Beat Not the Bones

Beat Not the Bones by Charlotte Jay is the first book awarded an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Published in 1952 and featuring conflict between white Australians and Papuan natives, it's not as dated as one might fear. In fact, I enjoyed this book. I liked the plotting and the way the characters were gradually revealed, and I was drawn into the lives of the characters and the into the setting. I will probably look for more by this author.

from the back of the book:

A young Australian woman comes alone to Marapai on the island of New Guinea to find out why her husband, a distinguished anthropologist in charge of protecting the natives from exploitation, committed suicide. It is hard for her to believe that drink and debt, the common causes of despair among the Australians stationed in the protectorate, could have affected David Warwick. As she meets those who knew him, Stella learns more than she ever dreamed of about the lure of gold and the magical means used by the Papuans to protect themselves. But she must penetrate deep into the heart of the jungle to solve the mystery of her husband's death.