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Malabar House #2
The Dying Day
A priceless manuscript. A missing scholar. A trail of riddles.
Bombay, 1950
For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands on Inspector Persis Wadia's desk. Uncovering a series of complex riddles written in verse, Persis - together with English forensic scientist Archie Blackfinch - is soon on the trail. But then they discover the first body. As the death toll mounts it becomes evident that someone else is also pursuing this priceless artefact and will stop at nothing to possess it... Harking back to an era of darkness, this second thriller in the Malabar House series pits Persis, once again, against her peers, a changing India, and an evil of limitless intent. Gripping, immersive, and full of Vaseem Khan's trademark wit, this is historical fiction at its finest.
Bombay, 1950
For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands on Inspector Persis Wadia's desk. Uncovering a series of complex riddles written in verse, Persis - together with English forensic scientist Archie Blackfinch - is soon on the trail. But then they discover the first body. As the death toll mounts it becomes evident that someone else is also pursuing this priceless artefact and will stop at nothing to possess it... Harking back to an era of darkness, this second thriller in the Malabar House series pits Persis, once again, against her peers, a changing India, and an evil of limitless intent. Gripping, immersive, and full of Vaseem Khan's trademark wit, this is historical fiction at its finest.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2021
310 people are currently reading
1,600 people want to read
About the author
Vaseem Khan
57Ìýbooks951ÌýfollowersVaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India and the upcoming Quantum of Menace, the first in a series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise. His debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the CWA Historical Dagger. Vaseem was born in England, but spent a decade working in India. Vaseem is the current Chair of the UK Crime Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
May 27, 2021
This is the second in Vaseem Khan's historical Malabar House crime fiction series, set in India in 1950, featuring the now famous ambitious Parsee Inspector Persis Wadia, India's first female police officer. Her fame has grown at a national level after events from the previous book, putting her under an uncomfortable spotlight, pushing her as a role model she is not keen to be, whilst at the same time derided for doing what is perceived as a man's job. She would rather just get on with her job which is her sole focus, she is not always a likeable personality, she is socially awkward, charmless, stubborn, feeling she has to constantly prove herself, and not at ease when it comes to her personal life, particularly as she had been betrayed the one time she had been in love. She is shying away from acknowledging the feelings she has for Archie Blackfinch, the English forensic scientist she works with, facing warnings from her family about becoming involved with a white British man, particularly given her high profile position. After WW2, India has undergone the horrors of partition that followed independence from Britain.
At the Bombay Royal Asiatic Society at Horniman Circle, a priceless copy of Dante's Divine Comedy has gone missing, assumed to be stolen by their celebrated British Curator of Manuscripts who has gone missing at the same time, John Healy, a survivor from a prisoner of war camp in WW2, a traumatic experience that left him a changed man. There are political implications, putting Wadia under pressure to find Healy and recover the valuable manuscript for which Mussolini had offered £1 million pounds but had been rebuffed. She finds herself following a trail of cryptic clues and riddles left behind by Healy, leading to the manuscript, which seems strange given that he had taken it. She has a second case, her boss, Roshan Seth has appointed George Fernandes as lead, who she is still furious with after he had betrayed her, leading to a fraught and awkward joint investigation of a murdered white woman left on the tracks.
Khan evokes a post-war India that is finding its feet, reconfiguring a new relationship with a Britain who is in the throes of losing its empire. His research of this period is impeccable, making this fascinating and colourful period of history come vibrantly alive, the mix of cultures and religion, along with the social norms and attitudes of the time. His central protagonist, the flawed and prickly Persis Wadia, feels like an authentic creation, having to constantly battle misogyny and a male world that would diminish and make invisible her achievements, she is a loner, much like Healy, whose past is slowly revealed in the book. This is turning out to be a wonderfully engaging and atmospheric historical series that I strongly recommend to both historical fiction fans and crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
At the Bombay Royal Asiatic Society at Horniman Circle, a priceless copy of Dante's Divine Comedy has gone missing, assumed to be stolen by their celebrated British Curator of Manuscripts who has gone missing at the same time, John Healy, a survivor from a prisoner of war camp in WW2, a traumatic experience that left him a changed man. There are political implications, putting Wadia under pressure to find Healy and recover the valuable manuscript for which Mussolini had offered £1 million pounds but had been rebuffed. She finds herself following a trail of cryptic clues and riddles left behind by Healy, leading to the manuscript, which seems strange given that he had taken it. She has a second case, her boss, Roshan Seth has appointed George Fernandes as lead, who she is still furious with after he had betrayed her, leading to a fraught and awkward joint investigation of a murdered white woman left on the tracks.
Khan evokes a post-war India that is finding its feet, reconfiguring a new relationship with a Britain who is in the throes of losing its empire. His research of this period is impeccable, making this fascinating and colourful period of history come vibrantly alive, the mix of cultures and religion, along with the social norms and attitudes of the time. His central protagonist, the flawed and prickly Persis Wadia, feels like an authentic creation, having to constantly battle misogyny and a male world that would diminish and make invisible her achievements, she is a loner, much like Healy, whose past is slowly revealed in the book. This is turning out to be a wonderfully engaging and atmospheric historical series that I strongly recommend to both historical fiction fans and crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
June 27, 2022
Me and this book just didn't work together.
I had serious problem getting into this story. I really liked the whole idea - India, 1950s, the first female police detective solving unusual cases. This is something new and exciting. Unfortunately, it turned out pretty quickly that I had a hard time connecting with this story and the main character. I don't know if it's because I haven't read the first book in this series? Hard to say. Also, sometimes things seemed to be too complicated and required too much explanation.
In the end, the book was fine, but I was expecting something more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had serious problem getting into this story. I really liked the whole idea - India, 1950s, the first female police detective solving unusual cases. This is something new and exciting. Unfortunately, it turned out pretty quickly that I had a hard time connecting with this story and the main character. I don't know if it's because I haven't read the first book in this series? Hard to say. Also, sometimes things seemed to be too complicated and required too much explanation.
In the end, the book was fine, but I was expecting something more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2021
My thanks to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Second in the Malabar Hall series by the author, The Dying Day is a historical mystery featuring the (fictional) first female police inspector in India Persis Wadia. Set in 1950s Bombay, we find ourselves at a time when the country is still finding its feet, there is some amount of disillusionment and also the shadows of the unspeakable violence and death that marked the partition.
