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Murder At Madingley Grange
Simon Hannford is in need of some fast money, and murder seems the obvious solution. Specifically, a 1930s Murder Mystery Weekend, to be held at Madingly Grange, his aunt's superbly hideous gothic mansion. Simon and his sister are meant to be house-sitting, but surely Aunt Maude would not begrudge them the chance to earn a few nearly honest shekels. Simon's grand plans quickly go awry, beginning with the guests'each one dottier than the last'and moving on to the staff, hired on the cheap and with larcenous plans of their own. And when an actual body turns up, Simon's charade of detection is suddenly forced to begin in earnest.
292 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
350 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Graham
25 books615 followersCaroline Graham is an English playwright, screenwriter and novelist. She attended the Open University, and received a degree in writing for the theatre from the University of Birmingham.
Series:
* Chief Inspector Barnaby
Series:
* Chief Inspector Barnaby
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
May 25, 2011
I found it hard to get into and rather unbelievable. I thought one of the main characters, Simon, was such an unlikable jerk that I was really hoping he might be the one murdered.
July 4, 2018
This is a non-series cosy crime novel by the author of the Midsomer Murders series. Very entertaining book - as usual she focuses on the interaction of her characters with a lot of humour thrown in. Expect the unexpected.
May 31, 2018
I admit it started off being annoying, and then got to be pretty funny. It's a madcap weekend of murder and real murder, and romance, and class consciousness.
December 5, 2018
Entertaining read but probably not on par with her Barnaby mysteries. Although I have to admit - Caroline Graham has an outstanding gift of language. Her turn of phrase is simply superb - check my added quotes.
February 11, 2025
Audiobook version. It's sort of terrible as a murder mystery. Very entertaining descriptions of characters. Characters here have been given membership to my personal society of ill repute, The Rakes Club
May 7, 2020
This is not a Barnaby mystery, for obvious reasons, obvious once you get into the story – and after you've read it. I read it mainly to see what other rabbits Ms Graham could pull out of her writers hat. It begins badly: "Three greedy people were sitting around a table beneath a brilliantly striped umbrella on the terrace of a moated grange..." Not being a fan of greedy people this struck the wrong note. However she continues: "Well, to be more precise, one was a very greedy person, one (present only in spirit) was a mildly greedy person and the last, an extremely pretty girl with dark curly hair, was hardly greedy at all."
Fortunately it is through the eyes of the hardly greedy girl, Laurie, that we mostly see the world. Her brother Simon is extremely greedy and otherwise mostly nasty, well spoken and with fine manners and clothes and a pleasing aspect. A disparate group of eccentrics are invited to a wonderful country manor to enjoy a week-end of fine food and wine, beautiful surroundings and a game of murder. Also present are a staff of butler and maid, hired for the occasion. Invited is a misnomer as the "guests" pay £250 a head for the adventure.
After the introductions are made the reader – i.e. me – quickened his pace as the pace of the story, slow to begin with, crept on. Intrigue among the guests, banter and condescension; where's the murder? I wondered. It came late but somehow unexpected and we then raced on toward the conclusion(s).
Laurie is a character to like and enjoy, Simon a character to dislike and enjoy. The guests and staff all fit into this spectrum somewhere. The denouement was satisfying, though I was left wondering: what happened afterwards? Ms Graham, probably wisely, leaves this to the reader's imagination.
The thing that kept the story alive for me was the comedy. A few quotations:
The temporary maid: "Mrs Bennet was a tall streak of unrelieved gloom. Her coat and skirt were grey, her lisle stockings were grey and her limp wooly the colour of mouse droppings. Her feet were encased in the sort of shoes which expanded to accommodate barnacles and were of glacé kid. A hat, charmingly styled after the manner of a German helmet, was rammed upon her head. Her eyes, the colour of dirty grey ice, seemed huge behind pebbly glasses." (p. 28)
In contrast we have "Mother" the aged matriarch of the Gibbs "guests":
"...panting like a grampus, rested a very short, very wide old lady. Her lack of stature was so marked that she seemed to be squatting rather than standing and this, coupled with a dark, mottled, rather warty complexion and a squinny eye gave her the look of a baffled toad. She was dressed all in black apart from her hat which was a festive Carmen Miranda number of emerald felt, topped by a mound of twinkling glass fruit." (p. 42-3)
Simon is surprised by the family his advertisement has produced:
"Simon's reply was courteous but slightly distant. He had still not fully recovered from his first sight of Gibbs, Gibbs and Gibbs. How on earth people of that stamp came to be reading The Times was quite beyond his comprehension. Probably wrapped around their chips..."
