Mistletoe Murders Season 3 Episode 2 delivered the continuation of the Grim Wreather’s case, as Emily and Sam worked together to clear Helen’s name and find out who actually killed her husband, Richard.
***Spoilers From the Episode Ahead***
While Helen was in custody for breaking into the neighbor Albert’s house, it turned out to be a misunderstanding, and she was cleared of any wrongdoing, which didn’t sit well with her former stepson, Wes.
There was something off about Wes from the beginning, as he was determined to destroy Helen’s reputation and convince the town that she was behind the murder, but everyone chalked it up to a young boy being extremely hurt by his father’s death.
When Sam and Emily realized they didn’t have much of a lead in the mystery of Richard’s death and that the case might go cold, Emily suggested they try thinking outside of the box.
Sam wasn’t opposed to the idea, but he’s not exactly someone who likes to bend the rules. He was putting a lot of trust in Emily to make sure everything stayed above board.
And her plan worked–though it did come with a side of danger that also reminded her that she’s kind of a badass.
Sam and Emily set the bait by informing boy Albert and Richard’s daughter, Ruth. Both of them had a motive to want Richard gone, as Albert always competed with Richard over Christmas light displays and was even caught on camera taking his ladder 11 minutes before his death, while Ruth stood to inherit her father’s money, and his death came a day before he met with a lawyer to add his wife, Helen, into the will.
Neither Albert nor Ruth took the bait, but someone else did—Wes.
Emily confronted Wes atop the roof as he tried to bleach away any potential evidence connecting him to the crime. He was caught red-handed, as audiences saw him go from a wounded boy who lost his father to a vengeful adult wanting to make someone pay at all costs.
He took someone Helen loved, just as he believed Helen took his father, despite Helen explaining that what happened was an accident. And he tried to frame her for it.
Personally, I found Wes’ murderous side to be a bit of a surprise. I could understand him getting caught up in his anger and accidentally pushing Richard, but the fact that he was also intent on getting rid of Emily felt like a much bigger leap. It just didn’t quite line up with what we’d learned of the character at that point, and was a sad twist to his story, as his whole life was shaped by one tragic loss.
Wes would’ve probably had his way with Emily too, but her fighter training kicked in, and she proved she has more strength in her pinky than I have in my entire body as she hung off the top of the roof.
When Sam finally arrived, his assistance wasn’t even needed, as Emily had Wes tied up in a string of Christmas lights—with a full confession.
She’s not a damsel in distress, that’s for sure.
On the bright side, Helen got her redemption arc and was finally able to clear her name of the Grim Wreather moniker and even formed a sweet relationship with her stepdaughter Ruth, who no longer blamed her for her father’s death.
This season of Mistletoe Murders is interesting because, for the first time, we’re seeing Emily’s past as Grace fully bleed into her present reality.
Her undercover life no longer provides a safe cover. She has to face the music. Rather than simply reflecting on her past as something abstract, she’s being forced to confront what happened and reconnect with the person she used to be. We’re seeing Grace emerge in real time, which is a departure from previous seasons, when that side of her was largely portrayed as part of her old life.
We’re reminded that Emily is essentially two people. There’s Emily, who’s grown comfortable in her easygoing life in Fletcher’s Grove and would love to nurture it, particularly her relationship with Sam. But Grace keeps rearing her head, and everything Emily left behind is beginning to catch up with her.
The more she lets Grace back in, the more of Emily she seems to lose.
And would Sam even like Grace?
In the final moments, we also learn why Emily is so adamant about leaving after the holidays, despite her growing feelings for Sam. Sam, meanwhile, makes it clear that his daughter Violet is no longer the reason he’s staying in town, and he wants to go wherever Emily goes.
The problem is that Emily isn’t just trying to track down her former colleagues to keep them safe. She’s actively working as an asset for Intelligence again. We learn that Thomas has died, and his mother, Janet, now wants Emily to find Aaron and help bring down Chimera once and for all.
Another flashback suggests Aaron may be even more dangerous than we initially thought. Thomas and his mother reveal that Ms. Cambridge, the teacher Aaron framed for embezzling school funds, had been recruited as a CIA consultant. She recognized some of Chimera’s code, which is what initially put the organization under investigation. When a data breach occurred a few weeks earlier, Cambridge went offline, and they feared she had been killed. The breach was connected to Aaron, who they suspect was looking for someone to blame for turning Grace against him.
Emily doesn’t believe Aaron would ever hurt anyone, but the CIA clearly doesn’t share that view.
And if anyone can get to Aaron, it’s Emily—or, more accurately, Grace.
Emily and Sam work to prove the wreathmaker’s innocence. Emily tries to remain unattached in the present while reflecting on the mistakes of her past and the obligations of her future. Photo: Aaron Ashmore, Sarah Drew Credit: ©2026 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Peter Stranks
It’s a piece of the puzzle that helps us understand Emily and Janet’s current dynamic, including Janet’s desire to avenge her son.
But how does Sam fit into any of this?
Of course, while Emily has finally let Sam in on parts of her past, there’s no way she can bring him along or tell him that she’s working in intelligence again. That puts their relationship in a difficult position. She cares enough about him to protect him from the potential dangers, making sure he doesn’t become collateral damage. But the fact that Janet already knows how deeply Emily cares about Sam suggests he’s gotten a little too close for comfort.
There are a lot of moving pieces this season, and the flashbacks and timeline can get a little hazy at times, but one thing is certain—Emily is at a crossroads, caught between what her heart wants, the promises she’s made and a past that refuses to stay buried.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that she simply doesn’t have the capacity to be Christmas Chairman right now! (It made me giggle, but that’s why we love this show, right?)
How will she move forward? And how will the series find a way to balance the mystery, as it leans further into the darker and more twisted side of the story, with the Christmas spirit and joy, and the people we’ve come to love in Fletcher’s Grove?
Janet allowed Emily one last Christmas before their real work begins, which makes sense for storytelling purposes, but obviously, we’re already in this and want to see Grace back in action just as much as we want to see Emily spread holiday cheer and drink hot cocoa with June (I’m loving that she has a girlfriend to confide in now, even if she can’t tell her everything).
And do they even have the luxury of enjoying Christmas with Chimera out there?
Janet may seem convinced it is Aaron, but the season started with Aaron warning Emily that someone was restarting Chimera and coming after their friends, and he swore it wasn’t him. If he is telling the truth, and he found her so easily, why wouldn’t Chimera? And could Cambridge really still be alive and behind it all?
Also, I loved the title “Don’t Fear the Wreather,” a fun play on Blue Öyster Cult’s 1976 “Don’t Fear the Reaper.”
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