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Murder on a Mystery Tour
The “consistently witty” Agatha Award–winning author presents a tale of murder in a country mansion (
Mystery News
).
With their fortunes dwindling, Reggie and his wife, Midge, have turned the family mansion into an English country inn. When Midge gets a call from an old classmate who arranges “mystery tours” for visiting Americans, she happily agrees to host one of these staged-murder events.
But the tour seems to be a disaster from the get-go, with lots of arguing and complaining among those involved. Then, after a massive snowstorm, a real murder takes place—and it’s up to the amateur sleuths to solve the case before the killer checks them out permanently.
Praise for Marian Babson
“Marian Babson’s name on a mystery is a guarantee of quality writing wrapped around an unusual crime.” —Houston Chronicle
With their fortunes dwindling, Reggie and his wife, Midge, have turned the family mansion into an English country inn. When Midge gets a call from an old classmate who arranges “mystery tours” for visiting Americans, she happily agrees to host one of these staged-murder events.
But the tour seems to be a disaster from the get-go, with lots of arguing and complaining among those involved. Then, after a massive snowstorm, a real murder takes place—and it’s up to the amateur sleuths to solve the case before the killer checks them out permanently.
Praise for Marian Babson
“Marian Babson’s name on a mystery is a guarantee of quality writing wrapped around an unusual crime.” —Houston Chronicle
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 1985
185 people are currently reading
479 people want to read
About the author
Marian Babson
62 books87 followersMarian Babson, a pseudonym for Ruth Stenstreem, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, but lived in London for the greater part of her life.
She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles.
A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar.
She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel.
The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs.
She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles.
A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar.
She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel.
The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs.
She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
December 10, 2018
Murder on a Mystery Tour by Marian Babson is a 1988 Bantam publication. (Originally published in 1985 by the Title “Not One Word Has Been Omitted”)
I’ve been dying to try out one of Marian Babson’s mystery novels for a long time. I plucked this one out of the pile because it has a very slight holiday/ wintery theme, to go along with my holiday reading this year.
I was concerned a bit by some mixed reviews, but for me, this one is a happy surprise. I thought it was great fun.
If you like ‘Golden Age’ mysteries, you will enjoy this novel and its backdoor homage to mystery novels written between 1920 and 1940.
Reggie and Midge have resorted to hosting ‘Mystery Tours’ to keep their manor house out of debt. The staff, guests and actors work in concert to present the ‘Mystery’.
Guests for this tour include Bramwell, a famous mystery author, and his overbearing mother, Amaryllis and the Chandler twins, who both have a crush on Bramwell.
And let’s not forget, Ackroyd, a cat named after the Agatha Christie novel- Who killed Roger Ackroyd- ironically enough.
While the story does have some issues, it was actually pretty clever. Two mysteries going at once- the staged one and the real one. Naturally, they become snowbound, just for kicks and giggles, adding to the uneasy tension in the house.
There are several big surprises, and red herrings, and is, of course, set up to resemble mystery novels from the Golden Age, which I happen to love, flaws and all.
The story is pretty busy, and can get a little confusing, with so many characters and the two mysteries running simultaneously. But, because the book is so short, I could take my time with it, so I didn't have too much trouble keeping it all straight. I love the dialogue and intrigue, and enjoyed trying to guess who the murderer was- in both mysteries.
Overall, this is a wonderfully entertaining mystery, and I truly had a great time reading it. All of Marian Babson's books are short, usually under three hundred pages, and often feature a feline presence. They probably fit better in the cozy category, but I think all mystery lovers will enjoy these books.
4 stars
I’ve been dying to try out one of Marian Babson’s mystery novels for a long time. I plucked this one out of the pile because it has a very slight holiday/ wintery theme, to go along with my holiday reading this year.
I was concerned a bit by some mixed reviews, but for me, this one is a happy surprise. I thought it was great fun.
If you like ‘Golden Age’ mysteries, you will enjoy this novel and its backdoor homage to mystery novels written between 1920 and 1940.
Reggie and Midge have resorted to hosting ‘Mystery Tours’ to keep their manor house out of debt. The staff, guests and actors work in concert to present the ‘Mystery’.
