The Regent's Park Murder (A "Teahouse Detective" Mystery) | by Emma Orczy | A Bitesized Audiobook

A classic mystery set in the swirling fog of Edwardian London. The residents of Park Square are woken at 3am by cries of "murder". Police soon identify a likely suspect with a strong motive, only to find the case falls apart when it becomes apparent he couldn't possibly have done it... The story begins at 00:01:28
Narrated/performed by Simon Stanhope, aka Bitesized Audio. If you enjoy this content and would like to help me keep creating, there are a few ways you can support me (and get access to exclusive content):
* Occasional/one-off support via Buy Me a Coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/bitesize...
* Monthly support on Patreon: / bitesizedaudio
* Visit my Bandcamp page to hear more of my performances of classic stories, and you can purchase and download high quality audio files to listen offline: bitesizedaudio.bandcamp.com/
* Become a Bitesized Audio Classics member on KZbin, from $1 / £1 / €1 per month:
/ bitesizedaudioclassics
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:15 The Regent's Park Murder
00:35:01 Credits, thanks and further listening
Emma (Emmushka) Orczy (1865-1947) was born Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orci, to an aristocratic family in Hungary. Her father was the composer Baron Félix Orczy de Orci, her mother Countess Emma Wass de Szentegyed et Cege, and her grandparents on both sides included senior politicians and royal councillors. The family fled their country estate in in Tarnaörs when Emma was two years old, following a local peasant uprising, and her childhood was spent travelling through Europe, including periods in Budapest, Paris and Brussels, before eventually settling in London when she was 14. Emma's early ambition was to be a painter and she attended art school, where she met her future husband Henry George Montagu MacLean Barstow. They married in 1894 and had one child, John, born in 1899.
It was after John's birth that she took up writing and her first success was a series of detective stories submitted to the Royal Magazine in 1901, featuring the character of the Old Man in the Corner. The old man is an "armchair detective" who sits in the corner of a tea room and - while tying and untying knots in a piece of string - unravels unsolved mysteries which have baffled the police, for the benefit of his regular listener, Miss Polly Burton, a "lady journalist". He is not a conventional detective as he doesn't work with the police, and very often sympathises with the criminals, so that even after he has explained the mystery he doesn't alert the authorities. The stories are notable for their indirect style of narration: while they are told in the third person, the majority of the words are actually narrated by the Old Man talking to Polly. After his 1901 debut the Old Man featured in magazine stories throughout 1900s; his adventures were later collected in three volumes: The Case of Miss Elliot (1905), The Old Man in the Corner (1909, but chronologically the first stories) and Unravelled Knots (1925).
In 1903 Baroness Orczy created the character for which she is best remembered today: Sir Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel. Blakeney is a dashing and daring figure who hides behind a meek disguise, so Orczy was in effect the originator of an enduring trope which was later followed by the creators of Superman, Batman and many others. She was very proud of her Pimpernel stories, to the exclusion of her other work: her memoirs, published just weeks before her death in 1947, are dominated by the character, whereas she barely mentions the Old Man in the Corner at all.
'The Regent's Park Murder' is listed as having appeared in the Royal Magazine in September 1901, part of the first series of Old Man stories printed that year. However, references in the text to events taking place in 1907 indicate that it was re-written, presumably for the publication in book form as part of the 1909 collection 'The Old Man in the Corner'. The text read here is from that 1909 publication; I've not been able to locate the earlier version.
In re-drafting the story to be set in 1907, however, the Baroness appears to have made a mistake: the Old Man says that the events took place before the tube station in Park Square (Regent's Park, on what's now called the Bakerloo line) was built, or even planned. This might have been true in 1901, but records show that Regent's Park tube station opened in March 1906.
The geography of the story is still very recognisable today. Park Square was built in the early 1820s, to the north of Park Crescent (built 1806-21), which joins Portland Place to the south. The large gardens joining Square and Crescent are bisected by the Marylebone Road, a major traffic thoroughfare even in 1907, and the two sides are linked by an underpass known as the "Nursemaids' Tunnel". All these features are referenced in the story.
Recording © Bitesized Audio 2024.

