Reading Order List β€” Book Series Reading Order Guide
Michael Innes

Michael Innes Reading Order

10 series Β· 106 books Β· Born 30 September 1906

Michael Innes, the pen name of Scottish author John Innes Mackintosh Stewart, was a prolific writer whose career spanned from 1936 to 2022. He specialized in crime fiction, creating engaging narratives infused with literary criticism and contemporary themes. With a remarkable collection of 106 books across 10 series, his most notable works include the Inspector Appleby series and standalone novels that showcase his distinctive style.

Anthologies Series

Complete

4 books (1979–2019)

Start with Verdict of Thirteen, the first of 4 books in the Anthologies series.

#Title
1
Cover of Verdict of Thirteen
Verdict of Thirteen
2
Cover of English Country House Murders
English Country House Murders
3
Cover of Murder On The Railways
Murder On The Railways
4
Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the Holidays

Charles Honeybath Series

Complete

4 books (1974–1983)

Start with The Mysterious Commission, the first of 4 books in the Charles Honeybath series.

#Title
1
Cover of The Mysterious Commission
The Mysterious Commission
2
Cover of Honeybath's Haven
Honeybath's Haven
3
Cover of Lord Mullion's Secret
Lord Mullion's Secret
4
Cover of Appleby and Honeybath
Appleby and Honeybath

Inspector Appleby Series

Complete

32 books (1936–1986)

Start with Death at the President's Lodging / Seven Suspects, the first of 32 books in the Inspector Appleby series.

#Title
1
Cover of Death at the President's Lodging / Seven Suspects
Death at the President's Lodging / Seven Suspects
2
Cover of Hamlet, Revenge!
Hamlet, Revenge!
3
Cover of Lament for a Maker
Lament for a Maker
4
Cover of Stop Press / The Spider Strikes
Stop Press / The Spider Strikes
5
Cover of The Secret Vanguard
The Secret Vanguard
6
Cover of There Came Both Mist and Snow / A Comedy of Terrors
There Came Both Mist and Snow / A Comedy of Terrors
7
Cover of Appleby on Ararat
Appleby on Ararat
8
Cover of The Daffodil Affair
The Daffodil Affair
9
Cover of The Weight of the Evidence
The Weight of the Evidence
10
Appleby's End
11
Cover of A Night of Errors
A Night of Errors
12
Cover of Operation Pax / The Paper Thunderbolt
Operation Pax / The Paper Thunderbolt
13
Cover of A Private View / One-Man Show / Murder Is an Art
A Private View / One-Man Show / Murder Is an Art
14
Cover of Appleby Plays Chicken / Death On a Quiet Day
Appleby Plays Chicken / Death On a Quiet Day
15
Cover of The Long Farewell
The Long Farewell
16
Cover of Hare Sitting Up
Hare Sitting Up
17
Cover of Silence Observed
Silence Observed
18
Cover of A Connoisseur's Case / The Crabtree Affair
A Connoisseur's Case / The Crabtree Affair
19
Cover of The Bloody Wood
The Bloody Wood
20
Cover of Appleby At Allington / Death By Water
Appleby At Allington / Death By Water
21
A Family Affair / Picture of Guilt
22
Cover of Death at the Chase
Death at the Chase
23
Cover of An Awkward Lie
An Awkward Lie
24
The Open House
25
Cover of Appleby's Answer
Appleby's Answer
26
Cover of Appleby's Other Story
Appleby's Other Story
27
Cover of The Gay Phoenix
The Gay Phoenix
28
Cover of The Ampersand Papers
The Ampersand Papers
29
Cover of Sheiks and Adders
Sheiks and Adders
30
Cover of Appleby and Honeybath
Appleby and Honeybath
31
Cover of Carson's Conspiracy
Carson's Conspiracy
32
Cover of Appleby and the Ospreys
Appleby and the Ospreys

Inspector Appleby Collections Series

Complete

6 books (1954–2010)

Start with Appleby Talking / Dead Man's Shoes, the first of 6 books in the Inspector Appleby Collections series.

#Title
1
Cover of Appleby Talking / Dead Man's Shoes
Appleby Talking / Dead Man's Shoes
2
Cover of Appleby Talks
Appleby Talks
3
Cover of Appleby Talks Again
Appleby Talks Again
4
Cover of Appleby Intervenes
Appleby Intervenes
5
Cover of The Appleby File
The Appleby File
6
Cover of Appleby Talks About Crime
Appleby Talks About Crime

J.I.M. Stewart Short Story Collections Series

Complete

5 books (1969–2011)

Start with Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories, the first of 5 books in the J.I.M. Stewart Short Story Collections series.

#Title
1
Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories
2
Cover of The Bridge at Arta
The Bridge at Arta
3
Cover of My Aunt Christina
My Aunt Christina
4
Cover of Parlour Four
Parlour Four
5
Cover of Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumber Sandwiches

Murderous Christmas Stories Series

Likely Complete

7 books (2016–2022)

Start with Murder under the Christmas Tree, the first of 7 books in the Murderous Christmas Stories series.

