The Inspector Appleby Mysteries Series

A London detective investigates after a fictional character seems to come to life to harass his creator in this classic British mystery. Richard Eliot began writing crime novels to fund his son's education. The protagonist, known as "the Spider," started off as a notorious criminal and later transformed into a private investigator. Now, after thirty-eight entries in the series, Eliot is considering putting the Spider to bed. Someone else, however, has a different idea. At first, Eliot's manuscripts are rewriting themselves overnight. Then neighbors are burglarized, sinister messages appear, and soon someone is recreating storylines that the author never shared with anyone. With the situation reaching a fever pitch, Eliot calls upon Insp. John Appleby to investigate. Now Scotland Yard's best must determine who is the mastermind behind this puzzling plot before the Spider strikes again . . . Originally published under the title The Spider Strikes. "For careful, dignified and at the same time unfailingly witty writing it would be hard to beat and the characterization . . . is admirable." —The Times Literary Supplement "An erudite and curious novel . . . not to be missed by connoisseurs." —The Times (London)

A Scotland Yard inspector holds the key when a college professor is shot behind a series of locked gates in this classic British mystery series opener. The usually quiet campus of St. Anthony's College is abuzz with talk of murder. Someone shot Prof. Josiah Umpleby, the college's president, in his room during the night. Word spreads all the way to London, and Insp. John Appleby of New Scotland Yard is dispatched to consult on the case. The local authorities are already occupied with a string of burglaries and could use the help with this unusual death. Appleby learns that at night, the campus gates are locked, and a section of the college is shut off from the rest. In other words, someone would need a key to reach the president, and that limits Appleby's suspects down to seven. Now Appleby must keep his wits about him as he combs the grounds for clues. The killer is still on the loose, and they need to be taught a lesson . . . Originally published under the title Seven Suspects Praise for Michael Innes & Death at the President's Lodging "One of the best detective novels." —The Scotsman "A brilliant newcomer." —News Chronicle (UK) "Quite the most accomplished first crime-novel that I have read." —C. Day Lewis, Daily Mail

A Scotland Yard detective probes a high-society house party for someone rotten when a government official is murdered in this classic British mystery. Preparations are underway for a grand party at Scamnum Court, the sweeping English country estate of the fabulously wealthy Duke of Horton. Some of the nation's elite are invited for dinner, and some are even set to star in a semi-amateur production of Hamlet on an authentic Elizabethan stage in the banqueting hall. No expense is spared, but one guest soon pays with his life. Before the play ends, a shot is fired, and the actor playing Polonius—Lord Auldearn, the Lord Chancellor of England—is dead. With war looming on the horizon, suspicions arise over the possibility of espionage. Therefore, the prime minister sends Insp. John Appleby not only to investigate, but to also find a confidential government document. Appleby is lucky there's a mystery novelist eager to lend a hand with the extensive guest list at Scamnum Court. He will need all the help he can get if he hopes to prevent the killer from making an encore performance . . . "Hamlet, Revenge! confirms the fact that became clear in his first book, that Mr. Michael Innes is in a class by himself among writers of detective fiction." —The Times Literary Supplement "A brilliant novel of manners. The writing is assured and lively with wit. Add to this a flawlessly constructed murder and an admirable and quite breathlessly thrilling dénouement, and we have fresh blood in the field of crime fiction with a vengeance." —The Times (London) "A first-rate piece of work, intelligent, well-written, elaborate and exciting. . . . Highly recommended." —The Spectator

A London detective investigates when a troubled Scottish laird takes a fall in this classic British mystery by the author of Hamlet, Revenge!. Strange things are happening around the remote Castle Erchany, located in the Scottish Highlands. The miserly and reclusive laird, Ranald Guthrie, roams the castle's freezing halls, reciting an old poem over and over: Timor mortis conturbat me. Fear of death disturbs me . . . Then on a wild winter night, Guthrie plummets to his death from his castle's tower. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Or was it murder? Suspicion falls on a local man, but when Insp. John Appleby arrives from the Met in London, he doubts this solution. To discover the truth, Appleby immerses himself in the dead man's final days in a gloomy, gothic castle. Of course, he must be on his guard, because there's no telling whether someone else might fall victim to another "accident." "The simple-seeming and single-seeming plot of Lament for a Maker holds about as many layers of complication as a first-class mystery story could well hold without bursting, and . . . Michael Innes manages this complication with the lucidity of a master." —The Observer "Magnificently written." —The Times Literary Supplement "A grand and ghastly tale with a surprising double climax." —The New Yorker

