I enjoyed listening to the first Napoleon Bonaparte mystery. I’m surprised I hadn’t already as I’ve read most of them more than once! This one has some great scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat and characters who will make you laugh. Bony is his usual charming self and there are plenty of little story lines happening to suit everyone.

I picked this up because I had read a couple of other Bony books a number of years ago and remembered enjoying them. I wanted to read this one because it is the first in the series and would show how things got started. Things I liked about the book: Bony's personality; the way Bony combines logical thinking with aboriginal tracking skills; the depiction of life on a sheep station. Oddly, though, considering that this is the book that introduces Bony, he is not present for large parts of it. There are a number of sub-plots and action scenes that, in my opinion, bloat the story and detract from it's momentum. And then there's the problem of racism, which is central to the plot. It is difficult to tell if the the author subscribes to the racist views he chronicles or is merely reporting them; but then Bony, who is arguably the most moral, the most sophisticated, and the most intelligent character in the book, is of mixed race, which would tend to suggest that the book is not racist. The book was published in 1929, surely a less enlightened time when it comes to attitudes about race; but, nonetheless, racism is racism and, as such, is always detestable. Also, there is a tendency toward melodrama in some of the scenes, as well as some very clunky prose here and there. However, overall, the book sustained my interest and I will definitely pick up another Bony book at some point.

First book in the famous Bony series about the indigenous detective seems more about creating a world view of the times and the people than a specific crime and solve crime type book. Bony seems to wander in and out and there is a lot of meandering around. A decent read, but not an easy read.

Interesting for the history/geography of Australia but pretty racist so I can't recommend it unless you want to read with shields up. I think some of the later books in the series get more interesting.

The Barrakee Mystery (1929) is the first book in the Inspector Napoleon (Bony) Bonaparte mysteries by Arthur W. Upfield. Even though this is Bony's first recorded case, the half-caste detective already has a formidable reputation--he has never left a case unsolved. When King Henry, an aborigine from Western Australia, is found dead at Barrakee Station, land belonging to John Thornton--a prominent sheep rancher, Bony is sent to investigate because it is thought that the motives, if any, may rest in the aboriginal community. What might have been an accident in the tremendous thunderstorm is soon proved by Bony to have been deliberate murder--a murder using that most Australian of instruments, a boomerang. He will have to use all of his detective abilities to discover why King Henry was on Thornton's land and who had a reason to kill him.

Upfield's novels are always enjoyable. He provides motives for murder that are uniquely Australian as well as introducing readers to Australian life and environs of the early 20th Century. The stories are peopled with memorable characters representing a time and place far removed from my own and he vividly portrays their concerns of the time. We may not agree with some of their concerns--particularly when it involves race relations--but we can't say that Upfield tries to hide anything. Except maybe the murderer. But then that's his job. And he does it well in this debut novel. I did not spot the murderer and was satisfactorily surprised in the wrap-up.

Complete review posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

At first this story is a little uncomfortable to read, solely because of the level of racism indicated by the characters. But to portray them any other way would have been dishonest to the culture and people of the era it is set. Fun mystery, a few smaller hilarious characters, and one of the best fight scenes I've ever read.

It's rather like [b:The Shadow Over Innsmouth|13175692|The Shadow Over Innsmouth|H.P. Lovecraft|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1323356703i/13175692._SX50_.jpg|26213512] except that the killer is driven by finding out that he's actually an Aborigine instead of the son of a white squatter. Of course the instant he finds out, he's driven to murder and suddenly starts looking and acting more like his now murdered father.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comments_07/barrakee_mystery.html