Review

"Mystery 101: Words Can Kill – Where Murder Meets Mistletoe (Sort Of)"

Ah, Mystery 101: Words Can Kill, the 2019 Hallmark movie that proves you can solve a murder while still maintaining the wholesome charm of a Hallmark holiday movie. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Agatha Christie and a Lifetime Christmas special had a baby, this is it. Spoiler alert: it’s less “whodunit” and more “who-cares-but-let’s-watch-anyway.”

The plot revolves around Professor Amy Winslow (played by the ever-charming Jill Wagner), who moonlights as a crime-solving English professor. Yes, you read that right. She’s basically Sherlock Holmes if he taught freshman comp and had a penchant for cozy sweaters. When a student turns up dead after a heated debate about—wait for it—words, Amy teams up with Detective Travis Burke (Robin Thomas) to crack the case. Because nothing says “murder mystery” like a heated argument over semantics.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: this is a Hallmark movie. That means the murder weapon is probably a candy cane, and the killer’s motive is tied to a misunderstanding that could’ve been resolved with a heartfelt conversation over hot cocoa. But hey, that’s the charm of Hallmark movies—they’re like a warm blanket with a side of mild peril.

The dialogue is as sharp as a butter knife, and the twists are about as surprising as finding out the killer is the person who looked suspicious from the very beginning. But who cares? This isn’t Citizen Kane; it’s Mystery 101: Words Can Kill, and it knows exactly what it is. It’s the kind of movie you watch while wrapped in a blanket, sipping tea, and yelling at the screen, “It’s obviously the jealous debate partner!”

What really sets this apart from your typical Hallmark holiday movies is the lack of snow. Instead of a quaint small town decked out in tinsel, we get a college campus decked out in… well, more sweaters. But don’t worry, the cozy vibes are still there. It’s like a murder mystery wrapped in a hug.

In conclusion, Mystery 101: Words Can Kill is the perfect movie for anyone who loves a good whodunit but also wants to feel like they’re watching a Hallmark holiday movie without the pressure of pretending to like eggnog. It’s fun, it’s fluffy, and it’s just dangerous enough to make you feel like you’re living on the edge—if the edge were a slightly uneven throw pillow.

Final verdict: 7/10. Would watch again, preferably with cookies.