January 9th-10th

The Pullman Express

Virtual Murder Mystery Weekend

The Mystery Plot…

The year is 1935.  Fashion, art, cuisine and technology are all taking giant leaps forward as world travel becomes more accessible to the masses.  It’s an age of steamships, trains and exploration, lavish parties and liberation.  An era where anything feels possible. 

For those with status, looking to experience a world of timeless glamour and all the excitement Europe has to offer – there is The Pullman Express.  A long-distance passenger train service stretching across Europe from Paris to Istanbul.  A train travelled by the great and the good, the famous and the infamous.  A train journey where anything is possible. 

Hugh Edwards, the famous novelist and third cousin of the Earl of Rochester, is travelling to Istanbul with his newly wedded wife and former secretary, Florence Edwards. Their recent marriage created something of a scandal in the press, given the forty-year age difference involved. Love, it seems, knows no barriers. Unfortunately, it seems death also knows no barriers as their honeymoon plans are far from the expected marital bliss.

Just as the train leaves Paris Gare de l’Est an unknown man is found dead in a luggage cupboard. With the boilers stoked, the great train already underway, and a timetable that cannot suffer any delays, it is up to the passengers and crew to determine the identity of the victim and name his killer.


Questions abound. Who was the dead man? Why was he killed? And, with it more than likely that his murderer is still on board the train, are any of the other passengers in danger?

The Suspects:

Hugh Edwards - Famous Novelist

With fourteen novels and some forty short stories in print, Hugh is a popular if reclusive writer who has a natural bonhomie, storyteller’s ability and charm.

Caroline Hobbs – Hugh Edwards’ Daughter

Opinionated and somewhat petulant, Caroline has had a privileged upbringing and wants for very little. She doesn’t really approve of her father’s recent marriage and has made her feelings very clear to all concerned.

Florence Edwards – New Wife of Hugh Edwards.

Delicate, demure and altogether lovely, Florence has always delighted everyone she meets. Her marriage to Hugh Edwards has much been talked about in the press, but for those who know them personally it wasn’t at all unexpected.

Gerald Mason – Hugh Edwards’ Literary Agent and Friend

Debonair, organised and efficient, Gerald has managed Hugh Edwards for his entire career. He’s very used to dealing with the press, publishers and the public on behalf of his novelists, but rarely talks about himself.

Imelda Fitzgerald – World Famous Dancer

Artistic and naturalistic, Imelda has a free-flowing style and an emancipated outlook on life. Her dances are a unique art form and have attracted international acclaim.

Laurence Griffiths – Enigmatic Traveller

Self-assured, observant and determined, Laurence has an eye for detail and although he travels as an archaeologist, there’s much more to him than meets the eye.

Penelope Weiss - Actress

A frequent star in the talkies, and well used to being spotted and signing autographs, Penelope has travelled to England on a voyage of personal discovery to explore her roots.

Francesca Smythe – Mild Mannered and Observant

Travelling to Cairo to start her employ as Governess for a family in government service, Francesca Smythe is very self-sufficient and easy company.

Karl Erikison – Swiss Psychoanalyst

A qualified doctor and a lifelong student of the mind, Karl has a soothing voice to match his calm manner and is always fastidiously dressed.

What's Included

The murder mystery will develop over two evenings culminating in a solution on the second night.  You’ll be able to interrogate each suspect during the evenings, chatting to them about their whereabouts and what they know about the other passengers.

You will need a computer, tablet or phone capable of running zoom in order to access the murder mystery.  Being visible is optional, but you may enjoy getting to know the other passengers.

If you book as part of a group – please let us know and we’ll ensure you stay with your group during the event so you can exchange ideas easily

Being unable to holiday abroad doesn’t mean you need to avoid ALL the fun.  Allow us to send you a carefully curated box of goodies to help you enjoy a cruise from home!  This evidence box will contain the material you need to help solve the case as well as some additional goodies and puzzles for you to work through during the voyage.  It will also contain your timetable and itinerary and more details of the optional activities you can take part in during the weekend.

It’s a complicated plot, and loosely follows the story of Cosykiller series 1: An inheritance of Murder.  BUT you don’t need to have played that game to enjoy the murder mystery!  Everything you need to solve the case will be provided across both evenings and in the evidence box delivered directly to your door.

Also Included*

* These are optional events that are included in your ticket price

They always say you never know who you’ll meet on the orient express… this virtual trip is no different.  Cocktail hour gives you a chance to meet with the other passengers in a special cocktail hour where we’ll sent some simple conundrums or conversation points.  We’ll help the ice breaking with a few games, and you’ll be able to recreate that travelling experience getting to know your fellow travellers during the voyage.  Who knows you might even make some new friends or meet some old ones!

