What do you think?
Rate this book
Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte #10
The Devil's Steps
Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte leaves his familiar outback environment for Melbourne and a nearby mountain resort on special assignment for Military Intelligence. Although out of his element among city people, Bony displays his characteristic skills to interpret some puzzling clues and catch a murderer providing the ingredients for another fascinating Arthur Upfield mystery.
285 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
19 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Arthur W. Upfield
73 books112 followersAka Arthur Upfield
Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 – 13 February 1964) was an Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste Aborigine.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 – 13 February 1964) was an Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste Aborigine.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 9, 2026
Bony is in Victoria for this entertaining episode and he is appreciating the wooded landscape as much as he does his beloved Queensland bush country. Having been posted here to sort out a case he makes the most of his stay in a luxury guest house.
In the bush Bony tracks footprints. Here he tracks shoe prints particularly those of the owner of size 12 feet. After his successful closure of the case he decides to return home by car with two new friends and stop on the way for fishing and beer. Sometimes I feel sorry for his wife!
Plenty to enjoy in this tenth book in the series.
In the bush Bony tracks footprints. Here he tracks shoe prints particularly those of the owner of size 12 feet. After his successful closure of the case he decides to return home by car with two new friends and stop on the way for fishing and beer. Sometimes I feel sorry for his wife!
Plenty to enjoy in this tenth book in the series.
July 10, 2016
What a delight to be alerted by Goodreads to the Australian half-caste detective, Napoleon Bonapart, and this mid-forties Victoria/Gippsland-based novel. A real sense of Aussie non-metropolitan life. Will read many, many, more.
June 7, 2017
Away for the bush, Bony takes on a case at Wideview Chalet, a luxury resort in Victoria. It involves a German who deserted the fatherland before its capitulation during WW2, and a mysterious size 10 boot print. This book remained the only Bony story I couldn't locate for over a year but my partner finally turned it up in a country town in NSW. Like most Bony stories it makes for compelling reading. Bony was, and remains, Australia's greatest fictional detective.
July 17, 2013
This is the first book in this series to really disappoint us. It does not even seem to be written by the same author as the rest, and the usual warm and charming personality has not been attributed to the character of Boney this time either. Very strange! We stopped reading it about halfway through, baffled and letdown.
May 7, 2020
Three and a half stars for a rather different Boney story. There's little bushcraft beyond footprints, and mercifully only one mention of Boney's "father's blood" (logical intellect) at war with his "mother's blood" (instinct). Instead we have high-level espionage, a rather confusing cast of characters and a 1940s movie-worthy ending. There is no "man against cruel Australian nature" conflict this time--no bush fire, flood, electric storm or even rabbits on the move. Instead Boney is on a long "holiday" in a mountain guesthouse. Oh how times have changed; no one today would think of leaving their shoes outside their room door to be "cleaned" (ie polished) by the staff today!
I was amused to read of the police creating a plaster bust of the principal villain from photographs because the back of his head would reveal his true identity. It reminded me of James Bond in Moonraker judging people's racial background by the length of their earlobes! Also, apparently footprints can show that a person is "mentally energetic and slightly neurotic." Gosh, when I think of all the money wasted on therapy...lol. Suddenly at the end of the novel, Boney's well-known bright blue eyes are "dark and sympathetic."
Very much of its time, but hey, it was an undemanding sort of read, and rather better than a few at the beginning of the series.
I was amused to read of the police creating a plaster bust of the principal villain from photographs because the back of his head would reveal his true identity. It reminded me of James Bond in Moonraker judging people's racial background by the length of their earlobes! Also, apparently footprints can show that a person is "mentally energetic and slightly neurotic." Gosh, when I think of all the money wasted on therapy...lol. Suddenly at the end of the novel, Boney's well-known bright blue eyes are "dark and sympathetic."
Very much of its time, but hey, it was an undemanding sort of read, and rather better than a few at the beginning of the series.
March 16, 2025
This story takes Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte away from his beloved outback and lands him in a mountain resort just out of Melbourne on an assignment for military intelligence.
I love the way Upfield captures the essence of Australia, the places, the language, and the attitudes of the people. This volume was first published in 1946 and highlights how much we have changed in our treatment of our First Nation's people and women.
At the end of the book, I came across this quote that is just as true today as it was in 1946.
"If you were to gather into one place all the country's village idiots, and then compare them with these alleged intelligence Officers, you would find the village idiots a thousand percent more intelligent."
A great read!!
I love the way Upfield captures the essence of Australia, the places, the language, and the attitudes of the people. This volume was first published in 1946 and highlights how much we have changed in our treatment of our First Nation's people and women.
At the end of the book, I came across this quote that is just as true today as it was in 1946.
"If you were to gather into one place all the country's village idiots, and then compare them with these alleged intelligence Officers, you would find the village idiots a thousand percent more intelligent."
