The Empathetic Appleby Returns.....
The empathetic Appleby returns in this quirky mystery. Scientists, missing persons, a set of twins and a deadly virus. It’s all going on here. Faced with a host of suspects, motives and secrets Appleby sets out to get to the truth. Not as entertaining, for me, as the authors’ more traditional tales but it is enjoyable classic crime with red herrings aplenty, an eccentric cast of well drawn characters and told with author’s trademark dry wit.

Hare Sitting Up was originally published in 1959 and is the eighteenth book in Michael Innes’ Inspector John Appleby series – the good news is that it’s absolutely not necessary to have read the first seventeen before starting this one! I have read a few of the previous books and they do all stand alone; they are also all very different and this one is different again.

The unusual title comes from Women in Love by D H Lawrence:

“You yourself, don’t you find it a beautiful clean thought, a world empty of people, just uninterrupted grass, and a hare sitting up?”

At the time when Innes was writing this novel, which was the era of the Cold War, scientists were developing ways that could make the sort of world Lawrence describes – a world free of human beings – into reality, through means such as nuclear and biological weapons. In Hare Sitting Up, Sir John Appleby is investigating the disappearance of Professor Howard Juniper, a top government scientist who has been conducting secret research into biological warfare. As there’s a chance that Juniper may have taken some of these dangerous substances out of the laboratory with him, it is important that he is found as quickly as possible and with the minimum publicity. Appleby enlists the help of Juniper’s brother Miles, a headmaster at a prestigious boys’ school – and to say any more would start to give too much of the plot away!

This book is more of a thriller than a mystery, although there are elements of both. Due to the short length, once we get past the slow opening chapter, the story moves forward at a steady pace with the action switching between the home of an eccentric ornithologist, an island off the coast of Scotland, and Splaine Croft School, where Miles Juniper works. There’s a great chapter in which Judith, Appleby’s wife, visits the school to look for clues and has to find a way to explore the buildings without attracting suspicion; I like Judith, whom we met earlier in the series, and it was good to see her being entrusted with some investigations of her own.

Reading this novel in the middle of a pandemic made the discussions on the end of humanity and the destruction of the world feel particularly bleak, but the twists and turns which accompany the search for the missing Juniper brother were entertaining and, thankfully, the book was not as depressing as I thought it might be at first! Some parts of the plot were very predictable (I guessed one of the twists very early in the book), but others were very far-fetched and unlikely and, as is often the case with Innes, you have to be prepared to suspend your disbelief. I didn’t like it as much as some of his others, but for a short, quick read I found it quite enjoyable.

I've tried Appleby books before and never really gotten into them. This one, however, was different. Great plot, interesting characters, and it seemed to move along at a good pace. Very much enjoyed!

‘I am a policeman. My name is Appleby.’

At the height of the Cold War, Professor Howard Juniper disappears. He has not been seen for three days. Professor Juniper has been researching and developing defences against bacteriological warfare and the British government is concerned. He has been working under considerable pressure: has he been kidnapped; has he been driven mad or has he defected? In the wrong hands, his work could destroy humanity.

Sir John Appleby, head of Scotland Yard, has been asked by the Prime Minister to investigate. Sir John enlists the help of Miles Juniper, Howard’s identical twin brother. Miles, the headmaster of a boys school, is asked to impersonate Howard for a few days to buy time for Sir John to investigate.

The investigation takes Sir John from the private boys’ school of Splaine Croft to the crumbling estate of Lord Ailsworth, and on to remote Ardray Island. Lord Ailsworth may be eccentric, but he gives Sir John an important clue. Can he find Howard Juniper? And then Miles Juniper goes missing…

‘Lord Ailsworth and his Donkey Ducks suggest a sort of challenge, wouldn’t you say?’

This book was first published in 1959, and while this particular cold war might be behind us, the current COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of just how vulnerable humanity is to virulent viruses as well as to other biological agents.

I enjoyed this novel, which had a couple of twists to keep me guessing.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Professor Howard Juniper, highly acclaimed scientist has gone missing. For Sir John Appleby of Scotland Yard the implications are of a serious nature. To the extent that he wishes for Howard's identical twin brother, Miles, to impersonate him for several days. Can the ruse work and will Appleby find Juniper before the press discover the truth. Appleby follows the clues, but will he be in time.
An enjoyable and interesting thriller and mytsery story.
Originally written in 1959
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really couldn't get into this book. Most of the language used in the book was over my head. I found it very boring and didn't read very much of it. It was just not my cup of tea.

Another entertaining romp from Michael Innes, this one written in 1959, drawing on Cold War context and the possibilities of biological warfare- an uncomfortable reminder in the midst of a COVID pandemic.

Innes manages to hold a line between British Public School japes and jollity, boys’ own adventure, crime solving and Lewis Carroll-like absurdity. The reader needs a tolerance of nonsense and a willing suspension of disbelief. Once meeting this criteria the reader settles in to a good read, a puzzle and the possibility of staying with, or even ahead of the author in the twists and turns of the plot

I have read several of the Inspector Appleby books in the past and this was a good read but, of course, politically of its time. The plots are always quirky and this was even more so than usual - but nevertheless enjoyable and clever. Let's hope more are to be republished and enjoyed by a wider and new readership.

This book was first published in 1959. It is now being released by Agora Books in kindle edition.
Howard Juniper, a leading bacteriologist and a specialist in biological warfare suddenly disappears one day. A deadly bacteriological culture also goes missing. Does the missing Howard have it with him ?
John Appleby, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) is called upon to trace him. He visits Howard’s identical twin brother Miles, who is a headmaster of a school. Appleby asks Miles to impersonate Howad in the lab to give him some time to search for Howard without any publicity.
A clue is offered by a reclusive ornithologist that Howard, who has a fascination for birds, was searching for the long extinct Great Auk.
Appleby goes on a long chase including visits to the decaying mansion of a mad Earl and the island of Ardray on the Atlantic Ocean.
I was disappointed with this novel. It is more a thriller than a mystery, not my cup of tea. I found the plot mediocre and the reading dull. Not recommended.

This is a very clever classic British crime book. Appleby, the head of Scotland Yard is investigating the case of a scientist, Harold Juniper, working on germ warfare, who has disappeared. His disappearance needs to be kept secret. Harold's twin brother, Miles, is the head master of a boys school. Appleby sends his wife to pretend to look at the boys school for her sons to search the school to see if she can find the missing Harold. After she does a thorough search, Appleby goes to see an old Lord Ailsworth, who is crazy about birds. Ailsworth tells Appleby he saw Harold who was on his way to find the extinct Auks which he had heard were on Ardray Island, a Navy private island in the North Atlantic. Appleby goes there and realizes it was a wild goose chase when he hears torpedo tunnels were called Auks.

Returning home, he asks Miles to pretend to be his brother to keep people from knowing that Harold is missing. Appleby had learned that when is school, Harold and Miles often pretended to be each other. At this point, an unsavory man Grindrod, who was in prep school and university with the Junipers is discovered to be about and was following Miles leaving Harold's lab. Appleby must find the missing Junipers before Grindrod finds them or Lord Ailsworth does something crazy.

Spanning a career of fifty years, the Inspector Appleby novels by Michael Innes can be read again and again. This particular story has elements of fellow Scottish author John Buchan in it.
Michael Innes had a great sense of humour which he put to good use in his crime novels. He dispensed with the whodunit formula and created a special niche for himself. Quotes from Shakespeare abound and his characters are often eccentric, if not downright mad.
In this novel there are identical twins, a reclusive Lord, a sinister island off the coast of Scotland, and ducks - lots of ducks. Appleby's wife, Judith, plays a part in the investigation. She's a fabulous character. Great fun to read, intriguing and engaging.

