This Aurora Teagarden mystery, typical of the genre on Hallmark, was generally enjoyable, even though the lovable Teagarden character continues to interfere in police investigations without being charged for it, and engages in stupid and reckless behavior in her obsessive pursuit of solving the mystery. I tuned in primarily because of the addition of Yannick Bisson (of "Murdoch" fame). His appearance in the mystery "Three Bedrooms, One Corpse" elevated the overall appeal of the series in my view.
Unfortunately, the movie contained some deficiencies that reduced its quality, perhaps owing to the change in writers. The widow, Bess Burns, is depicted as in love with her husband but showing no grief whatsoever, thereby making her an early suspect to Teagarden. I guess it didn't occur to the writer that a murderous widow could feign grief to allay suspicion. The story then reverts to the plot device of "Three Bedrooms" by having the murderer make a concerted effort to frame Martin for the crime. The story introduced another obsessive character, that of Detective Lambert, who believed manufactured evidence and decided that Martin was the culprit. Toward the end of the story Lambert violates due process and police procedure by taking Martin as a hostage at home, thereby endangering any case he might want to bring against him. Lambert also stupidly secures Martin to a banister with a zip tie instead of using his handcuffs. Worst of all this police harassment is not resolved at the end with an apology to Martin. It's totally ignored as if it never happened.
In the next to the last scene a police medal of valor is presented posthumously to Captain Burns' widow. This was a gratuitous addition to the plot. First, it was the wrong medal to award. The medal for valor is given for an act to save or protect human life without regard to one's own safety. A murder investigation does not qualify for the medal. Captain Burns could have been awarded a meritorious service medal for his years on the police force. Second, the medal depicted was not a police medal at all. (Just do an Internet search on police medals and you'll see what I mean.) In fact, the medal shown was the Department of Defense Joint Meritorious Service Medal. (I know because I received one when I was in the Army.) Third, to have the widow essentially reject the medal by giving it to Teagarden was thoughtless and dishonorable to the recipient. Her excuse that she couldn't take it with her to Paris was ridiculous since she had a lot of personal property that wouldn't be going on that trip. Badly done all around.
By the way, I noticed that IMDb failed to include Miranda Frigon (the detective), Bruce Dawson, Peter Benson (detective), Ellie Harvey (librarian), Leah Cairns (Bess Burns), and Catherine Lough Haggquist (Mayor) in the list of cast members.
Unfortunately, the movie contained some deficiencies that reduced its quality, perhaps owing to the change in writers. The widow, Bess Burns, is depicted as in love with her husband but showing no grief whatsoever, thereby making her an early suspect to Teagarden. I guess it didn't occur to the writer that a murderous widow could feign grief to allay suspicion. The story then reverts to the plot device of "Three Bedrooms" by having the murderer make a concerted effort to frame Martin for the crime. The story introduced another obsessive character, that of Detective Lambert, who believed manufactured evidence and decided that Martin was the culprit. Toward the end of the story Lambert violates due process and police procedure by taking Martin as a hostage at home, thereby endangering any case he might want to bring against him. Lambert also stupidly secures Martin to a banister with a zip tie instead of using his handcuffs. Worst of all this police harassment is not resolved at the end with an apology to Martin. It's totally ignored as if it never happened.
In the next to the last scene a police medal of valor is presented posthumously to Captain Burns' widow. This was a gratuitous addition to the plot. First, it was the wrong medal to award. The medal for valor is given for an act to save or protect human life without regard to one's own safety. A murder investigation does not qualify for the medal. Captain Burns could have been awarded a meritorious service medal for his years on the police force. Second, the medal depicted was not a police medal at all. (Just do an Internet search on police medals and you'll see what I mean.) In fact, the medal shown was the Department of Defense Joint Meritorious Service Medal. (I know because I received one when I was in the Army.) Third, to have the widow essentially reject the medal by giving it to Teagarden was thoughtless and dishonorable to the recipient. Her excuse that she couldn't take it with her to Paris was ridiculous since she had a lot of personal property that wouldn't be going on that trip. Badly done all around.
By the way, I noticed that IMDb failed to include Miranda Frigon (the detective), Bruce Dawson, Peter Benson (detective), Ellie Harvey (librarian), Leah Cairns (Bess Burns), and Catherine Lough Haggquist (Mayor) in the list of cast members.