Appleby's End (The Inspector Appleby Mysteries Book 10) - SPOILER Thread - (June/July 23)

[Susan]

Welcome to our June/July 23 buddy read of Appleby's End first published in 1945 and the tenth book in the Inspector Appleby series.

Appleby's End was the name of the station where Detective Inspector John Appleby got off the train from Scotland Yard. But that was not the only coincidence. Everything that happened from then on related back to stories by Ranulph Raven, Victorian novelist - animals were replaced by marble effigies, someone received a tombstone telling him when he would die, and a servant was found buried up to his neck in snow, dead. Why did Ranulph Raven's mysterious descendants make such a point of inviting Appleby to spend the night at their house?

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

[Abigail]

I loved this one, though the first few pages were so turgid that I was thinking, “Oh, dear.” The weirdness was very, very weird but it all hung together and made sense (if “sense” is the right word where the Ravens are concerned) in the end. I loved the eccentrics and the visual effects (waxwork Tartars and Kurds, the soft-porn Victorian sculptures), the frothy flirtation early on (though the leap from there to “we’re getting married right away” was a bit of a stretch). The clergyman and his ingenious witch inventions had me rolling in the aisles.

This could have gotten tiresome (the way Stop Press did) if it had gone on much longer but since it was so short, it didn’t wear out its welcome. I think Innes figured this out for himself because his later books tend to be much shorter than his early ones.

I had forgotten that this was how Appleby met his wife, though I got faint flashes of recognition when reading so I’m sure I’ve read this one before. I liked how comfortably Appleby fitted into her nutty family without being at all nutty himself, and how quickly they accepted him (though I would have expected Mark to be a bit jealous, given how close he is to his sister).

The whole neighborhood felt like a throwback; such inbred communities doubtless existed in England before the automobile, but in 1945 it seems more dubious. Television was of course yet to come, but that decisively put an end to local character. Speaking of 1945, Innes appears to have erased the war completely from his consciousness, which must have required an extraordinary effort in mental discipline in 1945!

[Rosina]

There are other immediate post-war books which seem to erase or underplay the war (I am thinking of Brat Farrar, but I am sure there are others). They may have been written during the war, or even before, and publication delayed until afterwards, without needing much updating.

At least there is an eight year gap (undiscussed) between the Gaffer Odger murder and the railway journey. During which time Appleby has other things on his mind. The book before (The Weight of the Evidence) was even more clearly pre-War.

I can remember trains very similar to that, with the seaside photographs in slightly off colours, and the luggage racks. And the smell of the engine.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Rosina wrote: "There are other immediate post-war books which seem to erase or underplay the war (I am thinking of Brat Farrar, but I am sure there are others). They may have been written during the..."

I'm the opposite as I loved the start, especially the crazy place names & poor Appleby wondering what he had struck. The book became less interesting for me as it went on.

Because the book was written in 1945, I'm going to give the instalove a pass. My parents (married in 1945) really only knew each other for two weeks before they married. Those were intense times.

As I said in my review, I don't do much rereading these days, but I do think I will reread this one. There is quite a bit to it & I feel I might have missed a bit.

[Abigail]

Innes certainly does pack a lot into his text!

[Judy]

I felt the same as Carol, loved the start in the train and Appleby wandering through the countryside with Judith, though this part did remind me of one of his earlier books - not sure which one. But then I felt there were just too many quirky events and I wasn't as interested in the later twists.

I also think the publisher is misleading readers by calling this weird tale: "A snowbound country house mystery"!

[Abigail]

Good heavens, yes, clearly the person writing the cover blurb didn’t read very far!

[Judy]

I do love the idea of people and animals being replaced by statues, making the stories come true, and the vicar and his witchcraft made me laugh too, Abigail. I just felt there was so much packed into one book and at times the obscure conversations went on a bit.

[Abigail]

I was impressed that he managed to tie all the seeming random wackiness into a coherent plot. But it is certainly dense! There’s no relaxing with this book.

[Michaela]

I was mislead by the blurb too, and though I managed to finish it, I didn´t like the odd and quirky things. Not really my taste.

[Ellen]

I have to admit I was having a very hard time getting into this until the carriage started down the creek. Now it's got me.

[Abigail]

Innes is not for everyone! But glad you’re getting into it, Ellen.