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In mid-October, I will be leaving for England to join a Smithsonian British Mystery Tour - visiting the locations featured in many popular British mystery novels. We're going to Devon, the Cotswalds, Oxford and London. But the thing is ... I mostly agreed to go on this tour because my friend wanted to go. It's going to be a nice tour, BUT ... other than a few Miss Marple short stories, I've never read any of these authors. Several of them are on my TBR, I just haven't gotten to them yet. So I have some homework to do! Unfortunately, I don't read that fast - and will have to fit these around bookclub books and - you know - work.

So .... I would like any input you can give me on books by these authors:

- Michael Jecks - he is the tour expert and will be with us for part of the tour.
- Agatha Christie. We will be visiting her estate Greenway, and I understand a few of her novels were set there?
- Dorothy Sayers
- P.D. James
- Arthur Conan Doyle (just the Hound of the Baskervilles)
- The Railway Detective series by Edward Maston
- Dick Francis (we're going to a racing track)
- Colin Dexter - Lewis/Morse mysteries. I have a specific question about these. I know that the BBC had multiple long running series based on these books, but have only seen a few of those episodes. I do love the current series Endeavor, which is not based on the books but is the same character earlier in his life. I may just binge the TV series. What do you think?

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "In mid-October, I will be leaving for England to join a Smithsonian British Mystery Tour - visiting the locations featured in many popular British mystery novels. We're going to Devon, the Cotswald..."

Michael Jecks does medieval mysteries. Edward Marston has a series of medieval as well called the Domesday series, which I loved.

I just finished a memoir about the Cotswolds, Cotswolds Memoir: Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage, there is really so much to see there. At the end of the book she lists sights to see. It is on Kindle unlimited.

DICK FRANCIS - Other than the Sid Haley books (a short series - I think just 5 books), most of his books are stand-alones. So you can read one and not have to worry about reading out of order. He really gives a lot of information about racing.

AGATHA CHRISTIE - She has quite a few which are "locked room" mysteries, and she excels at killing people off with poisons. And Then There Were None is one of her best mysteries. (It's a standalone - no Poirot or Miss Marple)

Booknblues wrote: "Michael Jecks does medieval mysteries. Edward Marston has a series of medieval as well called the Domesday series, which I loved.

I just finished a memoir about the Cotswolds ..."

Thanks BnB! The Michael Jecks books were already on my radar, as I like reading books set in the medieval times. And thanks for the tip on the book about the Cotswalds. I want to make the most of my time there so reading about it in advance will help.

Book Concierge wrote: "DICK FRANCIS - Other than the Sid Haley books (a short series - I think just 5 books), most of his books are stand-alones. So you can read one and not have to worry about reading out of order. He r..."

Oh - that's good to know! I'll probably read just one of the stand alones then. For Agatha Christie, I think I need to read the books set at Greenway if I can figure out which ones those were - and the ABC mysteries. And maybe a bio about Agatha Christie herself?

I love Dorothy Sayers and Lord Peter Wimsey is my literary crush. She has mysteries set in various parts of England. Oxford is central to Gaudy Night. You would probably appreciate it more if you first read Strong Poison and Have His Carcase, which also feature mystery writer Harriet Vane. But if you just have time for that one, it's fine. A theme of it is the challenge of being an educated woman and having an independent life in the 1930's.

I have a Railway Detective collection but haven't read any of it yet.

I will give some thought to specific recommendations for each author.

My initial suggestion is to set up a little schedule for yourself of one mystery per author to read before you go - 2 a month ? Not all the mysteries will be long either. Christie for example are 200 pages or so mostly. Dick Francis are page turners and BBC did an excellent adaptation for Mystery of the horse racing ones. I am pretty sure you can stream those probably with Acorn, Britbox, Amazon. Ditto Morse, even the Agatha Christies. You don't have to watch full series, just a couple. So stream and watch some read those authors not available to stream.

Can you contact the tour organizers to ask for a suggested reading list? There are bound to be others who are not mystery fans on the tour as companions to fans. Maybe Jecks has a list?

Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie is set at Greenways. It is Poirot and you can learn about it and see photos here: https://returnofanative.com/stories/a....

It was adapted for David Suchet Poirot series - 2013 maybe - so you can find it to watch rather than read. I have found those adaptations excellant.

Devon is also home of horse racing and some of Dick Francis mysteries.

Michael Jecks sets his medieval series The Last Templars in Devon. I would read the first at least.

Robin P wrote: "I love Dorothy Sayers and Lord Peter Wimsey is my literary crush. She has mysteries set in various parts of England. Oxford is central to Gaudy Night. You would probably appreciate it ..."

oooh - very good info, Robin. Thanks! I own several of Dorothy Sayers books as I have been wanting to read them, including Gaudy Night.

Theresa, Thank you for your thoughtful recommendations. I am definitely going to have to come up with a schedule and plan, since I only have 2.5 months left before the trip. I'll ask the tour organizers if there is a recommended reading list. My guess is that they think the people going on the tour have already read the authors' books :-).

I would try to read at least one for each author, as you'll probably find you prefer some books to others.

P D James is either Adam Dalgliesh (Cover Her Face) or Cordelia Gray (An Unsuitable Job for a Woman) for series, but if you want to get a feel for her writing there's two short story collections that I can recommend:

The Mistletoe Murders and Other Stories
Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales

The first Morse is Last Bus to Woodstock.

These are the Christie books set in Greenways - Dead Man's Folly, Five Little Pigs, Ordeal by Innocence. I'd definitely try to get to Dead Man's Folly - it's the most evocative to the setting. I've been to Greenways, you're in for a real treat.

Also if you find that you like Christie Lucy Worsley has a new biography of her coming out early October in the UK. I don't know the release date for America and I know it'll be slightly too late for your tour, but you could get it over here! If you don't know Lucy Worsley, she's very readable and I would trust any book written by her. The title is Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman.

If you want to read a biography of Christie before then, John Curran has 2 - the first being Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks (red cover). It has two unseen stories from her in it as well, so you could kill two birds with one stone with this one!

The Colin Dexter ‘Morse’ books are excellent but the TV series is wonderful too and you get all the visuals of Oxford, which is such a lovely place.

Theresa, You were right .... there's a Reading List for the tour. It was right on the website LOL. However, I am still very glad for the input that has been offered from you all!

https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/t...

KateNZ wrote: "The Colin Dexter ‘Morse’ books are excellent but the TV series is wonderful too and you get all the visuals of Oxford, which is such a lovely place."

Thanks Kate! I may end up doing just that.

Jenny wrote: "I would try to read at least one for each author, as you'll probably find you prefer some books to others.

P D James is either Adam Dalgliesh (Cover Her Face) or Cordelia Gray (An Unsuitable Job f..."

This is wonderful info. Thanks! And I just discovered that there is a recommended reading list for the tour, and Agatha Christie's Secret Notebook is on it.

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "Theresa, You were right .... there's a Reading List for the tour. It was right on the website LOL. However, I am still very glad for the input that has been offered from you all!

https://www.smith..."

🤓

I knew there had to be. There are people who literally take as many of these Smithsonian tours as they can because of the quality.

That reading list is AWESOME! My TBR is growing and I am not even taking the tour!

I see the reading list includes some guidebooks and history, which would be more things to use as reference than to read quickly. But plenty of other options. And I'm sure it will be fine if you haven't read much. The tour leader and other participants will be thrilled to fill you in on their favorites. Sounds like a great trip!