Wikipedia

Garage Sale Mystery

Garage Sale Mystery is an American/Canadian mystery film series starring Lori Loughlin as Jennifer Shannon. It is based on the Garage Sale Mystery book series written by Suzi Weinert. The Hallmark series aired on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in the US, Bravo in Canada and Channel 5 in the UK occasionally as part of the weekday films. Fifteen films aired from the 2013 pilot film, until the series was cancelled in 2019 after Loughlin was fired from Hallmark.[1][2]

Garage Sale Mystery
GenreMystery film
Written byWalter Klenhard
Kraig X. Wenman
Patrick Kevin Day
Andrew Hanson
John Whelpley
Directed byPeter DeLuise
Norma Bailey
Kristoffer Tabori
Neill Fearnley
Mel Damski
StarringLori Loughlin
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producersLori Loughlin
Harvey Kahn
Allan Ett
Peter DeLuise
Michael Shepard
ProducerHarvey Kahn
Running time83–88 minutes
Original release
NetworkHallmark Movies & Mysteries
ReleaseSeptember 14, 2013 (2013-09-14) –
May 8, 2020 (2020-05-08)

The author of the book series, Suzi Weinert, created the story and characters based on her experiences living in the DC suburbs, where she attended sales given by politicians, CEO’s, diplomats, military elite, and other influential homeowners in this upscale, transient area. She discovered that valuable merchandise often came with unexpected stories, leading to her Garage Sale mystery series. Her books span ripped-from-the-headlines topics like terrorism and elder care. The wife of a retired Army general, Weinert lives in northern Virginia near most of her five children and their growing families. Weinert is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

The Hallmark series based on Weinert's work was executive produced by Loughlin, Michael Shepard, and Peter DeLuise, who are also executive producers on the Hallmark television series When Calls the Heart. The series followed the story of an antique dealer, Jennifer Shannon, who had a knack for finding murders. Her eye for details leads her to help solve these murders, even if it means putting her life in danger. Weinert made a cameo in the first Hallmark Garage Sale Mystery.

Cast

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  • Lori Loughlin as Jennifer Shannon,[3][4] series protagonist who runs an antiques shop called Rags to Riches
  • Steve Bacic as Jason Shannon, Jennifer's engineer husband (Rick Ravanello[5] played the role in the first film)
  • Sarah Strange as Danielle/"Dani", Jennifer's business partner and co-owner of Rags to Riches
  • Eva Bourne as Hannah Shannon, Jennifer and Jason's daughter (Sara Canning played the role in the first film)
  • Connor Stanhope as Logan Shannon, Jennifer and Jason's son (Played by Brendan Meyer in the first four films)
  • Kevin O'Grady as Detective Frank Lynwood, a friend of Jennifer

Characters

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  • A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.
Character Title
Garage Sale Mystery All That Glitters The Deadly Room The Wedding Dress Guilty Until Proven Innocent The Novel Murders The Art of Murder The Beach Murder Murder By Text Murder Most Medieval A Case of Murder The Pandora's Box Murders The Mask Murder Picture a Murder Murder in D Minor Searched & Seized
Jennifer Shannon Lori Loughlin
Jason Shannon Rick Ravanello Steve Bacic
Danielle "Dani" Sarah Strange
Hannah Shannon Sara Canning Eva Bourne
Logan Shannon Brendan Meyer Connor Stanhope
Detective Frank Lynwood Kevin O'Grady
Trammell Jay Brazeau Jay Brazeau
Sally Lynnwood Johannah Newmarch Johannah Newmarch Johannah Newmarch Johannah Newmarch

