The Case of the Journeying Boy - Michael Innes (Pseud. John Innes Mackintosh Stewart) 1949 - Dodd, New York - First Edition ‘It is not easy to run full tilt through pitch darkness, it outrages an instinct against which the will can scarcely urge the muscles on. Much less is it easy in the knowledge that ice-cold waters, through which a corpse is drifting, await one at the length of an extended arm.’

When Humphrey Paxton accompanies his father to the movies, his hopes of a quiet afternoon are dashed by a murder, conspiracy, and an explosion, all before the final credits roll. The resulting investigation will take Humphrey and half of Scotland Yard on a series of escapades through London, Wales, and Ireland in order to catch the perpetrators. Written with Innes’s characteristic wit and humour, the novel has since been listed as one of the Crime Writer Association’s top 100 crime novels of all time.
  John Innes Mackintosh Stewart (1904-94), was a British author, literary critic, and Oxford don, whose detective novels, penned under the pseudonym of Michael Innes, are are distinguished by mischievous wit, exuberant fancy and adroit contrivance, with literary allusion a sine qua non. At times his work achieves a bizarre, almost manic brilliance, pushing the form well beyond conventional limits.

References: Herbert,
The Oxford Companion to Crime & Mystery Writing 236.

Octavo (21 x 14.5 cm). pp. [6] 314. In publisher’s grey cloth, spine lettered in black and red, front board stamped in red with ‘red badge mystery’ logo, clipped corner to rear free endpaper. Dust jacket priced $2.75 to upper corner of front flap.
  Condition: With the exception of the clipped corner of the rear free endpaper, a fine copy, in very good dust jacket, less than the usual rubbing to black front panel, minor wear to corners and spine ends, four small chips to front edge of spine.   Ref: 108928   Price: HK$ 1,500