Guests for this tour include Bramwell, a famous mystery author, and his overbearing mother, Amaryllis and the Chandler twins, who both have a crush on Bramwell.
And let’s not forget, Ackroyd, a cat named after the Agatha Christie novel- Who killed Roger Ackroyd- ironically enough.
While the story does have some issues, it was actually pretty clever. Two mysteries going at once- the staged one and the real one. Naturally, they become snowbound, just for kicks and giggles, adding to the uneasy tension in the house.
There are several big surprises, and red herrings, and is, of course, set up to resemble mystery novels from the Golden Age, which I happen to love, flaws and all.
The story is pretty busy, and can get a little confusing, with so many characters and the two mysteries running simultaneously. But, because the book is so short, I could take my time with it, so I didn't have too much trouble keeping it all straight. I love the dialogue and intrigue, and enjoyed trying to guess who the murderer was- in both mysteries.
Overall, this is a wonderfully entertaining mystery, and I truly had a great time reading it. All of Marian Babson's books are short, usually under three hundred pages, and often feature a feline presence. They probably fit better in the cozy category, but I think all mystery lovers will enjoy these books.
4 stars
December 28, 2021
Kept Me turning the pages
This snowy season mystery hit the mark. While not perfect ( how do you carry on the murder mystery weekend when an actual murder has happened?!) I really enjoyed this.
I was trying to work out a murder the characters didn't seem interested in until another body turned up and that was a bit strange. But there was a good bit of wit that made me laugh out loud along the way. There were some great characters along with some forgettable ones. The country house turned inn was perfect and the massive snowstorm was excellent. It occurred to me at some point to check when this was written because there were no mobile phones and the sole landline was down (this was originally written in the 80s). The writer characters typing on typewriters didn't strike me as another of their quirks. Then the Polaroid cameras came out. That was great! I found it a charming read overall. I can even forgive the rather abrupt ending. I wish this were a series because I'd visit again. Also, cute cover.
This snowy season mystery hit the mark. While not perfect ( how do you carry on the murder mystery weekend when an actual murder has happened?!) I really enjoyed this.
I was trying to work out a murder the characters didn't seem interested in until another body turned up and that was a bit strange. But there was a good bit of wit that made me laugh out loud along the way. There were some great characters along with some forgettable ones. The country house turned inn was perfect and the massive snowstorm was excellent. It occurred to me at some point to check when this was written because there were no mobile phones and the sole landline was down (this was originally written in the 80s). The writer characters typing on typewriters didn't strike me as another of their quirks. Then the Polaroid cameras came out. That was great! I found it a charming read overall. I can even forgive the rather abrupt ending. I wish this were a series because I'd visit again. Also, cute cover.
February 24, 2019
This is an engaging, satisfactory mystery. I really like the basic plot, which is that a struggling English manor begins hosting murder mystery weekends to make money, and then, a real murder occurs, throwing off the acting and leading to a real investigation and reveal. It's interesting and unique, and I really like the characters, especially the protagonist, Midge, who owns the Manor with her husband, Reggie.
My only complaint is that the person I thought was the red herring turned out to be the murderer, which I didn't like. I feel like Babson could have toned down this character's involvement, so it wasn't so obvious. Then again, I guess if I thought the character was a red herring and didn't truly suspect the person, Babson did a good job. It's just annoying when I get the reveal and think, "Oh."
I recommend this book, nonetheless. It's entertaining and fun, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was exactly what I needed as a quick read between lengthy and intense books in Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders series.
My only complaint is that the person I thought was the red herring turned out to be the murderer, which I didn't like. I feel like Babson could have toned down this character's involvement, so it wasn't so obvious. Then again, I guess if I thought the character was a red herring and didn't truly suspect the person, Babson did a good job. It's just annoying when I get the reveal and think, "Oh."
I recommend this book, nonetheless. It's entertaining and fun, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was exactly what I needed as a quick read between lengthy and intense books in Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders series.
July 31, 2019
Fun little jaunt.
April 10, 2021
There are two keys to enjoying this mystery. First you should have an appreciation for Golden Age mysteries. Second you need a sense of humor. I don’t think it was intended to be a serious book. I think it’s an intentional farce and a good one at that. The author also addresses some of the things that are problematic about Golden Age mystery, all the negative attitudes so often present. Ultimately this book reminds me of what I love most about the genre. I recommend this one but don’t take it too seriously, you’ll spoil all the fun.
July 30, 2019
Reggie and Midge are trying to make a financial success of Chortlsey Manor Hotel and together with a couple of American bookstore owners and two famous authors they hold a “Murder Weekend”. They hire actors and set a “Thirties” theme and everyone is having a posh British country house visit when a REAL MURDER(!!) in the midst of a snowstorm changes everything. Darling super gregarious cat named Roger (Acroyd, of course) adds to the charm.
December 11, 2019
A bit disjointed. The ending seemed forced and hurried.
March 16, 2024
This would have been a two-star read if the end hadn't gotten fun. But really, for about the first 60% of the book, I was bored. Somewhere around there is when the first murder happened.
Things got more interesting there, but... Well, if the person who died hadn't been that particular person, I probably would have quit the book. The author chose the perfect person to make me interested to find out what was going on.
I have another book by the author, so I'll probably listen. I hope I'll discover that this was just not the book for me.
Things got more interesting there, but... Well, if the person who died hadn't been that particular person, I probably would have quit the book. The author chose the perfect person to make me interested to find out what was going on.
I have another book by the author, so I'll probably listen. I hope I'll discover that this was just not the book for me.
July 28, 2019
Reminded me of agatha Christie but too many open plot lines.
September 3, 2022
I wanted to like it. It started out a solid 4 stars. Then it devolved into 3 stars. And the ending…I can’t get over the disappointment I felt. It cheapened the whole thing.
Characters and setting and story held promise. Imo, the story never lived up to the promise.
In the end, I would not recommend this at all, which is why the 2.
The ending was absolutely daft and I couldn’t suspend disbelief enough to accept the ongoing charade.
Had the ending been better, maybe I could have accepted some of the character choices that seemed far fetched, but the ending was poor, and ultimately, these people were far too lackadaisical about the criminal and murder.
I read a lot of cozies and really silly ones at that. I can accept a lot of goofiness bc that’s part of the charm. But usually these kinds of misadventures and poor choices from the protagonists lead to a satisfying ending of some kind. One that makes you say, ahhhh, well, now that it’s resolved, the antics make sense or are at least tolerable in the grand scheme. Here, no such thing.
It doesn’t even feel like satire. Or even tongue and cheek. Just disappointing.
Characters and setting and story held promise. Imo, the story never lived up to the promise.
In the end, I would not recommend this at all, which is why the 2.
The ending was absolutely daft and I couldn’t suspend disbelief enough to accept the ongoing charade.
Had the ending been better, maybe I could have accepted some of the character choices that seemed far fetched, but the ending was poor, and ultimately, these people were far too lackadaisical about the criminal and murder.
I read a lot of cozies and really silly ones at that. I can accept a lot of goofiness bc that’s part of the charm. But usually these kinds of misadventures and poor choices from the protagonists lead to a satisfying ending of some kind. One that makes you say, ahhhh, well, now that it’s resolved, the antics make sense or are at least tolerable in the grand scheme. Here, no such thing.
It doesn’t even feel like satire. Or even tongue and cheek. Just disappointing.
December 27, 2024
I may have enjoyed this book more if I understood at the beginning that it was meant to be a farce. Instead, I was confused by the characters’ behavior and lackadaisical reactions to murder. Once I realized it was supposed to be funny, I decided that style of humor, or at least how it was executed in this particular book, wasn’t for me.
Unrelated, there were far too many characters to remember and distinguish between.
Unrelated, there were far too many characters to remember and distinguish between.
November 4, 2020
A fast, uncomplicated and entertaining read very typical of modern English country house mysteries. Lots of jolly red herrings, witty conversation, and a situation spinning wildly out of control of the harried innkeepers. Engaging charactors one would almost like to see again, but not as part of a l
December 31, 2020
Another great mystery! I really loved the setting and the plot, and while there were a lot of characters to keep track of, it was funny and murdery!
November 22, 2024
I tried several times to read this story and always gave up.
When audible advertised that this was free, I took them up on their offer.
