Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? by Peter Butt

JUDGES' COMMENTS

The ‘Bogle and Chandler’ case was one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in Australia, involving an eminent scientist and the wife of one of his colleagues found dead and nearly naked on the banks of the Lane Cove River in Sydney. Peter Butt has taken up the challenge of solving the mystery in this ‘true crime’ narrative, as he uncovers the original investigation, interviews all the participants and comes up with an unexpected – and convincing – new theory. It’s a theory that moves the book from ‘whodunnit’ into ‘environmental thriller’ without ever losing its command of the evidence or narrative style.

Peter Butt has marshalled a vast array of information and interviewed dozens of people, pulling together an involving, fast-paced story with the significant contemporary themes of gender and the environment. The writing is clear and engaging, even when he presents detailed scientific material; the characterisations are compelling, the culture of the period is well observed and the exploration of how the Bogle and Chandler deaths happened is fascinating. The opening out of the story into a social and environmental context makes this a valuable contribution to both ‘true crime’ and environmental literature.