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Book Reviews of The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7)

The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7)
The Mystery of Swordfish Reef - Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7
Author: Arthur W. Upfield
ISBN-13: 9780684184128
ISBN-10: 0684184125
Publication Date: 3/1/1985
Pages: 272
Edition: Reprint
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 11

4 stars, based on 11 ratings
Publisher: Scribner Paper Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

4 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7) on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The Upfield Napoleon Bonaparte series give a great feel for the setting of early to mid 20th century Australia but are generally a little weak in plot. Good light read.
reviewed The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7) on + 159 more book reviews
An Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mystery.
hardtack avatar reviewed The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7) on + 2706 more book reviews
I've read six Napoleon Bonaparte books so far, a couple out of sequence. I've enjoyed them all, but this one is my favorite so far.

Maybe because it relates a crime committed on the ocean, or because "Bony" doesn't spend as much time telling himself and everyone else what a great detective he is.
reviewed The Mystery of Swordfish Reef (Inspector Bonaparte, Bk 7) on + 1452 more book reviews
This mystery takes place in an environment new to Bony whose normal investigations have been restricted to crimes in the bush. While he does his investigation to solve the crime, he begins deep sea fishing and lands some outstanding fish.

Upfield is a fun author whose mysteries featuring Bony are fun to read. Bony is the nickname for Napolean Bonaparte, a detective of mixed parentage. His Aborigine mother gave him an intuitive of the bush but this novel begins on an island off the coast of New South Wales, known as Bermagui. Or, perhaps, one should say in the waters around Bermagui. Bony's bush talents are of little help as he works to solve the disappearence of a fishing boat and its occupants. Searches by other fisherman, police and small planes have failed to find any trace of the boat, its crew or the angler who hired them. The only trace is a thermos flask which could have blown off the boat's deck. Adding to the mystery of the missing is the discovery of the bullet ridden head of the angler who hired the craft. No other sign of the others is found.

It is months after the event, when Bony is assigned to investigate. However, this doesn't bother the intrepid Bony. His advice to young policemen holds true in this situation. "Never race Time. Make Time an ally, for time is the greatest detective that ever way or ever will be." Edward Marston, Introduction of The Mystery of Swordfish Reef, p. eight. And, so the story begins and to his delight, Bony learns to deep sea fish.