Today is the day we leave Rome.

When I was a boy living in the quiet English countryside (somewhere between six months and a lifetime ago) I never imagined setting foot in the Italian capital, but I’ve just spent weeks here in the most wonderful old villa. I’ve visited the Pantheon and the Colosseum (twice), I’ve seen paintings by all sorts of famous artists whose names I can’t remember at this moment, and I’ve eaten every kind of local food there is, but now we have to leave it all behind.

I’m definitely excited for wherever the next leg of our grand tour across Europe will take us, but there’s something special about the Eternal City that I’ll never forget. It’s hard to put my finger on it, though the fact that my grandfather, the master sleuth Lord Edgington, didn’t have to investigate a murder while we were here certainly didn’t hurt.

We’re about to head north on a night train to the city of Verona – the former home of Romeo and Juliet (if they’d existed, which I’m fairly confident they did not). It’s one of those incredibly luxurious sleeping trains with a dining carriage and a bar. They say that all sorts of celebrities travel on it, and I even read that the beloved film actress Geraldine de la Forge will be our fellow passenger.

Perhaps that’s what makes me worry the most. It isn’t my regret at what we’re leaving behind – though I will greatly miss the sweet buns known as Maritozzi and several equally creamy pasta dishes – but the thought of what lies ahead. My grandfather is pulled towards crime and criminals the way bears search out honey. And if I know anything (which some people occasionally doubt) the chances are that a train full of glamourous passengers when combined with my bloodhound of a grandfather is only going to lead to one thing.

It’s a real shame as I’ve been enjoying my holiday immensely, but it was only going to be a matter of time. The 5:55 to Verona has Lord Edgington stumbling across a dead body written all over it!

DEATH ON THE NIGHT TRAIN TO VERONA – A “Lord Edgington Investigates Abroad” Mystery, Book 2
Genre: Historical Mystery
Release: September 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Everyone wanted a piece of the world’s most beloved film star, but who finally took it?

Italy, 1929. When renowned detective Lord Edgington boards a luxurious night train in Rome, he hopes for attentive service, fine food and perhaps a chance to read his book. But a short distance into the journey, screen siren Geraldine de la Forge is slain in her sleeping compartment, and the master sleuth is put to the test.

Adored the world over, Geraldine seemed to have the perfect life, but as Lord Edgington and his grandson investigate, a darker picture emerges. Was it her jealous lover, a wealthy patron with secrets to hide, her ambitious director, or an obsessive fan who cut the life from her? The detectives must untangle a web of passion, lies and betrayal to stop the killer from striking again.

A fast-paced, witty, and fiendishly puzzling whodunnit in the tradition of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. “Death on the Night Train to Verona” will send you thundering towards the final destination and one last dizzying twist.

Meet the author
Born in Britain but living in Spain, Benedict is a mystery writer with three bestselling series. His 1920s “Lord Edgington Investigates…” books feature a genius detective and his not quite so brainy grandson working out who done it in a selection of luxurious and historic locations. The books start in Britain before the detectives head off on a grand tour of Europe. Benedict is a USA Today bestselling author, and many of his books have topped the cozy charts in the US and UK.