2.5* Sadly, quite tedious with all the sniping and bitching, and it's ageist. Needs editing.

Based on this offering, although I quite like cosy mysteries, the elements mentioned in the title were very off-putting. Edna was a vain whinger and Marjorie was supercilious and had umpteen conversations in her head. The two men were the better characters.

I found the book ageist in its moans about getting old; about one of the older men having a lite version of his head being turned by a middle-aged female; about mansplaining how the older characters used their phones and embraced technology - sadly, not at all believable based on my IRL experience of trying to help my mum with Mobile Phone 101. There was too much telling and not enough showing. None if the characters were interesting enough, and tbh, Marjorie and Edna were turn-offs who both spoilt the tale.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.

Another cozy romp through murder and mayhem with the fab four elderly sleuths. Astute Lady Marjorie, the irrepressible Edna, lovable Frederick and generous Horace are on a tour of Cornwall ticking off item's from Edna's bucket list. However, no outing with this intrepid quartet would be complete without a murder! The victim is an unsavoury character so there are no shortages of suspects. First job though is convincing the bumbling police that this is murder not accident. Throw away your analytical head and suspend disbelief to enjoy this nonsensical but amusing book.

I was absolutely thrilled to receive this ARC, as this is one of my all-time favorite series—and Brookes has done it again! Marjorie and her friends bring their signature charm, witty banter, and laugh-out-loud moments while diving headfirst into another amateur sleuthing adventure. Fast-paced yet cozy, and brimming with quintessential British flair, this installment was an absolute delight from start to finish. I loved every page!

⭐️⭐️ (DNF at 24%)

I always approach ARCs with the intention of seeing them through, but Murder on a Bus Tour simply did not work for me despite multiple attempts to re-engage with the story.

From the start, I found it difficult to connect with the characters. Their personalities felt underdeveloped, and much of what I learned about them came solely through the main character’s limited and at times rather judgmental lens. This left me feeling distanced from everyone on the page. Even among those who were meant to be portrayed as close friends, such as the relationship between the main character and Edna, I struggled to sense any warmth or authentic connection. A particular moment that stood out to me was a comment suggesting no one would be interested in a biography about Edna’s life. It felt dismissive and unkind, especially coming from someone who is supposed to be a friend and travel companion.

The opening chapter with the suspicious couple did have the potential to spark curiosity, but rather than building an atmosphere of intrigue or suspense, it leaned heavily on negative assumptions and commentary about others. While suspicion is a natural element in a murder mystery, it felt overly critical of characters the group had barely interacted with. This pattern continued in a way that made the story feel more judgmental than immersive.

By the 24 percent mark, I realized I was not enjoying the experience and was actively avoiding picking the book back up. After giving it some distance and trying again, it became clear that the reading experience still felt like a chore. Unfortunately, the characters had not become any more vivid, and the story lacked the cozy and suspenseful charm I typically look for in mysteries of this kind.

3.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

This was a nice, cozy read with a funny, rag-tag group of ‘fogeys’ who like to solve mysteries, or at least some in the group do.
While I haven’t read the books prior to this one, this novel being no.7 in the series, it wasn’t a struggle to find my way through the plot or to understand character relations. The plot was immersive and I found myself turning pages trying to figure out what was unfolding. Similarly, the setting of Cornwall and references to its historic background were greatly appreciated, adding to the coziness and nostalgia of this book. You can tell that this is inspired by Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and I can see her characteristics reflected particularly in Marjorie.

With a small cast of characters it is would appear hard to keep the identity of the killer(s) hidden until the final reveal at the end, this does not appear to be the case. Gauging the outcome, while not offering the greatest surprise, was still different to what I was expecting, a few red herrings owing to that along the way.

The only areas I could think to point out that didn’t work for me was that some areas within the novel tended to over explain elements, I found this to come across as slightly clunky and a little excessive. Some aspects of the dialogue, to me, came across a little animated, but of course, this book is still in its editing stages.

I would definitely consider reading the other books in the title and I’m excited to see what else comes of Brookes’ series!