Persis is asked to take up an investigation at the Asiatic Society but other than being told that there’s a missing manuscript, she hasn’t been given details. Arriving there she finds it isn’t just a rare manuscript but an over six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, one of the two oldest in the world. Not only that, the curator in-charge John Healy, a renowned scholar working on a translation of the MS has gone missing as well. But why would someone that well known steal the manuscript? The matter is of course not as simple as it seems on the surface, and soon Persis finds herself faced with a series of riddles and ciphers which she must solve to reach the manuscript. The pressure is immense as the matter can lead to a politically charged situation if not resolved soon. Alongside, the body of a white woman is found on the railway tracks and a forensic examination reveals that this was not a suicide but murder. Persis� nemesis of sorts, George Fernandes is asked to lead the investigation while Persis is simply to supervise but this leads to some tensions for Fernandes had leaked information to the press in a past investigation showing her in poor light.
Alongside Persis has to also cope with the attention she attracts due to her position as the first woman inspector as also the mistrust and disapproval. There are also troubles in her personal life as she finds she has feelings for forensic investigator Archie Blackfinch (whom her family would never approve of) while her old love interest Zubin Dalal (who had betrayed her, and married another woman) is back in the picture.
This was a really interesting mystery which had so many elements that I enjoy, and kept me engrossed throughout.
For starters, I should say that even though this was a second in series, I found I didn’t have any problems getting into the story as the author has included sufficient recaps and background (I mean the basics of Persis� story and the threads that continue across the books) for one to be able to grasp things and follow along.
When I had requested the book, I had done so on the basis that it was a historical mystery set around the first woman inspector but I don’t think I had taken in what the mystery was about so that actually turned out to be a really pleasant surprise when I started. For, a mystery with a missing ancient manuscript, and a set of riddles and codes to solve to get to it is something right up my alley and I absolutely loved it. I didn’t make any attempts to solve the riddles (though I doubt I would have gotten far not knowing Bombay so well), but thoroughly enjoyed watching Persis work them out. An added bonus for me was that since Persis� father Sam runs a book shop, we have literary references and allusions throughout and she also solves many of the questions in her mind through the books she has come across in the shop or by looking things up.
I also really liked that the basic background and many of the elements that the mystery was based around including the Dante manuscript and Bombay’s architecture are real. I think one more familiar with Bombay (or Mumbai as it now is) would enjoy it all the more for the places referenced would be a great deal more fun for them. Other than Bombay and its history, the events of World War II also impact the mystery for the curator Healy had been a prisoner of war, and another character is also haunted by their experiences.
Persis herself I found slightly hard to like although I could understand her reasons for being as she is. She joined the police in a sense because she was told she couldn’t but now she simply wants to do her job and not be the centre of attention in any way, yet she finds herself being treated as some sort of exhibit or zoo-animal which while not surprising, makes her prickly and short with people.
That small complaint apart, I found the book to be far more interesting (and even more meaty) than I had expected and enjoyed it thoroughly.
4.5 stars
[The other small niggle was I was unsure about was how Persis was an inspector since as far as I know IPS officers start out at a higher rank.]
Second in the Malabar Hall series by the author, The Dying Day is a historical mystery featuring the (fictional) first female police inspector in India Persis Wadia. Set in 1950s Bombay, we find ourselves at a time when the country is still finding its feet, there is some amount of disillusionment and also the shadows of the unspeakable violence and death that marked the partition.
Persis is asked to take up an investigation at the Asiatic Society but other than being told that there’s a missing manuscript, she hasn’t been given details. Arriving there she finds it isn’t just a rare manuscript but an over six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, one of the two oldest in the world. Not only that, the curator in-charge John Healy, a renowned scholar working on a translation of the MS has gone missing as well. But why would someone that well known steal the manuscript? The matter is of course not as simple as it seems on the surface, and soon Persis finds herself faced with a series of riddles and ciphers which she must solve to reach the manuscript. The pressure is immense as the matter can lead to a politically charged situation if not resolved soon. Alongside, the body of a white woman is found on the railway tracks and a forensic examination reveals that this was not a suicide but murder. Persis� nemesis of sorts, George Fernandes is asked to lead the investigation while Persis is simply to supervise but this leads to some tensions for Fernandes had leaked information to the press in a past investigation showing her in poor light.
Alongside Persis has to also cope with the attention she attracts due to her position as the first woman inspector as also the mistrust and disapproval. There are also troubles in her personal life as she finds she has feelings for forensic investigator Archie Blackfinch (whom her family would never approve of) while her old love interest Zubin Dalal (who had betrayed her, and married another woman) is back in the picture.
This was a really interesting mystery which had so many elements that I enjoy, and kept me engrossed throughout.
For starters, I should say that even though this was a second in series, I found I didn’t have any problems getting into the story as the author has included sufficient recaps and background (I mean the basics of Persis� story and the threads that continue across the books) for one to be able to grasp things and follow along.
When I had requested the book, I had done so on the basis that it was a historical mystery set around the first woman inspector but I don’t think I had taken in what the mystery was about so that actually turned out to be a really pleasant surprise when I started. For, a mystery with a missing ancient manuscript, and a set of riddles and codes to solve to get to it is something right up my alley and I absolutely loved it. I didn’t make any attempts to solve the riddles (though I doubt I would have gotten far not knowing Bombay so well), but thoroughly enjoyed watching Persis work them out. An added bonus for me was that since Persis� father Sam runs a book shop, we have literary references and allusions throughout and she also solves many of the questions in her mind through the books she has come across in the shop or by looking things up.
I also really liked that the basic background and many of the elements that the mystery was based around including the Dante manuscript and Bombay’s architecture are real. I think one more familiar with Bombay (or Mumbai as it now is) would enjoy it all the more for the places referenced would be a great deal more fun for them. Other than Bombay and its history, the events of World War II also impact the mystery for the curator Healy had been a prisoner of war, and another character is also haunted by their experiences.
Persis herself I found slightly hard to like although I could understand her reasons for being as she is. She joined the police in a sense because she was told she couldn’t but now she simply wants to do her job and not be the centre of attention in any way, yet she finds herself being treated as some sort of exhibit or zoo-animal which while not surprising, makes her prickly and short with people.
That small complaint apart, I found the book to be far more interesting (and even more meaty) than I had expected and enjoyed it thoroughly.
4.5 stars
[The other small niggle was I was unsure about was how Persis was an inspector since as far as I know IPS officers start out at a higher rank.]
Read
April 23, 2023Second in this series about a sort of 1950s Bombay Slough House for awkward police, including India's only female DI. I found this much more assured than the first in the series, like the author has settled into the characters more. Fascinating setting, cosmopolitan, full of flashpoints (racism, misogyny, colonialism, religious clashes, class issues, going in all directions). The plot is kind of bananas but who's complaining. Highly readable.
