Hallmark fans have been tuning in to Alison Sweeney’s “Hannah Swensen Mysteries” since the franchise debuted in 2015. With the 13th movie — “Sugar & Vice” — premiering on March 7, 2026, and a 14th to debut later this year, Sweeney told EntertainmentNow why she’s still just as excited about playing her small-town caterer-turned amateur crime solver as she was years ago.
Alison Sweeney’s ‘Hannah Swensen Mysteries’ Castmates Have Become Like Family
HallmarkSweeney isn’t the only one who’s been part of the “Hannah Swensen Mysteries” franchise for 11 years. Castmates including Barbara Niven, who plays her mom Delores, and Gabriel Hogan, who plays Hannah’s longtime friend (whom many fans would love to see as her boyfriend) have become like family to her over the years. That has made it a joy to keep reuniting for new movies, she told EntertainmentNow.
“I mean, Barbara and I have so much fun working together,” Sweeney said. “We stay together (during filming) and have, like, little girls’ trips and run our lines, and it’s just a blast.”
Meanwhile, she and Hogan have such a great connection that they paired up for the February rom-com “Romance at Hope Ranch,” in which he played her ex, trying to win her back.
“It was fun to see Gabe in a different light,” Sweeney smiled. “He’s so talented, he’s such a great actor. He can be Norman the sidekick and be great, and then still bring that same charm and fun to his role in ‘Hope Ranch’ but be the hero, the leading man. He’s very dreamy in that but still the same disarming, charming guy. He just has it all.”
Cameron Mathison played Hannah’s love interest for many years, but in 2024, Victor Webster appeared in the franchise’s small town of Lake Eden, as a new detective — and the apple of Hannah’s eye.
“I love working with him,” Sweeney told EntertainmentNow. “He does such a great job of threading that needle of being the prosecutor, kind of stiff and tight and serious and focused, and then when he lets loose and has fun, he can really turn it around and he turns on the charm.”
Alison Sweeney Adores Writing & Producing ‘Hannah Swensen Mysteries’
Another reason Sweeney is still inspired to keep playing Hannah is that “Sugar & Vice” is the fourth movie in the franchise that she wrote and produced.
“I can’t tell you how much I enjoy it,” she told EntertainmentNow. “I mean, I love the acting and I always will. It’s always going to be my favorite thing in the world, but I love developing the whole story, being part of it from the beginning, working with the director, working with the locations.”
“Sugar & Vice” was filmed in November, just before Thanksgiving, and takes place during a masquerade ball, which Sweeney loved building the story around.
She said, “I was going with big, awesome dreams … just really making sure we get the combo of scary — like a serious mystery — and then also the fun of the Hannah Swenson world. I really, really enjoyed writing that one. It was really fun for me.”
Sweeney noted that she gets inspired by many classic mysteries, from “Clue” to “Agatha Christie,” telling EntertainmentNow, “There are so many inspirations for me in this. You know, a good locked-door mystery is just fun and it poses different sets of problems for these characters. You can sort of divert from the normal formula of how the clues are gathered and what happens.”
In “Sugar & Vice,” she added, “The sheriff has to, like, take Hannah seriously in this one, and they have to work together. I just think it was a fun twist on the normal murder mystery.”
Hallmark Channel’s “Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” premieres on March 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Sweeney and her castmates also confirmed this week that they’ve been filming a 14th mystery, to be released later this year.
Absolutely loved this one. Very very funny- Barbara Niven gets to really ham it up and its clear they all enjoyed making this one. I have watched Allison since she started on DOOL and to see her writing and producing- I am so proud of her. My husband and I have watched all of these and we love the repartee and dialogue and wow, the costumes in this were over the top!
Will continue to watch everything Allison is in. Loved seeing her with her daughter in the Ranch movie last week. Thanks for lighthearted entertainment and this whodunnit was a lot harder to figure out than most. Great job.
I love Alison and Victor. I really liked last night’s story. It would be terrific if more than 2 movies could be made and seen in a year. They are so entertaining and I hang on every word. Just good old fun, just enough mystery, and great plots. Thanks for making my nights and days when I can view one. Barbara Niven adds so much humor. She is terrific.
Absolutely love the Hannah Swenson series. The cast is amazing and such great chemistry together. I have been watching Allison since she was a teenager on DOOL.