Murder in Old Bombay: A Mystery

This book is set in an exotic locale, is an historical fiction with mystery, has an added touch of adventure, and provides quite the story. If that weren't enough, it's a story based on a true one.

India - February, 1892
We're introduced to recovering soldier, Captain James Agnihotri, as he celebrates his 30th birthday in hospital. Although of mixed heritage, (Indian and presumably, English), he is quite well educated and well mannered. He's been reading the Chronicle (newspaper) and a bit of Sherlock Holmes to while away his recuperation. The sensational headlines speak of two Bombay women plunging to their deaths from the library tower but the details seem a bit off to James. He then, on a certain level, empathizes with the widower of show more one of the ladies as he reads the husband's letter to the editor. Soon, James is physically healed, honorably discharged, and on his way to Bombay in search of employment at the Chronicle. He believes that he has the skill set needed to get to the bottom of this story with the added benefit of segueing into a civilian career. While interviewing the widower, Adi Framji, James is enticed by Framji to do his sleuthing for Adi. Arrangements are made with the Chronicle to "loan" James to Framji's family in pursuit of the truth, which Adi so desperately craves. And so the story begins.

James Agnihotri is a bit of a tormented soul, struggling with a sense of not belonging. Purity of line plays a strong role during this time in history, to which James was not immune. Despite his strength of character, honor, will, knowledge and even bodily strength, he struggles with insecurity. He doesn't know who is father is. Growing up in an orphanage, he relied on a priest to provide fatherly guidance and care. Yet, his upraising and military service made him the man that he is - one of tremendous character.

Author Nev March spins a wonderful tale, filled with adventure, mystery, and a touch of romance. The writing is excellent and highly descriptive. One is swept away to Victorian Bombay through the marvelous scene settings, descriptions of attire, food and mannerly practices. Her understanding of India's history and its delicate colonialism of the day is beautifully rendered. The way in which she writes dialogue among people of differing cultures and castes is insightful and delivers a strong understanding of the rising desire for Indian self-rule. Yet, India has much to learn at this juncture lest it tear itself apart. The story was thoroughly captivating and I cannot wait until the next book in series makes its way into the world.

I am grateful to publisher Minotaur Books for having provided a complimentary uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone. show less

Murder and more! Wow!

I don't know why I'm so enamored with historical fiction/mysteries set particularly in the Indian subcontinent. But I am totally hooked! Amidst the Indian struggles for Independence, the influence of the East India Company and the results of British rule, there's much to set as a background that beckons.
In this mystery, placed mostly in Bombay (now Mumbai) of 1892, an injured illegitimate Eurasian soldier formerly of the Fourteenth Light Dragoons, until recently stationed in Burma and the Northwest Frontier, Captain James Agnihotri, is recovering from terrible injuries incurred in Karachi. James reads a newspaper report about the suicides of two young women and decides there are too many loose ends. He's show more particularly struck by a letter to the editor written by the husband of one of the women. The young man proclaims, "They are gone but I remain." Sentiments of grief James can relate to, particularly after Karachi. He determines to call on his inner Sherlock Holmes to do all he can to investigate the truth of the matter. Firstly as an investigate journalist and then as a Private Investigator for James takes up the baton.
Captain Jim's quest takes him inside the workings of a warm and wealthy Zoroastrian Parsee family, the Framji's, whom he comes to admire, even as he falls further into danger and intrigue. For the reader it's a trip through the Anglo-Indian politics and cultural etiquettes of the day. Along with a journey of prejudices, "Indians did not tolerate the mingling of races any more than the English." The power of the British Raj in certain places hovers in the background, in others it has no jurisdiction. Jim falls in love but must remain aloof. He finds a family and looses it. He finds himself! So many wonderful characters from the young girl he adopts as a sister to the determined young woman he cares for.
A radiant, emotionally satisfying read that unravels towards a rewarding and complex end.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley show less

I had my doubts about Murder in Old Bombay before I began reading it. Perhaps it would turn out to be one of those novels that romanticize colonialism—but perhaps it would turn out to be a really solid mystery that acknowledges the nature and costs of colonialism. Murder in Old Bombay turned out to be the second of those two, and I'm quite glad I took a chance on it. If you really want to understand the impact of colonialism in 19th Century India, you'll need more than a mystery novel, but Murder in Old Bombay can serve as a stepping off point.

