Arthur Upfield
Encyclopedia
Arthur William Upfield was an Australia
n writer, best known for his works of detective fiction
featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte
('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste
Aborigine
.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
, Hampshire
, England
on 1 September 1890. His father was a draper. In 1910, after doing poorly in examinations towards becoming a real estate agent
, Upfield was sent to Australia by his father.
With the outbreak of World War I
, he joined the First Australian Imperial Force
on 23 August 1914. Upfield sailed from Brisbane
on the HMAT Anglo Egyptian on 24 September 1914 to Melbourne. At the time of sailing he had the rank of Driver
and was with the 1st Light horse Brigade Train (5 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]). In Melbourne he was at a camp for several weeks before sailing to Egypt. He fought at Gallipoli
and in France
, and married an Australian nurse, Ann Douglass, in Egypt in 1915. He was discharged in England on 15 October 1919. Before returning to Australia Ann gave birth to their only child, a son James Arthur Upfield, born in February 1920.
For most of the next twenty years he travelled throughout the outback
working at a number of jobs. He learnt much of Aboriginal culture, later to be used in his books.
Upfield created the character of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, based on a man known as 'Tracker Leon' whom he had met in his travels. Leon Wood was a "half-caste
" (in the language of the day) Aboriginal man who was employed as a tracker
by the Queensland Police
. The novels featuring 'Bony', as the character was also known, were far more successful than other Upfield writings.
Late in life Upfield became a prominent member of the Australian Geological Society
, involved in scientific expeditions. In particular he led a major expedition in 1948 to northern and western parts of Australia, including the Wolfe Creek crater
. The Wolfe Creek crater was a setting for his novel The Will of the Tribe published in 1962.
After living at Bermagui, New South Wales
, Upfield moved to Jasmine Street, Bowral, New South Wales
. Upfield died at Bowral on 13 February 1964. His last work, The Lake Frome Monster, published in 1966, was completed by J.L. Price and Dorothy Stange.
In 1957, his defacto Jessica Hawke, published a biography of the author entitled Follow My Dust!. It is generally held however, that this was written by Upfield himself.
Upfield's novels were held in high regard by some fellow writers. In 1987, H.R.F. Keating included The Sands of Windee (1931) in his list of the 100 best crime and mystery books ever published. J.B. Priestley wrote of Upfield: "If you like detective stories that are something more than puzzles, that have solid characters and backgrounds, that avoid familiar patterns of crime and detection, then Mr Upfield is your man." Others have found Upfield's prose stilted. Much of the appeal of Arthur Upfield's stories lies in the depiction of outback Australian life in the 1930s through into the 1950s.
In The Sands of Windee, a story about a "perfect murder", Upfield invented a method to destroy carefully all evidence of the crime. Upfield's "Windee method" was used in the Murchison Murders
, and Upfield was called to give evidence in court.
Upfield's novels were very popular in America (originally because so many American servicemen stationed in Australia during World War II read them and brought copies back), in England and were also translated into German
.
The late US mystery novelist Tony Hillerman
was generous in his praise for Upfield's works. In his introduction to the posthumous 1984 reprint of Upfield's A Royal Abduction he described the seduction in his youth of Upfield's crime novels' descriptions of both the harsh outback areas, and "the people who somehow survived upon them ... . When my own Jim Chee of the Navaho Tribal Police unravels a mystery because he understands the ways of his people, when he reads the signs in the sandy bottom of a reservation arroyo, he is walking in the tracks Bony made 50 years ago."
). After a long search for a half-white, half-Aborigine actor, the producers chose English actor Jon Finch for the role of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. When he suddenly became unavailable, Fauna's John McCallum flew to London in panic, and was lucky enough to audition New Zealand actor James Laurenson
on his last day there. Offered the lead role, Laurenson hurriedly flew to Australia, reading "Bony" books all the way over.
The series was called Boney, partly to make the pronunciation of the name more obvious, and partly because that had been Upfield's original intention – a publisher's misprint on the first novel had renamed the character. Most of the episodes were based directly on one of the novels, but there were some adaptations. Two original scripts were not directly based on any novel; five novels were not adapted for television, effectively ‘reserving’ them in case a third series eventuated. At the time, many of the books were reprinted with the spelling altered to ‘Boney’ on the covers (although retaining the original in the text), and featuring a photo from the relevant episode.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n writer, best known for his works of detective fiction
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte
Bony (Fictional Character)
Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte is a half Aboriginal, half-white detective character created by Arthur Upfield. Bony appeared in dozens of Upfield's novels from the late 1920s until the author's death in 1964.-Early life:...