I will definitely be looking for another Inspector Appleby mystery but this particular plot line did not hold my interest. Prefer the more classic style of murder followed by investigation. Fortunately, quite a short book. Thanks to Crime Classics and Netgalley.

3.5 stars

I found this Appleby, originally published in 1959, to be a bit uneven. There are times when it is delightful. I particularly appreciate the fact that often older books take for granted that the reader is intelligent.

Sir John Appleby, head of Scotland Yard, is called in when a scientist working on a critical germ warfare project goes missing. He immediately interviews the scientist's identical twin brother, a schoolmaster, who agrees to impersonate his brother at the lab to delay any concern. After a somewhat obscurely philosophical first chapter, the plot begins to roll and it's a wildly improbable ride. An enjoyable read, despite the decidedly abrupt ending. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a Michael Innes (J. I. M. Stewart) fan, I was thrilled with the opportunity to read this for the first time. Originally published in 1959, it is being re-published. This is a great era from which to read mysteries. Though not my favourite by this author, this book is unique and spellbinding enough to seriously consider.

This mystery primarily revolves around twin brothers, Howard and Miles. Howard is a professor and biology researcher; Miles is a headmaster. When one disappears the other is involved in finding him with Appleby who is with the police. Other characters are introduced, along with ornithology (study of birds). Parts of the story take place in a rambling manor which houses more birds than people! Howard's research is important and relates to biochemicals. So, you can imagine fascinating plot possibilities.

My rating for this book is 3,5 rounded up to a 4. The book is definitely interesting but it seemed to fall flat in spots and the characters aren't explored enough in my view. However, the brevity likely contributes. My favourite part was the beginning first few chapters. I would have loved more suspense and tension later on.

Readers who gravitate to 1950s mystery books will likely enjoy this book. It's solid but not the best representation of its era out there. Still well worth a read. And that title!

My sincere thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley! Re-publishing and bringing attention to older books is to be lauded.

Thank you Netgalley and Agora books for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

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So, I was, indeed, happily browsing through Netgalley and stumbled upon this book. I saw the cover (which was a great deal different from what is portrayed here) and was mystified by it. Me being me, I decided to check the premise and oh, my! It sounded interesting enough, and I've never heard about this type of book in my life, so I thought I'd give it a try.

As a side note, I may just suppose this book is a “newer” version than the one published before. Alas, I'm also ignorant on whether I should have read the 17 books before (although I don't think so, because it wasn't marked as it) to actually get sucked in. But well... If I had to, my bad.

Additionally, I was also incredibly excited because the main themes of the book were biological warfare, disappearances and the Cold War. The Cold War is something I've been also studying a great deal in my field so well, would there have been any losses? No, not at all.

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Anyhow, having said that its only fair to flesh out the plot of the book, isn't it? The book is about two 52-year-old identical twins. Miles is a headmaster and Howard is a bacteriologist with a fascination for birds. Anyways, one day, out of the blue, Howard disappears and so, Miles is contacted by an investigator, John Appleby.

The main problem with the brother’s disappearance was not the brother himself, but the fact that he could have in his hands an incredible dangerous weapon during this era. Unfortunate indeed...

So, what happens? Well, conveniently enough, John Appleby goes on and tells Miles about his brother’s disappearance, urging him to tell him anything that could be of use to him. After their short conversation, he proceeds to tell Miles he must cover up for his brother, so he has enough time to investigate without people noticing Howard’s disappearance.

And well, after that, we have the investigation going on... Conversations leading to clues, brooding, you know the drill...

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Anyways, this book presented itself with some interesting conversations. (concentration and destructiveness of power) My main problem alas, probably was the writing. I sometimes found myself questioning my ability to read. On top of that, I wasn't exactly keen on the characters and I might even consider it had purple prose, which is not something I enjoy.

In conclusion then, I had incredibly high expectations for this book. 1) Because I'd never heard a similar premise, 2) The time period, 3) The title!! and 4) the setting.

I really do hope, however, that someone comes to enjoy it and cherish it. It definitely wasn't something for me, but it might be for someone else.