Mystery Woman: Game Time
Not yet rated20051h 45mWeirdness 7/10
Where to watch
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The premise
Samantha (Kellie Martin) awaits the arrival of a famous writer who will sign copies in her bookstore when, coincidentally, an old acquaintance comes with the purpose of marketing a video game. That night, the writer is found murdered, but the police cannot point to any suspects. Soon will come out a link between the victim and the acquaintance of Samantha, who is detained at the bewilderment of all
How unusual is it?
Weirder than your average Hallmark — the strangest 12% of everything we've logged.
Who’s in it
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Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- A mystery novelist's murder is tied to a computer game he originally created himself.
- The murder weapon is VX, a military nerve agent rather than a typical small-town poisoning.
- A Russian fixer and a corporate scheme are involved in a bookstore-centered whodunit.
- The game's clues include an absurdly elaborate in-game murder with a cat, squirrel, and other outlandish puzzle elements.
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 3 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Time & season1
Characters1
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)
Samantha is preparing for a difficult Western Days book-signing promotion when Randy Lawrence, an old school acquaintance and game developer, shows up trying to convince her to stock his computer game Whodunit. She dismisses the pitch, but the day gets more complicated when Donald Fiske, the elusive mystery novelist she has been trying to book, finally calls back and agrees to come to the store. Samantha thinks she has salvaged her event and hopes to move a large shipment of books.
Fiske arrives for the signing, but the event is tense from the start. His ex-wife Jody and their son Cameron are both strained and suspicious, and the family dynamic is clearly broken. When Fiske is later found dead at his house, the police quickly focus on Randy because he was found near the body and has lied about knowing the author. Samantha begins digging because the evidence feels too convenient, and she notices that Jody, Cameron, and Randy all appear to have reasons to lie.
As Samantha and Philby investigate, they discover that the poison used on Fiske is not ordinary household poison but VX, a military-grade nerve agent. Philby helps recover data from Fiske's damaged hard drive, and Samantha learns that Whodunit was originally created by Fiske himself while he was battling writer's block. Randy had worked on graphics for Fiske years earlier, stole the game, and later tried to profit from it by pitching a consignment deal to Samantha.
The case becomes more tangled when Jody is kidnapped and then mysteriously released, and when Samantha is attacked while looking for answers. She and the police trace the poison delivery to a compressed-air sprayer and discover that someone has been planting evidence to steer suspicion away from the real killer. The clues point to Bradley Stillman, the polished but manipulative businessman behind Emusing Games, who had been pushing the game deal and quietly orchestrating the cover-up.
In the final stretch, Samantha realizes Bradley hired Ilya Kalugin, a Russian fixer, to steal Fiske's hard drive and to handle the violence around the case. Bradley also planted the sprayer in Jody's room and used the chaos around the family to frame Jody and Randy while protecting his own stolen version of the game. Samantha exposes him to Chief Conners, Bradley is taken away, and Randy is cleared. In the end, Samantha helps restore the truth about Fiske's game and his family, and Cameron receives the game his father created, giving the story a quieter emotional resolution.
Beat by beat
Opening
Samantha Kinsey runs her bookstore while Randy Lawrence pitches the computer game Whodunit as a new product, and she reluctantly deals with Donald Fiske repeatedly canceling his promised signing.
Inciting incident
Fiske finally appears for the signing, but after leaving the store he is found dead, and police immediately begin treating the event as a murder case.
Rising action
Samantha questions Jody, Cameron, and Randy, learning that Fiske's marriage was broken, his son is evasive, and Randy has lied about his connection to Fiske and the game.
Midpoint
Philby recovers data from Fiske's damaged hard drive, revealing that Fiske created the original version of Whodunit and that Randy stole and modified it years earlier.
Conflict escalates
Jody is kidnapped and later released, Samantha is attacked, and evidence suggests a staged cover-up involving a poison sprayer, a missing computer, and a Russian connection.
Climax
Samantha confronts Bradley Stillman and connects him to hired enforcer Ilya Kalugin, the stolen hard drive, the gas mask, and the planted evidence used to frame Jody and Randy.
Resolution
Bradley is arrested, Randy is cleared, and Samantha helps put the truth back together by recovering the story behind Fiske's game and giving Cameron a chance to understand his father.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Mystery Woman: Game Time belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
Mystery WomanPart of the 11-film Mystery Woman series.Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“What kind of quid do I get for my quo?”
— Randy LawrenceRandy tries to sweeten his game pitch by turning his favor into a business quid pro quo. “Computer forensics is not hacking, it's like, uh, doing a, autopsy on an invisible patient.”
— PhilbyPhilby explains his method of recovering data from the damaged hard drive. “You know what's real, the bump on my head.”
— Samantha KinseySamantha pushes back when Jody acts like the kidnapping story is unbelievable. “The game was stolen goods.”
— Samantha KinseySamantha confronts Randy after learning the truth about Whodunit. “If I told you how I did it, I'd have to kill you.”
— Samantha KinseySamantha jokingly answers Philby when he asks how she pulled off a move.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Samantha Kinsey
Leadbookstore owner
curiousstubbornresourcefulintelligentskepticalBradley Stillman
Antagonistgame company executive
He is the true mastermind behind the murder and theft scheme.
manipulativegreedycharmingschemingdeceptiveIlya Kalugin
AntagonistRussian fixer / enforcer
He is the hired operative Bradley uses to steal, intimidate, and cover up.
silentintimidatingprofessionaldangerousPhilby
Supportingcomputer forensics expert
He is Samantha's investigative ally and technical helper.
tech-savvyloyalmethodicalawkwardpatientRandy Lawrence
Supportingvideo game designer and graphics developer
He is an old acquaintance who pitches Whodunit and becomes a primary suspect.
slickcharmingevasiveambitiousdesperateDonald Fiske
Supportingmystery novelist
He is the murder victim whose signing and hidden game create the central mystery.
temperamentaleccentriccreativesecretiveself-absorbedJody Fiske
Supportingex-wife and estate claimant
She is the victim's ex-wife and one of Samantha's main suspects.
combativedefensivewoundedcalculatingCameron Fiske
Supportingstudent
He is the victim's son and another possible suspect.
guardedobservantresentfulvulnerableChief Conners
Supportingpolice chief
gruffpragmaticskepticalduty-bound
Questions people ask about Mystery Woman: Game Time
How long is Mystery Woman: Game Time?
Mystery Woman: Game Time runs about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and was released in 2005.
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