RANKING THE FUN HALLMARK MYSTERY SERIES (+ HOW TO WATCH THEM) & A NEW MYSTERY
For years now one of my TV movie staples is the signature mystery series on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries network. Some have come and gone, others have more staying power. But whatever, there’s a lot here. In an effort to be helpful (and have fun!), let’s go through ranking the Hallmark mystery series and talk about their watch order.
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Through the years I’ve going through to rank many of the lighter movies from Hallmark, but don’t think I’ve ever done this. It’s a little bit daunting if I’m honest because there’s ten (or so) series to get through which means this may get long. The only ones I’ll really rank are the series that are still active, which means they’ve either recently had a new installment or there’s one about to film. First, let’s introduce you to the newest mystery from Hallmark, which would presumably become a series (at some point) if there’s audience interest.
TO CATCH A SPY
This one feature Nathalie Kelley (from ABC’s Baker and the Beauty) in the female lead role as a resort manager. When she witnesses a murder, she teams up with an FBI agent to try and solve the case. This one co-stars Collin O’Donnell (from Arrow) and is rumored to debut in June.
RANKING THE HALLMARK MYSTERY SERIES
(+ THE ORDER TO WATCH THEM)
Ordered from least to most favorite
11: CHRONICLE MYSTERIES
Not sure why, but I’ve never fully warmed to this one. Allison Sweeney (who used to be in their Murder, She Baked) plays a crime podcaster (a very “in” thing right now) who takes over running a small newspaper. There are five of these (so far).
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Recovered (2019); The Wrong Man (2019); Vines that Bind (2019); The Deep End (2019); Helped to Death (2021).
10: CROSSWORD MYSTERIES
Lacey Chabert and Brennan Eliot co-star in this. Lacey plays a crossword puzzle (for the paper) creator who is constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. Brennan is the New York cop who crushes on her pretty hard – and for anyone who ships them, things move ahead in their last case!
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): A Puzzle to Die For (2019); Proposing Murder (2019); Abracadaver (2020); Terminal Descent (2021); Terminal Descent (2021); Riddle Me Dead (2021)
9: HAILEY DEAN MYSTERIES
Hasn’t been a recent installment in this set for a while, but star Kellie Martin has shared they hope to and there are “pre production” rumors for this, so, we can hope to see more. Martin plans a former attorney turned therapist who cannot help but find a mystery. Part of it eventually becomes personal when the subject of her fiancé’s murder must be re-opened.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Murder, With Love (2016); Deadly Estate (2017); Dating is Murder (2017); 2+2 = Murder (2018); A Marriage Made for Murder (2018); A Will to Kill (2018); Death on Duty (2019); A Prescription for Murder (2019); Killer Sentence (2019)
8: MATCHMAKER MYSTERIES
Danica McKeller stars as (you guessed it), a popular TV matchmaker who quite by happenstance teams up with a detective (Victor Webster ) to play sleuth.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): A Killer Engagement (2019); A Fatal Romance (2020); The Art of the Kill (2021)
RANKING THE FUN HALLMARK MYSTERY SERIES (+ HOW TO WATCH THEM) & A NEW MYSTERY #Hallmarkies #Movies #Mystery #AuroraTeagarden Share on X7: RUBY HERRING MYSTERIES
Taylor Cole stars as a TV personality who is looking to follow in her father’s footsteps as a crime reporter. Of course when she does find a mystery, there’s a detective waiting to be annoyed with her sleuthing.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Silent Witness (2019); Her Last Breath (2019); Prediction Murder (2020)
6: MORNING SHOW MYSTERIES
Pretty sure I’m one (or is it two?) episodes behind with this one. But it’s a fun series with Holly Robinson Peete (who is just co-starred in one of my favorites American Housewife) as a restaurant owner turned morning show host. These are also produced and co-written by Al Roker. ranking the hallmark mystery series
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Mortal Mishaps (2018); Murder on the Menu (2018): A Murder in Mind (2019); Countdown to Murder (2019); Death by Design (2019); Murder Most Fair (2019); and in June Murder Ever After (2021).
5: PICTURE PERCECT MYSTERIES
Real life marrieds Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega co-star in this. She plays a nosy photographer and he plays a more cynical detective new to the area.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Newlywed and Dead (2019); Dead Over Diamonds (2020); Exit, Stage Death (2020)
4: AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERIES
Favorite Candace Cameron Bure stars in these. They’re fun, but there’s something that also bugs me about them. Still, there’s lots here if you like mysteries and have never seen them. This is another series I’m one or two episodes behind on.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): A Bone to Pick (2015); Real Murders (2015); Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (2016); The Julius House (2016); Dead Over Heels (2017); A Bundle of Trouble (2017); Last Scene Alive (2018); Reap What you Sew (2018) The Disappearing Game (2018); A Game of Cat and Mouse (2019); An Inheritance to Die For (2019); A Very Foul Play (2019); Heist and Seek (2020); Reunited and it Feels So Deadly (2020); How to Con a Con (2021); and there’s more of these due to premiere in 2021!
