This book was so much more than just a murder mystery. The main character is inspiring, and the author does very well at presenting the challenge of being in two cultures, but also not really being in either of them. The book took a full on journey on the way to solving the mystery, and while it was far more than I expected, and could perhaps seem meandering, it just made the whole book feel so rich with history and culture. I learned so much about the challenges faced in this country, and the experiences of its people during that time. Overall, I would highly recommend this book and I hope there are more in this series.

Historical fiction based on a true story.....made Colonial India come back to life in the pages of Murder in Old Bombay!  I highly recommend.!  Captain Jim Agnihotri wounded in battle found himself drifting in and out of consciousness.  When conscious he read a well worn copy of Sherlock Holmes and local newspapers.  A local unsolved mystery catches his eye.  Two young women plunge to their deaths from the University clock tower, many are claiming suicide.  The captain feels this doesn't make sense and then this is solidified by the letter that the husband of one the young women writes to the paper.  Captain Jim ends up working for the family to find out what truly happened to the women.  The mystery that unravels is intriguing and spellbinding. At one point when the Captain is traveling to unravel some details about the mystery through a worn torn area he stumbles upon a band of children/orphaned due to the conflicts.  The relationship between the Captain and the children sprang of the pages and captured my heart.  The mystery winds tighter and unwinds and then twists again keeping you enthralled.  Also, the relationship between Lady Diana and the Captain and the Captain and Adi the husband of one of the women who lost her life are all very enjoyable.  You won't want to put this one down.  Even the descriptions of the family meals and moments of entertainment are lovely and quite colorful!

This was such a fun mystery.  I loved the writing style and the setting this created. The characters felt really full and the mystery was very engaging.

I'm not sure why. But I was just unable to get into this book. Maybe it was just me at the time not really sure.  I'm sure someone out there will love it. Just not for me.

As Captain Jim Agnihotri recovers in the hospital in Bombay from a near death battle injury, he has nothing to do but read the newspapers and the new Sherlock Holmes mysteries. When of he reads of the sensational deaths of two young women who fell from the University clock tower he feels compelled to help the family prove that it was not a double suicide.

Based on a true story, this Edgar nominated, debut novel by Nev March is sure to entertain and leave us waiting for her next book.

It was full of rich detail that really transported the reader to turn-of-the-century India.  The story was a little slow to start but that was because the author had to really set the scene of Old Bombay; setting, the characters, and the cultural nuances that really affect thoughts, feelings, and decisions of the characters.  I really liked Diana... she was my favorite character and would love a prequel about her life in London.

Mr. Adi Framji employs Captain James Agnihotri, retired from the military to investigate his wife Bacha's and his sister Pilloo's deaths.  I enjoyed this book, however, there were a lot of secondary storylines that didn't have anything to do with the main premise of the book.  I did not expect this to be a romance or have romance in it since I had the impression that this was a murder mystery.  All in all, I liked the book, however, after the mystery of the two women's deaths was solved, I didn't really care what was happening in the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

I am becoming a huge fan of the mystery genre due to books like this. You can read this as an escape from the everyday in a weekend. A  really good mystery.

I absolutely loved it!

Murder in Old Bombay is well written, competently paced, and a delight all in all. Set in 19th century India, it is an enjoyable  murder mystery that skillfully moves the plot along while navigating the main plot and sub-plots that contribute to the story and the roundness of its characters with success.

The plot:

James Agnihotry, after convalescing from a military injury, is hired by Adi Framji to look into the deaths of his wife and cousin, ruled as suicide, but thought by the family to be foul play. Jim sets out to investigate and gets into all sorts of adventures along the way, as well as falls in love with Adi’s sister, Diana. All of this is set against the backdrop of the British rule, the socio-politic climate of the time, and the tangible differences between the casts in India. 

