Daren
An early book from the Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte series from Arthur Upfield, published in 1937.
I have decided to plant the following on author and character in each of my 'Bony' reviews as background: - Upfield is an interesting writer, British by birth, emigrated to Australia at the age of twenty. He fought in the Australian Army in WWI. Following the war he travelled extensively in Australia working with stock and farming and developed an understanding of the Aboriginal culture which was to inform much of his writing. His 'Bony' character is a Detective Inspector in the Queensland Police Force, and is of mixed parentage - his mother an Aboriginal and his father white. It is rare to have a mixed race Aboriginal character held in high regard, and protagonist of a series of books.
In his book Bony is sent to the remote town of Carie in New South Wales where two people have been murdered in similar circumstances. In typical style, Bony turns up as a swagman, camps nearby and meets with a few other vagrants and locals, get a feel for the local gossip before making contact with the local police when the time is right for him, remaining under cover with all but those who gain his trust.
I won't got further into the plot, but this book matches up with the others I have read, in terms of readability and quality. I enjoy the Detective Inspector who has the cleverness of his white father and the patience of his Aboriginal mother. In this story however, there are no other Aboriginal characters, the local tribe all take off as a result of city police detective sent to solve the crime. Like most people, they disliked Sargent Simone, had little faith in his ability to solve the crime.
A typically enjoyable 3.5 stars.
An early book from the Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte series from Arthur Upfield, published in 1937.
I have decided to plant the following on author and character in each of my 'Bony' reviews as background: - Upfield is an interesting writer, British by birth, emigrated to Australia at the age of twenty. He fought in the Australian Army in WWI. Following the war he travelled extensively in Australia working with stock and farming and developed an understanding of the Aboriginal culture which was to inform much of his writing. His 'Bony' character is a Detective Inspector in the Queensland Police Force, and is of mixed parentage - his mother an Aboriginal and his father white. It is rare to have a mixed race Aboriginal character held in high regard, and protagonist of a series of books.
In his book Bony is sent to the remote town of Carie in New South Wales where two people have been murdered in similar circumstances. In typical style, Bony turns up as a swagman, camps nearby and meets with a few other vagrants and locals, get a feel for the local gossip before making contact with the local police when the time is right for him, remaining under cover with all but those who gain his trust.
I won't got further into the plot, but this book matches up with the others I have read, in terms of readability and quality. I enjoy the Detective Inspector who has the cleverness of his white father and the patience of his Aboriginal mother. In this story however, there are no other Aboriginal characters, the local tribe all take off as a result of city police detective sent to solve the crime. Like most people, they disliked Sargent Simone, had little faith in his ability to solve the crime.
A typically enjoyable 3.5 stars.