You’re welcome at cocktail hour whether or not you upgrade to our cocktail pack.  Do join us for the atmosphere and a chance to mix and mingle with fellow guests and the suspects before the mystery starts.  Black tie optional.

Can you hear that infectious jazz music swinging its way through the carriage? Why not join International sensation Imelda Fitzgerald for what promises to be an energetic toe tapping experience. Whether you consider yourself the belle of the ball or don’t know your left from your right, all are welcome. Imelda will be bringing the sultry jazz clubs of the 1930’s straight into your living room.

Our quizzes were very popular during lockdown and we’ll be joined by our special quiz master duos for an extra special quiz to get your brain cells buzzing.   

If you’re travelling solo – we’ll help you by teaming you up with some fellow passengers.  If you’re travelling as a group we’ll be able to team you up with your group.  Just let us know nearer the time!  Your evidence box will contain your quiz sheets and pen, as well as some puzzle sheets you can work on before and during the weekend!

You’re welcome at cocktail hour whether or not you upgrade to our cocktail pack.  Do join us for the atmosphere and a chance to mix and mingle with fellow guests and the suspects before the mystery starts.  Black tie optional.

These will be run in various sessions across the weekend.  As the virtual escape room capacity is limited – we will be running these at different times during the weekend, so do check your itinerary to see when you’re booked in.  If you’re travelling as a group for the weekend please let us know your fellow passengers so we ensure you’re booked in the same slot.

Join our resident dream expert for a delve into the human psyche as we discuss dreams and what they might mean.  If you’ve always wondered why you dream about flying, or what it means when you find yourself naked at the front of your old science class… now is your time to find out in this fun and lighthearted look at the human mind.

Join Dale Brophy –  owner of Bare Grills Catering for a cook-a-long session as he brings continental cookery to life in your own kitchen! Dale has worked all over the world, and is keen to share his knowledge with you.  We’ll send you a list of ingredients to purchase in advance, and Dale will help you cook up your own meal to bring a taste of the continent to your house during the weekend.  You’ll need a laptop, tablet or mobile phone capable of zoom in order to join in, as well as the ingredients list and an equipped kitchen!  Dale will do the rest!

As members of the Crime Writers Association – we’ve been able to find three talented published crime writers who are willing to join us on our voyage to india and provide us with some conversational entertainment.  If you have questions you’d like to ask about their books, characters or writing experience – this is your chance!   Details of the authors joining us and titles of their books will be provided in your voyage pack.  So if you wanted to grab some light reading to while away your time above deck, you’ll be able to purchase their books and meet the writers themselves during the trip!   (If you’d like a signed copy or any of their books – we may be able to arrange this for you – just ask!)

Michelle Birkby has always loved crime stories, and read her first Sherlock Holmes book when she was thirteen. She was given a beautiful collection of all the short stories and has been hooked with the wonderful, gas-lit, atmospheric world of crime and adventure ever since. A few years ago Michelle was re-reading The Empty House and a blurred figure in the background suddenly came into focus. It became clear to her that Mrs Hudson was much more than a housekeeper to 221b and she’d always been fascinated by Mary Watson’s character. So she set about giving the women of Baker Street a voice and adventures of their own

The books are…
The House at Baker Street https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Street-Hudson-Watson-Investigation-ebook/dp/B0168VGMTM
That’s known as All Roads Lead to Whitechapel in the states https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roads-Whitechapel-Baker-Street-Inquiries/dp/1631942247
And The Women of Baker Street https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Street-Hudson-Watson-Investigation-ebook/dp/B01J5UAA4Q totam, facilis laudantium cum accusamus ullam voluptatibus commodi numquam, error, est. Ea, consequatur.

Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a feature writer on national newspapers including the Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. She writes the Death in Dulwich cozy crime series for Darkstroke/Crooked Cat as Alice Castle and psychological thrillers for HQDigital under the name A.M. Castle. Her latest book, The Invitation, will be published by HQDigital in 2021. Find her on Twitter, @AliceMCastle, or on her website http://www.alicecastleauthor.com. She lives in south east London with her two daughters and two cats.

