Days 1 & 2 — Depart the U.S. / Arrive in London

Depart the U.S. for London. Upon arrival the next day, take a group transfer to Torquay, along the Devon coast. Gather for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel. (R,D)

Day 3 — Torquay

Meet this morning for a discussion with your Smithsonian expert. Today you will delve into the world of Agatha Christie as you begin at St. Mary’s Church, where she regularly attended mass. During a driving tour, experience the landscape so richly described in Christie’s books and visit Greenway, her beloved home and setting for three of her novels. Enjoy lunch at a local pub before a visit to Dartmoor Prison. This evening is at your leisure. (B,L)

Day 4 — Cotswolds

View some of Christie’s photographs, letters, manuscripts and memorabilia during a guided visit at the Torquay Museum. Travel to the Cotswolds celebrated for golden stone villages, lovely cottages, and rolling hills dotted with sheep. Then it’s all aboard the Warwickshire Steam Railway, the setting of the Railway Detective series. The train system in England has long served as inspiration for myriad crime authors’ mysteries. Visit some of the atmospheric Cotswolds towns that inspire mystery writers in their works, such as Chipping Campden, linking aspects of village life to the world of Miss Marple and D.L. Sayer’s books. Check into your historic hotel where you will be joined by a renowned crime novelist for an exclusive discussion about their most recent work over dinner. (B,D)

Day 5 — Oxford

Set out for a full day excursion of 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 of Oxford 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, explore one building which has seen over 1000 years of splendor, crime and punishment during a visit to Oxford Castle and Prison. (B,L)

Day 6 — London

Depart the Cotswolds and head to London this morning. En route, stop at Syon House, a 16th-century estate, whose sprawling gardens and historic interiors have inspired intrigue and mystery, and has been used the setting for many film and TV series, including ITV’s Poirot, Downton Abbey, and BBC’s Silent Witness, among many others. Continue to London and check into your hotel. Later this evening, enjoy a private mystery and crime writers quiz at a local pub to test your knowledge (2023) or a ticket to Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap on the West End (2024). (B)

Day 7 – London

Begin the day exploring legal London, a favorite backdrop for Sayers and James. Discover 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. Enjoy some time at leisure this evening. (B,L)

Day 8 — London

Explore Victorian London today, where most mystery writers have orchestrated a murder. Begin your day with a guided visit to Highgate Cemetery, which could have served as a backdrop of an Agatha Christie novel and 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 and ivy-clad monuments, it is perhaps the most famous of London’s “magnificent seven” burial grounds. Its history has ranged from storied 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. Enjoy lunch at leisure in Highgate Village. Creating a unique world for characters to inhabit can be the secret to a writer’s success. At 221B Baker Street, explore one of the world’s most famous addresses during a guided tour of the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Experience a special visit to Dennis Severs' House, where two centuries of (imagined) family history were meticulously arranged by Severs over the course of twenty years and inspired by shadows of the past he sensed within the house. Open your mind and imagination to this exceptional world. Aut Visum Aut Non! “You either see it, or you don’t.” 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)

Day 9 — Depart for the U.S.

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