Laurie has discovered that one of the "guests" has a firearm.
Simon said: "...'people are allowed to own guns, you know. As long as they have a licence.'
'But why on earth would any respectable person bring it to a country house party?'
'Probably going on somewhere.'
'Going on somewhere? With a gun? Where, for heaven's sake?'
'How should I know? Poachers' Convention. God-fathers' Get-together. Conservative Party Dinner Dance.' (p. 118)
The class-conscious Mrs Saville discusses the Gibbs' with her daughter:
Rosemary said: "...'I'm sure they're not dishonest, Mummy. Just... colourful.'
'Nonsense. People of that ilk have no respect for the property of others. And did you see that disgusting thing he had around his neck?' she went on, leaping as nimbly from the theoretical to the concrete as might the Spanish ibex. 'A man who wears a tie that lights up in the dark is a man whose depravity knows no bounds.' (p. 126)
The "guest" Martin, who travels in glass-houses admires Laurie's work in the garden:
"The herb wheel he found especially appealing. He admired the greenhouse, very sensibly semi-whitewashed against the heat (the staff here obviously knew their stuff), and, with the zealous curiosity of the expert, was driven to have a peep inside.
He realized it was occupied as he went up the path and heard something fall. This realization was compounded by the fact that, as he stooped to enter, someone hit him a terrific blow across the head." (p. 235)
I doubt this qualifies as a classic English mystery as we have no crime for most of the book and though there are plenty of red herrings there are not many clues. Murder at Madingley Grange is still a fun read.
Fortunately it is through the eyes of the hardly greedy girl, Laurie, that we mostly see the world. Her brother Simon is extremely greedy and otherwise mostly nasty, well spoken and with fine manners and clothes and a pleasing aspect. A disparate group of eccentrics are invited to a wonderful country manor to enjoy a week-end of fine food and wine, beautiful surroundings and a game of murder. Also present are a staff of butler and maid, hired for the occasion. Invited is a misnomer as the "guests" pay £250 a head for the adventure.
After the introductions are made the reader – i.e. me – quickened his pace as the pace of the story, slow to begin with, crept on. Intrigue among the guests, banter and condescension; where's the murder? I wondered. It came late but somehow unexpected and we then raced on toward the conclusion(s).
Laurie is a character to like and enjoy, Simon a character to dislike and enjoy. The guests and staff all fit into this spectrum somewhere. The denouement was satisfying, though I was left wondering: what happened afterwards? Ms Graham, probably wisely, leaves this to the reader's imagination.
The thing that kept the story alive for me was the comedy. A few quotations:
The temporary maid: "Mrs Bennet was a tall streak of unrelieved gloom. Her coat and skirt were grey, her lisle stockings were grey and her limp wooly the colour of mouse droppings. Her feet were encased in the sort of shoes which expanded to accommodate barnacles and were of glacé kid. A hat, charmingly styled after the manner of a German helmet, was rammed upon her head. Her eyes, the colour of dirty grey ice, seemed huge behind pebbly glasses." (p. 28)
In contrast we have "Mother" the aged matriarch of the Gibbs "guests":
"...panting like a grampus, rested a very short, very wide old lady. Her lack of stature was so marked that she seemed to be squatting rather than standing and this, coupled with a dark, mottled, rather warty complexion and a squinny eye gave her the look of a baffled toad. She was dressed all in black apart from her hat which was a festive Carmen Miranda number of emerald felt, topped by a mound of twinkling glass fruit." (p. 42-3)
Simon is surprised by the family his advertisement has produced:
"Simon's reply was courteous but slightly distant. He had still not fully recovered from his first sight of Gibbs, Gibbs and Gibbs. How on earth people of that stamp came to be reading The Times was quite beyond his comprehension. Probably wrapped around their chips..."
Laurie has discovered that one of the "guests" has a firearm.
Simon said: "...'people are allowed to own guns, you know. As long as they have a licence.'
'But why on earth would any respectable person bring it to a country house party?'
'Probably going on somewhere.'
