Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery

6.6/10 · 1,586 ratings20171h 24mWeirdness 6/10Bingo card

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The premise

Investigative reporter Mac buys a mansion and hires Shannon to fix it. She finds her friend's uncle dead in his house. The police calls it an accident. Shannon investigates. Mac helps.

How unusual is it?

More than most. Royalty pushes it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.

Who’s in it

You’ve seen this pairing before: Jewel and Colin Ferguson have made 3 Hallmark movies together.

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist is a contractor who uses 'carpentry knowledge' to solve murders
  • The 'catio' (patio for cats) subplot
  • The recurring mermaid sighting stories
  • The villain is defeated by a structural engineering failure

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 24 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Shannon Hughes helping her best friend Jennifer Hennessey open a new bed and breakfast. During the celebration, we meet Jesse Hennessey, a local treasure hunter and storyteller, and his new girlfriend Althea, a 'yogi.' Shannon also encounters Mac Sullivan, a famous investigative reporter who has recently purchased a local fixer-upper. The tone shifts abruptly when Shannon discovers Jesse dead in his home the following morning. While Chief Jensen and the local police believe Jesse suffered a fatal fall due to sleeping medication, Shannon notices a furnace grate has been tampered with and furniture has been moved, suggesting someone was searching the house. Mac Sullivan moves into Shannon's guest cottage and the two begin an unofficial investigation. They discover that Althea’s car was broken into and a mysterious blue hatchback has been seen around town. Shannon realizes the driver is Andrew Gosin, a lawyer who was reported dead in a boat explosion months prior. As they dig deeper, they learn about the 'Princess Sophia of Portugal' necklace, a legendary artifact worth $10 million that Jesse allegedly found on a salvage dive. Jesse had been told by his legal team that his claim was denied, but Shannon suspects he was being cheated. Suspicion initially falls on Jesse’s friend Ned and his son Stephen, who is struggling with debt. However, the mystery takes a dark turn when Mac witnesses a hit-and-run involving the blue hatchback, resulting in the actual death of Andrew Gosin. Shannon eventually discovers the necklace hidden inside a secret compartment in a kitchen cabinet she built for Jesse. She also finds a letter signed by Andrea Fleming, Gosin's assistant. Shannon realizes 'Althea' is actually Andrea Fleming, who faked the legal denial to steal the necklace for herself. In the climax, Althea kidnaps Jennifer to force Shannon to trade the necklace. They meet at a lighthouse, where Althea reveals she killed Gosin to keep the treasure for herself. Shannon uses her professional knowledge of construction to sabotage the lighthouse's wooden deck, causing it to collapse and trap Althea until the police arrive. Jennifer is rescued from a nearby stone fort, and the necklace is donated to the maritime museum. The film ends with Shannon and Mac's professional relationship hinting at a burgeoning romance as they prepare to renovate Mac's mansion.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Shannon helps Jennifer open Hennessey Manor and meets Mac Sullivan, while Jesse tells stories of mermaids and treasure.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Shannon finds Jesse dead in his den; the police rule it an accidental fall, but Shannon suspects a search took place.

  3. Midpoint

    Shannon and Mac identify a mysterious man in a blue hatchback as Andrew Gosin, a lawyer who was supposed to be dead.

  4. Rising Action

    The investigation reveals the existence of a $10 million Portuguese necklace that Jesse found but was told he couldn't keep.

  5. Climax

    Althea is revealed as the killer Andrea Fleming; she kidnaps Jennifer and demands the necklace at the lighthouse.

  6. Resolution

    Shannon sabotages the lighthouse deck to trap Althea, rescues Jennifer, and donates the necklace to the museum.

24 tropes in one movie

We counted 24 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 6.6 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.6567

Higher-rated than 66% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Fixer Upper MysteriesPart of the 3-film Fixer Upper Mysteries series.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “I might be great at fixing up old houses, but men? Hmm, not so much.”
    — Shannon HughesDiscussing her dating life at the B&B opening.
  • “I saw one, out past pine point, back in '95. A mermaid gliding through the waves, sun glinting off her fins, it was beautiful.”
    — Jesse HennesseyTelling his legendary local stories.
  • “You're saying I'd fake breaking into my own car?”
    — Stephen DavisonDefending himself against police suspicion.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Shannon Hughes

    Lead

    Contractor and Restoration Expert

    ObservantSkilledStubbornLoyal
  • Mac Sullivan

    Love interest

    Investigative Reporter

    Tenant and client

    SkepticalWealthyAnalyticalProtective
  • Althea / Andrea Fleming

    Antagonist

    Legal Assistant / Yoga Teacher

    Friend's girlfriend

    DeceptiveManipulativeRuthless
  • Jesse Hennessey

    Supporting

    Treasure Hunter

    Mentor and close friend

    CharismaticStorytellerTidy
  • Jennifer Hennessey

    Supporting

    B&B Owner

    Best friend

    OptimisticSupportive

Questions people ask about Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery

Where can I watch Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery?

Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery?

Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2017.

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Data and sources

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