Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our Feb/March 24 buddy read of Operation Pax aka The Paper Thunderbolt). This is Book 12 in the Inspector Appleby series and was first published in 1951.

Petty con man Alfred Routh thinks a place like Milton Manor outside Oxford will have something nice to steal. When he learns what is inside, however, he is desperate to steal away with his life . . .

Meanwhile, Sir John Appleby from Scotland Yard is headed to Oxford to help his sister Jane. Her fiancé, a war hero and promising academic, has gone missing and many are concerned for his safety. But he’s not the only recent disappearance in the area.

As Appleby’s investigation begins, things only get more bizarre. The trail of clues leads him and Jane through the city of Oxford to the grounds of Milton Manor and the terrifying secrets within . . .

Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

Thank you to Susan for setting up all our buddy read threads and opening them up - we're doing that a bit early as this is a short month, but everyone is welcome to join in whenever they want.

The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Who is joining in on this one? I've started this book and am enjoying it so far - a very exciting thriller start, which is quite different from the Innes books I'd read up to now.

I've read just over 20% and am just starting part 3, as the narrative moves to Oxford.

I’ll be starting in a day or so. I remember this one as being quite different from the usual Innes.

I hope to start this soon.

I have read this several times - usually when my Oxford based friend talks of going to the Bodleian to do some research. I will start a relisten in a day or two.

Two chapters in and sure, it’s suspenseful, but I’m distinctly uncomfortable dwelling inside Routh’s head.

Loving the absurd hypotheses put forward by the scholars during the dinner at Bede’s! Great satire.

Abigail wrote: "Two chapters in and sure, it’s suspenseful, but I’m distinctly uncomfortable dwelling inside Routh’s head."

I think that Innes does an excellent job with Routh. He manages to be despicable, pathetic, and yet somehow relatable.

He’s just so feral, like a cornered badger. Only functional when he’s telling himself Napoleon fantasies.

Abigail wrote: "Two chapters in and sure, it’s suspenseful, but I’m distinctly uncomfortable dwelling inside Routh’s head."

I know what you mean - I was thinking that usually I don't like seeing through the eyes of characters like this, but somehow Innes carries it off better than most by making us concentrate on the immediate danger to Routh.

Started this yesterday and I too find myself a bit ill at ease seeing everything from Routh's point of view.

Ellen wrote: "Started this yesterday and I too find myself a bit ill at ease seeing everything from Routh's point of view."

Fortunately, that doesn’t last the entire book!