS

I don't give hearts for books like I do for movies because I rarely re-read books. When I do, it's usually because I haven't reviewed it yet and I need to refresh my memory before I do or because it's part of a book club and I need to refresh my memory for that reason. Otherwise, there are too many books that I want to read and it would take too much time to re-read them. Also, many of them are part of a series, of which I have so much catching up to do.

Here's what I read and listened to in July. Reviews are linked to the titles. Some are full reviews, while others are brief ones on my Sunday Posts.

📱 = e-book

🎧 = audiobook

📖 = physical book

🍄🍄🍄🍄📱

Catch of the Day (Newfound Lake Mystery 1), by Virginia K. Bennett

🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

Sticks and Stones and a Bag of Bones (Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery 1), written by Heather Weidner and narrated by Carrie Coello

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

Christmas, Campers, and Criminals (Camper and Criminals Mystery 3), written by Tonya Kappes and narrated by Johanna Parker

🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

Tide and Punishment (Seaside Café Mystery 3),  written by Bree Baker and narrated by Thérese Plummer

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄📱

I'll Be Home for Mischief (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery 5), by Jacqueline Frost

With, once again, all four and five star books, it was a great month of reading and listening! I started with a summery book around the 4th of July, then dove right into Christmas in July. I think I will continue this theme next July. It was a fun way to beat the heat!

A World Record Christmas (2023)

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On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. For decades, people with disabilities fought for a law like this to be passed. ADA protects people with disabilities against discrimination. It's unfortunate that we need a law like this and it's hard to believe it was passed just 34 years ago, but I'm so thankful for it and for all of those who fought for the basic human rights I and others with a disability have today. There is still much room for improvement, but it is progress.

In honor of this historic day, and in celebration of Christmas in July, today I'm sharing with you my review of A World Record Christmas. This movie premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 2023. I've had it on my DVR since it premiered and I finally watched it last week.

Charlie (Aias Dalman), a boy with autism, sets out to break a Guinness World Record by stacking the most number of Jenga blocks. His mother (Nikki DeLoach) and stepfather (Lucas Bryant) organize a fundraiser so that the community can decorate and donate blocks to help him achieve his goal.

I am always a little reluctant to watch movies with disability representation because I have seen it go so wrong. However, I do love Hallmark movies, especially at Christmas time or during Christmas in July, so I decided to give A World Record Christmas a try.

I was surprised by how much I loved this movie. I rarely give movies a rating of 5 mushrooms, but this one was well-deserving of it. I began to have hope when I looked up Aias Dalman, the actor who plays the boy with autism. I read that he is autistic in real life. There's an idea that says "nothing about us without us". Having a disabled actor play a disabled character is the perfect example of this. It is so much more authentic when someone with the disability being portrayed is included. Of course, there are many non-disabled actors out there who could excel at this role. But why not hire a talented disabled actor? This is how it should be done.

This will be obvious to many, but it is important to recognize that Charlie does not represent every child who has autism. There is a wide range of autistic individuals. Autism affects different people in different ways. However, Charlie and his parents do accurately represent some people with autism and their families. I did my student teaching with autistic children and I have a friend who is autistic, so I know this to be true.

Besides accurately representing autism, this is a great movie in other ways too. It doesn't follow all of the usual Hallmark tropes. The mother and stepfather are already married, so their dynamics are different than a couple who is just starting to date. I also loved that there aren't really any villains, except maybe the ex-husband.  However, even he had some likeable qualities.  

I also really enjoyed the platonic relationship between Charlie and his best friend. Their subplot is handled very well. Their friendship and the way they cared about each other warmed my heart. For the most part, this is a low-angst, feel-good movie. It's encouraging, while not being too inspirational. There were a couple minor plot points that were unnecessary and confusing, but the majority of the movie is so good, I can overlook them. 

This movie could easily take place any time of the year. It just happens to be set at Christmas time, which does help with the spirit of giving theme. There are also Christmas decorations up around the town that create a festive atmosphere. 

If you want to see what disability representation should look like in an overall good Hallmark movie, I highly recommend catching A World Record Christmas when it airs again on the Hallmark channel. I believe it is also on the streaming app, Hallmark Movies Now (which is soon to be renamed Hallmark+). 

Top Ten (and more) Tuesday - May Caboodle of Movies and Books

Happy Top Ten (and More) Tuesday! Here, you will find a list of all the movies I watched and books I finished in May.

MOVIES

Letterboxd allows for half star ratings for movies, but I'm sticking to whole instead of sliced mushrooms. The heart indicates when the movie had the "it" factor, that something special that makes it a favorite of mine. It's probably one I would re-watch. It does not have to earn five mushrooms in order to earn a heart. There could be plot holes, etc., but if it was still immensely enjoyable, it earned a heart. 

The number on the left is the date in May when I watched the movie. Most of the time, I watch half a movie in the morning while having breakfast and the second half in the afternoon while having lunch. Hallmark movies, which are mostly what I watch, are all less than 90 minutes long without commercials, so via DVR, I can easily watch one per day most days.

