Garage Sale Mystery: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Typically with any of the films in the Garage Sale Mystery series the audience gets involved in the whodunit mystery and there are a number of potential suspects. We usually get a few side stories that include Jennifer Shannon's (Lori Loughlin) business partner, Danielle (Sarah Strange), and one or more of Jennifer's immediate family. This particular episode was no different.

Danielle is propositioned with a new job offer to manage a prestigious art gallery and potentially meet a few wealthy and single men in the art gallery. Danielle is even advised her new job would entail her making periodic trips to Paris France which is very appealing to Danielle. As for Jennifer's family, her son Logan (Connor Stanhope) is facing his own internal dilemma as two of his video playing buddies have developed a scheme to hack into their high schools computer system to upgrade their semester grades and he needs to decide if this is both ethical and practical.

In the meantime Jennifer is approached by an old college friend named Sandra Chambers (Kirsten Robek) who has been estranged from Jennifer for approximately 10 years. Sandra provides Jennifer with an offer she cannot turn down which is for Jennifer to take possession of her old friend Sandra's entire store's content on consignment. In return all Sandra asks for is a 20 percent commission on everything Jennifer sells in her Rags to Riches store. Unfortunately when these two ladies go into the garage basement amongst all the fruitful antique finds they also discover the dead body of Sandra's old boyfriend who Sandra had thought her old boyfriend had just up and disappeared a year or so ago on her without an explanation. Now Sandra and Jennifer have solved the mystery why Sandra's boyfriend completely disappeared, it was because he was murdered.

So Jennifer takes it upon herself to try and solve this mysterious murder. I just felt that this particular episode was weak as far as a the list of potential suspects, and Danielle's decision whether to leave Rags to Riches for a better paying job, and her son's decision whether to proceed with a computer hack were all very weak plots.

As usual, Lori Loughlin is quite charming as the amateur sleuth. I just felt that the writers could have put in a lot more effort to provide a more in depth plot, rather than the weak story line this episode provided. Thus the 5 out of 10 rating. I guess as with any garage sale there are some hits and misses.

7.4 stars.

This is the best one of the bunch so far (of the first 5 installments). I feel they are improving as they go, this one being far better than the previous one in my opinion. The idea of the hidden basement and all the relics is just very exciting to me, almost like they stumble upon a room full of treasures. The whodunnit aspect of the story is a stretch and not very interesting, so that detracts from the overall thrill of the adventure. The family and friend storyline is as fun and entertaining as ever. If you don't watch these for the mystery, just enjoy the family side of it. That is one major facet of 'Garage Sale Mysteries' that exceeds most other Hallmark mystery series, because the family in these is very endearing and down to earth, and very well developed.

This mystery was written a bit differently than the others, whereas Jennifer was trying to prove her friend's innocence in a seemingly dead end mystery. Worth the watch!

Her old college pal, Sandra, is closing up her antiques store and Jennifer is privilege to all the exquisite pieces. What she didn't expect to find is a dead body. Even worse, Sandra is arrested for the murder. Jennifer has no choice but to prove her friend's innocence. It won't be easy-because every bit of evidence, and every cleverly planted clue all point to Sandra.

There's some good acting, nice build up and nice investigation. However it's slow pace can work against the good points. There's satisfying end but it's a fairly routine affair, a little weaker than usual when it comes to Hallmark mysteries. Aaliyah O' Brien is one hot babe.

Introducing a new son! Not really, just a new actor playing Jason and Jennifer Shannon's son Logan (Conner Stanhope). The rest of the cast is back for the fifth movie in Hallmark's Garage Sale Mystery series.

In this story Jennifer runs into an old high school friend and fellow antique dealer who convinces Jennifer to take her stock on consignment as she is moving to Santa Barbara and giving up the antique business. While at her house to look at more antiques in her barn, the two discover the body of her ex! Her friend is subsequently charged with a two year old murder and Jennifer is compelled to get to the bottle of this whodunnit! Meanwhile her new son, Logan, is working on writing a video game with his two friends until they come up with a brilliant idea to hack into the school records and change their grades.

Even though this crime takes place out of his jurisdiction, Detective Lynwood acts as a good friend and helps Jennifer tremendously with the case.

Jennifer visits her favorite medical examiner...Tramell, who doesn't disappoint: " I'd offer you a drink but it's gotta be a stiff one.

Did I mention I might have to leave this place? It's a dead end job."

Dani had a side story of being offered a job as the manager of a high end art dealership...and she uses Hannah to help scout the place out.

This series has really hit it's stride, this was a great mystery and I really enjoyed the tight family unit and friendship between Dani and Jennifer. It's nice to have little details like chocolate cake stealing, dinners with friends....this new regular lunch with Frank. I really appreciate a slightly older core group in this cosy mystery....and the antiques. I am still living the antiques!