Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery

Name: Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery
Genre: Urban, Pet, Strangers
Released: 2008-01-01
Duration: 1 h 23 min
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Dick Van Dyke, Barry Van Dyke, Shane van Dyke, Mia Cottet, Carey van Dyke

6.4/10 · 347 ratings20081h 23mWeirdness 7/10Bingo card

Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery poster

Search Amazon.com

See all viewing options

Where to watch

Viewing options in

Search Amazon.com

Amazon

Search Amazon.com for this title. Availability varies by country.

Search Amazon.com

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The premise

Criminology professor Jonathan Maxwell investigates a murder at a new age retreat where the leader is killed in a locked room surrounded by people in a deep trance.

Themes:second chances skepticism versus faith hidden motives grief and mortality truth beneath appearances romance across worldviews

How unusual is it?

Weirder than your average Hallmark — the strangest 12% of everything we've logged.

A rare specific

Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

Southwest setting1 of only 5

Who’s in it

Our Guy

Barry Van Dyke

as Mike Bryant

Our Girl

Mia Cottet

as Arielle

Alongside them

Show all 18 cast

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

David S. Cass Sr.

Written by

Walter Klenhard

Wait, what?

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

A locked-room murder happens inside a deep-meditation trance session
The investigation involves psychics, dreams, and energy circles
The killer uses a homemade silencer built from PVC pipe, baffles, and rubber washers
A spiritual healer appears to put people into cataleptic trances
A dog named Angel is trained with the command 'visit'
A healing ritual includes 'lava stones' and a fire puja with margarine scorpions

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 8 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)

Private investigator Mike Bryant meets Arielle, the owner of a New Age bookstore, while his friend Jonathan Maxwell and Mike's nephew Ben help with the practical side of his cases. Mike and Arielle connect after she notices his shoulder injury and invites him to a healing session. Samuel, the leader of a spiritual center, is found shot in a locked meditation room while the people around him remain in a deep trance. The sheriff initially treats the death as suicide, but the lack of gunpowder residue on Samuel's hands proves someone else fired the weapon. Mike and Jonathan question Samuel's circle and learn that he had pancreatic cancer and planned to leave the center to charity. Ben and Jonathan reconstruct the shooting. A homemade silencer made from PVC pipe and rubber washers explains why nobody heard the shot, and records show that someone made a third key to the meditation room. The evidence clears Panache and points to Solar, the center's day-to-day manager, who would lose control and money under Samuel's plan. Solar captures Jonathan and Arielle and prepares an arson trap to kill them and erase the evidence. Mike and Ben arrive, Jonathan fights Solar, and the captives survive. Solar is exposed, Panache wakes from his trance and is cleared, and Mike and Arielle remain romantically connected after the case.

Beat by beat

Opening
Mike Bryant and Jonathan Maxwell are introduced as a detective/professor team, while Mike meets Arielle at a murder-mystery dinner and is drawn to her intuitive, spiritual worldview.
Inciting incident
Samuel, the leader of a New Age spiritual center, is found dead in a locked meditation room, and the death is initially treated as a suicide.
Rising action
Mike, Jonathan, and Ben begin investigating the center and its inner circle, questioning Panache, Camilla, Jasmine, Donald, and Arielle while learning about Samuel's unusual behavior and possible illness.
Midpoint
Forensic evidence rules out suicide, Ben and Jonathan recreate the shot, and they discover the murder was covered by a homemade silencer and likely involved a third key to the meditation room.
Conflict escalates
The investigation reveals Samuel's terminal cancer and possible plan to leave the center to charity, giving a powerful motive to someone inside the organization; Arielle also begins having clearer psychic warnings.
Climax
Solar is revealed as the killer and captures Jonathan and Arielle in an arson trap, but Mike and Ben arrive and help stop him before he can erase the evidence.
Resolution
Solar is exposed and stopped, Panache is cleared after his trance-like coma ends, and Mike's relationship with Arielle deepens as the case closes.

How it stacks up

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

Higher-rated than 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Murder 101Part of the 4-film Murder 101 series.

BINGOA cosy interior full of warm lightingA shared errand turns into bondingSomeone’s guard finally comes downA heart-to-heart on a porch or benchSomeone gets flustered during small talkA pep talk that changes everythingA genuine Christmas miracleA change of heart by the final actThe town pulls together for one of its ownA shared meal around a crowded tableA first impression that turns out completely wrongA cup of cocoa, coffee or cider★Someone apologises and means itA quiet moment under string lightsAn old keepsake or photograph turns upA misunderstanding nearly ruins everythingA meaningful look held a beat too longA charming local cafe or dinerA best friend who has all the answersSomeone decorates a Christmas treeA classic Hallmark meet-cuteAn almost-kiss gets interruptedA big event everyone is preparing forA wise elder dispenses advice

Hallmark Bingo

Your Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery card is dealt.

Twenty-four squares pulled from this movie’s own quirks — the cosy classics, a few only-in-this-one curveballs, and a couple of decoys. Mark them as you watch.

Open your card

Lines worth quoting

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

“There’s a light that shines to and from each of us. Welcome back.”
— SamuelHe says this during the meditation session, and the phrase later becomes a clue about the trance state.
“I knew you'd be a good kisser.”
— ArielleShe says this during their flirtatious tantra session after she and Mike begin getting closer.
“Tantra sounds like the ultimate safe sex, professor.”
— Ben MannersHe jokes about Mike's unusual spiritual date night with Arielle.
“You’re disturbing my tantra.”
— Jonathan MaxwellHe says this while being pulled into the bizarre breathing-and-meditation exercise.

Meet the characters

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

Mike Bryant
Lead
private detective and former police officer
main lead
observantskepticalprotectivedry-witteddetermined
Arielle
Love interest
New Age bookstore owner and intuitive psychic
Mike's romantic interest and investigative ally
intuitivespiritualwarmperceptivemysterious
Solar
Antagonist
day-to-day manager of the spiritual center
the true killer and final adversary
deceptivecalculatingresentfulcontrolledscheming
Ben Manners
Comic relief
law student and assistant to Jonathan and Mike
Mike's nephew and an assistant to Mike and Jonathan
eagerbrashtech-savvyimpulsiveearnest
Jonathan Maxwell
Supporting
criminology professor
Mike's friend and investigative partner
intellectualcuriousanalyticaldryly funnyopen-minded
Samuel
Supporting
spiritual healer and leader of the center
murder victim whose death drives the case
charismaticenigmaticspiritualcompassionatesecretive
Panache
Supporting
Samuel's top assistant and heir apparent
initial prime suspect and framed scapegoat
devotedambitiousguilty-lookingspiritualvolatile
Camilla Meera
Supporting
actress and Samuel's spiritual wife
witness and emotional figure in Samuel's inner circle
glamorousdevotedsensitivejealouspoised
Jasmine Celestine
Supporting
model and actress
a possible suspect and one of Samuel's spiritual wives
attractiveguardedimpressionablecuriousambitious
Donald Marrit
Supporting
CEO of Marrit Industries and major donor
suspect and donor with possible blackmail concerns
wealthydefensivepragmaticsecretiveproud

Questions people ask about Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery

Where can I watch Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery?

Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery is available in the UK via Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery?

Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery runs about 1 hour and 23 minutes, and was released in 2008.

Browse all movies

If you liked this one, you’ll probably like these. The chips show what they have in common.