Review

"Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Game of Cat and Mouse – Where Murder Meets Mittens and Mistletoe"

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Agatha Christie and a Hallmark holiday movie had a baby, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Game of Cat and Mouse is here to answer that question. Released in 2019, this cozy mystery is the 15th installment in the Aurora Teagarden series, and by this point, Aurora (played by the ever-charming Candace Cameron Bure) has solved more murders than most people have had hot cocoa. But hey, who’s counting?

The plot revolves around Aurora, a librarian-turned-amateur-sleuth, who stumbles upon yet another dead body. This time, it’s a local handyman, and the clues point to a cat-loving suspect who may or may not be using their feline friends as alibis. Yes, you read that right. Cats. Because nothing says “murder mystery” like a fluffy tabby with a suspiciously smug expression.

As with all Hallmark movies, the stakes are high, but the tension is low. You’ll never feel too worried because you know Aurora will solve the case just in time to sip tea with her book club and maybe flirt a little with her hunky detective boyfriend, Nick (played by Niall Matter, who somehow manages to make solving crimes look like a Hallmark holiday movie audition). The dialogue is as sharp as a butter knife, and the twists are predictable enough that you’ll solve the mystery before Aurora does. But that’s part of the charm, right?

What sets this movie apart from your typical Hallmark holiday movies is the lack of snow and mistletoe. Instead, we get a lot of cats, a few red herrings, and a murder board that looks like it was assembled by someone who really loves Pinterest. The cats, by the way, are the real MVPs of this film. They don’t do much except look cute and occasionally knock over a clue, but honestly, they deserve an Oscar.

In the end, A Game of Cat and Mouse is the perfect movie for anyone who loves cozy mysteries, Hallmark movies, or just really likes cats. It’s not going to win any awards for originality, but it’s a delightful way to spend 90 minutes. Just don’t expect any life-changing revelations—unless you count the realization that you, too, could solve a murder if you had a library card and a knack for knitting.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 mittens. Would watch again, preferably with a cat on my lap and a cup of cocoa in hand.