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United States/England

The Art of the Whodunit: English Murder Mysteries on QM2

Program No. 23190RJ
Agatha Christie. Colin Dexter. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If these are the authors who fill up your bookshelves, join us on the QM2 to delve into the world of English murder mysteries.

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DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Out Ship Balc
Accommodation Details

A cabin with no window, porthole or balcony.

Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Accommodation Details

A cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck.

May 25 - Jun 6, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Inside 5,699
Ship Outside 6,199
Ship Balcony 6,499
Special Offer

Enroll by April 13, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

Jul 20 - Aug 1, 2023
Ship Inside 5,899
Ship Outside 6,399
Ship Balcony 6,699
Special Offer

Enroll by June 08, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

Sep 10 - Sep 22, 2023
Ship Inside 5,699
Ship Outside 6,199
Ship Balcony 6,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

DATES & PRICES

Ship Outside Ship Balcony
Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Accommodation Details

A cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck.

May 25 - Jun 6, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 7,999
Ship Balcony 8,499
Special Offer

Enroll by April 13, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

Jul 20 - Aug 1, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 8,199
Ship Balcony 8,699
Special Offer

Enroll by June 08, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

Sep 10 - Sep 22, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 7,999
Ship Balcony 8,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and return flight from London to New York (JFK) is included at no extra cost. Ask about low-cost round-trip air from select cities!

At a Glance

From the steps of 221B Baker Street to the rolling English countryside, England has long been the perfect setting for a good, old-fashioned murder mystery. If you can’t resist a mystery novel — particularly a British one — join us on this transatlantic learning adventure on board the Queen Mary 2, as we journey from New York City to Oxford, England in search of the best capers of our time. Immerse yourself in harrowing plots, probable motives and questionable characters, all while trying to answer the ultimate question: Whodunit?
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking 2-3 miles daily on field trips; paved streets with some cobblestones, gravel paths, grass lawns. Extent of walking and other activities aboard ship according to personal preference.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Attend lectures by a British crime novelist who will share their insight on the legacy of Sherlock Holmes, the Golden Age of Murder, and how they began their own career as a novelist.
  • Follow in the footsteps of Detective Chief Inspector Morse — the beloved character created by author Colin Dexter — as you explore Oxford.
  • Embark on walking explorations of Oxford and Christ Church with local experts, and enjoy an English pub crawl.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Chris Curran
Chris Curran is a psychological crime novelist. She also writes short stories and has been shortlisted for a number of awards including The Yeovil Prize, The (Irish) Fish Prize and The Crime Writers’ Association Margery Allingham award. Her latest novel is "All the Little Lies," which was published in February 2019 by HarperCollins. Chris makes regular appearances at conferences and readers’ events to talk about classic crime writers and their work. She also writes under the name of Abbie Frost.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Martin Edwards
Martin Edwards View biography
Martin has published eighteen crime novels, including a series set in Liverpool and the Lake District. He has won numerous awards over the course of his career, including the Crime Writers' Association 2020 Diamond Dagger award — the highest honor in British crime writing! Martin is a consultant for the British Library's Classic Crime series, as well as Chair of the CWA and President of the Detection Club. He has edited 30 anthologies, published about 60 short stories and written seven other non-fiction books.
Profile Image of Chris Curran
Chris Curran View biography
Chris Curran is a psychological crime novelist. She also writes short stories and has been shortlisted for a number of awards including The Yeovil Prize, The (Irish) Fish Prize and The Crime Writers’ Association Margery Allingham award. Her latest novel is "All the Little Lies," which was published in February 2019 by HarperCollins. Chris makes regular appearances at conferences and readers’ events to talk about classic crime writers and their work. She also writes under the name of Abbie Frost.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Oxford Book of Oxford
by Jan Morris
'Few cities,' Jan Morris observes, 'have been much more loved, loathed, and celebrated.' This book has become a classic account of the character, history, mores, buildings, climate, and people of one of Britain's most fascinating cities. 'A book of outstanding excellence, with a sweep of knowledge and a distinction of style such as I have never before encountered in a work of this sort ... Brilliant alike in observation and imagination ... brings the very stones of Oxford to life' Sunday Telegraph
Any Lord Peter Wimsey novels
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Scene of the Crime
by Julain Earwaker and Kathleen Becker
Foreword by P.D.JAmes. A guide to the landscapes of British Detective fiction.
Any Sherlock Holmes novel
by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Complete Inspector Morse Collection
by Colin Dexter
Oxford Insight Compact Guide
by Apa
This Insight Compact Guide is the ideal companion for your trip to the famous university city of Oxford. The top 10 sights are highlighted to help you plan your visit and include Christ Church College, the Botanic Garden and the Sheldonian Theatre. Clear, colour-coded sections cover everything from history and culture, to entertainment, food and drink in an easy-to-read format. Sights are cross-referenced on detailed full-colour maps throughout, providing instant orientation and allowing you to tailor your chosen routes exactly to the places you most want to visit. Full-colour photographs throughout the guide provide a visual introduction to this architecturally attractive city and enable you to recognise sights, such as the famous colleges, whilst out and about.
Miss Marple Vol II
by Agatha Christie
Miss Marple Omnibus Vol 1
by Agatha Christie
Oxford – An Architectural Guide
by Geoffrey Tyack
Few cities have a greater concentration of significant architecture than Oxford. Within a city of only 130,000 inhabitants there are important buildings, many of them of great beauty, from every period from the 11th century down to the present. Geoffrey Tyack chronicles the architectural development of Oxford - both University and City - from its origins to the late-20th century, explaining the idiosyncracies of Oxford's architectural history, and placing the buildings within their historical context. His approach is chronological, and his emphasis on what can actually be seen
Lake District Mysteries
by Martin Edwards
Series of 6 books beginning with the Coffin Trail.
Gaudy Nights: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Or any in the Peter Wimsey series set in Oxford. ‘I admire her novels . . . she has great fertility of invention, ingenuity and a wonderful eye for detail’ (Ruth Rendell ). ‘She brought to the detective novel originality, intelligence, energy and wit.’ (P. D. James ).
The Dead of Jericho
by Colin Dexter
Or any Inspector Morse novel or TV series.
Miss Marple Omnibus Vol III
by Agatha Christie
Any Morse novels
by Colin Dexter
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13 days
12 nights
32 meals
12 B 10 L 10 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Orientation
New York City
Hotel Riu Plaza New York Times Square

