With descriptive writing that brings to life the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, Peril at the Exposition follows Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife Lady Diana as they investigate the murder in Chicago of one of the detectives of the Dupree Agency. There are lots of twists and turns and dangerous situations while showcasing problems of poverty, unemployment, and social unrest in Chicago as compared to the life of the upper class. There is a large cast of characters and sometimes it’s hard to remember who is who, especially since sometimes they are referred to by first names and sometimes by last names. At times the story gets bogged down in too many details as the plot gets more and more convoluted. Additionally, you often have to suspend disbelief to picture Diana taking so many dangerous actions in her determination to help Jim solve the mystery.

The author has done her research and she includes many historical figures and actual events that took place in Chicago at the time of the World’s Fair. The ending is somewhat rushed, yet it leaves open the possibility that we’ll see another novel in this series. All-in-all, Peril at the Exposition is not quite as captivating as its predecessor, Murder in Old Bombay, but engaging in its own way.

I loved the first book in this historical mystery series, Murder in Old Bombay and this was just as good. Set in 1893, Diana and her husband have left India to set up their married life in Boston. They have only been married for six months and Diana is finding things a bit challenging. Having her own home has its own learning curve. James is working as an investigator for the Dupree Detective Agency and now has to take a case that will take him undercover in Chicago at the time of the World's Fair. When Diana hasn't had any word from him in many weeks and neither has the Dupree Agency, she sets out to find him. Diana has a sharp mind and has read, thanks to James, the complete Sherlock Holmes which will serve her well. James is in danger and nothing will stop her.
While I did really enjoy the setting of Bombay in the first book, I had no problem making the shift to Boston and Chicago. Diana and James are well developed characters and it's a pleasure to spend reading time with them. The mystery kept me engaged, beginning to end and I am holding a place for the next books in the series.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked the first book in this series and was very excited for this second one- but it fell flat for me. The characters didn't have the same energy and the plot never got that intriguing. It wasn't terrible my any means, so I still gave it 3 stars. If there's a third book in the series, I'll probably give it a shot but I may not be rushing to read it (as I did for this one).

Having loved Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March, I was excited to read Peril at the Exposition, the second book featuring Captain Jim Agnihotri and Diana Framji, his new wife. I fell in love with their story in the first book and the setting in India. In this second book, the newly wed couple has moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and Jim has been hired as a detective by the Dupree Agency. Jim is sent to Chicago to look for the murderer of Thomas Grewe leaving Diana by herself in Boston. When Diane does not hear from Jim for several weeks, she decides to go to Chicago.

The story is set as the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair opens. The fair has been advertised as the place to see thousands of electrified white lights and the fair is full of large white buildings. The story was told mostly through Diana’s character and occasionally by Jim. March does a very good job of describing the grounds, the buildings and the exhibitions. I also thought she did a great job of bringing in historical figures such as Henry Clay Frick and Eugene Debs. The weakness in the story for me was there are so many characters that it made it difficult to remember who was who. I also think the story could have been shortened as it wandered, at times. I do look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens in the lives of Jim and Diane. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed Nev March’s first book, “Murder in Old Bombay,” and thought this book would also be a lot of fun to read. Ms. March’s sophomore effort comes off as uneven, despite the excellent writing talent that the author displays throughout the story.

The setting is Chicago, during the 1893 Exposition. I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for the author to weave a story through a strong backdrop. Unfortunately, Ms. March only touched on some of the buildings and exhibits leaving the reader with a fuzzy idea of what everything looked like and the chance slipped away. Using a historical event as part of the plot was a nice touch. However, the final wrap-up of all the events and characters was convoluted, with a lot of information coming at the reader in a short period of time.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the author’s use of words. There are many descriptive passages that displayed Ms. March’s talent. “An idea trickled into my mind, a delicious, wild idea that spread like the bathtub overflowing” paints a picture I wasn’t expecting, while a character description, “…his voice low, like rain dripping on banana leaves,” produces images from Diana’s former home in India. Other times she is straight to the point, and the writing flow keeps the story moving.

Diana’s methods as an amateur detective works to move the suspense meter up and down, and from time to time her husband Jim takes over the storytelling chores and provides a contrasting view. Although this was not my favorite book in this series, there are still enough good things going on to recommend it. Three-and-a-half stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

Nev March's Peril at the Exposition is the second title in her Captain Jim Agnihotri mystery series. March takes a real risk with this title, relocating her central characters—Jim and Diana, his wife—to the U.S.. This means she can't make use of settings and characters who played important roles in the first volume in the series. I respect that kind of risk-taking.

Jim and Diana now live in Boston. He works as a private investigator. When he disappears during an investigation in Chicago, which is hosting the Columbia Exposition, Diana decides to travel there and find him herself.

March has done her research and the details in her novel feel genuine. The action itself seems improbable, but that seems true of almost every cozy or semi-cozy mystery novel. Amateurs have access to material that wouldn't be available in real life. They survive threats with a combination of luck and inventiveness that would not necessarily serve an investigator well in the real world.

But, that improbable action is the whole point here. If we want realism, we can read Murder in the White City or similar works. March is providing us with a delightful game of "What if?" What if a woman from India who is intelligent and confident found herself in a completely new country? What if she uncovered an "anarchist" plot? What if her companions in her investigation were a young man who prefers to dress as a woman, an elderly Black man who feels he's still waiting for the freedom that was promised at the end of the Civil War, and a street child who's eager to make a buck? What if they're all in Chicago together? What if that woman is able to unearth information her husband, the "real" detective, is unable to access?

March weaves a multitude of threads into her novel. There's the central investigation, but readers also get vignettes exploring life for individuals from a variety of class and cultural backgrounds. Jim loves the America he sees. Diana is much more dubious, seeing at least as much cruelty as generosity.

