Mystery was a bit curious. Is it a comedy or drama? The leads and suspects were okay. A typical Hallmark story where the female lead, in this case a travel writer, finds a body and then gets in over her head trying to solve it. There's a lot of scenery to take in, but the script and casting are lacking in depth. Would not mind seeing more of the leads, but the supporting cast has little to do, which is fortunate because they can't act. Needs the charm of a series like Murder She Baked.
38 Reviews
Acting was bad
degalansari22 June 2021
To Catch a Spy
JoBloTheMovieCritic28 June 2021
Great start...I hope to a new mystery series?
cgvsluis21 August 2021
I don't know if this is going to be a repeated mystery series or not, but I hope it is. The setting of Malta was absolutely spectacular and the two main characters were great.
The mystery was compelling with our main character being a travel writer who travels to Malta with her staff to review a newly opening hotel that her friend helped renovate. Meanwhile, the American embassy has a theft that the FBI is investigating and her friend is killed at the hotel...are they connected?
Our Travel writer has a good head on her shoulders and very loyal photographer and I. T. guy...she is also a fan of spy novels/mysteries.
I really hope this is the start of a new series...because I would watch it.
The mystery was compelling with our main character being a travel writer who travels to Malta with her staff to review a newly opening hotel that her friend helped renovate. Meanwhile, the American embassy has a theft that the FBI is investigating and her friend is killed at the hotel...are they connected?
Our Travel writer has a good head on her shoulders and very loyal photographer and I. T. guy...she is also a fan of spy novels/mysteries.
I really hope this is the start of a new series...because I would watch it.
PAINFUL TO WATCH
oatmeal19922 June 2021
Hallmark mysteries
SnoopyStyle25 September 2021
Chloe Day (Nathalie Kelley) is a busy writer for Destination Traveler Magazine. Her next job is to cover the newly renovated Hotel Optima in Malta. There are noises coming from the vent in her room. She hears a struggle and a man falls to his death. She searches for help and knocks on one of the rooms where FBI agent Aaron Maxwell (Colin Donnell) happens to be staying. When they reach the landing spot, the body is gone and the local police is dismissive of her.
The tension would be heightened if Chloe is traveling by herself. A woman alone feels more dangerous. She also needs more time with Aaron. This is Hallmark after all. They need to be coupled ASAP. The movie needs to amp up the romance since the mystery isn't much of one. The suspect is suspicious right from the start and never stops. While I like the complete randomness of her knocking on his door, I do wonder if she should have an earlier scene of them meeting and give her a reason to seek him out for help. On the other hand, the initial mystery of the dead man is great and I have no reservations about that. In fact, that should be earlier and all the spy stuff at the beginning is unnecessary. It's good enough to start the mystery without any priming of the pump. It's also cool to be in Malta. It's exotic enough to be interesting but bland enough for Hallmark. This could be a ongoing series but I don't see the FBI recruiting a travel writer. It would work better if he's in the CIA and they need a low-level off-the-books connection who has a reason to travel the world. The series could go to everywhere.
The tension would be heightened if Chloe is traveling by herself. A woman alone feels more dangerous. She also needs more time with Aaron. This is Hallmark after all. They need to be coupled ASAP. The movie needs to amp up the romance since the mystery isn't much of one. The suspect is suspicious right from the start and never stops. While I like the complete randomness of her knocking on his door, I do wonder if she should have an earlier scene of them meeting and give her a reason to seek him out for help. On the other hand, the initial mystery of the dead man is great and I have no reservations about that. In fact, that should be earlier and all the spy stuff at the beginning is unnecessary. It's good enough to start the mystery without any priming of the pump. It's also cool to be in Malta. It's exotic enough to be interesting but bland enough for Hallmark. This could be a ongoing series but I don't see the FBI recruiting a travel writer. It would work better if he's in the CIA and they need a low-level off-the-books connection who has a reason to travel the world. The series could go to everywhere.
Not what I expected from Hallmark
MickyG33315 April 2023
7.2 stars.
Ok, so this is not the usual Hallmark by any means. There is actually intrigue and some people die...yes die. And there is some blood? Wow, what? I don't recall any Hallmark movies where there is actually blood. Is this a Hallmark movie? Anyway, it is what it is.