Why??? The audiobook was no better. I just finished it and still have no clue as to what happened. That’s how much my mind wandered in and out….mostly out.
When audible advertised that this was free, I took them up on their offer.
Why??? The audiobook was no better. I just finished it and still have no clue as to what happened. That’s how much my mind wandered in and out….mostly out.
December 31, 2024
This book had a fun premise but I felt it was a little rushed. There was some confusion for me as far as characters go and who was who. It got a little confusing to sort out who was an actor and who was a real person in the story. It was an easy read but took a while to feel vested in the story.
October 3, 2021
Interesting and clean. Some history that most don’t have and narration enhances the plots entertainment.
December 23, 2021
Hmm...not amazing but still pretty fun. I found the names confusing at time and the characters didn't quite feel real enough.
December 18, 2022
I quite liked this murder mystery novel that was set in a murder mystery weekend at an English Manor/Inn. The ending was a touch rushed, but enjoyable overall.
May 21, 2017
This book was published in 1987 but the audio version was out in May 2016. I wonder why there is no eBook version.
Anyway, I love listening to audio books. So I have no problem at all. In fact, Steven Crossley, the narrator, is very good and makes the book alive.
I like murder mysteries that happen in country houses or British manors. If it snows a lot and the characters are cut out from the outside world, the better!
British manor, murder unscripted, snowbound…..!!!
This book is just that. Midge and Reggie have to save their manor house which had been turned into hotel by Eric, Reggie’s father who’d decided that it was too much for him and went to Australia and left the management of the hotel to Reggie and Midge.
A friend who owns a bookshop in America arranges mystery tours using the manor during low season. And it seems like it’s going to help pull them through.
There are also residence guests who also participate in the mystery game. They have a lot of fun playing and getting paid too!
Midge tells the colonel Heather what he should do for the mystery game “….. Just lurk around and look suspicious. You lurk so beautifully!”
It is very comical that when Sir Cedric dies, they have to carry him farther than expected because the guests follow them. This causes them to drop Sir Cedric many times!
Eric comes back to surprise his son and daughter in law only to be surprised himself by the scene in front of him….. a woman throws herself at him and call him daddy!
After getting used to the idea, Eric gives the others surprise of his own when he comments casually about a corps that this one is grotesque and all the blood is in very bad taste and why can’t Miss Halloway be a tidy, discreet corpse….. like the other one! The crazy one…. She looked quite respectable, scarcely any blood at all….. but she does it awfully well…..
What an entertaining and hilariously funny murder mystery!
Anyway, I love listening to audio books. So I have no problem at all. In fact, Steven Crossley, the narrator, is very good and makes the book alive.
I like murder mysteries that happen in country houses or British manors. If it snows a lot and the characters are cut out from the outside world, the better!
British manor, murder unscripted, snowbound…..!!!
This book is just that. Midge and Reggie have to save their manor house which had been turned into hotel by Eric, Reggie’s father who’d decided that it was too much for him and went to Australia and left the management of the hotel to Reggie and Midge.
A friend who owns a bookshop in America arranges mystery tours using the manor during low season. And it seems like it’s going to help pull them through.
There are also residence guests who also participate in the mystery game. They have a lot of fun playing and getting paid too!
Midge tells the colonel Heather what he should do for the mystery game “….. Just lurk around and look suspicious. You lurk so beautifully!”
It is very comical that when Sir Cedric dies, they have to carry him farther than expected because the guests follow them. This causes them to drop Sir Cedric many times!
Eric comes back to surprise his son and daughter in law only to be surprised himself by the scene in front of him….. a woman throws herself at him and call him daddy!
After getting used to the idea, Eric gives the others surprise of his own when he comments casually about a corps that this one is grotesque and all the blood is in very bad taste and why can’t Miss Halloway be a tidy, discreet corpse….. like the other one! The crazy one…. She looked quite respectable, scarcely any blood at all….. but she does it awfully well…..
What an entertaining and hilariously funny murder mystery!
July 26, 2025
The worst murder mystery I have ever read. If I could have given 0 stars, I would have. I had to make myself finish it. It started off has having promise, but then there became too many characters who played two roles and you couldn’t keep up with who was who. The plot wasn’t good-very boring.
