25 reviews
When you don't want the gore or negative relationships but just light mysteries and you like Hallmark but with a plot and occasional twist, you will probably like these movie length mysteries. The stories and acting are decent enough. Judge it on the lighter genre it is rather than something with more depth and complexity. The family members actually like each other and treat each other with love and affection. Characters are well rounded and it's actually good for a lighter murder mystery series.
- KathleenK22
- Aug 23, 2022
- Permalink
- kimheniadis
- Jul 28, 2016
- Permalink
Lori Loughlin and a whole flock of Canadian players bring us the first in a series of Garage Sale Mysteries. All centered around Loughlin whose passion is to go to garage sales. It's her philosophy that one never knows what kind of treasures one finds at a garage sale. And she does pick up some in all of the series.
Here Loughlin has noticed a disturbing pattern of burglaries that seem to follow garage sales she goes to with any number of regulars who also are looking for bargains. But some may not be looking for ones on sale.
It gets deadly when one of her friends who was conducting a garage sale is murdered. It also gets dangerous for Loughlin when she gets too close to the truth.
Other than a nose for valuable antiques, Loughlin is a well adjusted happily married woman with two children and a husband and the investigating cop Andrew Dunbar interested in her daughter Sarah Canning. Imagine the Loughlin you knew from Full House married to Bob Saget and you have her character here. Cameron Bancroft has a nice turn as the husband of Loughlin's deceased friend.
Another good Hallmark mystery.
Here Loughlin has noticed a disturbing pattern of burglaries that seem to follow garage sales she goes to with any number of regulars who also are looking for bargains. But some may not be looking for ones on sale.
It gets deadly when one of her friends who was conducting a garage sale is murdered. It also gets dangerous for Loughlin when she gets too close to the truth.
Other than a nose for valuable antiques, Loughlin is a well adjusted happily married woman with two children and a husband and the investigating cop Andrew Dunbar interested in her daughter Sarah Canning. Imagine the Loughlin you knew from Full House married to Bob Saget and you have her character here. Cameron Bancroft has a nice turn as the husband of Loughlin's deceased friend.
Another good Hallmark mystery.
- bkoganbing
- Dec 5, 2016
- Permalink
This is the start of a very entertaining cosy mystery series on Halmark that centers on Jennifer Shannon, a happily married mother of two who with her friend/business partner Danielle scours garage sales to resell items in their antique shop, Rags to Riches.
Hannah, their eldest child who is an artist and in college, is going through her first big breakup. She is graduating in June and has plans to go to law school in the fall. Logan, the youngest, is always hungry and a video game addict. Husband Jason seems to have a good sense of humor and is an excellent partner to Jennifer especially as he seems to be pretty handy...especially when Jennifer needs a consultation on a leaky roof at Rags to Riches. Partner and best friend Danielle is all green smoothies and new age philosophies while looking for her life partner.
I really enjoy the typical "normal" home life portrayed in this the series opener. Also...garage sales, antiques and mysteries...right up my alley.
Jennifer quickly makes friends with a new Detective Iverson at the police station when she brings him her garage sale mystery as she thinks that local break-ins are related to local garage sales at which she thinks the thieves are casing the houses before breaking in.
Then Jennifer finds her friend Kate dead after a garage sale, but Detective Iverson determines it to be an accident. When Hannah meets Detective Adam Iverson on their garage sale fishing mission, she slowly starts to come out of her break-up funk.
6,000 home burglaries a day!!!! This was also a good cautionary tale. Thieves are in and out in 8 minutes, less if they have cased the place.
This is a fairly tight mystery based on the Suzi Weinert Garage Sale Mystery series of books and this was a great start to the hallmark series. I think cosy mystery fans will really enjoy this series and I recommend it.
Hannah, their eldest child who is an artist and in college, is going through her first big breakup. She is graduating in June and has plans to go to law school in the fall. Logan, the youngest, is always hungry and a video game addict. Husband Jason seems to have a good sense of humor and is an excellent partner to Jennifer especially as he seems to be pretty handy...especially when Jennifer needs a consultation on a leaky roof at Rags to Riches. Partner and best friend Danielle is all green smoothies and new age philosophies while looking for her life partner.