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, meet your Road Scholar Group Leader in the lobby to register and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and to learn where the Orientation session will take place at 5:00 p.m. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program is staffed with both a Group Leader, who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics, and a Study Leader who will lecture, conduct field trips, and serve as an information resource on program-related topics. Dining aboard the Queen Mary 2, breakfast and lunch are in the venue of your choosing. Traditional afternoon tea is served each day in the Queens Room. Road Scholars are invited to have dinner together in the Britannia Restaurant. Snacks along with juice, tea, coffee, water are available 24 hours a day at the buffet restaurants; and there is 24-hour room service. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s sleep for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Embarkation
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Driving around 1/2 hour. Embarking ship 2:00 p.m.; some standing in line to embark.

Breakfast: At the hotel, we will enjoy a breakfast buffet, with hot and cold items. Coffee, tea, water, milk, juices included.

Morning: Free time. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will depart for the pier early afternoon, complete embarkation procedures, and board the Queen Mary 2.

Lunch: Aboard the Queen Mary 2, have a late lunch and choose from a menu with multiple options for appetizers and soups, salad and sandwiches, entrées, and desserts.

Afternoon: Take some time to settle in and begin to familiarize yourself with the ship. There will also be a mandatory Safety Drill this afternoon, so please listen out for the Captain’s announcements once on board.

Dinner: In the Britannia Restaurant, choose from the extensive menu offering multiple options for appetizers and soups, salads, entrées, and dessert as well as tea, coffee and water; other beverages available for purchase. It’s impossible not to feel special making a dramatic entrance down the grand staircase.

Evening: At leisure. The Queen Mary 2 is a floating city. The options for activities and entertainment are many and varied. You might like to see a show in the ballroom, go dancing, listen to music, watch a movie in the theatre, have a beverage and a chat with new Road Scholar friends in one of the bars, or wander through the library — one of the best shipboard libraries anywhere — to find a book and curl up in that perfect reading chair.