July 26, 2021
This was a gripping, intelligent mystery, even better than the first accomplished work of the series. In this book, Persia truly shines as an exceptional detective, refusing to be cowed by the misogyny and male dominant culture around her. It was also fascinating to read about WWII from an Indian perspective. And now the long wait until the next one�.many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
September 1, 2022
When I started this book, I was more than excited because the prequel seemed very interesting but this book was a blunder. Too much repetition of the same old plot.
It’s good that men are writing about women and sharing their support with the feminist movement but this was messed up. I have started hating Persis because she’s too stubborn and self-obsessed that she eventually wipes off the efforts of men who try to help her. No, that’s not how feminism works. Totally mislead and a twisted agenda is present over here.
Plus, how on Earth the villain holds you on a gunpoint and starts a two-hour long tirade about his life journey? Seemed so pointless. Actually EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK SEEMED POINTLESS. I don’t know why did the author choose to write a sequel when he couldn’t collect his thoughts together and god knows why he felt the need of making unnecessary connections out of nowhere.
This single book is about Italy’s history, events of the holocaust and after that, narratives of the survivors of the holocaust, some stupid love triangle details (Totally unnecessary), freemasonry, art history, psychology, architecture and even about a tea maker’s exceptional tea making skills but everything seems so stuffed and unnecessarily stretched.
P.S: If I would be a writer for this book, I would have ended it right on the 100th page. Rest of the pages were added for I don’t know what reason. I am disappointed, heartbroken and extremely agitated!!!
It’s good that men are writing about women and sharing their support with the feminist movement but this was messed up. I have started hating Persis because she’s too stubborn and self-obsessed that she eventually wipes off the efforts of men who try to help her. No, that’s not how feminism works. Totally mislead and a twisted agenda is present over here.
Plus, how on Earth the villain holds you on a gunpoint and starts a two-hour long tirade about his life journey? Seemed so pointless. Actually EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK SEEMED POINTLESS. I don’t know why did the author choose to write a sequel when he couldn’t collect his thoughts together and god knows why he felt the need of making unnecessary connections out of nowhere.
This single book is about Italy’s history, events of the holocaust and after that, narratives of the survivors of the holocaust, some stupid love triangle details (Totally unnecessary), freemasonry, art history, psychology, architecture and even about a tea maker’s exceptional tea making skills but everything seems so stuffed and unnecessarily stretched.
P.S: If I would be a writer for this book, I would have ended it right on the 100th page. Rest of the pages were added for I don’t know what reason. I am disappointed, heartbroken and extremely agitated!!!
September 3, 2022
easy going read but felt though it was too slow for my liking and took ages to actually get going
July 8, 2021
The Dying Day is the second instalment in the terrific Malabar House series, and this time it centres around a murdered man and bespoke treasure, and Persis must solve the riddle to find the killer - or die trying. Bombay, 1950 and India's first female police detective, Persis Wadia, is summoned to the 150-year-old Bombay Royal Asiatic Society at Horniman Circle. The society's preeminent treasure, a priceless manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy, has vanished, as has the society's head curator, William Huxley, an Englishman with a passion for Indian history. Tasked to recover an item for which Benito Mussolini once offered one million pounds, Persis soon uncovers a series of murders and a trail of tantalising coded clues that lead her into the dark heart of a conspiracy.
This is a scintillating, superb and compulsive mix of luscious historical fiction and absorbing mystery. Khan has a vast historical knowledge of India which comes to the fore throughout and it's clear the country is still feeling the effects of World War II. His extensive knowledge brings both the time and place vividly to life by touching on culture, religion and the food as well as traditions and customs consistent with the time period. You can almost smell the spices. Some of the views of the time are shown through our protagonist’s struggles in a male-dominated workplace which fostered a culture of misogyny, condescension and entitlement, and Persis must work twice as hard as the men to prove her worth. This is a compelling, engrossing and richly atmospheric historical mystery. Highly recommended.
This is a scintillating, superb and compulsive mix of luscious historical fiction and absorbing mystery. Khan has a vast historical knowledge of India which comes to the fore throughout and it's clear the country is still feeling the effects of World War II. His extensive knowledge brings both the time and place vividly to life by touching on culture, religion and the food as well as traditions and customs consistent with the time period. You can almost smell the spices. Some of the views of the time are shown through our protagonist’s struggles in a male-dominated workplace which fostered a culture of misogyny, condescension and entitlement, and Persis must work twice as hard as the men to prove her worth. This is a compelling, engrossing and richly atmospheric historical mystery. Highly recommended.
October 30, 2021
This second book in the Malabar House series is stunning in delivery and historical content and context within a brilliantly imagined plot centered on one very precious book desired by many. If you have not tried this series, do start with the first book for a better understanding of the main characters. You will need that first introduction to India's first female detective, Persis Wadia. Her brilliant mind is center-stage in this puzzling mystery, keeping her one step ahead of many determined criminals in the hunt for a hidden jewel of a book.
May 23, 2021
Okay. Let me just put this out there - I really loved this book. Why am I saying this so plainly? Well, because I'm not really sure how to review the book and do it justice without risking some spoilers. This is a very clever, puzzling, historical mystery, with brilliant characters, a lot of suspense and a lot of tragedy, wrapped up in a story that touches upon a part of history that will remain memorable for all of the wrong reasons.
At the heart of the story we have the mystery of the missing manuscript - an ancient and priceless copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy. Not only has the book disappeared, but so has the reputed scholar who was working on it. The simple answer is the most obvious - the scholar, one John Healy, took the book. If that is the case then why would he be leaving a series of clues that appear to be leading police directly back to the missing tome? That is exactly what Inspector Persis Wadia needs to work out in a hunt for a book that turns more dangerous with every new clue.
I loved the blend of mystery and police investigation in this book. Not only do we have Persis and the team trying desperately to find the book to stave off some kind of diplomatic incident between India and the Italian Government, but we also have the increasingly cryptic clues left by Healy. A mystery within a mystery. Add to this a separate murder investigation and the pressure is certainly on the team. It's not helped by the fact that as India's first female Inspector, Persis faces an uphill battle in gaining the respect and support of her team. It's a very believable dynamic,one which helps to shape Persis's character as every interaction seems like a very personal battle, another moment where she needs to prove her worth.