A small company of Americans goes to Malta on business and there is some murder, espionage and spy stuff already going down in the area when they arrive. There is an American FBI agent working with the embassy to solve the crimes and the 4 Americans on business get stuck right in the thick of it. The female lead, who is one of the Americans, becomes intertwined in the mystery and takes it upon herself to solve this whole clandestine investigation herself. The FBI guy lets her in on some of the secrets and voila we have ourselves an adventure. There is an ever so slight attraction between them, but I'm talking so slight it's imperceptible unless you know that it must be because it's Hallmark, and yet it's really not there.
I like the plot, it lends itself to a very intriguing and exciting thriller, but don't forget this is going to be taken down a few notches for the more sensitive viewers. Nevertheless it's a good flick, albeit there is literally ZERO romance. Like literally ZERO. That's fine.
Ok, so this is not the usual Hallmark by any means. There is actually intrigue and some people die...yes die. And there is some blood? Wow, what? I don't recall any Hallmark movies where there is actually blood. Is this a Hallmark movie? Anyway, it is what it is.
A small company of Americans goes to Malta on business and there is some murder, espionage and spy stuff already going down in the area when they arrive. There is an American FBI agent working with the embassy to solve the crimes and the 4 Americans on business get stuck right in the thick of it. The female lead, who is one of the Americans, becomes intertwined in the mystery and takes it upon herself to solve this whole clandestine investigation herself. The FBI guy lets her in on some of the secrets and voila we have ourselves an adventure. There is an ever so slight attraction between them, but I'm talking so slight it's imperceptible unless you know that it must be because it's Hallmark, and yet it's really not there.
I like the plot, it lends itself to a very intriguing and exciting thriller, but don't forget this is going to be taken down a few notches for the more sensitive viewers. Nevertheless it's a good flick, albeit there is literally ZERO romance. Like literally ZERO. That's fine.
Waste of time.
larryhutcherson24 June 2021
Lead actress is awful
jessicaet26 June 2021
Good one.
neelsmail6 October 2021
Never thought I would watch a hallmark movie. Glad i did. Logical. Both main characters have done their jobs well. Story develops. And because I think this is going to be new mystery series (I think), relationship between two evolving slowly. I do hope if there are subsequent mysteries, the main character grows out of the "bubbly and innocent" persona without losing the charm.
Comically bad ending
EPMD574 July 2021
I like Nathalie Kelley. She'll never be the best actress, but she's charming and the camera loves her. Mr. Chicago Med wasn't bad either. The setting, as others have noted, was beautiful.
The plot, however, was implausible and corny. Actually, maybe it's just the Nancy Drew genre that feels so banal. In any event, I knew what I was getting into when I started watching, so I can't complain about the plot holes. What I didn't expect was the villain in the climactic scene to be such a joke. If you can get through the final few scenes without rolling your eyes and laughing then you were probably asleep.
The plot, however, was implausible and corny. Actually, maybe it's just the Nancy Drew genre that feels so banal. In any event, I knew what I was getting into when I started watching, so I can't complain about the plot holes. What I didn't expect was the villain in the climactic scene to be such a joke. If you can get through the final few scenes without rolling your eyes and laughing then you were probably asleep.
10/10. EXCELLENT MOVIE.
ashlyansalam25 June 2021
Spy
mitchellrharl1 July 2022
Kind of different Hallmark but beautiful scenery cheesy as usual Hallmark actors and actresses pretty good. Not a fan of foreign spy movies.
Hallmark needs to cast not so beautiful average women and men not everyone is a model.
Hallmark needs to cast not so beautiful average women and men not everyone is a model.
Perhaps an enjoyable TV movie for 8yr olds...
Design8821 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was cleverly hyped with a promising trailer which made it seem mysterious and exciting. Unfortunately, it was anything but. The implausible plot points could be considered to be reasonably executed by the actors if it were a Nancy Drew mystery, but even then, the one-dimensional characters, the seriously flawed script and embarrassing dialog and situations turned it into a comedy rather than a thriller.
Good to know that a travel magazine writer outsmarted the local police, Government and FBI in solving "everything" and catching a notorious spy who had evaded identification and capture for years... without batting an eyelash extension.
