The Bangalore Detectives Club
Spring is here, and with it the tease of summer – and that niggling desire to escape somewhere new. The Bangalore Detectives Club is exactly the book to escape into; set in 1920s Bangalore, this is the first in a charming, joyful cosy crime series, which (while set in the past) gives a fresh, exquisitely researched insight into its setting. Nagendra has expertly crafted a quietly scathing portrait of the British Raj, with her brilliant, clever and headstrong heroine – Kaveri – at its heart. You’ll love Kaveri. What’s more, what makes this book so exquisite is not just its gorgeous writing and compelling mystery, but how standout it is as a cosy crime novel – woven into the narrative is a subtle feminist and anti-colonial message. This is Miss Marple, if Miss Marple had to contend with a full-length sari, a jealous mother-in-law and the disapproving gaze of elite Indian society.
Chris Sturtivant
'An absolute corker of a book' - Amazon reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The first in an effervescent new mystery series. . . a treat for historical mystery lovers looking for a new series to savour (or devour)' NEW YORK TIMES
'Told with real warmth and wit. . . A perfect read for fans of Alexander McCall Smith and Vaseem Khan' - ABIR MUKHERJEE
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2022
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Murder and mayhem . . . monsoon season is coming.
Solving crimes isn't easy.
Add a jealous mother-in-law and having to wear a flowing sari into the mix, and you've got a problem.
When clever, headstrong Kaveri moves to Bangalore to marry doctor Ramu, she's resigned herself to a quiet life.
But that all changes the night of the party at the Century Club, where she escapes to the garden for some peace - and instead spots an uninvited guest in the shadows. Half an hour later, the party turns into a murder scene.
When a vulnerable woman is connected to the crime, Kaveri becomes determined to save her and launches a private investigation to find the killer, tracing his steps from an illustrious brothel to an Englishman's mansion. She soon finds that sleuthing in a sari isn't as hard as it seems when you have a talent for maths, a head for logic and a doctor for a husband.
And she's going to need them all as the case leads her deeper into a hotbed of danger, sedition and intrigue in Bangalore's darkest alleyways . . .
BOOK ONE IN THE BANGALORE DETECTIVES CLUB SERIES
*INCLUDES A BONUS CHAPTER OF DELICIOUS INDIAN RECIPES*
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'A gorgeous debut mystery with a charming and fearless sleuth . . . spellbinding' - SUJATA MASSEY
'Riveting. [Nagendra's] use of colonial history is thoroughly fascinating, with devastating depictions of the airy condescension of the British. A fine start to a promising series' BOOKLIST Starred Review
'Harini Nagendra takes us to a wonderfully unfamiliar world in this delightful debut mystery. . .I couldn't put it down' VICTORIA THOMPSON, USA Today bestselling author ofMurder on Madison Square
'Absolutely charming . . . this one is a winner!' CONNIE BERRY, USA Today best-selling and Agatha-nominated author of The Kate Hamilton Mysteries.
'An enjoyable trip back in time with a spunky young woman for company.' R V RAMAN, author of Fraudster and A Will to Kill
'This lush mystery will transport you to heady 1920s Bangalore . . . Mouth-watering fashion and food set against simmering colonial intrigue in this delicious whodunit can be devoured in one sitting' SUMI HAHN, author of The Mermaid from Jeju
