The story line was interesting, was unsure how this would play out. Not always a big Jesse Metcalfe fan, however his recent Hallmark Christmas movie was not that bad and his acting here was good. From what I read this was Sarah Lind's first Hallmark movie, her acting was a bit stiff, but maybe with another couple of movies under her belt could rectify that situation. I thought the supporting roles were well played, bottom line, i expected a mundane flick and got something better in return.
A Beautiful Place to Die: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery (2020 TV Movie)
User Reviews
Review this title39 Reviews
New series
Jackbv12320 January 2020
The movie seemed to get off to a decent start as far as procedures, which can be distracting when they are sloppy in these movies. The chief was calling for warrants and it looked like the writers would be on the ball. Turns out that the trend flopped soon after that. Jeff handles all kinds of evidence with no gloves. And other things. So OK, this series won't be great on procedures either.
Another minor hole is that Jeff is supposed to have a bullet near his spine and "his doctor" orders him to go easy, yet he spends the rest of the movie running, jumping and fighting.
The mystery is pretty good albeit a bit heavy handed. There are plenty of suspects and some of them are pretty mean looking or acting suspiciously. We get a few red herrings. I didn't figure out whodunit.
The acting is OK. Sarah Lind wasn't sparkling, but as another reviewer said, she didn't have a lot of opportunity to shine. I also agree with that review that the chemistry between her and Metcaff wasn't great, but it was starting to brew. Like all these Hallmark M&M's the leads develop some romance over several movies and I expect the same here. Sometimes there is virtually none in the first installment.
One of my complaints with these series is how unprofessional it is for "amateurs" to have so much involvement and especially to take so many risks. At least in this series, both of the leads have some justification in their involvement and Jeff is trained as a cop so when he takes a risk it is probably calculated.
I look forward to more Martha's Vineyard Mysteries, but I feel bad for this smaller community if murders start piling up.
Another minor hole is that Jeff is supposed to have a bullet near his spine and "his doctor" orders him to go easy, yet he spends the rest of the movie running, jumping and fighting.
The mystery is pretty good albeit a bit heavy handed. There are plenty of suspects and some of them are pretty mean looking or acting suspiciously. We get a few red herrings. I didn't figure out whodunit.
The acting is OK. Sarah Lind wasn't sparkling, but as another reviewer said, she didn't have a lot of opportunity to shine. I also agree with that review that the chemistry between her and Metcaff wasn't great, but it was starting to brew. Like all these Hallmark M&M's the leads develop some romance over several movies and I expect the same here. Sometimes there is virtually none in the first installment.
One of my complaints with these series is how unprofessional it is for "amateurs" to have so much involvement and especially to take so many risks. At least in this series, both of the leads have some justification in their involvement and Jeff is trained as a cop so when he takes a risk it is probably calculated.
I look forward to more Martha's Vineyard Mysteries, but I feel bad for this smaller community if murders start piling up.
Once a cop
bkoganbing17 January 2020
Hallmark in launching a new mystery series decided to have a male protagonist for a change. Jesse Metcalfe who took a bullet that is lodged close to his spine
is a former Boston homicide cop who took disability retirement and went to live
at Martha's Vineyard where he spent some time as a kid.
Of course a murder is committed of a young man trying to buttonhole some of the Vineyard's leading citizens and it's Metcalfe who finds the body. After that his cop instincts just take over and the Martha's Vineyard police chief Eric Keenleyside welcomes his help.
As does the chief's daughter Sarah Lind. The trio of course get the case solved with a murderer you might not have thought had a connection.
This was a good mystery, let's see if Hallmark continues the series.
Of course a murder is committed of a young man trying to buttonhole some of the Vineyard's leading citizens and it's Metcalfe who finds the body. After that his cop instincts just take over and the Martha's Vineyard police chief Eric Keenleyside welcomes his help.
As does the chief's daughter Sarah Lind. The trio of course get the case solved with a murderer you might not have thought had a connection.
This was a good mystery, let's see if Hallmark continues the series.
Martha's Got Murder On Her Mind
pkdyer19651 February 2020
You never know how TV movies are going to pan out, this is one of the better ones. You need good leads to make a film Jesse Metcalfe and Sarah Lind do this in good style in characters and looks.
The chemistry between the two sets the standard to make this an enjoyable murder mystery set in a beautiful setting.
