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Sir John Appleby #9
The Weight of the Evidence
Meteorites fall from the sky but seldom onto the heads of science dons in redbrick universities; yet this is what happens to Professor Pluckrose of Nestfield University. Inspector Appleby soon discovers that the meteorite was not fresh and that the professor's deckchair had been placed underneath a large, accessible tower - he already knew something of academic jealousies but he was to find out a great deal more.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1943
38 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Michael Innes
125 books89 followersMichael 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 23, 2023
Reading Michael Innes’s mysteries in publication order with the Reading the Detectives group.
The previous few novels tried my patience sorely, with their extravagant South Seas and South American fantasy plots, but with The Weight of the Evidence Innes has come home—to a murder committed in an academic setting. This time it’s an imaginary provincial university of the second tier. A professor, sitting in the sun in a quad, has had a meteorite drop on him (not from the sky, from a university tower). Appleby is called in to assist the local constabulary in detecting.
Innes himself (in reality, J. I. M. Stewart) was a don, so he loves erudite chitchat and plots based on obscure scholarly points. This story has a wealth of intellectual characters (too many for some readers, but I didn’t have trouble remember who was who, perhaps because I was reading in paperback), most of whom had opportunity and more or less motive to commit the crime. Innes also has a remarkably sharp eye for social nuance, which adds to the fun for me. Appleby often seems to be pursuing his detection in a random and inconsequential manner, but in this story we got to see his notes near the end, where he lays out the key elements of the mystery. Even then I was baffled, so the dénouement surprised me and I was happy to chalk up one for Innes. All I will tell you is that nothing is as it seems.
Some people find the academic waffle a bit much, but I ate it up with a spoon. This gave me everything I want in a detective novel—weird characters, tangled method, and a resolution I didn’t see coming.
The previous few novels tried my patience sorely, with their extravagant South Seas and South American fantasy plots, but with The Weight of the Evidence Innes has come home—to a murder committed in an academic setting. This time it’s an imaginary provincial university of the second tier. A professor, sitting in the sun in a quad, has had a meteorite drop on him (not from the sky, from a university tower). Appleby is called in to assist the local constabulary in detecting.
Innes himself (in reality, J. I. M. Stewart) was a don, so he loves erudite chitchat and plots based on obscure scholarly points. This story has a wealth of intellectual characters (too many for some readers, but I didn’t have trouble remember who was who, perhaps because I was reading in paperback), most of whom had opportunity and more or less motive to commit the crime. Innes also has a remarkably sharp eye for social nuance, which adds to the fun for me. Appleby often seems to be pursuing his detection in a random and inconsequential manner, but in this story we got to see his notes near the end, where he lays out the key elements of the mystery. Even then I was baffled, so the dénouement surprised me and I was happy to chalk up one for Innes. All I will tell you is that nothing is as it seems.
Some people find the academic waffle a bit much, but I ate it up with a spoon. This gave me everything I want in a detective novel—weird characters, tangled method, and a resolution I didn’t see coming.
January 29, 2018
I have to say that I didn't enjoy The Weight Of The Evidence as much as some Innes novels. It has his characteristic dry, satirical wit but I do have my reservations.
This, the eighth in the Appleby series, sees him in "Nestfield" University (a scarcely disguised Leeds) investigating the death of an academic who has been killed by a falling meteorite. It is plainly an act of murder and Innes's trademark cast of wittily satirised suspect characters and a plot which depends intricately upon precise times and the exact placement of buildings and people develops.
Innes's skewering portraits of academics when set in Oxford seem like poking fun at his peers. Here, I find a tinge of condescension which I don’t like at all. I know that Innes himself was a lecturer at Leeds and he even has Appleby inwardly condemn one academic as a snob, but there is still a slight air of sneering at provincials who don't do things "properly" in the way that Oxford Colleges do. As a result it seemed far more self-consciously - perhaps even self-regardingly - highbrow than some of his other books. This is a personal feeling, and I'm sure it is not what Innes intended, but it still marred my enjoyment in quite a few places.
