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Manor Murder Mystery Mania
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items From grand English estates to eerie island mansions, I can't say no to a manor house setting when it comes to a mystery. Spanning classics to modern spins of the trope, these stories blend isolation, intrigue, and dark secrets behind elegant façades....
Sections
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The Butler Did It!
It Was a Dark & Stormy Night
Agatha All Along
Just For Fun
Reader and Viewer Resources
The Butler Did It!
I had to laugh typing “The Butler Did It” because I think I've only read one or two books where the butler actually did do it. But here are some great novels with a manor setting to at least keep you guessing if the butler was in on it.
The quintessential isolated location murder mystery…with a quintessential Christie twist, of course.
And Then There Were None
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Everybody's invited to a wedding…and a murder. Lucy Foley has been compared to a modern day Christie, and this fun, twisty mystery is a good reason why. It was also a Reese's Book Club pick.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
If you liked Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, this will be right up your alley. It has that same claustrophobic, “who's hiding what?” and “who's about to die next?” feel.
One by One by Ruth Ware
A great locked room mystery (and the start to a wonderful, long-running series starring the sleuth Inspector Adam Dalgliesh). P.D. James has the feel of a Golden Age mystery writer even though her career spanned the decades after it.
Cover Her Face: An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery a book by P. D. James
Maureen Johnson is one of my favorite authors. She has a hilarious, dry sense of humor, and this YA closed door mystery series is super fun.
Truly Devious 3-Book Box Set: Truly Devious, Vanishing Stair, and Hand on the Wall a book by Maureen Johnson
The Mysterious Affair at Styles was Agatha Christie's first book (written on a dare from her sister, in fact), and Hercule Poirot's first appearance. It's a twisty, well-crafted whodunit and it makes you feel like you're staying at the manor with all...
The Mysterious Affair At Styles: Hercule Poirot #1
Maureen Johnson writes an excellent, witty murder mystery. I loved her Truly Devious series, and this new mystery is high on my TBR pile.
Death at Morning House a book by Maureen Johnson
This Lisa Jewell book is on my TBR pile. I've enjoyed her previous suspense novels. Not quite a manor mystery, but it looks like a great spooky season read.
The Family Upstairs: A Novel
I can't say enough good things about Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. It's a clever meta-mystery that flips between a modern editor and a 1950s manor-house crime novel. It's the first in a three book series, and it's Horowitz at his finest.
Magpie Murders: A Novel
This is the third book in the Susan Ryeland trilogy, so I definitely recommend starting with Magpie Murders, but Marble Hall Murders is the same twisty, diabolically clever murder mystery within a murder mystery that the series entails. Anthony Horow... From the publisher: “Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, in search of a new life back in England. Freelancing for a London publisher, she's given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pü...
Marble Hall Murders: A Novel
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is one of my all-time favorite books. It's creepy, atmospheric, mysterious suspense at its best. And if there's any manor name more iconic than Manderley, I'd love to hear it.
Rebeca by Daphne Du Maurier
It Was a Dark & Stormy Night
At least it is on film. Here are some of my favorite murder mystery movies and TV shows with a manor setting.
Knives Out is one of my favorite modern manor mysteries. So clever and twisty--Detective Benoit Blanc is a fun addition to the greatest sleuths of all time.
Knives Out
David Suchet will always be the perfect Poirot in my mind. You can watch all the seasons & the also excellent series Marple on BritBox. Many of the episodes are manor set. Some of my favorites are “After The Funeral” and “The Hollow.”
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Gosford Park is so spot-on as a Manor Murder Mystery that it's almost a parody of the genre. It could go campy hitting all those tropes, but the incredible cast elevates it to art.
Gosford Park
Clue is a hilarious cult favorite based on the board game with memorable characters and a fun take on the manor mystery genre.
Clue - Apple TV
Crooked House is one of Agatha Christie's most dark and gothic mysteries IMHO. This adaptation was moody in the best possible way.
Agatha Christie's Crooked House
I adored The Residence, a murder mystery set in a fictional White House. I realize that calling the White House a manor might seem a little off, but it truly hit all the manor murder mystery tropes in a fun way (including the complex tension between ...