A Scotland Yard detective investigates when gunfire disrupts an aristocratic family's Christmas celebrations in this classic British mystery. The relatives of Sir Basil Roper are gathering to celebrate Christmas at the family's ancestral home in Yorkshire. While the ancient estate has remained unchanged for centuries, the surrounding area now features neon signs, a textile mill, and a brewery. Even so, Arthur Ferryman is happy to be there and looking forward to a peaceful holiday. Unfortunately, many of his cousins have taken up pistol shooting for a new hobby. Making matters worse, the family learns that Basil plans to sell the place. With the mood of the party soured, quarreling begins, and tension mounts. Before you can say, "Bah humbug," a gun is fired, and one of the revelers is shot. Soon, Arthur finds himself assisting Insp. John Appleby with his investigation. Together they must navigate family secrets and grudges to find a shooter before someone else gets a bullet for Christmas . . . Originally published s asunder the title A Comedy of Terrors Praise for Michael Innes and There Came Both Mist and Snow "Highbrow appeal." —Kirkus Reviews "Mr. Innes is in a class by himself among detective story writers." —The Times Literary Supplement "Wickedly witty." —Daily Mail "As farfetched and literary as Sayers." —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction

A Scotland Yard detective is snowed in with a strange family and a killer with a lethal passion for literature in this classic British mystery. Something's afoot in the village of Snarl. Incidents include animals turned to stone and ominous tombstones inscribed with deaths yet to come. Det. Insp. John Appleby is travelling by train from London to consult on the case. However, impending his arrival to his connecting train is a terrible snowstorm. Fortunately, a fellow passenger, encyclopedia author Everard Raven, invites Appleby to spend the night at his country estate. Appleby soon has second thoughts about accepting the offer. When they get off the train, they meet more of Raven's relatives, and they are just as unusual as he is. Next, the station is alarmingly named "Appleby's End." And then one of the Ravens' servants is found dead and buried up to their neck in snow . . . As Appleby investigates, he notices an unusual connection between the servant's body, the mayhem at Snarl, and even his own arrival in the village. They all resemble scenes from the novels of Everard's late father. Appleby must determine who is behind this bizarre plot before another member of the Raven household meets a literal end. Praise for Michael Innes & Appleby's End "Mr. Innes is in a class by himself among detective story writers." —The Times Literary Supplement "As farfetched and literary as Sayers." —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction "Quite a funny book." —The New Yorker

An ex–Scotland Yard inspector is pulled out of retirement to investigate a murder and a family's fiery legacy in this classic British mystery. Sir John Appleby has left Scotland Yard behind to retire to the country—but there's no escaping crime. In the middle of a hot summer night, he is woken up by a phone call. Inspector Hyland of the Sherris Magna police is in dire need of assistance after a local baronet has been murdered . . . Of course, it's far more complex than that. Authorities believe Sir Oliver Dromio was hit over the head with a revolver then burned in his study's fireplace. There's also the matter of Oliver's brothers. The late baronet was a triplet who lost his two brothers in a fire forty years ago. Was Oliver's murder an act of retribution? Appleby makes his way to Sherris Hall where he gets caught up in a family's melodrama in a household teeming with legend and tragedy. Sifting through family secrets in squabbles, Appleby must smoke out a killer before they strike again . . . Praise for Michael Innes and Inspector Appleby "The author's ingenuity and wit are seemingly endless." —The Daily Telegraph "Altogether a brilliant piece of work." —Birmingham Post "Innes is in a class by himself when it comes to detective fiction." —The Times Literary Supplement

A Scotland Yard detective investigates a peculiar case of murder, poetry, kidnapping, and German spies in this classic British wartime thriller. Insp. John Appleby is puzzled by the death of Philip Ploss. Who would want to kill such a harmless, quiet man known for writing mid-level nature poetry? . . . Poetry is what Sheila Grant overhears two men discussing on a train outside Edinburgh. Their whole conversation seems absurd to her, especially after one of them misquotes the poet Swinburne. Unfortunately, her discovery quickly places her in danger . . . Meanwhile back in London, Appleby learns of a kidnapping on a train in Scotland and senses a connection to Ploss's murder. Locating Sheila will certainly lead Appleby to Ploss's killer, but only if he finds her alive . . . "You'd let a cobra walk all over you before you'd put this one down to defend yourself." —The New Yorker "Very exciting, full of most painstakingly described violent action." —The Observer "For sheer excitement and picturesque melodrama The Secret Vanguard will delight everyone." —New Statesma

