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Death of a Swagman

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Death of a Swagman

By: Arthur W. Upfield
Narrated by: Peter Hosking
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About this listen

 In an isolated hut not far from the sleepy country town of Merino, stockman George Kendall is found dead and it looks very much like murder. Six weeks later, when the murderer is still at large, another stockman turns up in the township and, as a first move, provokes the local sergeant to lock him up. This particular stockman is Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, and there's method in his seeming madness. While serving a semi-detention sentence and being made to paint the police station, he wears the best of all possible disguises for a policeman on the trail of a ruthless and single-minded killer.©1945 Bonaparte Holdings Ltd. (P)1998 Bolinda Publishing Mystery Suspense Fiction

Editorial reviews

Written in 1945, Arthur Upfield’s ninth installment of his Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte series treats the listener to Bony as he’s never been seen before: seemingly fallen off the deep end as he purposefully gets himself arrested in the close-knit, isolated town of Merino while investigating the brutal murder of the titular swagman, the Australian term for a vagrant.

Of course, there is a method to his calculated madness, and Peter Hosking’s vibrant, emotive performance keeps the listener enthralled as Bony’s ingenious plan slowly unfurls.

Critic Reviews

"Peter Hosking gives a good-natured reading to a down-under police procedural. Hosking's Australian accent helps the listener visualize the story of Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, who takes only the impossible cases to crack. Half-bushman, half-sophisticate, he gets himself arrested in the small town of Merino so that he can work the case from the inside. The production is technically clean, with varied music introducing and ending the sides." (AudioFile Magazine)

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One of Upfield's Best

I think this book is an excellent example of why Arthur Upfield is one of my favourite authors. His story is engaging, his humour is evident, and he pulls you into the Australian landscape. The Narrator is excellent, and brings a real atmosphere to the story. I really enjoyed this book.

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another good read.

Thanks again to Peter Hosking for another wonderful listening experience, and breathing new life into a book from another era.

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