The kicker though was THE ENDING. Absolutely hated it. It ended very abruptly and unexpectedly.
The kicker though was THE ENDING. Absolutely hated it. It ended very abruptly and unexpectedly.
June 10, 2012
An awesome book, particularly if you enjoy Golden Age mysteries, like those by Christie, Marsh and Allingham.
December 26, 2017
A slog to get through. Uninteresting characters with an uninteresting storyline.
June 4, 2025
Quick read — very “Murder, She Wrote,” vibe.
January 12, 2025
**Synopsis:** The Chortlesby Manor is in trouble. Like many manors, the house and grounds no longer make enough (or anything) to support itself. The owner (”lord”) Eric tried turning it into a hotel but unfortunately didn’t manage much against the competition all around him. He held a family conference and his heir presumptive, Reggie, agreed to take over the manor with is wife while Eric went to Australia for a nice rest. They end up making a deal with Midge’s (Reggie’s wife) friend Victoria to host 3 weekend tours of murder mystery parties.
The cast is a mix of actual actors, resident guests (family members?), and regular employees. This final weekend’s group are particularly keen on solving the mystery and keep going out of bounds into private areas and overanalyzing everything given to them. The case in the game is set in the 1930s. Sir Cedric and Lady Hermione (actually married, playing brother and sister) are hosting several people involved with a Sir Cedric’s (fake) company. They are to choose a successor as Cedric has no children- either his niece Petronella (who is flighty and has lived in Ceylon the last several years with her father and was in a questionable relationship with a man named Elgie (sp?)) or his nephew Ned (who seems a bit too practically perfect in every way as he studies at Oxford). Additional suspects include Lettie, the maid, as well as Grace Holloway, who knows too much. Sir Cedric is murdered the first day, with his sister following the second, and the game is afoot.
Also in residence are 2 contemporary authors- Bramwell, who writes a series with a husband and wife team that use seduction to interrogate their suspects, and Evangeline (sp?) who writes about a monk who solves crimes. Bramwell’s mother has accompanied him and generally makes everyone miserable. This extends to Bramwell when the Chandler twins (Lauren and Bridget), who are part of the group touring, set their sights on him and his mother tries to play matchmaker due to the women’s large fortunes.
Halfway through the book, after the first fake murder, Lauren (or Bridget- it’s never really clear) is found murdered for real in the secret passageway. This is problematic for a number of reasons, but most direly because there is a fierce snow storm that has cut them off. Eric has also returned during this storm. Later Bramwell’s mother is also killed.
Reggie, Midge, and their crew do their best to keep the murder mystery game going to keep people busy and hysteria down. The phone lines have been cut as well. It is eventually revealed that Elgie is the in-game killer, as he was a half-brother to Cedric and would have inherited. In “real-life”, a member of the tour named Dixon Carter did it as Bramwell and his mother ruined his life when he was sued for defamation over a critical review he gave. He runs off into the snow and the group convinces Reggie that going after him is a bad idea. Midge realizes the whole incident will actually be good publicity.
**Thoughts:** This book didn’t have any right to be this enjoyable. It had a LOT of characters to keep track of. Being written in the 1980s and then having the fictious murder game “taking place” in the 1930s made a lot of things a bit harder to follow. The very beginning was, for lack of a better description, VERY British (we are dealing with a Lord’s Manor after all that once upon a time came with “the help”) with an equally English narrator and despite my love of British television, I found myself struggling to follow.
But gosh darn it, it was fun.
If you’ve ever watched the movie *Clue* (based on the board game), you will have a good sense of the vibe of this book. There’s lots of fretting about how to make the murder game work, first when the storm leaves them short staffed and then after the real murder. Yes, they keep playing! They decide it’s better to give the crime solving enthusiasts a fake murder to focus on or they just may try to solve the real one. I’ve never seen a more perfect (and frankly hilarious at times) example of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” motto.
