With the arrival of Stark House Press’s new edition of The Barrakee Mystery this week, readers are invited to experience the novel that introduced one of mystery fiction’s most distinctive detectives: Detective Inspector Napoleon “Bony” Bonaparte. Having contributed the introduction to this edition, I’m glad to play a part in bringing renewed attention to Arthur Upfield’s pioneering work.
Arthur Upfield’s path to becoming a celebrated figure in Australian and international crime fiction was anything but ordinary. Born in England, he emigrated to Australia as a young man and immersed himself in the outback, working as a boundary rider and stockman. This firsthand knowledge of rural Australia became the foundation for his novels, imbuing them with a vivid sense of place and authenticity that set them apart from other mysteries of the period.
The Barrakee Mystery, first published in 1929, marks the debut of Bony, a detective of mixed Aboriginal and European heritage whose intellect, patience, and intuition allow him to bridge cultural divides and solve cases that baffle others. Upfield’s decision to create such a character was inspired by a chance encounter with a talented bush tracker, leading to a detective who brought something genuinely new to the genre. While Bony is a household name to crime fiction fans in Australia, he remains a fascinating discovery for many readers elsewhere.
The story is set on a remote sheep station along the Darling River, where the murder of an Aboriginal “king” disturbs the fragile peace of the Thornton family and their community. Posing as a station worker, Bony quietly observes, questions, and pieces together the clues, as secrets and tensions within the isolated setting come to light. Upfield’s gift for evoking the Australian landscape and his careful attention to character and motive make the novel both an intriguing puzzle and an atmospheric journey.
In my introduction, “Detective Inspector Napoleon (Bony) Bonaparte’s First Case,” I trace Upfield’s journey from English émigré to one of Australia’s most successful literary exports, and explore the origins and influence of Bony. I also address the complexities and contradictions of Upfield’s work, including its pioneering approach to character and race, as well as the ways it reflects the attitudes of its era.
The Barrakee Mystery is more than a crime story; it is a window into a vanished world, an important milestone in Australian fiction, and the beginning of a series that would captivate readers for generations. With its new edition from Stark House Press, this remarkable novel is once again within reach for anyone interested in classic mysteries, evocative settings, or the evolution of the genre.
The book is available now from Stark House Press and major online retailers. You can purchase a copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or directly from the publisher.