Mystery 101 (TV Series) Killer Timing (2021) User Reviews

Multiple mysteries

[Jackbv123 · 7/10 · 22 March 2021]

Romance story 10 stars Murder mystery #1 6 stars Murder mystery #2 0 stars Unrelated Cliffhanger - really???

I love the story about Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha. Great chemistry from veteran Hallmark actors. Throw in Travis' ex played by Erin Cahill and it's even better. (Cahill should get her own Signature Mystery, even if there are already too many of them. Maybe she'll be the third wheel in future episodes here.)

The crime drama is very messy. They throw so many pieces into that part, that you need luck figuring it out.

The first murder mystery itself has two parts which is fairly clear from early on. I thought the person who turns out to be guilty was suspicious looking, but I had no idea how that package would work out.

There was a foreshadowing of the second mystery also, and I did think something there was suspicious. But the motive????? Is this the most stupid murder motive ever? It's up there. Because it is so ridiculous, I can't imagine anyone guessing it before it was revealed, but if you did, good for you. The final attempt by this person was almost as stupid as the motive. In short, the climax of this movie was absolutely horrible.

For me, the mystery part of these series is just gravy, it's the relationships I watch for, so my overall score is not nearly as bad as it should be. But take out the double stupidity and this movie could easily have had an extra one or two stars from me.

Love this series

[pattersonjamie-12079 · 8/10 · 26 March 2021]

Overall the movie was really good. Erin Cahill was a good addition. I was ready to give this movie a 10, but the handling of the Wolfman at the end was disappointing.

Perfect except for the crime plot

[EPMD57 · 6/10 · 15 June 2021]

Pros: Great characters, high production quality for this type of movie, enjoyable relationship storylines.

Cons: Everything about the crimes, especially the ridiculous finale.

Overall: It's perfectly watchable, but I still want the writers to tighten up the mystery plot for the next one in this series. They could make a dozen of these, but we'll all enjoy them more if the crimes make a little more sense.

Amy + Travis

[MIssM19 · 9/10 · 24 March 2021]

Okay, there are several things happening at the same time and it's kind of messy: Travis has to testify in Chicago for a case he was involved in and his ex-wife, Kate is there. Amy is offered to be head of a committee to select a new dean for the students. While getting together to have dinner, a house explodes, leaving Travis hurt. 3 different mysteries are woven together.

I think I have said this in every Mystery 101 review I have ever done but I just LOVE these movies. The most important thing for me is the story itself, and the most important element: the chemistry between Kristoffer and Jill. I don't care if things are accurate of not, specially the procedures and stuff, they are only a mild annoyance.

I love how flirty Amy and Travis are, they don't even pretend anymore. And I love the fact that Graham (Amy's dad) is their number one fan.

We have new characters! The first one was Maria Valdez, Travis new's partner. And Travis' ex wife, an FBI agent called Kate. I like her. When I first saw the trailer, I didn't know what to expect but i'm glad that she just was there to do her job and didn't have any intentions towards Travis. (It would have been a terrible cliche)

Amy fighting the bad guy in high heels? Unrealistic. Uncomfortable. Badass. There wasn't enough Bud in this one, I like him.

THE ENDING? I did NOT see that plot twist coming. (maybe I should have) I was pleasantly surprised. Also, the final moments of this one?W They came out of the blue but that means that we will definitely have a 7th movie and I'm SO HAPPY!

A very well written and performed whodunnit.

[kmarsha-43002 · 10/10 · 27 March 2021]

I had very high expectations for this installment of the Mystery 101 series and not only did it not disappoint but it far exceeded my expectations. Hallmark Movies and Mysteries has learned how to construct a movie with multiple twists and turns while not revealing who the murderer is.

It just goes to show that a movie that is well written and well acted doesn't need sex and violence to be powerful.

The chemistry between Kristoffer Poloha and Jill Wagner makes the story come alive! I just love them together.

Erin Cahill was a welcome addition to the cast. It's empowering to see two women who have ties to the same man, support each other instead of tearing each other apart.

I look forward to the next Mystery 101!!!

Good up until the end...

