I enjoyed the first Aurora Teagarden (and I love her name!) Hallmark movie and looked forward to this one. The staple characters are likable and Candace Cameron Bure's "Roe" is delightful (I never saw the TV series that made her famous, "Full House," or anything else in which she has appeared). This movie concentrates on the Real Murders Club of which she, her best friend, Sally (a newspaper reporter), and her mother's romantic interest, John, are all members. It appears that a serial killer is loose in Aurora's charming town, mimicking real-life infamous murders that the Club has discussed. As clues began to surface it becomes clearer that the murderer could be one of the Club members. This really is too close to home for Aurora, who first suspects then allies herself with a best-selling (and good looking) author of mystery novels to solve the mystery and reveal who the murderer is.
I enjoy a few of the series on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, but this is my favorite because it is closer to a true "cozy" environment and presents some interesting puzzles and mostly charming and likable characters. For the most part, the main characters are well cast; it's a treat to see Marilu Henner again, for example. However, not having read the books I cannot comment on how close the movies or actors reflect the plots and characters in the books, and perhaps that's just as well.
Although the denouement was a bit far-fetched, it lends itself to the wackiness that can make a cozy truly endearing.
I enjoy a few of the series on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, but this is my favorite because it is closer to a true "cozy" environment and presents some interesting puzzles and mostly charming and likable characters. For the most part, the main characters are well cast; it's a treat to see Marilu Henner again, for example. However, not having read the books I cannot comment on how close the movies or actors reflect the plots and characters in the books, and perhaps that's just as well.
Although the denouement was a bit far-fetched, it lends itself to the wackiness that can make a cozy truly endearing.