Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game

6/10 - you know just what to expect going into this one: lighthearted fun and a great mystery

Aurora is finalizing settled in her new house and she has a brand new next door neighbor Nick Miller, psychology professor at Lawrenceton College where Ro's cousin Phillip has just started. Ro tries to be a good cousin, rescuing Philip from the school's cafeteria. Aida and Ro invite Philip out with his roommate Josh to celebrate his birthday...but he ends up being a no show, which sets Ro's suspicious mind to work.

Meanwhile spoiled rich kid, Clayton Harris, is arrested for vandalizing a statue on the college campus.

Ro and Nick have an adorable meet-cute at her library where he is picking up a book on home repair... "I have a problem, too many books not enough shelves. I don't suppose you can relate?"-Nick "My mother told you about my never ending quest for bookshelf space."-Ro "Or I have insight into the psychology of librarians?"-Nick Their banter is adorable and what in addition to the mysteries is keeping me in this series. (One of my three favorite of the hallmark mystery series along with Hannah Swensen's Murder she Baked and Mystery 101...I keep coming back for the great mysteries and wonderful healthy relationships.)

Philip and Josh are missing and Ro finds Tammy's body which seems to have been involved in a hit and run. They find money in Josh and a Philip's room. When it looks like Clayton may be involved, the wealthy family circles the wagon...or do they? It turns out Clayton has been kidnapped. Gather the Real Murders Club...this is quite the mystery and Nick Miller was one of the last people to speak to Tammy. It is personal for both Nick and Ro and this is the mystery that brings them together.

Great mystery and the start of a new chapter in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. This is a must see for cosy mystery fans.

Candace Cameron Bure is back as our sluething librarian Aurora Teagarden in The Disappearing Game. A lot of the series regulars are also back as Marilu Henner as her mother, Lexa Doig as her helpful reporter friend and Peter Benson as the patient detective who really still doesn't know what to do with Auora. In some ways her sleuthing won't be containe as this involves a visiting cousin from Arizona now enrolled in school in her town.

On one night the cousin and a friend just disappear and a girl they knew was killed in a hit and run. Shortly after that another male student peer also disappears and now the police and the university have one dead and three missing students on their hands.

The solution is a little farfetched and all I'll say is that a bit of insanity runs in a certain family and not in the family originally thought to have it.

Fans of the series should like it.

Because I've read all the Aurora Teagarden books, by Charlaine Harris, watching the movies is a bit of a let down. The original book series was well written, with realistic characters, and strong story plots. The characters from the books have been changed quite a lot. Of course, trimming down a book to fit a 90 movie time is one thing, but white washing the characters to fit into Hallmark's moral ideals hurts the stories immensely.

Hallmark changed the order of the first two movies, causing us to have trouble understanding the characters and story lines. The reason Roe doesn't have to work is explained quite well in the second book "A Bone to Pick" and the introduction of many of the characters is covered well in the first book "Real Murders". This is lost in the movies due to the change in their order.

Aurora's character in the books, has more depth and intelligence, She is clever, resourceful and very funny. You watch her character grow from book to book, which doesn't happen in the movies. Her friends and family are also stronger in the books than the characters in the movies. Many of the scenes from the books have been changed so much you have trouble recognizing them.

Roe's character has been changed into a nosy, amateur; impeding justice every step of the way. She commits crimes during her "sleuthing" and gets in the way of the police investigation. I'm surprised she hasn't been arrested by the "real" cops. The character of Martin changed from a strong, forceful, business man with a mysterious past to a "fluff" character. Their relationship in the book is a bit steamy, and a real romance, but the relationship in the movies is more high school dating.

If you really want to enjoy this series, please buy the books and enjoy the adventure.

I enjoy this series as it's easy to watch, often has some interesting plot twists, and the banter between Ro and Lynn adds some flavor and continuity. Many of the episodes I've wanted to give an 8, but then there would be some really weak dialogue, silly scenes, etc. and I usually end up posting a 6 or 7.

But with this episode, ugh, I was tempted to give it a 5 or worse! I enjoyed it for the story line, but the dialogue was often boring and some of the scenarios a bit outlandish - walking about the dorms like that, really???

I hope future Teagarden's will be better.