A great read!!
September 9, 2019
"The Devil's Steps" by Arthur W. Upfield is part of a series of mysteries set in Australia. The sleuth is Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte who is part Aboriginal. Apparently, Bonaparte has extraordinary tracking skills; specifically, he can 'read' footprints. Written just after the Second World War, "The Devil's Steps" has a nonsense sub-plot that involves an escaping Nazi general, except its relevance to the story is very weak. The mystery is more convoluted than necessary. And, the summing up of the mystery at the end really doesn't make sense. The location is almost entirely within a mountain resort hotel where frost and the cold play crucial plot points - quite unusual for an Australian set story. The story does have action in the form of gun-play: a policeman is murdered at the beginning, and the villain tries to shoot his way out of a bad situation at the end.
by
by
February 8, 2016
A little atypical for Upfield and Bonaparte. Takes place in the aftermath of world war 2 and writing style is a little off as the tale involves fleeing Germans and seems as if Upfield is trying to write an adventure yarn instead of his usual mystery. Bonny's refined personality and vanity are missing also. By the latter half of the novel it does settle down into a good mystery, with the stories locale being Melbourne and not the usual Outback setting.
November 1, 2009
Very good mystery in the excellent series involving the Australian half-caste detective Napoleon "Boney" Bonaparte. If you like good mysteries, you should try and find some of these...they are all excellent.
April 14, 2018
Arthur Upfield continues to mature as a writer in this, the tenth, Bony novel. An enjoyable read indeed.
June 11, 2017
I'm a fan of the entire Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte series. The sense of place and the outback characters are unique and wonderful.
February 6, 2026
The Devil's Steps by Arthur W. Upfield is the 10th book of the Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mystery series set in Victoria (not the Australian Bush) after WWII. Bony is on the trail of military secrets. He's not in the bush for this case, rather at a posh guesthouse in a lush landscape.
As always, Bony has to deal with police bureaucrats who get in his way and doubt his skill, but eventually take credit for his directions how to solve the crime and nab the killer. He's just "too clever by half" as the saying goes.
first morning in September...."Thank 'eaven this winter won't last much longer."
A maid set down before Bisker his breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast and coffee for Miss Jade fed her staff well.
This Grumman business was a kind of aftermath of the German surrender.
To the man of the open spaces of the semi-arid interior, this scene of soft greens and chocolate earth, of silvered tree trunks and trailing vines, gave pure delight. The air was so clear, cool but not cold, and its freshness was like wine in the nostrils.
It was strange how there were always periods of calm in an investigation, and how a period of calm inevitably gave place to another period of excitement and action. Crime is a most peculiar manifestation of human psychology. It never lies down for very long, especially the crime of homicide.
"And the secret of success is--personality," stated Bony. "The secret of success is organization," countered Miss Jade. "The study of details so that unnecessary labour is eliminated. Success is not dependent on the appearance of the hostess--it might be in a saloon bar."
Mason jumped to his feet and welcomed him with a smile. "How's the world treating you?" asked Mason. "Fairly easy. And you?" "Fairly hard," replied Mason.
Mason leaned back in his chair and regarded Bony with raised brows. "Well, that's strange. We live and learn, don't we?" he said slowly. "We are always learning, Mason, those of us who are intelligent."
"Well now, sit down and behave yourself," Bagshott commanded, and waved his visitor into a chair. Bony was startled, being unaware that he was misbehaving, and then his eyes gleamed with humour, for his host meant nothing more than to put him at ease.
Mounted on a plaque was the head of a marlin. Bony stood in the centre of the room, looking upward at the gleaming sea-green-and-blue specimen of the greatest fighting fish in all the oceans. Bagshott was talking game fish, but what he said did not register in Bony's mind, for Bony's brain had become a torch set on fire by the head and sword of the fish and by the huge hook he still carried in his hands. He could smell the sea. He could feel the tautness of every nerve whilst waiting for the moment to strike. A million pictures passed before the eyes of his inner mind, and he lived again through the greatest moments of his life.
Mason asked if he was considering the fellow's arrest. "Arrest!" echoed Bony. "Arrest--nothing! Why, I'm going swordfishing with Bagshott and his wife." And he left Mason looking after him from the car door, on his face an expression of blank bewilderment.
"There are times when my Chief, and others whom I will not name, causes me intense weariness. It is my Chief's paramount failing to assign me to a case and then impatiently demand instant results. He lent me to Colonel Blythe, and almost immediately demanded my return. I'd not like to think where I would have got in my career if I had ever taken the slightest notice of him."
"And you have reason to think that Bagshott's feet weren't in his shoes when his shoes made the marks on Miss Jade's lawn?" "That, Super, sums up the situation. Now, let me have a few minutes with the bust of our dear friend Marcus."