This is no amazing piece of literature, but I wouldn’t reduce it to pulp fiction either. None of the characters are specifically memorable but they’re all enjoyable. As long as one approaches this book with the idea of a fun little mystery read, they are bound to have a good time. Also they may be inspired to look up Yorkshire Pudding and realize it is no dessert. Who knew? 😄
The cast is a mix of actual actors, resident guests (family members?), and regular employees. This final weekend’s group are particularly keen on solving the mystery and keep going out of bounds into private areas and overanalyzing everything given to them. The case in the game is set in the 1930s. Sir Cedric and Lady Hermione (actually married, playing brother and sister) are hosting several people involved with a Sir Cedric’s (fake) company. They are to choose a successor as Cedric has no children- either his niece Petronella (who is flighty and has lived in Ceylon the last several years with her father and was in a questionable relationship with a man named Elgie (sp?)) or his nephew Ned (who seems a bit too practically perfect in every way as he studies at Oxford). Additional suspects include Lettie, the maid, as well as Grace Holloway, who knows too much. Sir Cedric is murdered the first day, with his sister following the second, and the game is afoot.
Also in residence are 2 contemporary authors- Bramwell, who writes a series with a husband and wife team that use seduction to interrogate their suspects, and Evangeline (sp?) who writes about a monk who solves crimes. Bramwell’s mother has accompanied him and generally makes everyone miserable. This extends to Bramwell when the Chandler twins (Lauren and Bridget), who are part of the group touring, set their sights on him and his mother tries to play matchmaker due to the women’s large fortunes.
Halfway through the book, after the first fake murder, Lauren (or Bridget- it’s never really clear) is found murdered for real in the secret passageway. This is problematic for a number of reasons, but most direly because there is a fierce snow storm that has cut them off. Eric has also returned during this storm. Later Bramwell’s mother is also killed.
Reggie, Midge, and their crew do their best to keep the murder mystery game going to keep people busy and hysteria down. The phone lines have been cut as well. It is eventually revealed that Elgie is the in-game killer, as he was a half-brother to Cedric and would have inherited. In “real-life”, a member of the tour named Dixon Carter did it as Bramwell and his mother ruined his life when he was sued for defamation over a critical review he gave. He runs off into the snow and the group convinces Reggie that going after him is a bad idea. Midge realizes the whole incident will actually be good publicity.
**Thoughts:** This book didn’t have any right to be this enjoyable. It had a LOT of characters to keep track of. Being written in the 1980s and then having the fictious murder game “taking place” in the 1930s made a lot of things a bit harder to follow. The very beginning was, for lack of a better description, VERY British (we are dealing with a Lord’s Manor after all that once upon a time came with “the help”) with an equally English narrator and despite my love of British television, I found myself struggling to follow.
But gosh darn it, it was fun.
If you’ve ever watched the movie *Clue* (based on the board game), you will have a good sense of the vibe of this book. There’s lots of fretting about how to make the murder game work, first when the storm leaves them short staffed and then after the real murder. Yes, they keep playing! They decide it’s better to give the crime solving enthusiasts a fake murder to focus on or they just may try to solve the real one. I’ve never seen a more perfect (and frankly hilarious at times) example of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” motto.
This is no amazing piece of literature, but I wouldn’t reduce it to pulp fiction either. None of the characters are specifically memorable but they’re all enjoyable. As long as one approaches this book with the idea of a fun little mystery read, they are bound to have a good time. Also they may be inspired to look up Yorkshire Pudding and realize it is no dessert. Who knew? 😄
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyable read. That would make the rating a 4, but I'm unlikely to read it again, a 5. I seldom re-read mysteries once I know whodunit.
The background is one of those interactive dinner mystery theaters, extended to a weekend in a British manor.
I found the audience's comments funny, sometimes dogged pursuit of the answer, sometimes so far afield, always gauche, coming from Americans in Britain. It made me wonder if that's what "we" sound like, trying to solve those things. I'd be more likely to be one of the quieter ones observing it all from afar rather than initiating interactions.
In this particular mystery theater, not all the murders were scripted.
It reminded me of Susan Plunkett's "A Taste of Tradition," in that there was a mystery within a mystery party, but I thought "Murder on a Mystery Tour" did a better job keeping track of the characters, when they were in their acting roles, and when they weren't, and the names they had in each situation.
I did not guess whodunit, in either the scripted mystery or in the "real-life" mystery. I was sorry to hear that so and so did it. I don’t think enough information was given so as to guess the “real” murderer, but I know there wasn’t enough to guess the “stage murderer.” I also did not guess who the ghost was, but I should have.