The storyline without giving too much away revolves around inheritance and charity dealings. The supporting characters make this into very decent watch, better than some rubbish mainstream films I could mention.
Interesting Murder Mystery
davyd-0223716 October 2020
Apart from the obvious fact that most of the females within the tale do seem to be a bit "plastic" the locations are pretty decent-an area which doesnt know how to deal with murder when it shows up. In this movie it does. The murderer isnt obvious and clues here and there keep coming up. On the entertaining side if you dont want anything too deep. I wasnt aware of any member of the cast but the offering is watchable although modern police techniques will hopefully arrive in Marthas Vineyard at some point soon!
An Acceptable Beginning To A New Series
atlasmb6 May 2021
This first part of a new Hallmark series is basically a police procedural. A big-city cop returns to the tranquility of Martha's Vineyard only to become involved in a murder case.
Jesse Metcalfe plays the reluctant detective, Jeff Jackson, who may suffer from PTSD and wants to avoid police work or unnecessary stress. But his natural tendency to be observant leads him to a corpse in the water just off the pier. When he gets pulled into the case, he works with Zee Madeiras (Sarah Lind), the acting ME with whom he has a personal history.
There is not much romance in this first installment, which is fine. The story revolves around uncovering real suspects among a confusing group of possibles, and reconstructing the events of the night when the murder occurred.
Jesse Metcalfe plays the reluctant detective, Jeff Jackson, who may suffer from PTSD and wants to avoid police work or unnecessary stress. But his natural tendency to be observant leads him to a corpse in the water just off the pier. When he gets pulled into the case, he works with Zee Madeiras (Sarah Lind), the acting ME with whom he has a personal history.
There is not much romance in this first installment, which is fine. The story revolves around uncovering real suspects among a confusing group of possibles, and reconstructing the events of the night when the murder occurred.
Good, not great
jlbsword27 March 2020
The series by Phillip Craig was so wonderful and one of my favourite mystery series. When he passed away I knew there would be no more of J. W. and Zee's adventures. So, I was happy to see that a movie series would be made. Jesse Metcalfe makes a good Jeff, but the Zee character is unrecognizable. In the series Zee has long dark hair, is a very earthy & compassionate person, and is a nurse. For some odd reason, in the movie she is a blonde fashionista doctor. And her acting leaves much to be desired. She comes to a crime scene in high heels. Really? But I did enjoy the story and of course, the scenery. I live near where it was filmed and recognized some of the locations here in SouthW BC. I will watch the next one but really wish the movie reflected more of the books.
Incredibly Bad
drednm31 January 2020
Lame story and bad acting sink this from the get-go. And why on earth would anyone do a series that's set on Martha's Vineyard and film it in Vancouver?
Jesse Metcalfe isn't bad as the Boston cop retired for an injury. He returns to the Vineyard to clean up his dead father's affairs and gets involved with a sappy doctor (Sarah Lind) and a local murder. The murder plot is lame and not terribly interesting. The acting is atrocious.
The setting looks nothing like the real Martha's Vineyard no matter how many times they mention Boston. By the way, the Vineyard is not off the coast of Boston, it's off the coast of Cape Cod. The sweeping vistas of the island (with skyscrapers in the distance) are insulting to anyone who's been to the Vineyard.
Aside from Metcalfe's Jeff Jackson, the characters are all dumber than dirt. The local police chief (the doctor's daddy) is a total dope. The doctor herself never seems to work and becomes Jeff's sidekick, traipsing around the island in high-heeled sandals and "little outfits." Indeed, all the women overdress, which is a key as to who the audience is for this tripe.
The other annoying thing is that the characters walk around with their coffees though it's obvious the cups are all empty. Also, the characters trample every crime scene and don't even wear gloves while they poke around. Bleh!
Jesse Metcalfe isn't bad as the Boston cop retired for an injury. He returns to the Vineyard to clean up his dead father's affairs and gets involved with a sappy doctor (Sarah Lind) and a local murder. The murder plot is lame and not terribly interesting. The acting is atrocious.
The setting looks nothing like the real Martha's Vineyard no matter how many times they mention Boston. By the way, the Vineyard is not off the coast of Boston, it's off the coast of Cape Cod. The sweeping vistas of the island (with skyscrapers in the distance) are insulting to anyone who's been to the Vineyard.
