Arthur Upfield Reading Order
6 series · 43 books
Arthur Upfield was an accomplished English-Australian author renowned for his detective fiction, particularly the Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte series. Throughout his prolific career from 1928 to 2021, he penned 43 books across six series, including standalone novels, short stories, and non-fiction works. Upfield's engaging storytelling and unique characterizations have made significant contributions to the genre, with his most notable creation being Detective Inspector Bony, who resonates with readers for both his cleverness and cultural depth.
Anthologies Series
Complete1 book (2019–2019)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Bodies from the Library 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
Inspector Bonaparte Series
Complete29 books (1929–1966)
Start with The Barrakee Mystery / The Lure of the Bush, the first of 29 books in the Inspector Bonaparte series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Barrakee Mystery / The Lure of the Bush 1929Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Sands of Windee 1931Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Wings Above the Diamantina / Wings Above the Claypan 1936Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Mr. Jelly's Business/Murder Down Under 1937Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Winds of Evil 1937Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Bone is Pointed 1938Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Mystery of Swordfish Reef 1939Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Bushranger of the Skies / No Footprints in the Bush 1940Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Death of a Swagman 1945Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Devil's Steps 1946Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  An Author Bites the Dust 1948Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Mountains Have a Secret 1948Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The Bachelors of Broken Hill 1950Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | The New Shoe/The Clue of the New Shoe 1951Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Widows of Broome 1951Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Venom House 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | Murder Must Wait 1953Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | Death of a Lake 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Sinister Stones/Cake in the Hat Box 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Man of Two Tribes 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  The Battling Prophet 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  Bony Buys a Woman / The Bushman Who Came Back 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Bony and the Black Virgin / The Torn Branch 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  Bony and the Mouse / Journey to the Hangman 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  Bony and the Kelly Gang / Valley of Smugglers 1960Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 |  Bony and the White Savage 1961Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 | The Will of the Tribe 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 |  Madman's Bend / The Body at Madman's Bend 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 |  The Lake Frome Monster 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete3 books (1934–2020)
Start with Murchison Murders and read in order.
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete3 books (2008–2010)
Start with Up and Down Australia and read in order.
Short Story Collections Series
Complete1 book (2021–2021)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Walkabout 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete6 books (1928–1987)
Start with The House of Cain, the first of 6 books in the Standalone Novels series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Arthur Upfield written?
- Arthur Upfield has written 43 books across 6 series. Their published works span from 1928 to 2021.
- What is the first book in each Arthur Upfield series?
- Here are the first books in Arthur Upfield's series: Inspector Bonaparte: The Barrakee Mystery / The Lure of the Bush; Non-Fiction: Murchison Murders; Short Stories/Novellas: Up and Down Australia.
- What order should I read Arthur Upfield's books?
- We recommend reading Arthur Upfield's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Arthur Upfield's series complete?
- Arthur Upfield has 6 completed series.