"I have an intuition that Marcus is not as far away from us as the facts and assumptions. indicate."
"How's your place off for rain?" he said, opening the conversation. Mr. Bonaparte, passing as the squatter whose station was in Western Queensland, was able to answer the question with a fair degree of accuracy, having studied the weather reports over the last six months just in case.
His mother's blood was tingling his neck and the roots of his hair; his father's blood was flowing strongly through his heart. The aboriginal half of him was widening his nostrils and dilating his eyes and urging him to flee from the unseen terror; the white half of him was holding him to that corner, controlling his limbs and his mind.
As always, Bony has to deal with police bureaucrats who get in his way and doubt his skill, but eventually take credit for his directions how to solve the crime and nab the killer. He's just "too clever by half" as the saying goes.
first morning in September...."Thank 'eaven this winter won't last much longer."
A maid set down before Bisker his breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast and coffee for Miss Jade fed her staff well.
This Grumman business was a kind of aftermath of the German surrender.
To the man of the open spaces of the semi-arid interior, this scene of soft greens and chocolate earth, of silvered tree trunks and trailing vines, gave pure delight. The air was so clear, cool but not cold, and its freshness was like wine in the nostrils.
It was strange how there were always periods of calm in an investigation, and how a period of calm inevitably gave place to another period of excitement and action. Crime is a most peculiar manifestation of human psychology. It never lies down for very long, especially the crime of homicide.
"And the secret of success is--personality," stated Bony. "The secret of success is organization," countered Miss Jade. "The study of details so that unnecessary labour is eliminated. Success is not dependent on the appearance of the hostess--it might be in a saloon bar."
Mason jumped to his feet and welcomed him with a smile. "How's the world treating you?" asked Mason. "Fairly easy. And you?" "Fairly hard," replied Mason.
Mason leaned back in his chair and regarded Bony with raised brows. "Well, that's strange. We live and learn, don't we?" he said slowly. "We are always learning, Mason, those of us who are intelligent."
"Well now, sit down and behave yourself," Bagshott commanded, and waved his visitor into a chair. Bony was startled, being unaware that he was misbehaving, and then his eyes gleamed with humour, for his host meant nothing more than to put him at ease.
Mounted on a plaque was the head of a marlin. Bony stood in the centre of the room, looking upward at the gleaming sea-green-and-blue specimen of the greatest fighting fish in all the oceans. Bagshott was talking game fish, but what he said did not register in Bony's mind, for Bony's brain had become a torch set on fire by the head and sword of the fish and by the huge hook he still carried in his hands. He could smell the sea. He could feel the tautness of every nerve whilst waiting for the moment to strike. A million pictures passed before the eyes of his inner mind, and he lived again through the greatest moments of his life.
Mason asked if he was considering the fellow's arrest. "Arrest!" echoed Bony. "Arrest--nothing! Why, I'm going swordfishing with Bagshott and his wife." And he left Mason looking after him from the car door, on his face an expression of blank bewilderment.
"There are times when my Chief, and others whom I will not name, causes me intense weariness. It is my Chief's paramount failing to assign me to a case and then impatiently demand instant results. He lent me to Colonel Blythe, and almost immediately demanded my return. I'd not like to think where I would have got in my career if I had ever taken the slightest notice of him."
"And you have reason to think that Bagshott's feet weren't in his shoes when his shoes made the marks on Miss Jade's lawn?" "That, Super, sums up the situation. Now, let me have a few minutes with the bust of our dear friend Marcus."
"I have an intuition that Marcus is not as far away from us as the facts and assumptions. indicate."
"How's your place off for rain?" he said, opening the conversation. Mr. Bonaparte, passing as the squatter whose station was in Western Queensland, was able to answer the question with a fair degree of accuracy, having studied the weather reports over the last six months just in case.
His mother's blood was tingling his neck and the roots of his hair; his father's blood was flowing strongly through his heart. The aboriginal half of him was widening his nostrils and dilating his eyes and urging him to flee from the unseen terror; the white half of him was holding him to that corner, controlling his limbs and his mind.
May 11, 2025
Unlike most of the other books in the Bony series, I get the feeling that Upfield has never actually *been* to the Dandenong mountains. Usually his books are filled with really lengthy, evocative descriptions of his settings and the natural phenomena of the Australian landscape, but that was entirely missing from this book. Even the places named didn't add up; both Mount Chalmers (at the base of which Wideview Chalet, the central setting of the book, is supposedly situated) and Manton (the closest local town) are not in Victoria at all, but in Queensland and NSW respectively. It just seems really odd? The story itself was a bit of a change from Bony's usual adventures, but I didn't mind that in itself. The resolution of the climax (which I won't spoil) was very amusing. Overall I did enjoy the book, despite the "changes" to the usual Upfield style.
