THE MYSTERY OF SWORDFISH REEF

Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte is back to solve a seemingly impossible mystery. Three men set off for a day of swordfishing never to return, leaving not a trace, until a tuna trawler hauls in a head complete with a bullet hole. The famous tracker must search the ocean’s ever-changing face to find the murderers. Partially aboriginal, Bony is considered by some to be a savage, so he creates himself as the most gentlemanly of gentlemen. Peter Hosking animates the characters in this 1939 novel, bringing the richness and vastness of the Australian continent vividly to life. From distraught mother to suave and wicked murderer, Hosking enriches Upfield’s characters with intonations ranging from heated thrill to deadly cold calculation. The variety and depth of the characters in these mysteries still distinguish the series--that is, aside from its dashing, brilliant detective. B.H.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 04]