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

Honestly, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this one! it's a historical mystery set in mid-19th century India. The main character, James, recovers from an injury inflicted during his time with the calvary, serving with the British. Being of both Indian and British descent, James struggles with his own identity and seeks a new drive and purpose now retired from the military. While recovering, he reads both Arthur Conan Doyle and a newspaper account of the mysterious death of two young ladies. Determined to uncover the truth, James ends up being hired by the grieving family to learn the truth.

The pacing is a bit slow at times and the romantic sub-plot drags a bit predictably, I still enjoyed this fascinating read. The setting in particular makes this shine! The book feels well-researched and the characters all do come to life. I feel like this would really be a fun one to listen to an audio format as well. It covers more of the country than the title suggest and there are definitely some twists to the plot (just not the romantic part). It's a good book and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more from March in the future!

Searching for a murderer where the law is not at cut and dry as elsewhere is almost impossible. As the investigation comes back and fourth.

Nev March’s “Murder in Old Bombay” is part mystery, part military drama, and part romance. First the good. I loved the setting - lush but turbulent colonial India - and the main character, a man who admires Sherlock Holmes and utilizes his predilection for disguises while searching for the murderer of two young women. Indian culture was fascinating and the murders themselves were interesting. However, the sudden initiation of a military drama stopped the story cold for me. I actually skimmed these chapters to get past and then the story never seemed to pick up. And I was definitely not into the romance. Too contrived? I don’t know. I wish this story had maintained its focus on the murders and the unique setting. Disappointing.

Settle in for a mystery that transports one to 1892 India. A pleasurable read. NOTE: I read this on a kindle so I had the ability to look up the many Indian words that I didn’t know. At the end of the book there is a glossary for these words. I think that should have been placed at the front so the reader would know about it. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev March is the first of many mysteries I am sure to be reading this year. Set in India in 1892 (with flashbacks to the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion), this story centers on James Agnihotri, recently retired Anglo-Indian cavalry captain. It's full of questions about acceptance and social strictures – related to caste and as well as religious tolerance. Two young women died after falling off a university clock tower and the Captain is hired to learn the truth of what happened. It's a twisty mystery with travels throughout India, from Bombay to Lahore, Simla, and Ranjpoot, with more than one daring rescue event. The writing is evocative of the time and place with turns of phrase like "memory touched my skin with a cold finger." There are repeated references to Sherlock Holmes – both to his techniques (e.g., using disguises) and to his characteristics (Agnihotri is also an amateur boxer). Like Holmes, the Captain is attracted to a seemingly unavailable woman and the "romance" is at first a happy sidelight; later, it becomes a bit too much of the story. Nevertheless, the characters are generally admirable for as Agnihotri muses, "our choices drive who we are ... and who we want to be." Winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award, MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY is an entertaining debut filled with suspense and historic detail.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery set in Bombay, and the author set it up so that I was able to learn a little about its geography and culture. The culture is very rich and so different from my American culture, so that was interesting.

I loved the MC, Jim Agnihotri who is an aspiring journalist who learns of two women who fell or possibly were pushed off the clock tower. Although the official reason for both their deaths is suicide, that just didn't seem to jive for everyone, especially Adi Framji, the wife and brother of the two women. His logic was that neither of the women had reason to commit suicide, so Jim decided to help this man and use his investigative and journalistic tools. He traveled far and wide throughout India and went incognito.

Along his journey, he came upon some "thugs" that I won't go into and explain so that other readers won't get a spoiler, but it added so much to the story that continued to unfold. I thought it was a great addition to Jim's journey and the "thugs" taught him a lot and showed us a different side of Jim.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my opinion.

Audi is looking for answers? How did his wife and sister die? They were found at the bottom of the tower at the library. No one saw what happened except for a small child. Was it murder or suicide?
Captain James is hired and must try to uncover years of secrets.
This story was very interesting as it was dealing with the caste system in India. It was very intriguing and comes to an interesting conclusion.

This was an excellent book! With a riveting plot, and detailed - and realistic - character development, you will definitely enjoy reading this title!

Murder in Old Bombay won the Minotaur book award for a first mystery recently. The winners’ books are always worth taking a look at in my opinion.

This story is a leisurely one (though that does not mean that there is a lack of action), coming in at close to 400 pages. It is an historical mystery set in the late 19th century when India was ruled by the British. The protagonist, Jim Agnihotri, is of mixed Indian and British parentage which makes him a bit of an outsider in both worlds and cultures. He was wounded and is out of the Army when he becomes known to the Framji family.

Two young women in that family fell to their deaths from a university tower. It appears to be murder and Jim becomes the Holmes aficionado who wants to solve the case using his idol’s methods. During the course of the story, Jim and readers get to know the Framjis very well. Jim is especially close to the beautiful Diana and to Adi who is the young widower of one of the victims.

As Jim works on the case he has a series of adventures, many disguises and clues to work through. He also takes on an unofficial parenting role to a number of children who are victims. He is a protagonist who tries to do what is right and is not afraid to fight for it.

Readers learn about Jim’s growing up, his military years and the church figure to whom he felt close. Readers are also immersed in some of the history and culture of the period. A most helpful glossary is even included.

This is a novel that those who enjoy the recent India based mysteries of Sujata Massey are sure to want to read. I recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

An interesting historical whodunit. The death of two women falling from a University clock tower is ruled a suicide by the authorities. Captain Jim is hired by the family to look into the peculiar matter and thus begins the dangerous, complicated investigation. Filled with intrigue with a side of romance what started out as a page turner stagnated in the middle part of the storyline. I struggled to finish it but still it was a fascinating read. The backdrop of Bombay and the detailed descriptions of the people and customs of the time are outstanding-this is where the book really shined! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. all in all a classic whodunit that I'd recommend to mystery lovers.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, in return for an honest review.. I did enjoy the story and how the author wrote about the characters in the book. It was a great story and I think this book will be very well enjoyed by others. I do recommend this book to my friends and family to read. It is a very good story.

Captain Jim Agnihotri was recuperating from the war injuries in Poona military hospital in 1892, when he was obsessed by a newspaper’s article about the deaths of two young women who fell from a clock tower in broad daylight.
Later, Jim was hired by the victims’ family to investigate that tragic fateful incident. While on his diligent quest for the truth, he encountered unforeseen danger, crime, obstacle, betrayal and even romance.
Nev March has beautifully written this multi-genre novel, MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY which portrays the 19th century old Bombay that was in war, and the family tradition, custom and culture of its Indian folks. It definitely would sate one’s voracious appetite for a good story.
Thank you, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful story.
#MurderInOldBombay
#NetGalley

Took awhile for the story to capture my attention but once I was hooked I could not wait to find out why the ladies died at the clock tower. Excellent history on India and the caste system. Would like to read more about Captain Jim as he solves more mysteries.