A fun read.
Favorite quotes:
"... into thin air."
"Best place for it."
"When I left it to you, it was a perfectly respectable family hotel. Why did you rent it out as a lunatic asylum?"
"There's an awful lot of illegitimacy around here." Amen.
The background is one of those interactive dinner mystery theaters, extended to a weekend in a British manor.
I found the audience's comments funny, sometimes dogged pursuit of the answer, sometimes so far afield, always gauche, coming from Americans in Britain. It made me wonder if that's what "we" sound like, trying to solve those things. I'd be more likely to be one of the quieter ones observing it all from afar rather than initiating interactions.
In this particular mystery theater, not all the murders were scripted.
It reminded me of Susan Plunkett's "A Taste of Tradition," in that there was a mystery within a mystery party, but I thought "Murder on a Mystery Tour" did a better job keeping track of the characters, when they were in their acting roles, and when they weren't, and the names they had in each situation.
I did not guess whodunit, in either the scripted mystery or in the "real-life" mystery. I was sorry to hear that so and so did it. I don’t think enough information was given so as to guess the “real” murderer, but I know there wasn’t enough to guess the “stage murderer.” I also did not guess who the ghost was, but I should have.
A fun read.
Favorite quotes:
"... into thin air."
"Best place for it."
"When I left it to you, it was a perfectly respectable family hotel. Why did you rent it out as a lunatic asylum?"
"There's an awful lot of illegitimacy around here." Amen.
November 18, 2021
I did enjoy this book quite a bit - which was a nice surprise, considering I picked it out randomly, without even looking at it on Goodreads. The fact is, though, that it hit two very major things that I love. The first is the house party that gets snowed in and cut off from the rest of the world. The second is the (pretend) murder weekend that turns into a real murder weekend. Those are two things I love, love, love in mystery books.
There only two reasons that this book isn't getting four stars from me - and they could have been remedied the same way.
My first problem is that no one is described, I don't know anything about these characters and, until past the halfway point, I didn't even know two secondary characters were married. The second problem I had was that the book was already more than half over (also) before the first real murder took place.
Both problems could have been solved by increasing the length of the book. Honestly, with the huge cast of characters, three fake deaths and two real ones, the mystery party seen through 'til the end and the break from reality at least one (and likely two) characters had, this book could easily have been double the length it was. That would have also allowed the characters and the story - especially the ending which was barely wrapped up in one chapter - to breathe.
I did enjoy this book, but I don't know that I'll be reading any more by this author.
There only two reasons that this book isn't getting four stars from me - and they could have been remedied the same way.
My first problem is that no one is described, I don't know anything about these characters and, until past the halfway point, I didn't even know two secondary characters were married. The second problem I had was that the book was already more than half over (also) before the first real murder took place.
Both problems could have been solved by increasing the length of the book. Honestly, with the huge cast of characters, three fake deaths and two real ones, the mystery party seen through 'til the end and the break from reality at least one (and likely two) characters had, this book could easily have been double the length it was. That would have also allowed the characters and the story - especially the ending which was barely wrapped up in one chapter - to breathe.
I did enjoy this book, but I don't know that I'll be reading any more by this author.
January 29, 2022
A friend sent me this mystery. As far as I remember, this is the first time I have read this author.
The cover of my copy had a snowman with a flowing scarf--other than it being winter, that scene doesn't seem to relate at all to the book.
A struggling British hotel agrees to host an interactive murder mystery for an American tour group. There were lots of characters and each character also had a character they were playing in the murder mystery. There were times it was hard for me to remember who was who and who was playing who.
Some of the murders are "fake" murders in the sense that they're part of the script and the real person stays hidden in the off limits areas of the hotel out of sight of the guests. But other murders are real (and may have thrown off the scripted portion of the weekend). I don't know if we had enough clues to truly solve the scripted mystery--I wonder if some of that had to do with the ad libbing that happened with the real murders also occurring, but I can't be sure. Then again, I usually don't guess whodunit until it's revealed. I am pretty sure we didn't have enough clues to know who committed the real murders.