Cathy Ace was born and raised in Swansea, Wales, then migrated to Canada aged 40. Having traveled the world (for business and pleasure) for decades, Cathy put her knowledge of the cultures, history, art, and food she encountered to good use in the Cait Morgan Mysteries – a series of traditional whodunits featuring a globetrotting Welsh Canadian professor of criminal psychology. These books have been optioned by Free@LastTV (Agatha Raisin). Ace also writes the #1 amazon bestselling WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, featuring four female PIs (one is Welsh, one Irish, one Scottish, one English). They tackle quirky, quintessentially British cases from a Welsh stately home in the rolling countryside of the Wye Valley. Her standalone tale of psychological suspense, The Wrong Boy, also became an amazon #1 bestseller, and is due to become a bilingual TV mini series. Cathy lives on five rural acres in British Columbia, where her ever-supportive husband ensures she’s able to work full-time as an author, and enjoy her other great passion – gardening. She’s been shortlisted for the Bony Blithe Award three times in four years, winning in 2015, has won an IPPY Award, and was shortlisted for an IBA Award and an Arthur Ellis Award.

http://www.cathyace.com/

CATHY ACE: PUBLISHED WORKS DATA SHEET
THE CAIT MORGAN MYSTERIES
Trade paperbacks published by: TouchWood Editions, 103 – 1075 Pendergast Street, Victoria,
BC, V8V 0A1, Canada. Email: info@touchwoodeditions.com
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue: ISBN 978-1927129098 Pub: 2012
The Corpse with the Golden Nose: ISBN 978-1927129883 Pub: 2013
The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb: ISBN 978-1771510639 Pub: 2014
The Corpse with the Platinum Hair: ISBN 978-1771510875 Pub: 2014
The Corpse with the Sapphire Eyes: ISBN 978-1771511209 Pub: 2015
The Corpse with the Diamond Hand: ISBN 978-1771511445 Pub: 2015
The Corpse with the Garnet Face: ISBN 978-1771511650 Pub: 2016
The Corpse with the Ruby Lips: ISBN 978-1771511957 Pub: 2016
Trade paperback published by: Four Tails Publishing Ltd., PO Box 100, Stn. Whonnock, Maple
Ridge, BC, V2W 1V9, Canada. Email: fourtailspublishingltd@shaw.ca
The Corpse with the Crystal Skull: ISBN 978-1999223052 Pub: 2020
Digital versions published by: Four Tails Publishing Ltd., PO Box 100, Stn. Whonnock, Maple
Ridge, BC, V2W 1V9, Canada. Email: fourtailspublishingltd@shaw.ca
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue: ISBN 978-1775175476 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Golden Nose: ISBN 978-1775175483 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb: ISBN 978-1775175490 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Platinum Hair: ISBN 978-1999223007 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Sapphire Eyes: ISBN 978-1999223014 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Diamond Hand: ISBN 978-1999223021 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Garnet Face: ISBN 978-1999223038 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Ruby Lips: ISBN 978-1999223045 Pub: 2019
The Corpse with the Crystal Skull: ISBN 978-1999223069 Pub: 2020
THE WISE ENQUIRIES AGENCY MYSTERIES
Trade paperbacks published by: Severn House Publishers Ltd., Eardley House, 4 Uxbridge
Street, London W8 7SY, United Kingdom. E-mail: sales@severnhouse.com
The Case of the Dotty Dowager: ISBN 978-1847515919 Pub: UK 2015; USA/Canada 2015
The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer: ISBN 978-1847516633 Pub: UK 2015; USA/Canada 2016
The Case of the Curious Cook: ISBN 978-1847517715 Pub: UK 2016; USA/Canada 2017
The Case of the Unsuitable Suitor: ISBN 978-1847518545 Pub: UK 2017; USA/Canada 2018
Titles also available in hardcover, and digital versions.
THE WRONG BOY
Trade paperback published by: Four Tails Publishing Ltd., PO Box 100 Stn. Whonnock, Maple
Ridge, BC, V2W 1V9, Canada. E-mail: fourtailspublishingltd@shaw.ca
The Wrong Boy: ISBN 978-1775175421 Pub: 2019
Also available in hardcover, and digital versions.
COLLECTIONS
Trade paperbacks published by: Four Tails Publishing Ltd., PO Box 100 Stn. Whonnock, Maple
Ridge, BC, V2W 1V9, Canada. E-mail: fourtailspublishingltd@shaw.ca
Murder Keeps No Calendar ISBN: 978-1775175407 Pub: 2017
Murder Knows No Season ISBN: 978-1775175445 Pub: 2018
Titles also available in digital versions.
SHORT STORIES
Steve’s Story in ‘The Whole She-Bang 3’
Trade paperback published by Sisters in Crime (Toronto) 2016 ISBN 978-0988093652
Title also available in digital versions.
The Trouble with the Turkey in ‘Cooked to Death Vol. 3: Hell for the Holidays’
Trade paperback published by Obscura Productions 2018 ISBN 978-1732021600
Title also available in digital versions

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Luxury Cabin

£40 Per Person

Grande Suite

£125 Per Person