The Residence
Murder By Death is basically a pre-Clue Clue. It's campy good fun starring Peter Falk, and it's worth a watch if you're a big fan of the genre.
Murder by Death
Agatha All Along
Agatha Christie truly was the grand dame of the Golden Age of murder mysteries. She invented so many amazing tropes and twists that are still used today.
Visiting Agatha Christie's home is on my bucket list. I just don't want to get trapped there like these poor tourists. (Although it would definitely make an excellent opening scene to a mystery!)
Greenway House - Agatha Christie's Home
If you're in Torquay (Agatha Christie's birthplace), this tour is a must. Learn about her life in the place she called home.
Agatha Christie walking tour - the story of her extraordinary life
With a good section devoted to Agatha Christie, this documentary delves into the historical true crime and cultural phenomenon that's driven the fascination with murder in Great Britain over the years.
A Very British Murder with Lucy Worsley, Season 1
This was an excellently researched biography about Agatha Christie by the historian (and huge mystery buff) Lucy Worsley.
Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman
Just For Fun
Great gifts for the mystery readers in your life.
A cute way to stay hydrated while you get sucked into a good read.
Just One More Chapter Book Lover Frosted Glass Tumbler, Reader Gift Iced Coffee Glass, Bookish Gifts Iced Coffee Cup, Romance Reader Gifts
Nothing says, “return my dang book!” in a nicer, prettier way than a personalized book embosser.
TOP SELLER - From the Library of Book Embosser Custom Personalized From the Library of Book Belongs to Ex Libris Book Lover Gift 1 5/8"
Perfect for Agatha Christie fans (or gather up your friends who love Knives Out or Murder She Wrote) and host a fun murder mystery party, set in the golden age of mystery, the 1920s.
10-20 Characters 1920s Speakeasy Murder Mystery Party - PDF Version
I laughed my head off at this hilarious little gift book by Maureen Johnson. This cheeky guide to not getting murdered will hopefully keep you safe on your next visit to a murderous village with a name like “Crippen St. Deathsmeade.” Step 1: Don't go...
Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village
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I love to use my little grey cells and solve some of these logic puzzles to unwind.
Murdle: Volume 1: 100 Elementary to Impossible Mysteries to Solve Using Logic, Skill, and the Power of Deduction|Paperback
Reader and Viewer Resources
Here are some great options to fill your bookshelf and screentime.
I love to support my local library! And I love listening to audiobooks and downloading e-books through the Libby app. Yes, I have to be patient on the waiting list, but it's a great way to read a lot of books on a budget if you're a bibliophile like ...
Download the Libby App: ebooks & audiobooks FREE from your library
Buying books through bookshop.org is a great way to support local independent bookstores!
Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
You can find some great audiobook deals on Chirp, and if you don't feel like committing to a subscription, it's a good option for audiobooks.
Chirp | The Best Audiobook Deals Without A Subscription Fee
If you love listening to audiobooks, Audible is a great option. They have a ton of titles that you have access to on an unlimited basis, and then you can also choose a new book each month to keep. You can get a month's free trial to decide if you lik...
Audible - Access to a Huge Catalog of Audiobooks
Yes, I'm that weirdo who has multiple tablets to read on. I prefer my Kindle for nighttime reading and travel. I prefer reading on my iPad during the day and for books that I need to be able to zoom in on (like, say, a map of a manor house where some...
Apple iPad (10th Gen): A14 Bionic, 10.9-inch, 64GB
I've had my Kindle Paperwhite for years now, after being one of those people who said that you could pry paper books out of my cold dead hands. Well, consider me a humbled convert. I love the way that I can carry my TBR pile around with me. I love th...
Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – 6.8" Display - Black
I'm an avid reader, so I joined Barnes & Noble's premium membership plan. You save 10% on books, free shipping, as well as exclusive discounts and goodies.
Barnes & Noble | NOOK eReaders
Good e-book and audiobook option!
Rakuten Kobo
If you like to read on your iPhone, Apple Books offers the best app for reading.
Apple Books
Another good e-book option
Books on Google Play
Books-A-Million is a great alternative for print books, ebooks, and more.
BAM! Books, Toys & More | Books-A-Million Online Book Store