Peril at the Exposition by Nev March

PERIL AT THE EXPOSITION by Nev March (Murder in Old Bombay) is the second historical mystery (set in 1893) in an intriguing series featuring a young woman from India, Diana Framji, and her husband, Captain Jim Agnihotri. Formerly a soldier in the British army, Jim is now a detective based in Boston. One of his colleagues is murdered on assignment and the firm sends Jim to Chicago, where the Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) is underway, to learn more. After a few weeks have passed with no word, Diana is alerted to danger for Jim so she, too, heads to the Midwest. There, along with an eclectic ensemble of helpers (a cross dresser, a street urchin selling matches, an African American employee of the firm), Diana takes advantage of her society contacts and tries to discover who may be plotting to use explosives and disrupt the fair. March, whose earlier book in the series was an Edgar award finalist, uses the period setting to share details of Chicago history (e.g., the Rookery, Wrigley’s chewing gum), of class unrest and worker exploitation (e.g., references to the Haymarket Riot), and of the conflicting attitudes towards adopting electricity more widely (Nikola Tesla even makes a cameo appearance). PERIL AT THE EXPOSITION offers a complex mystery combined with historical and social perspective. A new immigrant herself, Diana reflects on Americans “[who] were curious creatures, stiff and distant when you first meet them, patronizing even. Perhaps they imagined people born elsewhere must either be deaf or stupid. Yet, I’d found them to be generous and forgiving, even kindly when one did not expect it.” Enjoy this story – there are sure to be more for this adventurous young couple.

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev March is the first of many mysteries I am sure to be reading this year. Set in India in 1892 (with flashbacks to the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion), this story centers on James Agnihotri, recently retired Anglo-Indian cavalry captain. It’s full of questions about acceptance and social strictures – related to caste and as well as religious tolerance.  Two young women died after falling off a university clock tower and the Captain is hired to learn the truth of what happened.  It’s a twisty mystery with travels throughout India, from Bombay to Lahore, Simla, and Ranjpoot, with more than one daring rescue event. The writing is evocative of the time and place with turns of phrase like “memory touched my skin with a cold finger.” There are repeated references to Sherlock Holmes – both to his techniques (e.g., using disguises) and to his characteristics (Agnihotri is also an amateur boxer). Like Holmes, the Captain is attracted to a seemingly unavailable woman and the “romance” is at first a happy sidelight; later, it becomes a bit too much of the story. Nevertheless, the characters are generally admirable for as Agnihotri muses, “our choices drive who we are … and who we want to be.” Winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award, MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY is an entertaining debut filled with suspense and historic detail.