I had no expectations one way or the other..when I viewed to kill a Stepfather, mostly just curiosity...I had enjoyed lifetime movies..in the past. I thought this one sounded fascinating, it did not disappoint.

The story was very interesting, with an obvious choice of who the murderer was... but things aren't always what they seem...The drama of solving the crime mixed with the drama within the family kept me on my toes. I must say...I had an idea before the end of what was about to happen..but the acting was wonderful all characters did their parts well. Kudos to a new star on horizon...Alexandra Comacho, playing the lead role of "A top notch L. A. Lawyer" who turns out to be the accused's daughter..with mom issues.... I very much enjoyed this film and would recommend it.

This felt, to me, like Lifetime was trying this out as a pilot for a new series. The plot was basic and very contrived. All back stories were thrown in as single sentences, explained in a throw away conversation. No real character development, as if writers wanted to save that for "when the show got picked up". Because of this, I found none of the characters interesting or even terribly likeable.

The conversations were all just ones liners that were meant to show (I think) how smart/clever/witty the characters were but there seemed to be no real conversations. The chemistry between the 2 lawyers was so bad that I didn't realize until halfway through the movie that they had previously been in a relationship - I thought they just went to school together.

I love a " bad" Lifetime movie, but this was just a bad movie.

Prior his violent death, Matthew Rafferty managed a failing distillery. But the rye that he manufactured was a moot point because the land was worth $1.5 million.

Now, the distillery will be bequeathed to his wife Kate, who is the prime suspect in his murder. Kate's daughter Nicole, a hot shot attorney in Los Angeles, returns to her roots in the small town of Eastborough to defend her mother.

The film was well-directed with a brisk pace and many nuances in characterization. Alex Camacho was terrific in the role of Nicole, the savvy attorney with the conflicted relationship with her mother. The relationship between Nicole and Bobby, the district attorney, was also well-developed.

Early in the film, there was a wake held for Matthew Rafferty. The group scene brought together a wide assortment of suspects with genuine motives to kill an upstanding member of the Eastborough community. Even Kate's younger sister Riley is not without suspicion.

This is an above-average made-for-television movie with an intricate narrative design, first-rate performances, and a clever screenplay that provides a great punch at the end. Well-worth a watch!