Golden Age of Detective Fiction

By reviewing Murder on a Mystery Tour by Marian Babson, I’m already a quarter of the way through my #20BooksofChristmas reading Challenge. If you’re curious about this reading challenge and want to participate or learn more about it, make sure to check out That Happy Reader’s introductory post.

The Story

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Reggie and Midge are determined to make it even more special. To earn some extra holiday cheer, they open the doors of their cozy inn to an old school friend who runs a touring company for American tourists. The inn is transformed into a festive haven, offering a warm Dickensian Christmas experience complete with traditional food and games. And to top it off, they plan a murder mystery-themed whodunnit that could rival any golden age mystery story.

Reggie and Midge’s murder mystery is suddenly overshadowed by a real murder. Now, they find themselves confined within their inn, surrounded by a cast of characters as diverse as they are eccentric: an introverted writer and his domineering mother, a pair of Siamese twins who seem to be living in their own world, and a host of other wacky guests. With the addition of the paid actors and staff, the manor is bursting at the seams with potential amateur detectives-and one genuine killer.

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The Review

Murder on a Mystery Tour is a unique blend of genres. It’s part homage and parody of the traditional English murder mystery that defined the Golden Age of detective fiction from the 1920s to the 1930s and part of Babson’s brand of madcap adventure that made her a household name in the 1980s and 1990s. This blend gives the story its continued appeal, offering a delightful mix of mystery and comedy.

For fans of movies such as Clue, Private Eyes, and Murder by Death—which are all modern (for the times they were made) riffs on the Golden Age aesthetic and tropes blended with the larger-than-life character-driven pieces of the 1980s. These movies are known for their exaggerated characters and over-the-top humor, and if you enjoy this style, you’ll find it in Murder on the Mystery Tour.

One of Babson’s many talents is creating a scene and imparting the character’s personalities through dialogue with others. She’s a master of moving the plot at a long breakneck speed and weaving lots of hilarious character moments into the story- however, with the many suspects and with all of them written in a broadly comic fashion, it may be overwhelming for some readers, especially when mixed with the double plot threads of the fake murder mystery and the actual murder mystery: things can get pretty convoluted if the reader isn’t paying close attention. Add a pair of twins purposely written to mirror each other, and you might be left wondering who is saying what, what’s real, and what’s make-believe.

Babson’s playful mirroring of expectations and plot threads really invites the reader to participate in solving what ends up being two main mysteries with a smattering of smaller little side quest mysteries, which is really enjoyable.

Babson also liberally sprinkles in allusions and references to Golden Age mysteries- which I don’t think will detract from readers enjoyment if they are not as familiar with the tropes- one of which- no use of twins- which Babson flagrantly flaunts, which made me laugh. There are all of the trappings of the traditional English Christmas- an over-the-top feast, drinking, and games that are artificial and taken from the storybooks of Reggie and Midge’s childhoods-which they are re-creating so they can have a bit extra cold hard cash, the sort of subtle, biting criticism of traditions that Babson is known for putting in her books.

Both mysteries were executed with exceptional skill. I found myself suspecting a different guest in almost every chapter, a testament to Babson’s clever misdirection. She is adept at leading the reader down one path before revealing the killer in a bombastic scene, complete with characters having complete mental breakdowns in the funniest ways possible.

Murder on a Mystery Tour is a black comedy that hit all the right notes for me. The clever misdirection, the eccentric characters, and the hilarious breakdowns all contributed to an entertaining and amusing read. I wished I could read it all over again for the first time.

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