The Bangalore Detectives Club

I've found a new historical mystery series to enjoy. Set in 1920s India, The Bangalore Detectives Club was a pure delight for someone like me who prefers the cosier side of mysteries yet craves authentic historical detail and a vibrant, multi-facetted setting.

The sleuth is a young Indian wife determined to study mathematics, supported by her new(ish) husband, a doctor. Through them, a picture emerges of a new and exciting vision both gender relations and for their colonised country, while always keeping the story on a human, compassionate, and sweetly humorous scale. Even the - for me - unusual circumstance of instantly picking out the villain ("it can't be this easy," I thought; "this must be a red herring." ) barely impacted my enjoyment. I absolutely loved the three-dimensional characters and the dynamics of their interactions, the searching social and political commentary, and the deft writing - all treated with a light touch, a lot of heart, and passionate caring.