'Going on somewhere? With a gun? Where, for heaven's sake?'
'How should I know? Poachers' Convention. God-fathers' Get-together. Conservative Party Dinner Dance.' (p. 118)
The class-conscious Mrs Saville discusses the Gibbs' with her daughter:
Rosemary said: "...'I'm sure they're not dishonest, Mummy. Just... colourful.'
'Nonsense. People of that ilk have no respect for the property of others. And did you see that disgusting thing he had around his neck?' she went on, leaping as nimbly from the theoretical to the concrete as might the Spanish ibex. 'A man who wears a tie that lights up in the dark is a man whose depravity knows no bounds.' (p. 126)
The "guest" Martin, who travels in glass-houses admires Laurie's work in the garden:
"The herb wheel he found especially appealing. He admired the greenhouse, very sensibly semi-whitewashed against the heat (the staff here obviously knew their stuff), and, with the zealous curiosity of the expert, was driven to have a peep inside.
He realized it was occupied as he went up the path and heard something fall. This realization was compounded by the fact that, as he stooped to enter, someone hit him a terrific blow across the head." (p. 235)
I doubt this qualifies as a classic English mystery as we have no crime for most of the book and though there are plenty of red herrings there are not many clues. Murder at Madingley Grange is still a fun read.
March 27, 2018
Caroline Graham is best known as the creator of the Midsomer Murders / Inspector Barnaby books. She also has written 3 standalone books, of which Murder At Madingley Grange was one.
Simon Hannaford and sister, Laurie are asked by their aunt to look after Madingley Grange during her annual month long vacation cruise. Simon, always looking to make money, has the great idea of using the estate to host a murder mystery weekend and persuades Laurie to help him organize and run it. An eclectic group of people show up for the weekend. He as well hires a brother and 'sister', Gaunt and Bennett, as butler and maid. They also have an interesting back story.
Adding spice to the story, a dead body is discovered the next morning and all are suspects. So there you go, the basic story. I like the way the story is laid out; 4 chapters, Simon Says Do This, The Set-up, Fun and Games and Murder. Each person plays a role and each chapter deals with each person's actions and story.
It's hard not to get involved in each character's story. They are quirky and interesting. There is romance, jealousy, suspense, everything you like. The story moves along nicely, then there is a twist to the left, then another twist to the right, then another little jig and a satisfying ending. I thought I had an idea of what was going on, but then there was a nice surprise and a final satisfying ending.
The setting is lovely and I found myself very engaged with both the story and characters. It's a an excellent story and will keep me reading Graham's other books. It's unfortunate that she has a relatively small catalogue as she is an excellent story-teller. (4 stars)
Simon Hannaford and sister, Laurie are asked by their aunt to look after Madingley Grange during her annual month long vacation cruise. Simon, always looking to make money, has the great idea of using the estate to host a murder mystery weekend and persuades Laurie to help him organize and run it. An eclectic group of people show up for the weekend. He as well hires a brother and 'sister', Gaunt and Bennett, as butler and maid. They also have an interesting back story.
Adding spice to the story, a dead body is discovered the next morning and all are suspects. So there you go, the basic story. I like the way the story is laid out; 4 chapters, Simon Says Do This, The Set-up, Fun and Games and Murder. Each person plays a role and each chapter deals with each person's actions and story.
It's hard not to get involved in each character's story. They are quirky and interesting. There is romance, jealousy, suspense, everything you like. The story moves along nicely, then there is a twist to the left, then another twist to the right, then another little jig and a satisfying ending. I thought I had an idea of what was going on, but then there was a nice surprise and a final satisfying ending.
The setting is lovely and I found myself very engaged with both the story and characters. It's a an excellent story and will keep me reading Graham's other books. It's unfortunate that she has a relatively small catalogue as she is an excellent story-teller. (4 stars)
September 18, 2011
Simon Hannaford, a good-looking young schemer who despises real work, decides to put his Aunt Maude’s gloomy estate – Madingly Grange – to work for him after he and his sister Laurie agree to manor-sit while Aunt Maude is on vacation. Laurie, who is happy just working in Aunt Maude’s extensive gardens and greenhouse, reluctantly agrees to Simon’s scheme: hosting a 1930s-style murder mystery weekend at the manor.
