Mystery Lover's England

Depart the U.S. for London. Upon arrival the next day, meet the group to transfer to Torquay, the birthplace of Agatha Christie, set along the Devon coast. Gather in the evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel. (R,D)

Delve into the world of Agatha Christie, beginning at St. Mary’s Church, where she regularly attended mass. During a driving tour, experience the landscapes so richly described in Christie’s books and visit Greenway, her beloved home and the setting for three of her novels. Enjoy lunch at a local pub before a visit to Dartmoor Prison, where American prisoners of war were notoriously kept after the War of 1812. This evening is at your leisure. (B,L)

View some of Christie’s photographs, letters, manuscripts, and memorabilia during a guided tour of the Torquay Museum. Then climb aboard the Dartmouth Steam Valley Railway for a journey famously taken by Hercule Poirot, Christie’s charismatic Belgian detective. Your route follows the spectacular Devon coast, past picturesque stations featured in the ABC Murders. Disembark in Paignton and continue by road to Cheltenham, situated at the edge of the charming Cotswolds district. Check in to your historic hotel, where you will be joined by a renowned crime novelist for dinner and an exclusive discussion about their most recent work. (B,D)

Set out on a full day excursion to Oxford. A mystery lover’s paradise, Oxford has produced an abundance of crime writers, including Dorothy L. Sayers and P.D. James. Its academic ambiance, ancient towers, and hidden quads set the scene for an extensive list of mysteries, including works by Sayers and Colin Dexter. Embark on a guided walking tour which dives deep into the real-world setting of Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse fiction series. See the stunning locations used for filming the TV adaptation of the series, as well as the sequel and prequel series, Lewis and Endeavour. After lunch in a local restaurant, step into the storied halls of the Bodleian Libraries, where domed reading rooms, late gothic architecture, and underground tunnels have sparked the imagination of countless mystery writers. Dinner this evening will be in a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

En route to London this morning, stop at Syon House, a 16th-century estate with sprawling gardens and stately interiors that have inspired intrigue and mystery and been used as the setting for many film and TV series, including ITV’s Poirot, Downton Abbey, and BBC’s Silent Witness. Continue to London and check in to your hotel. Tonight, enjoy an evening at the theater with a viewing of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap in the city’s renowned West End theater district. (B)

Begin the day in Victorian London, where many a mystery writer has orchestrated a crime. Take a guided tour of the Inns of Court, the center of London’s law profession, which is featured in James’s A Certain Justice. Visit Lincoln Inn before lunch and a tour at Middle Temple Hall. Then meander through Highgate Cemetery, which has been featured on such mystery shows as Waking the Dead, MI-5, and Luther. With its sinuous paths winding up a steep wooded hill past ivy-clad monuments, it is perhaps the most famous of London’s “magnificent seven” burial grounds. Its history has ranged from distinguished to notorious, and its “residents” include Karl Marx and Adam Worth, the criminal mastermind widely considered to be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s inspiration for Sherlock Holmes’ Professor Moriarty. Take advantage of an evening at leisure tonight. (B,L)

Pay a morning visit to Covent Garden, the lively marketplace investigated by Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. Tour the Bow Street Police Museum and hear the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Metropolitan Police officers who patrolled the streets of Covent Garden beginning in the 18th century. In the afternoon, explore the Houses of Parliament on a guided tour and learn the history and heritage of the United Kingdom’s governmental system. This evening, gather for a farewell reception and dinner, featuring a presentation by a special mystery writer guest. Perhaps it will be one of London’s “Killer Women,” but for now…it’s a mystery. (B,R,D)

Depart London for the U.S. on individual flights. (B)