Press release from Crown Media Family Networks, March 21, 2018:

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, television’s premiere destination for mysteries, has three new original world premiere movies, it was announced last night at Crown Media Family Networks’ upfront event.

Audiences will be able to immerse themselves in new whodunits which will include “Crossword Mysteries,” “Picture Perfect,” and “The Chronicle Mysteries.”

“As Hallmark Movies & Mysteries continues its meteoric growth in the cable landscape, we are excited to expand our slate of mystery movie franchises with three new additions to our already successful lineup,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.

“Each of our new franchises have great hooks and engaging amateur sleuths to draw in viewers who love to solve a great mystery as the story unfolds,” Vicary concluded.

“Crossword Mysteries” with Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott set to premiere in June, the movie is co-created by Will Shortz, crossword editor of The New York Times, puzzle master for NPR’s “Weekend Edition Sunday,” editor of Games magazine and founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

A brilliant crossword puzzle editor (Chabert) finds her life turned upside-down when she is pulled into a police investigation after several of the clues in her recent puzzles are linked to unsolved crimes.  The lure of an unsolved puzzle leads to an unlikely partnership working with a tough, but charming police detective (Elliott) as the two set out to solve the murder before the killer strikes again.

“Picture Perfect” stars Alexa and Carlos PenaVega.  The script will be written by Walter Klenhard (“Garage Sale Mystery”), and has Alexa portraying a photographer who ends up helping the local police detective, played by Carlos, solve mysteries.

“The Chronicle Mysteries” stars Alison Sweeney (“Murder She Baked,” “Days of Our Lives”), as Roberta “Robbie” McPherson a novelist and podcaster who’s researching the cold case of Gina DeSavio.  Robbie loves the chase, loves solving any puzzle or mystery.  She is particularly interested in Gina’s disappearance because Robbie and Gina knew each other as children growing up in a small town.  Robbie is also Miles Lawrence’s niece, the owner of the local paper the Harrington Chronicle, and she’s about to inherit the paper.