Review

"A Beautiful Place to Die: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery – Where Murder Meets Muffins and Mild Peril"

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Murder, She Wrote and a Hallmark holiday movie had a baby, A Beautiful Place to Die: A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery is here to answer that question. Released in 2020, this cozy mystery is like a warm cup of tea with a splash of cyanide—comforting, predictable, and just dangerous enough to keep you from falling asleep.

The film follows retired detective Jeff Jackson (played by Jesse Metcalfe, who apparently traded in his Desperate Housewives lawnmower for a detective badge) as he investigates a murder on the picturesque Martha’s Vineyard. The victim? A wealthy art dealer. The suspects? Everyone who isn’t busy baking muffins or staring wistfully at the ocean. It’s a classic whodunit, but with the added charm of Hallmark movies’ signature aesthetic: sweaters, small-town quirkiness, and enough scenic shots to make you want to book a vacation immediately.

The plot is as twisty as a Hallmark holiday movie’s plot is straight. (Spoiler: The big city girl always falls for the small-town guy, and the Christmas tree always gets decorated.) But here, instead of mistletoe and hot cocoa, we get red herrings and suspicious glances. The dialogue is delightfully cheesy, with lines like, “In a place this beautiful, how could anything bad ever happen?” (Answer: Murder. Murder happens.)

Jesse Metcalfe’s Jeff Jackson is the kind of detective who solves crimes while looking like he just stepped out of a J.Crew catalog. His chemistry with Sarah Lind’s Dr. Zee, the local medical examiner, is about as electric as a Hallmark movie romance—meaning it’s wholesome, PG-rated, and involves a lot of meaningful eye contact. The supporting cast is equally charming, with characters who are either hiding secrets or just really bad at acting innocent.

The real star of the movie, though, is Martha’s Vineyard itself. The scenery is so stunning you’ll forget you’re watching a murder mystery and start Googling real estate prices. The filmmakers clearly knew what they were doing: distract the audience with breathtaking landscapes so they don’t question why the killer’s motive makes absolutely no sense.

In the end, A Beautiful Place to Die is the perfect blend of mystery and Hallmark movies’ signature warmth. It’s not going to win any Oscars, but it will make you feel like you’ve spent 90 minutes in a world where murder is solved by nice people in cable-knit sweaters. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, scenic views, or Jesse Metcalfe’s jawline, this one’s for you. Just don’t expect any car chases or explosions—unless you count the dramatic reveal of who ate the last blueberry scone.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 muffins. Would watch again, preferably with a blanket and a cup of tea.