Magnifying the Differences: Haunted Harmony Mysteries, Murder in G Major
If you love cozy mysteries and Hallmark and are counting the days until the premiere of Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Buried at C, you might have wondered what the inspiration for the TV movies are. Here is the answer to this “mystery”!
What book is Hallmark’s Haunted Harmony Mysteries based on?
Here’s a deep dive comparing the Hallmark adaptation with the original Gethsemane Brown Mysteries series by Alexia Gordon — what matches, what’s changed, and why fans of both formats will find something to love.
What is Haunted Harmony Mysteries ?
Haunted Harmony Mysteries is a Hallmark Mystery cozy mystery movie franchise that premiered in 2023. In Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major, Gethsemane Brown (played by Tamera Mowry-Housley) moves to Ireland to accept a music teacher and choral leader position at a prep school. While there, she discovers that the house she is renting is haunted by the ghost of famed musician, Eamon McCarthy (played by Risteard Cooper), who can’t move on because he has been wrongly accused of killing himself and the woman he loved. Deciding to help her new ghostly friend, Gethsemane searches for clues to solve the case.
What book(s) it’s based on – The Gethsemane Brown Mysteries
The Gethsemane Brown Mysteries is a series of five paranormal cozy mysteries by Alexia Gordon, published between roughly 2016 and 2020.
The series follows African-American classical musician Gethsemane Brown in Ireland as she talks to ghosts, creates music, and solves mysteries.
The first book in the series is Murder in G Major, starts with Gethsemane Brown stranded in Ireland after losing both a gig and her luggage. Hoping to win her way back to the States, she accepts the challenge of turning a group of rowdy schoolboys into a champion orchestra. She's offered lodging in a beautiful cliff-side cottage once owned by her favorite composer while teaching, but there is one catch. The composer’s ghost haunts the cottage, and he can't rest in peace until he's cleared of false charges of murder-suicide. A growing friendship with the charming ghost spurs Gethsemane to investigate. Can she uncover the truth and help her ghostly friend? Or will provoking a killer lead to her own demise?
So: Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major is directly adapted from Murder in G Major, the first book of the Gethsemane Brown Mysteries by Alexia Gordon.
Comparing Book vs. Hallmark Movie: Similarities & Differences
Here are key points of comparison, helpful if you read the books and/or watched the movie and want to see how they stack up.
Protagonist: Gethsemane Brown is a former orchestral conductor, with a strong musical background in both versions. Gethsemane moves to Ireland, takes a job teaching music, and her background as conductor and musical sensibility remain central.
Setting: Both versions showcase the Irish countryside and are set in a prep school in Ireland.
Supernatural / Ghost Element: There is a ghostly element in both versions and Eamon seeks Gethsemane’s help to clear his name (or at least help set right a wrongful suspicion) related to his death and the murder of his beloved.
Tone / Cozy vs. Drama: The book is a cozy mystery with a supernatural twist: a blend of musical themes, mild suspense, character relationships, atmosphere, Irish setting, and some romance/subplots. Hallmark’s version leans into the cozy, warm, family-friendly tone: scenic Ireland, some romance, gentle suspense, ghost story, mystery, minimal graphic or deeply dark elements, which fits Hallmark’s style.
Music: This is important in both versions, but is experienced differently in the two mediums. Music is a central theme in the books—seen in Gethsemane’s musical training, her connection to the composer ghost, musical clues, notation, etc. The movie keeps music central with the ghost communicating via notes and musical messages; Gethsemane’s teaching music; scenes with chorus, etc. Visual and auditory dimension is added (which the book implies but can’t “play”), providing a different impact.
What’s New or Different
Visual & Atmosphere Enhancements: The movie naturally adds visuals (Irish landscapes, old houses, ghost effects, scenes that evoke mood via music & cinematography) which can enhance or shift audience perception compared with how it plays in the imagination reading the book.
Streamlining for Time / Story Economy: The movie is ~84 minutes. That means a lot of trimming. Some sideplots, perhaps some character arcs, are likely simplified or omitted.
Romance / Character Emphasis: Hallmark tends to slightly increase romantic threads or interpersonal warmth; some relationships may be more foregrounded than in the book. The movie seems to accentuate Gethsemane’s interactions with Inspector O’Reilly and with Griff. Whether in the book they are equally emphasized may vary.
Tone Adjusted for Audience: The book may contain more detail about internal thoughts, subtleties, pacing of mystery reveals; the movie may need more “hooks” earlier visually, more melodramatic or accessible plot beats to suit broadcast audience.
Potential Differences in Plot Details or Endings: Without spoiling either, in many such adaptations certain clues may be modified, suspects changed or reduced, motives re-ordered, minor characters removed. There’s some indication that upcoming movies may adapt other books, but sometimes they change titles or combine elements. For example, one of the upcoming Haunted Harmony movies is called Buried at C, which may or may not align exactly with the book Killing in C Sharp.
Why These Changes Happen (and What Fans Should Expect)
Adaptation Constraints: Time, budget, film format lead to condensing story; not everything in a novel can make it to screen.
Audience Expectations: Hallmark has a strong brand style—safe, warm, comforting mysteries; expectations for romance or emotional connection; supernatural elements must still feel accessible, not too scary.
Visual Medium Advantages: Music, ghostly apparitions, Irish settings: these can be more immersive on screen; the film can lean into atmosphere more than the book simply by description.
Series vs. Stand-Alone: Books have luxury of building over multiple installments; movies, especially if anticipating sequels, might set up arcs or characters in certain ways (romantic potential, ongoing relationships, recurring side characters) that weren’t so front-loaded in the books.
Bottom Line: For Cozy Mystery Lovers
If you love the book:
You’ll recognize plenty in the movie: the core character, the supernatural hook, the setting, musical mystery. Hallmark does a faithful enough adaptation to satisfy fans, while giving its own polish.
If you haven’t read it:
The movie is a pretty good taste of what the books offer—cozy, musical ghost mystery with heart. But you may miss some of the deeper background or side character richness that the novel provides.