Simon begins assembling a motley cast of characters by hiring a butler and maid. He doesn’t bother to check references, and ends up with a boozing butler and cross-dressing maid who are actually a pair of brothers planning to rip off the rich clientele. Then the eccentric assortment of wealthy guests arrive, and the game is interrupted when murder occurs for real. Or does it? Did the butler really do it? Will the obnoxious victim have the good sense to remain dead?
This is the best murder mystery I’ve read in a long, long time. Simon is such a quirky, fun character that I wish he were part of a series so I could read more novels centered around him. He’s a perfect foil for Laurie, who is a good girl and trying to stay that way. The assortment of eccentrics are a blast. Especially tacky, noveau riche Fred, his wife Violet and her “foolish face,” and his card shark mother with the huge girth.
I definitely recommend this book. The mystery itself isn’t the most original, but the reading is such fun that I didn’t mind. I was sorry when the story came to an end. Every fan of “cozy” mysteries should read this book!
Simon begins assembling a motley cast of characters by hiring a butler and maid. He doesn’t bother to check references, and ends up with a boozing butler and cross-dressing maid who are actually a pair of brothers planning to rip off the rich clientele. Then the eccentric assortment of wealthy guests arrive, and the game is interrupted when murder occurs for real. Or does it? Did the butler really do it? Will the obnoxious victim have the good sense to remain dead?
This is the best murder mystery I’ve read in a long, long time. Simon is such a quirky, fun character that I wish he were part of a series so I could read more novels centered around him. He’s a perfect foil for Laurie, who is a good girl and trying to stay that way. The assortment of eccentrics are a blast. Especially tacky, noveau riche Fred, his wife Violet and her “foolish face,” and his card shark mother with the huge girth.
I definitely recommend this book. The mystery itself isn’t the most original, but the reading is such fun that I didn’t mind. I was sorry when the story came to an end. Every fan of “cozy” mysteries should read this book!
July 24, 2014
Well, in my unending quest to postpone the necessary reading in Don Quixote before next Monday's class, I curled up with this 'cozy' from British mystery writer Caroline Graham. I had, heretofore, only read one other title by Ms. Graham. That book, The Killings At Badgers Drift, was a riveting read, but far grittier and more debased than the usual 'Bristeries' in which I revel. I am happy to report that this book, Murder at Madingley Grange, is far lighter, frothier, and owes at least as much to P.G. Wodehouse as it does to Dame Agatha. An enjoyable read and delightful distraction from the verbosity of the great Spaniard.
Laurie and Simon are step-siblings who are house-sitting a gaudy and glorious Victorian estate for their great aunt. Simon, one of those lovable ne'er-do-wells that abound in British fiction, is in dire financial straits, and convinces his wholesome, shy sister to host a '1930's murder weekend' at the house to raise a few honest shekels. Enter the dishonest, temporary help and a cast of kooky misfits, and hilarity is sure to ensue. But, when there is a real murder on Saturday, the Wodehouse vibe turns Christie-ish and the would-be detectives might just be in for the hunt of their lives. Or are they? A couple of plot twists later, and you will be shaking your head while laughing at yourself and the whole absurd romp. Well done, Ms. Graham!
Laurie and Simon are step-siblings who are house-sitting a gaudy and glorious Victorian estate for their great aunt. Simon, one of those lovable ne'er-do-wells that abound in British fiction, is in dire financial straits, and convinces his wholesome, shy sister to host a '1930's murder weekend' at the house to raise a few honest shekels. Enter the dishonest, temporary help and a cast of kooky misfits, and hilarity is sure to ensue. But, when there is a real murder on Saturday, the Wodehouse vibe turns Christie-ish and the would-be detectives might just be in for the hunt of their lives. Or are they? A couple of plot twists later, and you will be shaking your head while laughing at yourself and the whole absurd romp. Well done, Ms. Graham!
March 16, 2018
Much to my dismay I discovered that this was not an Inspector Barnaby book. I also discovered that is wasn't really what I expected in a good mystery. Characters were dull as well as the storyline. Not much to go by. Skimmed a lot of the ending.
September 6, 2020
A fun mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Mix Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, add several red herrings and you'll get this entertainingly written mystery- a take on the house parties of the thirties at a remote English manor.
March 11, 2025
There are two big twists in this book. It is a funny weekend romp of ‘murder’ and mayhem. You could see the slapstick coming at the beginning. Simon is a spoiled brat really and will be matched by Rosemary they truly deserve each other and he deserves a mother in law like Mrs Saville.
