The classic English country house is a quintessential backdrop for British crime fiction, particularly short stories. From Agatha Christie to Margery Allingham, renowned authors crafted intricate mysteries for their detectives to solve within these sprawling estates. The enduring popularity of these tales stems from a combination of nostalgia for a bygone era and the irresistible challenge of piecing together cleverly hidden clues.

Murder at the Manor is a collection of Cozy Mystery short stories that have been published as part of The British Library Classic Crime Series. So far the BLCC Series has 135 fiction and 2 non-fiction books (as at the end of 2024). It “is a treasure trove for Golden Age mystery fans.”

Murder in the Manor contains 16 very enjoyable short stories from 16 different writers:

"The Copper Beeches" by Arthur Conan Doyle
"The problem of Dead Wood Hall" by Dick Donovan
"Gentlemen and Players" by E.W. Hornung
"The Well" by W.W. Jacobs
"The White Pillars Murder" by G.K. Chesterton
"The Secret of Dunstan's Tower" by Ernest Bramah
"The Manor House Mystery by J.S. Fletcher 
"The Message on the Sun-Dial" by J.J. Bell
"The Horror at Staveley Grange" by Sapper
"The Mystery of Horne's Copse" by Anthony Berkeley
"The Perfect Plan" by James Hilton
"The Same to Us" by Margery Allingham
"The Murder at the Towers" by E.V. Knox
"An Unlocked Window" by Ethel Lina White
"The Long Shot" by Nicholas Blake
"Weekend at Wapentake" by Michael Gilbert

All the stories were enjoyable but my favorites were probably “The Perfect Plan,” “The Well,” and “Weekend at Wapentake.” The latter is a well done Bibliomystery with a melancholy ending.

I found Murder in the Manor at my local public library. It is easily available to be ordered from wherever you order your books.

If you are looking for the perfect reading for the end of your day, I highly recommend this volume and the entire British Library Classic Crime Series.