Stop Press (novel)
Stop Press is a 1939 mystery novel by British writer Michael Innes. It is the fourth book in the John Appleby series, featuring Detective Inspector John Appleby of Scotland Yard. The story is a country-house mystery set at the Rust Hall estate during a weekend gathering that includes Appleby and his sister Patricia—the only book in the series to feature her.
In the tale, the popular fictional character The Spider seems to come to life, committing crimes and practical jokes that feel drawn from the author’s subconscious. Someone wants to drive him crazy and stop the author’s next novel, the thirty-eighth in the series, by making the publisher declare “stop press.”
The gathering shifts to nearby Shroom Abbey and its sinister owner, where violence rises and Appleby must untangle a web of clues. He slowly uncovers how the events connect the guests, the fictional Spider, and real danger.
The UK edition was published by Victor Gollancz, and in the United States it appeared under the title The Spider Strikes.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:27 (CET).