Keep a dictionary by you as the vocabulary is quite high.
Keep a dictionary by you as the vocabulary is quite high.
October 13, 2025
*Audiobook*
This was so much fun! I think listening to it as an audiobook probably helped with my enjoyment. It's very funny in places and the characters are really interesting.
Would I recommend this novel? Oh yes! It was a great read!
This was so much fun! I think listening to it as an audiobook probably helped with my enjoyment. It's very funny in places and the characters are really interesting.
Would I recommend this novel? Oh yes! It was a great read!
March 3, 2025
Utter farce
Layer after layer of claptrap
Layer after layer of claptrap
October 11, 2025
Despite John Hopkins' excellent narration, this is too tedious to bear. Humourless humour, stereotyped characters and if there is going to be a plot, one feels it should have put in an appearance by the 33% mark, which is where I'm giving up.
July 31, 2024
This was a DNF.
The plot was interesting, but not enough to keep me wanting to read it, and I was going into a reading slump because I just did not want to pick this up. I didn't even make it to the actual murder.
My issue with this was the characters. They felt so much more like caricatures than people and I could not get interested in any of them. Some of the topics brought out through those characters were also not great. For example, one woman makes some rather racist remarks about Chinese people.
There is also one character who the description of is absolutely atrocious. Mrs. Gibbs, "Mother" is written to basically be a bottomless pit that is always shoving food in her mouth. This was not done as any kind of message about eating disorders, etc, and was done solely for humor. In what little of the book I got through, there were so many jokes about how she struggles to move around and her son and daughter-in-law having to push her upstairs or onto the bus because of how wide she is.
Concerning the Mrs. Gibbs character, there is even a piece of her dialogue that includes:
"'dialogue here,' the whale said."
This was not a character, this was the author describing the woman as a "whale," which I found completely disgusting.
The scene where the main siblings are tasting wines for their party, and they became overwhelmingly drunk after three tastes. This reads as so ridiculous because they are falling over themselves, and it's written to sound like they only took one drink of each wine, not finished off an entire glass of each because they're saving the bottle for the party. Who gets Pink Elephants level drunk on three sips of wine?
This book was not funny at all, and I just couldn't finish it.
The plot was interesting, but not enough to keep me wanting to read it, and I was going into a reading slump because I just did not want to pick this up. I didn't even make it to the actual murder.
My issue with this was the characters. They felt so much more like caricatures than people and I could not get interested in any of them. Some of the topics brought out through those characters were also not great. For example, one woman makes some rather racist remarks about Chinese people.
There is also one character who the description of is absolutely atrocious. Mrs. Gibbs, "Mother" is written to basically be a bottomless pit that is always shoving food in her mouth. This was not done as any kind of message about eating disorders, etc, and was done solely for humor. In what little of the book I got through, there were so many jokes about how she struggles to move around and her son and daughter-in-law having to push her upstairs or onto the bus because of how wide she is.
Concerning the Mrs. Gibbs character, there is even a piece of her dialogue that includes:
"'dialogue here,' the whale said."
This was not a character, this was the author describing the woman as a "whale," which I found completely disgusting.
The scene where the main siblings are tasting wines for their party, and they became overwhelmingly drunk after three tastes. This reads as so ridiculous because they are falling over themselves, and it's written to sound like they only took one drink of each wine, not finished off an entire glass of each because they're saving the bottle for the party. Who gets Pink Elephants level drunk on three sips of wine?
This book was not funny at all, and I just couldn't finish it.
January 20, 2015
Murder at Maddingley Grange is a comic riff on the Agatha Christie “country house” style murder mystery.
Simon Hannaford is a ne’er-do-well who “borrows” his aunt’s empty mansion to hold a “murder mystery game” weekend for paying guests. A variety of people show up to play. Most of the characters are inspired by the stock players of a Christie murder. There is a dragonish mother and her insipid daughter, the aimless young woman and her young man, the not quite happily married couple, the servants, the charming scoundrel.
There is not much plot. The characters meet, drink, eat, talk, drink, eat, talk, drink, eat, talk. They have their own schemes and hidden agendas. There are number of comic set-pieces including an inept lover sneaking about and a pair of bumbling burglars. There is no detective, although there is a detective fiction enthusiast who thinks he’s a good sleuth, and runs around spouting clichés.