[@BitesizedAudio]

The story begins at 00:01:28. A classic mystery set in the swirling fog of Edwardian London. The residents of Park Square are woken at 3am by cries of "murder". Police soon identify a likely suspect with a strong motive, only to find the case falls apart when it becomes apparent he couldn't possibly have done it... Some notes on the text: 'The Regent's Park Murder' is listed as having appeared in the Royal Magazine in September 1901, part of the first series of Old Man stories printed that year. However, references in the text to events taking place in 1907 indicate that it was re-written, presumably for the publication in book form as part of the 1909 collection 'The Old Man in the Corner'. The text read here is from that 1909 publication; I've not been able to locate the earlier version. In re-drafting the story to be set in 1907, however, the Baroness appears to have made a mistake: the Old Man says that the events took place before the tube station in Park Square (Regent's Park, on what's now called the Bakerloo line) was built, or even planned. This might have been true in 1901, but records show that Regent's Park tube station opened in March 1906. The geography of the story is still very recognisable today, with much of the architecture remaining the same (externally at least). Park Square was built to a design by John Nash in the early 1820s, to the north of Park Crescent (built 1806-21), which joins Portland Place to the south. The large gardens around which Square and Crescent are built are bisected by the Marylebone Road, a major traffic thoroughfare even in the early 1900s, and the two sides are linked by an underpass known as the "Nursemaids' Tunnel": a private tunnel for residents' use, grandly built in stucco, each with arched entrances and fluted Doric columns. The road, park and tunnel are all referenced in the story. This is my fourth reading to date of an "Old Man in the Corner" story; if you enjoyed it and would like to hear the others, I've collected them in this playlist, which I'll add to as and when I record more from the series: kzbin.info/aero/PLi95qAoufCZJhRcQsHN1jhG2wcLHR6bfv More information on the author Emma (Emmushka) Orczy (1865-1947) can be found in the video description.

[@evelanpatton]

I really enjoy this series, though it’s rather odd. I feel as though she was ahead of her time with the premise- a young, professional female (journalist, if I remember correctly) & a smart detective who solves the newspaper crimes with nothing but social knowledge, psychology logic, & twists of ill use or fate that lead to the crimes, this always strikes me as more of a 1930’s sort of social milieu between the two. Does it strike others this way- as a sort of preview of the kind of world to come? I know the 1890’s ushered in the Women’s Suffragettes & the beginning of professional women through the literary & some visual arts (painters, writers). 💕💖✨

[@Frenchblue8]

​@@evelanpattonI know exactly what you're saying yes

[@Bambisgf77]

Thank you Simon! 🎉❤ The history you give on the stories & authors is so unique and appreciated. Hope your new year ‘24 is off to a great start!

[@sugarfalls1]

Thank you a million times over! Love when you get into that little sound studio! Expertly narrated as always!!

[@samkennedy5554]

Just turned the lights out and snuggled under my quilt ready to listen before sleep. If i dont make it till the end, I always listen to the second half the next night 😂 cheers Simon 🙏

[@kat71580]

I do the same! Takes me days to complete the story..hello Simon..

[@susanfleischer7714]

Ditto here. Sometimes it takes three nights to get through a story.

[@dougchance8891]

Sam Me too😊

[@eileensharpe3045]

Me too

[@teresawhite4466]

I thought I was the only one! I wouldn't get a good night's sleep without Simons dulcet tones. Thanks Simon

[@stephaniealeman8522]

You had me at “swirling fog of Edwardian London” 💚

[@susangordon1153]

Thank you Simon for another few minutes together. It was a delightful story made all the better by your lovely voice. I loved it! ❤

[@SEARSJAMES]

Woohoo! Your back! HAPPY NEW YEARS SIMON AND FAMILY! Glad you're back! But where also a bit sad we know how much you love acting especially on stage! This holiday season went by to fast! Hope everything was a success but we're shure it was! All the best in the new years to come 🥂🍻👍👍! And love the pictures you posted! If you have anymore we'd all be very appreciative if you'd show them in your community page! Thanks for everything you do 🥂🍻!

[@BitesizedAudio]

@SEARSJAMES Thank you! I haven't been sent any more, but I keep meaning to ask if there are any, I must follow that up

[@hannahreynolds7611]

Oh what good timing - The Teahouse Detective. Thank you for posting one of my favourite authors during what has been a very difficult week.for me and my brothers. I hope the panto run was fun for you, as well as the audiences.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Hannah, I'm sorry to hear you've had a difficult week. Best wishes to you

[@code-52]

This is why I buy Simon a coffee each month. 😊❤❤❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Truly appreciated, thank you 🙏

[@code-52]

@@BitesizedAudio Simon, if I hit the lottery, I'm rewarding you big time. You deserve it.

[@mariamcgee4462]

Happy New Year Simon, I'm really looking forward to the tales you'll be sharing this year. 😊

[@crazyyoda8721]

Love the narration and literary background on the authors! Bravo Sir!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to know that's of interest, thank you

[@patriciajrs46]

Thank you, Simon. Listening to great stories is true solace for ill feelings. I would have hated to try to learn to write my full name, if it was as long, and complicated as hers was. It's interesting to me that a Baroness would be such a writer- but most could say why not. No reason against it for sure. It seems that many women seem to be good writers. I think, almost, that women authors outnumber those of men- at least in renowned authors who have done well. I could most certainly could be wrong. I love your narrations anyway.

[@matthbhhh2439]

Every day I check if you’ve posted.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Sorry to have kept you waiting! I'm settling back into more of a routine now Christmas is over...

[@nickybaker1338]

Me too! What joy to see the appearance of a new a new title!

[@mariameere5807]

You are amazing! As is your channel! You seem to sense exactly what authors I am becoming obsessed with! When I first subscribed I was totally ignorant of a whole world of what takes up my spare time now as I have become very familiar with these talented genius authors! Thank you so much 🌟💛🌟

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks Maria. More to come in the weeks ahead. I've got another Loveday in preparation too (I know she's a favourite of yours!)

[@mariameere5807]

@@BitesizedAudio Yes she is! I really do love those stories and she was the first to draw me in and now LT Meade and Robert Eustace and the baroness Orcy and I could go on and on, and that male writer (His name escapes me) with a surname like Brahman if you know who I mean! Thanks again Simon!🌟

[@BitesizedAudio]

@mariameere5807 Ah yes, Ernest Bramah, creator of Max Carrados. Possibly my personal favourite, although I like them all really. I'm hoping to do the next Loveday story soon: unfortunately there are only two left to record, she only wrote 7 and I've done 5 of them so far... I've been spreading them out to make them last, but will probably complete the series later this year and will then put them out as a complete video.

[@mariameere5807]

@@BitesizedAudio That’s him! And that sounds like a great idea! I love your work, you really should be proud! Thank you so much for all you do!🫶🙏🌟

[@zednotzee7]

Ah ! Another Teahouse detective story. Excellent ! Btw, I noticed that you appeared as Legacy in HorrorBabble's Ian Gordon's story Hammer And Nails as Legacy. Nice one. Oh, and ... You fool ! Warren is dead... 🤣

[@BitesizedAudio]

Ah yes indeed, I enjoyed that, it was very kind of Ian and Jen to ask me. Yes, I'd heard the sad news about Warren, my condolences to all who knew him...

[@Kit-vb5rm]

Thank you Simon, you have an excellent voice, so easy to listen to your stories.

[@PippaAT]

My heart leapt when I heard the start of the opening music! I have missed you.😊

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Pippa. I'm keeping your previous request in mind for this year... just need to carve out more time!

[@sugarfalls1]

"It is very difficult to locate sound in a fog." 🤣🤣🤣Emma has a few very funny quips in this story.

[@kimmccabe1422]

Totally addicted. Especially of your Victorian mysteries, like Dr. Thorndike. Please keep them coming. I'm subscribed and will keep looking for new ones. You see I've gone to many great nights listening to all your mysteries available here already i do believe. THANK YOU!!

[@nickybaker1338]

Ditto to all you have said 🙂

[@maryporter868]

I check everyday hoping to see a new post. Thank You!

[@nickybaker1338]

Me too! 🙂

[@minvalara2765]

It is always a great pleasure to listen to your story telling, thank you.

[@crystalclear6864]

The background info is such a bonus. Your recordings are Made with love:)

[@sharingmyfun8804]

What a fun story. The ending caught me by surprise. The descriptions were wonderful. A perfect story for this cold foggy night. Beautifully narrated as always. I wish you all good things in 2024. 35:03

[@cruisepaige]

Have to get up and do some tedious but also challenging work this morning. Simon making it ok!!❤❤❤

[@cathydonnellan9174]

Hi Simon,thank you so much,from Adelaide,Sth Australia

[@BitesizedAudio]

Wonderful, thanks Kathy. I have an Australia-set story in my line up for the months ahead, so do look out for that!

[@kjaaroe196]

Good heavens, Mr. Stanhope - you could read the back of cereal box and I would listen, enthralled. Thank you for this channel.

[@JS-ob4oh]

Excellent! Thank you for posting another The Old Man in the Corner mystery.

[@jeffashley5512]

Great to have your stories back for the New Year. This story from the start intrigued me as the miscreant and I share last names. Lol Blessed Be from Tennessee. )O(

[@smythharris2635]

Good evening from the Spanish meseta.I'm just going out to dinner with a woman who claims she knows me. Good to see a new story. Recuerdos to you Simon, and everyone listening.

