Book: Midnight at Malabar House
Author: Vaseem Khan
Pages: 336
Read on: Kindle
Read in: 4 hours
Plot Summary: Bombay, New Year's Eve, 1949
As India celebrates the arrival of a momentous new decade, Inspector Persis Wadia stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city's most unwanted unit of police officers. Six months after joining the force she remains India's first female police detective, mistrusted, sidelined and now consigned to the midnight shift.
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.
As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world's largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder - whatever the cost.
Things I Liked:
1. The premise of the book is really interesting. A book set in 1950 in an Indian at the verge of becoming a Republic. The story of India's first (fictional) woman police officer and a murder mystery to boot! What is not to like?!
2. The female protagonist of this book- Persis Wadia- is very likeable. She is bright, good at her job, hyper-focused on proving herself and is angry at being sidelined and under-estimated by her peers and the brass. She is a bit prickly, a bit awkward and not very good at all things "feminine". Her determination to solve Sir James' murder and the lengths she is willing to go to find the truth is very nicely depicted.
3. The supporting cast of characters in this book are also varied and nicely written. Persis' colleagues- her boss- Roshan and his team- Fernandes, Haq, Birla and Oberoi are difficult but not all are misogynistic. Oberoi is entitled and misogynistic but Birla is supportive and is rooting for Persis. The politics of the police force is, as expected, quite frustrating and awful and Persis tries her best to rise above it.
4. The actual mystery and motive behind Sir James' murder is quite interesting and the plot has enough red herrings to keep the reader's interest going. Don't want to spoil it for any of you because you should read this book!
5. The book is well-paced and taut with very little superfluous chapters or details. Always a good thing in a murder mystery!
Things I Didn't Like:
1. This is a historical crime fiction book in which Bombay is as big of a character as anyone else. The author talks a lot about how Bombay is changing post-Independence with the influx of people from rural India moving to the city in search of livelihood etc. However, the author gets a lot of 1950s Bombay wrong. For instance, he puts several characters' homes in Cuffe Parade. A posh part of town that didn't exist until the mid-1960s (at the earliest!) because in 1950 all that area was under the sea :) This is not a very difficult piece of information to cull out as it is there on Wikipedia (of all the places!)! Similarly, a lot of the food available in Bombay's eateries in 1950 were just not a part of the city's foodscape until much later- iced tea, momos, for instance! :) Anyway, these are small pet peeves from someone who is from Bombay and loves Bombay and has been a student of history. It doesn't take away from the core murder mystery or investigative process of the book.
Rating: 4/5
If you enjoy historical fiction and murder mystery with a plucky female protagonist out to prove herself, then do read this book. You'll enjoy it!
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