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The Last Kashmiri Rose

[Murder and Mystery in the Final Days of the Raj]
Jun 05, 2014Eosos rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
In 1920’s India a forward looking Scotland Yard detective is drawn into a mystery involving the suspicious death of a Bengal Grey’s wife. The more he discovers, with the help of the Collector’s wife Nancy, about the past 12 years in Panikhat the more foul play is discovered. I really enjoyed the story. The time period, the setting and all the characters were impeccable. The detective Joe Sandilands is smart, thoughtful and mostly quick witted. He handles the detecting well, jumping from clue to clue in a shrewd and ordered fashion. The supporting cast was interesting and fit into the story well, I especially liked the character of Naurung Singh, the Indian havildar assigned as interpreter, guide and assistant. The love interest was sufficiently sweet, without playing too large a role in the tale and the narrative didn’t get bogged down in to many details and asides. This was an enjoyable read that kept me up ‘til 2am to find out what happened.