I do love Persis Wadia as a character. She is someone I can actually identify with. Not the same circumstances at all, and I faced far less resistance, but I had the dubious honour of being the first woman appointed to a Managerial operational role in a previous company. It's that need to be taken seriously, to prove yourself every bit as worthy as the male counterparts, whilst not wanting to accept concessions or seen as a role model just because of being female that certainly rings true. It makes for a real point of conflict with her colleague Archie Blackfinch too. That, and his simply being British, makes the clear chemistry between the two fun to watch but difficult for them to navigate. They are such opposites - Persis so serious whilst Archie is far more laid back, almost clumsy in his manner, but they make a perfect pair and I love reading about them.
There is a really serious side to this book, taking us back into Healy's past and a dark part of history. I really enjoy the way the author brings history to life within the books without overloading the reader with detail. The darkness, the atrocities are clear, the detail enough to give the story context but leaving scope for readers to go and do their own further reading should they desire. Not that this particular part of history is ever far from our minds. The narrative is pitched perfectly, the description of the history and of the setting, putting readers front and centre in the story, even when it is not necessarily comfortable to be there. Through the depiction of the surroundings and the characters, the author really brings India, and beyond, to life.
With so many people determined to get their hands on The Divine Comedies, there are no end of suspects, and Vaseem Khan skilfully lays out all the motivations whilst leaving the real danger hidden in plain sight. There is a sense of jeopardy, especially for Persis, and as the full truth is unveiled, you realise just how deadly it could all get. The suspense is maintained until the last and I was completely engaged in the story to the very last, defiant page.
Loved it. Please tell me we are getting a book three?
At the heart of the story we have the mystery of the missing manuscript - an ancient and priceless copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy. Not only has the book disappeared, but so has the reputed scholar who was working on it. The simple answer is the most obvious - the scholar, one John Healy, took the book. If that is the case then why would he be leaving a series of clues that appear to be leading police directly back to the missing tome? That is exactly what Inspector Persis Wadia needs to work out in a hunt for a book that turns more dangerous with every new clue.
I loved the blend of mystery and police investigation in this book. Not only do we have Persis and the team trying desperately to find the book to stave off some kind of diplomatic incident between India and the Italian Government, but we also have the increasingly cryptic clues left by Healy. A mystery within a mystery. Add to this a separate murder investigation and the pressure is certainly on the team. It's not helped by the fact that as India's first female Inspector, Persis faces an uphill battle in gaining the respect and support of her team. It's a very believable dynamic,one which helps to shape Persis's character as every interaction seems like a very personal battle, another moment where she needs to prove her worth.
I do love Persis Wadia as a character. She is someone I can actually identify with. Not the same circumstances at all, and I faced far less resistance, but I had the dubious honour of being the first woman appointed to a Managerial operational role in a previous company. It's that need to be taken seriously, to prove yourself every bit as worthy as the male counterparts, whilst not wanting to accept concessions or seen as a role model just because of being female that certainly rings true. It makes for a real point of conflict with her colleague Archie Blackfinch too. That, and his simply being British, makes the clear chemistry between the two fun to watch but difficult for them to navigate. They are such opposites - Persis so serious whilst Archie is far more laid back, almost clumsy in his manner, but they make a perfect pair and I love reading about them.
There is a really serious side to this book, taking us back into Healy's past and a dark part of history. I really enjoy the way the author brings history to life within the books without overloading the reader with detail. The darkness, the atrocities are clear, the detail enough to give the story context but leaving scope for readers to go and do their own further reading should they desire. Not that this particular part of history is ever far from our minds. The narrative is pitched perfectly, the description of the history and of the setting, putting readers front and centre in the story, even when it is not necessarily comfortable to be there. Through the depiction of the surroundings and the characters, the author really brings India, and beyond, to life.
With so many people determined to get their hands on The Divine Comedies, there are no end of suspects, and Vaseem Khan skilfully lays out all the motivations whilst leaving the real danger hidden in plain sight. There is a sense of jeopardy, especially for Persis, and as the full truth is unveiled, you realise just how deadly it could all get. The suspense is maintained until the last and I was completely engaged in the story to the very last, defiant page.
Loved it. Please tell me we are getting a book three?
May 19, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of The Dying Day, the second novel set in 1950 to feature Inspector Persis Wadia, the first female officer in the Bombay Police.
Persis is called in when the Asiatic Society discovers that a priceless 600 year old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy is missing, along with its curator, renowned academic John Healy. Uncovering a trail of cryptic clues Persis is soon on the hunt, but it gets more complicated with a series of murders.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Dying Day, which has a plot much broader in scope than I imagined from the blurb, and, more importantly, an excellent style that lured me in from page one and never let go.
The novel is told entirely from Persia’s point of view so the reader gets to live the events with her. Obviously as the first woman in the police service she is viewed as a trailblazer, but she sees herself as more stubborn, not so concerned with women’s rights as proving her naysayers wrong. She is an unlikely heroine, but actions prove louder than words as she attacks and solves her cases. Her voice is strong, not just in her ability to solve cases, but in her doubts, fears and dithering over her love life. In short she’s wonderful.
The plot is really interesting. What an imagination the author has to marry a complicated plot to historical fact and characters seamlessly and at the same time bring Bombay to life. I love all the snippets of fact he includes and yet I didn’t recognise the real life characters incorporated into the novel. The author has an engaging style of writing, so I never wanted to put the book down. The language is easy to read but not simple, seems vivid and there is some sly humour to further engage the reader. The plot has reveals on a regular basis, spurring the curiosity, and the turns it takes when broadening out are eye popping, but not fantastical or unbelievable given the setting and timeframe. I think it’s a tour de force that gets everything right.
The Dying Day is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Persis is called in when the Asiatic Society discovers that a priceless 600 year old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy is missing, along with its curator, renowned academic John Healy. Uncovering a trail of cryptic clues Persis is soon on the hunt, but it gets more complicated with a series of murders.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Dying Day, which has a plot much broader in scope than I imagined from the blurb, and, more importantly, an excellent style that lured me in from page one and never let go.
The novel is told entirely from Persia’s point of view so the reader gets to live the events with her. Obviously as the first woman in the police service she is viewed as a trailblazer, but she sees herself as more stubborn, not so concerned with women’s rights as proving her naysayers wrong. She is an unlikely heroine, but actions prove louder than words as she attacks and solves her cases. Her voice is strong, not just in her ability to solve cases, but in her doubts, fears and dithering over her love life. In short she’s wonderful.
The plot is really interesting. What an imagination the author has to marry a complicated plot to historical fact and characters seamlessly and at the same time bring Bombay to life. I love all the snippets of fact he includes and yet I didn’t recognise the real life characters incorporated into the novel. The author has an engaging style of writing, so I never wanted to put the book down. The language is easy to read but not simple, seems vivid and there is some sly humour to further engage the reader. The plot has reveals on a regular basis, spurring the curiosity, and the turns it takes when broadening out are eye popping, but not fantastical or unbelievable given the setting and timeframe. I think it’s a tour de force that gets everything right.
