Monday, December 26, 2022

The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan

 
First Lines: March, 1950-- Tsangchokla Pass, Himalayan foothills. Have you lost your mind?
 
When the body of a white man is discovered frozen in a cave in the Himalayan foothills, he is christened the Ice Man by the media, and public interest runs high.
 
Inspector Persis Wadia investigates, trying to find out who the Ice Man is and why he was murdered. She soon pieces together clues left behind by the dead man that leads her straight into the heart of a conspiracy-- and more deaths.
 
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The Lost Man of Bombay is the latest entry in one of my favorite historical series. Khan does an excellent job of portraying a post-World War II, post-Partition India remaking itself in its new era of independence. Persis Wadia has her first ride on an airplane as she searches for answers to the Ice Man's identity, but that's not all she has to contend with.

Her father has a new woman in his life, and Persis does not want to deal with it. The entire situation brings up too many memories... and too many questions about the future. Something else she does not want to deal with is Seema Desai, a young girl from the slums of Bombay whom she's supposed to mentor. And then there's Archie Blackfinch, the white forensics expert with whom she's fallen in love. Although I'd just as soon skip this romance, it does show that the prejudices of colonial India are still a significant factor in life there.

The mystery in The Lost Man of Bombay is excellent, and the book was powering its way to my Best Reads of 2022 list when everything came to a screeching halt. Persis had a "TSTL" (Too Stupid to Live) moment that disgusted me. She even knew she was being stupid and did it anyway. Yes, it showed her determination to succeed at all costs. Yes, it showed her bravery. Yes, it showed her tactlessness (once again). But oh how I hate those moments! Hopefully, she's learned from her experience and won't be so foolhardy in the future.

Despite her momentary lapse in judgment, The Lost Man of Bombay is an excellent read that immerses readers in a fascinating period of India's history in which the extraordinary Persis Wadia is carving a name for herself. I look forward to the next installment.

The Lost Man of Bombay by  Vaseem Khan
eISBN: 9781529341133
Hodder & Stoughton © 2022
eBook, 378 pages
 
Historical Mystery, #3 Persis Wadia mystery
Rating: A
Source: Purchased from Amazon. 

17 comments:

  1. Gosh, I'd really like to read this book, but I have so many books on reserve at the library. The character is compelling, except for that momentary lack of self-protection. I hate those moments, too, and when I find it, especially with a police detective, it is annoying.

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    1. I'm going to be severely annoyed if she does it again. Hopefully, she learned her lesson in this book.

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  2. Especially a police officer! Amateurs might not be so careful. Private detectives should know better, but V.I. Warshawski is always in dangerous situations. I like her books, but in Overboard, she ends up in the Chicago River and in many other dangerous situations. But Sara Paretsky does make the books funny.

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    1. I need to try Paretsky again. I read the first book in the series, and V.I. didn't do a thing for me. Maybe if I try again... I do have several friends who love her books, and I did get to see her at The Poisoned Pen.

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    2. I saw her in a group discussion at Rogue Women, I think. She said she has always gotten angry social media posts or other communications. But she said she never got so much hate mail/comments as when V.I. Warshawski promotes mask wearing during the worst of the pandemic in "Overboard." (!) I was surprised by that, and Sara Paretsky was, too.

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  3. I'm not at all surprised you're enjoying this series so much, Cathy. Khan writes well and depicts physical and cultural settings beautifully. And this is such an interesting period of time, too - so many major changes at that time.

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    1. Yes, and it's fascinating to see how the government and the people are dealing with those changes.

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  4. I read the first book in this series and was kind of "meh" about it, but I love the concept and I love reading about that period so I wanted to read more. Now that you have reminded me, perhaps I will return to it in the new year.

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    1. I hope your reaction is different if you get a chance to give the series a second try.

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  5. The time period and setting of this series is so interesting. Inspector Wadia sounds like a good character, too, which makes it ultra frustrating when those TSTL moments come.

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  6. Oh no! But I like this series too, hope to get past this moment!

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    1. I don't think Khan will make a habit of this.

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  7. Oh, my lists are going out the window when I see a fascinating review like this! Or my book reserves at the library are torn asunder. I wish I had 24/7 to read.

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    1. I, too, wish I could read more, but I wouldn't want to read 24/7. That would make it seem more like a job than a pleasure.

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  8. True. But I'm addicted to some TV news shows and the NY Times new games. And I have streaming services now and I haven't overdone it.

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    1. Yes, there's something in my own intellectual makeup that keeps me fairly well balanced in my interests and pursuits.

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