Reading in Reykjavík

Author: Arthur Upfield Series detective: Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte No. in series: 20 Year of publication: 1956 Type of mystery: Murder, missing person Type of investigator: Police Setting & time: Nullarbor Plain, Australia, 1950’s Number of deaths: 1 Some themes: Kidnapping, fame-seeking, sexual power and it’s misuse, justice Story: Bony is sent to try to find a murderess who was recently acquitted of the murder of her husband because she managed to win over the jury. She was last seen on a train going through the Nullarbor Plain, an arid, desolate area on the edge of the Australian desert, and then she disappeared mysteriously in the middle of nowhere. There is evidence that she may be involved in espionage and therefore Bony disguises himself and sets out into the Plain, ostensibly to check on some dingo traps, but really to look around for signs of the missing woman and to try to locate a mysterious helicopter known to have been in the area that night. What he disco...

Titles: The Battling Prophet & Bony and the Mouse (American title: Journey to the Hangman ). No. in series: 19 & 24 Published: 1956 & 1959 Setting & time: Australia, 1950's (but has a timeless feel) Availability: Both seem to be out of print, but are readily available second hand Type of mystery: Murder Type of investigator: Police detective This time I read two books by the chosen author. Both books come from the same series, about Detective-Inspector Napoleon “Bony” Bonaparte, an Australian half-aborigine, half-white police detective who uses his instincts as much as he does his police training and his clever mind to solve crimes, usually “cold” murders that other policemen have failed to solve. In fact, he specialises in cold cases. Bony, as he is known, is popular and there have been at least two television series, one based on the books, the other on the name and occupation. Upfield writes with dry humour and is capable of letting the reader see the fun...