I liked aspects of this novel. Laurie was a good character, sweet, obedient, but yearning for more. Gilly, the 1930s-enthusiast, was charming too. The set-up is a fun idea. The very end, when Simon reveals what he was really up to, was clever.
The problem is that nothing much really happens in between. They don’t even attempt to play their game (the rules of which are never explained). This is more bouncing different characters off each other, while eating and sometimes talking about detective fiction, while indulging in a few mild mishaps and misadventures.
It’s not quite a farce. It’s not quite a satire. It’s not quite a screwball.
Simon Hannaford is a ne’er-do-well who “borrows” his aunt’s empty mansion to hold a “murder mystery game” weekend for paying guests. A variety of people show up to play. Most of the characters are inspired by the stock players of a Christie murder. There is a dragonish mother and her insipid daughter, the aimless young woman and her young man, the not quite happily married couple, the servants, the charming scoundrel.
There is not much plot. The characters meet, drink, eat, talk, drink, eat, talk, drink, eat, talk. They have their own schemes and hidden agendas. There are number of comic set-pieces including an inept lover sneaking about and a pair of bumbling burglars. There is no detective, although there is a detective fiction enthusiast who thinks he’s a good sleuth, and runs around spouting clichés.
I liked aspects of this novel. Laurie was a good character, sweet, obedient, but yearning for more. Gilly, the 1930s-enthusiast, was charming too. The set-up is a fun idea. The very end, when Simon reveals what he was really up to, was clever.
The problem is that nothing much really happens in between. They don’t even attempt to play their game (the rules of which are never explained). This is more bouncing different characters off each other, while eating and sometimes talking about detective fiction, while indulging in a few mild mishaps and misadventures.
It’s not quite a farce. It’s not quite a satire. It’s not quite a screwball.
March 20, 2018
An hysterical rumpus occurs when Simon and his sister decided to take care of their rich aunt’s mansion. Simon is always looking to make a quick pound, so he decides to hold a murder mystery weekend. The guests are quirky, and the mayhem leads to murder, or does it? Not to mention the help they hire are criminals. Just pure fun.
August 21, 2016
It wasn't really badly written, but I just couldn't engage with the characters. Would have given it 2.5 stars if I could have. I was bored. In order to finish it I skimmed a bit. I know there are others who will find it a good fit...just not me.
December 8, 2009
I'm a fan of Caroline Graham. If this book had been 100 pages shorter, it would have been hilarious. The length made the thin material see-through.
November 17, 2017
This book reminded me of the movie Clue but not as good. About 3/4 of the way through the book I was no longer sure why I was still reading it. Three seemingly endless pages describing a search of the wainscotting for signs of a secret panel gave me snores.
While his aunt is away, Simon talks his sister into helping him use Aunt Maude's empty mansion to hold a murder mystery weekend for paying guests. The house is soon filled with miscellaneous characters; the fire-breathing mother and her limp-rag of a daughter, the burglar butler, an eccentric unhappily married couple, a card-reading granny, a Sherlock Holmes wannabe and a cross dressing "maid."
Simon is apparently incapable of doing the math so guests are seriously undercharged as they eat three meals per diem plus tea and biscuits while chug-a-lugging from the mansion's priceless wine cellar. There is no plot to speak of and the murder mystery game falls apart almost before it starts.
On page 209 we are told that Laurie was quite unfamiliar with post-murder protocol. So it's 1990 in England and she has never watched TV? Was she raised by the Amish, or what? Everyone knows from TV that, once you have determined that the person is dead, you 1) Don't mess with the crime scene and 2) Notify the authorities. But they did none of the above. That wasn't anything like the first silly thing in the book, it just happened to annoy me.
James Anderson did it better with The Affair of the Blood-Stained Egg Cosy, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink, and The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks.
While his aunt is away, Simon talks his sister into helping him use Aunt Maude's empty mansion to hold a murder mystery weekend for paying guests. The house is soon filled with miscellaneous characters; the fire-breathing mother and her limp-rag of a daughter, the burglar butler, an eccentric unhappily married couple, a card-reading granny, a Sherlock Holmes wannabe and a cross dressing "maid."
