Harsh Vardhan
Mystery is back on the menu with Hallmark’s latest offerings—two brand-new Hannah Swensen Mystery films are in the works! The network has greenlit ‘Cooked to Death’ and ‘A Pie to Die For,’ both starring Alison Sweeney, Barbara Niven, and Gabriel Hogan. While the cast is confirmed, details about the crew remain under wraps for now.
Production for ‘Cooked to Death’ is set to begin in November 2024 in Vancouver. The film’s storyline follows Hannah Swensen, whose long-awaited wedding to her college crush, Ross Barton, is finally happening in Lake Eden, Minnesota. Adding to her excitement, Ross will accompany her to New York City for the Food Channel’s dessert chef contest. After a taste of city life and winning the Hometown Challenge, the contest shifts to Lake Eden for the remaining episodes. But the competition takes a deadly turn when celebrity chef Alain Duquesne, known for his ruthless critiques, is found stabbed in the Lake Eden Inn’s walk-in cooler—before he can even try Hannah’s famous Butterscotch Sugar Cookies. Now, Hannah must navigate a mystery as complex as a five-layered wedding cake while trying to stay ahead in the competition.
On the other hand, ‘A Pie to Die For’ is scheduled to begin production in October 2024 in Vancouver. The story kicks off with bakery owner Hannah Swensen enjoying a romantic seven-day cruise, the perfect way to celebrate her new marriage. But her peaceful return to Lake Eden, Minnesota, is shattered by a fresh murder mystery. After the honeymoon, Hannah is eager to settle into married life, but those plans are derailed when her mother’s neighbor, former stage star Victoria Bascomb, is found murdered in the condo below. Known for stirring up trouble in her brief time in town, Victoria had no shortage of enemies. While the police suspect a random break-in gone wrong, Hannah isn’t convinced. As she digs deeper into a growing list of suspects, she finds herself unraveling a complex mystery. But with her own life at risk, solving the crime may prove more difficult than perfecting the ultimate banana cream pie.
Earlier this year, Alison Sweeney starred in ‘One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,’ with Barbara Niven and Gabriel Hogan. The plot follows Hannah as she investigates a suspicious explosion during her baking class and the murder of a colleague. Sweeney’s recent credits also include ‘A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,’ featuring Niven, and ‘Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,’ where she was again joined by both Niven and Hogan.
‘One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,’ starring Alison Sweeney, Barbara Niven, and Gabriel Hogan, was filmed in Vancouver, a popular location for Hallmark’s mystery productions. Other sleuthing projects shot in the area include ‘The Cases of Mystery Lane‘ and ‘Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home.’
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