#Title
1
Cover of Murder under the Christmas Tree
Murder under the Christmas Tree
2
Cover of Murder on Christmas Eve
Murder on Christmas Eve
3
Cover of A Very Murderous Christmas
A Very Murderous Christmas
4
Murder at Christmas
5
Cover of Murder in Midwinter
Murder in Midwinter
6
Murder on a Winter's Night
7
Murder in the Falling Snow

Non-Fiction Series

Likely Complete

10 books (1957–2021)

Start with James Joyce(As: J.I.M. Stewart), the first of 10 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#Title
1
Cover of James Joyce(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
James Joyce(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
2
Cover of Eight Modern Writers(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Eight Modern Writers(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
3
Thomas Love Peacock
4
Cover of Character and Motive in Shakespeare
Character and Motive in Shakespeare
5
Rudyard Kipling
6
Joseph Conrad(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
7
Cover of Shakespeare's Lofty Scene
Shakespeare's Lofty Scene
8
Cover of Thomas Hardy: A Critical Biography(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Thomas Hardy: A Critical Biography(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
9
Cover of Myself and Michael Innes: A Memoir(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Myself and Michael Innes: A Memoir(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
10
Educating the emotions

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

8 books (1969–2011)

Start with Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories(As: J.I.M. Stewart), the first of 8 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#Title
1
Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
2
Cover of Our England is a garden and other stories
Our England is a garden and other stories
3
Cover of The Bridge At Arta And Other Stories
The Bridge At Arta And Other Stories
4
Cover of The Bridge at Arta(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
The Bridge at Arta(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
5
Cover of My Aunt Christina(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
My Aunt Christina(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
6
Cover of Parlour Four(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Parlour Four(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
7
Cover of Cucumber Sandwiches(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Cucumber Sandwiches(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
8
Cover of The Man Who Wrote Detective Stories
The Man Who Wrote Detective Stories

Staircase In Surrey Series

Complete

5 books (1975–1979)

Start with The Gaudy, the first of 5 books in the Staircase In Surrey series.

#Title
1
2
Cover of Young Pattullo
Young Pattullo
3
Cover of Memorial Service
Memorial Service
4
Cover of The Madonna of The Astrolabe
The Madonna of The Astrolabe
5

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

25 books (1946–2012)

Start with From London Far / The Unsuspected Chasm, the first of 25 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#Title
1
Cover of From London Far / The Unsuspected Chasm
From London Far / The Unsuspected Chasm
2
Cover of What Happened At Hazlewood?
What Happened At Hazlewood?
3
Cover of The Journeying Boy / The Case of the Journeying Boy
The Journeying Boy / The Case of the Journeying Boy
4
Cover of Christmas at Candleshoe
Christmas at Candleshoe
5
Cover of The Man from the Sea / Death By Moonlight
The Man from the Sea / Death By Moonlight
6
Cover of Old Hall, New Hall / A Question of Queens
Old Hall, New Hall / A Question of Queens
7
Cover of A Use Of Riches
A Use Of Riches
8
The New Sonia Wayward / The Case of Sonia Wayward
9
Acre of Grass
10
Cover of Money From Holme
Money From Holme
11
Cover of A Change of Heir
A Change of Heir
12
Last Tresilians
13
Cover of The Aylwins(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
The Aylwins(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
14
Vanderlyn's Kingdom
15
Cover of Mungo's Dream
Mungo's Dream
16
Cover of Andrew and Tobias(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Andrew and Tobias(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
17
Cover of Going It Alone
Going It Alone
18
Cover of A Villa in France(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
A Villa in France(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
19
Cover of An Open Prison
An Open Prison
20
Cover of The Naylors(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
The Naylors(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
21
Cover of A Palace of Art(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
A Palace of Art(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
22
Cover of Avery's Mission
Avery's Mission
23
Cover of Mark Lambert's Supper(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
Mark Lambert's Supper(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
24
Cover of The Guardians
The Guardians
25
Cover of The Man Who Won The Pools(As: J.I.M. Stewart)
The Man Who Won The Pools(As: J.I.M. Stewart)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Michael Innes written?
Michael Innes has written 106 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 1936 to 2022.
What is the first book in each Michael Innes series?
Here are the first books in Michael Innes's series: Anthologies: Verdict of Thirteen; Charles Honeybath: The Mysterious Commission; Inspector Appleby: Death at the President's Lodging / Seven Suspects; Inspector Appleby Collections: Appleby Talking / Dead Man's Shoes; J.I.M. Stewart Short Story Collections: Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories.
What order should I read Michael Innes's books?
We recommend reading Michael Innes's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Are Michael Innes's series complete?
Michael Innes has 8 completed series.

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