The Dying Day is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
July 8, 2021
image: 
Head to Mumbai for some criminal investigations
A real literary treasure hunt!
This is a novel which quite cleverly mixes fact and fiction to a very good effect. A manuscript of Dante’s famous book has gone missing. This is important as there has been tension between Italy and India regarding this for years so its loss is not just financial but political and of course, all about honour. We are in an India that has recently experienced partition so Bombay is a divided city in more ways than one.
Female police officer Persis is stuck in between two worlds and not just in a political sense. She is the only female police officer in India and so she has more to prove than most. Not least to her aunt who, in keeping with the literary links, seems to have read Pride and Prejudice a few too many times. It is not a universally acknowledged truth that all women are in need of a good wife.
The city and the politics of the time and place make this novel what it is. There’s so much careful research and casual observations drip-fed throughout and this makes the novel shine. Bombay’s post partition growth spurt for example means that the infrastructure of the city is lacking. On top of that, there is instability in the country. With Nehru’s political reforms and the British withdrawal, the city is a hotbed of instability.
Back to the literary leaning of this novel for that is what really griped me. Ancient texts in Greek, a missing Dante manuscript and a novel in a hidden bookcase with another clue�..My oh my Vaseem. I was totally engrossed in this novel from start to finish!
A deliciously good literary treasure hunt and mystery.
Head to Mumbai for some criminal investigations
A real literary treasure hunt!
This is a novel which quite cleverly mixes fact and fiction to a very good effect. A manuscript of Dante’s famous book has gone missing. This is important as there has been tension between Italy and India regarding this for years so its loss is not just financial but political and of course, all about honour. We are in an India that has recently experienced partition so Bombay is a divided city in more ways than one.
Female police officer Persis is stuck in between two worlds and not just in a political sense. She is the only female police officer in India and so she has more to prove than most. Not least to her aunt who, in keeping with the literary links, seems to have read Pride and Prejudice a few too many times. It is not a universally acknowledged truth that all women are in need of a good wife.
The city and the politics of the time and place make this novel what it is. There’s so much careful research and casual observations drip-fed throughout and this makes the novel shine. Bombay’s post partition growth spurt for example means that the infrastructure of the city is lacking. On top of that, there is instability in the country. With Nehru’s political reforms and the British withdrawal, the city is a hotbed of instability.
Back to the literary leaning of this novel for that is what really griped me. Ancient texts in Greek, a missing Dante manuscript and a novel in a hidden bookcase with another clue�..My oh my Vaseem. I was totally engrossed in this novel from start to finish!
A deliciously good literary treasure hunt and mystery.
August 8, 2021
I gave this series another chance, after the first book, but it´s worse. Too many (and repetitive) rants: twisted feminism, Brits are awful,etc,etc. Unnnecessary explanations of eeeeverything (Nazis,Freemasons,Dante). The protagonist is frankly irritating.Plus, the writing´s not good. The plot is not bad, but the author throws everything into the pot, and the result is underwhelming.The author´s other series (baby Ganesh) is much better, maybe because he isn´t lecturing the reader all the time;the writing flows.
So, goodbye to impossible to stand Persis.
So, goodbye to impossible to stand Persis.
July 9, 2021
** I have been trying to write this for over 20 minutes - having a headache makes it nearly impossible to write coherent thoughts. But I am already a day behind in reviewing this and so it needs to be done. I apologize in advance for how jumbled this may seem.
When the first book in this series came out, I was happy for a new book from Mr. Khan, but upset that he was not currently writing a new "Inspector Chopra" book. And then I read it and all was forgiven. With this second installment in the "Malabar House" series, my admiration for Mr. Khan and his writing just continues to grow, as well as my love for Persis Wadia and all things India.
It is rare for me to develop book crushes - I have never been one to swoon over Mr. Darcy [though the actors that play him are a completely different story! ;-) ] or anyone like that, so if I develop a real affection for a character, it means that they have to be extremely well-written. This is where I am with Persis Wadia. She is absolutely amazing. Even when she is frustrating [going alone to the astronomy tower at night Persis? R E A L L Y??? Sigh], she is amazing. Her non-existent people skills is something I strive for [someday I will be able to say exactly what I feel and not worry what people will think of me and then walk away from it as well], and I love how she fights for herself in every way she knows how, even when she is fighting Aunt Nussy [who is formidable in her own right and who Persis is more like than she's like to admit, just in a way different way] and her campaign of making a "girl" out of Persis. She is also a top-notch Inspector/investigator, with the kind of analytical mind that every mystery loving person both loves and wishes they had. She is close to being the perfect character, which is really rare. Well done Mr. Khan.
The only negative for me with this book [aside from my continuing learning about India and Partition and wishing I knew more] was that is was centered around Dante's Inferno and I have not yet read that and I spent quite a bit of time going "what? WHAT does that even mean" [though I admit it has made me even more intrigued about it and I know that I will have to read it in the next year or so] all while being intrigued by the poetry of Inferno and how it was used to lead Persis and her team on an extremely extravagant treasure hunt, which led to a very clever reveal and ending. And while I guessed several things much earlier than Persis did, I didn't know the why or where and even the knowing didn't take away from the amazingness of this book and the end was very well done - and hopefully leaves it open for more books. Because I will not be a happy camper if Persis is regulated to just two books; she deserves so many more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vaseem Khan, and Hodder and Stoughton [UK] for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When the first book in this series came out, I was happy for a new book from Mr. Khan, but upset that he was not currently writing a new "Inspector Chopra" book. And then I read it and all was forgiven. With this second installment in the "Malabar House" series, my admiration for Mr. Khan and his writing just continues to grow, as well as my love for Persis Wadia and all things India.
It is rare for me to develop book crushes - I have never been one to swoon over Mr. Darcy [though the actors that play him are a completely different story! ;-) ] or anyone like that, so if I develop a real affection for a character, it means that they have to be extremely well-written. This is where I am with Persis Wadia. She is absolutely amazing. Even when she is frustrating [going alone to the astronomy tower at night Persis? R E A L L Y??? Sigh], she is amazing. Her non-existent people skills is something I strive for [someday I will be able to say exactly what I feel and not worry what people will think of me and then walk away from it as well], and I love how she fights for herself in every way she knows how, even when she is fighting Aunt Nussy [who is formidable in her own right and who Persis is more like than she's like to admit, just in a way different way] and her campaign of making a "girl" out of Persis. She is also a top-notch Inspector/investigator, with the kind of analytical mind that every mystery loving person both loves and wishes they had. She is close to being the perfect character, which is really rare. Well done Mr. Khan.
