I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A Brilliant Conflict

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

I don't know why most of these amateur detectives have to put their lives in danger to the point where they almost walk up to the bad guy and say shoot me.Other than that, this isn't a bad story. The characters are appealing and the acting about what you'd expect but passable. And if she could pass you some of what she bakes through the screen, this would be a ten.The idea that Hannah knows everyone and they will talk to her is not that hard to believe. Add to that the fact she is very intuitive and has an eye for detail. But she needs to think about her safety and use at least a little common sense.

I like the series very much. Each episode reminds me a little of Jane Austen's novels in terms of the some of the characters and plots. For example, Hannah's mother conjures up Emma and her over-the-top neurotic Romanticism. There is a Pride and Prejudice sexual tension thing going on between Mike and Hannah. Mike is also haunted somewhat by a previous relationship, just as is Edward Ferrer in Sense and Sensibility. And Hannah's mother reminds me of the ditzy Mrs. Bennett in P&P and her inability to completely accept her daughter as-is. I also like the way Hannah and Andrea are close, as are Elizabeth and Jane in P&P. It's a kind of survival mechanism against their mother's pushiness. And Hannah's involvement in murder and mystery tracks with the morbid curiosity of Catherine, the heroine in Northanger Abbey. Just some thoughts for any JA fans out there...!

Well I guess Hallmark has committed to at least one more "movie" in the Fluke series. I enjoy the books as they are an easy read but the main character, Hannah Swensen, is not Alison Sweeney. Not by a long shot. Hannah is tad dumpy and somewhat acerbic; in this version she is sweet beyond saccharine. I guess some authors like seeing their work in another media and are willing to allow some latitude in altering their creation. As for this film, it's OK. I don't believe I liked it enough to watch a follow up. It wasn't that difficult to figure out who did it and why; but the stupidity of the Hannah character was too much to take. Barbara Niven was typical as the mom, Delores Swensen, concerned that her daughter is still single and is desperate to see her married off. But overall, the story felt rushed. The back story regarding the murder victim is too brief and the other characters are just stereotypes off the cozy rack. Just not enough here to make me a fan or even curious to see where they might be going. If you want a series then spend some time in film one to identify all the players, the setting, and create a character you want to know better. Not done in this presentation.

The Hallmark Channel seems to be churning out a series of movies based on "Cozy Mystery" books. These are not Agatha Christie mysteries. They all seem to have a theme: a librarian, a baker, a garage-sale buyer, and I've heard there's also a gourmet chef cum detective.This movie was shown with a few others including the librarian, so I didn't expect much. The movie, like the others. was lightweight, but one thing I really liked about this one.....the Heroine, a baker, has human feelings. She actually CRIES when she finds a body! Some others have friends and neighbors who get bumped off but don't shed a tear (unrealistic and cold). There are the usual cozy-type settings and cute things going on...mild romance, offering cookies to everyone, etc.One thing had me wince.....Hannah has a bakery where the locals get coffee and pastries. One woman brings in her DOG and it sits at the table. Hannah walks up to it and feeds it a snack with her bare hands! I paid a lot of attention to see when she washed her hands. It didn't happen. Let's just say I found it a turn-off. The writers need to pay attention to details like this. Everyone in businesses where they handle food knows to wash their hands to avoid contamination and I wouldn't eat anywhere they had dogs inside the restaurant.I did enjoy this mystery, though. It involved murder, no blood, was interesting and won't give you nightmares.