3: GOURMET DETECTIVE
This series went dormant for a while before a new movie debuted in 2020. I really did enjoy it and always did like this one and its pairing. It has Castle (ABC TV show) vibes only this time the “famous” sleuth is a chef.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): The Gourmet Detective (2015); A Healthy Place to Die (2015); Death Al Dente (2016); Eat, Drink & Be Buried (2017); Roux the Day (2020)
2: MARTHA’S VINEYARD
Coming down to my top two picks is a STRUGGLE. Reason being I like these two quite well. This one has Jesse Metcalfe (so sad he’s leaving Chesapeake Shores) as a former city cop looking for a quitter life in Martha’s Vineyard. Of course this doesn’t end up being true, and we’re glad for it.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): A Beautiful Place to Die (2020); Riddled with Deceit (2020); Ships in the Night (2021); Poisoned in Paradise (2021) arrives May 14; and there’s another rumored to be in the works!
1: MYSTERY 101
Kristoffer Polaha stars with Jill Wagner in this one! It’s just a super fun and entertaining series. She’s a professor and he’s a grumpy (sort of!) detective. Last movie I saw involved a kiss (yes, I’m behind on watching the latest!), so I’m excited to see what comes from this.
HOW TO WATCH (ORDER): Mystery 101 (2019); Playing Dead (2019); Words Can Kill (2019); Dead Talk (2019); An Education in Murder (2020); Killer Timing (2021); plus more in the 2021 plans.
MORE MYSTERY SERIES!
If you thought Hallmark had more mysteries, you’re quite right. They also at one time had these three series, all of which are now, seemingly, no longer a thing. You can probably catch some* of these are re-airs on Hallmark. Would you want to see any of these return?
- 1: A DARROW MYSTERY* (not sure if these are “done” yet or not, but I don’t see any news for more)
- 2: EMMA FIELDING MYSTERIES*
- 3: A FIXER UPPER MYSTERY*
- 4: FLOWER SHOP MYSTERIES* (Brooke Shields and Brennen Eliot co-star in these, which I think are SO fun)
- 5: GARAGE SALE MYSTERIES
- 6: MURDER, SHE BAKED* (these were on from 2015 – 2017, and I actually like these better for Allison Sweeney)
With exception to one or two, you can usually catch marathons of all of these (both ongoing and series of the past) these every once in a while on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Just keep an eye on those listings.
What about you? What’s your favorite in this line? What is your ranking the Hallmark mystery series? Are you excited about the new series? What other kind of mystery would you like to see? Comment all of your thoughts below!
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To be honest, I’ve kind of gotten a bit of mystery series fatigue the last few years, and wish they would balance them out a little more now and then with a stand-alone (last one I believe was Uncommon Grace in 2017, which I LOVED)
That said, there are a number of mystery series I really do enjoy watching quite a bit, and top of that list is definitely Hailey Dean (I really need them to release another trilogy in this series in particular so we can hopefully get some more insight into Jonas’ life before his wife died. and see his and Hailey’s wedding!), Gourmet Detective, Flower Shop Mysteries, & A Darrow Mystery, though I didn’t mind the Emma Fielding installments either! As for series I haven’t started yet, Martha’s Vineyard, Picture Perfect Mysteries, and Ruby Herring are the ones that appeal to me the most.
Thanks for creating yet another fun list post!
Pretty sure I did watch Uncommon Grace, but I cannot remember for sure! Before that I remember the one about the married couple (was it “His Girl Sunday” or something?). It was more of a cute cozy mystery. :)
I like Hailey Dean, but also liked Kellie’s early Hallmark series too. (The bookshop mysteries.) This relationship (Jonas and Hailey) is an interesting one because both have such tragedy in their lives; usually its only one character who has that thing that holds them back). That said, I’m curious for more in nearly any of these! I haven’t been keeping up with them as I used too (pretty sure I have a couple with Candace and Jill, and one with Danica on my DVR).
Thank you (as always!) for sharing your thoughts and what you’d like to see. I hope you enjoy those you haven’t’ seen yet (let me know) and my apologies for the late reply. Been way focused on back ground stuff around here. :)