Films

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Garage Sale Mystery"Peter DeLuiseSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)September 14, 2013 (2013-09-14)
Jennifer notices that several rich houses are robbed right after they have garage sales, including one woman who ends up dead, apparently from accidentally falling down the stairs, but Jennifer suspects foul play. She convinces Detective Adam Iverson to accompany her to some garage sales, and they do turn up some suspects for the robberies, but no evidence emerges for the murder. Jennifer eventually finds the murderer.
2"Garage Sale Mystery: All that Glitters"Peter DeLuiseSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)October 26, 2014 (2014-10-26)
Jennifer Shannon has a gift for finding rare treasures hidden in garage sales that she can resell at her consignment store, Rags to Riches. When Jennifer's friend and self-storage facility owner Martin (Michael Kopsa) turns up murdered just hours after auctioning off an abandoned storage unit full of unique items, she is immediately pulled into the investigation as a key eyewitness. Working with Detective Lynwood, Jennifer helps single out a disgruntled customer as the prime suspect, while she and her business partner, Danielle, sift through boxes from the auction. As her husband Jason worries about her safety, there is a break-in at her store and a run-in with Martin's angry widow. Then, Jennifer and Danielle discover their new merchandise contains the sparkly evidence they needed all along to nail the surprising real culprit, and they must race to save a life and put their own on the line.[6]
3"Garage Sale Mystery: The Deadly Room"Peter DeLuiseSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)April 28, 2015 (2015-04-28)
A real estate agent sleeps all night in one of her listings to prove that it is not cursed but ends up dead.
4"Garage Sale Mystery: The Wedding Dress"Peter DeLuiseSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)August 9, 2015 (2015-08-09)
Jennifer finds an old but expensive wedding dress in a box of clothes purchased at an estate sale. She finds a blood stain on a pocket and investigation turns up Helen Carter, the bride, together with the story that the groom disappeared between the wedding and the reception after the wedding. Jennifer doggedly pursues the mystery and, using luminol, determines that there were still blood stains inside a closet in the storage room of the church. She persuades Ted to confess to murder, but then Helen confesses her role in the murder. Helen's actions are ruled justified and she is not charged. Helen and Ted renew their romance after a gap of 35 years.
5"Garage Sale Mystery: Guilty Until Proven Innocent"Peter DeLuiseSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)January 3, 2016 (2016-01-03)
Sandra (Kirsten Robek), a former friend of Jennifer's, comes to Rags to Riches offering to sell all of her antiques from her store Past Perfect asking for no payment up front and only 20% of any sale Jennifer makes. At Sandra's House in a Barn for storing extra antiques in Madison, Jennifer discovers a basement filled with beautiful antiques, and they find the body of Sandra's former fiancé, Michael Chambers (Frank Zotter), whom Sandra thought had left her for another woman when he had disappeared two years ago. An investigation ensues under local Sheriff Conners (Panou). Jennifer must find out the truth to prove Sandra's innocence. Then she meets recently widowed Kimberly Colette Baumaine (Aliyah O'Brien) who comes to Jennifer's store to sell her late husband's antiques and the pieces begin to fall into place.
6"Garage Sale Mystery: The Novel Murders"Norma BaileySuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)June 4, 2016 (2016-06-04)
There is a series of murders, each one taken out of a mystery novel. First, Art Henley (John Innes) is murdered, following the Agatha Christie crime novel Three Act Tragedy. Second, Gerry McNally (Alex Zahara) is murdered, following Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet. Third, Myles Fowler (Gerard Plunkett) is murdered, loosely following the mystery novel The Circular Staircase.
7"Garage Sale Mystery: The Art of Murder"Kristoffer TaboriSuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)January 8, 2017 (2017-01-08)
While setting up a charity garage sale, Jennifer Shannon discovers a body in the attic of a nearby home. Using her eye for detail as well as her experience with antiques and murder, Jennifer puts together clues that help catch a killer.
8"Garage Sale Mystery: The Beach Murder"Neill FearnleySuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)August 11, 2017 (2017-08-11)
Jennifer's friend and customer Anne's (Chiara Zanni) husband is found dead at an isolated beach and his death is suspected to be an accidental drowning. But Anne suspects foul play convinced that her avid surfer husband Steve was murdered. Steve's brother Todd (Ben Cotton) is a prime suspect when Steve's business partner Mitch (Michael Teigen) is also attacked but he is soon found dead deepening the mystery. A local surfer with a criminal past had vandalized Steve's car and is soon arrested. With the clues still not adding up, Jennifer works with Detective Lynwood to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, a smitten Logan decides to try his hand at theater to be cast opposite his crush. Jennifer and Dani try to reconcile a married couple who try selling each other's memorabilia to the store.
9"Garage Sale Mystery: Murder by Text"Neill FearnleySuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)August 13, 2017 (2017-08-13)
A bass player is found dead by hanging then Cassie is found dead from a Robbery gone wrong .. before a planned tour with a big country singer. Also, Dani's older sister Beth Ann comes to Town to Visit her.
10"Garage Sale Mystery: Murder Most Medieval"Neill FearnleySuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)August 20, 2017 (2017-08-20)
Jenn finds the body of a local college history professor hidden in a suit of armor she purchased. After the professor's teaching assistant becomes the next victim, Jennifer finds herself caught in a killer's web of dangerous lies.
11"Garage Sale Mystery: A Case of Murder"Neill FearnleySuzi Weinert (book), Walter Klenhard (teleplay)August 27, 2017 (2017-08-27)
After buying an old reel-to-reel recorder at a garage sale, Jenn discovers that it includes the sound of a man pleading for his life. An audio repair shop leads her to find the owner Dr. Vedders only he has died of stab wounds. The devoted psychologist worked with a group of patients at a local community center and had retired the day he was later murdered. An unhappy wife and a group of abandoned patients make for a long list of suspects. But, when Jenn locates Kendahl Hartman at Eagle Rock's Campground around 1 Week after Dr. Vedders death then Kendahl is found dead not too long after Jenn found her at Eagle Rock's Campground. Jenn and Detective Lynwood must find the killer before Jenn's life is in danger.
12"Garage Sale Mystery: The Pandora's Box Murders"Neill FearnleySuzi Weinert (book), Kraig X. Wenman (teleplay)August 5, 2018 (2018-08-05)
Jennifer comes in contact with a mysterious puzzle box that belonged to the Andronicus family, real estate developers whose latest project is unpopular with the townsfolk. The box goes missing, and some of the Andronicus family mysteriously die just days apart. Her curiosity piqued, Jennifer embarks on her own unorthodox investigation of the murders.
13"Garage Sale Mystery: The Mask Murder"Mel DamskiSuzi Weinert (book), Kraig WenmanAugust 12, 2018 (2018-08-12)
When Jennifer buys a storage locker at auction, she discovers a dead body inside, along with a mask matching the deceased woman.
14"Garage Sale Mystery: Picture a Murder"Neill FearnleyPatrick Kevin Day, Andrew HansonAugust 19, 2018 (2018-08-19)
Jenn gets the photos in an antique camera from the estate of a recently deceased and seemingly wealthy photography enthusiast printed. One of the pictures leads her to believe that the man's death was anything but accidental.
15"Garage Sale Mystery: Murder in D Minor"Neill FearnleyJohn WhelpleyAugust 26, 2018 (2018-08-26)
Jenn puts the winning bid on a vintage Welte-Mignon player piano at the estate auction of a wealthy philanthropist, but soon discovers that the late owner may have led a less-than-charitable life before being murdered.
16"Garage Sale Mysteries: Searched & Seized"Neill FearnleyJohn WhelpleyMay 8, 2020 (2020-05-08)
'Searched & Seized' finds Jenn's friend Miles running a police auction that features items seized in a money counterfeiting operation. When Miles turns up dead, Jenn suspects he may have gotten involved with criminals to solve his debt problems.