Aside from Metcalfe's Jeff Jackson, the characters are all dumber than dirt. The local police chief (the doctor's daddy) is a total dope. The doctor herself never seems to work and becomes Jeff's sidekick, traipsing around the island in high-heeled sandals and "little outfits." Indeed, all the women overdress, which is a key as to who the audience is for this tripe.
The other annoying thing is that the characters walk around with their coffees though it's obvious the cups are all empty. Also, the characters trample every crime scene and don't even wear gloves while they poke around. Bleh!
A beautiful place to die
coltras3527 July 2023
Retired Boston detective Jeff Jackson (Metcalfe) - not to be confused with Jett, RIP - enjoys a quiet island existence, spending his days fishing or fixing his dad's boat and not investigating crimes. After aggravating a back injury, one that likely led to his very early retirement, he reconnects with his childhood friend, Zee Madieras (Lind), a doctor, the police chief's daughter, and, as it happens, the town's acting coroner. When he discovers a body floating in the sea, both are drawn into the investigation that circles back to hospital charity gala they attended at the yacht club.
This is a solid thriller mystery that is well-paced and arresting enough to keep you interested. The chemistry between Sarah Lind and Jesse Metcalfe is good, though Metcalfe can get annoying with his brash attitude and blandness. The beautiful Sarah Lind balances things with her bright and balanced personality.
This is a solid thriller mystery that is well-paced and arresting enough to keep you interested. The chemistry between Sarah Lind and Jesse Metcalfe is good, though Metcalfe can get annoying with his brash attitude and blandness. The beautiful Sarah Lind balances things with her bright and balanced personality.
Not off to a promising start
ladymustang-121609 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I wanted to like this new series. I like Jesse Metcalf, and setting it on Martha's Vineyard is different. It showed some promise with a halfway interesting story. But first off, I hate the female lead. Who names their kid Zee? And will we someday meet her brothers and sisters, A, B, C, D, and the other 24 letters of the alphabet? Minor thing, but it's a stupid name. If it's short for something, they didn't tell us what. Or I completely missed it.
Anyway, the bigger issue is that trying to shoehorn her into the movie is just ridiculous. She's allegedly a doctor, but she seems to have no actual patients outside the Jesse Metcalf character. We never see her dealing with any patients, and she is always available at the drop of the hat to run off to do something stupid.
I'll buy that she is the island's coroner because she spent a year or two working in a coroner's office. That's fine. But apparently she is not only capable of doing an autopsy, but she is a forensic expert as well. Because I guess they needed someone and why not her, even though it doesn't make any sense.
But I guess the writers needed a damsel in distress, so she trips along after Jesse, and they do dumb things so that she needs to be rescued by him. They go down to the wharf because this lady saw someone on the dead man's boat, and Jesse sends the dumb doctor to wait on the dead man's boat while he goes looking for the woman who called him. And naturally the suspect is still on the boat and attacks the silly doc. And then later on towards the end she once again needs to be rescued. But she never really seems to add anything to the investigation. She doesn't come up with any clever insights or anything. She's just there, wearing ridiculous shoes both for a doctor and for running around an investigation.
Anyway, in the end it was more annoying than really intriguing. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth giving it one more shot to see if it gets better.
Anyway, the bigger issue is that trying to shoehorn her into the movie is just ridiculous. She's allegedly a doctor, but she seems to have no actual patients outside the Jesse Metcalf character. We never see her dealing with any patients, and she is always available at the drop of the hat to run off to do something stupid.
I'll buy that she is the island's coroner because she spent a year or two working in a coroner's office. That's fine. But apparently she is not only capable of doing an autopsy, but she is a forensic expert as well. Because I guess they needed someone and why not her, even though it doesn't make any sense.
But I guess the writers needed a damsel in distress, so she trips along after Jesse, and they do dumb things so that she needs to be rescued by him. They go down to the wharf because this lady saw someone on the dead man's boat, and Jesse sends the dumb doctor to wait on the dead man's boat while he goes looking for the woman who called him. And naturally the suspect is still on the boat and attacks the silly doc. And then later on towards the end she once again needs to be rescued. But she never really seems to add anything to the investigation. She doesn't come up with any clever insights or anything. She's just there, wearing ridiculous shoes both for a doctor and for running around an investigation.
Anyway, in the end it was more annoying than really intriguing. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth giving it one more shot to see if it gets better.
