::AMAZON REVIEWS::

Much more realistic than the movie "Australia" :-)
...actually, I liked the movie. But this book is much more hard boiled, full of a lot of detail about the bush ranches. There is a lot of description about the life and the details of the land. The detective sloooowly figures out what happened, with a lot of suspense along the way.
--> "Transformers" or "Terminator 3" it ain't! If you like fast paced stuff and don't care for descriptive detail, this is not for you.
Otherwise, it is a really good detective novel in a time-capsule kind of wrapper (by now)

Superb
This was the first of Arthur Upfield's books that I read, and then went on to his other books, fortunately a large number, all of them wonderful--plot, characters, but most of all the beautiful evocations of the Aborigines, their philosophy and way of living, and the landscapes. When I read the also terrific books by Tony Hillerman, I wondered if he had been influenced by Upfield, and in an interview he spoke about his admiration of Upfield.

The Bone is Pointed
What a wonderful adventure this one is! Not only is the murder mystery of the outstanding quality of the Upfield novel, but the insights into the great Australian outback and the aboriginal people are impressive. Interspersed with the intriguing actions of Bony, the most endearing of all detectives, are glimpses of unique outback phenomenon and an interesting peek into the lifestyles and customs of the Kalchut tribe of aborigines, a tribe protected from white society.

Jeffrey Anderson, the murder victim, was not missed. No one liked the brutal, sadistic man, but Bony still needed to investigate. When he got too close to the answers for which he was searching, the tribe "boned" him, a certain death sentence for the half-caste. Not only does Bony have to solve this case, but he has to do this before he dies. But Bony never fails to solve a case.

I highly recommend this fascinating book, as well as any other of Bony's adventures.

A new convert
The Bone Is Pointed is my first Napoleon Bonaparte mystery, and it was a most pleasant experience. Taking place in Australia, and written by someone who lived there, gives the reader a taste of what it's like in that world down under. Older mysteries are making a comeback and this series is a good choice for re-issue.

Bony to his friends, the half-caste detective has the self assurance of Holmes and the likeable arrogance of Poirot. Knowing that he is good at his profession does not make him insufferable. He is kind, even though a few others are often goaded to unkindness at best out of fear of his ability to solve cases. His doggedness is nearly legendary, his source of pride and a reputation is fights hard to maintain.

In this case, his susceptibility to the ways of his aboriginal mother come to the fore, yet he is surrounded by people who have liked him from the moment he meets them. Even though one or more of them is a murderer. Of this he is certain. The missing victim, Jeffrey Anderson, was not what he seemed, at least in part. He was well known to be a bully, treating others cruelly, and no one mourns his loss. The only fear is that in death he will bring ruin to those who knew him.

The story drifts a bit and readers looking for fights and bloodletting won't get much in Upfield's novel. Still, it's a quick read and an interesting one that will lead some readers to others in the series. Happy reading.

Not Free SF Reader
The detective's name in this book is Napoleon Bonaparte, so you would
want people to call you by a nickname as well. He is a half-caste, so
this colors his perceptions of the world.

What is interesting about this book are that Bony's religious
beliefs are harming him. He is having the 'bone pointed' at him by
elders, which will eventually kill him if he cannot solve the case.