Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2016) Reviews

• a slightly calmer Aurora

  blanche-22016-06-24

  I must say I enjoyed this Aurora Teagarden mystery better than what I had seen previously, I think because the star, Candace Cameron Bure was a tiny bit more subdued. Also, I liked this mystery. While showing a house for her real estate mother Aida (Marilu Henner), Aurora finds the body of an agent that worked for her mother. Aurora knows this particular house well, from her childhood, and thinks something is off about its look. After comparing it with photos, she realizes a painting has been replaced by another one. Is this about art theft? There are any number of suspects: an agent who majored in art in college, the agent's husband, the man looking at the house - the list seems endless. Then the body of another agent shows up in a second house. Pretty good and entertaining. These mystery movies are made in Canada and use predominantly Canadian actors, and the budget isn't very big. This one moved quickly and had a nice plot.

• The great art theft!

  Reno-Rangan2017-11-14

  The third film in the Aurora Teagarden film series and based on the book of the same name. I think it got better now. I mean I liked previous two, but this kind of crime-mysteries I like a lot. This is by far the closely related to Aurora. Nothing like she directly involved in it, but when her mother's firm associated with the latest murder in the town, she got to step in like the previous occasions to find the truth. That gave strength to the film plot to evolve vigorously. When I say such strong word for a television film, that means for the television standards only. She was covering for her busy mother, but it was not like any other day, because she finds a dead body in the backyard of the house she was showing for a customer. The dead woman worked for her mother. Now the question is who did it? And the motivation! From the customers to someone from the work, it could be anybody. All Aurora had a small clue, that she did not know it until the last moment. But did she catch the killer using it as a bait, and if she did so, how it all happened was unfolded in the remaining tale. As usual the police chief was annoying. I mean not for me/viewers, but for Aurora for her enthusiasm in crime solving which he sees as an obstruction. In this, she directly associated, since she was the first to report it to the cops. So there's nothing much they could do about it, other than letting her do whatever she want, but within the legal circle. Her effort to solve it was more to save her mother, thinking she could become a future victim or be framed for it. Unlike cops, she begins her investigation with the employees of her mother's firm. Like usual, the inquiry initiated, but it did not take her anywhere to resolve the case. Except her suspicious on the man she's been with on the day she found the body. ❝I'm a librarian. I have a masters degree in finding information.❞ Coming to that mystery man, he was like her new romance companion. He showed more interest to her as much she suspected him. So in the entire stretch of the narration, the romance became a distant word. Initially I was not happy that in every sequel, they had brought in the new guys as her love interest. All the above, they all had disappeared in the following film. The best part was, the romance was not given a strong preference in any of those As the viewers, we could see the connections. But it helped to build the story better. Besides, a fresh face gives a fresh perspective on whatever going on. The art theme was nicely used. But this is the series where uncovering the crime a main priority. So whatever the smartness used to do the crime/murder, you won't witness them. Then suddenly at the end comes out the suspect, revealing the purpose of committing it. It is a television film, and it always has a happy ending. As the title says, it is Aurora's tale and she has to accomplish it. That's how her character built. It is totally understandable, but it also makes the cops useless. I would have liked her involved alongside them to do the job, rather single handily manage all the time. The first act was good. From the basic plot, it was developed with a lot more suspenseful in the second act. Though the final act was cliché. I did not guess who was the culprit, but anybody would know how it all unfolds as it followed a basic blueprint of murder/crime mystery. Because if the probe reveals the motivation or a baitable evidence so early, then it loses nearly half the grip to keep the excitement going. This film had a decent ending, but too sudden and too quick, especially while confronting the bad guy, then it's all done. Once again all the actors were good. The director had been replaced, though she did good. I think I've said everything I wanted to, so now I'm looking forward for the next one to review. 7/10

• Roe's intended

  bkoganbing2017-07-31

  This is the Aurora Teagarden mystery where Candace Cameron Bure meets her intended Yannick Bisson. She finds he's a man with quite a past and for a while the subject of the murder of two real estate agents. In fact that's what drives Cameron in this murder mystery. She meets Bisson who is looking to buy a house and he's supposed to meet up with Marilu Henner, Roe's real estate agent mom. But Henner is running late and Cameron takes Bisson to the house where they find the body of another real estate agent. Then at another site another female real estate agent is found dead. Roe's concern is that someone is targeting real estate agents of the female variety though nothing sexual is done. In fact both murders were done to cover up another crime. What that was and who did it you have to watch for. But rest assured it's not Bisson. I guess we have to wait and see if our mystery loving librarian and her man of mystery get hitched in another of these films in the series.

• "I'm a librarian. I have a masters degree in finding information."

