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Wadia eventually establishes several lines of enquiry. Herriot was investigating atrocities during Partition, about which plenty of people have matters to conceal. His assumed wealth is found to be illusory, something his business partner might have resented. His missing trousers, when found, hint at some sexual or romantic liaison which might have been a cause for jealousy. There is a lot of potential to make this a series - like maybe breaking this book into 3 books for start. I can imagine writing a complete book is nothing short of achievement. And so the one additional star. 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. The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country’s first female detective. She’s a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book’ ANN CLEEVES 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!
Midnight at Malabar House” by Vaseem Khan “Midnight at Malabar House” by Vaseem Khan
In 2021, Khan was awarded the Sapere Books Historical Dagger Award by the Crime Writers' Association. [9] In May 2023, Khan was elected the chair of the Crime Writers' Association. [10] Works [ edit ] The second novel in the series is The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown. [12] The plot of the novel revolves around the theft of the world's most famous diamond – the Koh-i-Noor, originally mined in India before being appropriated by the British and handed to Queen Victoria during the Raj. In the novel the Crown Jewels are brought to India for a special exhibition. A daring robbery sees the Koh-i-Noor stolen and Chopra and Ganesha called in to try and recover the great diamond. A beautifully complex plot and an Agatha Christie-ish denouement make for a thoroughly satisfying read, and a burning desire to see what’s next for Persis. 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:
Vaseem Khan's new book is an absolute treat from start to finish. A satisfying murder mystery and a fascinating evocation of India just after Partition, it also introduces the clever, endearing (and somewhat stubborn) Detective Persis Wadia to the world. I'm already looking forward to her next case * Antonia Hodgson *
Midnight at Malabar House - Fantastic Fiction Midnight at Malabar House - Fantastic Fiction
A note here - if you are unfamiliar with India's history, I would highly suggest reading up on the Colonialism of India by Britain and then reading up on Partition and what happened during that time and what it meant for India and its people. Because if you go in with little to no knowledge, you will be spending a LOT of time looking things up because both of those topics are vital to the story. I have read quite a few books about India, set in India or Pakistan and I still learned stuff I didn't know. So I would suggest reading something, even if it is to give yourself a refresher course via Google or Wikipedia.This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' Mail on Sunday 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. The stabbing of an English gentleman at a New Year's Eve party in the early hours of 1950 sounds like a Golden Age murder mystery, and Murder at Malabar House has all the suspects, twists and red herrings that we'd expect. But this is India, just after partition, and the leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country's first female detective. She's a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book * Ann Cleeves *
Midnight at Malabar House (The Malabar House Series) by
Wadia is a very relatable, real character. The only woman among male colleagues and bosses who tell her that she does not deserve to be among them, she is plagued with doubt. Khan describes her style of investigation with an intimacy that makes the novel charming: There is a lot to like in this book.Most notably, there is a wealth of information and history about the demise of the British Raj and the religious and secular conflicts that arose from the Partition of India. Much of the viewpoint is presented from an Indian point of view, which is a refreshing departure from a host of Anglo centric novels that have been written.
Summary
The historical tidbit he's given and that's exactly how much of facts he's presented are irrelevant to the plot. Bibi ghar massacre and the info on Haji Ali have no relevance to the plot. it really makes no difference, whether it's included in the story or not. Haji Ali was off limits to women till as late as the 70's. Would they really allow a rich American woman to just walk in without the required dress code and smoke in the premises?? Any religion would take offence at the disrespect shown. Persis Wadia is the first female police officer in India. She works at Malabar House, home to misfits or policemen who have made career limiting mistakes. Persis is on duty on New Year's Eve in 1949 when a call comes in to investigate the murder of a prominent British official, Sir James Herriot, during a party he is hosting. His throat has been cut in his study in a compromising position, and his trousers are missing. Turns out, he has been asked to look into atrocities associated with the Partition (i.e., the contention establishment of Pakistan, based on religious beliefs.) 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). I do like a gritty crime novel and modern forensics, but sometimes a slightly gentler approach is desirable, as in ‘Midnight at Malabar House’. The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country's first female detective. She's a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book' Ann Cleeves
The Lost Man of Bombay: The thrilling new mystery from the
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. And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country's most sensational case falls into her lap. One can only hope that the wounds of history are healed in the fullness of time. Only then might the ghosts of Partition, the millions of dead and missing, find peace."Loving Indian locale and fiction as much as I do, this one just barely made the cut. NO Thrity Umigar here. Persis is confronted with a murder case with many suspects, all with a motive to want Sir James dead. This is a police procedural that shows the strenuous work and tedium of police investigations. Persis displays intuition, intelligence, inductive reasoning, as well as the determination to put the clues together and come up with a plausible theory. The solution is Agatha Christie influenced. She gets all the suspects together in a room and outlines her investigation and conclusions step by step, suggesting which people who are innocent and cleverly identifying the guilty party and the motive.
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