Good to know that a travel magazine writer outsmarted the local police, Government and FBI in solving "everything" and catching a notorious spy who had evaded identification and capture for years... without batting an eyelash extension.
So wonderful until the end
hogheaven212 August 2021
Very Juvenile
bwilson-9913521 June 2021
This show was made for the 12-16 year age group . Read like a child's comic book ,but not as colorful .Why a produce would have spent money on movie is beyond me ! And Prime time
Hallmark channel - Someone was smoking something they shouldn't have.
Super fun movie with a mystery that I did NOT solve too early!
schneidt-8130221 June 2021
This is definitely one of Hallmark's better mystery movies. I am no mystery officianado-by far-but I can usually figure out 'who done it' fairly early on. I still enjoy these movies but not quite as much as the ones that keep me guessing longer. This movie kept me guessing longer, so big bonus.
The two main stars, Nathalie Kelley, who played Chloe Day, & Colin Donnell, who played Aaron Maxwell, were great, as always. I have yet to see either of them disappoint in a role. Even if the script is average, they always shine.
However, I REALLY liked the supporting cast too, in particular Jonathan Dunn, who played Patrick Schaeffer, & Patti Murin, who played Sara Webb. Their characters were super fun & I was impressed by their deliveries. I truly hope to see them both in more movies, Hallmark or otherwise.
The two main stars, Nathalie Kelley, who played Chloe Day, & Colin Donnell, who played Aaron Maxwell, were great, as always. I have yet to see either of them disappoint in a role. Even if the script is average, they always shine.
However, I REALLY liked the supporting cast too, in particular Jonathan Dunn, who played Patrick Schaeffer, & Patti Murin, who played Sara Webb. Their characters were super fun & I was impressed by their deliveries. I truly hope to see them both in more movies, Hallmark or otherwise.
A great location but that doesn't fix a bad script
Avidviewer-0284726 June 2021
Two solid leads Colin Donnell and Nathalie Kelley, a beautiful location Malta and a crap script. A crap script with crap dialogue ruined the whole thing. And many of the supporting actors were questionable. I thought Hallmark was improving lately, but moving a story to a beautiful location somewhere in Europe will never make up for a crappy script.
Enjoyable movie
saglenn-2670710 February 2022
I just watched this movie for the second time. It was as good as the first time. I hope the make subsequent movies with these characters. I love Hallmark mysteries. I do wish, however, they wouldn't end when the main characters finally get together.
Too bad I can't rate the scenery and backdrop
bmiller5930 June 2021
As soon as I saw the Malta backdrop I got excited, but had to put the breaks on. Was expecting to see it filmed somewhere in Canada, with shots of Malta. Not so, looks like it WAS filmed in Malta. If I could have rated it JUST for the Malta scenery, I would have given it a 10 or as low as a 9. Because I had to rate the overall movie, well you see my rating. Terrible and implausible script and worse acting. We made it through the entire movie though and was happy when it was over.
Quite Bad
ffy-869353 July 2021
The lead actress was stiff, and unbelievable. The story wasn't great, it was marginal. Would have been more enjoyable had the acting been decent, but it wasn't. The story has some many plot holes. The heroine is definitely in the "too stupid to live" group. Yeah. It's bad. Don't waste your time.
Even For A Hallmark Mystery This Is Bad
kpassa10 July 2021
Great locations
scrubber5 April 2023
As an ad for the Maltese tourist industry this works well. As an entertaining mystery drama, not so much. The story revolves around an American travel writer, visiting Malta to review a recently opened luxury Hotel. She already knows the owner and soon sees him falling to his death past her hotel balcony. What follows is a preposterous story involving espionage and murder. Naturally our heroine, Nathalie Kelley, sets out to find out who was responsible for her friends death, and why. In so doing she is able to uncover the truth, outwitting the local police and the FBI who are staying at the hotel seeking a super spy who has evaded capture for decades. So, watchable, but mainly for the great locations.
Don't waste your time
joan-374657 November 2021
Just got finished watching this movie. Horrible acting especially the lead actress, horrible script but beautiful scenery. What a waste of the talented Colin Donnell - was great on Chicago Med and saw him on Broadway in Anything Goes. Seems he and his wife Patty Murin - great as Anna in Broadway's Frozen - are working as a duo in Hallmark movies. Both talented actors need better parts and stories.
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