This series is such a great one. I’d forgotten how great it was till I settled down to start this book. The focus is all on characters and their interactions with each other. The two widows still have thoughts of their past spouses and do things that make memories come back and shape their days. The awesome foursome, as the four elderly amateur sleuths, get called are gentle and caring and rile each other up in a soft way. The mystery of the murder is done step by step but the older four looking into things almost like the famous five! There is a bit of a need to suspend belief but in a very cozy way. This is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe, along with three friends, is on a bus tour along the Cornish coast. Early in the tour they note the strange behavior of several of the other guests. When one of them falls to his death from a cliff, Marjorie believes that he was pushed. Though the police dismiss it as a mishap, she and her friends seek to find out who had a motive to want this guest, who clearly had enemies, out of the picture.

Unusually, it took me a week or more to read about 30% of this book. When it finally occurred to me that this was the case simply because of boredom, I skipped to the last 2-3 chapters to get to the whodunnit. I didn't feel like I missed much. The pace was just too slow for the book to be enjoyable. Also, Marjorie and her cousin were sniping at one another all the time -- Edna, verbally, and Marjorie mostly in her head. But it became tedious just as it would being around real people behaving this way. I had trouble keeping the two male friends clear in my head because their individual characters were not well developed. Since there are previous books in this series, which I have not read, perhaps their individuality was made clearer there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A good cozy mystery with lots of characters who are a little different to the norm. I loved all the clues and fact finding and enjoyed this very much. Very similar to Agatha Christie. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I found this a fun whodunit with lots of interesting suspects and a lovely setting. I do not like all of the main characters and find myself getting really impatient with them which detracts from my enjoyment of the book. It is hard for me to see why these four people would continue to be friends.
But it is still a good cozy mystery for those readers that like the puzzle aspect of the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Murder on a Bus Tour is a fun, cozy murder mystery set in the historic Cornwall coast of England. The main characters are amateur sleuth senior citizens with unique and entertaining personalities. Fans of “Only Murders in the Building” will love this book! I am personally a lover of all things British and I loved how authentically British everything was from the character personalities to the settings. There were even some fun historical facts woven in about the history of treasure hunting and smuggling. While the story is a standalone and can be enjoyed without reading previous Lady Marjorie books, there were some references to earlier stories that I think would have hit differently if this weren't my first Lady Marjorie read. I can't wait to read the rest of Lady Marjorie's stories now!

Murder on a Bus Tour was a fun cozy mystery with a quirky cast of characters. Lady Marjorie and her friends once again find themselves wrapped up in an unexpected murder investigation—this time while traveling through the beautiful coastal scenery of Cornwall.

The mystery itself was interesting and kept me reading, but I’ll be honest—some of the characters really frustrated me. I also struggled at the beginning to figure out exactly what time period the book was set in, which pulled me out of the story a bit (this was the first book in this series that I've read).

That said, I still enjoyed the twists and the charm of this story, and it was fun to see how Lady Marjorie tackles a case.

This is your typical cozy mystery. It seems like this book is a part of a series, but I was able to jump right in! The book follows Marjorie and 3 friends, they are a witty group of senior citizens, out on a vacation. Their vacation takes a turn when Professor Miller falls from the castle edge to his death. Marjorie, ever the inquisitive sleuth, knows that his death is not an accident. The book has all of the elements of a cozy mystery and the writing is fun and engaging. Here’s to hoping that Marjorie and her friends get to relax and enjoy their next vacation, but something tells me they won’t!

A fun cozy murder mystery set on the Cornish coast. Tales of treasure and smugglers galore add spice.. enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it. Fun summer read.

