Murder on a Mystery Tour

By: Marian Babson

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

They had explored every avenue, and it seemed that murder was their only salvation.

Reggie and Midge, genteel husband and wife who live in what was the family's more or less stately home, are now the reluctant managers of Chortlesby Manor Hotel, an English country inn of no particular distinction. But even this transformation will not solve their financial problems. The possibility of succor comes instead in a transatlantic phone call from Midge's old classmate, Victoria, who is arranging "mystery tours" of the English countryside for American visitors and wants to use Chortlesby Manor as one of the locales of her staged murders.

From the beginning, the mystery tour project is heading for disaster. Dissension, complaints, and shows of temperament abound. These are upstaged, however, by a snowstorm of paralyzing amplitude, which in turn is upstaged when a real murder takes front and center.

As a killer stalks this group of amateur sleuths on holiday, solving murders is no longer fun and games. Too many guests are checking out early from this eerie old English mansion. They're not settling their bills - or leaving enough useful clues.

©1985, 1987 Marian Babson (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great humour!

family-dynamics, farce, friendship, actors, murder, British-crime-classics, British-humor, England, Innkeeping*****

This fun book is a farce originally published in 1985 and enhanced by the British drollery of Steven Crossley. First the names are to gran about as they are usually parts of major author's names. Then there is the behavior of most of them (including the cat). The publisher's blurb is a pretty good hook about the plot, but it's the laughs that got me! Loved it! Snickered or laughed maniacally throughout the whole thing!

Mystery Tour feels like your there!

Wonderful idea for a murder game circa 1930's. In one of England's stately homes. It's great fun until real murders start. All murders are solved. See if u are able to follow clues or red herrings. And a snowstorm isolates the group with a murderer or two ??

Give it a chance.

I made the mistake of listening to the bad reviews on this book and avoided buying it for quite some time. This book is not about the murder mystery, but listening to a cozy, enjoyable story about some folks that paid for a mystery weekend. The other reviews mainly complained about the boredom they experienced while listening to the characters drone on about nothing. I do not feel like it was for nothing; I was being immersed in their world and felt at home in it. By the end I could care less who did it (which was predictable) and was sad that this experience would end. Writing wasn't amazing, but most cozies aren't equal to Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh.

A Traditional English Mystery

If you like traditional English murder mysteries, then you should get this book. The story takes place at a manor house turned hotel. In order to save the family home, Midge and her husband Reggie, begin hosting a series of murder weekends for people from the states. The story starts off slow, but picks up after the characters are developed. Babson does a very good job recreating the 1930's golden age of mystery. As I listened to the story I completely forgot that the story takes place in modern times.

What I don't like about the story is how everything gets wrapped quickly and conveniently at the end of the story. I also felt like there were some things that didn't get solved. I don't want to give away the story so I won't go into detail. However, after reading this story, I might read a classic mystery instead of my usual contemporary cozy mystery.

No 2nd book? The last chapter leaves you hanging

Where does Murder on a Mystery Tour rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I REALLY enjoyed this book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I would have it I didn't have to go back a few times and listen to the chapter over again. Some of it can get confusing with all the characters if you're not really paying attention to what is going on, but I enjoyed it so much I didn't mind we relistening to chapters.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book BUT it has no ending...something very suspicious happens and the author just leave you hanging.... I looked to see if there was a sequel and there's nothing there's no other books or a series its just a standalone book and it doesn't end it just kind a like stops...

Great Golden Age homage

if you love cozies you'll love this one ! a la Murder at Hazelmoor or The Mousetrap. Very entertaining.

Written in the 1980's-unbelievable,confusing

Any additional comments?

Because this is an Audible book meant to be heard, not read, the multiple characters, many of whom are playing a different character become muddled together. The sole narrator did his best, I suppose, but his female characters sounded similar to each other. The story line is preposterous, ponderous and the only sympathetic character in the book was the house cat. Please don't waste your time on this book. I wasted 6 hours of my life on it. don't make that mistake.

Problemed Plot and Characterization

I really hate this book. I liked the narrator and thought he did a good job, but the author is not very gifted at character development and the plot was boring. I wish I hadn't wasted time listening to this aimless shambles of a mystery story.

Try to Find Someone that's Likable.

Everyone in the hotel is always complaining, the guests are always complaining and eventually I didn't care enough about anyone to finish the book.

Tolerable story; DREADFUL narration

Any additional comments?

I think it may be a tolerable story but can't say for sure as the narration is so dreadful that I have a hard time getting past it. I think that Steven Crossley would be a good narrator for children's books but for an adult book, there is far too much over-acting and preciousness, making the whole thing cringe-making.

The story itself is absolutely rife with clichés but I knew it was going to be fluff - and there are times I am happy to enjoy a bit of fluff. It's nice if fluff can include a few interesting characters or some viable humour. Unfortunately, not so here. Almost every character is banal and irritating.