I really enjoy the typical "normal" home life portrayed in this the series opener. Also...garage sales, antiques and mysteries...right up my alley.
Jennifer quickly makes friends with a new Detective Iverson at the police station when she brings him her garage sale mystery as she thinks that local break-ins are related to local garage sales at which she thinks the thieves are casing the houses before breaking in.
Then Jennifer finds her friend Kate dead after a garage sale, but Detective Iverson determines it to be an accident. When Hannah meets Detective Adam Iverson on their garage sale fishing mission, she slowly starts to come out of her break-up funk.
6,000 home burglaries a day!!!! This was also a good cautionary tale. Thieves are in and out in 8 minutes, less if they have cased the place.
This is a fairly tight mystery based on the Suzi Weinert Garage Sale Mystery series of books and this was a great start to the hallmark series. I think cosy mystery fans will really enjoy this series and I recommend it.
I really enjoyed these movies from HM&M. The actors/characters all melded well together, and I have always been a Lori Laughlin fan.
Does anyone know if there is a chance of Hallmark rebooting this movies? Some of the new replacement projects are pretty ho-hum, and even though Laughlin has had her share of legal problems and I'm sure a lot of family , financial, and emotional issues, I believe she still has a fan base who would really like to see her resume her roll in "The Garage Sale Mysteries." Maybe Hallmark Movies and Mysteries should call a campfire to discuss the possibility of bringing this show back.
Does anyone know if there is a chance of Hallmark rebooting this movies? Some of the new replacement projects are pretty ho-hum, and even though Laughlin has had her share of legal problems and I'm sure a lot of family , financial, and emotional issues, I believe she still has a fan base who would really like to see her resume her roll in "The Garage Sale Mysteries." Maybe Hallmark Movies and Mysteries should call a campfire to discuss the possibility of bringing this show back.
- marymackie
- Oct 1, 2022
- Permalink
There is no doubt that Lori Loughlin is that cute, adorable mom type sort of in the same vein as TV actress Barbara Billingsley was back in 1957 when she played the perfect mom June Cleaver on the hit TV family series Leave It To Beaver.
Fast forward some 60 years to the present time and we now have Lori loughlin playing wife and mother named Jennifer Shannon to two teenage children, where she not only has the time each evening to prepare a sit down five course meal for her family of four, but she also runs a successful second hand store with her business partner Danielle (Sarah Strange), spends her weekends purchasing antique treasures that no one else seems to ever find (?) and on top of all this she seems to also find the time to play cupid for her adolescent daughter Hannah (Sara Canning) and a young good looking detective named Adam Iverson (Andrew Dunbar) who Jennifer convinces that what looks like an apparent accidental death is actually a murder.
So Jennifer who is cute as cute can be and even more charming than the Lucky Charms leprechaun cooks for her family, finds rare antiques, plays cupid and is determined to solve what may be the apparent murder of a wealthy friend of hers. This made for TV movie is a light hearted mystery filled with family values worthy of our time and Mrs. Shullivan nor I were disappointed in the end game.
We enjoy Lori Loughlin as the amateur cutesy sleuth with more charm than Niagara Falls has water. I give this premier episode in the Garage Sale Mystery franchise film collection a decent 7 out of 10 rating.
Fast forward some 60 years to the present time and we now have Lori loughlin playing wife and mother named Jennifer Shannon to two teenage children, where she not only has the time each evening to prepare a sit down five course meal for her family of four, but she also runs a successful second hand store with her business partner Danielle (Sarah Strange), spends her weekends purchasing antique treasures that no one else seems to ever find (?) and on top of all this she seems to also find the time to play cupid for her adolescent daughter Hannah (Sara Canning) and a young good looking detective named Adam Iverson (Andrew Dunbar) who Jennifer convinces that what looks like an apparent accidental death is actually a murder.