Simon is apparently incapable of doing the math so guests are seriously undercharged as they eat three meals per diem plus tea and biscuits while chug-a-lugging from the mansion's priceless wine cellar. There is no plot to speak of and the murder mystery game falls apart almost before it starts.
On page 209 we are told that Laurie was quite unfamiliar with post-murder protocol. So it's 1990 in England and she has never watched TV? Was she raised by the Amish, or what? Everyone knows from TV that, once you have determined that the person is dead, you 1) Don't mess with the crime scene and 2) Notify the authorities. But they did none of the above. That wasn't anything like the first silly thing in the book, it just happened to annoy me.
James Anderson did it better with The Affair of the Blood-Stained Egg Cosy, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink, and The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks.
December 1, 2020
A delightful, satirical take on that old chestnut, the English country house party/locked room mystery. Simon Hannaford decides to host a murder-mystery weekend at his aunt's ancestral pile and ropes his stepsister Laurie into helping him. They hire two, er, servants, and have an assortment of punters joining them: the family Gibbs, mother and daughter Saville, Derek and Sheila Gregory, Martin Lewis, and Arthur Gillette (call him Gilly, please). Because Simon is too stingy to hire actors to entertain them, he proposes that the guests themselves take on the fictional roles and stage the murder. All seems well and good, until one of them appears to have truly been murdered. With the phone lines cut and the only automobile suddenly disabled, now what are they supposed to do??
Ms. Graham's biting wit is on full display here. The situation is just as ridiculous as it sounds, and the characters are varying degrees of obnoxious and/or pathetic, ranging from the ultimate snob Mrs. Saville, to slavish hero-worshipper Derek Gregory (who fancies himself the next coming of Sherlock Holmes, complete with deerstalker and violin), to Mother Gibbs, who fancies herself as having inherited special abilities from her Gypsy forbearers.
I don't think we're supposed to actually like any of the characters, and I can't say that I did, though it was most enjoyable seeing them get their just desserts. And, complete sap that I am, I enjoyed Martin and Laurie's sweet little romance.
The last two twists of the storyline were too much, hence knocking off a star for an otherwise delectable read. I wish Ms. Graham had written more standalones, because this one was very, very enjoyable.
Ms. Graham's biting wit is on full display here. The situation is just as ridiculous as it sounds, and the characters are varying degrees of obnoxious and/or pathetic, ranging from the ultimate snob Mrs. Saville, to slavish hero-worshipper Derek Gregory (who fancies himself the next coming of Sherlock Holmes, complete with deerstalker and violin), to Mother Gibbs, who fancies herself as having inherited special abilities from her Gypsy forbearers.
I don't think we're supposed to actually like any of the characters, and I can't say that I did, though it was most enjoyable seeing them get their just desserts. And, complete sap that I am, I enjoyed Martin and Laurie's sweet little romance.
The last two twists of the storyline were too much, hence knocking off a star for an otherwise delectable read. I wish Ms. Graham had written more standalones, because this one was very, very enjoyable.
February 2, 2018
II’m a BIG fan of mystery genre and enjoy a fun romp as much as anyone else. I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them immensely. This read wasn’t one of them. The characters were wonderfully depicted. But when you are over 70% into the book and no real action (let alone murder) has occurred, you’re already in trouble. The plot was convoluted and nearly laughable. While I so enjoy a happy ending, I do not appreciate a read that takes forever to amount to something and then to have that ‘something’ be far less than satisfying. If you want a lovely read with interesting characters sitting around enjoying the good life at an English manor, ending as it began, this is for you. As for me, not so much.
January 9, 2024
It's a murder weekend! Sister and brother - or are they cousins? Really, I forgot by the time I got to the end and it doesn't matter. Dearest Auntie is away for the season leaving these two to look after the house. Simon's idea is to use the property to generate a little cash for himself. He never imagined the murder would be real.
If you're a Caroline Graham fan and love the effort she puts into her characters, you'll enjoy this. If you're here because you're a Midsommer Murder fan, or a murder mystery buff, this book is a slow plod to nowhere. This story has nothing to do with the television program. The murder mystery itself isn't a mystery and frankly a let down. Overall, I'm almost willing to go 2 stars on this for the disappointing plot, but the writing really is good.
