Lori Loughlin‘s Hallmark Channel homecoming has been filled with rewarding reunions, and tonight’s new release, Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder Takes the Stage, marks the latest one.

Loughlin, who kicked off her tenure as the thrifty, crime-solving Jennifer Shannon in 2013’s Garage Sale Mystery, has since inhabited the role in 16 other Garage Sale Mysteries films including Murder Takes the Stage, which involves a murder taking place at her true-crime book club, where they are reenacting the infamous Borden murders.

“It felt familiar, and it felt like coming home,” she said of returning to the franchise and reuniting with co-stars like Sarah Strange and Kevin O’Grady.

The case at the center of the movie feels particularly timely, as Ryan Murphy‘s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story also being released on Netflix earlier this week, which Loughlin said was a “fluke.”

“We had no idea,” she added. “But that’s exciting. I love all of Ryan Murphy’s stuff. I love Ryan and I think he’s a really nice man, too.”

Hallmark fans have also gotten to revel in Loughlin reprising her role as Abigail Stanton in the beloved historical romance series When Calls the Heart. During our chat with Loughlin, which also took place just days before the network’s 17th annual Countdown to Christmas lineup was announced, the actress opened up further about her highly anticipated Garage Sale Mysteries return, Abigail Stanton’s When Calls the Heart Season 14 arc, and co-starring with Tom Cavanagh in their upcoming Christmas film, What If Christmas.

DECIDER: How familiar were you with the Borden murders before filming this installment of Garage Sale Mysteries?

LORI LOUGHLIN: Not that familiar. Of course, as a child, we all know the “Lizzie Borden gave her mother 40 whacks, gave her her father 41.” Now I can’t even remember. I was familiar with that, but I didn’t know a lot about the story. So even I’m surprised to [learn about the] jewelry and things that I didn’t know, facts that I didn’t know at all that make you do pause and go, “Hmm,” you know? So it’s interesting to learn about that.

After filming this movie, have you been swayed one way or another as to whether or not Lizzie was guilty?

Oh goodness. It is one of those mysteries where you’re just like, “I don’t know. It could go either way, I suppose. It really could. And that’s Jennifer’s take on it too, Jennifer Shannon, my character. She’s a real mystery buff, and even she’s like, “I just don’t know.” There are so many arguments on both sides to make a valid case.

This installment of Garage Sale Mysteries is timed extremely well. The new Monster installment on Netflix, Ryan Murphy‘s series, about Lizzie Borden came out this week.

Oh my goodness, that was a fluke! [Laughs] We had no idea. But that’s exciting. I love all of Ryan Murphy’s stuff. I love Ryan and I think he’s a really nice man, too.

What do you think it is about this case that’s worth revisiting in both Garage Sale Mysteries and Monster?

Maybe because it is a case where you can argue both sides. It is interesting that she wasn’t found guilty. People are still trying to figure out what really did go on, what really did happen. And if she did it, what was her motive? So maybe that’s why. Like Jennifer says in Garage Sale [Mysteries], “You can’t figure it out.” It’s perplexing.

This movie marks your 17th Garage Sale Mysteries film. What do you think it is about this franchise that has made it such a lasting success?

God, I can’t believe it’s 17. That’s crazy. I think what has made it a lasting success is that the murder mysteries are interesting and fun. They’re not too scary. The whole family can watch it. I think that the characters we’ve created and their relationships are fun to watch. I think they’re a group of people that the audience tunes in to hang out with, whether it’s Jen and Detective Frank Lynwood (Kevin O’Grady) and how they’re really friends, but she’s always getting in the way, and she’s kind of always stepping on his toes and driving him a little crazy. But then he also appreciates that she does have good detective skills, and so he kind of also relies on her. I think the marriage between Jennifer and Jason (Steve Bacic) is really inspiring to people. I think that it’s not a perfect marriage, but you can tell that this couple is meant to be and destined to be together, and their relationship is really rooted in trust and love. I think having that family unit is kind of a fun aspect, too. I just think all the characters together, along with some creative mystery plot line, have made for a a good show.

What was it like to return to the role of Jennifer Shannon after so long? Did you have any adjusting to do, or did it feel as natural as the last time you got to film?

It felt really natural. I would actually stand on set and say, “Has it been seven years? I can’t believe it’s been seven years.” The whole cast just reunited, it was like we’d seen each other yesterday. It really was seamless. We had directors in the past that we used multiple times, but this time we hired this phenomenal woman, her name is Paula Elle. She brought such enthusiasm, and that kind of enthusiasm really also can permeate through the cast and the crew. I just think there was a good, all-around energy and excitement to be back, but it didn’t feel foreign. It felt familiar, and it felt like coming home.