So Jennifer who is cute as cute can be and even more charming than the Lucky Charms leprechaun cooks for her family, finds rare antiques, plays cupid and is determined to solve what may be the apparent murder of a wealthy friend of hers. This made for TV movie is a light hearted mystery filled with family values worthy of our time and Mrs. Shullivan nor I were disappointed in the end game.
We enjoy Lori Loughlin as the amateur cutesy sleuth with more charm than Niagara Falls has water. I give this premier episode in the Garage Sale Mystery franchise film collection a decent 7 out of 10 rating.
- Ed-Shullivan
- Jul 21, 2018
- Permalink
These films are really good! You see antiques,& modern technology used by her son Logan! I find the stories good exiting & look forward to watching them!
- louisepowell-36545
- May 7, 2022
- Permalink
6/10 - nice start to the beloved Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series is engaging and has a good mystery
- JoBloTheMovieCritic
- Feb 25, 2021
- Permalink
The first of the Garage Sale Mystery movie has Lori Loughlin as Jennifer Shannon. She is happily married with two kids and co-owns an antiques shop.
Jennifer tours the garage sales in her area looking for bargains. When her friend is found dead from a suspected accidental fall, Jennifer is not convinced. She thinks her friend might had been a victim from a break in, especially as she recently had a garage sale which had valuable items.
Jennifer has to convince the police to reinvestigate the matter but her poking around puts her own life at risk.
This is a Hallmark movie and the makers try to have some red herrings and there is a bit of zippy editing. The camera zooms in each time Jennifer spots a bargain in a sale.
The mystery does fall a bit flat, I was not surprised when the culprit was revealed. It was a little bit unstimulating but it was an ok frivolous viewing.
Jennifer tours the garage sales in her area looking for bargains. When her friend is found dead from a suspected accidental fall, Jennifer is not convinced. She thinks her friend might had been a victim from a break in, especially as she recently had a garage sale which had valuable items.
Jennifer has to convince the police to reinvestigate the matter but her poking around puts her own life at risk.
This is a Hallmark movie and the makers try to have some red herrings and there is a bit of zippy editing. The camera zooms in each time Jennifer spots a bargain in a sale.
The mystery does fall a bit flat, I was not surprised when the culprit was revealed. It was a little bit unstimulating but it was an ok frivolous viewing.
- Prismark10
- Nov 10, 2018
- Permalink
I enjoy the Garage Sale Mystery movies. They are fun mindless entertainment. It's too bad Lori can't make anymore. Interesting that Hallmark is showing these movies again on their channels even though they fired her. The cast really gels and my favorite is the medical examiner. He's a hoot with his humor. The thing that bugs me the most in these shows is that show people who live in these big modern houses washing their dishes like they don't have a dishwasher! It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen! I also think it's interesting that there have been some actors who have had roles, not recurring roles, but new roles in several different episodes.
My wife and I love these mysteries but, there is somewhat of a redundant plot. I've had everyone figured out by the 1 hr. 20 minute commercial or sooner. BUT, they are entertaining and family oriented and enjoyable to watch.
- pastorron-03953
- Aug 13, 2018
- Permalink
I don't have anything bad to say about this Hallmark murder mystery about how Lori Laughlin, who runs an antique and collectibles business, cracks a murder mystery. It seems that the details of the production, each unremarkable or perhaps even superior by themselves, somehow combine to produce a total effect that does not please this longtime mystery buff. This is obviously a matter of Your Mileage May Vary and I urge you to give this a try.... but be ready to turn it off.
The acting is very good. Lori Laughlin plays her role very well. On the other hand, the camera-work soon descends into that Lifetime Network woman-at-risk lighting which raise my hackles. The details of the antiques trade are there to fill out and distract the viewer, but it's not something that interests me. I figured out most of the script's red herrings well before they were revealed.
It may very properly be said that I am not the intended audience for this movie, but here am I, watching it. I suppose my real complaint is that, after reading hundreds of mysteries and watching at least as many, I show up hoping for something new or particularly interesting. There's nothing of that here, resulting in yet another decent time-waster. I hope you see more in it than I do.
