Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders S1 E1 - Poison in a Pear Tree Pt. 1

In this episode of Pour the Wine, It's Rom-Com Time, Garry and Amy step into Fletcher's Grove, where Christmas cheer and deadly secrets collide. The first episode, Poison in a Pear Tree, Part One, introduces us to Emily Lane, a Christmas shop owner with skills far beyond arranging holiday decorations. When her friend's fiancé turns up dead, Emily's mysterious past and surprising investigative abilities raise questions about who she really is and why she's hiding in this quaint New England town. Is this Christmas mystery the gift that keeps on giving or a holiday dud? Tune in to unwrap the truth!

Send us an email to pourthewineitsromcomtime@gmail.com! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

Amy 0:08

Welcome to Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom-com on the Hallmark channel. I'm Amy.

Garry 0:14

And I'm Gary.

Amy 0:15

And I really think you should pour the wine.

Garry 0:17

Yes, I think it's time. It's time to pour the wine.

Amy 0:21

What do we pour up Cab?

Garry 0:22

Yeah, we have a cab. We have a cab set right tonight. Yes, we always have a cab Our usual.

Amy 0:26

We did have some Chardonnay over the weekend.

Introducing Tinsel Tuesdays

Garry 0:28

Yes, we did. Yes, we did On the porch because we had beautiful weather all weekend.

Amy 0:32

Well, we are super excited to start our new series, Tinsel Tuesdays, where we'll be reviewing all things Christmas.

Garry 0:39

Ho, ho ho.

Amy 0:41

First up, we are going to be reviewing the ever-popular Mistletoe Murder series. We didn't catch it when it first aired on Hallmark Plus in the fall Right. But we are ready to dive in now. Yes, we are Is it ever too early to dive into anything. Christmas.

Garry 0:58

No.

Amy 0:58

No.

Garry 0:59

Period no, it's not.

Amy 1:01

No, we love Christmas around here. Yes, we do and we're actually really excited, yes, to do this one. We watched the first episode.

Garry 1:09

Yes, we did, and.

Amy 1:09

I wanted to watch the second one right away, but we try not to do that. We try not to jump ahead in this series because I don't want the future episodes to-.

Garry 1:18

Taint the review.

Amy 1:19

Taint. There's that word again taint. Yeah, there's that word again taint. Yeah, to affect our review If we know things that happen it could possibly affect. So we don't like to do that, but it was so tempting to watch the second episode.

Garry 1:32

Yes, it does, anyways.

Amy 1:33

Yes, it does.

Meet the Cast of Mistletoe Murders

Garry 1:35

We would love it if you would click that follow button on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss an episode If you listen on Apple or Spotify. You can also leave us a review, and hopefully it's a positive one.

Amy 1:47

We hope so. Yes, we really hope so.

Garry 1:50

And you can also find us on social media Facebook, instagram, blue Sky X and, of course, threads.

Amy 1:56

Threads yeah, head on over to our socials and let us know, if you watch Mistletoe Murders already, what you thought. Don't give any spoilers away for future episodes for us, but but definitely let us know what you thought about the series. We'd love to hear from you, yeah yeah, which, by the way.

Garry 2:12

Today we're reviewing the first episode of mistletoe murders poison in a pear tree, part one, which aired october 31st 2024 on Hallmark Plus.

Amy 2:23

It kind of sounded like you said poisoning, no, poison, poison. I said poison in a pear tree. Oh, I see, I see, I get it, I get it yeah.

Garry 2:32

I know it kind of messes with you, right? So who's in the first episode?

Amy 2:37

All right, so we are going to talk about the actors that we see in episode one, and it's quite a lengthy list. Yes, and in future episodes we won't go over everybody. If it's the same, correct Actors. But if there are new faces that pop up, we will add them at the top of the podcast review.

Garry 2:59

Yes, sound good.

Amy 3:00

Sounds good to me that way we're not repeating because it's going to be the same.

Garry 3:04

Same actors.

Amy 3:04

Main actors? Yeah, but if new people pop up, we'll be sure to mention them.

Garry 3:09

We will.

Amy 3:09

As well. Yep, all right, let's dive in. Here's the cast of Mistletoe Murders, episode one. All right. In probably most of the series, sarah Drew plays Emily Lane. Sarah is no stranger to Hallmark, of course. She starred in Branching Out in 2024, guiding Emily in 2023, and Christmas in Vienna in 2020. Some of her other work includes how she Caught a Killer in 2023, which she also produced by the way.

Amy 3:40

She was in a series called Amber Brown 11 episodes of that in 2022. We loved her in Cruel Summer. She was in six series called Amber Brown 11 episodes of that in 2022. We loved her in Cruel Summer. She was in six episodes in 2021. That's a really good series. Check that out Mad Men. She was in four episodes between 2008 and 2009. And, of course, she is largely known as Dr April Kempner on Grey's Anatomy.