The cover of my copy had a snowman with a flowing scarf--other than it being winter, that scene doesn't seem to relate at all to the book.
A struggling British hotel agrees to host an interactive murder mystery for an American tour group. There were lots of characters and each character also had a character they were playing in the murder mystery. There were times it was hard for me to remember who was who and who was playing who.
Some of the murders are "fake" murders in the sense that they're part of the script and the real person stays hidden in the off limits areas of the hotel out of sight of the guests. But other murders are real (and may have thrown off the scripted portion of the weekend). I don't know if we had enough clues to truly solve the scripted mystery--I wonder if some of that had to do with the ad libbing that happened with the real murders also occurring, but I can't be sure. Then again, I usually don't guess whodunit until it's revealed. I am pretty sure we didn't have enough clues to know who committed the real murders.
October 16, 2025
Such a charming premise – two competing mystery authors join forces out of necessity, not fondness, to promote their books with a murder mystery weekend. A couple struggling to keep his family's mansion rents their great house out as the setting. We watch the actors and the household staff prepare for the festivities. (The most interesting part.) Then the guests from America arrive and, predictably, a real-life murder takes place during a snow storm that makes all roads unpassable.
I was all in up to this point. Then book took an unexpected turn when the guests continued playing the game. So we had two murders to solve – the pretend one and the very real one. I thought this was ridiculous. Imagine, you're an American tourist, stranded in an English manor with people you barely know and a murderer. Would finishing the game really be your priority? I know I wouldn't have been anywhere near as sanguine as these dolts were. I'm all for suspending disbelief, but this was too big a leap for me.
Because I was so happy with the book at the start, the last half really disappointed me. I don't recommend it.
I was all in up to this point. Then book took an unexpected turn when the guests continued playing the game. So we had two murders to solve – the pretend one and the very real one. I thought this was ridiculous. Imagine, you're an American tourist, stranded in an English manor with people you barely know and a murderer. Would finishing the game really be your priority? I know I wouldn't have been anywhere near as sanguine as these dolts were. I'm all for suspending disbelief, but this was too big a leap for me.
Because I was so happy with the book at the start, the last half really disappointed me. I don't recommend it.
March 25, 2024
Semi-Interesting but Rather Shallow
I'd really give this a 2.5 if possible. The storyline had so much potential but failed to rise above mediocrity. The characters were more caricatures, one sides over-the-top or uninteresting. The true murder was shallow with absolutely no reasoning. Those murdered were so inane no one would miss them anyway. Their deaths were meaningless to the storyline. It's as though the author remembered half way through the book it was supposed to be a murder mystery and threw in a couple of victims no one cared about. The idea of a murder weekend celebrating the 1930's mystery novels where participants began being knocked off and the isolated manor is cutoff from the world due to a blinding snow storm could have been so much fun. However, here, the fake murders were more interesting than the the real ones, but not by much. You may like it, but not for my reading pleasure.
I'd really give this a 2.5 if possible. The storyline had so much potential but failed to rise above mediocrity. The characters were more caricatures, one sides over-the-top or uninteresting. The true murder was shallow with absolutely no reasoning. Those murdered were so inane no one would miss them anyway. Their deaths were meaningless to the storyline. It's as though the author remembered half way through the book it was supposed to be a murder mystery and threw in a couple of victims no one cared about. The idea of a murder weekend celebrating the 1930's mystery novels where participants began being knocked off and the isolated manor is cutoff from the world due to a blinding snow storm could have been so much fun. However, here, the fake murders were more interesting than the the real ones, but not by much. You may like it, but not for my reading pleasure.
February 16, 2020
This was a fun throwback to the house party at the manor type of mystery. In order to keep the family manor, it becomes a hotel, but the opportunity to make a bit more money with a series of murder mystery weekends proves irresistible. A disparate, if like minded group of people descend on the manor to solve the mystery. Family members, staff and hired actors are ready to entertain and serve cocktails, food, and red herrings. Everything goes swimmingly until a young woman is stabbed to death. A blizzard traps everyone in the house and the phone line has been cut. Now the mystery entertainment becomes a real murder mystery and everyone seems suspicious. This was a fun fast read by a seasoned and skilled author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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