An Author Bites the Dust

Though used to dealing in character assassination and verbal back-stabbing, the literary clique gathered at the house-party of Mervyn Blake, famous author and critic, is shocked when their host is found dead in his writing room. The cause of death cannot be determined. Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, forgoing a holiday to assist the Victorian police in the investigation, quickly adapts himself to the world of literary hates and jealousies. With little to go on, Bony gradually pieces together the mystery. A cat, a ping-pong ball, an alcoholic gardener--these unlikely clues suggest the lines of investigation, but it is Bony's observation of human nature and some shrewd literary sleuthing and finally uncovered the murder method, and the murderer.

An Author Bites the Dust was printed in 1948 by Angus and Robertson of Sydney and by Doubleday's Crime Club. The 1984 Arkon edition printed by Angus and Robertson is shown above.