Pretty decent film
wblum524-881-26205220 February 2021
I'm a guy who enjoys watching hallmark as it brings some semblance of normalcy during the scamdemic. The female stars are all good looking girl next door types. Ms Lind is attractive and has the size 8 figure and body I like. She also is a decent actress and plays her part somewhat believable. As best as hallmark will permit. I didnt realize so many beautiful women were from canada. A very nasty cold place to live.
functional start
SnoopyStyle10 April 2021
Boston police detective Jeff Jackson (Jesse Metcalfe) was forced to retire with a bullet in his back. He's living on Martha's Vineyard in his father's house. Childhood friend Zee Madieras (Sarah Lind) is a doctor working in the local hospital. Her father is the police Chief. Jeff finds a dead body and starts working the case.
It's a Hallmark mystery and it's a good start as far as these things go. I'm not a big fan of Jesse Metcalfe although he's fine for this type of roles. His chemistry with Sarah Lind is still developing. She has one moment of pining for him. Otherwise, they are still processing. A flashback to their childhood would be very helpful. At this point, he has more chemistry with Chelsea Hobbs. The production is not really big enough. It's very much a TV movie. I wouldn't have called it A Martha's Vineyard Mystery. I would put it in a fictional town. The mystery isn't that interesting. It would help if the siblings act more guilty. One has to wait to see if this franchise has legs.
It's a Hallmark mystery and it's a good start as far as these things go. I'm not a big fan of Jesse Metcalfe although he's fine for this type of roles. His chemistry with Sarah Lind is still developing. She has one moment of pining for him. Otherwise, they are still processing. A flashback to their childhood would be very helpful. At this point, he has more chemistry with Chelsea Hobbs. The production is not really big enough. It's very much a TV movie. I wouldn't have called it A Martha's Vineyard Mystery. I would put it in a fictional town. The mystery isn't that interesting. It would help if the siblings act more guilty. One has to wait to see if this franchise has legs.
So far from the book series
Dbarber80016 March 2020
I couldn't detect one iota of any resemblance to the book series by Philip Craig. Lead actor did not have the look or attitude of the character at all. I know TV series based on books aren't true to the books, but usually there is some semblance of the original "feel." None here. I had high hopes
entertaining movie
cjchamberlin24 March 2020
I love the beautiful people and outfits. However, I wish the leading lady would wear pretty, but comfortable, shoes. I like having all of the different suspects, but I had to concentrate too much (remembering so many different characters).
Oh dear.
linda-plant28 March 2020
If Sarah Lind is reading these reviews, then she must realise she has to 'up her game' ! Her dreadful acting particularly at the end was laughable, and her running was equally less convincing, with her hands up in the air like some empty airhead ! Its not enough to have a great smile and look pretty, there has to be some talent there as well.
A murder in sleepy Martha's Vinyard.
TxMike21 July 2023
This movie is set in Martha's Vinyard but filmed in Canada and using mostly Canadian actors. It is a Hallmark movie but not the typical "guy and gal meet and fall in love."
So this is a sleepy community, there had been one murder in the past 12 years when a body is discovered in the water at the boat docks. They suspected a murder here because of the gash on the victim's head and a shard of glass embedded.
Fortunately for the community a former Boston police officer, who "retired" young after being shot on duty, is living there and working as a person who does odd boat jobs and repairs. He ends up helping the local sheriff and his daughter, who happens to be te local doctor also fuctioning as the coroner. There are a few false leads thrown in to keep us guessing and the reveal is pretty much a surprise.
I asked my wife, who reads lots of mystery novels, how the story here compares to all the others she has read. She said "sort of average." And I'll go with that.
The story is suitably interesting and the acting is fine, but in the penultimate scene the detective goes into a detailed explanation of how everything they discovered fits together and why the person was murdered. That much "talking" about the story is a feature of "B" movies where they are unable to allow the viewer to make all the connections so a character at the end explains it all.
My wife and I were entertained, streaming on Amazon.
So this is a sleepy community, there had been one murder in the past 12 years when a body is discovered in the water at the boat docks. They suspected a murder here because of the gash on the victim's head and a shard of glass embedded.
Fortunately for the community a former Boston police officer, who "retired" young after being shot on duty, is living there and working as a person who does odd boat jobs and repairs. He ends up helping the local sheriff and his daughter, who happens to be te local doctor also fuctioning as the coroner. There are a few false leads thrown in to keep us guessing and the reveal is pretty much a surprise.