('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste
Half-caste
Half-caste is a term used to describe people of mixed race or ethnicity. Caste comes from the Latin castus, meaning pure, and the derivative Portuguese and Spanish casta, meaning race...
Aborigine
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
Biography
Upfield was born in GosportGosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 1 September 1890. His father was a draper. In 1910, after doing poorly in examinations towards becoming a real estate agent
Real estate broker
A real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy...
, Upfield was sent to Australia by his father.
With the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he joined the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
on 23 August 1914. Upfield sailed from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on the HMAT Anglo Egyptian on 24 September 1914 to Melbourne. At the time of sailing he had the rank of Driver
Driver (rank)
Driver was a military rank used in the British Army and the armies of other Commonwealth countries. It was equivalent to the rank of Private....
and was with the 1st Light horse Brigade Train (5 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]). In Melbourne he was at a camp for several weeks before sailing to Egypt. He fought at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and married an Australian nurse, Ann Douglass, in Egypt in 1915. He was discharged in England on 15 October 1919. Before returning to Australia Ann gave birth to their only child, a son James Arthur Upfield, born in February 1920.
For most of the next twenty years he travelled throughout the outback
Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
working at a number of jobs. He learnt much of Aboriginal culture, later to be used in his books.
Upfield created the character of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, based on a man known as 'Tracker Leon' whom he had met in his travels. Leon Wood was a "half-caste
Half-caste
Half-caste is a term used to describe people of mixed race or ethnicity. Caste comes from the Latin castus, meaning pure, and the derivative Portuguese and Spanish casta, meaning race...
" (in the language of the day) Aboriginal man who was employed as a tracker
Aboriginal tracker
In the years following British settlement in Australia, aboriginal trackers or black trackers, as they became known, were enlisted by settlers to assist them in navigating their way through the Australian landscape...
by the Queensland Police
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...
. The novels featuring 'Bony', as the character was also known, were far more successful than other Upfield writings.
Geological Society of Australia
The Geological Society of Australia was established as a non-profit organisation in 1952 to promote, advance and support earth sciences in Australia...
, involved in scientific expeditions. In particular he led a major expedition in 1948 to northern and western parts of Australia, including the Wolfe Creek crater
Wolfe Creek crater
Wolfe Creek Crater is a well-preserved meteorite impact crater in Western Australia., It is accessed via the Tanami Road south of the town of Halls Creek...
. The Wolfe Creek crater was a setting for his novel The Will of the Tribe published in 1962.
After living at Bermagui, New South Wales
Bermagui, New South Wales
Bermagui is a town on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. The name is derived from the Dyirringanj word, permageua, possibly meaning 'canoe with paddles'....
, Upfield moved to Jasmine Street, Bowral, New South Wales
Bowral, New South Wales
-Attractions:Bowral is perhaps the best known of the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands, and in recent years has become the commercial centre of the Wingecarribee Shire. Bowral is known for its boutiques, antique stores, gourmet restaurants, and rich coffee culture.Bowral is home to the...
. Upfield died at Bowral on 13 February 1964. His last work, The Lake Frome Monster, published in 1966, was completed by J.L. Price and Dorothy Stange.
In 1957, his defacto Jessica Hawke, published a biography of the author entitled Follow My Dust!. It is generally held however, that this was written by Upfield himself.
Works
In The Sands of Windee, a story about a "perfect murder", Upfield invented a method to destroy carefully all evidence of the crime. Upfield's "Windee method" was used in the Murchison Murders
The Murchison Murders
The Murchison Murders were a series of three murders, committed by an itinerant stockman named Snowy Rowles, near the Rabbit-proof fence in Western Australia during the early 1930s...
, and Upfield was called to give evidence in court.
