Quick answer: there are five Chronicle Mysteries films, made for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Three aired on consecutive Sundays in early 2019, a fourth followed that August, and the fifth, Helped to Death, arrived in February 2021. Start with Recovered.
If you know Alison Sweeney as Hannah Swensen in Murder, She Baked, this is her other Hallmark sleuth, and a rather different one. Less frosting, more deadlines.
The premise
Sweeney plays Alex McPherson, a true-crime podcast host who goes back to her hometown of Harrington, Pennsylvania, to look into a friend’s disappearance. She ends up staying to run the local newspaper, The Chronicle, which is owned by her uncle, Miles Lewiston (Michael Kopsa).
Benjamin Ayres plays Drew Godfrey, the paper’s editor-in-chief and a single father, who is not always delighted to have a podcaster telling him how to chase a story. Rebecca Staab plays Eileen Bruce, the paper’s lifestyle writer, and Olivia Steele Falconer plays Drew’s teenage daughter Kendall, who interns in the newsroom.
Chronicle Mysteries in order
| # | Film | First aired |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chronicle Mysteries: Recovered | 17 February 2019 |
| 2 | Chronicle Mysteries: The Wrong Man | 24 February 2019 |
| 3 | Chronicle Mysteries: Vines that Bind | 3 March 2019 |
| 4 | Chronicle Mysteries: The Deep End | 25 August 2019 |
| 5 | Chronicle Mysteries: Helped to Death | 21 February 2021 |
What each film is about
1. Recovered. Alex comes home to investigate a friend’s disappearance and gets pulled into the newsroom. The setup film, and it explains why a podcaster would take on a struggling small-town paper.
2. The Wrong Man. A woman’s body is found, and her husband, who was acquitted, asks Alex to help clear his name. A nice twist on the usual setup: the client everyone already suspects.
3. Vines that Bind. Eileen asks Alex to look into the suspicious death of a vineyard owner, and the case turns on a disputed will. The coziest of the five, if you like a country setting with your mystery.
4. The Deep End. Alex’s friend Katie, a defense attorney, takes on a woman accused of killing her ex-husband, and the team digs into his secrets.
5. Helped to Death. Alex and Drew look into a self-help retreat and the life coach who runs it. A good one to watch with anyone who has strong feelings about motivational speakers.
Is Chronicle Mysteries based on a book?
Not as far as we can find. No novel is credited for any of the five films, which makes it a Hallmark original, like Mystery 101 and Crossword Mysteries, rather than one of the series that grew out of books.
Will there be a sixth film?
We have not found any announcement of one. Helped to Death (February 2021) is the most recent film, and we have not seen a statement from Hallmark either cancelling the series or renewing it. If that changes, we will update this page.
Do you need to watch them in order?
Each film solves its own case, so you can drop in anywhere. Watch Recovered first if you can, though, because it explains how Alex ended up at the paper, and the push and pull between her and Drew builds from film to film.
FAQ
How many Chronicle Mysteries movies are there?
Five, aired between February 2019 and February 2021.
Who stars in Chronicle Mysteries?
Alison Sweeney as Alex McPherson and Benjamin Ayres as Drew Godfrey.
Where was Chronicle Mysteries filmed?
The story is set in Pennsylvania, but the first three films were shot in Vancouver, Canada.
Which case was your favorite, and would you subscribe to Alex’s podcast? Tell us in the comments.
Keep reading
- Murder, She Baked (Hannah Swensen) movies in order
- Mystery 101 movies in order
- Hallmark mystery movies based on books
Sources
Film titles, order, air dates, cast and filming details were checked on 5 November 2026 against:
- Wikipedia — Chronicle Mysteries (film list with original air dates, cast and filming location)
- Hallmark Mystery — the network’s own site
Spotted a mistake, or news of a new film? Tell us in the comments and we will fix it.