The only negative for me with this book [aside from my continuing learning about India and Partition and wishing I knew more] was that is was centered around Dante's Inferno and I have not yet read that and I spent quite a bit of time going "what? WHAT does that even mean" [though I admit it has made me even more intrigued about it and I know that I will have to read it in the next year or so] all while being intrigued by the poetry of Inferno and how it was used to lead Persis and her team on an extremely extravagant treasure hunt, which led to a very clever reveal and ending. And while I guessed several things much earlier than Persis did, I didn't know the why or where and even the knowing didn't take away from the amazingness of this book and the end was very well done - and hopefully leaves it open for more books. Because I will not be a happy camper if Persis is regulated to just two books; she deserves so many more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vaseem Khan, and Hodder and Stoughton [UK] for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2022
God this was good. A much twistier and imho more propulsive mystery than the first in this series, and one that’s mostly a lot of fun—riddles! Dante! Like if The Da Vinci Code was set in 1950s Bombay except the clues weren’t from the artifact itself, the foundations of no religions were insulted, Freemasons DID appear briefly but also like,. realistically, and everything’s being solved by a deeply annoyed Parsee woman and written by an author with an innate sense of curiosity and human empathy. So... not like The Da Vinci Code at all, except for the riddles. Very pleased to report that I puzzled out bits of at least a couple of them, but I don’t think they’re overly simplistic for the story.
This one didn’t quite hit me emotionally the way the first did, at least not as frequently, until the end. I think that’s simply to do with Persis solving a case that doesn’t quite involve her own history in the same way; she doesn’t get lead into dwelling on the horrors of Partition in quite the same way. But then at other times that clarity of goodness and humanity comes shining through and hits hard. Once SPOILERS are revealed to be involved, that history does get given weight, which makes the second half of the book both faster (like most mysteries) AND denser.
To be honest, Khan is brilliant at endings. I’m going to take his writing course simply to learn about them from him, because he wraps everything—plot, character, emotion, them—up together SO deftly and with SUCH impact.
Also, I am cheerleading this slowly budding, difficult, awkward romance so hard. They are both so strange and yet ultimately so lovely! They are working so hard for it!
This one didn’t quite hit me emotionally the way the first did, at least not as frequently, until the end. I think that’s simply to do with Persis solving a case that doesn’t quite involve her own history in the same way; she doesn’t get lead into dwelling on the horrors of Partition in quite the same way. But then at other times that clarity of goodness and humanity comes shining through and hits hard. Once SPOILERS are revealed to be involved, that history does get given weight, which makes the second half of the book both faster (like most mysteries) AND denser.
To be honest, Khan is brilliant at endings. I’m going to take his writing course simply to learn about them from him, because he wraps everything—plot, character, emotion, them—up together SO deftly and with SUCH impact.
Also, I am cheerleading this slowly budding, difficult, awkward romance so hard. They are both so strange and yet ultimately so lovely! They are working so hard for it!
May 6, 2022
A really well done mystery! Persis is on the case of a missing Dante manuscript and the (also missing) scholar working on it. He’s left a series of coded clues to follow, resulting in a fast-paced twisty plot as Persis struggles to solve them. Meanwhile, a European woman is found dead on the tracks. On this case, Persis is forced to work with a colleague who betrayed her in the past. Some of Persis� rougher edges have smoothed out; although still prickly, she is learning to be less reactive. She has more finesse when questioning witnesses and suspects. Her love life, however, is a mess but she tries to remain focused on her work. The story came to a very satisfying conclusion although with a bit of a cliffhanger. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 14, 2023
I enjoyed the mystery. It was smartly plotted and intriguing.
I did notice a lot of explaining about Indian history/cultures, the Raj, British Colonialism, the role of the East India Company, etc. It felt a bit heavy handed, and it was needed and contributed to the story.
And I realized today that this title would not pass the Bechdel Test. Persis is saved and/or greatly assisted by men in this book as well as the previous one in this series. She may be the first female inspector and may have broken new ground but in terms of the story arc, she seems to need men to perform her work and solve the mystery.
"It always amazed her how so few Englishmen could bring themselves to acknowledge the truth of the Raj and the East India Company period prior to that, both continuing little more than a protracted pirate enterprise, a means of taking enormous wealth from the subcontinent while inflicting terrible suffering on the local populace...."
I did notice a lot of explaining about Indian history/cultures, the Raj, British Colonialism, the role of the East India Company, etc. It felt a bit heavy handed, and it was needed and contributed to the story.
And I realized today that this title would not pass the Bechdel Test. Persis is saved and/or greatly assisted by men in this book as well as the previous one in this series. She may be the first female inspector and may have broken new ground but in terms of the story arc, she seems to need men to perform her work and solve the mystery.
"It always amazed her how so few Englishmen could bring themselves to acknowledge the truth of the Raj and the East India Company period prior to that, both continuing little more than a protracted pirate enterprise, a means of taking enormous wealth from the subcontinent while inflicting terrible suffering on the local populace...."
January 20, 2024
Very enjoyable mystery with a nice literary puzzle at its heart. Academic John Healy has disappeared, along with a precious manuscript of Dante’s Divine Comedy which he was studying at Bombay’s Asiatic Centre. Persis Wadia investigates and finds herself following a series of literary clues that lead to an unexpected secret in the missing man’s wartime past.
This was an ingenious and interesting plot. I enjoyed how Khan worked in his historical places and characters, linking his post-Partition setting to the events and buildings of the Raj. Persis is a great character who we see developing her confidence as the first woman police inspector in Bombay, and we also learn more about her past romantic life. The allusions to Dante’s life and his great masterpiece are skilfully but lightly done so that they add to the interest of the mystery.
This is developing into an excellent series and I’m looking forward to picking up the next episode.
This was an ingenious and interesting plot. I enjoyed how Khan worked in his historical places and characters, linking his post-Partition setting to the events and buildings of the Raj. Persis is a great character who we see developing her confidence as the first woman police inspector in Bombay, and we also learn more about her past romantic life. The allusions to Dante’s life and his great masterpiece are skilfully but lightly done so that they add to the interest of the mystery.
This is developing into an excellent series and I’m looking forward to picking up the next episode.
May 6, 2022
This is book 2 in a delightful new series by Khan. Persis Wadia, a Zoroastrian, is the first woman inspector in Bombay--in all of India, in fact. She has to face inbred misogyny and her own explosive temper time and again. She's surprised to be called in on a daring robbery--apparently brilliant English scholar John Healey, the curator of manuscripts for the prestigious Asiatic Institute, has gone off with the oldest known manuscript of "The Divine Comedy," leaving an enigmatic trail of clues behind him. Only Persis, who grew up in her father's antiquarian bookshop, can decipher the clues, which she hopes will lead her to the manuscript. Secret codes, secrets from the past--what's not to like? And a few corpses to add a little pizzazz!
August 26, 2021
I enjoy these series, the setting and the main character are interesting and likeable and i like khan's writing and the mystery.
February 8, 2023
This was an excellent second novel in the 'Malabar House' series. Vaseem Khan writes beautiful narrative, and the plot kept me guessing until the end. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Five stars. Would I read it again? Yes.
Five stars. Would I read it again? Yes.
February 23, 2024
The first book was amazing and so I expected a similarly refreshing and exciting plot in book 2. Instead we are brought into a Da Vinci Code repeat with the added Indiana Jones theme of “oh no, Nazis!�
Of course, if you are into WW2 history and that type of mystery this book is perfect…it has all the cliches-freemasonry, church confessionals, long paragraphs about secret police and Mussolini..
But if you are expecting a story unique to Mumbai, you will be disappointed. This story could’ve taken place in London or DC and been the same.
I still like the idea of Malabar House so I’m giving 3 stars but I hope the next book is better.
Of course, if you are into WW2 history and that type of mystery this book is perfect…it has all the cliches-freemasonry, church confessionals, long paragraphs about secret police and Mussolini..
But if you are expecting a story unique to Mumbai, you will be disappointed. This story could’ve taken place in London or DC and been the same.
I still like the idea of Malabar House so I’m giving 3 stars but I hope the next book is better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 17, 2021Very very weird mystery in this one - mysterious codes, treasure hunts, fugitive Nazis, stolen manuscripts! - which requires even more infodumping than in the first book, now mostly in dialogue rather than in the third person narrative which I'm not sure works any better. I'm also not sure what he's doing with Persis, his detective, who seems to be moving from detective loner-type to actively alienating all humans around her. I'm going to keep reading these though because the historical setting is so beautifully done, and I'm a sucker for a slow-burn relationship.
November 24, 2022
A mystery compared to the da Vinci code definitely caught my eye in the new book section Georgetown Texas. I liked the setting - India in the 1950’s.
I did not know that much about India at the time of World War II however I did know of Gandhi and Gandhi‘s death and his cause but not much more. This book enlighten me on several aspects of that history. As for the mystery part, it was OK but maybe not that believable. The author Describes the woman police officer as brilliant yet very unaware of her emotions and not clear about who she should or shouldn’t like. She seems strong but is weak I thought.
Another reason that I picked this book up was that on the front cover there is a quote by Ann Cleeves suggesting that the book is brilliant. Well I beg to differ.
I also get annoyed when writers use the same word twice within 20 pages. I’m sure it’s a tough position to edit but one that needs to be gone over with a fine tooth comb. That’s it for me today. I did finish the book and obviously I enjoyed it enough to read all the way through.
I did not know that much about India at the time of World War II however I did know of Gandhi and Gandhi‘s death and his cause but not much more. This book enlighten me on several aspects of that history. As for the mystery part, it was OK but maybe not that believable. The author Describes the woman police officer as brilliant yet very unaware of her emotions and not clear about who she should or shouldn’t like. She seems strong but is weak I thought.
Another reason that I picked this book up was that on the front cover there is a quote by Ann Cleeves suggesting that the book is brilliant. Well I beg to differ.
I also get annoyed when writers use the same word twice within 20 pages. I’m sure it’s a tough position to edit but one that needs to be gone over with a fine tooth comb. That’s it for me today. I did finish the book and obviously I enjoyed it enough to read all the way through.
October 13, 2021
2021 bk 310. As always, Khan delivers a well written mystery that has been well researched. Persis Wadia must learn more about the old books so enamored of by her father, the academic world she had left behind, and all of her roles and responsibilities as the first female police inspector in India. Well crafted.
July 9, 2022
Think telling a story in the style of Dan Brown is a mistake. Nobody does riddles and suspense better than him even today. Compared to Brown, this book stands nowhere.
I liked the first book in the series by the author as I am a big fan of historical crime fiction. But while there were no loose ends, i didnt think the mystery was thick enough. Will be reading book #3 in the series releasing soon.
I liked the first book in the series by the author as I am a big fan of historical crime fiction. But while there were no loose ends, i didnt think the mystery was thick enough. Will be reading book #3 in the series releasing soon.
July 8, 2021
ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
Happy Pub Day!
As with the first book in the Malabar House series, I enjoyed this immensely, and I'm happy to report that the second installment is even better than the first!
There's a wonderful experience to be had from a book that at once entertains and educates you, and Khan is an absolute master at this difficult balancing act. Refreshingly, Khan's writing isn't didactic or pompous: instead, the wealth of knowledge on his subject matter and the seemingly endless supply of slightly obscure English words seem a gift he's eager to share with his reader, rather than tools he wields in an attempt to impress.
Even accounting for my numerous pit stops along the way - whether it was looking up a newly discovered word or scouring a Wikipedia page detailing a particularly interesting means of scarification - I sped through the book in a fog of pure enjoyment and the thrill of the chase. Riddles and intrigues and interwoven mysteries propel the book's solid characterisation and setting, and some surprising bends in the road to the conclusion keep you hooked to the last.
May there be many more of Persis Wadia exploits to come!
Happy Pub Day!
As with the first book in the Malabar House series, I enjoyed this immensely, and I'm happy to report that the second installment is even better than the first!
There's a wonderful experience to be had from a book that at once entertains and educates you, and Khan is an absolute master at this difficult balancing act. Refreshingly, Khan's writing isn't didactic or pompous: instead, the wealth of knowledge on his subject matter and the seemingly endless supply of slightly obscure English words seem a gift he's eager to share with his reader, rather than tools he wields in an attempt to impress.
Even accounting for my numerous pit stops along the way - whether it was looking up a newly discovered word or scouring a Wikipedia page detailing a particularly interesting means of scarification - I sped through the book in a fog of pure enjoyment and the thrill of the chase. Riddles and intrigues and interwoven mysteries propel the book's solid characterisation and setting, and some surprising bends in the road to the conclusion keep you hooked to the last.
May there be many more of Persis Wadia exploits to come!
