Du vague à l'âme

David Paetkau had two passions in life. The on line software company he created and surfing. His had to be the only company that stopped work each day so that he could ride a wave or two.

Only here in Washington State in Jennifer Shannon's home town there's a beach that the surfer dudes consider their private preserve, no outsiders. Paetkau's tires are slashed one time, he gets assaulted a second time. Third time he dies.

Lori Loughlin the antiquing expert and haunter of garage sales is intrigued by a surfboard Paetkau donated to her before his demise. She's even more intrigue by the homicide, especially after police attention shifts to older brother Ben Cotton who was something of a ne'er do well and given charity employment by his successful younger brother.

Let's say that the police and Loughlin were misreading certain clues, but Loughlin does get it right in the end and the murder is solved.

Not the best of the Garage Sale mystery group, but entertaining enough.

The hardest thing to deal with in this TV movie mystery is what Lori Loughlin has done to her face. It's sad. She's obviously had plastic surgery but she just looks IRONED. Her face has NO wrinkles but no expression either! Just this shiny plastic sheen. I know it is really hard for actresses once the hit their 40's, let alone their fifties, but there's nothing wrong with some wrinkles and looking your age. Loughlin is fine in the lead role but I did find her "frozen face" distracting.

These movies are somewhat similar but just unique and charming enough to keep me watching. I like the charming side stories that run alongside the main mystery.

A surfing turf war starts this entry of the Garage Sale Mystery series based on the cosy books by Suzi Weinert. Hannah is taking a college course about natural disasters and video game playing Logan is trying out for the school play...with the hidden motive being a girl.

Jen is friends with the e-coupon tech exec surfer's wife, so when Steve is found dead...Ann calls Jen to come with her to identify the body found by a dog walker. The real question is how did a competitive swimmer and lifesaver drown? And does his recently fired brother have anything to do with his drowning? Suspicious details keep Jen up at night. She has a powerful and inquisitive mind.

"I'll never question your garage sale purchases again. I take that back, what is this?"-Dani

Meanwhile there is a side-bar story of a couple who are contemplating divorce and keep trying to sell each other's stuff to Rags to Riches. Jen is convinced they are going to get back together. Oh! And Dani is no longer juicing...she has switched to "souping".

"More fiber and without the sugar spike you get from juice."-Dani.

This is another great entry in the series...a solid cosy mystery with great family and friendships.

Annie Winters is a long-time customer of Rags-to-Riches and her husband Garret is a wealthy internet entrepreneur. When Garret's dead body is found washed up on the beach, it looks like an apparent surfing accident. But Annie doesn't believe the death was accidental and pleads with Jenn to take a closer look.

"Garage Sale Mystery: The Beach Murder" is a typical mystery with some good hooks, but it's not as engaging as other episodes. It seems to be going though the motions, and it's is a little lethargic in pace and execution. The subplot isn't too interesting . Lori Loughlin is good as always, though here she looks tired.