Garry 4:01

There's Grey's Anatomy From 2009 to 2022.

Amy 4:09

Anatomy there's gray's anatomy from 2009 to 2022, and the first series I ever saw her in was everwood, where she played hannah rogers in 38 episodes from 2004 to 2006. Sweet yeah, it's a really good. We should watch that. That's worth a re-watch for me, but a first watch for you. I know it's with treat williams oh treat emily Camp. She's from Revenge.

Garry 4:25

Okay.

Amy 4:26

And Gregory Smith played one of the leads, and Chris Pratt.

Garry 4:30

Wow Okay.

Amy 4:31

Wasn't it awesome? Yeah, it's just such a really good show. Sarah also wrote and produced three Christmas movies for Lifetime.

Garry 4:39

Man.

Amy 4:40

So she's writing and producing and, I believe, directing. I think that's so cool.

Garry 4:44

Kudos for her, like every angle Yep, yep.

Amy 4:47

She wrote A Carpenter Christmas Romance in 2024,.

Garry 4:51

A.

Amy 4:51

Cowboy Christmas Romance in 2023, and Reindeer Games Homecoming in 2022. Those are the three that she wrote and produced.

Garry 4:59

Wow, pretty cool, busy, busy, busy.

Amy 5:01

She is also executive producer on Mistletoe Murders. Wow, uh-huh, she's doing pretty, pretty good, pretty good. Peter Mooney plays Sam Wilner For Hallmark. He was in Retreat to you in 2023 and Fly Away With Me in 2023. He's worked very steadily since about 2000.

Garry 5:22

Okay.

Amy 5:23

He was in a movie called Levels in 2024. He was in a series called Burden of Truth 34 episodes from 2018 to 2021. Okay Saving Hope. He was in 13 episodes of that from 2015 to 2017. And he was also in the ABC Family series Falcon Beach in 22 episodes of that between 2006 and 2007.

Garry 5:47

There you go Wow.

Amy 5:49

Sierra Marilyn Riley plays Violet Wilner, which was Sam's daughter. Mistletoe Murders is one of her two acting credits, so this is her Hallmark debut and she is in all six episodes debut and she is in all six episodes. She is also in four episodes of a series called Motorheads which premiered on Amazon Prime just last week.

Garry 6:11

Wow.

Amy 6:11

So 2025. Good for her. That's pretty cool. Steve Lund plays Marcus Donovan. Steve is very familiar to Hallmark fans. Some of his work includes three of the four Hearts Around the Table films which we just watched and reviewed. We did that. Premiered in March and April of 2025. He was in Christmas Bedtime Stories in 2022, A Mrs Miracle Christmas and Baby it's Cold Outside in 2021, Unlocking Christmas in 2020. Wow, the Good Witch. He was in one episode in 2017. So yeah, he's done quite a bit of homework. Yeah, Homework, work.

Garry 6:47

He got many jobs man.

Amy 6:49

Some of his other work includes Sullivan's Crossing. He was in two episodes in 2025. He was in the I believe this was on Netflix the movie Single All the Way.

Garry 6:58

We saw that that was in 2021.

Amy 7:01

He was in six episodes of Schitt's Creek from 2016 to 2020.

Garry 7:05

That was another good series.

Amy 7:06

He was in a series called Bitten, 33 episodes between 2014 and 2016. And he was in one episode of Suits in 2012 as my favorite, known as Attractive Guy. He didn't even have a name.

Garry 7:20

Attractive Guy.

Amy 7:21

I just love that credit. That's me. Laura Amracy plays June Hubble. Okay For Hallmark. She was in Operation Nutcracker in 2024 and Christmas in Toyland in 2022. She's done several rom-coms for other networks, including Christmas with the Knightleys in 2023, well-suited for Christmas in 2022, christmas on wheels in 2020. She was also in the series not on Hallmark Warehouse 13.

Garry 7:51

Oh.

Amy 7:53

One episode in 2009. And another series called Monster Warriors. She was in 53 episodes of that from 2006 to 2007.

Garry 8:01

Awesome.

Amy 8:01

Yeah, kylie Evans plays Brooke Carmichael. She has a little more than a few dozen acting credits. She's best known to Hallmark fans as Stephanie Borden on the Good Witch series, which we love. Such a good series. If you've never watched it, go watch it. She was in 75 episodes from 2015 to 2021. I hope that comes back a little bit.

Garry 8:23

Yeah.

Amy 8:24

Maybe just like another Good Witch movie.

Garry 8:25

Yeah.

Amy 8:26

It was so good she actually voices Brooke in eight episodes of the podcast series Mistletoe Murders, which we haven't talked about yet.

Garry 8:36

Yeah.

Amy 8:36

This series is based off.

Garry 8:38

A podcast? A podcast, oh okay.

