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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. 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.
The best recent thrillers – review roundup - The Guardian The best recent thrillers – review roundup - The Guardian
The story opens with Persis Wadia, the first female detective in the about-to-be Indian Republic, answering a phone at the Malabar House police station. The caller is reporting the murder of his boss, one of the few British diplomats that has found a niche for himself in the new India. Because there are higher-level police bureaus in Bombay, there's more than a hint that the team at Malabar House is being called in because it's lowest on the totem pole and likeliest to fail. After five novels and two novellas in the Baby Ganesh Agency series, I am excited to reveal that my new book is a historical crime novel set in 1950 in India. It’s called MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE and introduces Inspector Persis Wadia of the Bombay Police, India’s first female police detective. The period is incredibly intriguing. It’s just after Indian Independence, the horrors of Partition and the assassination of Gandhi. Social and political turmoil is rife in the country. Yet Bombay remains cosmopolitan, with thousands of foreigners still in the city. New Book Announcement: “The Inscription of Things: Writing and Materiality in Early Modern China” by Thomas Kelly 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 CLEEVESSpotlight on Vaseem Khan". University College London. 11 August 2015. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016 . Retrieved 13 April 2016. Lying in the heart of the Malabar house, there’s a tale of avarice,love, betrayal and newly founded India which is striving hard to clean the dark bloats of partition and imperialism.
Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan – and other ideas! ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan – and other ideas!
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 As with Khan’s established Ganesh series, however, the crime under investigation provides a basis for the author to explore wider issues, and there is plenty of material here of interest: the continuing resentment against the British Raj for withholding independence for so long; the mixture of religions and beliefs thrown into a new environment after Partition; and the development of a truly home-grown culture.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 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. 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
Midnight at Malabar House: Winner of the CWA Historical Midnight at Malabar House: Winner of the CWA Historical
The tactic of "let's give the case to the least experienced detective who's sure to screw it up but then again, maybe not" is straight out of the book of classic procedural devices for Indian crime novels. It popped up a few days ago in the last book I read (The Waiter by Ajay Chowdhury) and it was so obvious as to be almost insulting.Mr. Khan definitely doesn't know Mumbai/Bombay. The four streets he's mentioned still exist so no research needed. Plot is interesting, keeps you hooked on to it throughout as the trauma of partition unrolls itself before the readers. Repetition seemed the only irksome thing about the book, as I felt that the author wants to stuff the information into the reader’s mind by repeating it a good ten times. Besides, the long and melodramatic stretches could have been avoided, because the book seemed good with a Bollywood touch to it (but you can’t complain as the settings of the novel screamed for the touch of the city of dreams i-e: Bombay). Khan keeps the narrative simple. He does not want to rush the readers towards the murderer; there is no sense of urgency to the plot. Wadia’s perspective of looking at details keep the readers engaged.
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