A Scotland Yard detective probes a string of strange disappearances and paranormal phenomena in this classic British mystery adventure. Insp. John Appleby has his hands full. It begins when his aunt's horse, Daffodil, disappears from her stable in Harrogate. Meanwhile, Appleby's colleague, Superintendent Hudspith, is searching for a missing young woman by the name of Lucy Rideout. But the most bizarre case is the vanishing of a supposedly haunted house in Bloomsbury. Working together, the puzzled policemen soon find the cases are connected. But what exactly is going on? The answer to that question lies with a madman in the Amazonian jungle . . . Praise for Michael Innes and Inspector Appleby "Innes is in a class by himself among detective story writers." —The Times Literary Supplement "As farfetched and literary as Sayers." —Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction "A first-rate piece of work, intelligent, well-written, elaborate and exciting. . . . Highly recommended." —The Spectator on Hamlet, Revenge!

An erudite Scotland Yard detective investigates after a professor meets a hellish end with a heavenly body in this classic British mystery. When Professor Pluckrose is found dead in his deckchair on the campus of a provincial English university, it looks as though the eminent biochemist was struck by a falling meteorite. But this was no act of God—the stone was dropped from a nearby tower. With the local authorities baffled, Scotland Yard's Insp. John Appleby is asked to consult on the case. Combing the hallowed halls for information, Appleby finds plenty of pompous academics with their own theories about the murder—as well as their own motives. Appleby must study the clues thoroughly if he hopes to determine who among them has a mind for murder. Praise for The Weight of the Evidence "Appleby's adventures in search of clues among the classics may be strongly recommended for its sturdy independence and originality." —The Times Literary Supplement

In this chilling classic British mystery thriller, a Scotland Yard inspector and his sister search for her missing fiancé in a city of vanishing people. Petty con man Alfred Routh thinks a place like Milton Manor outside Oxford will have something nice to steal. When he learns what is inside, however, he is desperate to steal away with his life . . . Meanwhile, Sir John Appleby from Scotland Yard is headed to Oxford to help his sister Jane. Her fiancé, a war hero and promising academic, has gone missing and many are concerned for his safety. But he's not the only recent disappearance in the area. As Appleby's investigation begins, things only get more bizarre. The trail of clues leads him and Jane through the city of Oxford to the grounds of Milton Manor and the terrifying secrets within . . . Originally published as The Paper Thunderbolt. Praise for Michael Innes and Inspector Appleby "The author's ingenuity and wit are seemingly endless." —The Daily Telegraph "Altogether a brilliant piece of work." —Birmingham Post "Innes is in a class by himself when it comes to detective fiction." —The Times Literary Supplement

From a British Golden Age author "in a class by himself among detective story writers," Sir John Appleby solves an art world crime (The Times Literary Supplement). When Sir John Appleby is persuaded by Lady Appleby to attend an art exhibit, he believes he is only appeasing his wife, a sculptress herself, and quite the art collector, too. But when Appleby learns the show is a memorial exhibition for recently murdered artist Gavin Limbert, his interest is piqued, to say the least. Especially when Limbert's latest masterpiece is stolen from the gallery right under his nose. But this is no matter for Scotland Yard's most brilliant inspector. Once Appleby puts his clever mind to the case, he'll follow every twist and turn in this mystery until he uncovers the astonishing truth. Praise for Michael Innes and the Inspector Appleby series "Wickedly witty." —Daily Mail "As farfetched and literary as Sayers." —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction

From a British crime author "in a class by himself among detective story writers," twenty-three short mysteries featuring the brilliant Inspector Appleby (The Times Literary Supplement). It appears Inspector Appleby is ready to tell all in this must-read collection of twenty-three short stories from acclaimed Scottish mystery author Michael Innes. One of the most discerning detectives of Golden Age fiction, Appleby sits down with pipe in hand to spin tales from the jewel heist he foiled as a precocious teen to the myriad of fascinating cases brought before him as one of the most respected detectives of Scotland Yard. There's the account of Arbuthnot, a novelist who becomes part of a sordid tale himself when his crazy wife's lover is found dead on his living room floor. Or the case of the murdered anatomy professor discovered in place of the missing cadaver in his lesson plan. Also included is the not-to-be-missed fair play mystery "Dead Man's Shoes," a puzzle only Inspector Appleby—and his most astute readers—can solve. So pull up a pub chair and a pint, or a blanket and a pot of tea, and join crime fiction's dazzlingly smart detective as he wittily discloses his investigative prowess during his intriguing, often absurd, but always entertaining career as one of Scotland Yard's best. Praise for Michael Innes and the Inspector Appleby series "Wickedly witty." —Daily Mail "As farfetched and literary as Sayers" —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction

From a British mystery author "in a class by himself among detective story writers," eighteen classic crime stories, perfect for astute armchair detectives (The Times Literary Supplement). Scandal is at stake for London's fashionable society when Edwardian playwright Richard Dangerfield's sordid diary falls into the hands of a blackmailer. Though Dangerfield is long dead, those who consorted with him are all very much alive and at the respectable old age where they'd hoped such stories would follow them to their graves. Fortunately, Scotland Yard's most brilliant inspector is on the case. Sir John Appleby wittily reveals his intellectual prowess in solving this crime, as well as seventeen other puzzling mysteries in this stimulating collection of short stories. From acclaimed Scottish author Michael Innes, Appleby Talks Again is a must-read for fans of classic crime fiction. Praise for Michael Innes and the Inspector Appleby series "Wickedly witty." —Daily Mail "As farfetched and literary as Sayers" —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction

From a British Golden Age author "in a class by himself among detective story writers," Scotland Yard Inspector Appleby helps a student solve a murder (The Times Literary Supplement). On holiday in the English countryside with his fellow university students, young David Henchman sets out alone for a hike across the moor. But instead of finding tranquil solitude, he stumbles upon a dead body. At first, David suspects suicide—until he spots a stranger on the moor. At the sound of gunfire, David flees for his life. Once Inspector Appleby heads to the moors, it seems as if Scotland Yard's most respected detective might have the matter in hand. But things go south when Appleby discovers the corpse on the moor has been swapped with another dead body. With the investigation underway, are Appleby and David bound to become victims of some perilous game? Praise for Michael Innes and the Inspector Appleby series "Wickedly witty." —Daily Mail "As farfetched and literary as Sayers." —The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction

The head of Scotland Yard probes the suspicious death of a Shakespearean scholar with a collection of secrets in this classic British mystery. Lewis Packford, an Elizabethan scholar, is found shot in his library. It was rumored Packford recently acquired a book annotated by the Bard, but the book is nowhere to be seen. What is beside him, however, is a note that—as Packford was wont to do—quotes William Shakespeare: "Farewell, a long farewell." Police believe Packford died from suicide, but Sir John Appleby, head of Scotland Yard and Packford's friend, disagrees. When Appleby arrives at the scholar's country house in Dorset, he meets an array of academics and bibliophiles who were all present the night of the murder. Suspects include Packford's brother, who stands to inherit the house, and Packford's two secret wives, who recently learned of each other's existence. As the secrets pile up, the erudite Appleby must get to the bottom of things before the killer forces anyone else to say goodbye for good. "A model of the deft, classic detective story, told in the most wittily diverting prose." —The New York Times

Scotland Yard's director and a school headmaster team up to find a missing biological warfare expert in this classic, Cold War–era mystery thriller. At the height of the Cold War, one of Britain's top-secret scientists is missing. Prof. Howard Juniper was last seen leaving his lab where he conducted research on biological warfare. What's even more troubling is he may have a virulent, deadly sample with him. He must be found as quickly—and with as little publicity—as possible. Under direct order from the prime minister, Sir John Appleby, the head of Scotland Yard, is taking up the search. First, he must buy some time. Appleby persuades Howard's twin, Miles, a boarding school headmaster, to impersonate his brother. Next, Appleby must follow up on his three frightening leads: either Howard has been kidnapped, he has defected to the Soviets, or he has gone mad . . . With the stealth of a spy, Appleby now must race against the clock to find the missing scientist before all hope is lost. Praise for Michael Innes and Inspector Appleby "The author's ingenuity and wit are seemingly endless." —The Daily Telegraph "Altogether a brilliant piece of work." —Birmingham Post "Innes is in a class by himself when it comes to detective fiction." —The Times Literary Supplement