‘The Crossword Mysteries’ is an American television movie series consisting of five films within the same franchise. Created by Hallmark, this highly successful series, starring Hallmark favorites Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliot, began in 2019 and has maintained its popularity. The initial series, launched in 2019, received widespread acclaim, leading to subsequent annual releases, establishing its presence in the world of television series. Today, we are bringing you a complete watch order of all movies within the franchise.
Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in October 2023 and presents the most up-to-date state of the franchise.
All ‘Crossword Mysteries’ in release date order
All movies were released between 2019 and 2021 you can see how it’s been a productive few years for the team. Despite the initial success of the franchise, it’s currently on hiatus. Here is the release order of all movies within the ‘Crossword Mysteries’ franchise:
- ‘Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle To Die For’ (2019)
- ‘Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder’ (2019)
- ‘Crossword Mysteries: Abracadaver’ (2020)
- ‘Crossword Mysteries: Terminal Descent’ (2021)
- ‘Crossword Mysteries: Riddle Me Dead’ (2021)
Are all ‘Crossword Mysteries’ movies connected? What’s the best way to watch them?
All movies in the series are connected. The movies follow a consistent storyline and feature recurring characters, particularly Tess Harper (played by Lacey Chabert) and Detective Logan O’Connor (played by Brennan Elliot). The overarching theme involves solving criminal cases connected to crossword puzzles. Each movie builds upon the previous ones, continuing the narrative of Tess and Logan working together to unravel mysteries. The best way to watch the movies is in their release date order.
‘Crossword Mysteries’ in chronological order
Now that we’ve covered the optimal watch order, it’s time to explain the chronology of the movies.
1. ‘Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle To Die For’ (2019)
The inaugural installment of the ‘Crossword Mysteries’ franchise, released in 2019, kicks off with the murder of art gallery owner Alan Nightingale in New York. Detective Logan faces obstacles in the investigation, including missing security footage due to the camera guy’s vacation.
Tess, a crossword puzzle writer connected to the case through her aunt, collaborates with Logan after discovering a peculiar crossword puzzle among the evidence, using her puzzle-solving skills to unravel the killer’s message and ultimately forming a collaborative bond with the initially skeptical detective. Oh and by the way, the first installment is actually the lowest on IMDb with a score of 6.4.
2. ‘Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder’ (2019)
In the second installment and sequel to ‘Puzzle to Die For’ released in 2019, the story unfolds with the murder of history professor Lyle, who had planned to propose to his girlfriend Abby using a crossword puzzle. Abby, a chef, becomes a suspect due to her proximity to Lyle and the use of a kitchen knife in the crime. Despite Logan’s initial reluctance, Tess, now friends with the detective, joins the investigation, and together they uncover the connections between Abby, Lyle’s colleague Clayton, and the mystery surrounding Lyle’s death.
3. ‘Crossword Mysteries: Abracadaver’ (2020)
In the third installment and sequel to ‘Proposing Murder’ released in 2020, Tess, now taking classes at a Magic Manor, plans a birthday magic show with Alistair, the magician. However, the celebration takes a dark turn when Alistair is killed on stage, and Tess suspects foul play. Despite Logan’s initial disapproval, Tess, armed with clues about Alistair’s complicated relationship with his assistant Bianca, teams up with the detective to unravel the mystery and expose the true culprit at the heart of the illusion gone wrong.
4. ‘Crossword Mysteries: Terminal Descent’ (2021)
In the fourth installment released in 2021, the story revolves around the death of tech entrepreneur Morgan Daniels, CEO of XCal Communications. Tess, who had met Morgan before his demise, becomes involved in the investigation after spotting potential clues. Despite initial reservations, Logan welcomes her input as they work together, uncovering leads involving a landscaper, corporate figures Paul and Vivian, and a disgruntled programmer, Jesse, revealing a web of connections and motives in the case. To gather more information, Logan interviews Morgan’s wife, former partner, and professional rival.
5. ‘Crossword Mysteries: Riddle Me Dead’ (2021)
Tess, now a popular figure in New York for her crime-solving prowess, is invited to appear on her aunt’s favorite show, ‘Riddle Me This.’ However, when the show’s host is found dead, Tess, with her knack for mysteries, investigates and discovers tensions among the crew members, including her ex, Hunter. Logan joins her on the case, solidifying their strong relationship as they work together to unravel the mystery and identify the true culprit.
Where to watch the above-mentioned movies?
All movies in the series can be streamed on Hallmark Movies Now, which makes sense considering that all are Hallmark movies in the first place. If you’re not keen on subscribing to Hallmaker to watch the series you can also rent them on the Apple TV store.
Will there be more ‘Crossword Mysteries’?
As of now, it doesn’t look like there will be more ‘Crossword Mysteries’ the franchise ended in 2021 with the fifth installment and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be resurrected any time soon.
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