I really don't know how to review this: this was my first Hallmark Mystery and I didn't know what to expect. I mean, this wasn't THE movie of the year, however, I actually enjoyed a lot. I only picked it up because I truly liked Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha in "Pearl in Paradise", their chemistry was, and is, a pleasure to watch.

It may be a little slow at times, but the plot made total sense. This is yelling for a sequel, which I assume they will make (if the other mysteries are other indication),I just hope they are as good -and believable- as this one.

Well done.

Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) teaches crime mystery fiction at a college following her famous father's footsteps. Her student Lacey seems distracted. Lacey's boyfriend Rex has gone missing. Detectives Travis Cole (Kristoffer Polaha) and Tate are investigating the theft of an experimental plant from the college. Claire Tate is Amy's former students. When Lacey also goes missing, the brilliantly deductive Amy sets off to do her own investigating.

This is a Hallmark mystery. I'm not sure if this is going to be a series. These things have a tendency to sprout so that's certainly possible. Wagner and Polaha have passable chemistry. It's not romantic level but could rise up to bantering level if the writing could take a step up. The 'stay-out-of-the-police-investigation' is certainly a tired trope. I'm glad they get over that quickly and calling out the trope themselves. It does show that there are brains behind the writing. They seem to be veteran TV mystery show writers but they can still do better. The production is nothing cinematic but it is Hallmark level. The mystery writing keeps it compelling even at a lower grade level.

Mystery 101 is the second Hallmark mystery movie I've watched in the last two days. In this one, Professor Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) becomes concerned when one of her students goes missing. She is convinced the girl has met with foul play. The problem is that the police don't agree. Winslow begins an investigation and uncovers clues that the police can't dispute. With Winslow's unwelcomed assistance, Detective Travis Burke (Kristoffer Polaha) determines the girl's disappearance may be connected to other strange occurrences at the college.

If anything, I enjoyed this, the pilot for Hallmark's Mystery 101 series, more than the previous Hallmark movie I watched (Crossword Mysteries "A Puzzle to Die For"). I found the mystery here more engaging for the viewer. There were more opportunities to play along with the whodunnit. And even though I spotted the killer almost immediately, I enjoyed discovering the "why" behind it all and watching Winslow piece it all together. In addition, there's something about the feel of the relatively small college campus in Mystery 101 that I found appealing, especially when compared with the big city of the other film.

Being a Hallmark movie, you just know from the minute Winslow and Burke meet that it's only a matter of time before they fall for each other. Sure, it's kind of predictable and a little cringey, but there was definite chemistry between the two actors that really added to the movie. It helps that both gave solid performances. With a couple of exceptions, the rest of the cast is decent enough in their supporting roles.

Overall, these movies aren't for everyone - in fact, they probably wouldn't have worked for me 20 years ago. But as I grow older, I appreciate the simple story structure with likeable characters and a mystery that's not overly taxing. Mystery 101 is entertaining enough for me to rate a 7/10.

7/10.