June 28, 2021
Another book by this brilliant author which takes us into the world of post British India. Persis Wadia is the only woman Police Inspector in India
and boy has she got to face discrimination, snide remarks, looks and worse. Persis a Parsee (a small forward thinking minority community) has the support of
her father but her Aunt who has looked after her since the death of her mother finds it tough to accept Persis's role in the masculine world she occupies.
On the one hand Persis herself knows that she is going to find it singularly difficult to find a partner. But at the same time, her career is important
to her and she is not going to allow anything to get in her way.
The case of a missing book worth millions starts the case going, with the main protagonist going missing. He is an erudite scholar and it is only through
the sheer brilliant workings of Persis's mind that she unravels the cryptic clues he leaves behind. A mix of detection and knowledge of the classics slowly
unwinds the puzzle, and with the murder of a white woman (uncommon in post British India) the pressure is on to solve the case.
When Italian diplomats also get involved in the case, it is obvious that big money is also somehow involved and it is a running battle for Persis with the
reluctant help of her colleagues to prevent more murders and find out who is behind the robbery.
A fascinating look at colonial India (post Colonial actually) with all the workings and administration as it were before.
I loved this story (my second read of Persis's exploits). With all the inhibitions and difficulties of 1950s India.
and boy has she got to face discrimination, snide remarks, looks and worse. Persis a Parsee (a small forward thinking minority community) has the support of
her father but her Aunt who has looked after her since the death of her mother finds it tough to accept Persis's role in the masculine world she occupies.
On the one hand Persis herself knows that she is going to find it singularly difficult to find a partner. But at the same time, her career is important
to her and she is not going to allow anything to get in her way.
The case of a missing book worth millions starts the case going, with the main protagonist going missing. He is an erudite scholar and it is only through
the sheer brilliant workings of Persis's mind that she unravels the cryptic clues he leaves behind. A mix of detection and knowledge of the classics slowly
unwinds the puzzle, and with the murder of a white woman (uncommon in post British India) the pressure is on to solve the case.
When Italian diplomats also get involved in the case, it is obvious that big money is also somehow involved and it is a running battle for Persis with the
reluctant help of her colleagues to prevent more murders and find out who is behind the robbery.
A fascinating look at colonial India (post Colonial actually) with all the workings and administration as it were before.
I loved this story (my second read of Persis's exploits). With all the inhibitions and difficulties of 1950s India.
July 31, 2021
There is absolutely no doubt that Vaseem Khan’s The Dying Day will claim in a place in my Top Ten of the Year, being a superb follow up to Midnight At Malabar House, which also appeared in my final round up of 2020. Persis Wadia is a fantastic character, being an intelligent, astute and utterly focussed female police officer, grappling with the natural misogyny that arises from her position, but also for the layers of personal tribulation that Khan builds into her character. Coupled with this, Khan has constructed a mystery that is blindingly clever and intricate that will appeal to all bibliophiles, centred on the theft of a literary treasure. There are riddles and ciphers along the way, that not only test Persis and her colleagues, but will also baffle and misdirect the reader too, leading to a rich and rewarding reading experience. Khan also demonstrates his trademark precision in his rendering of the historical detail of the period, giving the reader a real sense of India emerging from the suffocation of British rule, and finding its feet in a new era, not wholly untroubled by violence and division. I completely loved The Dying Day from start to finish, and came out of the other side of it totally sated by not only the characterisation, but also the feeling of having read a truly satisfying and intriguing crime mystery. Wholeheartedly recommending this one to you all.
April 19, 2021
Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? Add in literary goodness, a murder or two, a few mysteries to solve, an author with a great sense of humour, and a cameo appearance by two of history’s big names and you’ve got a fantastic book.
Another thing this book has going for it is that it’s set in a time period that isn’t usually used when writing murder or mystery genre. Khan set his second installment in 1950s Mumbai, India and highlights the impact of partition, independence and WW2 and explores how these affected the lives of not only the natives but also colonials. Readers will be delighted with the sights and sounds of India as they follow clues and keep up with the detective as bodies pile up and the twists keep coming!
I love that a strong female is the lead in this series because it showcases so many unique conflicts of this era. Persis Wadia, Bombay’s only female police inspector has a tough job ahead of her. In addition to the task of finding her niche in a male-dominated career, she is also on the hunt for the valuable manuscript, a 600-year-old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, stolen from Bombay’s Asiatic Society archives and a missing scholar, the man charged with the document’s care. Persis and a forensic scientist pair up to solve the mystery. Before long, they realize they are not alone in their quest for the document. The author has given Persis personality and strength to forge her own path, even when it means being pitted against her peers.
My only concern was that I felt the infusion of the historical information bogged the storyline down. I wonder if it could be incorporated in such a way that it felt more part of the story rather than plopped into the story. I’m sure this seamless stitching of fact and fiction is possible.
Although the author is British-born, his decade in India in his 20s has inspired his writing. In addition, his employment for the past 16 years in the Department of Security and Crime Science at University College London has added to the authenticity of his crime writing.
I didn’t feel at a disadvantage having not read book 1. I would read more of the Malabar House Series of historical fiction
I was gifted this advance copy by Vaseem Khan, Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Another thing this book has going for it is that it’s set in a time period that isn’t usually used when writing murder or mystery genre. Khan set his second installment in 1950s Mumbai, India and highlights the impact of partition, independence and WW2 and explores how these affected the lives of not only the natives but also colonials. Readers will be delighted with the sights and sounds of India as they follow clues and keep up with the detective as bodies pile up and the twists keep coming!
I love that a strong female is the lead in this series because it showcases so many unique conflicts of this era. Persis Wadia, Bombay’s only female police inspector has a tough job ahead of her. In addition to the task of finding her niche in a male-dominated career, she is also on the hunt for the valuable manuscript, a 600-year-old copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, stolen from Bombay’s Asiatic Society archives and a missing scholar, the man charged with the document’s care. Persis and a forensic scientist pair up to solve the mystery. Before long, they realize they are not alone in their quest for the document. The author has given Persis personality and strength to forge her own path, even when it means being pitted against her peers.
My only concern was that I felt the infusion of the historical information bogged the storyline down. I wonder if it could be incorporated in such a way that it felt more part of the story rather than plopped into the story. I’m sure this seamless stitching of fact and fiction is possible.
Although the author is British-born, his decade in India in his 20s has inspired his writing. In addition, his employment for the past 16 years in the Department of Security and Crime Science at University College London has added to the authenticity of his crime writing.
I didn’t feel at a disadvantage having not read book 1. I would read more of the Malabar House Series of historical fiction
I was gifted this advance copy by Vaseem Khan, Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
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