Jim Agnihotri, our detective, is half British, half Indian, recently retired from the British military with both heroism and regrets to his record. On leaving the military he drifts a bit and show more falls into work investigating the deaths (suicide or murder?) of two women. In the process, readers are given glimpses into the social complexity of the times. Caste matters. But no caste is high enough to put one on equal footing with the British. Occupied India and small, independent states coexist with very differing sets of rules. The wealthy, both honorable and dishonorable, compete with one another. And we readers learn a bit about the history of Indian uprisings against the British.

What I particularly enjoyed about this title was its length and complexity—the mystery isn't easily solved and keeps unfolding. Every time the reader thinks a resolution is coming, another complication or a new direction of inquiry opens up.

This title is well worth reading on multiple levels. It will entertain, engage—and teach readers a thing or two about history. I received a free electronic ARC of this title for review purposes. The opinions are my own. show less

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a digital advanced reader copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was a very engaging historical mystery taking place in nineteenth century "Old Bombay." Captain Jim Agnihotri, recovering from a military skirmish in an Indian hospital in Poona, becomes fascinated by a newspaper story. He channels his idol, Sherlock Holmes, to solve a suspicious double suicide of two sisters.

Hired by Adi Framji, the husband of one of the sisters, Jim is welcomed into their family as he uses Holmesian deductions to solve the crime. The novel works on several layers: as a murder mystery; as a story of family - Jim is an orphan and the Framjis generously embrace him as a show more son; plus Jim rescues several children who become his temporary family; and as a romance with the remaining sister, Diana.

The novel provides many exciting episodes as Jim, time after time, narrowly escapes dangerous situations thanks to his cleverness in utilizing disguises such as Holmes would use, his military connections, and his training as a boxer. In addition, the author expertly describes the cultural mores of the period which cause much angst for Jim as he is of the wrong caste to marry Diana, who has become the love of his life.

I recommend this entertaining, debut novel which is based on a true story for several reasons. Jim is such a humble, likable character and the author skillfully recreates the sights, sounds, and scents of nineteenth century India. And of course for the clever mystery with its homage to Sherlock Holmes. show less

This debut mystery novel, Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March is a visual and historical delight. The reader quickly gets swept into the mystery of what happened to two young women in a well off Parsee family. Murder in Old Bombay takes place over months so the reader is really able to get a look into this family’s life and learn so much about all the characters.

And even though there are a lot of characters, March’s descriptions of the various character’s physical beings and dispositions are done so well, that I was never confused as to who each person was. I have had this happen with previous historical novels that had a large cast of people.

There are a lot of plot lines and things happening, but March’s style of writing makes show more everything easy to keep track of, and the mystery itself was very interesting. It wasn’t just one thing that was going on so it made solving the mystery even more fun.

If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes (March even makes comparisons to Holmes and Watson throughout the book) or Agatha Christie novels, you won’t want to miss Murder in Old Bombay. show less

Is it Suicide or "Murder in Old Bombay"?


Books are like time machines, transporting us to faraway places that stir our imagination. “Murder in Old Bombay” (Minotaur), the thrilling debut mystery by Nev March, is one such novel. It conjures the exotic fragrances of sandalwood, jasmine, and meats roasting at the local bazaars, images of women in silk shimmering saris and the gunfire of military skirmishes to carry us back to 1892 Imperial Bombay. It is a time when political tensions runs high as India challenges Victorian England’s rule over it’s sovereignty.
Captain James Agnihotri is recuperating in the hospital from war wounds when he spies a letter in the local newspaper. A young, well-to-do widower, Adi Framji, is lamenting show more the loss of his wife, Lady Bacha, and his sister, Pilloo, who have plunged to their deaths from Bombay’s highest clock tower six months earlier. The brutal incident intrigues Jim, and after his discharge from the hospital and the cavalry, he’s employed as a journalist to investigate the accident. Noting his commitment to the case, Adi Framji entices him to work for him because he seeks closure. He wants Jim to discover whether the ladies committed suicide, as determined by the court, or whether the women were murdered. Jim channels his hero, Sherlock Holmes, and quickly discovers that his prying inquiries can lead to danger, and romance.
It is no spoiler that Jim establishes proof that the women were murdered at the tower, and that a secret correspondence may have caused their demise. What was in the letter, and why were the women willing to sacrifice their lives for it? And who killed them and why? Secret alliances, caste prejudices, and hidden agendas contribute to the perils Jim encounters down every dark, winding street of old Bombay and it’s outskirts.
What begins as a Holmesque murder mystery sharply detours into a Rudyard Kipling action-adventure. Jim’s investigation lead to travels throughout the conflict stricken nation, where he becomes entangled in political espionage threatening the Raj’s (England’s rule) over India. During one quest, Jim is trapped in the rebel-occupied ancient Hindu city of Lahore, and he’s forced to make his way homeward on foot. Surrounded by the enemy, he accumulates a rag-tag troop of children-three boys, an injured girl and a baby-who follow him like a lovable Baloo from “The Jungle Book.” A confirmed bachelor, he becomes as attached to them as they are to him, and love and generosity suffuse his role as their protector.
The reader can’t help but wonder about Jim’s motivations to assist Adi and his family to solve the mystery. Jim is a mixed-breed orphan, born to an Indian mother and unknown British father, so his status has alienated him from proper Indian and British society. In the Framji’s, a Parsee merchantile family, Jim observes the family he’s never known. The Parsees, a race expelled from Persia, are people also wedged between two worlds. The Framji’s embrace him when he proves his dedication to uncovering the truth behind the murders by selflessly risking his own life. When lively Lady Diana Framji joins in the hunt as his “Watson,” Jim’s heart is faced with as much danger as the rest of him.
Revelations about Jim’s mysterious past are sprinkled throughout the novel, making him a sympathetic and likeable protagonist. After fleeing an orphanage as a teen, the military had become his life. Trapped in a skirmish with the Pathans in Karachi, he remains haunted by nightmares of the attack, and feels responsible for the slaughter of his men. He believes that if he can locate Lady Bacha and Poolli’s killer that might compensate for his failure as an officer and a gentleman.
It is easy to understand why “Murder in Old Bombay” won the 2019 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Inspired by real events, Ms. March captures the tense period of India’s past with historical reference to battles and a society steeped in the British Raj. Intertwining military clashes, the rising political tensions, and a romance with a mystery, Ms. March has built a captivating world inhabited by compelling characters. Wisely, she has included a prologue dictionary to assist readers navigating her universe.
If you yearn for an escape from these short, chilly days of autumn, “Murder in Old Bombay,” is a breath of sweet bougainvillea. It will intoxicate you and linger in your memory long after the clever puzzle has been solved. show less

How did two women fall from a university tower only moments apart from each other?

This is the question Captain Jim Agnihotri is asking after having read about the case while convalescing in a military hospital. The captain had been enjoying reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries, until he learns the women’s deaths were written up as suicides- and is moved by the stirring letter, Adi, the brother and widower of the two women, writes to the press begging respect for his wife and sister, insisting the women did not commit suicide!

Inspired by Sherlock Holmes, the unsatisfying investigation, and Adi’s letter to the press, Jim offers to privately inquire into the matter for Adi, who readily accepts the invitation. Along the way, Jim is show more introduced to Adi’s sister, Lady Diana Framji, who is determined to help with his investigation.

The two make a good detective team, but their feelings for one another grow much deeper as time passes…

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery, the premise, the backdrop and atmosphere, the romance, and the way everything came together in the end.

The author vividly captures the divisions of the day, the customs, and hierarchy. The story is educational, suspenseful, and emotional, but also, clean and entertaining. It was interesting that the book was based on a true story- which makes it even more fascinating!

4 stars show less