Family History Mysteries: Buried Past

Sophie McClaren (Janel Parrish) is a genealogist in Buffalo. Her friend Jonathan needs a bone marrow donor. He and his twin brother Jackson (Niall Matter) are lifelong friends. Their mother Dorothy (Sherry Miller) hires Sophie to find their assumed-dead father Clark Higgins who may be still alive.

Sophie has an easy out, but she doesn't take it. She could easily tell the boys that she's looking for any unknown distant relatives for Jonathan's treatment. It's the first indication that the writing isn't good enough. One may have low expectations for a Hallmark movie. I still appreciate stories without giant holes in the writing. The concept has potential and this has a functional mystery. The romance is fine. It's not the worst idea in the world.

Whilst the premise is interesting, the script was terrible. The second half was better, but I found the dialogue to be stilted and awkward for the first. I'm hoping that they continue with the series with tighter writing. I'd give it another chance given the idea seems fresh.

I'm required to write more to submit this review, so I'll tell you that I liked all of the actors and characters in this, especially Niall Matter. I don't recognize the actress in this, but she's likeable, and would probably seem to be a better actor with a better script. I know that the two were supposed to be awkward around each other as they hadn't seen each other in years, but not that awkward.

Given the HMM network and the telltale signs, I assume this is the opening entry of a new Signature Mystery Series. I'm not sure and I'll have to see, but I like the premise much better than half of the amateur murder detective ones that just keep spawning on that network. Sophie is a legit PI focusing on reuniting families with lost relatives.

The search is interesting although I would say there were any great surprises. Like the other SM series there is a budding romance between the two main characters involved in the search. I got hooked on Janel Parrish in Holly and Ivy, but this is the first movie other than that which I particularly enjoyed and even so she doesn't quite have the same magic here. She does have chemistry with Niall Matter.

So here's hoping that HMM has decided to give us a new mystery series that isn't based on amateur detectives risking their lives putting their noses in dangerous places and breaking tons of laws and procedures of real crime solving.

While this may be another "hallmark movie" this is on a different scale of a 'mystery'. This really hits home for anyone out there who is adopted or has any questions about their heritage. I felt this on a couple different levels. Very good acting for all involved and well written script. As someone (me) who isn't sure of familial history, this made me think of how things could have been different, had I only known. Can't wait for the next episodes as they kinda left us with a cliffhanger with the main actor on this one. This is for sure the best new series on Hallmark by far. And I have seen them all.

Ok the two leads did have chemistry...and I really love Niall Matter...and the concept of hunting down genealogical mysteries is fun (I would love that job!), but I felt like they didn't use as much "genealogy" as I would have liked.

That aside, the story involved Sophie McClure tracking down the presumed dead biological father of her best friend Jonathan and his twin Jackson. Sophie is highly motivated as Jonathan has leukemia and his biological father may be the bone marrow match that could save his life.

Meanwhile Sophie's assistant is working her first case of her own to return love letters found in some floorboards to their rightful owners (I would question what that has to do with genealogy?).

Could be the start of a new hallmark mystery series, but I think they have a few kinks to work out before they get in to the same category as my favorites...Hannah Swensen's Murder She Baked, Aurora Teagarden and Mystery 101, but I am still hopeful.