Thu 9 Dec 2021
An Archived Mystery Review: MICHAEL INNES – Honeybath’s Haven.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[3] Comments
MICHAEL INNES – Honeybath’s Haven. Charles Honeybath #2. Victor Gollancz, UK, hardcover, 1977. Dodd Mead, US, hardcover, 1978. Penguin, US, paperback, 1979.
After not reading Innes for a long while, it comes as a distinctly insidious pleasure to learn that both he and his unmistakably erudite style are still in top form. On hand is not Appleby, in this his latest, but noted artist Charles Honeybath, who is filled with concern with the increasing eccentricities of an old friend and with the inevitable approach of his own old age.
A retirement estate called Hanwell Court seems to be the answer to both problems, but unhappily it is not — and predictably the result is murder. The knobby humor tends to irritate, but full compensation is a worthy consideration of the artistic temperament, one well up to Innes’ standards.
Rating: B
December 10th, 2021 at 8:26 am
I generally feel that the later Innes (after about 1970) show a distinct decline in quality – The Ampersand Papers, from 1978, is a case in point. I haven’t read this one, but may give it a try.
December 10th, 2021 at 10:07 am
There’s not enough in this old review of mine to bring back any memory of it. I enjoyed it, but at this late date, I recall nothing at all about Charles Honeybath, other than the fact he had a really neat name.
As for Appleby himself, I’ve always found his adventures tremendously uneven, no matter the date. (I have OSPREYS sitting here nearby, only waiting for me to get to it. It’s a very late Appleby from 1986. I love country house mysteries, and this looks like it may be a good one.)
December 10th, 2021 at 8:45 pm
I like later Innes better than most seem to, and the Honeybath titles were a nice change up while still doing the classic Innes style adventure with panache.