[gee-15 · 6/10 · 27 July 2021]

This was my first Mystery 101 episode and I was pleasantly surprised for the most part. These Hallmark Mystery series are very hit and miss. Some are fairly entertaining (Murder, She Baked, The Gourmet Detective) and others are frankly weak (all the rest). So I'd avoided watching Mystery 101 until this episode. It was all right. Unlike some, I liked the rather twisty first three-fourths where you have two crimes being committed (or discovered) as a result of the fear of and search for an escaped serial killer. That said killer ended up being a "red herring" was all right with me. (Some the dialogue is terribly lame but the plot was good). But the last crime (heavy sigh)....

First of all, the head of IT would have no need to take Amy's computer if he wanted to mess with her email. He could do it via the network easily enough. Second, there is NO WAY that the hiring of a high profile position in higher education (like a dean) would rest on the shoulders of ONE PERSON. It would be discussed, hashed out via committee most likely in person and then a final recommendation made. The final decision would probably be made by the university president. Bottom line: lots of people would know who was selected well before that email was sent. Weak writing, if you ask me.

Luckily, they have Kristoffer Poloha and Jill Wagner who have nice chemistry and give off an air of intelligence, maturity and commitment that makes the series much more palatable. Keep them and give them better material to work with.

DOUBLE WOW!!!

[agambre · 10/10 · 22 March 2021]

This is the best of the series by far! Kudos to the writers! The twist and turn of events keep you guessing! Amy (aka Sherlock) somehow sees and solve the mystery that surprises everyone. No doubt that Mystery 101 is the best mystery series that HMM has ever created! In addition, the chemistry between Jill and Kris is s unbelievably awesome! Hallmark, please keep the series coming!

So unrealistic..

[ts-0000 · 23 March 2021]

Your inches from an explosion,but looked like he posed fell? No marks,burns,cuts or anything. Plus anyone or anything else near by is intact,sure ok.. Hallmark. Her white coat wasn't even dirty,for being close too. Lol. Lost my attention after that but,remained on the channel incase things improved. I like the actors & cinematography was ok,just very annoying episode.

Mystery 101: Killer Timing

[JoBloTheMovieCritic · 6/10 · 4 June 2021]

6/10 - this HMM original goes off script a little bit and it is a little more unconventional of a mystery, but it is still good and feels fresh.

Best yet

[brittonwayne-287-425268 · 10/10 · 22 March 2021]

This was the best in the series to date. Was almost a year since the last one. Erin Cahill makes a nice addition to the cast. Ended with a mystery to solve so another must be on the way.

Killer Timing

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 23 February 2023]

A serial killer who murders during a full moon has escaped. Travis Burke (Kristoffer Polaha) was involved in the arrest and now Travis is a possible target.

A bomb goes off and it seems FBI agent Travis Burke was the intended target. Professor Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) ends up joining up forces with Travis's ex wife Kate Coulson (Erin Cahill) who has travelled up from Chicago.

However Travis and Amy end up trying to track down the previous owners of the house involved in the explosion. It leads to a possible murder that happened some years earlier.

Even with a serial killer on the loose, Amy also finds herself in danger when she takes over the conduct of a college promotion.

There are several overlapping stories. It really is packed with plot with the explosion looking more like an insurance scam.

It is an undemanding and a frothy Hallmark mystery.

Amy & Travis sittin in a tree...

[takeaknapp-62865 · 10/10 · 23 March 2021]

Me and the hubsters thoroughly enjoyed this one ! Just WOW, with all the twists n turns! We especially love when they don't make the star 'couple' have some sort of fight mid movie like most Hallmark stories. We are so over that ! Its in practically EVERY Hallmark movie there is. LOVE LOVE LOVE Jill Wagoner...And her and Polaha have great chemistry

Killer Timing

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 7 June 2023]

In Chicago a serial killer dubbed "The Wolfman" escapes mid-trial. Detective Travis Burke (Kristoffer Polaha), whose testimony all but assures a conviction, becomes an obvious target for revenge and is nearly killed in an explosion when he returns home to Garrison, Washington. While he escapes serious injury, the search for the Wolfman takes a strange turn, and he and Professor Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) also find themselves investigating mummified remains inside the burned-out home.

Complicating matters and adding a twist is Travis's ex-wife, FBI Agent Kate Coulson, who is also on the case, and she's just as smart as Amy. Adds an interest dynamic to a different kind of story rather than the who-done-it staple. Having said that, I didn't find this entry as engaging as the others and lacked excitement- it's watchable with solid acting. Has a solid twist.

