Michael Innes Reading Order

5 books (1979–2023)

Michael Innes edited four complete mystery anthologies published between 1979 and 2019, collecting classic crime and detective stories from various authors. These standalone collections should be read in publication order, beginning with Verdict of Thirteen, followed by English Country House Murders, Murder On The Railways, and Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the Holidays. Each volume brings together carefully curated tales spanning mystery and literary fiction traditions.

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

#	Title
1	Verdict of Thirteen 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	English Country House Murders 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Murder On The Railways 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the Holidays 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Edinburgh Mystery: And Other Tales of Scottish Crime 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1974–1983)

Michael Innes's Charles Honeybath series consists of four complete mystery novels published between 1974 and 1983. These standalone mysteries featuring the art world should be read in publication order, beginning with The Mysterious Commission. The series concludes with Appleby and Honeybath, which brings together characters from across Innes's detective fiction.

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

#	Title
1	The Mysterious Commission 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Honeybath's Haven 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Lord Mullion's Secret 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Appleby and Honeybath 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

32 books (1936–1986)

Michael Innes's Inspector Appleby series consists of 32 mystery novels published between 1936 and 1986, following the investigations of the titular detective across decades of British crime fiction. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Death at the President's Lodging and concluding with the final entry among the 32 books. Innes blends mystery with literary sophistication, creating a series that appeals to readers interested in both traditional detective work and intellectually engaging narratives.

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

#	Title
1	Death at the President's Lodging / Seven Suspects 1936Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hamlet, Revenge! 1937Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Lament for a Maker 1938Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Stop Press / The Spider Strikes 1939Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Secret Vanguard 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	There Came Both Mist and Snow / A Comedy of Terrors 1940Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Appleby on Ararat 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Daffodil Affair 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Weight of the Evidence 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Appleby's End 1945Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	A Night of Errors 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Operation Pax / The Paper Thunderbolt 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	A Private View / One-Man Show / Murder Is an Art 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Appleby Plays Chicken / Death On a Quiet Day 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Long Farewell 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Hare Sitting Up 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Silence Observed 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	A Connoisseur's Case / The Crabtree Affair 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Bloody Wood 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Appleby At Allington / Death By Water 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	A Family Affair / Picture of Guilt 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Death at the Chase 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	An Awkward Lie 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Open House 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Appleby's Answer 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Appleby's Other Story 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	The Gay Phoenix 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	The Ampersand Papers 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Sheiks and Adders 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	Appleby and Honeybath 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	Carson's Conspiracy 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	Appleby and the Ospreys 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (1954–2010)

Michael Innes' Inspector Appleby Collections comprises six mystery novels published between 1954 and 2010, presenting a complete series that should be read in publication order. These books feature the detective protagonist in a series of interconnected cases and investigations, blending mystery with literary fiction elements. The collection spans from the earliest entry, Appleby Talking/Dead Man's Shoes, through to the final installment, Appleby Talks About Crime, offering readers a comprehensive exploration of the inspector's career across more than five decades of publication.

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

#	Title
1	Appleby Talking / Dead Man's Shoes 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Appleby Talks 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Appleby Talks Again 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Appleby Intervenes 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Appleby File 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Appleby Talks About Crime 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1969–2011)

Michael Innes's J.I.M. Stewart Short Story Collections series comprises five complete books of short fiction published between 1969 and 2011. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Cucumber Sandwiches, And Other Stories and continuing through The Bridge at Arta, My Aunt Christina, Parlour Four, and concluding with Cucumber Sandwiches. These collections showcase Innes's range across mystery, thriller, and literary fiction in shorter narrative form.

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 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Bridge at Arta 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	My Aunt Christina 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Parlour Four 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Cucumber Sandwiches 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1993–1993)

7 books (2016–2022)

The Murderous Christmas Stories series by Michael Innes comprises seven mystery and thriller installments published between 2016 and 2022. The series appears to be complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Murder under the Christmas Tree. Subsequent entries include Murder on Christmas Eve, A Very Murderous Christmas, Murder at Christmas, Murder in Midwinter, Murder on a Winter's Night, and Murder in the Falling Snow.

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

#	Title
1	Murder under the Christmas Tree 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Murder on Christmas Eve 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Very Murderous Christmas 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder at Christmas 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder in Midwinter 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Murder on a Winter's Night 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Murder in the Falling Snow 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1957–2021)

Michael Innes's nonfiction series comprises ten literary criticism and biographical works published between 1957 and 2021, likely now complete. These books, which should be read in publication order, explore major figures in English and world literature including Joyce, Shakespeare, Hardy, Kipling, and Conrad, alongside broader critical studies. Several volumes were published under the author's academic name J.I.M. Stewart, and the series concludes with a memoir examining Innes's dual identity as both novelist and literary scholar.

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

#	Title
1	James Joyce(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Eight Modern Writers(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Thomas Love Peacock 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Character and Motive in Shakespeare 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Rudyard Kipling 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Joseph Conrad(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Shakespeare's Lofty Scene 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Thomas Hardy: A Critical Biography(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Myself and Michael Innes: A Memoir(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Educating the emotions 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1969–2011)

Michael Innes's Short Story Collections series comprises eight volumes of short fiction published between 1969 and 2011, with the series now complete. These stories, released under both the Innes and J.I.M. Stewart names, should be read in publication order, beginning with Cucumber Sandwiches and Other Stories. The collection spans mystery, literary fiction, and non-fiction themes, offering readers a diverse sampling of the author's shorter works across several decades.

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) 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Our England is a garden and other stories 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Bridge At Arta And Other Stories 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Bridge at Arta(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	My Aunt Christina(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Parlour Four(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Cucumber Sandwiches(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Man Who Wrote Detective Stories 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1975–1979)

The Staircase In Surrey series consists of five mystery novels by Michael Innes published between 1975 and 1979. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Gaudy and concluding with Full Term. These literary mysteries span interconnected narratives across Young Pattullo, Memorial Service, and The Madonna of The Astrolabe.

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

#	Title
1	The Gaudy 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Young Pattullo 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Memorial Service 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Madonna of The Astrolabe 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Full Term 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

25 books (1946–2012)

Michael Innes's Standalone Novels series comprises 25 mystery and literary fiction works published between 1946 and 2012, now complete. Though presented as standalone entries, these novels should be read in publication order beginning with From London Far. The series spans decades of Innes's career, blending detective fiction with literary sophistication across varied plots and settings.

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

#	Title
1	From London Far / The Unsuspected Chasm 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	What Happened At Hazlewood? 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Journeying Boy / The Case of the Journeying Boy 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Christmas at Candleshoe 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Man from the Sea / Death By Moonlight 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Old Hall, New Hall / A Question of Queens 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	A Use Of Riches 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The New Sonia Wayward / The Case of Sonia Wayward 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Acre of Grass 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Money From Holme 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	A Change of Heir 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Last Tresilians 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Aylwins(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Vanderlyn's Kingdom 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Mungo's Dream 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Andrew and Tobias(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Going It Alone 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	A Villa in France(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	An Open Prison 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Naylors(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	A Palace of Art(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Avery's Mission 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Mark Lambert's Supper(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Guardians 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Man Who Won The Pools(As: J.I.M. Stewart) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible