by Nev March (Author), Vikas Adam (Narrator), Macmillan Audio (Publisher)

An audiobook review

MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY! What a grand tale of adventure, suspense, mystery, intrigue, and a love too strong to die. Set in 1890s Bombay and surrounding areas in British-ruled India, a brave, principled, half-Indian ex-soldier takes on a murder investigation with not a bit of experience, only a determination to make things right.

As Captain Jim Agnihotri is recovering in a military hospital from battle injuries and serious PTSD, he has little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. A tragic story catches his attention, and he decides to help. The family of two young women who died in strange circumstances hires him to find the truth. In the next 6 months, he finds and follows the tiniest of leads, faces roadblocks, and is forced into desperate side journeys to get closer to the truth. It comes in the final pages…. but at what cost?

The book is very well written, and the audiobook narrator is SUPERB. I quickly got immersed in the fascinating tale the detective was telling. As well as being happily entertained, I learned some of the history of British rule in India and the native uprisings of the time. I learned about the caste system that forbids the love between a half-Indian-half-British orphan who grew up to be the investigator and the beautiful only remaining daughter in a high-caste Parsee family. There are sad but happy-ending mini-stories of lost children rescued, brave endeavors for king and country by desperate soldiers, and the prideful family injuries that come from trying to “save face.” 

This is a great book, well-deserving of the ‘Mystery Writers of America’s First Crime Novel award! It’s longer than I usually read (400 pages print, 16 hours audio), but it is so worth it. I could hardly put it down to sleep or work!

MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY is based on a true story and brings this historical age to vivid life. 

FIVE STARS!