Others may not agree, and certainly if you like Innes's dry, witty academic banter and rather grumpy take on modern (i.e. 1940s) life there is much here to enjoy. For me, though, it's not one I'll be going back to.
(My thanks to Ipso Books for an ARC via NetGalley.)
This, the eighth in the Appleby series, sees him in "Nestfield" University (a scarcely disguised Leeds) investigating the death of an academic who has been killed by a falling meteorite. It is plainly an act of murder and Innes's trademark cast of wittily satirised suspect characters and a plot which depends intricately upon precise times and the exact placement of buildings and people develops.
Innes's skewering portraits of academics when set in Oxford seem like poking fun at his peers. Here, I find a tinge of condescension which I don’t like at all. I know that Innes himself was a lecturer at Leeds and he even has Appleby inwardly condemn one academic as a snob, but there is still a slight air of sneering at provincials who don't do things "properly" in the way that Oxford Colleges do. As a result it seemed far more self-consciously - perhaps even self-regardingly - highbrow than some of his other books. This is a personal feeling, and I'm sure it is not what Innes intended, but it still marred my enjoyment in quite a few places.
Others may not agree, and certainly if you like Innes's dry, witty academic banter and rather grumpy take on modern (i.e. 1940s) life there is much here to enjoy. For me, though, it's not one I'll be going back to.
(My thanks to Ipso Books for an ARC via NetGalley.)
January 26, 2018
Professor Pluckrose is killed by a skilfully-launched meteorite while sitting on a deckchair in the quadrangle of Nesfield University. Inspector Hobhouse and John Appleby investigate.
Nesfield is closely based on Leeds University where J I M Stewart lectured from 1930-35. The story is broadly a send-up of the detective genre and of the petty world of provincial Academe. It is full of Classical and Eng. Lit. quotations and allusions, whimsy and artifice, a blend which many may find irritating and over-elaborate.
I found it easier to read-and stomach- than many Innes novels. Treat it as a kind of intellectual exercise and you will enjoy it. After all, there may be-and are- many possible solutions to this mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ipso Books for the digital review copy.
Nesfield is closely based on Leeds University where J I M Stewart lectured from 1930-35. The story is broadly a send-up of the detective genre and of the petty world of provincial Academe. It is full of Classical and Eng. Lit. quotations and allusions, whimsy and artifice, a blend which many may find irritating and over-elaborate.
I found it easier to read-and stomach- than many Innes novels. Treat it as a kind of intellectual exercise and you will enjoy it. After all, there may be-and are- many possible solutions to this mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ipso Books for the digital review copy.
April 17, 2024
an elaborate elephantine erudite silliness
December 20, 2020
Professor Pluckrose is dead, apparently smashed by a meteor dropped from a window of the tower beneath which he was sitting. Not only did a lot of people dislike Pluckrose, but there's some doubt as to whether he was the intended victim--apparently there are several other professors who were also disliked. And the ingenious minds of his colleagues are only to apt to spin far-fetched theories to explain his death. Fortunately, the young John Appleby is Scotland Yard's choice to investigate, and he's at home with the local police, as well as with the academics, including an absent-minded former teacher of his own.
January 31, 2015
3½ stars. Fairly straightforward (for Innes!) police procedural mystery set in a small university. I couldn't figure out 'whodunit' but enjoyed the ride following Appleby's investigation in this 9th entry of the series. There were some great witty throwaway lines, such as "England is at best a semi-barbarous country and the demand for portraits of retired philosophy professors was small." (paraphrasing from memory so my apologies if not exactly as Innes wrote it)
April 17, 2014
Typically British novel in an academic setting. Innes is a superb writer but the language requires concentration due to the idioms of the time in which it was written. A puzzle mystery told with an ample amount of wit and cynicism.
July 18, 2011
Another one with quirky characters. I absolutely did not see the ending coming. Very good! Three and a half stars.
December 1, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
February 27, 2018
The Inspector Appleby mysteries are clever, well written, and always a challenge for the armchair detective. The Weight of the Evidence is a bizarre mystery, but one that is all the more entertaining for the variety of potential motives and suspects. The characters themselves are the strange assortment that you find at almost any educational institution, set in their habits and more likely than not, not to notice anything out of the ordinary. When Professor Pluckrose is killed by a falling meteorite (one falling from the roof, not the sky), Inspector Appleby is called in to determine the culprit. What makes things all the more difficult is that the various academics are easily distracted and have only a vague notion of truth and reality. On top of that, each professor has his own suspicions about the murder and its relation to the practical jokes that have been occuring on campus. Inspector Appleby takes a relaxed, systematic approach to the investigation. The end result came as a surprise, but was nonetheless satisfying.
The Weight of the Evidence is a clever, well written story with very little violence. It is a classic British police procedural that focuses on the puzzle as well as the strange assortment of characters involved. It is a relaxing read, light on tension and full of curious bits of humor.
4 / 5
I received a copy of The Weight of the Evidence from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-- Crittermom
The Weight of the Evidence is a clever, well written story with very little violence. It is a classic British police procedural that focuses on the puzzle as well as the strange assortment of characters involved. It is a relaxing read, light on tension and full of curious bits of humor.
4 / 5
I received a copy of The Weight of the Evidence from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-- Crittermom
January 22, 2018
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Inspector Appleby is sent to investigate the death of a professor at Nesfield University. Professor Pluckrose was apparently killed by a meteorite, although one that had some months previously fallen to earth.
Although this had its moments of humour, and Appleby and his fellow police officer Hobhouse were likeable characters, I did not really enjoy this novel, There were countless whimsical and academic asides, which were uninteresting and often hard to grasp for those of us without a background in the Classics. The suspects were all men (women being mostly relegated to the roles of landlady and girlfriend) and hard to keep distinct in one's mind. The solution was explained in the most convoluted fashion of any detective novel I have read and not terribly satisfactory, although various earlier themes and clues were duly tied in.
I would not have persisted with this novel had I not been reviewing it, and will not be seeking out any further books by this author.
On a technical note, the plan of the courtyard was too small to make out and could not be enlarged on my Kindle.
Inspector Appleby is sent to investigate the death of a professor at Nesfield University. Professor Pluckrose was apparently killed by a meteorite, although one that had some months previously fallen to earth.
Although this had its moments of humour, and Appleby and his fellow police officer Hobhouse were likeable characters, I did not really enjoy this novel, There were countless whimsical and academic asides, which were uninteresting and often hard to grasp for those of us without a background in the Classics. The suspects were all men (women being mostly relegated to the roles of landlady and girlfriend) and hard to keep distinct in one's mind. The solution was explained in the most convoluted fashion of any detective novel I have read and not terribly satisfactory, although various earlier themes and clues were duly tied in.
I would not have persisted with this novel had I not been reviewing it, and will not be seeking out any further books by this author.
On a technical note, the plan of the courtyard was too small to make out and could not be enlarged on my Kindle.
August 21, 2022
Michael Innes writes in a very different category from Agatha Christie - who is extremely easy to read even today. Even Dorothy Sayers who is considered to be more highbrow is easier to read than THIS.
This particular book is set in a University. A professor gets murdered and a number of Vice-Chancellors, Professors and so on are interviewed by Inspector Appleby.
Each academician in this book speaks in the most vague, bizarre and outlandish language they can think of. For example, when Appleby asks a math professor about the murder, the prof. responds with the word 'Galileo'.
He then goes on to explain about some experiment Galileo conducted and then ends up saying that it is all irrelevant anyway.
The profs make constant references to Greek mythology, astronomy, classic literature, psychoanalytic theory and what not. Even Appleby joins the madness by referring to complexes & the classics. I felt like the poor local policeman for whom all these literary allusions meant nothing.
What kept me going was that the core mystery was a good one and there were red-herrings aplenty. But be warned, it is an exhausting book to read.
This particular book is set in a University. A professor gets murdered and a number of Vice-Chancellors, Professors and so on are interviewed by Inspector Appleby.
Each academician in this book speaks in the most vague, bizarre and outlandish language they can think of. For example, when Appleby asks a math professor about the murder, the prof. responds with the word 'Galileo'.
He then goes on to explain about some experiment Galileo conducted and then ends up saying that it is all irrelevant anyway.
