Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

Vintage Lead Debut. When kids go missing in an Indian slum, nine-year-old Jai takes matters into his own hands—an irresistible child narrator to captivate the literary/commercial market.

Anappara creates an endearing and highly engaging narrator to navigate us through the dark underbelly of modern India — Observer

I love this book...I just fell into it — Tayari Jones

We children are not just stories. We live. Come and see.

Nine-year-old Jai watches too many reality cop shows, thinks he's smarter than his friend Pari (even though she always gets top marks) and considers himself to be a better boss than Faiz (even though Faiz is the one with a job).

When a boy at school goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from episodes of Police Patrol to find him. With Pari and Faiz by his side, Jai ventures into some of the most dangerous parts of the sprawling Indian city; the bazaar at night, and even the railway station at the end of the Purple Line. But kids continue to vanish, and the trio must confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force and soul-snatching djinns in order to uncover the truth.

A heartrending tale — The Times

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is storytelling at its best — Anne Enright