Murder at Martingale Manor

by Jodi Taylor

Genres: Time Travel, Science Fiction, Historical, Christmas, Holiday, Audiobook, Fantasy

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2025

About the author

Jodi Taylor is the internationally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's series, the story of a bunch of disaster prone individuals who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel! She is also the author of the Time Police series - a St Mary's spinoff and gateway into the world of an all-powerful, international organisation who are NOTHING like St Mary's. Except, when they are.

Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.

Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what a Christmas treat! Released on the Kindle today, for 99p (as it traditional) this was a lovely read that at 100 pages took less than a couple of hours. Following recent time-travel-related injuries, Max is taken by her husband for a quiet week away to 1924 and a quiet country house in Devon. Of course, this doesn't account for the dead body...

You can read this as a standalone, as an homage to Christie (but with a knowing wink.) Jodi gets that country house in the 1920s feel spot on. Lots of mention of food and drink, and all the Agatha cliches you can think of - the mysterious older woman, the absent-minded clergyman, the doctor, the military man, the charming young couple - perfectly formed. A lovely little self- contained story, just right for a Christmas morning. Perfect whilst it lasted.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem of a story! Max meets a Christie mystery? Yes please

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

St Mary’s style time travel meets Agatha Christie, so a blend of my two favourite fiction genres. Lots of fun.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The St Mary’s festive story is a little different from past ones. The jump is actually planned and Peterson and Markham aren’t part ot the team. This is a nice leisurely trip just for Leon and Max to help Max recover from her injuries. A quiet, remote hotel with characters who could have stepped straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. What could possibly go wrong?

Although I’m confused about Jodie’s about there being 5 pennies to the pound instead of 12…I think it’s a typo and it should read shilling not pound. There were 12 pennies to the old shilling which changed to a 5 pence piece when the U.K. went decimal.

[Karsyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Was fine.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

love Leon and Max

Leon and Max are the reason, I keep coming back to St Mary’s. Novella are great, love a quick read. Of course their holiday went wrong and someone was murdered.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leon takes Max to recuperate after her injuries, and what could be nicer than a trip back to the 1920s and a country house hotel, all very Agatha Christie - who just happens to be the author of the paperback book Max is reading in hospital.

Indeed, the guests and staff at Martingale Manor in Devon could easily have come from one of Ms Christie's books: the mysterious older woman, the absent-minded clergyman, the doctor, the military man, the charming young couple, the chatty maid, the hotel manageress with a secret.

One night at dinner, one of the guests makes a quite innocuous comment, directed more at themselves than any other person in the room ... and yet the effect on the room was remarkable. The next day, the guest is dead, and it doesn't look like an accident or natural causes. Even worse, all the other guests and staff seemed to have congregated together in the lobby or gardens with other people ... except Leon. Can Max uncover the real culprit and save Leon?

This was a lovely mystery, I do love reading Jodi's annual Christmas novella, it's as much a part of my Christmas as turkey with all the trimmings or a tin of Quality Street. My only gripe is that I didn't understand what Max meant about Olly and Molly - I'll have to read a review/analysis from someone cleverer than me to find out I guess. Okay, on second thoughts I had two gripes, wasn't the murder method the same one (pretty much) as in the recent BBC adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel? Not naming it specifically but it was aired in March 2025.

Anyway, if you love an Agatha Christie, or Jodi Taylor, or time travel give this a go.

[Brian Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jodi Taylor always writes a story for Christmas and this time it features Max and Leon's visit to a country house in 1920's Devon. It's supposed to be a relaxing holiday for Max, planned by Leon, but when Max is around, then those of you who have read the Chronicles of St. Mary's novels before, know that anything is possible.

All is going well until one morning, when Max leaves Leon in their hotel room doing a particularly challenging crossword, whilst she goes off to do some sketches of the local scenery. Then whilst she is sketching a misty scene a body lands besides her, apparently having fallen from one of the hotel rooms. It turns out to be a case of murder and the only person at the hotel without an alibi is Leon.

I won't spoil the novel for readers by revealing anymore of the plot, but will say there are a lot of twists and turns, especially as it appears that all of the guests at the hotel have something to hide. An excellent read I can highly recommend.

[Jacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jodi Taylor always drops a new short story on Christmas Day and I usually manage to read it same day, but we got a dinner invitation so I just managed to squeeze this in before New Year. It’s charming and funny, based on the Agatha Christie style of murder mystery. Leon takes Max back to the 1920s for a week of R&R in a country house hotel. Food, rest, tea, and more food. It’s all going terribly well until a body falls at Max’s feet – literally – and despite the fact that the house is full of (deliberately) cliché Christie-esque characters with dark secrets, Leon is the only one without an alibi. A short read, but a fun one.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun little short story, homage to Agatha Christy, but with time travel. I feel like I now need to read the book mentioned in here to see if there is any similarity.
While this is a standalone you would benefit from being familiar with the St. Mary's universe of books, but I don't think you need to be up to date if you haven't read them all.

[Barbara Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not generally a fan of short stories but Jodi Taylor’s annual stories released on Christmas Day are a much anticipated treat that I look forward to each year.

This one features Max and Leon who have jumped back into Agatha Christie murder mystery territory by staying in a country hotel in the 1920s. Great fun, I loved it.

[Scarlet Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

another enjoyable read

I’ve been starved of Max and Leon since we’re in the Smallhope period right now. This was exactly what I needed. Roll on to some more time police with Matthew, Luke and Jane please!

[Karin Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This year’s Christmas short story is a tongue in cheek homage to Agatha Christie and, as you can be fairly confident that Jodi isn’t going to kill off Max or Leon on a Christmas jaunt you can sit back and enjoy seeing how she gets them out of their predicament.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this on Christmas as soon as it was released. What a lovely treat.

[MR D MISKELLY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Excellent read as always, highly recommend, love the st Mary's Christmas stories, look forward to them each year with anticipation.

[Chris & Phil Butterworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never fails

To be enjoyable always readable ,never able to be put down.
Just what I needed on a very uninspiring Xmas day

[Lindsay Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading.

Brilliant as always! Max and Leon have an unusually - but well fed- sedate experience in their out of the ordinary country house break!
Loved it.

[Rachel Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

As usual Jodi has come up with a great short story in Agatha Christie style really enjoyed it. But then I love most of Jodi works

[Yvonne Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Oh so good to be back with the St Mary's gang, another brilliant book in a series of brilliant books!!
Murder and mayhem, always a good combination!!

[Amna Reads Books آمنہ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the lowest I’ve rated a St Marys book. It just felt rushed and not as interesting as her other short stories. I think I missed reading about the other characters

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite as much mayhem as usual but still a great story, and a lovely Christmas gift from the author.