[@ginabeena6757]

What a nice story to start the new year! Thanks Simon! 🥳❤️

[@sonjawells4265]

❤ Yay! Happy New Year!❤ Thank you so very much. ❤You are the very best on KZbin & Bandcamp.❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Sonja, much appreciated!

[@mariannwolf4889]

Thank you. So glad you are back. Happy New Year.

[@beverlyadams7205]

Excellent story! Thank you so much Simon. What a wonderful way to spend a snowy morning.❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks Beverly, stay warm!

[@nancyhammons3594]

Another wonderful telling of a pretty good story. I really enjoyed Simon's voice.

[@step7274]

YAY!!! Thank you Simon, look forward to listening g.❤️❤️❤️

[@nigelramkissoonraja6916]

Happy New Year Simon 🙏❤️ blessings from Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you, and the same to you

[@simoneclift3155]

Happy New Year Mr Stanhope. Thank you for another blissful storytime. X

[@LadyBronwynn1400]

Thank you Simon.

[@juliet2513]

So happy you’re back. Thank you ❤ for this latest story

[@jaidebrooke5946]

Really savoured this one.

[@divine.damage]

Love you Simon! So grateful for your work.🙏

[@Badficwriter]

There is something unsettling about the Old Man in the Corner..

[@nickybaker1338]

Yes indeed. Simon's excellent gift to bring each character to life conjures up a clear picture in my imagination of the man in the corner. 🙂

[@januzzell8631]

Delightful - thank you again

[@BitesizedAudio]

My pleasure, thanks Jan

[@SpuktasticAudio]

Thank you for making my New Year Happier! ❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Happy new year Bob!

[@Aiko2-26-9]

A wonderful new story, masterfully read as always. So happy you are still providing us with these wonderful tales.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to know you enjoy them

[@athenaathena1307]

Great performance. Many Thanks Simon.😊

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you!

[@maxgc6413]

Thank you good sir, happy new year to you and so looking forward to another fabulous year with your melodious voice and classy presentation.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Appreciated, thank you Max

[@snippycutwell9878]

My favorite narrator!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Very kind of you to say, thank you Snippy!

[@nickybaker1338]

Mine too!🙂

[@JennyLane8666]

Aw Simon! Thank you for your brilliant stories. You've one of those voices that are completely soothing, and I just relax into the story so easily I forget I'm listening.

[@paulacnote]

Hey you! Happy New Year 😊 so glad to hear you again

[@junestanich7888]

So glad I found your channel, makes my day!

[@leonaheraty3760]

Thank you for sharing, Simon. Happy New Year to all! 🎉🍾🥳

[@theDevlin75]

love your readings. thank you so much

[@vanillasuncherries]

Happy New Year we missed you 🎂🍰🧁🍥🙏👍🏻🎊🤩 happy you are back

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you!

[@johnconnelly5040]

Glad to see you back!

[@christinemarshall1366]

Enjoyable, good narration and sound quality. Thank you

[@kimmccabe1422]

Omg i think ive heard them all. How i love the Teahouse mysteries. I hope theres more or this great reader finds more scripts..

[@kindermord]

Top stuff. Well done Sir.

[@lauralaladarling3775]

Happy New Year Simon to you and yours. Marvellous story and, as always, superb narration and acting. Thank you. ❤❤ xxx

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Laura, and the same to you

[@Oystersgetclamydia]

Lovely Jubbly..That’s me sorted later..😊

[@joansavage1857]

Excellent!! Thank you…

[@deirdrewhelan9393]

You are back happy days indeed.❤

[@sacha1259]

Fabulous. Thank you. ☕☕

[@jackyhawkins1895]

Thank you 😊

[@barrycrump6189]

Happy New Year, Simon.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Barry, and the same to you

[@cr-iv1el]

Thank you!

[@crystalclear6864]

Happy new year! Joy indeed. Just got covid and this is most welcome!!

[@BitesizedAudio]

I hope you feel better soon!

[@crystalclear6864]

@@BitesizedAudio i do already receiving this:)

[@CrowSkeleton]

Happy NewYear! I admit, I went 'oh *no*' out loud when I realised who the accused was talking to. The first few twists I got as fairly standard, but was not expecting that!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks CrowSkeleton - always good to keep you guessing!

[@42nuala]

I have so missed you!

[@esterherschkovich6499]

Hope KZbin are behaving themselves these days for you😊Still a brilliant channel and narration. ❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks Ester. Fingers crossed all is still OK, but I do remain slightly on my guard in case it happens again!

[@Tootsie806]

Happy to have found you.

[@amgroves76]

Delightful tale :)

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad you think so! And thank you for the coffee earlier

[@nickisunshine677]

delightful entertainment!

