An Author Bites the Dust — Arthur W. Upfield

AN AUTHOR BITES THE DUST
Although used to dealing in character assassination and verbal backstabbing, the literary clique gathered at the house party of Mervyn Blake, famous author and critic, is shocked when their host is found dead in his writing room. The cause of death cannot be determined.

Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, forgoing a vacation to assist the police in the investigation, quickly adapts himself to the world of literary hates and jealousies, a far cry from the bush characters of the inland plains he knows so well. Clues are scant -- a cat, a Ping-Pong ball, an alcoholic gardener -- but Bony's observation of human nature and some shrewd literary sleuthing lead him to the crime's ingenious solution.