Author: ROBERTSON, Andrew.
Title: The Kidnapped Squatter and other Australian stories.
Description: London, Longmans 1891. Octavo, fresh in publisher's fawn cloth (spine rubbed and a touch worn at the tips). A 24 page 1891 publisher's list at the end. A pretty good copy, uncommon as such. ¶ First (only?) edition of Robertson's first book, a gathering of four stories. Austlit separates the Rev Andrew Robertson, essayist, from our author; they had been blended by Miller and Macartney. The Spectator, relieved to find no bushrangers, gave this a good, barely patronising, review - remarkable treatment for a colonial book. I'm less forgiving. It is outrageous providence - a lazy author I say - that catches the miscreants in the title story, not a 'tec or bloodstain in sight. Jack Reeveley, the long piece of the book, does have a detective - one who quotes Shakespeare in his report, violence, convoluted mystery and outrageous coincidence enough for any three books.

Keywords: literature fiction c19th Australia thrillers crime detective