The Devil's Steps

by Arthur W. Upfield

Paperback, 1946

Status

Available

Call number

823.912

Series

Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mysteries (10)

Genres

Mystery

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

New York: Collier Books, 1982

Description

Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte leaves his familiar outback environment for Melbourne and a nearby mountain resort on special assignment for Military Intelligence. Although out of his element among city people, Bony displays his characteristic skills to interpret some puzzling clues and catch a murderer - providing the ingredients for another fascinating Arthur Upfield mystery.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Bjace

Murder at a guest house near Melbourne involves Boney in espionage and dangerous crime. Competent mystery.

2 more

LibraryThing member MikeRhode

It's always nice to find a Bony mystery one hasn't read.

LibraryThing member antiquary

This is a less typical Bonaparte mystery in that it is set at a resort hotel in the hills outside Melbourne instead of the real Outback, though there are still some nice descriptions of Australian scenery and wildlife. Bonaparte is originally sent to the hotel because one of the guests, supposedly

an American named Grumman, is actually a high-ranking Nazi military officer carrying microfilms of German military technology intended to prepare for the rise of a new Reich (the time is just after World War 2. the plot changes when Grumman is poisoned and then a dangerous (but apolitical) gangster shows up asking for Grumman and shoots a policeman who recognizes him while escaping. Locating this gangster becomes Bony's primary goal. The ultimate solution is a bit too complex to be credible, but along the way Upfield introduces several interesting characters, including the lady who owns the hotel, a very chic intelligent woman, her handyman Bisker, an Outback swagman type marooned at the hotel by his thirst for alcohol, and a mystery writer with a very sinister local reputation which I suspect may be Upfield's take off on his own public image..

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