THE CROSSWORD MYSTERIES: PROPOSING MURDER
US, 2019, 92 minutes, Colour.
Lacy Chabert, Brennan Elliott, John Kapelos, Barbara Niven, Romaine Waite, Genevieve King, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Kyle Buchanan.
Directed by Don McCutcheon?.
The Crossword Mysteries are easy television entertainment, mystery, many clues, many suspects, undemanding.
Once again Lacey Chabert is Tess Harper, responsible for the crosswords in the New York Sentinel. Once again, she has all kinds of connections to the murder victim, employing her aunt Candace to help her in her investigations. And, once again, Brennan Elliott is Logan, the detective investigating the murder and discovering all the links with Tess, reluctantly giving her information, allowing her to pursue her own investigations. And, in the background is John Kapelos as the police chief, Logan’s father.
There is a touch of romance with Logan’s sister and wedding preparations – and a finale at the wedding.
There is a World War II introduction, a robbery of jewellery and a European Castle and the burying of the jewellery in a farm in Connecticut. The murder victim is an academic who is searching for the jewellery, with connections to his grandfather. The range of suspects is in the world of academia, the victim’s rival for tenure, the ex-prisoner who is helping him search for the jewellery, a lecturer who owns an antique bookshop, and his fiancee. There is also his former girlfriend – but she is a red herring.
Easy investigations, some moments of danger, and the unmasking of the murderer.
1. The second in a popular series? Using the same formula? The references to crosswords and clues? Tess and her friendships, links, curiosity, intruding in investigation? Logan and his work, sparring with Tess, collaborating with her? His father as the chief, observing? Aunt Candace and her social connections? The sparring between Logan and Tess, the attraction? The situation, Logan’s sister and the engagement, the photo in the paper, the various preparations, Logan not having anyone to go with – and then the eventual invitation to Tess, and their dancing?
2. The opening, World War II, the stealing of the jewellery, the thief and the shots? The revelation of Kyle’s grandfather, the burying of the jewellery in the property, Lyle using the ring for proposing to Abby? His asking Tess to put the proposal clues in the crossword?
3. Kyle, his studies, pleasant, expecting Abby, the stranger at the door, his death? Logan, Winston, the investigations? Partnership and collaboration? The ceramic knife? Tess and her friendship with Lyle, he showing her the ring?
4. The academic connections? Emory and the rivalry for tenure? Clayton as Lyle’s assistant, work in the library? Christina, her lectures, the antiquarian bookshop? And Bethany as the former fiancee? The plausibility of their all being guilty?
5. The details of Logan, his detective work, connections, interviews, phone calls? Encountering Tess? Exchanging information, reluctantly? Her accompanying him to the farm in Connecticut?
6. Tess going to the library, search for the books, Clayton and his presence? Her return, the threat, the books, the falling bookshelf? Suspecting Clayton? Emory responsible?
7. The discussions with Emory, pleasant, the revelation of his connection with Christina? His knowledge of the situation of the jewels? Christina, her lecture, the bookshop, Tess and the clue about the children’s book, Christina arranging it, trapping Tess in the freezer, her wanting a share of the jewels, driving to Connecticut? The police, the arrest? The collaboration with Emory?
8. Bethany, the surgeon, her background, her alibi, her sending the notes, her resentment? Her being exposed? Bringing the flower to Lyle’s memorial, encountering Tess?
9. Abby, the interrogation, work as a chef, Candace and Tess attending the lecture, Tess getting the knife? Abby being photographed with Clayton? Clayton in the library? Logan following up the photo, place in helping Lyle with the driving, the digging?
10. Tess, the document with the code, her explanations, the example of the book, searching for the book? Lyle’s mother and her identifying the title?
11. Lyle, his lies, one lecture, his research, German codes? The finance, the payment of the farm mortgage? His visit to Connecticut?
12. Abby and Clayton and suspicions? They’re not being involved in the murder? Arranging the money for the last mother and for Abby?
13. The audience seeing the murder, Christina and her motivation?
