4 OCTOBER 1957, Page 46

Bony Buys a Woman. By Arthur Upheld. (Heinemann, 12s. 6d.)

That admirable half-caste aborigine, Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, in another of his adventures in the Australian out- back, involving not only a killing and a kidnap- ping but much anthropological lore and sun- baked local colour. Upheld is. as distinctive a writer as Simenon, and his well-constructed detec- tive stories have a quality of atmosphere and background all their own. Moderately exciting plot, fascinating detail.

CHRISTOPHER PYM