DAY
3
Our Lecture Series Begins
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: In the venue of your choosing. Select one of the King’s Court dining options on Deck 7, go down to the Britannia Restaurant, or relax with breakfast in your room as you watch the televised descriptions of the day’s on board activities.

Morning: In our private meeting room, we will begin our first lecture from our Study Leader, who will look at the roots of detection in the late Victorian era and the character and stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Lunch: In the venue of your choosing. Options include the various King’s Court venues, the Britannia Restaurant, a light lunch in the Boardwalk Café if weather permits, or The Verandah (additional cost).

Afternoon: Free Time. Take advantage of a variety of enrichment activities. You might attend a presentation by a guest speaker, take a class such as watercolor painting or ballroom dancing, take a dip in one of the swimming pools, or any of the many other options.

Dinner: Britannia Restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Enjoy a variety of activities on board, from movies to shows or simply enjoying the ambience of the many themed bars.

DAY
4
The Golden Age of Murder
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: In the venue of your choosing.

Morning: In our second lecture, our Study Leader will analyze The Detection Club. This discussion will investigate how Agatha Christie and her colleagues in a mysterious literary club transformed crime fiction between the wars by delving deep into true crimes as well as their own complex private lives, eschewing the notion of “cozy and conventional” British mysteries.

Lunch: In the venue of your choosing.

Afternoon: Free Time. Weather permitting, you might like to take a leisurely stroll around the Promenade Deck and take in the fresh sea air.

Dinner: Britannia Restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. You may wish to visit the Queen Mary 2’s beautiful theatre, home to nightly productions from stars of stage and screen alike.

DAY
5
Locked Room Mysteries
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: In the venue of your choosing.

Morning: We will enjoy a lecture from our Study Leader on “locked room” mysteries, a sub-genre wherein murder is committed in a small or sealed-off area, seemingly impossible for the culprit to escape. Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is a classic example.

Lunch: In the venue of your choosing.

Afternoon: Free time. A perfect opportunity to visit the spellbinding planetarium show, polish your bridge skills during a tournament, or perhaps retreat to the spa for a massage.

Dinner: Britannia Restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. The Golden Lion, a traditional English pub aboard the QM2, runs a competitive pub quiz — perfect for showing off your newly gained knowledge.

DAY
6
True Crime
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: In the venue of your choosing.

Morning: We’ll enjoy another illuminating lecture by exploring true crime, including the case of Hawley Harvey Crippen, and crime fiction.

Lunch: In the venue of your choosing.

Afternoon: Free time. When not performing in the ship’s theatre, members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art give you the opportunity to flex your acting muscles at daily workshops.

Dinner: Britannia Restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. The Queen Mary 2 travels with expert sommeliers, who host nightly wine tasting and appreciation events.

DAY
7
My Life of Crime
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: In the venue of your choosing.

Morning: We’ll enjoy a unique experience, hearing first-hand about our Study Leader’s "life of crime”—writing crime fiction.

Lunch: In the venue of your choosing.

Afternoon: Free time. You may wish to explore the history of the Cunard Line at a unique exhibition running through the halls of the ship.

Dinner: Britannia Restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Enjoy your last evening onboard and prepare for disembarkation and transfer to London in the morning.

DAY
8
Cruises & Crime!
Queen Mary 2
B,L,D
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Activity note: Full day aboard ship.

Breakfast: Aboard ship.

Morning: Our Study Leader explores two interesting locations for crime fiction: cruise ships and the city of Oxford. Be afraid!

Lunch: Aboard ship.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: At leisure. Enjoy your last evening onboard and prepare for disembarkation and transfer to London in the morning.

DAY
9
Disembarkation, Oxford Walk
Oxford
B,L,D
Hawkwell House

Activity note: Getting on/off ship, motorcoach. Driving 68 miles, around 2.5 hours, with a stop en route. Walking on city streets up to 3 hours, around 2 miles

Breakfast: Early in the venue of your choosing.