1  Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans (2024)🍄🍄🍄🍄

3  Branching Out (2024)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

6  Darrow and Darrow (2017)🍄🍄🍄🍄

7  Darrow and Darrow: In the Key of Murder (2018)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

9  Darrow and Darrow: Body of Evidence (2018) 🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

10 Darrow and Darrow: Witness to a Murder (2019) 🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

13 A Whitewater Romance (2024) 🍄🍄🍄

14 Flip that Romance (2019) 🍄🍄🍄🍄

16 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead (2019)🍄🍄🍄🍄

16 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds (2020)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

17 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death (2020)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

 

20 Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home (2024) 🍄🍄🍄

21 Everything Puppies (2024) 🍄

23 Dear Prudence (2008)🍄🍄🍄

24 A Royal Runaway Romance (2022)🍄🍄🍄🍄💖

All of these are Hallmark movies and as usual, some are 2024 premieres while others are from years past. With May being National Mystery Month (and National Photography Month) I decided to catch up on a couple of the older mystery series. Here are the links to the two series I reviewed in May:

Darrow and Darrow Mysteries

Picture Perfect Mysteries

My favorite movie in May was Branching Out, a Hallmark 2024 premiere. It wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it enough to mark it as a favorite. I don't typically enjoy the royal movies too much, but A Royal Runaway Romance was good. It was a fun road trip movie that I watched just before Memorial Day weekend. Again, not perfect, but very enjoyable.

Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans was a Hallmark mystery premiere. It was fun, but it isn't my favorite in the series. They mystery aspect wasn't as strong as I would have liked it to be. However, the setting was highly entertaining.

Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home was another Hallmark mystery premiere. It's one of my least favorites of the year (with Crime Time: Freefall being my least favorite). Coming Home is too serious for me, while Crime Time is too comical. I prefer something in between.

BOOKS

I don't give hearts for books like I do for movies because I rarely re-read books. When I do, it's usually because I haven't reviewed it yet and I need to refresh my memory before I do or because it's part of a book club and I need to refresh my memory for that reason. Otherwise, there are too many books that I want to read and it would take too much time to re-read them. Also, many of them are part of a series, of which I have so much catching up to do.

Here's what I read and listened to in May. Reviews are linked to the titles. Some are full reviews, while others are brief ones on my Sunday Posts.

📱 = e-book

🎧 = audiobook

📖 = physical book

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

A Summit in Shadow (Court of Mystery 4), by Sarah E. Burr and narrated by Melissa Green

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Throne of Threats (Court of Mystery 5), by Sarah E. Burr and narrated by Melissa Green

🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

Mother's Day Murder (Holiday Cozy Mystery 2), by Tonya Kappes and narrated by Elizabeth Demetrios

🍄🍄🍄🍄📱

The Man in Lower Ten (Modern Reader Edition), by Mary Roberts Rinehart

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

No Good Tea Goes Unpunished (Seaside Café Mystery 2), by Bree Baker and narrated by Theresé Plummer

🍄🍄🍄🍄🎧

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot 1), by Agatha Christie and narrated by Arthur Lane

Can't complain when every book I finished in May received at least four mushrooms!

Picture Perfect Mysteries (2019-2020)

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May is both National Mystery Month and National Photography Month. I've had Hallmark's Picture Perfect Mysteries recorded and on my radar for a while now and I figured this was the perfect (pun not originally intended, but it's cool isn't it?) time to watch and review them. There are three movies in this series, with no plans for more to be made. I will rank the episodes according to how much I enjoyed each one.

3. Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead (Episode 1 - 2019)

Coming in at number 3 is the first movie in the series.  Just like with the Darrow and Darrow Mysteries, the pilot for the Picture Perfect Mysteries was my least favorite. In this episode Allie (Alexa PenaVega) is the photographer at a wedding. Unfortunately, the happily ever after is marred with a murder. To the dismay of Detective Sam (Carlos PenaVega), Allie is convinced she can help solve this case and she sets out to do so.

 Although the two leads, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, are a happily married real-life couple, I often struggle to feel their on-screen chemistry. That was no different in this movie. I also felt that Detective Sam came across as unlikeable.  He clearly did not want any help from Allie. I felt like he could have been more open to her ideas. On the other hand, her actions were sometimes questionable, though quite entertaining for me as a viewer. The mystery was good. I did have a hunch who the culprit was, but I wasn't completely sure until all was revealed. The romance in the pilot was minimal, which was fine with me. 

2. Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death (Episode 3 - 2020)

My second favorite episode was the final one in the series. The dead body of an actress is found on the opening night of a play. Detective Sam asks Allie to help with solving the crime. I liked it more than the first episode, but at least one subplot wasn't developed and a character I liked in the second movie wasn't present in the third one. Knowing that there will be no more of these mysteries, it felt incomplete.  I loved that Sam warmed up to Allie and was much less annoying than he was in the first movie. The mystery in this one was good. I thought I had it figured out and although I was close, I didn't completely solve it.

1. Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds (Episode 2 - 2020)

My favorite episode in the series was the second one. It centers around a mysterious theft of a valuable necklace during an art collection exhibit. I thought the mystery in this one was the strongest and I enjoyed the chemistry between Allie and Sam. Sam especially was much more light-hearted and relaxed than he was in the first movie.

Final Thoughts:

The Picture Perfect Mysteries got off to a slightly rocky start for me, but I ended up really enjoying the three movies and wishing there were more. I loved the idea of the amateur sleuth being a professional photographer. For the most part, I enjoyed the leads and the supporting cast. I liked that Sam warmed up to Allie. I gave each movie four solid mushrooms, and therefore the overall series four mushrooms, and I would likely watch them again. 

Darrow and Darrow Mysteries (2017-2019)

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Since I started watching all of the Hallmark channels just a few years ago, there are a lot of movies I haven't seen. The Darrow and Darrow Mystery series was among them until recently. There are four movies in this series, all of which I watched last week. I'll share an overall review of the entire series, along with a ranking of each movie.

4. Darrow and Darrow (Episode 1, 2017)

The series opens with what ended up being my least favorite episode. Claire Darrow (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), an attorney, is a single mom to her 12 year old daughter, Louise (Lilah Fitzgerald). After Claire's mother, Joanna (Wendie Mallick), is let go from the law firm she worked for, she moves in with Claire and joins her at the law firm started by Claire's late father. 

Miles (Tom Cavanagh) is the district attorney. While Claire and Miles differ in their roles as attorneys, it's clear that they share a mutual interest in each other. I loved the dynamics between these two. They showed professionalism and respect for each other, despite seeing issues from different perspectives.

I also really enjoyed the character of Joanna, Claire's mother. She has a great rapport with her granddaughter, Louise, and I also loved the banter between Joanna and Claire. They are sometimes at odds with each other, but it's portrayed in a playful way.

The first case in this mystery series does not involve murder, but rather grand theft. It took me some time to get used to the fact that there wasn't going to be a murder, but it was fine. It was quite refreshing to see a different kind of mystery being solved.

The supporting characters were a touch too over-the-top funny for my taste, but the real issue I had with this movie was that it focused too much on subplots, which were weak, and not enough on the mystery. It's always a challenge to begin a new series since we are just getting to know the main characters.  I just wish their stories were woven into the movie more seamlessly, while keeping the main focus on the mystery.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the courtroom scenes. While not always believable, they were entertaining. I am not typically interested in courtroom drama, but these scenes were fun and easy to watch.

So, overall, I enjoyed this first movie, but I didn't mark it as a favorite on the Hallmark app.

3. Darrow and Darrow: Body of Evidence (Episode 3, 2018)

The third episode in the series has a much stronger mystery than the first one. Miles and Claire investigate a case where, a year ago, someone was convicted of murder. Claire believes the person convicted is innocent, while Miles believes she is guilty. They each work to prove their case. We again have Claire and Miles working on opposite sides, while maintaining mutual respect for one another. Once again, I enjoyed the courtroom scenes. The romance storyline is minimal, but it is still there. All of the returning characters from previous movies maintained their humor and charm.

2. Darrow and Darrow: Witness to a Murder (Episode 4, 2019)

Note: Some sources have this movie's title listed as Witness to a Murder: A Darrow Mystery.

In this episode, Claire defends someone from her mother's previous company who is accused of murder. Miles is the prosecuting attorney in this case. Claire and Miles each work to prove their cases, while their mutual interest in each other continues.

The runner-up in my ranking is the final episode in the series. This one had a slightly different vibe than the previous three, with some of the supporting cast not returning. Another supporting character was present, but his humor was toned down quite a bit. He was too serious for me this time. I would have preferred something in the middle. 

I appreciated that there was a strong focus on the mystery without too much emphasis on subplots. However, the courtroom scenes are not as strong in this episode. I figured out some of the whodunnit a little more than halfway through the movie, but there was still more to uncover that I hadn't solved.

1. Darrow and Darrow: In the Key of Murder (Episode 2, 2018)

My favorite movie in the Darrow and Darrow Mystery series is the second episode. All of the supporting characters returned. In this episode. Miles' half sister is accused of murder and Claire takes on the case to prove her innocence. I felt that the courtroom scenes and the overall mystery were strongest in this episode. It left me much more excited to see the rest of the movies in series than the first one did.

Final Thoughts:

Although some movies in the Darrow and Darrow Mystery series are stronger than others, I gave them all four solid mushrooms. Therefore, the series overall gets four solid mushrooms. Although I know the endings, I likely would watch most of them again (all except for the first episode) for the entertainment and to see if I can pick up on things I didn't before. I really enjoyed this series much more than I thought I would. I'd love to see more Darrow and Darrow Mysteries made, but if they're not, I'm satisfied with the way the series ended.