Weakest production thus far

[KehDBug · 5/10 · 30 March 2021]

Pros: The chemistry between the leads remains strong. The addition of the ex-wife (who is actually a NICE person) was refreshing. The storylines were interesting, albeit one of them was actually heartbreaking. The police officer enthusiastically encouraging the amateur lady detective is an enjoyable departure from other murder mystery series where the female lead is constantly chastised by law enforcement to "stay out of it."

Cons: Writers are so sloppy (and it isn't just Hallmark, it's all the cable channels who film mostly in Canada and churn these movies out like cheap Hostess bakery products). I get that these are low budget, but how many times have reviewers expressed a desire for quality over quantity? I'd much prefer 25% of the offerings that are actually made with care, as opposed to a movie every week that's just slapped together. No research is conducted at all, from the literature to police procedures and weapon usage. And an explosion with the force to throw a body into the middle of the street leaves not a single scratch, scrape, or injury of any kind other than a "mild concussion"???

Where the mystery is concerned, it's a convoluted mess. At the outset, I was intrigued and eager to learn how all of these different pieces would intertwine. Another reviewer mentioned the mysteries "woven together." I adamantly disagree. Existing together does not equal woven. It's just laziness of the writers to talk up synchronicity and not tie anything together. At the end, the viewer is left completely unfulfilled not only by the "attempted murder" by the serial killer, but by all the events covered that we find out are completely random and unrelated.

As to motive--REALLY?!? The weakest I've ever seen, and I've seen every murder mystery put out by Hallmark since the beginning.

And there's just no excuse after 5 installments of this series that Amy hasn't learned to not be alone when there's a killer on the loose. Her relationship with the perceived target would warrant more gravity. I really hate it when writers depict people acting in such an unbelievable fashion in order to fit with their narrative. These are people who are literally paid to be creative, and it's so sad to read reviews on this site from people who are obviously 10 times more creative than these paid writers.

grading on a curve

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 30 April 2021]

Professor Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) is meeting FBI agent Travis Burke (Kristoffer Polaha) for a restaurant dinner when a bomb hits. 33 hours earlier, Burke is in the Chicago FBI office getting ready to testify in a big case. The killer escapes and possibly out to get Burke. In the process, Amy meets his ex-wife and fellow agent Kate Coulson (Erin Cahill).

I actually really like this one. I like the ex. The pairing actually improves with the addition of the ex. I like the twists and turns of the case. I wouldn't mind if Cahill continues on with the franchise. I'm fully admitting that I'm grading on a curve here with Hallmark Mysteries. My expectation is low and this exceeds it.

A bit of a red herring

[MickyG333 · 8/10 · 9 April 2023]

7.6 stars.

This is probably my third or fourth favorite of the 'Mystery 101' series. The reason I'm not totally sure is that I've yet to see #7 and #5 was my favorite, but the next episode could change everything.

My boring introduction being established, I will talk about the specifics of this episode. I suspected one particular person as the antagonist, but the writer brilliantly placed a decoy, a red herring if you will, to throw us off course. They succeeded, and I was pleasantly surprised at the end. The overall archenemy being the serial killer the Wolf Man, was an interesting twist on the usual semi-mundane plots. At the end you will see yet another twist of that particular plot line as well. Good job on this episode, and I'm looking forward to #7. I really do hope there is more to come in 2023 or 2024. For now I will savor the flavor and wait a day or two before moving on to episode 7.

A great follow-on

[hypzrkunt · 8/10 · 25 March 2021]

The characters really work here. I really enjoy what looks like real chemistry between the two leads. By far the best but I still believe they are holding back. It's ok for the two leads to get joined. The events in the movie were a little soft, almost like the writers wanted to much in the necessary timeframe. Note to Hallmark, make a4 hour show but display it two hours at a time. Could have made way more out of the wolfman. Also could have spent more time on ex wife.

That being said I know what I'm watching ang this series I really like.

Holy moly! So good!

