Bombay, 1950
The monsoon has started and as Bombay grapples with rain-induced chaos, a new case arrives at Malabar House. A man has been found frozen in the foothills of the Himalayas, near the town of Dehradun. His face has been crushed, seemingly by a rockfall. No one wants such a thankless task and so the case is handed to Persis Wadia. But an autopsy reveals this was no mountain accident - the man was murdered.
Two days later a second case lands at Malabar House. Stefano Renzi, a 30-year-old Italian autoparts manufacturer has been murdered, together with his Indian wife. Inspector Hemant Oberoi, as the senior detective at the station, leads the investigation. At the crime scene Oberoi discovers a wooden doll, dressed as a soldier.
When a third man is found dead days later, it's clear a killer is on the loose.
And when Persis discovers a wooden doll inside the church, she realises that the case is tied to the Renzi murder. But what links the two victims? And can Persis and Oberoi put aside their bitter rivalry to solve the case?
Dark, immersive, and full of Vaseem Khan's trademark wit, this is historical fiction at its finest. Book one in this series, Midnight at Malabar House, was shortlisted for the CWA Sapere Books Historical Dagger and is an international ebook bestseller.
Praise for the Malabar House series:
'This is a crime novel for everyone; for those who love traditional mysteries there are clues, codes and ciphers, but it also had a harder edge and a post-war darkness' Ann Cleeves
'Outstanding. I've always been a fan of Vaseem Khan but this latest offering is something special and something new' Imran Mahmood
'This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' Mail on Sunday
'This is historical crime fiction at its sharpest, set on the brink of independence and during a dramatic period of the subcontinent's history' Sunday Times