The characters:

James Agnihotry:
A retired military man hired to investigate the death of Pilu and Baja of the Framji family. He is a veritable Sherlock Holmes (it is his favorite character) and he loves putting on a disguise and investigating in character. He is sensitive and tormented by PTSD from his military service. In love with a woman he can’t have, Jim turns into veritable family for the Framjis, who trust him completely to solve the mystery. 

Adi Framji:
A bereaved widower to Baja, who fell off of the clock tower at the Bombay university to her death, along with family member Pilu. He becomes fast friends with Jim and somewhat of a wingman.

Diana Framji:
Adi’s younger sister. She is spunky and rebellious, and insists on helping Jim with the case. They become close and share forbidden feelings for one another. 

The Good:
Everything really. This book masterfully takes you back in time, you could almost imagine it unfolding before you like a period movie. Main characters are well-layered and believable; minor characters serve the plot perfectly and don’t feel like placeholders or flat poppets. Well written and flows perfectly, it’s a great airplane or vacation book. 

The Bad:
I can’t really think of anything. It is not a fast paced book, so sometimes it may feel like the plot is moseying along, but then it picks up again and you realize that the pace is exactly what it should be. I don’t usually start books at the end, so I missed the glossary part but there is one. 

The Ugly:
Jim Agnihotry dressed as a beggar who lives on the street, smell included.

The Bottom Line:
Read and enjoy!

Nev March brings alive 1892 Murder in Old Bombay.  Captain Jim Angnihotri is recovering in hospital from a military action that killed most of his troop when he becomes interested in the deaths of a pair of Parsee ladies falling from a university clock tower.  He is hired by the husband of one of the ladies to track down the killers after their deaths are proclaimed suicides.  Using Holmsian methods the Captain uncovers an insidious plot by a native princeling.  March immerses the reader in the prejudices and glories of the British raj, both British and Indian viewpoints of interfaith and interracial relations.  Excellent historical mystery; I hope there will be more by this author.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!

An intriguing murder mystery set in British Colonial India. This is a well-plotted and suspenseful novel, with wonderful characters. The novel has an authentic sense of the sights and sounds of Old Bombay and an  interesting look into the life of mixed race individual in the main character of James Agnihotri. A great debut novel and I am hoping for a sequel. I highly recommend this on for fans of historical mysteries, as well as those interested in Colonial India.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book! It was enlightening to be immersed in the Indian culture while reading "Murder in Old Bombay". For people like me, who might not know much about India in the late 1890s, the author does a wonderful job of explaining the time and place where the plot unfolds. The background is described well and is easy to follow. As a fan of historical fiction and mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Murder in Old Bombay is not your usual murder mystery. It is rather a journey across India, across life and between choices.
You won't get straightforward crime solving situation in this book. What you get is so much more: colours, smells, emotions, dilemmas, intricacies, casts divisions, clothes, and much more. I enjoyed this book immensely. It was the first one of a kind - crime set in British India  - for me. And it did not disappoint.
When Captain Jim Agnihotri agrees to take on the case little does he or any reader know where it would take him. And it takes him across the country, donning different disguise, learning a lot about himself and other people, struggling with choices and constraints of the society, hoping and dreaming, saving children and fighting evil men. Jim's idol Sherlock Holmes is always on Jim's mind, helping him with advice, leading him on.
And you get a happy ending at the end. Yes, everything wraps up nicely. And hero gets his just rewards.
All in all, a very interesting, informative and challenging read. One has to persist in places. But it is worth it.

Jim Agnihotri, an Anglo-Indian army captain recuperating from battle injuries, spends his time reading the newspapers and Arthur Conan Doyle’s mysteries. There is one story though in the newspaper that captures his attention, the death of two women, 19-year-old Bacha and 16-year-old Pilloo, who fell from the university clock tower.

When Jim is able to leave the hospital, he knows it’s time for a new direction in his life and goes to the newspaper where he read about the story and appeals to the editor that he wants to be taken on as an investigative reporter. This quickly puts him in front of Adi Framji, Bacha’s husband and Pilloo’s brother. Soon after they meet, Adi has a better idea, why doesn’t Jim work directly for his family to uncover what happened to his beloved wife and sister.