The profs make constant references to Greek mythology, astronomy, classic literature, psychoanalytic theory and what not. Even Appleby joins the madness by referring to complexes & the classics. I felt like the poor local policeman for whom all these literary allusions meant nothing.
What kept me going was that the core mystery was a good one and there were red-herrings aplenty. But be warned, it is an exhausting book to read.
March 6, 2022
If you've ever longed for a mystery novel where the murder weapon is a meteorite, this is the book for you. Michael Innes returns to the academic setting, just like in his first book, Death in the President's Lodgings. Only this time the university is not Oxford, but a provincial university where even the professors feel mainly disdain for the students. What is similar between the two books is that the professors are a bunch of squabbling eccentrics, much given to learned quotations, inexplicable jumps in their thought processes, and generally inclined to stay away as much as possible from the sordidness of a police investigation. This proves befuddling to the plodding Inspector Hobhouse, but Sir John Appleby wades into this academic cesspool without fear. Just to give a sample of the red herrings and clues in this book : a serial bigamist, a marble bust despoiled by a green liquid, the grandson of a Duke's visit to a house of ill repute, disputed Latin inscriptions, a fountain, German Frauleins, and no fewer than 3 false beards.
August 19, 2018
Michael Innes mysteries seem to fall into three categories: relatively straightforward (these are the least common, in my experience), kind of weird, and downright goofy. I like them all, so far, because he's such a marvelous writer. The plot is usually not at all the point; I think Innes just likes to have fun. This one falls in the "kind of weird" category, as Inspector Appleby investigates the bizarre murder-by-falling-meteor on a university campus. It's basically an excuse for oblique wordplay and poking fun at the world of academe, with obscure Latin jokes and literary references as clues. Another Goodreads reviewer calls the tone of this book "condescending" (Innes was an academic himself), and I can see that. It's not my favorite of his books (those would be the ridiculously thrilling Christmas at Candleshoe and the utterly hilarious Appleby's End). But it's still pretty entertaining.
January 29, 2019
Our Mystery Book Club selected this as a group after reviewing many authors. We selected it because some of our members liked Michael Innes.
It was not my favorite mystery. It had many characters, which I found confusing. It was set in a British university and portrayed the characters by emphasizing their fields and playing on the tyical personalities for each of those specialties. The premise was that one professor was killed by a falling meteorite, and because I found this unrealistic, I was off to a bad start.
I read some reviews and learned that other people like Michael Innes but did not like this book. For that reason only, I'd give him another try, but it would not be my first choice.
It was not my favorite mystery. It had many characters, which I found confusing. It was set in a British university and portrayed the characters by emphasizing their fields and playing on the tyical personalities for each of those specialties. The premise was that one professor was killed by a falling meteorite, and because I found this unrealistic, I was off to a bad start.
I read some reviews and learned that other people like Michael Innes but did not like this book. For that reason only, I'd give him another try, but it would not be my first choice.
August 2, 2023
The best of the Appleby books seem to be set in university surroundings, complete with cloisters and college dinners, and 'The Weight of the Evidence' is no exception, with its professors and politics and towers and other architectural delights. Here a kind of cruel Aeschylean joke is played on Professor Pluckrose, the victim, when a meteorite falls on his head and crushes him. Was this an accident? An act of God, perhaps? An experiment gone wrong, à la Galileo's theory of falling bodies? Or an act of premeditated murder? The story is told, doffing the cap to Zuleika Dobson and The Pickwick Papers, in the usual Innes fashion, with labyrinthine twists and a lightness of touch that is his special trademark.
February 3, 2018
Let's get one thing aside, the end and the resolution of the murder mystery was nothing usual.and slightly disappointing too. It was so unlike the investigative books I read but then , this was written yearssss ago and I kept reading as I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style. The slow lazy pace of the investigations , the elderly self indulged professors , the conversations and the slightly gossipy setting if the university. It's all so charming. Read it just for that. It transports you to a different world.
