Book: Murder in Shimla
Author: Bulbul Sharma
Pages: 304
Publisher: Speaking Tiger Books
Read on: Kindle
Read in: 3-4 hours
Plot Summary: When, at the height of World War II, an uninvited guest arrives at a dinner party at Chartsville Hall, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner’s house in Shimla, the lives of its inmates are thrown into turmoil. Especially when the guest is blonde and beautiful—and found dead in her bed the next morning.
Who is Rosa Rodriguez and why did she come to Chartsville Hall? In the answer to that question lies the key to solving the murder. Inspector Ram Sen sets about diligently finding it, ably assisted by the redoubtable Mrs Tweedy, who knows everything that goes on in Shimla, though she hardly ever leaves her little cottage.
The line-up of suspects includes William Parker-Smith, the seemingly bland and boring Assistant Deputy Commissioner, his wife Helen, a very pukka English memsahib, and his acid-tongued sister, Emily; the gin-swilling Rani Sahiba of Manon and her dashing ADC, Johnny Singh; and a disgruntled domestic staff, led by Matilda, Helen’s faithful ayah.
Which of them had a hand in Rosa’s murder—and why? As Ram Sen and Mrs Tweedy, with help from William’s gentle niece, Mary, and Boris, the taciturn Russian, unravel the mystery, they are led into the murky world of the Lower Mall, of drug dealers and opium addicts, spies and assassins.
Things I Liked:
1. The premise of this book seemed really interesting. The setting of Shimla during the Second World War was interesting for multiple reasons, the primary being, what was going through the minds of the British in India? The country was rapidly slipping out of their grasp as the Freedom Struggle had reached a fever pitch, England was not doing so well in the War and the future of the Empire itself was mired in uncertainty. So, this whole period makes for an interesting setting of a murder mystery because there are multiple elements at play here.
2. The world building of pre-Independence Shimla is interesting. Ram Sen, an Indian police officer, investigating a murder in a sahib's house is looked down upon and barely tolerated by the family members. Also, there is the distinction between the posh, white world of the Upper Mall and the more squalid, gritty and burning-with-nationalistic-fervour world of the Lower Mall. So, the contrast between these two worlds and Ram Sen's precarious position in both of them was nicely done.
3. There were a few decent red herrings in this story. Multiple people with possible motives for murdering the mysterious Rosa Rodriguez. Always nice when that happens in a mystery book. There is Rosa's own mysterious past and possibly someone from there who'd have wanted her dead and, then again, there could be a reason that one or many members of the Parker-Smith household may have had a reason to kill her.
4. I loved Mrs. Tweedy! She is a Shimla old-timer. Her husband used to be a pastor and she has lived in Shimla almost all her life and knows everyone and everything that goes on. She also has a sharp mind and her collaborating with Ram (they have a little book club where they read Dickens) in solving this murder adds a lot to the story. I have always wondered about the Indian-born and raised British- did they think of England (where they'd never been) as their home? Or was, in so many ways, India their home? Where did they even belong?
5. The book is well-written and fast-paced and there is never a dull moment. Even when Ram is mulling over his own life and past, it feels like a natural part of the narrative and is not boring.
6. There is a nice twist in the end, which you may not see coming, but is quite nicely done!
Things I Didn't Like:
1. The motive for Rosa's murder was quite obvious to me (not bragging, but I do read a LOT of murder mysteries and so, I tend to guess these things) in the very first or second chapter, which bummed me out a bit. But, don't let that deter you from reading the book. It is not obvious at all!
Rating: 4/5
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