The Framji family is a prominent Parsee family but Jim feels immediate admiration for Adi’s parents and how kind they are to him but the one person he feels not just admiration but a deeper connection to is, Diana, Adi’s sister who has just arrived from England. As soon as Diana hears that Jim is investigating the deaths of the family members she is not one to sit by but also wants to help find out who could have done this.

As the story unfolds, there is not just the murder mystery to solve, but we see Jim back in military action, rescuing a young girl and several other children, and finally a budding romance between Diana even if it’s met with deep disapproval from Diana’s parents due to Jim not being a Parsee himself.

This novel, which is based on true story, is filled with historical details and adventure. Jim is such a kind and likable hero and you can’t help but wonder what his next disguise will be. He really did take some cues from Sherlock Holmes. Now, there were times I felt the story could have been tightened up a bit more. For example, while I liked the part when Jim becomes responsible for the children at the same time that was one more adventure that took him away from the main issue of solving what happened to Bacha and Pilloo. This happened in a few other instances but having said that if there is a second Jim Agnihotri book I’ll be looking forward to it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstore. 

Almost microscopically detailed, Nev March's debut "Murder in Old Bombay" follows the adventures of Captain Jim who was hired by the Parsee family to examine the mysterious death of two women from a university clock tower in broad daylight. 

What I liked the most about this novel is how March was able to transport us to colonial India with the hustle and bustle of "old" Bombay. Along the way, she challenges our concepts of gender norms and class divides. I wish there was more of a discussion of caste.

Anyone who follows my reviews is aware that I am somewhat obsessed with British history's Victorian era. More recently, I have branched out to the "Raj", the period of British rule in India (1858-1947) and its predecessor, the British East India Company (1757-1857). Murder in Old Bombay seemed to be right up my alley, and I was not disappointed.

Anglo-Indian Captain Jim Agnihotri has been in the military hospital for months, recovering from battle injuries. He knows at the age of 30, his career in the military is over, and his status as a "half-caste" further limits him; despite a stellar record and decorations for valor. His final engagement has also left him with sorrow and guilt for lost comrades. Having little reading material in the hospital, he read and re-read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Captain Jim decides that he might try to be a detective. When he reads in the newspaper of the deaths of two highly-placed Parsee ladies and the unsuccessful murder trials following, he offers his services to the grieving Framji family, especially the husband and cousin of the victims, Adi. The Framjis welcome him into their family circle, and Jim's heart is put at risk by their beautiful and very modern daughter, Diana.

The quest takes Jim into warring tribal areas all over India, searching for the men charged and then cleared of the ladies' murders. Along the way, he picks up a band of rag-tag children displaced by conflict. He is persuaded by the British Army into a seemingly hopeless rescue of British troops cornered by Afghan soldiers. High adventure ensues, aided by Jim's abilities in disguise, a la Sherlock Holmes. His devotion to duty and care for the children made me fall for him. 

Murder in Old Bombay suffers a bit from trying to do too many things at once. There is romance, mystery, and adventure, but they seem episodic and not well integrated into the overall storyline. That being said, it is a solid 4 stars. I became emotionally invested in the characters, even to the point of tears (something that doesn't happen often). Many thanks to NetGalley.com and Minotaur Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own, and I am looking forward to a sequel, hopefully.

RATING- 4 enthusiastic stars

Based on an actual event and winner of the Minotaur/MWA First Crime Novel Contest, I really loved the mystery, history, setting and sense of adventure found in this story. After being wounded and having a long recovery, Captain Jim is looking for non-military work. A big fan of the new Sherlock Holmes stories, he reads a letter in the paper, written by a man whose wife and sister fell to their deaths from the clock tower at the university in Bombay. He decides to see if that man will hire him. The inquest had been inconclusive, Adi likes what he sees and hires Captain Jim to find out what happened. The Framji family helps Captain Jim heal in more ways than one. Siblings Adi as a friend and Diana as a possible love interest. It's a long book and stands alone just fine, but I hope there will be more.

