Director: Peter Benson
Cast: Alison Sweeney, Victor Webster, Barbara Niven, Tess Atkins, Mike Dopud
Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery is a 2026 Canadian mystery film directed by Peter Benson, starring Alison Sweeney as amateur sleuth Hannah Swensen. Based on Joanne Fluke's beloved cozy mystery series, it blends small-town charm, a locked-room puzzle, and Hannah's knack for baking — and for stumbling onto crimes.
What is Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery about?
The Lake Eden Inn throws open its doors again after a long-awaited renovation, and Hannah Swensen is on hand with pastries and good cheer. The celebration turns grim when a guest is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Before anyone can call for help, a fierce storm closes every road out of town, leaving the entire gathering — friends, rivals, and strangers — stranded inside. With no outside authority able to reach them and the clock ticking, Hannah takes it upon herself to quietly piece together who among the assembled guests had motive, means, and opportunity. The cozy setting masks genuine menace, and Hannah's sharp eye for detail — honed as much in the bakery as in any detective's case file — may be the only thing standing between the rest of the guests and a killer who would rather disappear with the thaw.
Cast & crew
Alison Sweeney, known for her long run on American daytime television, reprises the role of Hannah Swensen with warm practicality and dry wit. Victor Webster returns as the dependable Mike Kingston, while Barbara Niven and Tess Atkins round out a supporting ensemble that keeps the ensemble dynamics lively. Mike Dopud, Juliana Wimbles, and Wern Lee add texture to the suspect pool.
Context & significance
Cozy mysteries have always found an enthusiastic audience among Iranian diaspora viewers who appreciate character-driven, atmosphere-first storytelling where the puzzle matters as much as any action sequence. Hannah Swensen sits squarely in this tradition: a capable, independent woman navigating her community with intelligence and warmth — values that resonate well beyond North American borders. The Lake Eden Inn setting evokes the kind of intimate, snow-bound tension familiar from classic whodunit fiction, making this a comfortable yet genuinely engaging watch for an evening. The film is presented in its original English audio without Persian dubbing or subtitles, so viewers comfortable with English will get the most out of it.
Where & how to watch
Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery is available on K-Time in original English audio. Stream it on the web, on your TV دستگاه, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download required. Subscribe once and cancel anytime.