Background

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The series started as an adaptation of the novel Garage Sale Stalker by Suzi Weinert, although the screenplay for the first, and subsequent films, differs substantially from the novel and its sequels.[7][8] The series were influenced by Agatha Christie, with several references to the famous mystery author.

Broadcast

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The first film in the series premiered in the USA on the Hallmark Channel, with subsequent films premiering on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel.

In Canada, the films air on Bravo.[9] In the UK, they have been broadcast on Channel 5 and in South Africa on eMovies HD.[10]

Cancellation

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On March 14, 2019, Loughlin was terminated from Hallmark due to her involvement and indictment in the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal.[11] It was not until April 2019 that Search & Seized was released, and until April 2020 that Three Little Murders was released.[12]

The series concluded with the release of Three Little Murders.

References

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  1. ^ Pena, Jessica (14 March 2019). "Garage Sale Mysteries: Hallmark Cuts Ties with Lori Loughlin; When Calls the Heart Pulled (Update)". TV Series Finale. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. ^ Biglow, Erin (15 March 2019). "Lori Loughlin's 'Garage Sale Mystery' Co-Star Is 'Bereft' Following Show's Cancellation". Access. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Lori Loughlin Begins Production On 'Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters', A Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original Movie Premiering in October". NextTV. August 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "Lori Loughlin Stars in 'Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters', A Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original World Premiere October 26". TVbytheNumbers. August 28, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016.
  5. ^ "TV Movie Goodness Preview: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters [VIDEO and PHOTOS]". TVGoodness.com. October 24, 2014.
  6. ^ "Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters". IMDB. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Local writer's Garage Sale Mystery filmed for Hallmark Movie Channel". Phil Jason Reviews Books. 2013-05-30. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  8. ^ Weinert's site
  9. ^ "Hollywood North: Deadpool too naughty for China?". Vancouver Sun. 21 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Movies 24 Sets Premiere Date For 'Garage Sale Mystery: Guilty Until Proven Innocent'". TVWise.co.uk. February 14, 2017.
  11. ^ Swift, Andy (March 14, 2019). "Lori Loughlin Fired From All Hallmark Projects Over College Cheating Scandal". TVLine.
  12. ^ "Kraig Wenman on Twitter".
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