The Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle to Die For

As a Hallmark TV movie, I thought this one had a decent edge to it, and the chemistry between the two leads Lacy Chabert, as Tess, and Brennan Elliott, as Lt. Logan O'Connor, worked quite well. I'm a big crossword puzzle fan, so the inclusion of them into a murder mystery heightened my interest.

Yes, some of the dialogue was trite and the ending was a little lame, but it's always fun trying to decide who the killer is. Overall, the film was somewhat better than I anticipated.

Not a bad movie..,.clever plot...well acted...well produced. But again the Canadian inferiority complex screams from the screen. The film was shot mostly in Toronto. I recognized many areas. But it is set in New York City. Why do Canadian filmmakers do this time and time again. If American filmmakers want to shoot in Canada and disguise Toronto as New York, fine. But this was a Canadian produced and Canadian tax supported production. So why wasn't it set in Toronto? Can you imagine Australia doing this? Or India? Or any other country? It is craven and embarrassing. Films should be a window on the country that produces them. What is the point of a Canadian film industry if it does not showcase Canada?

Very good, enjoyed it a lot. These two are becoming a franchise of their own. Elliot is sporting a new, leaner look. Nice hair. Looks like another winner.

The reliable Hallmark pairing of Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliot team up again for the first in what I am sure will be many 'Crossword Mysteries'.

This is good engaging stuff, with nice performances from both the two leads.

I think people have been a bit harsh on it. It's not trying to be anything more than a fairly light-hearted murder mystery, if you accept it as such you'll enjoy it.

A good mystery gives clues that help you solve it before the characters. Some are good and some lead you the wrong way. This movie has both.

Many romance stories have the leads start out antagonistic and that's the case here. In this case Logan was justified for a while in looking down on the help offered by Tess which certainly appeared coincidental. I actually thought Logan warmed up to Tess pretty fast. These two actors have worked together several times, but I didn't think that was overly obvious. Still, the warmth starts to show.

I thought that the early scenes were a little choppy. Some of the acting was surprisingly stiff throughout. At times there was too much melodrama. The dialogue was not nearly as witty as you would hope in a movie like this. These are little things, but contribute to the overall atmosphere.

Overall, it's watchable with a decent mystery.