February 6, 2018
A little too much ironic distance and wry winks to the reader for me to fully engage with this one. It was a bit like watching Murder by Death, a thoroughly irritating experience in that I just want the mystery dammit, and not the "aren't we all so much more clever for not really enjoying this" tone. Maybe Innes isn't for me? Anyway, give it a shot if you like a little snobbiness in your mystery.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
I had to really fight to finish this one. I find Appleby relatable and interesting, but this book seemed to just float in the doldrums. It felt as though all the elements were present to create a great mystery, but that they weren't used to their full measure.
August 18, 2025
My first detective club murder mystery, and I'm not sure it was the best place to start. I loved the setting and the mystery was intriguing, but so many of the characters just blended together, and the ending felt ridiculously rushed.
January 19, 2018
Excellent! Well worth a read .
These classic mysteries are great .
These classic mysteries are great .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2018
A good interesting mystery. It was entertaining even if the language is a bit aged.
Many thanks to Ipso Books and Netgalley
Many thanks to Ipso Books and Netgalley
May 12, 2020
Se me hizo muy pesado , hay frases en latín sin traducción . Costo terminarlo.😤😴
May 6, 2022
I like the academic twaddle in this book but I found the Plot and Characters unconvincing.
February 26, 2021
A geeky, whodunnit based on a very precise set of events. It (inevitably )felt a bit dated; the description of the provincial university, the attitude to women. It also felt faintly snobbish so for all its cleverness and occasional flashes of humour I couldn't give it more than a 3
October 1, 2014
Innes is a new author to me, and like many mystery authors will require me to read another of his works before I make a decision about whether I like him or not. Plot-wise, this mystery was fine...no huge holes, but not necessarily compellingly plausible. It required one's full attention to keep up with the plethora of characters, and was wordy. That last is not necessarily negative, but it is an important consideration: I am slightly more willing than the average reader, I would say, in being willing to trudge through a great many words. The wordiness of this book paid off when used in setting scenes: Innes' descriptions of places were artistic and filled with nuance. When not used in descriptive phrases, though, the words often seemed more convoluted than necessary.
One factor that tempts me to read another Innes mystery is the wit and humor that was frequently evident. It was neither vulgar nor always obvious: restrained, dry, and sometimes taking a second read-through to catch the allusion. This tendency to wit could have benefited from a little more restraint in the characterizations of people. One or two or three faculty members of a university might believably be outrageous or fantastic, but all of them? There were so many ridiculous characters that they ended up taking away from each other, so that I enjoyed the whole less than I would have liked.
A solid read, not unenjoyable, but not sparkling either. Skip it if you like a quick, light read: this one takes a while for an uncertain pay-off.
One factor that tempts me to read another Innes mystery is the wit and humor that was frequently evident. It was neither vulgar nor always obvious: restrained, dry, and sometimes taking a second read-through to catch the allusion. This tendency to wit could have benefited from a little more restraint in the characterizations of people. One or two or three faculty members of a university might believably be outrageous or fantastic, but all of them? There were so many ridiculous characters that they ended up taking away from each other, so that I enjoyed the whole less than I would have liked.
A solid read, not unenjoyable, but not sparkling either. Skip it if you like a quick, light read: this one takes a while for an uncertain pay-off.
September 10, 2010
This book wasn't exactly bad but it wasn't a masterpiece either. This is the first time that I have read anything by Michael Innes (a pseudonym) and I can't say that I was particularly impressed by his writing style. There is far too much unnecessary description; I believe that this book could be shortened by half and not lose any important plot points.
The story itself wasn't too bad, although at times I found it a trifle dull. I would give this book two and a half stars but as Goodreads doesn't allow that, I'll give it three.
The story itself wasn't too bad, although at times I found it a trifle dull. I would give this book two and a half stars but as Goodreads doesn't allow that, I'll give it three.
February 10, 2010
This novel displays Innes' typical traits of wordiness, digression and pretentiousness at their facetious worst. Alas...
June 8, 2013
Old-fashioned, wordy, beautifully eccentric plot. Set just before the second world war in an academic institution full of batty professors, and the murder weapon is a meteorite. What more need I say.
May 12, 2016
Not as enjoyable as when I first read it in the 1970s. I've grown up a bit I think.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews