Winds of Evil

Winds of Evil is a 1937 mystery novel by Arthur Upfield, featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon 'Bony' Bonaparte investigating a series of murders in outback New South Wales. The story takes place in and around Silverton, near the Barrier Range north of Broken Hill. A mysterious killer known as 'The Strangler' strikes during dust storms and high winds, attacking victims with extraordinary strength and agility. Detective Bonaparte must track down this seemingly supernatural murderer who leaves a trail of strangled victims in their wake. The book was first published by Angus & Robertson in Australia and went on to be published internationally, including editions in the UK, USA, Germany, Japan, and France. It remains a significant entry in Upfield's Detective Bonaparte series. The novel explores the relationship between weather and human behavior, particularly the impact of harsh environmental conditions on the human psyche in the Australian outback. It combines elements of traditional detective fiction with uniquely Australian settings and themes.

Reader reviews highlight the detailed portrayal of Aboriginal tracking methods and 1930s outback Australian life. Reviewers note the book balances police procedural elements with cultural insights. Readers appreciate: - Authentic descriptions of bush life and Aboriginal customs - Detective Bony's mix of indigenous and western investigative methods - The atmospheric setting in rural Queensland - Technical details about tracking and bushcraft Common criticisms: - Dated racial attitudes and language from the 1937 publication era - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Limited character development for supporting roles Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (176 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (32 ratings) Multiple reviewers specifically praise Upfield's "intimate knowledge of the outback" and "incredible detail about Aboriginal culture." Several note the book requires patience due to its deliberate storytelling style. A few readers mention struggling with the period-specific racial terminology despite the author's relatively progressive views for his time.

The Dry by Jane Harper An Australian Federal Police investigator returns to his drought-stricken hometown to solve a brutal murder that echoes through the harsh outback landscape.

Death of a Lake by Arthur Upfield Detective Inspector Bonaparte tracks a killer through the vanishing waters of an Australian lake during a severe drought, mixing indigenous tracking methods with modern police work.

Crimson Lake by Candice Fox A disgraced police detective and an accused killer form an investigative team in the crocodile-infested wetlands of northern Queensland to solve a missing persons case.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper Three brothers' lives intersect when one is found dead at an isolated cattle station fence in the unforgiving Australian outback.

The Broken Shore by Peter Temple A police detective investigates a complex murder in a remote Australian coastal town while confronting local racial tensions and buried secrets.

🔍 Napoleon 'Bony' Bonaparte, the detective protagonist, was one of literature's first mixed-race detectives - half-Aboriginal, half-white - making the series groundbreaking for its time 🌪️ The dust storms described in the book are based on real meteorological phenomena called "bull dust storms" that plague the Australian outback, reducing visibility to near zero 📚 Author Arthur Upfield actually worked as a boundary rider and cattle drover in the Australian outback for nearly 20 years before becoming a writer, lending authenticity to his descriptions 🏺 Silverton, where the book is set, was once a booming silver mining town but was largely abandoned by 1937 when the book was written, becoming one of Australia's most famous ghost towns 🎬 The Bony detective series was so popular it spawned multiple TV adaptations, including "Boney" (1972) and "Boney" (1992), though the character's mixed-race heritage caused casting controversies