Published in the 1980s, Murder On A Mystery Tour by Marian Babson pays homage to The Golden Age of mystery novels written during the 1920s and 1930s. (Agatha Christie was part of that group, however Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series predates that style of writing.)

In this instance, we find couple Reggie and Midge trying to find a way to financially save their English manor, which is currently being used as a hotel. Just in the knick of time, they receive a call from an old friend in the publishing business, who is looking for a place to rent out to stage some promotional murder mystery tours. Babson deftly launches the reader into the rather complicated story, which is actually a mystery within a mystery.

My main quibble with the story was the sheer number of people to keep track of, as there are the actual characters and also the roles they assume for the murder mystery weekend. It does become confusing or at least it was for me. The one character I could always keep straight was Ackroyd the cat, who stares disapprovingly at certain guests and always knows when a there might be a treat available. Bravo Ackroyd. ;-)

Overall rating: 3.5 stars
First book completed in 2024 ( )

When Reggie and Midge, the reluctant managers of an English country inn agree to host a mystery tour, they are in for a surprise of a most unpleasant nature as events turn a staged murder into the real thing.

This was a light, lively story and sometimes humorous with a lot of characters to keep track of. I enjoy this author’s writing style but the story was just somewhat interesting. ( )

Important to realize this was published pre-Internet, pre-cell phones. ( )

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. ( )

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! ( )