Murder on a Bus Tour by Dawn Brookes is number seven in the series. Since this was my first read, I found this book truly enjoyable. Four old friends Lady Majorie, her cousin in law Edna whose demeanor reminded me of Sophia from the Golden Girls. Then bringing up the rear of this foursome are Horace and Frederick who are on a holiday visiting tour of Cornwall. As the four friends are enjoying their holiday, they’re also meeting the people on the tour with them. Has the foursome have their own opinions about their travel companions a wonderful tour turns into a deadly holiday. One of the tour members has died. Was it an accident, or was he murdered the police believe it was an accident or possibly even a suicide but our fearsome four think there’s more behind it so of course they quickly decide to do some investigating on their own. This wasn’t an easy task because Edna really wanted to concentrate on their holiday and didn’t want to get involved, but with all of Marjorie’s pushing, she convinces the rest of her friends they must figure this mystery out
Along the way, our friends find that they have many suspects. Who could it be? The police of course do not want any of their help. They’re ruling it accident and they should just get on with their holiday. Lady Marjorie doesn’t believe this and her and her friends push on and on Until the real killer is caught.
This little mystery was very enjoyable. I loved the characters. I loved that they were older friends who got involved in helping the police solve the crime. Edna was my favorite because she was written very sassy. Her wigs and her heels had me picturing this women sitting in bar getting information from these suspects. A real Columbo. The rest of the foursome were written so well and the description of the places they were at made me want to join them on their tour. Totally enjoyed every aspects of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. I hope I will get to read more of the adventures of the Fabulous Four.

Not what I expected, for some reason I thought this was a period book so that was a surprise.
NiceLy written characters although I did struggle to connect with them.
Pleasant to read about the locations and a nice read but not overtly exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for my review.

Book Review: Murder on a Bus Tour

Murder on a Bus Tour is a charming and easy read that delivers exactly what you’d expect from a cozy mystery. The premise—a group tour disrupted by murder—offers a fun escape, and the cast of quirky characters adds to the appeal. I especially appreciated how accessible the story was; it moves at a light, comfortable pace perfect for a weekend read.

That said, the writing style read as though this was set in the past, which was surprising given the modern-day setting. There were moments where the tone and dialogue seemed better suited to a story from decades ago, which occasionally pulled me out of the narrative.

The character dynamics are enjoyable overall, though a bit repetitive at times. The relationship between Edna and Horace, for instance, is clearly defined early on—Edna’s jealousy is evident and believable—but that same tension is reemphasized more than necessary. It felt like the author didn’t trust the reader to remember what had already been established, which slightly dulled the impact of their interactions.

Still, despite these minor drawbacks, Murder on a Bus Tour is a pleasant mystery with a classic feel. If you enjoy character-driven whodunits with a bit of humor and a nostalgic tone, this one’s worth checking out.

This is a pleasant romp through Cornwall with lovable, but bickering, senior sleuths. I have family from Cornwall, and wanted to love this light mystery, but I didnt find any of the characters compelling.

They seemed somewhat unlikely travel companions, and although they were successful sleuths, I didn’t find pleasure in following their adventure.

This is the second book I’ve read in the series, although completely out of order, and I really enjoy these crime solving octogenarians 😂. Marjorie, Edna, Frederick, and Horace, or the awesome foursome as they refer to themselves, can’t seem to help bumping into a murder whenever they travel. The four friends are vastly different from each other, and pick at each other like little kids, but that’s what makes it fun. 4 ⭐️

The story was okay, but the pacing felt slow for me in the beginning before it picked up. Since this was part of a series I didn't follow or read, I wasn't familiar with the awesome foursome and their history so there were moments that had some gaps in between so I would need to read more of the books to get a better understanding. However despite not being familiar with them, I loved how they bounce off of each other and the friendship they shared. Overall this was a fun book to read. I did notice there were some spelling mistakes and netgalley sent a revised copy with the spelling mistakes fixed which was appreciated!

This is the seventh book in the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe series. I haven’t read any of the previous books, but this one stands alone very well, with just the occasional mention of something that has happened previously, and therefore presumably part of one of the earlier books.
As you’d expect from a cosy mystery, the book is quite lighthearted and easy to read. The characters are, for the most part, good fun, though I will admit to finding Edna rather annoying at times. However, she’s an integral part of the book, and her thoughts and opinions are required.
I enjoyed this book, and will read the earlier stories in this series when I get the opportunity.