The acting is very good. Lori Laughlin plays her role very well. On the other hand, the camera-work soon descends into that Lifetime Network woman-at-risk lighting which raise my hackles. The details of the antiques trade are there to fill out and distract the viewer, but it's not something that interests me. I figured out most of the script's red herrings well before they were revealed.
It may very properly be said that I am not the intended audience for this movie, but here am I, watching it. I suppose my real complaint is that, after reading hundreds of mysteries and watching at least as many, I show up hoping for something new or particularly interesting. There's nothing of that here, resulting in yet another decent time-waster. I hope you see more in it than I do.
I used to like this moviesf because I enjoyed watching and trying to solve the mysteries, but the more times that I watched it, I started to see, that as moral as Jennifer Shannon claimed to be, she seemed to think absolutely nothing about repeatedly lying to both her husband and the police, who continuously admonished her to "stay out of it. Let the police do their job." to which she coyly responded, "Okay, I will" as she went about ignoring them and doing exactly as she pleased.
Only to invariably get into trouble and in life threatening situations where she needed help.
Maybe I'd respect her more if she was just honest with everyone and told them that this is who she is and if they can't live with it then maybe they need to evaluate their relationships.
But if that happened and they called her on it and her husband left, I think she would regret her dangerous behaviors.
Only to invariably get into trouble and in life threatening situations where she needed help.
Maybe I'd respect her more if she was just honest with everyone and told them that this is who she is and if they can't live with it then maybe they need to evaluate their relationships.
But if that happened and they called her on it and her husband left, I think she would regret her dangerous behaviors.
- malachite-78432
- Sep 29, 2023
- Permalink
Another great Hallmark mystery hits the TV screen. This mystery was interesting and exciting from the beginning to the end. It kept you wondering who the killer was with the many twists and turns. Was it an accident or murder?
The filming and acting was excellent. This movie was well produced. The dark houses, antique shop and detective work scenes added to the mystery and intrigue. This movie was not only a mystery, it was also a heart-warming family story. Loved it. I'd watch this movie over and over again.
And thank you, Hallmark, for not making the music louder than the speaking in this movie. There was very little music while the actors were speaking. I could hear every word clearly in this movie. Hope you make more mysteries like this with the same actors.
The filming and acting was excellent. This movie was well produced. The dark houses, antique shop and detective work scenes added to the mystery and intrigue. This movie was not only a mystery, it was also a heart-warming family story. Loved it. I'd watch this movie over and over again.
And thank you, Hallmark, for not making the music louder than the speaking in this movie. There was very little music while the actors were speaking. I could hear every word clearly in this movie. Hope you make more mysteries like this with the same actors.
- bookandcandle
- May 21, 2014
- Permalink
Hallmark movies appeal to people who like family-oriented movies that don't contain graphic sex, bad language, or sex. I'm not actually the demographic for these films - my taste runs a little broader - but they have their place.
"Garage Sale Mystery" is the pilot for a series of mystery movies starring Lori Laughlin as Jennifer Shannon, a wife and mom of who also runs an antique store with a partner. Her excellent powers of deduction and observation make her good at solving mysteries. When her friend is found murdered after a robbery, Jennifer isn't sure it's an accident and looks into it.
The area has been plagued by a series of robberies, and Jennifer figures out the criminals are casing the houses by attending their garage sales. She and a young detective attend the sales together to see if they can spot anyone Jennifer has seen at a previous sale.
This possibly should have been called "Estate Sale Mystery" since I think antique and collectible stores would be more likely to check out those more often than ordinary garage sales.
Very pleasant, with the pretty Loughlin in fine form, and I love the antiques shown. There isn't much as far as production values - these are made on very little money. But if you're looking to relax for a couple of hours, these are a pretty good bet.
"Garage Sale Mystery" is the pilot for a series of mystery movies starring Lori Laughlin as Jennifer Shannon, a wife and mom of who also runs an antique store with a partner. Her excellent powers of deduction and observation make her good at solving mysteries. When her friend is found murdered after a robbery, Jennifer isn't sure it's an accident and looks into it.
