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The plot is a direct retelling of a 90's Bollywood hit film Sarfarosh starring Amir Khan and Sonali Bendre. In the movie, the culprit is a Muslim, whereas here he's a Hindu. I'd read another by Khan and given that I realized when I reached the end of this that it's the beginning of a series, I suppose I will do.
Vaseem Khan - Wikipedia Vaseem Khan - Wikipedia
I havent come across any novel set in this era and that too with an female police inspector – sounds quite an intriguing premise and I will keep a look out 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. Author Vaseem Khan chooses to create a very Hercule Poirot climactic scene in a church parlor, where, with the assistance of her British not-quite-beau, Persis succeeds in a ruse to gather a remarkably large group of Indian and British suspects hiding secrets that may or may not be relevant.A compelling mystery set in a fascinating period in India's tumultuous history. Inspector Persis Wadia, the India's first female detective, is gutsy, stubborn and ideally suited to navigate both the complexities of a murder in Bombay's high society and the politics of a police force that want to see her fail. A stunning start to brand new series from one of the UK's finest writers." - M W Craven Outstanding. I've always been a fan of Vaseem Khan but this latest offering is something special and something new. Vaseem is totally at the height of his powers with this novel which combines a flair for history, time and place with a genius for mystery. A novel for our times * Imran Mahmood *
Midnight at Malabar House | Vaseem Khan Midnight at Malabar House | Vaseem Khan
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!What a great start to a new series! I enjoyed not only the strong heroine, Inspector Persis Wadia and the fascinating 1950 Mumbai setting but also the rich history and interesting sociopolitical aspects of the story. My only quibble was that I found the story was a little too long. I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of Midnight at Malabar House the first novel to feature Inspector Persis Wadda, set in Bombay in 1950.
Midnight at Malabar House” by Vaseem Khan “Midnight at Malabar House” by Vaseem Khan
The story opens in Bombay on New Year’s Eve, 1949. Persis has been a detective at Malabar House, supposedly where all the unwanted or washed-up police end up, for six months. Top of her class at the academy, she is the only female police in India. She has pulled the midnight shift, and receives a summons to Laburnum House, residence of Sir James Herriot, found dead during his New Year’s party. Was a fast paced murder mystery- a police procedural of just independent India with all its nascent problems and a mobile foreign population. Perses, the first woman police officer, was a slightly irritating character, but I bore her with magnanimity. All the men characters were described with great attention to the sizes and shapes of their moustaches. Essential to the plot is the recent Partition of colonial India into Pakistan (where Muslim Indians are supposed to live happily ever after) and independent India (mostly Hindu).
Malabar House is the location of the district police force. It has served as a dead-end transfer for police officers unwanted elsewhere for a variety of reasons. This could be due to mistakes, incompetence, bad behaviour, or simply not fitting in with commanding officers. A compelling mystery set in a fascinating period in India's tumultuous history. Inspector Persis Wadia, the India's first female detective, is gutsy, stubborn and ideally suited to navigate both the complexities of a murder in Bombay's high society and the politics of a police force that want to see her fail. A stunning start to brand new series from one of the UK's finest writers * M.W. Craven *
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