Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder
6.8/10 · 761 ratings20182hWeirdness 3/10
Where to watch
Via 
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The premise
An art dealer has a heart-attack and the wife finds him dead at their art gallery but after cremation the ashes reveal arsenic. Hailey Dean gets involved in the mystery.
How unusual is it?
Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.
Who’s in it
You’ve seen this pairing before: Kellie Martin and Matthew MacCaull have made 9 Hallmark movies together.
Behind the camera
ShowHide
Directed by
Written by
Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- The killer's motive is specifically 'revenge for a broken heart' regarding a brother who died of natural causes
- Arsenic being sourced from 1800s-style emerald green paint used in forgeries
- The killer believes therapist-patient privilege allows them to confess to multiple murders without consequence
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 20 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season2
Conflict2
Tone & quirks2
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 the sudden death of art dealer Victor Bridgestone in his gallery, seemingly from a heart rush. Hailey Dean, a therapist and former prosecutor, becomes involved when her friend Clyde, a client of the gallery, asks her to accompany him to pay respects. Hailey's boyfriend Jonas, a medical examiner, discovers that Victor's hospital records were mysteriously deleted, and the attending physician's request for an autopsy was ignored. This leads Hailey and Detective Danny to exhume the body, revealing that Victor was actually murdered with arsenic. The investigation initially focuses on Victor's widow, Christy, who recently took out a large life insurance policy and is revealed to be 'Tina Hauser,' a woman whose first husband in Portland also died of a 'natural' heart attack with missing medical files. A subplot involves an artist named Simon Westfeld, who is caught breaking into the gallery; it is revealed he was part of a forgery ring, forced by Victor to create 'old master' paintings using toxic arsenic-based pigments. Meanwhile, Hailey treats a patient named Nicole, who is struggling with the loss of her brother, Curtis. The mystery deepens when a brick is thrown through the gallery window and Christy is non-lethally poisoned. Hailey eventually realizes that Nicole is Curtis's sister—Curtis was Christy's first love who died of a heart condition after Christy left him. Nicole, blaming Christy for her brother's 'broken heart,' has been stalking Christy for years and murdering every man she marries as revenge. In the climax, Hailey uses her therapeutic relationship to draw Nicole to the gallery, where Nicole confesses to the murders of Finn Hauser and Victor Bridgestone, believing her words are protected by therapist-patient privilege. However, Hailey has arranged for Christy to wear a wire and for the police to be stationed nearby. Nicole is arrested, and the film concludes with Hailey finally feeling emotionally ready to investigate the cold case of her own fiancé's murder.
Beat by beat
Opening
Victor Bridgestone dies of an apparent heart attack, but Jonas discovers his medical files have been deleted from the hospital system.
Inciting Incident
Hailey and Danny exhume Victor's body, and the autopsy confirms he died of arsenic poisoning.
Midpoint
The investigation uncovers an art forgery ring where Simon Westfeld used arsenic-laced paint to create fake 'old masters' for Victor.
Complication
Christy Bridgestone is revealed to be a 'Black Widow' suspect after her previous husband's death in Portland is found to be identical to Victor's.
Twist
Hailey's patient Nicole reveals she is the sister of Christy's first love, Curtis, and has been murdering Christy's husbands as revenge.
Climax
Hailey baits Nicole into a confession at the gallery while Christy wears a wire, leading to Nicole's arrest.
Resolution
Hailey finds closure regarding Christy's case and decides to finally pursue the truth behind her fiancé Will's murder.
Did you know?
A few things that make this one stand out once you stack it up against every other Hallmark movie.
At 2 hours it's a genuine epic by Hallmark standards — only about 58 of their movies run two hours or longer.
20 tropes in one movie
We counted 20 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.
Higher-rated than 75% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
Hailey Dean MysteriesPart of the 9-film Hailey Dean Mysteries series.Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“Art is subjective. You don't have to know anything about it, just whether it speaks to you or not.”
— Hailey DeanDiscussing art with Jonas at the gallery. “The trunk is unyielding but the branches, they sway and bend and move around.”
— FincherGiving Hailey advice on how to handle her legal/ethical dilemma. “I don't want her dead, I want her to suffer.”
— NicoleExplaining her motive for killing Christy's husbands.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Hailey Dean
LeadTherapist and Former Prosecutor
ObservantEmpatheticTenaciousJonas
Love interestMedical Examiner
Boyfriend
PragmaticSupportiveRomanticNicole
AntagonistHospital Volunteer
Patient
VengefulManipulativeTraumatizedChristy Bridgestone
SupportingArt Gallery Owner
Suspect and eventual ally
Emotionally distantProfessionalStoicFincher
SupportingD.A. Investigator
Friend and former colleague
FoodieLoyalPoetic
Questions people ask about Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder
Where can I watch Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder?
Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder?
Hailey Dean Mystery: A Marriage Made for Murder runs about 2 hours, and was released in 2018.
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Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .