A Night of Errors

On a hot summer night, Sir John Appleby is dragged from his newly-wedded bliss to investigate a disturbing crime that predates itself. It seems the Dromio family history is steeped in both legend and tragedy. With a long-unbroken tradition of twin male heirs, Sir Romeo Dromio lost his mind when his wife gave birth to triplets. In a fit of madness, he set the nursery on fire and rescued only one of his infant sons. Now, the family business is failing, and the surviving triplet Oliver has gone abroad in search of a solution to their ailing fortunes. Lady Dromio and her adopted daughter, Lucy, anxiously await his return, and tensions run high as his arrival home draws near. Lady Dromio fusses over the service, the Reverend is hallucinating, Lucy’s odd remarks become sinister threats, and Mrs Gollifer is hiding something. The household squabbles are drawn to an abrupt halt when Oliver is found dead in the study, his body smoldering in the fireplace. And when another body shows up, Appleby must sift through family secrets, spurned lovers, and false confessions to identify the killer before the whole thing goes up in flames. "Huge Fun!" — NetGalley Reviewer "Hooked on Innes' unique brand of bonkers erudition and crime." — NetGalley Reviewer

About the Author :
Michael Innes is the pseudonym of John Innes Mackintosh Stewart (30 September 1906 – 12 November 1994). Innes was a Scottish novelist and academic. He is equally well known for the works of literary criticism and contemporary novels published under his real name and for the crime fiction published under his pseudonym. Many devotees of the Innes books were unaware of his other “identity”, and vice versa. Innes published nearly fifty crime novels and short story collections in his lifetime, but is best known for creating Detective Inspector Sir John Appleby of Scotland Yard, who eventually through the course of the later novels becomes Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. He attended Edinburgh Academy, and later studied English literature at Oriel College, Oxford. Having lectured in English at the University of Leeds from 1930 to 1935, he would then become Jury Professor of English in the University of Adelaide, South Australia. Once he returned to the United Kingdom he lectured at Queens, Belfast from 1946 to 1948. In 1949 he became a Student (Fellow) of Christ Church, Oxford. By the time of his retirement in 1973, he was a professor of the university. He died in Coulsdon.

Review :
Mr. Innes is in a class by himself among detective story writers. This is a book for readers who like to think as well be entertained Hooked on Innes’ unique brand of bonkers erudition and crime. Just when you think you know who the murderer is, another idea crops up to throw you off! Appleby is certainly an insightful detective! The writing clothes it all in vivid, lurid, yet believable and even realistic details. Astonishingly well-written sections would put today's average literary novelist to shame.