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Book Review: ‘The Detective’ by Ajay Chowdhury

I didn’t know that this was book three in the series featuring Kamil Rahman when I picked it up – credit to Ajay Chowdhury as it was easy to read as a standalone. However, fans of the series will – no doubt – appreciate the character development across the books as Kamil progresses on his path to being a British police detective (something he has achieved at the start of this book).

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: ‘The Shadows of Men’ by Abir Mukherjee

This was one of my most anticipated novels of 2021 – I have absolutely loved all the mysteries featuring Captain Sam Wyndham and his partner, Sergeant Surendranath Banerjee set in Colonial India during the 1920s. This is the fifth book in the series and was out on 11th November.

You’re going to need a copy of this one!

Blog Tour: ‘Cold Sun’ by Anita Sivakumaran

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Cold Sun’ by Anita Sivakumaran, a lively and engaging police procedural set in Bangalore.

With thanks to Random Things Tours and Dialogue Books for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

From the Publisher:

‘Cold Sun is a stylish and exuberant, fish-out-of-water, crime thriller… A wonderfully observed, whip-smart, India-set thriller.’
Amer Anwar, author of Brothers in Blood and Stone Cold Trouble

Bangalore. Three high-profile women murdered, their bodies draped in identical red saris.

When the killer targets the British Foreign Minister’s ex-wife, Scotland Yard sends the troubled, brilliant DI Vijay Patel to lend his expertise to the Indian police investigation.

Stranger in a strange land, ex-professional cricketer Patel must battle local resentment and his own ignorance of his ancestral country, while trying to save his failing relationship back home.

Soon, the killer’s eyes will turn to Patel. And also to Chandra Subramanium, the fierce female detective he is working with in Bangalore.

This breathless thriller will keep you guessing until the final, shocking revelation.

My Review:

I’ve read a few police procedurals set in India – both Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee write fabulous crime novels set in the country.

However, what appealed to me with ‘Cold Sun’ was the idea of a British Indian detective helping to solve a crime in Bangalore. DI Vijay Patel of Scotland Yard is sent in to investigate a series of high-profile murders and finds himself totally lost in India’s policing practices. Kind of a bit ‘Death in Paradise’ but grittier and in India!

DI Vijay Patel is called in when three high-profile women (one of them the British Foreign Minister’s ex-wife, hence the UK link) are killed. There are key similarities between the crimes and each of the women is clothed in a red sari when she is found. Patel needs to work with the often-hostile local police in order to stop a killer before they strike again…

I really liked the way that DI Patel was forced into a balancing act and his position was continually precarious. He has to work hard to gain the trust of the local police while finding their policing methods alien. He works hard not to trample on Indian customs while really struggling with his lack of awareness of his own ancestral heritage. All of this makes him quite a sympathetic character, even as the reader watches him make some huge errors and faux pas.

For me, the character of Chandra Subramanium was one of the real strengths of the novel. I loved that this tough, feisty female detective is partnered with Patel and they make an extremely unlikely pairing – she gets things done in often unconventional ways, while he is much more used to softer policing methods. I really enjoyed the relationship building between the two characters and hope that we will see more of them in future books.

The Indian setting is vibrant and vivid – regular visitors to my blog know that I’m all about the setting! I really enjoyed being immersed in a culture and place so different from rainy Cheshire in August. There was a sense of the heat and the dust, the poverty and colour, the people and customs of Bangalore. I’m a huge fan of novels that can transport me to other places so this was a hig bonus.

The plotting of the novel is well done – it was suitable twisty so that I didn’t guess the denouement at all, even as the book was racing towards its conclusion. I found myself caught up in the story and wanting to read on as the tension was ramped up and the stakes became ever higher.

I’d recommend this to lovers of police procedurals, those who enjoy a ‘fish-out-of-water’ detective, those who love immersive settings, those who like strong female characters…just about everyone really. There is plenty to enjoy in this clever and tense thriller – and I hope to read more by this talented writer.

About the Author:

Anita Sivakumaran was born in Madras and has lived in the UK since 2004. Her historical novel, The Queen, based on real events, has been made into a major television series. Cold Sun is her first novel in the DI Patel detective series.

My Top 10 Historical Fiction Books of 2020

The genre I’ve read most this year is – hands down – historical fiction. I love a story set in a vivid and colourful past and am particularly drawn to the Victorian era – although I can be tempted into other time periods occasionally!

For the purposes of my list, I’ve included books set more than 50 years in the past and published this year(ish!)

Affiliate links are provided – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).

Without further ado, here are my top 10 historical reads of the year ranked from 10 to 1 *cue ‘Top of the Pops’ theme tune*…

10 – ‘Jeeves and the Leap of Faith’ by Ben Schott

It might not quite hit the spot like an authentic Wodehouse Jeeves and Wooster novel, but it is joyous and funny and well worth a read. Bertie’s antics as an undercover spy in this novel are always entertaining and – luckily – faithful valet Jeeves is never too far away. You can read my original review here.

9 – ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan

This is an excellent murder mystery set in Bombay as 1949 turns into 1950 and heralds a new decade of Indian independence. Inspector Wadia, India’s first female police officer who has been rather side-lined in her career, is called in to investigate a high-profile and politically sensitive killing. This looks to be the first book in a very promising series! You can read my original review here.

8 – ‘V for Victory’ by Lissa Evans

Set in London during World War II, this is the third (and, I think, final) book in Lissa Evans’ excellent series that started with ‘Crooked Heart’ and then ‘Old Baggage’. It weaves together the stories of those caught up in the war and is just packed with charm and a whole host of fascinating characters. You can read my review here.

7 – ‘People of Abandoned Character’ by Clare Whitfield

This is a seriously sinister book! Set in London during the height of the Jack the Ripper murders, the story follows Susannah, a newly-wed nurse who starts to suspect that her husband is involved in the crimes. My review is here.

6 – ‘The Betrayals’ by Bridget Collins

Collins’ second novel (after the brilliant ‘The Binding’) is an absolute treat! It is set in a university sometime in the first half of the twentieth century – my money is on the 1930s – and centres on a mysterious ‘Grand Jeu’ that is played by academics. The book is multi-layered and almost impossible to untangle in order to do it justice in a review. You can read my (attempt at a) review here.

5 – ‘The Graves of Whitechapel’ by Claire Evans

Regular blog visitors will know that I’m quite obsessed with books set in the Victorian era and this is just one example – set in 1882 on the grimy streets of East London, it is an atmospheric and pacey murder mystery. You can read my original review here.

4 – ‘Death in the East’ by Abir Mukherjee

I read this series of books all in the wrong order, but was absolutely blown away by this – the fourth instalment in Mukherjee’s series set in 1920s India (cut with flashback scenes in the Whitechapel of 1905). This is absolutely excellent historical crime fiction and I cannot wait to see what Captain Sam Wyndham and his Sergeant, Surrender-Not Banerjee, do next! My review is here.

3 – ‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ by Stuart Turton

Another historical crime novel, this time set on a ship sailing from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam in 1634. The voyage seems cursed from the start after a mysterious event at the docks and the strange collection of ship-mates have an eventful trip ahead of them! My review is here.

2 – ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward

I absolutely loved this spooky, gothic tale! Set in 1925, it tells the story of a pregnant woman who takes a photography commission at the creepy Clewer Hall in order to make ends meet. As she works, she begins to uncover a story surrounding a seance that was held at the Hall in 1896 – an event that has had lasting repercussions. You can read my review here.

Also, at the point I wrote this, this book is 99p on Kindle – definitely worth snapping up now!

1 – ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor

Only just squeaking into my historical list by a few years, this is a glorious coming-of-age novel set in 1960s Yorkshire. I fell in love with sixteen year-old Evie and her quaintly naïve telling of her story. It is funny and charming and copies may well be gifted by me quite a few times this Christmas! You can read my original review here.

Header photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash.

‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan – and other ideas!

Also due out on 20th August is the brilliant ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan – the final book in my week of 20th August releases.

I really hope this book marks the start of a new series by Vaseem Khan. It's a great story and one book featuring the indefatigable and charming Inspector Wadia is simply not enough!

The story opens on New Year's Eve, 1949 in Bombay.  As the clock ticks over into a new decade of Indian independence, Inspector Wadia is called in to investigate the murder of an important British diplomat, Sir James Herriot.  Initially, it seems that Inspector Persis Wadia has been called precisely because no-one has any faith in her to actually solve the crime (she is India's first female police officer), or in the bunch of misfits she works with at Malabar House.  However, she is determined to prove her worth and unwilling to give in until she has uncovered the truth.

It's this determination that makes the pioneering Inspector Wadia such an interesting character.  She really has the odds stacked against her, but uses her intelligence, humour and sheer bloody-mindedness to take on an extremely politically sensitive case - Khan does not skimp on the history of India and Empire that have led to this precarious situation so there is plenty of explanation for those of us less well-versed in the politics.  However, the book is far from being simply a history lesson - in Persis Wadia, we are treated to a very human and realistic character grappling admirably with a situation way beyond her control.  We see her own struggles - including her strained relationship with her father and a rather sweet and inept flirtation with another investigator - and like her all the more for it.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes historical crime fiction with plenty of heart.  The setting is interesting, the characters are engaging and the plot is well-constructed.  You - like me - will end the book wondering what is next for Inspector Wadia and very much looking forward to finding out.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

You can see the week’s previous reviews here:

‘Lost Cause’ by Rachel Lynch

‘A Little London Scandal’ by Miranda Emmerson

‘The Killings at Kingfisher Hill’ by Sophie Hannah

‘Knife Edge’ by Simon Mayo

‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward

‘Eight Detectives’ by Alex Pavesi

As I’d already reviewed ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ on this blog – above is a copy of my previous review – as a bonus, I thought I’d suggest a few other books that you’d like if ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ sounds like your kind of thing!

Feature: Set in India in the past

‘Midnight at Malabar House’ is set in India in 1950. For another excellent historical crime series, I can highly recommend the Captain Wyndham and Surrender-not Banerjee series by Abir Mukherjee set in the India of the 1920s. It’s definitely worth starting with ‘The Rising Man’ as the first book in this 4 book series – ‘Death in the East’ (Book 4) was published this year and my review (no spoilers) is here.

Feature: Pioneering female detectives

Persis Wadia in ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ is India’s first police detective and pioneering women is definitely a trope I love in my crime fiction!

I can highly recommend ‘Evil Things’ by Katja Ivar – her heroine, Inspector Hella Mauzer, is the first woman to be accepted into Helsinki’s Homicide Unit in 1940s Finland. The review is here.

https://thequickandtheread.net/the-ghost-tree-by-mrc-kasasian/Another woman in a man’s policing world is Inspector Betty Church. In MRC Kasasian’s funny and fairly cosy historical crime series, Betty is the only woman in a dead-end police job in Sackwater, Suffolk. Like Persis in ‘Midnight at Malabar House’, Betty has been sidelined because of her gender and has to deal with the collection of misfits she has been assigned to work with. This humorous series starts with ‘Betty Church and the Suffolk Vampire’ – a review of the latest book in the series (‘The Ghost Tree’) can be found here.

Feature: A good murder mystery (but not too gory!)

I do like a gritty crime novel and modern forensics, but sometimes a slightly gentler approach is desirable, as in ‘Midnight at Malabar House’.

If you like your crime novels without forensic detail, then the following books and series may be of interest. Cosy crime isn’t a genre I read often, but I can personally recommend these!

The Holmes and Hudson series by Martin Davies – starting with ‘Mrs Hudson and the Spirit’s Curse’, this series draws on the premise that Mrs Hudson is the true brains behind Baker Street’s famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. A gentle and funny series set in Victorian London.
Jessica Fellowes’ series beginning with ‘The Mitford Murders’ – a series of Golden Age-style murder mysteries in which the investigations are connected to the Mitford sisters in 1920s England.
The Laetitia Rodd mysteries by Kate Saunders – starting with ‘The Secrets of Wishtide’, this series features a genteel Victorian lady detective who finds herself in reduced circumstances after her husband’s death.

Feature: Police procedural with a female lead

Much grittier than the cosy crime novels above, these writers can be relied upon to deliver brilliant police procedurals with a strong female detective. These are contemporary novels:

Deborah Masson’s series about DI Eve Hunter, starting with ‘Hold Your Tongue’.
Carla Kovach’s series about Detective Gina Harte starting with ‘The Next Girl’.
Isabelle Grey’s series about DI Grace Fisher starting with ‘Good Girls Don’t Die’. These have the bonus (for me) of being set in Essex – my birthplace!

I hope you have enjoyed my recommendations – please do let me know in the comments if you can add any more.

‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan

This book will be released on 20th August and is well worth a read! A fascinating moment in India’s history and the first female police inspector – a perfect combination!

I really hope this book marks the start of a new series by Vaseem Khan. It's a great story and one book featuring the indefatigable and charming Inspector Wadia is simply not enough!

The story opens on New Year's Eve, 1949 in Bombay.  As the clock ticks over into a new decade of Indian independence, Inspector Wadia is called in to investigate the murder of an important British diplomat, Sir James Herriot.  Initially, it seems that Inspector Persis Wadia has been called precisely because no-one has any faith in her to actually solve the crime (she is India's first female police officer), or in the bunch of misfits she works with at Malabar House.  However, she is determined to prove her worth and unwilling to give in until she has uncovered the truth.

It's this determination that makes the pioneering Inspector Wadia such an interesting character.  She really has the odds stacked against her, but uses her intelligence, humour and sheer bloody-mindedness to take on an extremely politically sensitive case - Khan does not skimp on the history of India and Empire that have led to this precarious situation so there is plenty of explanation for those of us less well-versed in the politics.  However, the book is far from being simply a history lesson - in Persis Wadia, we are treated to a very human and realistic character grappling admirably with a situation way beyond her control.  We see her own struggles - including her strained relationship with her father and a rather sweet and inept flirtation with another investigator - and like her all the more for it.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes historical crime fiction with plenty of heart.  The setting is interesting, the characters are engaging and the plot is well-constructed.  You - like me - will end the book wondering what is next for Inspector Wadia and very much looking forward to finding out.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Photo by Shanu D from Burst

‘Death in the East’ by Abir Mukherjee

Published towards the end of 2019, this is my review of book 4 in the Wyndham and Banerjee series. As I promised in my review, I’ve caught up the missed books and absolutely love this series!

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up this book! Now I've read it - the fourth in the series featuring Captain Sam Wyndham and his Sergeant, Surrender-Not Banerjee - I've fallen in love with the series and shall immediately be making up for lost time with the other books. Although it would have been good to read these in order, I didn't feel that I was disadvantaged by reading this one first - it works as a standalone, I think.

At the start of this book, Captain Sam Wyndham of the Calcutta Police is in a state - he is an opium addict who is taking himself off to an ashram in rural India in order to break his addiction through a frankly barbaric vomiting cure. It's 1922 and the story mostly covers Wyndham's experiences at the retreat and then afterwards in a neighbouring town where he gets embroiled in investigating a crime. However, the story is also partially set in 1905 in Whitechapel in the East End of London where a young Sam Wyndham, a new Metropolitan police officer, is involved in solving a crime that has echoes and repercussions for him later in India.

I really loved the Indian setting of this book - it seemed at once exotic and interesting, but there was also a sense of the simmering resentments around the British Raj which added a frisson of danger to the proceedings. It was interesting to see the white privilege in action in the way that Wyndham was treated very differently to Banerjee in the expat community, even though Banerjee was meant to be the main investigating officer at one point. The characters are well drawn and I cannot wait to get into the other books to find out more about Banerjee in particular as he does not feature heavily here. There's clever plotting, peril and vibrant description - what more could you want?! My only quibble was that I solved the murder and worked out the method well ahead of poor Captain Wyndham, but when the novel is so beautifully written as this then that really doesn't matter.

Overall, this is an excellent historical crime novel with real depth and interest. I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who enjoys this genre or who wants more insight into the British Raj in India - it certainly is an eye-opener on this front!

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Photo by Shanu D from Burst