That’s so special. You mentioned reuniting with the cast. I know that Sarah Strange also returns to the Garage Sale Mysteries franchise. She’s been with you since the first movie.

Yeah!

What was it like to have this reunion?

It was so beautiful, like just so heartwarming and beautiful. I guess it would be like if you had a dear friend and it’s been quite a bit of time since you could actually see them. I stayed in touch with them over the years. But I live in LA, they live in Canada. So Sarah and I would text. Actually, Kevin O’Grady and I would text each other a lot and when Kevin came out to California, I’d meet up with him for lunch or whatnot. But just reuniting with them was, like I said, like going home. It was just like when you see your family members or your friends that are near and dear to you, and especially if you haven’t seen them in a while. You ever have that friend where maybe you don’t talk all the time, but then when you see each other, you just reconnect and it’s like, you never missed a beat? That’s what it felt like.

Given that this is a murder mystery, were you given the entire script at once? Were you aware who the killer was? How did you react to this ending?

I’m a producer on it, so I was there as we developed it and I was working with producers and people from the network and the writer. We were given an outline first. So I knew the outline. It goes in steps. They pitch the idea, then you get an outline, then you get a little more detailed in the outline, and so it’s all a bit of a process. So by the time I read the script, I knew the basic plot line. Now we were delving into the characters and keeping the characters true to who they are, making sure their voices were accurate, and so it’s a process. I love being part of that process from the ground up. I think it’s really exciting.

And still in the realm of Hallmark, you also return to the fan-favorite series, When Calls the Heart as Abigail Stanton, and you’re also said to appear in some Season 14 episodes. Can you tease any status update on the new season or what Abigail’s story might look like next season?

I don’t want to give too much away. I will say Abigail returns to town and she has a secret when she shows up, and she doesn’t — it takes a little while before she divulges that to Elizabeth (Erin Krakow). So she enters with a little bit of mystery, which I really liked because it’s not typical Abigail. So, in many ways, it’s Abigail. She’s home again. She’s reconnecting and she’s finding her footing in Hope Valley again. But then there’s also something that’s going on in her life that she hasn’t completely revealed to people in the town, especially Elizabeth.

What excited you most about your return to Hope Valley?

Oh my gosh, seeing my cast mates and being reunited with all of them, like that is just, was such a dream come true, and then our writer Joy [Gregory] is just wonderful. I think all the stories have been very interesting, very entertaining. We have dramatic, we have fun, we have silly, we have romantic. She’s covering all bases and she’s doing such a great job.

I have to ask—being that this is Hallmark, do you potentially have any Christmas movies on the horizon, or could we see you pop up in one in the future?

I do! I have the most, I think, delightful Christmas movie coming out in [October].  We already shot it. I did it with Tom Cavanagh, who is a dream come true. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Tom Cavanagh. He’s just a delightful, funny, fantastic actor. This one is close to me because I have a friend of mine, Kara, who’s a writer. I was looking for a project about four years ago, maybe even longer, for another network before I went back to Hallmark. I said to her, “I know you have something hiding in your closet somewhere.” And she said, “Well, I do have this one script, but it’s written for a younger couple.” And I said, “Would you send it to me?” I read it, and I was like, “Okay, there’s a story here.” I started developing that and then it never came to fruition with the other network. But it was always kind of still in my mind. I was always like, “I’d love to get this made.” And then when everything came together with Hallmark again and they wanted to do a Christmas movie, I called Brad Krevoy who produces When Calls the Heart and produces a lot of stuff for Hallmark, an independent producer. He was the one I was working with on this Christmas idea. I called him up and I said, “How about we we pitch this idea to them?” I said, “I know the script needs some work.” So we did, and Kara did a lovely job. Then they had another writer come in and really polish it up and make some changes, and it just all came together and I I really like it. I think it’s different too for Hallmark. I mean, it definitely follows the Christmas mode, but it’s a little bit of unique. That’s all I’ll say.  It’s fun though. It’s very heartwarming and I’m so happy we got it made, and I think the audience will like it…

I’m really excited.

I hope!

At DECIDER, we’re a website that’s dedicated to all things streaming. Do you have any shows or movies that you’re watching right now?

Oh! Yes, I’m watching The Pitt. I just started watching Furious. I’m a huge fan of The Diplomat. I like Lioness, Landman, The Madison. I love all things Taylor Sheridan. It’s funny, we’re doing the Borden murder[s] for Garage Sale [Mysteries], but Ryan Murphy has a new show coming out, so I’m anxiously awaiting to see that.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder Takes the Stage premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel, with next-day streaming available on Hallmark+.