The Appleby File: Detective Stories

Sir John Appleby #29

by Michael Innes

There are fifteen stories in this compelling collection, including: 'Poltergeist'. When Appleby’s wife tells him that her aunt is experiencing trouble with a Poltergeist, he is amused but dismissive, until he discovers that several priceless artefacts have been smashed as a result. In 'A Question of Confidence' Bobby Appleby’s friend, Brian Button, is caught up in a scandalous murder in Oxford. Bobby’s famous detective father is their first port of call. In 'The Ascham' an abandoned car on a narrow lane intrigues Appleby and his wife, but even more intriguing is the medieval castle they stumble upon.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Short Stories

233 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Michael Innes was the pseudonym of John Innes MacKintosh (J.I.M.) Stewart (J.I.M. Stewart).

He was born in Edinburgh, and educated at Edinburgh Academy and Oriel College, Oxford. He was Lecturer in English at the University of Leeds from 1930 - 1935, and spent the succeeding ten years as Jury Professor of English at the University of Adelaide, South Australia.

He returned to the United Kingdom in 1949, to become a Lecturer at the Queen's University of Belfast. In 1949 he became a Student (Fellow) of Christ Church, Oxford, becoming a Professor by the time of his retirement in 1973.

As J.I.M. Stewart he published a number of works of non-fiction, mainly critical studies of authors, including Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling, as well as about twenty works of fiction and a memoir, 'Myself and Michael Innes'.

As Michael Innes, he published numerous mystery novels and short story collections, most featuring the Scotland Yard detective John Appleby.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very similar to Edmund Crispin’s Fen Country: pleasantly forgettable assembly of traditional mystery stories that seem to date from the Golden Age, but are really from much later. The characters are generally unreal, upper class, usually academic, and disposable.

Best stories are probably “The Ascham” and “The Fishermen,” though there’s not a lot to choose among them. And three of the stories feature a character who kills himself to frame/punish another character. Three of those is two too many.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating between 2.5 & 3.5

The edition I read had what appeared to be 2 short story collections in it - the first 7 stories were between 25 & 45 pages long whilst the last 8 were between 4 & 10. This made this collection a bit of a mixed bag for me.
As with the other Appleby titles I have read, I would count this as literary fiction with mystery elements. Something close to what Sayers wanted to achieve with the Wimsey stories perhaps?
The writing style I found very easy to read, everything flowed along at quite a fast pace not a surprise given the length of the stories to be fair. The time flew by whilst I was reading them as I hadn’t intended to finish the book over a bank holiday day off work.
The actual plots themselves are quite simple I thought, the enjoyment is to be found more in the writing than the working out of the mystery. In a very short time I will certainly have forgotten the actual plot details for all of the stories I think.
Also reading them together did make the plots quite repetitive which made the latter ones in the collection less enjoyable.
Overall the stories worked for me, they passed the time in an enjoyable manner and as I put the book down every couple of stories the repetition of plot points wasn’t that grating on me.
The overall rating of this collection could have been anything from 2 thru 4 tbh but since I enjoyed the reading experience a middle score of 3 seems the most fairest.

[Anthony Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of seven short stories and eight very short stories in which Sir John Appleby, retired Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (and Innes’ usual detective) solves some unusual crimes or mysteries.

Enjoyable intelligent, light entertainment, especially the very short stories which are admirable for their swiftly drawn characters, neatly outlined plots and the logic behind the solutions to the mystifying circumstances Sir John is presented with.

I am also a fan of Innes’ rather academic style, especially his fondness for the unusual or rare word. This collection, for example, introduced me to clamantly, loup, quadraturista, rectitudinous, allocution, veridical, and ‘recruitment’ and ‘own’ being used senses I have as yet to look for in the OED.

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars is being a bit harsh. This collection of short, mainly very short, stories is a mix. Some are simply pedestrian crime stories and a bit of a muchness, others display the author's quirky sense of humour (a la The Daffodil Affair), at least one shows the author enjoying having fun with words, a couple are very good. Not a book to sit down and read through but rather one to pick up at odd moments to read just a single story.

The Appleby books are each meant to be an amusement for both writer and reader. For more serious work from this author go to his novels under his real name of J. I. M. Stewart.

[Lavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

• "The Ascham" I feel like this characterizes Judith Appleby more than it does the main detective John Appleby. Also, I am not satisfied with the ending.
• "Poltergeist" and "The Fishermen" shows Appleby as the type of detective that is able to see the big picture and bring the case to justice.
• "Conversation Piece" kind of sad and reminds me that although I like to read mysteries, crime is abominable.
• "Death by Water" felt the most like a police procedural, establishing at timeline and witness accounts, etc.
(For the rest of the short stories, I categorized them as 'like' and 'dislike' but have no further comments)

[Thomas Burchfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay collection by one of the most erudite and funny writers in the field. Some of the opening stories are arch and amusing. The rest feel like jokes or sketches for unfinished pieces. More for hardcore fans than general readers.

[J Grimsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting group of short stories with interest small twists.