Morning: We will complete disembarkation procedures and make our way to the motorcoach for our transfer to Oxford. We will arrive in the "city of dreaming spires" before lunch and check into our hotel.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant, we will enjoy a served, two-course lunch. Coffee, tea, water included. Additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: With our Study Leader, we will take a walking orientation of the major sites of Oxford, where we’ll see famed highlights such as the Sheldonian Theatre, the Divinity School, the Bodelian Library, and Radcliffe Camera, and learn about their place in history. We will return to the hotel by foot. Local taxis available at own expense for those who prefer not to walk back.

Dinner: At the hotel, we will enjoy a served, three-course dinner. Coffee, tea, water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
10
North Oxford, Balliol College
Oxford
B,L,D
Hawkwell House

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach, driving under 1/2 hour. Minimal walking.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room, the breakfast buffet offers a variety of hot and cold items, as well as juices, coffee, tea, milk, water.

Morning: We will travel by motorcoach to North Oxford and then walk into the city center, as well as explore Summertown, and discover why this area holds such a special place in the genre of detective, mystery, and crime fiction. The enclosed communities of Oxford Colleges provide a natural habitat for "academic sleuths.” A number of notable writers who studied and taught here include detective novelists—Ronald A. Knox, Dorothy L. Sayers, Edmund Crispen, J.C. Masterman, among others. American author Amanda Cross has her academic character Kate Fansler spend a sabbatical in Oxford, while Robert Robinson and Timothy Robinson created humorous parodies set in the university. We will also stop at Somerville and Balliol Colleges.

Lunch: At an historic Oxford pub, frequented by scholars through the centuries, we will enjoy a plated and served 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will continue on to the Martyr’s Memorial and then enjoy time on our own before returning to the hotel.

Dinner: Served hotel meal.

Evening: At leisure. The adventurous among us may choose to join our Study Leader on a "pub crawl" to famous hostelries such as the Turf Tavern, the King's Arms, and White Horse (drinks at own expense).

DAY
11
Christ Church, River Cherwell Boat Ride, Afternoon Tea
Oxford
B,L
Hawkwell House

Activity note: Minimal walking; getting on/off boat.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll board a motorcoach for a short journey to the largest and most prestigious of all Oxford Colleges, Christ Church, passing the police headquarters in St Aldate’s, where Colin Dexter’s characters Morse and Lewis work, as well as Old Palace, where Sherlockian scholar Ronald Knox wrote. At Christ Church, we will have an expert-led exploration of the college buildings that were once home to writers J.C. Masterman, Michael Innes, and Lewis Carroll. It is also the model for Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series. We’ll see Christ Church Meadows, the Peckwater Quad, Tom Tower, and the Cathedral, where Sayers’ father was headmaster of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir. Let’s follow in the footsteps of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane.

Lunch: At a traditional riverside pub, we will enjoy a served two-course lunch with tea, coffee, and water included. Additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will travel by boat along the River Thames, cruising around ancient Folly Island and past Christ Church meadows. After the cruise, the motorcoach will take us to the Old Parsonage for afternoon tea, with some time to ourselves at the end of the day before dinner.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
12
Morse's Oxford
Oxford
B,D
Hawkwell House

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Walking and standing on city pavements up to 3 hours.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: The motorcoach will take us to Blackwell's Bookstore, with its extensive range of Oxford mystery novels and books about Oxford itself. We’ll continue on to Exeter College, the fourth oldest Oxford College, with alumni including William Morris, J. R. R. Tolkien, Richard Burton, Roger Bannister, Alan Bennett, and Philip Pullman. The college figures as setting and inspiration in several pieces of literature we discuss on this program.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Our motorcoach will take us the short distance to the Jericho area of Oxford, the setting for Colin Dexter’s novel “The Dead of Jericho” and his character Inspector Morse. Here, we will see the Anglican St Barnabas Church and walk the canal.

Dinner: At a local pub, we will have an early dinner. Coffee, tea, water included. Additional beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We’ll return to the hotel by motorcoach to pack and rest before our journeys home.

DAY
13
Program Concludes
Oxford
B

Activity note: Hotel check out by 11:00 a.m. See the “Travel Information” section regarding transfers. If you are an independent traveler (POP status), see “Ground Transportation from Last Location.”

Breakfast: Hotel buffet, depending on individual departure times. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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