Man of Two Tribes

So far, this is my favorite of the "Bony" mysteries. (I've read 15 of them.) As always, Upfield's description of the Australian outback is beyond compare. You really feel the heat of the Nullarbor Plain, its intense isolation. And, of course, the skills that Napoleon Bonaparte, Upfield's memorable half-aborigine detective, utilizes to survive in it are remarkable. The plot of this tale is quite unusual, as the murder does not occur until nearly half the book is over. The real mystery is not whodunit (although, that is the puzzle Bony must solve), but why a group of released murderers is being held captive in a hole in the middle of the desert. The answer to that question, and the strange predicament in which Bony finds himself while "stuck in the hole" are what make this book stand out. But what really captivated me was not just the absorbing plot, or the undeniable charisma of Upfield's protagonist. It was the eloquence with which Upfield reveals his true feelings about Australia. About three-quarters of the way through the story, Bony sets out to rescue one of the members of the group who has foolishly wandered off into the barren waste. Bony finds the man nearly dead of heat exhaustion. What Bony says to him at that moment is what lies at the heart of all Upfield's novels. "You will come to love Australia, as I do," says Bony. "You have to get down on your stomach, press your face into the sand and against the hot gibbers, smell the land and feel through your empty belly its closeness to you, woo it with a voice clogged by the lack of saliva. And then, as with many men, this naked fair Australia will become the great love of your life ... You lucky, lucky man." We are all lucky to have the stories of Arthur Upfield. Through them, may we come to love "this naked fair Australia" as wholeheartedly as he did.

When a friend suggested Aurthur J Upfield's Napoleon Bonapart mystery series written in the 40's & 50's I thought naaa. But she pressed and I found a delightful Austraila based series as relevent today as it was 60 years ago. Great character development, detailed and entertaining data about Aboriginies and the landscape and a mystery I couldn't figure the answer to by page 50. A great summer series, easy to do a book a weekend. Enjoy.