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pedanther's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexism, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Medical content, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
jstilts's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Great fun!
An unusual entry into the series of Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte novels as it takes place entirely in a city rather than at a Homestead or rural location, but Boney seems quite at home solving a series of murders in Broken Hill as anywhere else - openly teaming up with the local constabulary rather than going undercover for once. Mind you he does at times, rather inconsistently, use a false name - Inspector Knapp - but that could be the characters arrogance that his name would precede him, and his probably right.
Bonaparte also joins forces with a cat burglar, with great glee on the Inspectors side but understandable reluctance on the burglars side - and much of the joy of the book is seeing these two commit crime in order to solve murder, leading to an ending that is by turns intense and hilarious.
Also notable is that very little attention is drawn to the fact that Inspector Bonaparte is Aboriginal. Normally his heritage makes a large mark in the book, both on his thoughts and the opinions of others (written and set in the late 40s early 50s this is significant whichever way you look at it) - and there were quite a few moments where I expected characters to take issue with it, but didn't.
That curious footnote aside, a highly recommended read but not a typical entry in the series.
An unusual entry into the series of Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte novels as it takes place entirely in a city rather than at a Homestead or rural location, but Boney seems quite at home solving a series of murders in Broken Hill as anywhere else - openly teaming up with the local constabulary rather than going undercover for once. Mind you he does at times, rather inconsistently, use a false name - Inspector Knapp - but that could be the characters arrogance that his name would precede him, and his probably right.
Bonaparte also joins forces with a cat burglar, with great glee on the Inspectors side but understandable reluctance on the burglars side - and much of the joy of the book is seeing these two commit crime in order to solve murder, leading to an ending that is by turns intense and hilarious.
Also notable is that very little attention is drawn to the fact that Inspector Bonaparte is Aboriginal. Normally his heritage makes a large mark in the book, both on his thoughts and the opinions of others (written and set in the late 40s early 50s this is significant whichever way you look at it) - and there were quite a few moments where I expected characters to take issue with it, but didn't.
That curious footnote aside, a highly recommended read but not a typical entry in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Murder
caitibeth's review against another edition
4.0
My first foray into this series (couldn't start at the beginning because my library only has a couple of the books). I quite enjoyed it. Upfield's prose is eminently readable (though of course dated), his detective is interesting, and I love the Australian setting.
Looking forward to trying out more of the series.
Looking forward to trying out more of the series.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
The Bachelors of Broken Hill (1950) is the 14th mystery in Arthur W. Upfield's series which features Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte. It also finds Bony slightly out of his element--in the city rather than in the bush area and the sheep stations where he generally operates.
When the police force at Broken Hill are faced with two cyanide poisoning deaths which both they and an obnoxious, self-important inspector from Sydney are unable to solve, Bony asks to be "seconded" to the New South Wales Police Department to bring his expert skills to bear. A third poisoning occurs shortly after he begins his investigation and he begins to see a pattern. All three victims are older, single men. All three die in crowded, public places while drinking tea or beer. All three are very messy when at table. And witnesses recall a woman being near the victims shortly before they died--though there is some disagreement about her description. The one item they all agree on--she was carrying a very old-fashioned blue purse with red, drawstring straps.
Even though one death occurs after Bony arrives, most of the clues are old, the crime scenes have been tidied, and the witnesses have to be mollified after being mishandled by the policeman from Sydney. But Bony is used to following the most meager of trails and employing unorthodox measures to find his man...or woman as the case may be. He'll make use of a burglar on holiday, an amateur sketch artist, and a barkeeper-turned-taxi-man as well as convincing the local constabulary to turn a blind eye to a bit of benevolent burgling in the quest for justice. The first thing he'll have to determine--does she kill out of an unreasonable hatred for messy bachelors or is there method to her madness? Perhaps she's playing the trick of hiding one important death amongst the others. Once Bony discovers the answer to that conundrum and makes the connection to a murder by glass knife he's well on his way to capturing his killer.
It is always a delight to watch the unorthodox, half-Aboriginal, half-white detective operate. It is particularly fun to watch him one-up the obnoxious Inspector Stillman from Sydney. Bony's character is self-assured ("I always finish a race, always finalise the case I consent to take up.") as well as intelligent, and utterly charming. It doesn't take him long to have the shop girls, who so recently became anti-police under the questioning of Stillman, eating out of his hand and going out of there way to help him identify the mysterious woman who hovers near every murder.
In addition to the usual police procedural, this particular outing provides an interesting character study. Bony must first understand the character of the victims before he can begin to understand the character and psychology of the woman who kills them. The ending is a bit darker than the usual fare by Upfield--giving the reader a very intimate look at what could drive someone to kill in the manner portrayed in the book. A thoroughly good read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
When the police force at Broken Hill are faced with two cyanide poisoning deaths which both they and an obnoxious, self-important inspector from Sydney are unable to solve, Bony asks to be "seconded" to the New South Wales Police Department to bring his expert skills to bear. A third poisoning occurs shortly after he begins his investigation and he begins to see a pattern. All three victims are older, single men. All three die in crowded, public places while drinking tea or beer. All three are very messy when at table. And witnesses recall a woman being near the victims shortly before they died--though there is some disagreement about her description. The one item they all agree on--she was carrying a very old-fashioned blue purse with red, drawstring straps.
Even though one death occurs after Bony arrives, most of the clues are old, the crime scenes have been tidied, and the witnesses have to be mollified after being mishandled by the policeman from Sydney. But Bony is used to following the most meager of trails and employing unorthodox measures to find his man...or woman as the case may be. He'll make use of a burglar on holiday, an amateur sketch artist, and a barkeeper-turned-taxi-man as well as convincing the local constabulary to turn a blind eye to a bit of benevolent burgling in the quest for justice. The first thing he'll have to determine--does she kill out of an unreasonable hatred for messy bachelors or is there method to her madness? Perhaps she's playing the trick of hiding one important death amongst the others. Once Bony discovers the answer to that conundrum and makes the connection to a murder by glass knife he's well on his way to capturing his killer.
It is always a delight to watch the unorthodox, half-Aboriginal, half-white detective operate. It is particularly fun to watch him one-up the obnoxious Inspector Stillman from Sydney. Bony's character is self-assured ("I always finish a race, always finalise the case I consent to take up.") as well as intelligent, and utterly charming. It doesn't take him long to have the shop girls, who so recently became anti-police under the questioning of Stillman, eating out of his hand and going out of there way to help him identify the mysterious woman who hovers near every murder.
In addition to the usual police procedural, this particular outing provides an interesting character study. Bony must first understand the character of the victims before he can begin to understand the character and psychology of the woman who kills them. The ending is a bit darker than the usual fare by Upfield--giving the reader a very intimate look at what could drive someone to kill in the manner portrayed in the book. A thoroughly good read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
yarralee's review against another edition
4.0
Another book by Upfield and it sure didn't disappoint. Set in Broken Hill, NSW, Inspector Bonaparte is sent to investigate a series of Murders. Male Bachelors that were poisoned with Cyanide. Each time a strange woman was on the scene, leaving no trace or evidence.
It takes all Bonaparte's skill to solve the case. How the Murder's are done is genius!
It takes all Bonaparte's skill to solve the case. How the Murder's are done is genius!
phoenixemerald's review against another edition
4.0
A whodunnit of the old school. Full of insights into period language and perceptions of Australia, this book has layers of interesting characters and slowly building plot. The devices of murder and detection fit the classic mystery style.