If the first Crossword Mysteries movie was about proving Tess Harper could solve a crime with nothing but a pencil and a pattern‑obsessed brain, the second film, Proposing Murder, is about showing she can do it while juggling emotional chaos, romantic expectations, and a crossword clue that literally becomes a murder weapon. It’s the kind of sequel that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel — it just spins it with a little more confidence and a lot more charm.
The setup is peak Hallmark‑Mystery melodrama: a man plans to propose to his girlfriend using a custom crossword puzzle Tess helped him create… and then he turns up dead before he can pop the question. It’s dramatic, it’s sentimental, and it’s exactly the kind of hook that lets Tess’s skill set shine. Lacey Chabert leans into Tess’s empathy here — she’s not just solving a puzzle, she’s trying to honor the intention behind it. That gives the movie a warmer emotional core than the first one, and Chabert plays it with that grounded sincerity she does better than almost anyone.
Brennan Elliott returns as Detective Logan O’Connor, and by this point he’s fully accepted that Tess is basically his unofficial partner. The snarky skepticism from the first film softens into a kind of amused respect — he knows she’s going to find clues he misses, and he’s stopped pretending otherwise. Their banter is sharper, their rhythm smoother, and the movie lets them lean into that “we’re not dating, we’re just solving murders with suspiciously good chemistry” dynamic that Hallmark fans eat up.
Plot‑wise, the crossword element is even more integrated this time. The proposal puzzle becomes a roadmap of motives, secrets, and emotional landmines. Tess decodes clues that reveal the victim’s relationships, business entanglements, and the kind of personal drama that makes you think, “Maybe a public proposal wasn’t the move, buddy.” The mystery stays light, clever, and clean — no grim twists, just satisfying reveals that click together like a well‑constructed grid.
Returning director Don McCutcheon keeps the pacing breezy and the tone warm. The movie looks bright and inviting, the supporting cast gets more to do, and the whole thing feels like the creative team has settled comfortably into the world. It’s still cozy crime, but with a little more emotional texture and a little more confidence in its own formula.
By the time the final clue falls into place, Proposing Murder has done exactly what a second entry should: deepen the characters, sharpen the dynamic, and prove the concept has legs. It’s charming, clever, and just sentimental enough to give the mystery some heart.
In the end, Proposing Murder keeps the series’ cozy‑clever energy alive while adding a sweeter emotional layer — and it’s just as easy to watch as the first. You can stream it on Prime Video (with a Hallmark+ trial or as a rental), grab it on Apple TV, or watch it through Hoopla if your library’s connected. It’s a warm, lightly snarky, puzzle‑driven sequel that proves the franchise wasn’t a one‑off — it’s a whole vibe worth curling back into.
MPAA Rating: TV-G.
Runtime: 83 mins
Director: Don McCutcheon
Writer: Gregg Rossen; Brian Sawyer
Cast: Lacey Chabert; Brennan Elliott; John Kapelos
Genre: Drama | Crime
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "I can look at a puzzle and figure out who this is."
Distributor: Hallmak +
Official Site:
Release Date: October 13, 2019
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Tess dives into Logan's murder investigation.