If you're a Caroline Graham fan and love the effort she puts into her characters, you'll enjoy this. If you're here because you're a Midsommer Murder fan, or a murder mystery buff, this book is a slow plod to nowhere. This story has nothing to do with the television program. The murder mystery itself isn't a mystery and frankly a let down. Overall, I'm almost willing to go 2 stars on this for the disappointing plot, but the writing really is good.
December 20, 2024
( Format : Audiobook )
"The place must be teaming with clues."
Brother and sister, Simon and Laurie, left in charge of their aunt's huge heap of a gothic home whilst holidaying for three months on a cruise, determine to make some much needed money for themselves by hosting a murder mystery weekend there. A butler and maid are employed, guests answered the placed advertisement, food is cooked and the cellar raided. All is set for the fun and games...
A splendidly visual setting filled with distinctly well formed and curious characters - this is written by the creator of the Midsummer Murders series - are caught in a near farcical plot mayhem and mishaps. Performed with skill by John Hopkins,doesn't quite fulfilled the promise of it's beginnings, but is still great fun.
"The place must be teaming with clues."
Brother and sister, Simon and Laurie, left in charge of their aunt's huge heap of a gothic home whilst holidaying for three months on a cruise, determine to make some much needed money for themselves by hosting a murder mystery weekend there. A butler and maid are employed, guests answered the placed advertisement, food is cooked and the cellar raided. All is set for the fun and games...
A splendidly visual setting filled with distinctly well formed and curious characters - this is written by the creator of the Midsummer Murders series - are caught in a near farcical plot mayhem and mishaps. Performed with skill by John Hopkins,doesn't quite fulfilled the promise of it's beginnings, but is still great fun.
November 16, 2023
A bit irritating. Has its funny moments, but not enough to make it worth it for me. I think the root of the issue is that I was expecting Murder At Madingley Grange to be a murder mystery and it barely is. As it's set at a murder mystery weekend there's much talk of them, but not not a hint of an actual murder until probably about three-quarters of the way through. If you read it, adjust your expectations accordingly and maybe you won't feel like you've been strung along as much as I did! It's also longer than the amount of content and thin characters can sustain, so that some scenes are tediously drawn out.
February 26, 2024
There will be a Murder Weekend while Aunt Maude is on a 3 month cruise. Simon needs to raise money to pay debt and sister Laurie will help. The guests arrive in June and two staff (maid and butler) are hired to help. The first two hundred pages are character development, setting, and lots of food. The "murder" doesn't happen until page 200 (out of 284). Be prepared for lots of new vocabulary, a few chuckles, and some making fun of Agatha Christie. (I loved the peacock with its legs sticking up in the air). The digital title says it's an Inspector Barney novel but he isn't in it.
May 12, 2025
An eclectic bunch are gathered for what was sold as a murder mystery evening but slowly what was a game becomes something much more sinister. One of the players is obsessed with Sherlock Holmes while a second believed he lives in the 1930s; a wacky bunch to bring together a true homage to the golden age of detective novels. The farcical nature of this play make it feel like it would be great stage adaptation especially as no one is quite what they seem. A silly narrative which is fun and inoffensive.
September 20, 2020
I was really hoping this book was good. I mean she writes Midsummer Murders and I adore them.
So you have a manor house, 9 people who don't know each other (apparently) and a murder. What more can you want?
Well the Murder isn't real, it is supposed to be a tryst which goes wrong. Staff who aren't who they seem and a put upon sister who finally gets all her dreams. It just fell flat in my opinion. Very disappointing 😕
So you have a manor house, 9 people who don't know each other (apparently) and a murder. What more can you want?
Well the Murder isn't real, it is supposed to be a tryst which goes wrong. Staff who aren't who they seem and a put upon sister who finally gets all her dreams. It just fell flat in my opinion. Very disappointing 😕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2021
Humour is the key ingredient
"Murder" has everything a British mystery fan could ask for. It is very well written, the characters are delightful, and rarest of all, the humour provides great joy throughout. While I very much enjoy the Midsomer Murders television shows, the books on which they are based can be a bit ponderous. This lighter read is a great pleasure that is a must for all British cozy mystery fans.
"Murder" has everything a British mystery fan could ask for. It is very well written, the characters are delightful, and rarest of all, the humour provides great joy throughout. While I very much enjoy the Midsomer Murders television shows, the books on which they are based can be a bit ponderous. This lighter read is a great pleasure that is a must for all British cozy mystery fans.
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