Arthur Upfield

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Arthur Upfield : biography

01 November 1890 – 13 February 1964

In The Sands of Windee, a story about a "perfect murder", Upfield invented a method to destroy carefully all evidence of the crime. Upfield’s "Windee method" was used in the Murchison Murders, and Upfield was called to give evidence in court.

Upfield’s novels were very popular in America (originally because so many American servicemen stationed in Australia during World War II read them and brought copies back), in England and were also translated into German.

The late US mystery novelist Tony Hillerman was generous in his praise for Upfield’s works. In his introduction to the posthumous 1984 reprint of Upfield’s A Royal Abduction he described the seduction in his youth of Upfield’s crime novels’ descriptions of both the harsh outback areas, and "the people who somehow survived upon them … . When my own Jim Chee of the Navaho Tribal Police unravels a mystery because he understands the ways of his people, when he reads the signs in the sandy bottom of a reservation arroyo, he is walking in the tracks Bony made 50 years ago."

Television series

From 1972 to 1973 a 26-episode television series was produced by Fauna Productions (also responsible for Skippy the Bush Kangaroo). After a long search for a half-white, half-Aborigine actor, the producers chose English actor Jon Finch for the role of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. When he suddenly became unavailable, Fauna’s John McCallum flew to London in panic, and was lucky enough to audition New Zealand actor James Laurenson on his last day there. Offered the lead role, Laurenson hurriedly flew to Australia, reading "Bony" books all the way over.

The series was called Boney, partly to make the pronunciation of the name more obvious, and partly because that had been Upfield’s original intention – a publisher’s misprint on the first novel had renamed the character. Most of the episodes were based directly on one of the novels, but there were some adaptations. Two original scripts were not directly based on any novel; five novels were not adapted for television, effectively ‘reserving’ them in case a third series eventuated. At the time, many of the books were reprinted with the spelling altered to ‘Boney’ on the covers (although retaining the original in the text), and featuring a photo from the relevant episode.

Bony was also a 1990 telemovie and later a 1992 spin-off TV series (using the original ‘Bony’ spelling). However, the series was criticised for casting Bony as a white man (played by Cameron Daddo), under the tutelage of "Uncle Albert", an elderly Aborigine played by Burnum Burnum.

Table of books

Name of book Setting English language publication
The House of Cain Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1928];

1st U.S. Edition: Dorrance, Philadelphia, 1929; 2nd US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, San Francisco, 1983.

The Barrakee Mystery Near Wilcannia, New South Wales Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1929];

2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1965; 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1965 – as The Lure of the Bush.

The Beach of Atonement Dongara, Western Australia Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1930].
The Sands of Windee ‘Windee’ is a fictional sheep station near Milparinka, a north of Broken Hill. Windee covered of land and ran 70 000 sheep. Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1931];

1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Angus & Robertson, London, 1959.

A Royal Abduction Cook and Eucla, on the Nullarbor Plain Hutchinson, London, [1932];

1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1984.

Gripped by Drought Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1932]
The Murchison Murders Upfield’s own account of the murders in the Murchison region Midget Masterpiece Publishing, Sydney, n.d. [1934];

1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1987.

Wings Above the Diamantina Lake Eyre region Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1936; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, n.d. [1937] – as Winged Mystery 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 – as Wings Above the Claypan

Mr. Jelly’s Business Takes place at Burracoppin and Merredin east of Perth in the Wheat Belt of Western Australia along the rabbit-proof fence. The railway station in the story map and the water pipe have changed little since Upfield’s day (he worked clearing brush in Burracoppin). Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1964

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1938 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 – as Murder Down Under

Winds of Evil Silverton, New South Wales and the nearby Barrier Range which is north and east of Broken Hill Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1961

1st UK Edition Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1939] 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1944

The Bone is Pointed "Opal Town" or Opalton, Queensland in the Channel Country of the Diamantina River Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1938; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1966

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1939 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1947; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

The Mystery of Swordfish Reef Takes place from Bermagui, New South Wales; the reef extends from Montague Island. The plot is based on the 1880 disappearance of the geologist Lamont Young near Mystery Bay, New South Wales. Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1939; Aust. Book Club Edition:Readers Book Club, Melbourne, 1963

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960; UK Book Club Edition: The Companion Book Club, London, 1963; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1971 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943

Bushranger of the Skies Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1963

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1944 – as No Footprints in the Bush

Death of a Swagman Lake Mungo in south-western New South Wales 1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1947; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1962

1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1946 Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1945; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

The Devil’s Steps Set in a fictional mountain resort called Mount Chalmers, similar to the Dandenong Ranges on the eastern edge of Melbourne, Victoria (most probably in the vicinity of Mt Dandenong, but with some similarities to One Tree Hill in Ferny Creek), and also in Melbourne City and its suburbs South Yarra and Coburg. 1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, n.d. [1950–1953]; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1965

1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1948 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1946; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

An Author Bites the Dust Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1948

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948

The Mountains Have a Secret Set mostly in the Grampians mountain range in western Victoria. 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948

The Widows of Broome Set in Broome, Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1951; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1967

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Dollar Mystery Guild, New York, 1950

The Bachelors of Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales 1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, between 1950 and 1953

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified); Large Print Edition: Ulverscroft, Leicester, 1974 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1951

The New Shoe Aireys Inlet; The Split Point Lighthouse and Broken Rock 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1968

Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1951

Venom House Set in and around "Edison", the real-life Elston, on the swampy coast south of Brisbane.(The name was later changed as Surfers Paradise) long before it became a tourist resort. 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1970

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1952; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Club, New York, 1952

Murder Must Wait Mitford, New South Wales 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1953; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1953

Death of a Lake Heinemann, London, 1954

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954

Sinister Stones Kimberley region of Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1955 – as Cake in the Hat Box; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954

The Battling Prophet The Murray River Heinemann, London, 1956; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)
The Man of Two Tribes Nullarbor Plain 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1956 – as Man of Two Tribes; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1956

The Bushman Who Came Back Lake Eyre region 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1957 – as Bony Buys a Woman

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1957

Follow My Dust! Heinemann, London, 1957
Bony and the Black Virgin; also published as The Torn Branch "Lake Jane", a fictional lake in the Murray-Darling Basin 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)
Journey to the Hangman 150|mi|km}} from Laverton, Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959 – as Bony and the Mouse; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York. 1959

Valley of Smugglers; also published as Bony and the Kelly Gang Possibly set in a town and valley similar to Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales not far from Bowral where Upfield lived for the last years of his life. However, Robertson on the top of the escarpment, which is known for its potatoes, is also possible.

The waterfall may be Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park.

Narrates some episodes of the Ned Kelly true history.

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960 – as Bony and the Kelly Gang; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1960; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, n.d. [1960]

The White Savage Timbertown is a light disguise of Pemberton, a timber town in the south-west of Western Australia. 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1961 – as Bony and the White Savage; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1961

The Will of the Tribe Wolfe Creek crater First UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1962

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1962

Madman’s Bend Heinemann, London, 1963

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1963 – as The Body at Madman’s Bend

The Lake Frome Monster

[Note: This posthumously published work was based on an unfinished manuscript and detailed notes left by Upfield. It was completed by J L Price and Mrs Dorothy Strange.]

Lake Frome, South Australia Heinemann, London, 1966; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)
Breakaway House Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1987
The Great Melbourne Cup Mystery ETT Imprint, Watson’s Bay, Sydney, 1996