Upfield's novels were very popular in America (originally because so many American servicemen stationed in Australia during World War II read them and brought copies back), in England and were also translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
The late US mystery novelist Tony Hillerman
Tony Hillerman
Tony Hillerman was an award-winning American author of detective novels and non-fiction works best known for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels...
was generous in his praise for Upfield's works. In his introduction to the posthumous 1984 reprint of Upfield's A Royal Abduction he described the seduction in his youth of Upfield's crime novels' descriptions of both the harsh outback areas, and "the people who somehow survived upon them ... . When my own Jim Chee of the Navaho Tribal Police unravels a mystery because he understands the ways of his people, when he reads the signs in the sandy bottom of a reservation arroyo, he is walking in the tracks Bony made 50 years ago."
Television series
From 1972 to 1973 a 26-episode television series was produced by Fauna Productions (also responsible for Skippy the Bush KangarooSkippy the Bush Kangaroo
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo is an Australian television series for children created by John McCallum, produced from 1966–1968, telling the adventures of a young boy and his intelligent pet kangaroo, in the Waratah National Park in Duffys Forest, near Sydney, New South Wales.Ninety-one 30-minute...
). After a long search for a half-white, half-Aborigine actor, the producers chose English actor Jon Finch for the role of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. When he suddenly became unavailable, Fauna's John McCallum flew to London in panic, and was lucky enough to audition New Zealand actor James Laurenson
James Laurenson
James Laurenson is a New Zealand actor, who has performed many classical roles on stage and television.Laurenson was born in Marton, New Zealand...
on his last day there. Offered the lead role, Laurenson hurriedly flew to Australia, reading "Bony" books all the way over.
The series was called Boney, partly to make the pronunciation of the name more obvious, and partly because that had been Upfield's original intention – a publisher's misprint on the first novel had renamed the character. Most of the episodes were based directly on one of the novels, but there were some adaptations. Two original scripts were not directly based on any novel; five novels were not adapted for television, effectively ‘reserving’ them in case a third series eventuated. At the time, many of the books were reprinted with the spelling altered to ‘Boney’ on the covers (although retaining the original in the text), and featuring a photo from the relevant episode.
Table of books
| Name of book | Setting | English language publication |
|---|---|---|
| The House of Cain | Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1928]; 1st U.S. Edition: Dorrance, Philadelphia, 1929; 2nd US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, San Francisco, 1983. |
|
| The Barrakee Mystery | Near Wilcannia, New South Wales Wilcannia, New South Wales Wilcannia is a small town located within the Central Darling Shire in north western New South Wales, Australia. This was the third largest inland port in the country during the great river boat era of the mid-19th century. At the 2006 census, Wilcannia had a population of 596.- Geography... |
Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1929]; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1965; 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1965 – as The Lure of the Bush. |
| The Beach of Atonement | Dongara, Western Australia Dongara, Western Australia Dongara is a town located 351 km north-northwest of Perth on the Brand Highway. The town is located at the mouth of the Irwin River. In recent years the area has been marketed as the 'Rock lobster capital of Australia'.... |
Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1930]. |
| The Sands of Windee | 'Windee' is a fictional sheep station near Milparinka Milparinka, New South Wales Milparinka is a small settlement in north-west New South Wales, Australia about north of Broken Hill on the Silver City Highway. At the time of the 2006 census, Milparinka had a population of 55 people.... _, a 150 miles (241.4 km) north of Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales -Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the... . Windee covered 1300000 acres (5,260.9 km²) of land and ran 70 000 sheep. |
Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1931]; 1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Angus & Robertson, London, 1959. |
| A Royal Abduction | Hutchinson, London, [1932]; 1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1984. |
|
| Gripped by Drought | Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1932] | |
| The Murchison Murders | Upfield's own account of the murders The Murchison Murders The Murchison Murders were a series of three murders, committed by an itinerant stockman named Snowy Rowles, near the Rabbit-proof fence in Western Australia during the early 1930s... in the Murchison region |
Midget Masterpiece Publishing, Sydney, n.d. [1934]; 1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1987. |
| Wings Above the Diamantina | Lake Eyre Lake Eyre Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately below sea level, and, on the rare occasions that it fills, it is the largest lake in Australia and 18th largest in the world... region |
Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1936; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940 1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, n.d. [1937] – as Winged Mystery 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 – as Wings Above the Claypan |