[kbarker83 · 10/10 · 25 March 2021]

This highly anticipated installment of the Mystery 101 franchise did not disappoint! So many twists and turns with the case(s)! Erin Cahill joins Kristoffer Polaha and Jill Wagner and this trio knocks it out of the park and leaves you wanting more! Plus, the chemistry between Travis and Amy is at an all time high! I highly recommend this series and this episode!

Excellent Writing

[cnmatt · 9/10 · 27 March 2021]

This was definitely well worth the wait! The writer, John Christian Plummer, did an excellent job of using the Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot, style of creating a mystery. There were multiple plots which overlapped a little but were their own mysteries as well. There was a topic in Amy's class at the beginning which was woven through the story and made a complete ending. Even the salt pig had its purpose. He also developed the relationship between Amy and Travis a little further, which is, of course, a pleasure to follow. There was one little glitch about which Poe story was referenced, but that was a minor detail. This is my favorite of the Hallmark Mysteries, and this episode was the one of the best of the series.

The WORST episode yet

[mkay1776 · 1/10 · 22 March 2021]

Extremely disappointed in this mystery. Not only did they use the wrong Poe story, the entire plot was based on a lonely heart??? WEAK!

This had such potential and they wasted it on a bad storyline, weak plot, and horrible research and writing.

Any student of Poe know the vast difference between The Murders on the Rue Morgue and the Black Cat. To say that a woman buried in the walls, is indicative of Rue Morgue, (where the woman was stuffed up a chimney) and not Black Cat (where the body is buried in the walls by the victim's husband) is a gross misjudgment and clearly shows the writer of the episode did not do their research.

I had such high hopes for this episode but was vastly and greatly disappointed. I have seen all of Mystery 101 and loved them all for their decent plots and twists but this one was highly disappointing.

As an author who has written a mystery surrounding Poe's works, I highly suggest you bring back the old writers or, if these were the same writers, take a vacation and recharge. You were reaching way too far on this one. Don't bring Poe (the greatest mystery writer of all time) in and misuse him. Very very disappointed! Waste of time!

The house of synchronicity.

[cgvsluis · 8/10 · 11 August 2021]

I feel like the Mystery 101 series just gets better and better. As I have said before my three favorite Hallmark mystery series are: Hannah Swenson's Murder she Baked, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries and this series Mystery 101. Killer Timing did not let me down, which is saying a lot since I delayed watching it...keeping it on my DVR for just when I needed it.

In the beginning of Killer Timing, Travis and Amy are meeting at a restaurant post Travis' trip back to Chicago to testify against a serial killer he helped catch named the "Wolf Man", when Travis is knocked out due to an exploding house. This sets up some interesting frame work for this episode...Amy scared for Travis calls her Dad, they find out "The Wolf Man" is on the loose and out for revenge. Amy gets to meet Travis' ex-wife, FBI agent Kate who comes to town to try to catch "the Wolf Man". And to top it off they find a dead body walled up in the exploding house. There ends up being lots of mysteries to work through, which made for a wonderful episode.

It also introduced me to Georges Simenon's work, for which I am eternally grateful. I have now read several of his Maigret mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed them.

The writing is pretty tight, the cast is wonderful with chemistry for days...and I really enjoy the incorporation of the character of Amy's father who is a famous mystery writer. Amy and Travis' relationship both their romantic one and their friendship continue to grow.

This wonderful series just continues to get better and I can't wait for the next one to come out.

Sidebar: I missed Travis' old partner and it was nice that she had another connection to Amy.

Messy plot.

[bangel3322 · 5/10 · 5 April 2021]

This has to be my least favourite of this series so far. It was boring and I found it quite messy. I found myself losing interest halfway through. But from the way it ended the next one should be good. Fingers crossed.

Disappointing mistakes

[babs-83065 · 1/10 · 21 June 2023]

I wanted to like this, but the errors were so glaring. ALS is not a teenager's disease, to start. Why Amy was carrying three copies of the same book when Travis called her is unfathomable. I'm wondering how Erin Cahill is such a top-notch FBI agent and a good cook, but couldn't find the salt in the kitchen. That frittata must have tasted really bland.

I really expected better from this franchise. Perhaps it's a good thing the series was cancelled after the next installment. In the future, the writers would do well to consult healthcare providers. They made another egregious error in An Education in Murder. You can't inject anything into an inhaler canister.