Garage Sale Mystery: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Garage Sale Mystery: Guilty Until Proved Innocent is a cut above the usual Hallmark mysteries. This series has antiques and collectibles, and often information about them, which makes it fun. It also sports a likable cast, mostly Canadian and starring Lori Loughlin.

In this film, Jennifer (Loughlin) is offered some antiques and collectibles by a friend to sell in her shop. While in a barn that holds some of the antiques, she sees that there is an entrance to a basement.

There, she discovers the body of her friends ex-fiancé, who allegedly left her for another woman. Turns out he didn't. Her friend is ultimately arrested, and Jennifer is determined to get her out of prison.

Jennifer discovers some interesting information about baseball cards besides going to the health club where the fiancé hung out and locating the woman he was supposedly leaving her friend for.

Okay story, easy to figure out, good for a rainy afternoon.

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!

Once again on one of her antiquing expeditions Lori Loughlin once again encounters murder. This time she's getting reacquainted with an old college chum Kirsten Robek who has a similar type of antique store and who is looking to dump it and get away.

Loughlin discovers a hidden basement door with some real treasures and the mummified body of Robek's old boyfriend whom she thought had up and moved on without a trace.

When another murder occurs it becomes real obvious who the killer is, no surprise there.

I did think the subplot involving her Boy Scout son Connor Stanhope hacking into the school's computer to change back the grades his two friends had hacked in and changed previously was a bit much. Stanhope is a goody two shoes character but this was too much.

This was good, but this series has seen better.

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.