| Mr. Jelly's Business | Takes place at Burracoppin Burracoppin, Western Australia Burracoppin is a townsite on the Great Eastern Highway, east of Merredin in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.The town was gazetted in 1891. It takes its name from Burracoppin Rock, a nearby granite rock, the name of which was first recorded in 1864 as Burancooping Rock. It was also shown... and Merredin Merredin, Western Australia -Economy:The agricultural land around Merredin produces 40% of Western Australia’s wheat quota. As a focal point for the region, Merredin’s local bulk handling co-operative receives and processes in excess of a million tonnes of grain every year... east of Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... in the Wheat Belt of Western Australia Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... along the rabbit-proof fence Rabbit-proof fence The State Barrier Fence of Western Australia, formerly known as the No. 1 Rabbit-proof Fence, the State Vermin Fence and the Emu Fence, is a pest-exclusion fence constructed between 1901 and 1907 to keep rabbits and other agricultural pests, from the east, out of Western Australian pastoral... . The railway station in the story map and the water pipe have changed little since Upfield's day (he worked clearing brush in Burracoppin). |
Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1964 1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1938 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 – as Murder Down Under |
| Winds of Evil | Silverton, New South Wales Silverton, New South Wales Silverton is a small village at the far west of New South Wales, Australia, 25 kilometres north-west of Broken Hill. At the 2006 census, Silverton had a population of 89 people.... and the nearby Barrier Range which is north and east of Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales -Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the... |
Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1961 1st UK Edition Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1939] 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1944 |
| The Bone is Pointed | "Opal Town" or Opalton, Queensland in the Channel Country Channel Country The Channel Country is region of outback Australia located mostly in the state of Queensland but also in portions of South Australia, Northern Territory and New South Wales. The name comes from the numerous intertwined rivulets that cross the region, which cover 150,000 km²... of the Diamantina River Diamantina River The Diamantina River is a river in south west Queensland and the far north of South Australia. Rising north-west of Longreach in the Swords Range, it flows in a south-westerly direction through central Queensland and the Channel Country to form the Warburton River at its confluence with the... |
Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1938; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1966 1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1939 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1947; US Book Club Book sales club A book sales club is a subscription-based method of selling and purchasing books. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book discussion club, which can cause confusion.-How book sales clubs work:... Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946 |
| The Mystery of Swordfish Reef | Takes place from Bermagui, New South Wales Bermagui, New South Wales Bermagui is a town on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. The name is derived from the Dyirringanj word, permageua, possibly meaning 'canoe with paddles'.... ; the reef extends from Montague Island. The plot is based on the 1880 disappearance of the geologist Lamont Young Lamont Young Lamont H. Young was an assistant geological surveyor for the New South Wales Mines Department. He mysteriously disappeared while on field-work at Bermagui, New South Wales.Young was inspecting the new goldfields at Bermagui in 1880... near Mystery Bay, New South Wales Mystery Bay, New South Wales Mystery Bay is a small town on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. Mystery Bay is located halfway between Central Tilba and Narooma, two kilometers off the Princes Highway on Mystery Bay Road. At the 2006 census, Mystery Bay had a population of 168 people. Mystery Bay features a camping... . |
Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1939; Aust. Book Club Edition:Readers Book Club, Melbourne, 1963 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960; UK Book Club Edition: The Companion Book Club, London, 1963; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1971 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 |
| Bushranger of the Skies | Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1963 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1944 – as No Footprints in the Bush |
|
| Death of a Swagman | Lake Mungo Lake Mungo Lake Mungo is a dry lake in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is located about 760 km due west of Sydney and 90 km north-east of Mildura. The lake is the central feature of Mungo National Park, and is one of seventeen lakes in the World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes Region... in south-western New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1947; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1962 1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1946 Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1945; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946 |
| The Devil's Steps | Set in a fictional mountain resort called Mount Chalmers, similar to the Dandenong Ranges on the eastern edge of Melbourne, Victoria (most probably in the vicinity of Mt Dandenong, but with some similarities to One Tree Hill in Ferny Creek), and also in Melbourne City and its suburbs South Yarra and Coburg. | 1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, n.d. [1950–1953]; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1965 1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1948 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1946; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946 |
| An Author Bites the Dust | Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1948 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948 |
|
| The Mountains Have a Secret | Set mostly in the Grampians mountain range Grampians National Park The Grampians National Park is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 235 kilometres west of Melbourne. The Park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern... in western Victoria. |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948 |
| The Widows of Broome | Set in Broome, Western Australia Broome, Western Australia Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season... |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1951; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1967 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Dollar Mystery Guild, New York, 1950 |
