republished later as The Seven Suspects: this title purchased at Powells October 2023 w proviso I could return if I found another copy among my books in storage; since I do not show this 'in my Library' may just as well keep it ( )

First published in 1936, Death at the President’s Lodging is both author Michael Innes first novel and the first book in his Inspector Appleby series. The body of the President of St. Anthony’s College is discovered in his study, and it’s appearance appears rather staged as his head is swathed in an academic gown and his body is surrounded by bones. The suspect list is narrowed down to seven men, the only ones with keys to the area surrounding the study and Inspector Appleby is called in to investigate.

The book is set totally within St. Anthony’s College, with a map of the college and it’s grounds supplied at the beginning of the book. With seven suspects I thought I would be able to figure out who the murderer was but I was totally in the dark. The plot was very clever but I wasn’t such a fan of the intricate discussions that occurred among the academics, a little too high-brow for me. The mystery was slowly put together by Appleby who comes across as an intelligent gentlemanly detective who relies upon his brain to work out the clues.

Death at the President’s Lodging is both a creative and complex mystery that takes full advantage of it’s academic atmosphere. I have previously read a couple of Michael Innes stand-alone mysteries and I have a couple of the Appleby series on my Kindle so I will definitely be reading more from this golden-age author. ( )

En la Facultad de San Antonio se ha cometido un asesinato. A las once de la noche, en un despacho con ventanales estilo Tudor, alguien terminó con la ilustre vida del rector Josias Umpleby. Se da la circunstancia de que el medieval recinto estudiantil queda cerrado a partir de las nueve y solamente unas pocas personas disponen de llave. El detective Appleby no atiende a las pruebas materiales. Él busca un móvil en el plano psicológico y humano.

Innes's first Appleby mystery is not my favorite by a long shot. It tries to hard to distance itself from detective fiction with elaborate meta-commentary, every character is described in arch pseudo-psychological style, the mystery is a locked room murder but tied up repeatedly in the minute by minute analysis of every suspect's movements, and the solution, while admirably complex, also depends far too much on multiple characters doing actions that later they confess was hard to defend. Also, the repeated mention of how challenging Appleby found this case because of all the suspects were academics and hence more intelligent than the average person is both incredibly elitist and simply untrue. Perhaps that was meant satirically (by the author, not Appleby) but it still left me annoyed.

OK for completists and those for whom a cozy British murder novel can do no wrong. ( )

It was a great read and I enjoyed so much of it. I loved spending time at St. Anthony’s with all of these gentlemen and I did not find Appleby to be some retread of any other inspector. I liked the setting and the writing and the crime, but yes, I admit, the denouement needed a bit more work. I would happily read Appleby stories again. Recommended for bright readers, vintage mystery fans, and for readers who do not get frustrated at subtle humor. The reader is not going to be spoonfed – to speak technically. ( )