I asked my wife, who reads lots of mystery novels, how the story here compares to all the others she has read. She said "sort of average." And I'll go with that.
The story is suitably interesting and the acting is fine, but in the penultimate scene the detective goes into a detailed explanation of how everything they discovered fits together and why the person was murdered. That much "talking" about the story is a feature of "B" movies where they are unable to allow the viewer to make all the connections so a character at the end explains it all.
My wife and I were entertained, streaming on Amazon.
A Sight For Sore Eyes While Telling a Good Story
ModelOfBravery10 July 2023
Never thought I'd head to Hallmark to watch stories, but I have, and I'm glad I did. Where we have explosions, destruction, graphic close-ups, bossy, pushy, overstimulated, angry, mean, rude, and high-wired 'gladiator' women in too many leads, this lovely setting mystery was a welcoming experience. If you're tired of graffiti as art (and globe-reaching wall scribbling vandalism being legitimized by apathy), foul language as normal talk (not in my world at all), eye-popping intimate closeups, and close-ups that are too close up, take an hour off for a good story told well, acted well, written well, directed well, on a lovely island most of us visit but rarely return to, and simply enjoy the ride. A hard-core true crime convert happy to find a soft place to land.
Female lead is weak.
shannonestafford20 January 2020
Some good actors but the female lead is not one of them. Not sure if this is because her character isn't developed enough... is she supposed to be portrayed as a clueless, codependent flake? No chemistry between the two main characters and the attempts to create it is a bit painful.
You
brightscove1 March 2021
Just awful
LtlHippo19 April 2020
No chemistry, lead actress needs a wardrobe makeover and then a trip to the hairdresser to do something about those dyed locks. Cops were so dumb. No one wears gloves at crime scenes? The guy goes up to the stolen car and opens the door and goes through everything with no gloves? Come on. Viewers aren't stupid.
A Privileged Life of Leisure...and Murder on the Vinyard
lavatch22 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was an intricately plotted film set on the idyllic Martha's Vineyard. But all was not paradise on the island due to a rare murder committed on the marina. The local sheriff enlists a recently retired Boston detective who has retired after a near fatal shooting.
The hard-boiled detective Jeff, who was well acted by Jesse Metcalf, lends his expertise to the sleuthing. He is ably assisted by his childhood friend Zee, the daughter of the sheriff. It was a close call, but no overtly expressive romance was developed between Jeff and Zee.
The filmmakers were successful in connecting all the dots that eventually led to one of the snooty Vineyard socialites. There was some great atmosphere with the beautiful footage of the town, the shops, and the ocean.
Good, briskly paced Hallmark film!
The hard-boiled detective Jeff, who was well acted by Jesse Metcalf, lends his expertise to the sleuthing. He is ably assisted by his childhood friend Zee, the daughter of the sheriff. It was a close call, but no overtly expressive romance was developed between Jeff and Zee.
The filmmakers were successful in connecting all the dots that eventually led to one of the snooty Vineyard socialites. There was some great atmosphere with the beautiful footage of the town, the shops, and the ocean.
Good, briskly paced Hallmark film!
Another one bites the dust!!
CMacdon74627 September 2020
A great book series that's been completely ruined. Nothing Vineyard like where this was filmed. Zee short for Zeolinda is a nurse of Portuguese descent and never involved in solving any crimes. The Edgartown police chief is not her father. JW lives a simple life gardening, fishing and cooking-living off the land. He inherited his Vineyard cabin. He's also a Vietnam Vet. Where are the Wampanoags? I could go on and on...
Killing for protection or for money or both?
clanciai3 May 2024
The idyll is perfect with only one murder in the last 12 years, and then a corpse is discovered after an exclusive dinner party with all the local tycoons. Unfortunately that corpse is discovered by a former detective who was hoping never having anything to do with any crime again, but the police won't let him alone and persuade him to help them with the investigation with threads to all the most important people of the community. Fortunately he gets the local doctor to assist him, the beautiful Sarah Lind, who as the temporary coroner discovers what killed the poor young man, who at the party had some quarrel with the most important local tycoon, claiming he knew who his unknown father was and pressing suggested siblings for money. It's a tangle of course, but fortunately that ex-detective gets things sorted out, and although filmed in Canada and not in Martha's Vineyard the scenery is relishable throughout for its beauty and wild romantic character.
Lead actress just made it really hard to watch
ADHDBarbie29 January 2020
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