[@THEPAGEBURNER1979]

Happy new year Simon

[@BitesizedAudio]

You too PB

[@THEPAGEBURNER1979]

@@BitesizedAudio have you doing any plays I love to see some stage work you should do a channel on the acting part you know all us subscribers would join .

[@BitesizedAudio]

Hello PB, yes, I've just done two plays back to back... just finished a theatre run of 'A Christmas Carol' at New Year, I put some photos on the community tab if you want to take a look! Nothing come up stage-wise, but I've got a fair amount of audio work to keep me busy for the time being I'm glad to say

[@royhadley686]

Thank you

[@jamesross5328]

Excellent

[@jamescam04]

That story was curiously shocking. Which may be no bad thing.

[@catmomjewett]

Thanks!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you so much

[@davehopkins1970]

Didn’t realise it was a man in the corner at first Thanks Simon

[@oscareduardoruizsalguero2359]

Very goo sound management.

[@earthcat]

Simon ❤

[@ayaritudor-jones5029]

Thanks

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you so much for the super thanks

[@lisamariehennessey4532]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 happy new year 🎉🎉🎉

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you. You too!

[@lisamariehennessey4532]

@@BitesizedAudio green story to welcome 2024👍👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@arthuroldale-ki2ev]

I never liked that Pimpernel thing she wrote, (although well written) , but that one was BRILLIANT and of course the narration excellent.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you! I must confess I've never made it through a Pimpernel story, they didn't grab me

[@angelaomni6919]

💖

[@williamhagen2792]

Stanhope is excellen.

[@1pipandgoose]

Interesting, I just listened to this same mystery story but is told by a man in a railway station and a woman reporter that sits and talks with him. Two very different ways to tell they tale.

[@vickijoseph2731]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@marisadallavalle393]

I would like to be a member but I only use PayPal for monthly payments. I am certain that many are in the same position and it might be a good thing to sign up. I so enjoy your stories you are an amazing narrator.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Appreciated, thank you Marisa. I've had the same request from a few listeners recently: actually, I do have a PayPal donations page: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=HMMUWZ7URN26A If that link doesn't work, you can also access it on my channel home page under "Links" (you may need to click "More" to see it, depending on your device). If you do want to become a member via PayPal please let me know and I'll work out a way to get the bonus content to you. Thanks so much for your support.

[@marisadallavalle393]

@@BitesizedAudio I'll take care of it tomorrow first thing, thank you!

[@marisadallavalle393]

@@BitesizedAudio Done.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Marisa, much appreciated! I'm still recovering from my recent IT problems, so am a bit behind, but I'll work out a way to get the extra content to you asap...

[@liliannanagy7391]

Where is the intro piano music from?

[@BitesizedAudio]

Both intro pieces (the intro to the video and also the intro to the story) are by the very talented Esther Abrami, she has her own KZbin channel which is definitely worth checking out

[@liliannanagy7391]

Thank you!

[@theresadimaggio7241]

Yay

[@user-jl8mp6lg4i]

January

[@mysticmeadowshomestead6209]

1:24

[@randomlight1069]

Using my powers of deduction could it be...?

[@marvwatkins7029]

Did Polly visit some pub daily where the little fellow on the corner was? This isn't really established.

[@BitesizedAudio]

It's actually a tea shop, specifically an ABC tea shop, which was a popular high street chain in the UK from the late 1800s through until the 1950s. You make a very good point, though: it's not actually mentioned in this particular story, although it's referred to in several other stories featuring these characters. This is the fourth story I've read from this series; if you're interested to hear more of them I have created this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLi95qAoufCZJhRcQsHN1jhG2wcLHR6bfv The first story, 'The Fenchurch Street Mystery', has a little more detail about the tea shop set up

[@Granny73]

Do you have a PayPal account for some strange reason Google wants me to jump through hoops for me to verify my account! A trillion dollar business and it doesn't have a phone you can call if you are having problems.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you for asking Rozita. Sorry to hear you're having difficulties, I know how frustrating that can be. I do have a PayPal account - I'm not sure I can put external links into the comments any more, but if you take a look at my channel homepage www.youtube.com/@BitesizedAudio all my links are shown there at the top of the page just below the channel name (click where it says "bandcamp and 5 more links"). There are a few options there, including PayPal, but Buy Me A Coffee, Patreon and Bandcamp also all offer monthly memberships as well as one-off contributions, and I make sure that all bonus content is offered across all platforms. Thanks again and best wishes

[@BoWhitten]

Happy New Year, Simon.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Same to you!