Talking Location With Mark Grenside – USA and EUROPE
Historical crime mystery set in BRISTOL and LONDON
21st October 2026
The Corpse on the Bristol Train by Edward Marston, historical crime mystery set in BRISTOL and LONDON
“The Grand Finale Of The Railway Detective Series” No. 25
The year is 1868. The passengers on the last train into Bristol Temple Meads from London disembark but a beautiful woman is found dead in one of the carriages. The notion that she might be asleep is soon dispelled.
Witnesses indicate that she was traveling with a male companion, very much her senior, who was seen to raise his top hat as he departed the station – and in a hurry. A post mortem is needed to verify the circumstances of her death and DI Robert Colbeck (the famed Railway Detective) is soon assigned to the case. He is accompanied by Sergeant Victor Leeming. They arrive in Bristol to begin their investigations.
The author has clearly carried out a great deal of research (true of all his novels) and mostly there is a fascinating collection of interesting elements, as he slides in snippets about architecture and Brunel and so forth, but on occasion it feels like he has gleaned some information and is determined to insert it into the text and inform his readers – it’s no bad thing but feels a touch forced at times.
There are backstories of family and relations, visits to be carried out and people to be interviewed, all adding colour and interest, as the investigations take their course. The story takes a compelling turn as they determine why and how the young woman might have died.
Edward Marston is a prolific author and among his titles and various series there is something for everyone.
This makes a nice conclusion to The Railway Detective Series.
Tina for the TripFiction Team
Join team TripFiction on Social Media:
Twitter (@TripFiction), Facebook (@TripFiction.Literarywanderlust), YouTube (TripFiction #Literarywanderlust), Instagram (@TripFiction) and Pinterest (@TripFiction) and BlueSky(tripfiction.bsky.social) and Threads (@tripfiction)
Please wait...
