Treasure of the Bosun Bird

A shipwrecked treasure. A mysterious visitor. A fortune hiding in plain sight.

Published by Big Sky Publishing
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

LIST PRICE ₹855.00

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About The Book

‘A delightfully eccentric island mystery where the past refuses to stay buried.’

Life on Bosun Island off the coast of tropical Queensland appears to be ticking along quite nicely until the day Cocomama arrives – a little old-lady in a muddy green smock who drops from nowhere, into Merlin Merryweather’s lily-covered pond.

From that moment on, chaos ensues.

For generations, the island has lived in the shadow of a persistent rumour: the lost treasure of the Bosun Bird, a sailing ship loaded with Peruvian gold that vanished in the early 1880s. Most locals have long dismissed the story as folklore. But Cocomama’s unusual arrival stirs something in the island’s memory.

Old secrets shift. Odd clues surface. And suddenly, the treasure feels less like legend and more like unfinished business.

As the hunt gathers pace, Bosuntown’s wonderfully eccentric residents are drawn into the mystery: high-voltage twin sisters keeping watch from the lighthouse, a priest preparing for an epic flood, a musician with a tragic past, and a cast of offbeat locals who know far more than they first admit. Meanwhile, the island’s friendly little volcano begins to rumble.

As fiction, folklore and buried truths begin to blur, one thing becomes impossible to ignore: somewhere in the chaos, the treasure of the Bosun Bird may still be waiting.

‘A warm, witty treasure hunt with mischief on every page.’

About The Author

Tony Matthews is a Welsh–Australian historian and author who has devoted his career to uncovering the hidden stories of Australia’s past. Since migrating in 1972, he has written nearly 40 books—including best-selling regional histories and gripping true crime anthologies—and produced more than a dozen documentaries for the ABC and Seven Network, as well as hundreds of radio programs.

Born in Swansea, Wales, and educated at Clevedon College, Tony travelled widely before settling in Australia to pursue his lifelong passion for history. His first book was published in 1986, with many titles since achieving strong sales—most notably Crosses: Australian Soldiers in the Great War, which remained on Queensland bestseller lists for 13 consecutive weeks.

Renowned for his meticulous research and accessible storytelling, Tony brings history to life through compelling narratives and unforgettable characters. His colonial true crime books have been serialised on radio and praised for their vivid, dramatic flair.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Big Sky Publishing (December 1, 2026)
  • Length: 464 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781923720237

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