Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series?"

"There are six books in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series, published between 1928 and 1987."

Q: "What is the first book in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series?"

"The first book in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series is The House of Cain, published in 1928."

Q: "What was Arthur Upfield's first novel?"

"Arthur Upfield's first published novel was The House of Cain (1928), a thriller about an American millionaire who runs a remote refuge for murderers in outback New South Wales. It was published a year before The Barrakee Mystery, which introduced Inspector Bonaparte. The two books show very different approaches, with The House of Cain being a straight thriller rather than a detective novel."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	The House of Cain	1928	Arthur Upfield	Buy
2	The Beach of Atonement	1930	Arthur Upfield	Buy
3	The Great Melbourne Cup Mystery	1932	Arthur Upfield	Buy
4	Gripped by Drought	1932	Arthur Upfield	Buy
5	A Royal Abduction	1932	Arthur Upfield	Buy
6	Breakaway House	1987	Arthur Upfield	Buy

Arthur Upfield’s standalone novels sit outside the Inspector Bonaparte series that made his name. The House of Cain (1928) was his first published novel, a thriller set in the remote northwest corner of New South Wales. The Beach of Atonement (1930) followed, telling the story of a man on the run after killing his wife’s lover.

These early novels show Upfield finding his voice as a writer of Australian fiction before he settled into the detective format that would define his career. They share the same feel for outback settings and Australian life that readers know from the Bony novels, but without the detective framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series?

There are six books in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series, published between 1928 and 1987.

What is the first book in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series?

The first book in the Arthur Upfield Standalone Novels series is The House of Cain, published in 1928.

What was Arthur Upfield's first novel?

Arthur Upfield’s first published novel was The House of Cain (1928), a thriller about an American millionaire who runs a remote refuge for murderers in outback New South Wales. It was published a year before The Barrakee Mystery, which introduced Inspector Bonaparte. The two books show very different approaches, with The House of Cain being a straight thriller rather than a detective novel.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order