Amy 8:40

Called Mistletoe Murders, and you'll find that a lot of people that are in it which Called Mistletoe Murders, and you'll find that a lot of people that are in it, which I probably should have talked about already, are voiced. Some of the characters in the podcast series.

Garry 8:50

Oh, that's pretty cool.

Amy 8:51

So yeah, so she's one of them. Her other work includes voice work in animated series, along with a lot of episodic work in series like the Stanley Dynamic, which was a Canadian series. She's in 25 episodes in 2017. And the series the Strange. She was in two episodes, Okay.

Garry 9:07

Also in 2017. The.

Amy 9:11

Strange Strain.

Garry 9:12

Oh, strain, not Strange, I'm sorry.

Amy 9:15

David Hewlett plays Ray. He's been acting for a hot minute. He has over 100 acting credits, I believe this is his Hallmark debut. When I was reviewing everything, I feel fairly certain, but if somebody knows differently, please let me know.

Garry 9:30

Yes.

Amy 9:31

I tried to look at everything, but sometimes I might miss it.

Garry 9:33

Yeah, sometimes the Internet is not. He was in the series, huh. Sometimes the Internet is not true.

Amy 9:38

Oh well, I was on IMDb, so we'll see. He was in the series C, which in 10 episodes from 2021 to 2022, that was on Apple TV Plus.

Garry 9:50

Oh.

Amy 9:51

I think is Jason Momoa in that one. Is that the one? Remember? I think that was one of their original series when it first came out. Anyway, he was in the series Clarice five episodes in 2021. He was in one episode of Suits in 2016. He also was in the Stanley Dynamic one episode in 2017, and Stargate Atlantis. He was in 99 episodes of that between 2004 and 2009. Wow, Jean Yoon plays Su Shin. She has a ton of acting credits that date back to 1986.

Garry 10:25

For.

Amy 10:25

Hallmark. I had to go back a little bit. She was in christmas with holly in 2012 and cancel christmas in 2010 okay she's in one episode of the new series, your friends and neighbors. That's also an apple tv plus series with john ham that just premiered this year, 2025. Okay.

Garry 10:44

Okay.

Amy 10:44

She was in one episode of Suits LA in 2025.

Garry 10:48

Aw.

Amy 10:49

She also voiced a character on the Mistletoe Murders podcast. She voiced Sue, which is who she plays in the series. That's funny. She was in nine episodes between 2022 and 2024. She was in a series called Kim's Convenience 65 episodes between 2016 and 2021. And she was also in Warehouse 13, one episode in 2010.

Garry 11:13

Warehouse 13.

Amy 11:14

Comes around, doesn't it? It does. Neil Crone plays Gordon. He has almost 200 acting credits and has done just a ton of episodic and voice work. His homework work includes when Hope Calls. He was in 18 episodes between 2019 and 2025. A 90s Christmas, which was in 2024. Yep, our Christmas Mural in 2023. A Tale of Love in 2022. He was in one episode of Good Witch in 2017.

Garry 11:43

Man.

Amy 11:44

Some of his other work includes Ghosts. He played Ben Franklin on three episodes between 2022 and 2025. I was like oh yeah, we love that series too it's so good he was in seven episodes of Murdoch Mysteries between 2013 and 2024.

Garry 12:02

Okay.

Amy 12:02

He was the voice of Gordon in 52 episodes of Thomas and Friends. All Engines Go Woo, and I do not have the years there, so that's okay. He was also in the Stanley Dynamic, one episode in 2017.

Garry 12:18

Man, he is busy, isn't he?

Amy 12:20

Raphael Grose. Harvey plays Rowan. This is his Hallmark debut Rowan. He was in one episode of murdoch mysteries in 2023. He's been in a few rom-coms for other networks, including mr positive, positively perfect in 2023, and pa is p-a-w say that three times I can't and a christmas in in Switzerland in 2022. He was in the series the Moody's two episodes in 2019. The Art of More he was in 12 episodes of that between 2015 and 2016. And he's done several voices in video games.

Amy 12:58

Wow, so his credit's for those Pretty cool. Yeah, Zarin Darnell Martin plays Lizzie For Hallmark. She was in Christmas Comes Twice in 2020, Christmas at Grand Valley in 2018, and A Song for Christmas in 2017. Ooh, and also one episode of the Good Witch in 2017.

Garry 13:16

I like the coming from Good Witch.

Amy 13:17

Keeps coming back too. Yeah, Some of her other work includes she was also in the Mistletoe Murders podcast series as Lizzie, in two episodes in 2022. The Good Doctor one episode in 2024. Fellow Travelers, which we watched in one episode in 2023.

Garry 13:35

Mm-hmm.

Amy 13:36

Ginny and Georgia.

Garry 13:38

Okay.

Amy 13:39

Five episodes in 2023.

Garry 13:40

Which is about to come back.

Amy 13:41

She was in the movie Room. Oh, that was really good. That was In 2015,. That was really to come back. She was in the movie.

Garry 13:44

Room. Oh, that was really good.

Amy 13:44

That was In 2015. That was really, really good. Yeah, and one episode of Falling Skies in 2011, and that's her very first acting credit. Wow, falling Skies, falling Skies. She was like an alien or something, I think it said. Wow, diane Aguilar plays Anna. This is her Hallmark debut. She was in the series Doc, the brand new series for 2025. Doc One episode. She was in one episode of the Hardy Boys in 2023. And she also has been in several rom-coms for other networks.

Garry 14:16

Yeah.

Amy 14:17

Production companies how to Win a Prince in 2023. Home for a Royal Heart in 2022. And the Wedding Ring in 2021. And she was also in one episode of the Umbrella Academy in 2022.

Garry 14:29

Which we haven't watched.

Amy 14:31

No, we haven't watched.

Garry 14:32

So well, is that it for that list?

Amy 14:34

That is it for now.

Garry 14:36

Ooh, that's a lot of characters For episode one. Man, so trivia time.

Amy 14:43

Trivia time. Let's go, let's do it.

Garry 14:45

Okay, so this happens to pertain to mistletoe murders. Oh okay, let's do it. Where does the majority of the mistletoe murder take place?

Amy 15:00

In the town At the tree farm.

Garry 15:05

It's a small town. Actually, it's a small New England town. Right and it was shot during Christmas season. Can you believe it? What? Yeah, it was a weird trivia question. They didn't give you the name of the town. It just said a small New England town.

Amy 15:21

I thought it was oh, it wasn't filmed in Canada. I thought it was filmed.

Garry 15:24

No, it said the majority of it was New England.

Amy 15:27

Oh, Now again, if that's not true.

Garry 15:30

I got it from the internet.

Amy 15:32

Okay, I thought there was going to be more to that. I'm so sorry. That's so funny, I thought, you were going to tell me the name of the town.

Garry 15:39

What kind of trivia is?

Amy 15:40

that it was filmed in a small town.

Garry 15:42

Okay, yeah, sorry about that, that was a much of a trivia question. My goodness.

Amy 15:52

They do have the name of the fictional town. That's what I thought you were going for. Okay, I wasn't the fictional town. That's what I thought you were going for. Okay, what's the name of the fictional?

Garry 15:58

town. We'll get to that. We'll get to that. Anyways, is it time to drop the synopsis?

Amy 16:01

I don't know, maybe let's move along here. Oh my gosh Okay.

Garry 16:04

I'm going to take a sip of wine. I think you better and you better come with some better trivia. Lame sorry about that.

Episode Synopsis and Setup

Amy 16:16

I'm sorry that was such a trivia fail. We'll get it better. We'll get it right next time yes, let's, yeah, okay, oh my gosh, you can tell that we have no idea what the other one's gonna say no, we don't tell each other he doesn't prep me with the trivia, because I might have corrected him a little bit on that.

Garry 16:38

Oh, my goodness, she got the last, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Amy 16:41

Okay, all right, get serious. So the synopsis that I'm going to tell you first is for Mistletoe Murders, the series.

Garry 16:49

Okay.

Amy 16:49

And then I'll do episode one.

Garry 16:51

Okay.

Amy 16:52

Synopsis Okay, so Mistletoe Mur murders. Christmas store owner Emily Lane's sleuthing skills are put to the test as she investigates local murders. Despite Detective Sam Wilner's growing affection for her, emily's enigmatic past raises suspicions about her true motives. Now for episode one Poison in a Pear Tree. Part one Christmas shop owner Emily Lane investigates a murder at a tree farm. That's it.

Garry 17:19

Okay, what a synopsis.

Amy 17:23

What a synopsis for episode one. There you go. Okay, oh my gosh Woo, let it go.

Garry 17:30

The suspense is killing me here people.

Amy 17:32

Yeah.

Garry 17:33

Okay, Okay. So before we get started, if you haven't seen Mistletoe Murder, Season 1, Episode 1, Part 1, click pause, go watch it and then come back and listen to the podcast, because we'll probably talk about some spoilers.

Amy 17:52

Yeah, we'll probably give some things away, and we don't want to ruin it for anybody. No, we do not. Now's your chance to pause go watch?

Garry 17:57

want to ruin it for anybody? No, we do not.

Amy 17:58

Now's your chance to pause, go watch and come back and listen.

Garry 18:01

Yes, please do so.

Amy 18:03

So what did you think?

Garry 18:05

You know what I really really like this series.

Amy 18:09

Like really, yes, I really do, me too, me too, yes, I mean you have this lady, Emily, who owns a Christmas store under the mistletoe.

Garry 18:20

She has a mysterious path trying to solve a murder.

Amy 18:23

Yep, check, check.

Garry 18:25

It's like some festive cheers and a dark whodunit I'm talking ho-ho homicide here.

Amy 18:32

Ho-ho homicide, yes. Yes, you've been holding on to that, haven't you? Yeah, I kind of have.

Garry 18:38

I can't wait for episode two. I'm dying to find out what's going on. Oh, homicide, I like that. What did you think?

Amy 18:44

I agree with you. I think we're off to a banner start. Yes, no-transcript, because I want to know and we try not to go ahead and series just because we don't want to have it spoil or taint, like our review. You know, because if you know more then it kind of affects your opinion about what goes on in an episode. So I mean sometimes you know you have to do it just for for timing and things, but um, to work into your schedule. But we generally don't do that and I'm dying to know I know so that to me tells me it was a really good first episode.

Amy 19:36

Like I'm left wanting more and I want to watch that second episode.

Garry 19:39

I know and I love the fact of just trying to figure out what's going on. Yes, so if you're watching the other episodes, you already know when you're reviewing the first episode and you've watched the second episode.

Amy 19:51

You know the outcome. You know the outcome, or you know some things that have happened, but I like to guess who's doing what I know.

Garry 19:56

I know, just to see if we're right or if we're wrong. I know, and that's why.

Amy 19:58

I try not to look up too much about the series Like I wanted to look up. You know why they started it and you know if it was based on a book or we found out it was a podcast series. But I'm also trying not to see spoilers. I know, excuse me out there for people to watch and I'm trying not to read anything that will spoil it. So, yes, I thought it was a great episode. So you have Emily, who is an owner of a store under the mistletoe and she narrates it.

Amy 20:28

So she kind of guides you through the episode and weaves in and out in such a great way and a long ago, you know, entertainment industry kind of used to poo poo narration because they viewed narration. If you have to do that, then you haven't told your story correct.

Amy 20:45

If you have to have a narrator come in and now I think that's changed, obviously right but, it used to be sort of like a like taboo to do that, but um, but I really enjoy it. I think it's great and you know I love sarah drew, so her playing emily is is just golden for me. So she's the shop owner right and right away. She wakes up from a nightmare, right. So you know there's something going on. I mean like out of the gate yes you know she has a past, you just don't know what it is.

Garry 21:14

It's a mystery. It's a mystery, love mystery, which we love.

Amy 21:18

So we have Christmas mystery murder.

Garry 21:21

And a sugar cookie.

Amy 21:22

Yes, and a sugar cookie.

Garry 21:24

That's so funny.

Amy 21:26

We got to throw the cookie in there. Death by cookie. Death by cookie. Death by Christmas cookie. I know how sad.

Garry 21:32

That makes it even worse. It does Even worse.

Amy 21:40

So worse, even worse. So she's this, she's this shop owner.

Breaking Down the Murder Mystery

Amy 21:41

You know she has a past um some of the things she says in her narration, like she keeps her doors double locked she's living a private life in a small town, which is sort of doesn't make sense, because small town everybody knows yes everything about one another, so I'm not really sure how that's going to play into it, but you have her in the small town running the shop and she has, you know, one of her, someone she considers a friend, who she's gotten close to june june and june's fiancee ends up getting murdered murdered murdered, right? So then emily kind of starts asking questions she asked, asks questions of the detective.

Garry 22:17

Sam.

Amy 22:19

And that's sort of the premise of this movie or series, not movie.

Garry 22:24

Yeah. This episode right. This episode yeah.

Amy 22:26

So she's starting the investigation sort of on her own, even though the police are doing it. She's asking questions that lead you to believe part of her past life was maybe detective or undercover stuff, or maybe she's a thief in another. I mean, I don't know.

Garry 22:42

We don't know what her story is, yet we don't find out.

Amy 22:44

Right, right. So I mean it was really so Emily-driven though this episode. I felt like the other characters were sort of on the edges peripherally around her. So do you want to start by? I know there's lots of different relationships and angles we can go. Do you want to talk about Emily first? Do you want to talk about?

Garry 23:05

Well, let's talk about the murder victim first.

Amy 23:08

Okay, let's go into the murder victim. So Marcus is the one who gets murdered. He gets murdered he gets murdered and he is the fiance of June, like we just mentioned. Well, I don't know if we mentioned his name, but Marcus is the fiance of June, who is the friend of Emily Right. So we find out that he's dead.

Garry 23:30

He's dead.

Amy 23:31

June and Marcus go on a wagon ride at the Christmas tree farm Right, go on a wagon ride at the christmas tree farm right, and marcus says he has some kind of business dealings and he has to take care of it that night and june isn't super excited, but he does and we don't know what happened right we we know that he has business dealings with gordon, who's the owner of the farm yeah but we don't know if they actually saw each other.

Amy 23:55

Right, you know, the next morning, gordon, and we see him with a black eye, but we don't know if that's from Marcus or from his gambling debts. People came to beat him up. He's an alcoholic? We're not really sure.

