Part of Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, book 1
First published 1972
Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte arrives at a remote sheep station along the Darling River to investigate a puzzling murder. King Henry, a respected Aboriginal man from Western Australia, died violently during a thunderstorm in New South Wales, far from his homeland. Bonaparte, himself of mixed Aboriginal and European heritage, must uncover why someone killed Henry and what ancient grudge finally erupted into violence after nineteen years. A woman witnessed the murder but refuses to speak. As Bonaparte questions the station hands and searches the harsh bush country, he confronts the complex web of racial tensions and conflicting allegiances that he knows all too well. The case forces him to navigate between two worlds, using his unique understanding of both Aboriginal and white Australian culture to solve a crime rooted in old wounds and divided loyalties.
Genres: australia, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, mixed-heritage
Setting: Darling River, New South Wales, Western Australia
Period: 19 Years
328 pages · Hardcover · William Heinemann Ltd.