The area has been plagued by a series of robberies, and Jennifer figures out the criminals are casing the houses by attending their garage sales. She and a young detective attend the sales together to see if they can spot anyone Jennifer has seen at a previous sale.
This possibly should have been called "Estate Sale Mystery" since I think antique and collectible stores would be more likely to check out those more often than ordinary garage sales.
Very pleasant, with the pretty Loughlin in fine form, and I love the antiques shown. There isn't much as far as production values - these are made on very little money. But if you're looking to relax for a couple of hours, these are a pretty good bet.
Truly enjoyed the older/first Episodes much better. The police seem to welcome Jennifer's help more, but in newer seasons Jennifer seems almost too desperate to be involved and meddlesome.
The original children were more likable or real, Bredan Meyer and Sara Canning, the newer son, Connor Stanhope is likeable, but perferred first son, however, newer daughter, Eva Allan is weird in character/somewhat off in relationships.
Liked the budding romance between the first daughter and the younger police, but not so much the unsure romance between newer daughter and divorce police. Seem the episodes were better written, the relationships were better established it seem....
The original children were more likable or real, Bredan Meyer and Sara Canning, the newer son, Connor Stanhope is likeable, but perferred first son, however, newer daughter, Eva Allan is weird in character/somewhat off in relationships.
Liked the budding romance between the first daughter and the younger police, but not so much the unsure romance between newer daughter and divorce police. Seem the episodes were better written, the relationships were better established it seem....
- peteisaphotographer
- Aug 25, 2018
- Permalink
- tdjohnson1-649-996766
- Jun 12, 2021
- Permalink
- HpyCmpr155
- Sep 20, 2013
- Permalink
I'm so excited to start this series after being bored to death by the Good Witch series. I love the garage sale aspect, as I grew up yard saling with my mom, and everyone dreams of finding a priceless treasure in a pile of junk! The ending to the mystery was not what I expected, so I appreciated the shock.
I love this show so much, it's amazing! And the actress who play Jennifer, wherever character she play, I love that character.
Jennifer notices that several rich houses are robbed right after they have garage sales, including one woman who ends up dead, apparently from accidentally falling down the stairs, but Jennifer suspects foul play. She convinces Detective Adam Iverson to accompany her to some garage sales, and they do turn up some suspects for the robberies, but no evidence emerges for the murder. Jennifer eventually finds the murderer.
The first episode of a cracking mystery series that features a sharp-minded amateur detective, however it's a little uneven- the first half catches ones interest but second half that engagement slacks off and it drags a little. Also, the actors who play Jenn's husband, daughter and son are different to the later one. I prefer the later ones - Eva Bourne etc.
The first episode of a cracking mystery series that features a sharp-minded amateur detective, however it's a little uneven- the first half catches ones interest but second half that engagement slacks off and it drags a little. Also, the actors who play Jenn's husband, daughter and son are different to the later one. I prefer the later ones - Eva Bourne etc.
I enjoy Lori's Garage Sale Mystery series. What I DON'T want in a bio is a bunch of Network Hype. Take that crap out, and give Lori her proper kudos., and give us a picture of her true heritage and skill set.
- runt-62540
- Jan 20, 2018
- Permalink
This Hallmark mystery pilot had unexpected pizazz: family life that highlighted healthy relationships, a fairly credible plot, and snappy dialogue. The rapport between the actors came off as genuine. There was even kissing!
With such a promising start it was with anticipation to continue the series. Unfortunately the decision was made to replace the husband, and other main characters. The pizazz petered out although it is still watchable, the subsequent shows now fall into that predictable Hallmark plot mode of actors going through their lines as there is no chemistry except for the friendship between the lead and her business partner.
With such a promising start it was with anticipation to continue the series. Unfortunately the decision was made to replace the husband, and other main characters. The pizazz petered out although it is still watchable, the subsequent shows now fall into that predictable Hallmark plot mode of actors going through their lines as there is no chemistry except for the friendship between the lead and her business partner.
- cricketmusings
- Oct 29, 2024
- Permalink