  utgard142016-06-27

  Candace Cameron Bure is back as Aurora Teagarden, this time trying to solve the murder of a real estate agent. She eventually figures out the murder ties into some stolen art and then it's just a matter of her (and us) figuring out which of the suspects is guilty. As with the previous Aurora Teagarden movies, I will remind anyone reading this review that I have not read the books this series is based on. So I don't have any preconceived ideas of how Aurora or any of the supporting characters should look or act. I enjoyed the previous two TV movies in this series, largely because of Candace Cameron Bure's irrepressible charm and likability. This third movie, however, I like a little less than the others. For starters, while this is still a somewhat lighthearted murder mystery with a little bit of humor, this one seems to take itself more seriously than the last two. Some viewers will probably like this one more than the others for that very reason. But I wanted the quirky fun more than another humdrum murder mystery that anyone who's seen a couple of episodes of Murder, She Wrote could figure out relatively quickly. Another negative is the potential love interest in this one. It's the third male lead for Candace in as many movies and this one is a big step down from Robin Dunne's enjoyable character in the last film. This new guy, played by Yannick Bisson, is a middle-aged metrosexual with a One Direction haircut and way too much spray tan. His chemistry with Candace is tepid, to be charitable. Honestly the guy seems like he should be hosting a game show or an infomercial about dog grooming supplies. On the plus side, Candace is Candace and while she doesn't have as many cute lines or moments in this one, her screen presence carries the movie. The adorable Lexa Doig returns as Aurora's friend but sadly gets little to do. The few scenes she does have are great, though. One note I would give Hallmark is that perhaps in future movies focus on these two solving crimes together rather than inserting another love interest who's just going to disappear anyway. Marilu Henner, Bruce Dawson, and Miranda Frigon all return from the previous movies and are all fun to watch. Also making an appearance is the clichéd gruff police captain I complained about in my Real Murders review. He shows up just to tell Aurora to stop meddling. Keep trying, Hallmark, but it's not going to get funny anytime soon. Finally, the town they filmed in is really beautiful. So big points for the scenery. Look, if you like Candace and like the other Aurora movies, you'll like this I think. If you didn't like the other ones, maybe this one will be more your cup of tea since it is a little different than the previous two.

• If you like the books, DON'T BOTHER

  weezlady2019-02-28

  I'm not going to do a detailed review of any movie, but an overall of the first 3 - all I could bear to watch. No spoilers (I think), except for overall quality. First, let me say I'm not one of those snobs that thinks the book is always better than the movie. I enjoy both mediums. I fact, I prefer to view the video first and read the book second. That way I get the visuals in my head (how people look for instance), and often the action is better visually. Then the book adds a lot of texture and detail. That said, THESE books are INFINITELY BETTER than THESE movies. There is no comparison. The main character is tremendously annoying - really just want to see her spanked and then run out of town on a rail. I only watched the 1st 2 movies, and skimmed (with gritted teeth and determination) thru the 3rd. I will watch no more of this series. In fact, I had thought to check out more of Hallmark's mysteries, but now feel they're likely to share the same flaws. For some reason, Hallmark decided to flip the order of the first 2 books. If you've read the books this is confusing. As I said "Roe" is an annoying know-it-all snoop who constantly sticks her nose where it doesn't belong, uses social occasions as excuses to interrogate friends and acquaintances (while often ruining the gathering) and generally makes a nuisance of herself. In the most juvenile of writing techniques, Hallmark has decided she MUST be the most amazing, sought-after and clever person in every scene, generally making the whole thing more irritating and unbelievable. In an early scene there's a comment like "Is she always 3 steps ahead of everyone?". In the 3rd movie she TELLS her mother to call a staff meeting of HER MOTHER'S business. (In the books, her mother is a strong, independent business woman and Roe is a bit intimidated by her.) In the movies, she has a prior relationship with a detective which is implied to have been more important to HIM than her - exact opposite in book. Of course, She MUST be the most important, desired, etc. In "bone", movie and book, she starts by doing something very questionable that sets up the whole movie. It's rather ridiculous on both, but somewhat understandable in the book, while just obnoxious in the movie - "Do you have to solve every crime in a 15 mile radius?" or some such. Also, there's a hiding place that's just plain stupidly obvious in the movie, but rather clever in the book. AND this also explains the very odd actions of another character. In the movie, no such luck. In the movies, the police are often slow, stupid, incompetent, and motivated by personal feelings - very unprofessional. This necessitates Roe solving the crimes. This is an issue in most amateur detective series, i.e. why is the NON-police person always solving the case. In the books, (and any series I'll read/watch) thiia s handled reasonably - such as her stumbling across clues through her everyday life in this small town and generally knowing the suspects/victims in her personal life. In the movies, she actively investigates. Remember, she's smarter than everyone else!!! Each book and movie (so far) ends with Roe in a physical struggle with the killer (SPOILER she survives :'( ). In the movies, these are generally stupid, with her instigating without backup. In the books, while sometimes questionable, you can get how it happens. I only recently started reading Ms. Harris. By chance started watching Midnight, Texas TV series, then read those books by her. (FYI if you enjoy supernatural/horror, I recommend both.) Because I enjoyed those books/TV, I started on these. I really like the books, but the movie adaptations are completely unfaithful. It's as though they read a short outline of each book and went from there. I understand the need to change some things when going to video - the amalgamation of the best friend and reporter for instance. Since the books are written in the first person they had to have someone for her to tell her thoughts and "reasoning" to. They also "pretty-ed" up many characters, most notably Roe. I get it, but one of the things I like in the books is that Roe isn't gorgeous and most of the men she takes interest in are not either. I get it, I just don't like it. The world has far more average looking people, but TV is a visual medium and we all like seeing pretty people. They dumb down the plots to fit into the time of a movie. Ok, I get that. What I cannot abide is the complete loss of the "feel" of the books. In the books we see a LIKEABLE, smart, modest, occasionally insecure, highly relatable small town librarian with a odd hobby that solves crimes because of inside knowledge and circumstance. In the movies, she's full of herself, obnoxious and actively - often ridiculously - investigates. Why any man would waste his time on her is beyond me. At the end of each movie, I root for the killer to finish her off so there won't be any more of these terrible movies. Again, I don't primarily hate these movies in relation to the books, I hate them on their own merits. If I had seen the movie first (also before any of the Midnights), I never would have read any of the books, which I'm excited to be reading the 4th. I'll also try at least some of Ms. Harris's other series as I've enjoyed her writing this far. Kudos to Ms. Harris. To all who enjoy these movies, sorry.