Garry 24:07

Right.

Amy 24:08

But we do know that Marcus is dead by a sugar cookie Poison. Poison in a sugar cookie.

Garry 24:16

Right.

Amy 24:16

So then we find out. I mean, there are things that we find out throughout the episode right Right. Like the poison is what a vet uses.

Garry 24:28

Right to put dogs or animals down. Animals down right. It's like the drug.

Amy 24:33

Do you want to say it? I don't know how to pronounce it.

Garry 24:34

I don't know how to pronounce it. We're not going to embarrass ourselves. I'm not going to do it.

Amy 24:37

So it's a drug that's used, so of course they suspect June right away.

Garry 24:42

Yes.

Amy 24:43

Because what does Emily say? The first suspect is always the significant other. Yes, right, that's who they point to. So Emily's on a mission To clear June's name basically. Right, so she starts asking questions of the detective yeah. She goes to the tree farm and asks questions. Yeah, so there's just like a whole lot of information gathering. I know it's a lot In this first episode.

Garry 25:08

Yeah, Well, let's go back to the list of names that Emily put together.

Amy 25:13

Oh yeah, we didn't talk specifics.

Garry 25:15

Right, and she had eliminated all of them except for one, and I believe the name was Joey Vaughn or Joe Vaughn yes, yes, you know she couldn't find like any information, right? Yeah, she couldn't find any information and she had gone to a couple of people and asked about the name and it wasn't until she went to Trent, who was Marcus's friend and co-worker yep at the bank yeah, then he was big into baseball and the autograph on the baseball was Joey Vaughn no, it was Archie Vaughn or Archie Vaughn.

Amy 25:48

Yeah, it was like Archie Vaughn but then she says but then Trent says he went by.

Garry 25:54

Joe.

Amy 25:55

Joey Vaughn.

Garry 25:55

Right and she was like oh, she put two and two together, yeah.

Amy 25:59

So then she realizes because that's the only name she couldn't identify as someone who had ridden.

Garry 26:07

On the ride On the ride Right or on the wagon.

Amy 26:10

Correct the wagon the night before with Marcus and Lizzie. Lizzie and Marcus's ex June and Marcus's ex Lizzie was on there. Marcus was with June on the ride Right. His ex was on there.

Garry 26:25

Right, but he wasn't. Trent wasn't on there Right, even though he signed the book, his name he used a pseudonym or whatever. So there's the mystery, right, right. Well, part of it, part of it.

Amy 26:39

Right, right, so she doesn't know. So Emily sort of hones in on that and is like why would he use that name in that book? Why would that name be used? So she's trying to figure that out, right, that's another, like you said, mystery that comes to light. Yeah, it's just like you solve one thing and then it just leads to more questions.

Garry 27:01

Right, which then she goes to interview, so to speak, gordon.

Amy 27:08

Yes, right, the next day For the second time. Are you talking about the first time? Because she goes twice right. Yes, the second time, right, because she goes twice right. Yes, the second time Right.

Garry 27:16

And she pulls up to the tree farm and she notices some guys coming out with duffel bags. Oh, right, right so she runs into the barn thinking that hey, maybe they roughed Gordon up or something and she asked him well, who are those guys? And he was like what guys?

Amy 27:35

I didn't talk to anybody, right, he acted like he didn't know, anybody was there right.

Garry 27:39

Maybe he didn't, maybe he was drunk. So they're talking and she notices a flask right Because one of the scenes after the ride the night before he had taken a drink out of that the wagon he had taken a sip. So he tells her well, he, just as he was cleaning out the horse stall or whatever, he came across the flask.

Garry 28:02

So she's like, oh, okay, and then she leaves and she's talking to I think anna right his, yeah, his daughter when a horse comes running out of the barn so they both go running into the barn and gordon's laid out on the ground right and he's not responsive right they didn't say he was dead right so emily calls 9-1-1 but she, she sees the flask right and she realizes that there wasn't alcohol in it right because when gordon kind of tells her oh I, you know, I lost this for a day or two, I didn't I haven't found it and she's kind of like okay yeah right, she doesn't believe

Amy 28:36

him because he's, you know, an alcoholic and so she doesn't believe him. And then when he says, you know, she leaves the barn, then then when they come back, she realizes that there was poison right in the flask.

Garry 28:48

So maybe he was telling the truth yeah, I mean, you don't know I don't think he killed marcus no, I'm just gonna go on the record just saying that I don't think it was him.

Amy 28:56

I don't even know. I mean, we haven't even, you know, we haven't really talked about Ray, the guy that she goes to see at the furniture store and it kind of sounds like maybe he you know, he's a little shady- right and he's able to find out some information and um, so she's using him, but I loved his character because you know who it reminded me of.

Garry 29:16

Who.