This is a historical mystery set in mid-19th century India. I loved the setting!  A good “whodunnit” for mystery fans.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this book screamed adventure and oozed exotic atmosphere so I couldn’t wait to check it out as soon as it came in the mail.

This is the author’s debut novel and it promised a far away land with a tantalizing murder mystery plus a little romance. I haven’t read anything set in India in quite some time. Not to mention something that sounded so fresh and different but yet familiar and comforting like a historical mystery is.

This book came in at 400 pages so a little longer than a typical historical mystery but considering the setting, I was looking forward to what I hoped would be loads of detail and history!

Summary

In 19th century Bombay, Captain Jim Agnihotri channels his idol, Sherlock Holmes, in Nev March’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut.

In 1892, Bombay is the center of British India. Nearby, Captain Jim Agnihotri lies in Poona military hospital recovering from a skirmish on the wild northern frontier, with little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. The case that catches Captain Jim’s attention is being called the crime of the century: Two women fell from the busy university’s clock tower in broad daylight. Moved by Adi, the widower of one of the victims — his certainty that his wife and sister did not commit suicide — Captain Jim approaches the Parsee family and is hired to investigate what happened that terrible afternoon.

But in a land of divided loyalties, asking questions is dangerous. Captain Jim’s investigation disturbs the shadows that seem to follow the Framji family and triggers an ominous chain of events. And when lively Lady Diana Framji joins the hunt for her sisters’ attackers, Captain Jim’s heart isn’t safe, either.

Based on a true story, and set against the vibrant backdrop of colonial India, Nev March’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning lyrical debut, Murder in Old Bombay, brings this tumultuous historical age to life. (Summary from Goodreads)

Review

This book started out really really strong. I liked the idea of a calvary captain with a foot in two worlds—-one in the British and one in the Indian. Though I didn’t care for his name (Jim, I would of rather him gone by James) I did enjoy his character who had a lot of baggage for readers to explore and enjoy. He was honorable, charming, smart, articulate, and complex. Same with the secondary characters. They were each memorable and likable but I had a hard time feeling a romantic connection between Diana and the Captain. I am not sure why, but I hoped for more climax and tension between the two and I just didn’t fully immerse myself in their romance.

The setting was rich and full of history which I loved. I know little about the British occupation of India during this time and I didn’t fully understand how the caste system in India worked but I thought the author did a good job helping readers navigate the foreign land and customs. I came away from this one feeling like I got to explore a culture and history that I normally wouldn’t have and I loved this book for that reason.

While I liked the characters, setting, and mystery of the novel, there was something I just didn’t care for and it kept me from loving this book in the way that I had hoped. I felt like the novel tried to jam too much into its narrative. This was a book that I felt could have been split into a series of possibly three books each with a different mystery of some kind. This one tried to address and wrap up numerous plot points in Jim’s story and his history. There were so many times that he got side tracked from the main story (the murder mystery) and I thought that this would have read better if we got to explore his character over the course of a couple of books. The murder mystery could have been the central story throughout a series, but having all the plot points and mystery come together in this single volume made it feel rushed and underdeveloped.

I would have liked to have seen many plot points in Jim’s backstory evolve more and I think it would have made the story feel less rushed. I enjoyed the book but I didn’t love it. The first portion of the story I loved, but as we got more and more into the larger story, the more rushed it felt. I ended up giving this one 3 stars, a great start for this author but needed to feel less rushed.

Book Info and Rating

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published November 10th 2020 by Minotaur Books

ISBN1250269547 (ISBN13: 9781250269546)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Minotaur Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: historical mystery, detective novel, cozy mystery