The fifth installment of Vaseem Khan’s Malabar House series opens in explosive style – an assassination attempt of a political figure is foiled and Inspector Persis Wadia’s British colleague, Archie Blackfinch, is left in critical condition. But between being shot and dying, the would-be assassin whispered a message to Persis and gave her a mystery amulet. Having despatched the would-be assassin, Persis finds herself sidelined from the assassination investigation and diverted to another case where a burned body is found in a wealthy neighbourhood.
But this is Persis. She didn’t become the first female police inspector in India by giving up at the first hurdle, and she’s going to tackle both cases. She’s probably one of my favourite lead fictional detectives, as she’s flawed yet tenacious and stubborn, and will not stop until she uncovers answers. And when she gets the answers she’s looking for, she continues to question until she is sure the answers are the correct ones.
This attitude puts her at odds with everyone, her colleagues, her family, and in The City of Destruction, her investigations of both cases put her in the path of the British Intelligence Services.
Vaseem Khan doesn’t sugar-coat the reality of India post-partition, tensions are high politically, society divided, but the writing makes us feel we’re really there – Bombay is loud and vibrant and busy. Khan’s attention to detail is masterful, every word counts in building atmosphere and tension as Persis follows where her investigations lead, no matter who the evidence points to.
The audiobook is an excellent listen – Maya Soroya is the perfect narrator for Persis’ investigations, drawing the listener in from the start.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this audiobook.
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