Amy 29:16

It reminded me of the character Sam on Burn Notice.

Garry 29:20

Oh, yes, yes, yes, that's who the character.

Amy 29:22

Ray reminded me of Just someone she can go to kind of like her, not really her sidekick, but sort of.

Garry 29:27

Right.

Amy 29:27

Someone her partner in crime, literal partner in crime maybe?

Garry 29:30

I don't know. Well, they made it seem like they knew each other, and they've been working because he's like she's like put it on my tab.

Amy 29:37

Right right.

Garry 29:38

So it's kind of funny, yeah, yeah, I thought yeah, his character.

Amy 29:42

I kind of like him already, so I hope he comes back a lot because he's sort of funny and jovial and he owns that furniture store, Like you said. Didn't he say something like put it on my tab?

Garry 29:52

Like he's going to. He's like how do I bill you? She's like just put it on my tab.

Amy 29:57

It's pretty good. It's pretty good. We haven't. Who else haven't we mentioned yet? Violet works for Emily.

Garry 30:04

Right, which is, and she is Sam's daughter. Right.

Amy 30:07

We're trying to keep straight and you know I love. At first I was like are they going to say that her mom died? Right to say that her mom died, right, you know that's why she's not around and sam is single and blah, blah blah. But I like that they made it not. I mean, I don't like divorce, but I like that they made it that she's still alive right you know that they didn't um have her die of something like the you know the cancer card or something I don't know.

Amy 30:32

So I I kind of not liked it, but I just, you know they're just separated or divorced or whatever. So she's not around for that reason, right, and maybe she'll come around, I don't know.

Garry 30:43

We don't know.

Amy 30:44

We don't know. It's a mystery.

Garry 30:46

Yeah, but she works for Emily, so and they seem to get along yeah.

Amy 30:51

Yeah, I mean, let's see, do you have any other? Oh, we haven't talked about Brooke.

Garry 30:55

Brooke or Rowan.

Amy 30:57

Or Rowan. So Rowan is.

Garry 30:59

He's like the help on the farm.

Amy 31:01

Right right.

Emily's Mysterious Background

Garry 31:02

And he's been there the longest and he gets upset because Anna tells him that they have to cut back on hours because of the farm.

Amy 31:13

But I was wondering, or is he upset for that reason? Did she just use that as an excuse.

Garry 31:17

That could be. That's what I was wondering.

Amy 31:19

I mean, there was a lot of stuff going on in the first episode, so Rowan's kind of like the guy who's on the outskirts Right, like he's quieter and he kind of just shows up. So we'll see what happens with him. And then there's Brooke.

Garry 31:32

Brooke.

Amy 31:33

Brooke, brooke, brooke. Who is like this prim and proper? And probably the biggest gossiper in the town yes. Right which the town? Do you know what the town is called?

Garry 31:42

What is it called? We talked about this a little earlier, I know. I can't remember the name of the town.

Amy 31:45

It's called Fletcher's Grove, fletcher's.

Garry 31:48

Grove.

Amy 31:48

Does Fletcher ring a bell?

Garry 31:51

Tell me.

Amy 31:52

Jessica Fletcher Murder. She Wrote that was the name and I wonder, because this is a mystery and I'm like is that sort of a shout-out?

Garry 32:00

to Murder. She Wrote I don't know.

Amy 32:02

I saw it on a sign. They didn't talk about it per se, but I saw it on one of the signs that Fletcher wrote. Yep, yep, yep. So I don't know, we'll look into that. Maybe there'll be more. I I just thought that was kind of cool, and if it's not connected, then oh well, I'm connecting it.

Garry 32:17

She will.

Amy 32:18

To Murder. She Wrote.

Garry 32:19

That's right.

Amy 32:20

Well, good Kind of cool, Kind of cool. So in this episode we find out what Emily has a past.

Garry 32:25

Yes.

Amy 32:26

Right? Was she in law enforcement or?

Garry 32:29

You know, is she in hiding Is she running from somebody.

Amy 32:32

That's a good point too, but obviously she has skills she's got mad skills, she can pick blocks yes.

Garry 32:38

She can jump, she can climb.

Amy 32:40

She's got her secured computer access.

Garry 32:42

Yeah, oh and remember she finds the USB drive. Oh, that's right, the toy's head was a USB drive. Well, we didn't even talk about that.

Amy 32:49

She broke into Marcus's home to try to find clues about what was going on and she found a toy and she's like he's probably not a toy collector because they have more than one.

Garry 33:00

Right.

Amy 33:00

And he's got like an action figure or something. And there's a.

Garry 33:04

USB drive in it, Right, but he also in a book. She finds an ultrasound, Right. So you have that aspect there too. We don't know who the baby is, who the baby mama. Well, we don't know, Because you know who the baby is who the baby mama?