| The Bachelors of Broken Hill | Broken Hill, New South Wales Broken Hill, New South Wales -Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the... |
1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, between 1950 and 1953 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified); Large Print Edition: Ulverscroft, Leicester, 1974 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1951 |
| The New Shoe | Aireys Inlet Aireys Inlet, Victoria Aireys Inlet is a small coastal inlet and town located on the Great Ocean Road, southwest of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Aireys Inlet is located between Anglesea and Lorne, and joined with Fairhaven to the west. At the 2006 census, Aireys Inlet had a population of 1,148.Many surfers holiday in... ; The Split Point Lighthouse and Broken Rock |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1968 Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1951 |
| Venom House | 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1970 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1952; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Club, New York, 1952 |
|
| Murder Must Wait | Mitford, New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1953; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1953 |
| Death of a Lake | Heinemann, London, 1954 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954 |
|
| Sinister Stones | Kimberley region of Western Australia Kimberley region of Western Australia The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region... |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1955 – as Cake in the Hat Box; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954 |
| The Battling Prophet | The Murray River Murray River The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it... |
Heinemann, London, 1956; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) |
| The Man of Two Tribes | 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1956 – as Man of Two Tribes; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1956 |
|
| The Bushman Who Came Back | Lake Eyre Lake Eyre Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately below sea level, and, on the rare occasions that it fills, it is the largest lake in Australia and 18th largest in the world... region |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1957 – as Bony Buys a Woman Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1957 |
| Follow My Dust! | Heinemann, London, 1957 | |
| Bony and the Black Virgin; also published as The Torn Branch | "Lake Jane", a fictional lake in the Murray-Darling Basin Murray-Darling Basin The Murray-Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, whose name is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River. It drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass, and is currently by far the most significant agricultural... |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) |
| Journey to the Hangman | "Daybreak", a fictional mining town 150 miles (241.4 km) from Laverton, Western Australia | 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959 – as Bony and the Mouse; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York. 1959 |
| Valley of Smugglers | Possibly set in a town and valley similar to Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Kangaroo Valley is a valley along the Kangaroo River in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, located west of the seaside in the City of Shoalhaven... not far from Bowral Bowral, New South Wales -Attractions:Bowral is perhaps the best known of the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands, and in recent years has become the commercial centre of the Wingecarribee Shire. Bowral is known for its boutiques, antique stores, gourmet restaurants, and rich coffee culture.Bowral is home to the... where Upfield lived for the last years of his life. However, Robertson Robertson, New South Wales Robertson is a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau about 35 km from the coast. At the 2006 census, Robertson had a population of 1,206 people.Robertson is known for its high annual... on the top of the escarpment, which is known for its potatoes, is also possible. The waterfall may be Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park Morton National Park Morton is a national park in New South Wales , 170 km southwest of Sydney.The most notable attractions are the Fitzroy Falls, just off the main road from the Highlands to Kangaroo Valley and Pigeon House Mountain west of Milton. The park consists mostly of a flat plateau dissected by steep... . Narrates some episodes of the Ned Kelly Ned Kelly Edward "Ned" Kelly was an Irish Australian bushranger. He is considered by some to be merely a cold-blooded cop killer — others, however, consider him to be a folk hero and symbol of Irish Australian resistance against the Anglo-Australian ruling class.Kelly was born in Victoria to an Irish... true history. |
1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960 – as Bony and the Kelly Gang; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1960; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, n.d. [1960] |
| The White Savage | 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1961 – as Bony and the White Savage; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1961 |
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| The Will of the Tribe | Wolfe Creek crater Wolfe Creek crater Wolfe Creek Crater is a well-preserved meteorite impact crater in Western Australia., It is accessed via the Tanami Road south of the town of Halls Creek... |
First UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1962 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1962 |
| Madman's Bend | Heinemann, London, 1963 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1963 – as The Body at Madman's Bend |
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| The Lake Frome Monster [Note: This posthumously published work was based on an unfinished manuscript and detailed notes left by Upfield. It was completed by J L Price and Mrs Dorothy Strange.] |
Heinemann, London, 1966; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) | |
| Breakaway House | Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1987 | |
| The Great Melbourne Cup Mystery | ETT Imprint, Watson's Bay, Sydney, 1996 |