November 8, 2025
An amusing read as Bony takes on a little light espionage & heavy murder in a sylvan Gippsland setting: another locale over which to wax lyrical - Upfield's love of landscape shines through wherever Bony may be. No searing heat & howling winds, just a luxurious guest-house in Victorian clime, where secret plans & lives are stolen. I rather love the ending as the three Bs - Bonaparte, Bagshott & Blythe - head off to Bermagui for a spot of fishing at the close of the cases: endearingly human.
August 15, 2022
My ratings for books in the series are dropping as the stories move forward in time. Boney takes on espionage and murder in the big city, leaving behind most of the cultural aspects that made the earlier episodes so interesting.
December 20, 2022
A challenging series of killings puts Bony's tracking skills (and human skills) to the test as he investigates a resort that might harbor Nazi officers. The attitude toward drinking is very tolerant and the heavy drinking stockman is actually quite capable.
November 29, 2020
Another delightful mystery. Love Upfield's books.
December 5, 2020
Another great Bony thriller. The plot is better than average.
January 16, 2021
Set in the Dandenongs? Victoria at least. Interesting to see the espionage angle given its publication during WWII.
September 16, 2021
Different. Australia in 1930s or 40s? Kind of interesting. At times a little boring.
November 19, 2022
On special assignment for Military Intelligence Bony is not undercover in this story of international spies and murder set in a mountain resort outside Melbourne.
March 19, 2024
Boney on vacation isn't as interesting as Boney in the Outback tracking fugitives. Yes, there is a mystery and the book is well written, but it isn't quite at good as some of the other ones.
October 29, 2025
Une histoire d'espionnage et d'enquête mais sans rapport avec l'Outback de l'Australie Se laisse lire, sans plus ...
August 30, 2025
I heartily disagree with those who say that this was not the usual Bony. I loved this book - I will go so far as to say that is is my favourite of the 29 Bony books. However, its detractors did say that he was out of his bush setting, therefore, out of his element, but my favourite Bony stories are where he is investigating city crimes and my least favourite are the bush crimes, so perhaps my saying this stands to reason. For a long time I listened to the detractors and avoided reading this book but after having read the other 28 stories time and again, I felt that I had better give this a go and kicked myself soundly for having wasted so much time before doing so.
I loved the lighter-hearted, almost whimsical tone of this story and yes, it was indeed true that Bony was not quite himself in this book, but it was a lighter, brighter Bony - a Bony on holiday almost, and this did make for a different sort of Bony story but by no means an inferior one. Great stuff!
I loved the lighter-hearted, almost whimsical tone of this story and yes, it was indeed true that Bony was not quite himself in this book, but it was a lighter, brighter Bony - a Bony on holiday almost, and this did make for a different sort of Bony story but by no means an inferior one. Great stuff!
August 1, 2012
If I hadn't been put off by the title, this true treat wouldn't have sat unread on my shelf for something like 30 years. It's hard to decide which is better, the environment of Upfield's beloved Australia or his half-aborigine Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. Bony has the unfettered mind of his mother's culture and the education of his father's, and it is his constant war to keep them in balance. My favorite books of the series are when Bony's intuition and tracking skills are applied to a civilized environment.
August 18, 2013
Upfield's novels are light, easily consumed & quintissentially Australian.
This one has Boney on "holidays" - actually he is shadowing a post war spy & then the spy ups and is murdered! The clues are all there and relatively easy to guess, altho as a good detective writer, there is a nice little twist and sting.
This is ideal easy reading between denser books (as I did), or as summer beach reading.
This one has Boney on "holidays" - actually he is shadowing a post war spy & then the spy ups and is murdered! The clues are all there and relatively easy to guess, altho as a good detective writer, there is a nice little twist and sting.
This is ideal easy reading between denser books (as I did), or as summer beach reading.
November 7, 2023
This is a brilliant book. Bony is seconded to Military Intelligence in this one and although there is very little of the bushcraft that we are used to from him, his character and charm are in evidence throughout. Much more of a thriller than a detective story but none the worse for that. Upfield ratchets up the tension really well.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.
December 15, 2017
Bony does espionage!
It's 1945, and having done a bit of work for the intelligence services during the war, Bony is contacted by a senior intelligence officer to quietly investigate a German-American who is believed to be a senior German Staff officer in disguise and in possession of top secret documents. When everyone's plans go awry, Bony is determined to see things through.
It's 1945, and having done a bit of work for the intelligence services during the war, Bony is contacted by a senior intelligence officer to quietly investigate a German-American who is believed to be a senior German Staff officer in disguise and in possession of top secret documents. When everyone's plans go awry, Bony is determined to see things through.
Read
June 27, 2013Bony solves another interesting case, this time involving spies and murder. The aftermath of WW II may continue to feature in this series, which is newly released on audio with an unexpected cultural disclaimer.
March 25, 2018
own library
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews