DEVIL'S STEPS

Arthur Upfield's thirty-year-old series about Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte of the Australian police is being reissued, and its politically incorrect aspects can be a bit jarring in 2009. Nevertheless, Bony remains a fascinating, if improbable, character, and narrator Peter Hosking has a wonderful time with him and other in the very large cast. Our protagonist is on special assignment at a posh mountain resort. His job is to sniff out who possesses German plans secreted out of Europe after WWII. Murder intervenes. We have every accent to be found in Australia, every social class, and sober and drunk versions of both men and women. Hosking handles it all very well, only occasionally getting carried away by the exuberant opportunity. But over-the-top is as it should be. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]