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Midnight at Malabar House (The Malabar House Series)

Winner of the CWA Historical Dagger and Shortlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in 1950s Bombay, Midnight at Malabar House introduces India's first female detective, Inspector Persis Wadia. When a high-profile murder occurs on New Year's Eve, Persis is thrust into the midst of an investigation filled with political tension and societal challenges. As she navigates a male-dominated world, the story combines intrigue and a richly detailed historical backdrop.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you enjoy engrossing crime stories set against a richly detailed historical backdrop, Bollywood's glamour, and an intriguing mystery, this book might be for you. It offers a unique perspective with a pioneering female protagonist solving crimes in post-colonial India, blending cultural insights with thrilling detective work.

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The first in an exciting new historical crime series from the bestselling author of the Baby Ganesh Agency books, and WINNER OF THE CWA SAPERE BOOKS HISTORICAL DAGGER 2021.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country's first female detective. She's a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book' β€” Ann Cleeves

'This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' β€” Mail on Sunday

Midnight at Malabar House is set in Bombay, on New Year's Eve, 1949. As India celebrates the arrival of a momentous new decade, Inspector Persis Wadia stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city's most unwanted unit of police officers. Six months after joining the force, she remains India's first female police detectiveβ€”mistrusted, sidelined, and now consigned to the midnight shift.

And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country's most sensational case falls into her lap.

As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world's largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn, and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder β€” whatever the cost.

Series: The Malabar House Series

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  • Midnight at Malabar House (The Malabar House Series)
    'The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country's first female detective. She's a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book' β€” Ann Cleeves 'This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' β€” Mail on Sunday...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Dying Day
    A priceless manuscript. A missing scholar. A trail of riddles. Bombay, 1950 For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands...
    Paperback
    $4600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Edge of Darkness
    India, 1951. After wilfully ignoring orders from her superiors, Persis Wadia, India's first female police detective, has been exiled from Bombay to the wild and mountainous state of Nagaland. As India's first post-Independence election looms, and tensions rise across the country, Persis finds herself banished to the Victoria Hotel, a crumbling colonial-era relic, her career in ruins. But when a...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan has been praised as a thrilling and historically rich murder mystery set in post-Partition India. The book introduces Persis Wadia, India's first female detective, who navigates societal and professional challenges while solving a complex murder case. The novel combines classic mystery elements with a vivid depiction of India, offering an engaging and insightful read, praised for its clever plotting and vibrant characters.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473685505

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 June 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 240g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Vaseem Khan is the author of several award-winning crime series including the Baby Ganesh Agency adventures, set in modern Mumbai, and the Malabar House historical crime novels, set in 1950s Bombay. His first book, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published in 2015-2020, and has been translated into 17 languages. Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House series, won the Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger. Vaseem has won numerous awards for his work, including, most recently, the Fingerprint Award for Historical Crime Novel of the Year for City of Destruction, the fifth in the Malabar House series. Vaseem is also the author of The Girl in Cell A, a psychological thriller set in small town America, and Quantum of Menace, the first in a series featuring Q from the world of James Bond.

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  • Bad Day at the Vulture Club
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  • The Dying Day
    A priceless manuscript. A missing scholar. A trail of riddles. Bombay, 1950 For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands...
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  • Quantum of Menace
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  • The Girl In Cell A
    'Complex, completely convincing characters and twists you'll never guess' ALEX MICHAELIDES 'Beautifully structured and peopled with unforgettable characters, this is storytelling of the highest order: do not miss it' DAILY MAIL THE WORLD KNOWS HER AS THE GIRL IN CELL A. Convicted of murder at seventeen, infamous killer and true crime celebrity Orianna Negi has always maintained her innocence. BUT...
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  • The Edge of Darkness
    India, 1951. After wilfully ignoring orders from her superiors, Persis Wadia, India's first female police detective, has been exiled from Bombay to the wild and mountainous state of Nagaland. As India's first post-Independence election looms, and tensions rise across the country, Persis finds herself banished to the Victoria Hotel, a crumbling colonial-era relic, her career in ruins. But when a...
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  • The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra
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  • The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown
    The second book in the heartwarming and charming Baby Ganesh series. For centuries, the Koh-i-Noor diamond has set man against man and king against king. Now part of the British Crown Jewels, the priceless gem is a prize that many have killed to possess. So when the Crown Jewels go on display in Mumbai, security is everyone's principal concern. And...
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  • The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star
    The enchanting new Baby Ganesh Agency novel sees Inspector Chopra and his elephant sidekick investigating the dark side of Bollywood. Mumbai thrives on extravagant spectacles and larger-than-life characters. But even in the city of dreams, there is no guarantee of a happy ending. Rising star and incorrigible playboy Vikram Verma has disappeared, leaving his latest film in jeopardy. Hired by...
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