Mostly Murders

Book 1 in the Malabar House series.

Malabar House is the name of a police station in Bombay housing the undesired and failed members of the police force not trusted to be placed anywhere else. It is also the station where Persis Wadia is assigned. As India’s first and only female police officer, there are many within the force who are convinced that she is incapable of proper police work.

But on New Year’s Eve, 1949, Persis is the only officer on duty at Malabar House, and therefor becomes the investigation officer on a very high profile case. A notable English diplomat has been found murdered in his own home, and Persis reluctantly teams up with the criminalist Archie Blackfinch, embarking on what will turn out to be a highly politically sensitive and dangerous investigation.

This is a case that can make or break a career, and Persis will have to navigate some very treacherous waters to find the truth about what happened. The case and the suspects are steeped in prejudice, politics and priviledge and India itself is very much a fractured nation, still reeling from the Partition.

A historical whodunnit with a strong, but socially inept and politically naive female main character, and a reminder of the horrors of war and conflict, the dire consequences of colonialism and the destructiveness of prejudice and hate.

Mystery – Historical fiction – Detective – Crime