Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders (2016) Movie Review

Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders (2016)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Lori Loughlin in Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders (2016)

A Novel Garage Sale Mystery Woman

When an old man comes into her store and buys something too large to carry home on the bus, Jennifer (Lori Loughlin - Every Christmas Has a Story) agrees to deliver it for him. But when she gets to the man's apartment she finds him dead and before she can call the paramedics they arrive. Whilst Detective Lynwood (Kevin O'Grady) initially suspects a heart attack the autopsy shows something suspicious involving nicotine poisoning, it reminds Jennifer of something she once read in a book, an Agatha Christie novel. Meanwhile unlucky in love Danielle (Sarah Strange - Honor Student) has become intrigued by Maggie (Fiona Vroom), a clairvoyant, who seems to be spot on with what she knows about her whilst Jennifer's son, Logan (Connor Stanhope), wants to go camping with his father, Jason (Steve Bacic - A Joyous Christmas).

Well they don't waste anytime in "Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders" as with in two scenes we have Jennifer walking in to a crime scene. But whilst "Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders" seems to be in a hurry to get going it also feels like it is crossing over into the realms of another TV amateur detective with the murder reminding Jennifer of some thing she read in an Agatha Christie novel, making this feel a little like a "Mystery Woman" hybrid. In fact if someone could combine all the amateur detective characters into one Hallmark amateur detective universe it would make for an amusing combo, a sort of Amateur Detective League of Hallmark movies.

Anyway I digress, which is to be honest an issue with "Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders" as with it going down the route of a killer imitating murders in crime novels it is doing what so many other movies have done with the whole copycat killer idea. It also feels like it is not a real "Garage Sale Mystery" because there is barely any of the usual set up of Jennifer looking for stock for her store. Maybe it was trying to break from the usual formula which had been set up in the previous movies but it feels wrong, almost too generic. The daft thing about "Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders" is the subplot surrounding Danielle and a clairvoyant who she suspects is a fraud ends up more interesting than the main storyline.

What this all boils down to is that whilst "Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders" is entertaining it feels like it is deviating too far from the usual formula and edging into the realms of another Hallmark amateur detective movie. But I am sure those who have enjoyed the previous "Garage Sale Mystery" movies will enjoy this one as well.

Tags: TV Mystery Movie Crime Solvers


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