Amy 33:15

Well, we don't know it could be hers. It could be, we don't know. Yeah, we just don't know and we find out. Lizzie is seeing Trent Marcus's friend. Yeah, so there's that angle.

Garry 33:24

Yeah, some shady stuff.

Amy 33:29

There's a lot of. I forgot about that. And then she also finds out from that USB drive that Marcus was going to buy the farm.

Garry 33:35

Right.

Amy 33:35

But then she finds out from Gordon that Marcus killed that deal.

Garry 33:39

Yes.

Amy 33:40

So there's a lot of different angles.

Garry 33:42

Yeah, because Trent was telling Emily it was weird that he was withdrawing all his cash because he was losing interest on it Right, right, so that made her go, oh really. Or did he take it out because he needed to use it as hush money?

Amy 33:58

See, there's so many angles this thing can go, or maybe he was trying to help Gordon pay off the gambling debts.

Garry 34:05

Could be. I don't know. We're going to find out.

Amy 34:07

Like I said, Marcus was going to purchase the farm from Gordon. We find out that Archie Vaughn, aka Joey Vaughn, was probably a name that Trent left. Archie Vaughn, aka Joey Vaughn was probably a name that Trent left Yep, as a fake name at the farm.

Garry 34:19

Yep.

Amy 34:20

We see Rowan upset after talking to Anna, which he talked about.

Garry 34:24

Yep.

Amy 34:24

Gordon got poisoned.

Garry 34:26

Oof.

Amy 34:26

Marcus died man. And then, at the very end, we see eight months earlier.

Garry 34:34

Right.

Amy 34:35

Emily's running out of a building. She looks at her phone. There's a countdown and then there's a big explosion behind her. But we have no idea and we don't know what the symbol means on that countdown. I think that was on her. Was that on her laptop?

Garry 34:48

No, it was on her phone.

Amy 34:52

No, I know it was on her phone, but I mean that symbol, that was on there.

Garry 34:55

I wonder if it was somewhere else, I might have missed that, I think I.

Amy 35:01

I don't remember it, I don't know, but yeah so, and that's how it ends, with the big explosion and it's like oh man, so now we're left wanting more and wanting more. Can't wait to watch episode number two.

Garry 35:08

I know I can't wait.

Amy 35:10

So what was your tinsel topped moment? Get it Tinsel topped.

Garry 35:16

Tinsel. Topped moment. Tinsel-topped, yeah, tinsel-topped moment.

Amy 35:17

Tinsel-topped moment, your biggest. Well, we do cheers when we do our movie reviews. Yeah, so I figure, we do a tinsel-topped moment.

Garry 35:26

I don't know I like when you find out that she's when she pulls out her briefcase from the cubbyhole. I just thought that was so cool.

Amy 35:36

She's got like passports in there. Mexico, yes and stuff.

Garry 35:41

So there's something going on with that Mexico. Like a Mexican, it said Mexico on the passports. Oh, on the passports. Okay, okay, but what was yours?

Final Thoughts and Ratings

Amy 35:48

Mine would be the very end when they start playing have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. And they're showing all the different scenes, oh yes, and then they go to. I just thought that was a cool way to end that episode.

Garry 36:01

So that would be my tinsel top moment.

Amy 36:02

Wow Okay, there you go.

Garry 36:03

Well, out of five ornaments, how many would you give this episode? How?

Amy 36:07

many would I hang on the tree.

Garry 36:08

How many would you hang? How many?

Amy 36:09

ornaments out of five, I would hang all five, yeah, on the tree.

Garry 36:13

Yeah, me too. What about you? I thought it was good.

Amy 36:15

Yes, it was a really good start.

Garry 36:17

Yeah, really, really good start. And guess what? There were no green screens.

Amy 36:20

There were.

Garry 36:22

No, I don't think there were. No, I think you're correct. So I think you're correct. Kudos to this episode. So is that a wrap?

Amy 36:30

That is a wrap.

Garry 36:31

All right y'all. Thanks for listening. Be sure to follow the podcast wherever you listen so you don't miss one, the podcast. The podcast I don't know sums up with my speech today drink some more wine. Drink some more wine. Also. Follow us on social media if you really really like the show and are listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We would really appreciate your positive review yes, and if you didn't really really like the show, we'd still appreciate your positive review.

Amy 36:57

And follow us on all the social medias.

Garry 36:59

Yes.

Amy 37:00

And let us know what you think about Mistletoe Murders, if you've already watched it or if you're just starting to watch it, like we are. It is on Hallmark+. Be sure to join us next Tuesday when we review episode number two, poison in a Pear Tree, part Two. You can catch the entire season on Hallmark Plus right now, so go check it out and then tune back in for our weekly reviews on Tinsel Tuesdays. Yes, be sure to also tune in on Wednesdays for our Hallmark movie reviews. Until then, fill up your glasses and push play. Thanks for listening. Cheers, cheers.