If you enjoy your mysteries with a dash of social history or enjoy your social history packaged within a mystery, you'll be delighted with Peril at the Exposition. If you just enjoy escaping into a fictionalized version of the past for entertainment centered around a mystery, you'll also find Peril at the Exposition delightful.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the series and is set in 1893. We met Captain Jim Agnihotri and Diana Framji in India in Murder in Old Bombay. Now married, the couple has moved to Boston, Massachusetts, their new home. Jim is a detective at the Dupree Agency. The case he’s working on has taken him to Chicago and Diana has not heard from him and neither has his employer. Worried about her husband, Diana takes matters into her own hands and heads to Chicago to find him. Besides being in the throes of preparing to host the World’s Fair, Chicago there’s murder, social unrest, and cutthroat ambition. The book is littered with a ton of characters, many threads, and good deeds by Diana scattered throughout the pages. Plus, Diana has to find Jim, and together figure out how all the pieces tie together to solve the case. This book was an okay read; I enjoyed the first book better than this one. I thought there was way too much going on for the overall plot. It seemed implausible that Diana could solve so many pieces and defend herself like she did, even though this is fiction. Jim ended up playing second fiddle even though the series is dubbed the Captain Agnihotri series. I enjoyed Diana sharing information about her family and references to her heritage and religion - being Parsee and following the Zoroastrianism. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Diana and Jim are an intrepid pair. They turn their Indian heritage (scorned in turn of the century America) into a strength as they take on a bombing plot at the Chicago World Fair of 1893. Anarchists, magnates, inventors and private investigators vie to capture the attention and money of American visitors staring in wonder at the "White City"

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I fell in love with Nev March’s characters in Murder in Old Bombay and was eager to continue the story of Jim Agnihotri and his new bride Diana Framji. Because of the differences in their social backgrounds their marriage would never be accepted in India, resulting in their move to Boston. Now they go by the name O’Trey and Jim is working as an investigator. His current assignment is looking into a death in Chicago during the 1893 World’s Fair. The previous agent who had been sent was also murdered. Diana is left behind in Boston. When she receives information meant for Jim that reveals a shipment of explosives to Chicago, she confronts Jim’s boss and demands that she be allowed to find him.

Jim’s hero is Sherlock Holmes. Like Holmes, he uses disguises to blend in with those around him. Diana has no idea how to find him. When she rescues someone at the exposition she knows that the story in the paper will catch Jim’s attention and he will find her. He has been living with laborers and suspected anarchists in a warehouse. Now Diana’s appearance in Chicago could blow his cover and put him in even more danger.

Nev March’s book explores the social unrest and the deep divide between the workers and Chicago’s wealthy. Jim is living in poverty and sees the plight of the workers struggling to survive on scant wages. Diana is living at a posh hotel that is owned by friends that they met on their voyage to America. She is accompanied by Abigail, who she met on the train to Chicago, and Tobias, a Black employee of the detective agency, both of whom are hiding secrets. With their help, she hopes to keep Jim safe while helping him determine the target of the explosives and who is behind the plan.

March captures the carnival atmosphere of the exhibition with its’ scientific advances and amazing displays. It draws the wealthy and those who dream of changing the world. It is also the perfect setting for a final confrontation that will test Jim’s and Diana’s abilities. Peril at the Exposition Is the second book in March’s series, although it stands on its’ own. It is filled with wonderful characters that will have you looking forward to meeting the O’Treys again for further adventures. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

Peril at the Exposition by Nev March
(Captain Jim Agnihotri #2)

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Murder in Bombay, and looked forward to being back in Jim's world again. We learned so much about him and his background, how he became the man he came to be. He was an Eurasian orphan, lived a hard and dangerous life as a soldier, and wanted to do what was right. His ways have served him well and now at 31 he's married to his love, Diana. As soon as they were married they left India so that Jim could take his new job as a detective at the Dupree Agency in Boston.

Jim and Diana have been in Boston for six months when Jim learns he must leave immediately for Chicago. When Jim has been gone for five weeks, with no word to Diana, she decides she must go to Chicago and find Jim, save him if necessary. Diana, a 22 year old Indian woman, from a wealthy family, is smart but naïve. Off she goes to Chicago, picking up a diverse team of minions in an impossibly easy manner. Sure, she's not a detective but Jim had been teaching her the ways of Sherlock Holmes and when in a pickle she could practice WWJD (what would Jim do). My hopes were not high for success for Diana and her followers

This is Diana's story and I really missed seeing the story from Jim's POV. Diana can speak English but she doesn't understand slang or English that is not spoken in a formal way. She is often fumbling along, not understanding what others mean. That doesn't keep her from venturing into very dangerous situations, putting everyone at risk. Jim was already doing a very dangerous job and now he has to deal with Diana's meddling, too. This story just didn't work for me the way the first book did. Amateur sleuths can be fun and interesting but when Diana becomes involved in things that are way over her head and is determined to save Chicago, it's just too far fetched to be believable. I look forward to book three but I do hope the story focuses more on Jim and his work or at least allows Diana to develop the skill sets she needs for future endeavors.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

I was a huge fan of Nev March’s first book in this series, Murder in Old Bombay, but I was a little sad she moved her main characters and newlyweds Jim Agnihotri and Diana Framji from Bombay to Boston. They are wonderful, vivid characters with an interesting relationship, and in many ways this is Diana’s book, while the first book belonged to Jim. As the book opens Jim is letting Diana know that he’s heading to Chicago on a job – he works for the Dupree detective agency – and that he’ll be gone awhile. That’s really all she knows.

The weeks pass and Diana, lonely in her new city and very much missing her husband and worried about him, heads to his bosses to ask where he might be and just what she can do to find him. It appears he’s disappeared completely, and Diana wrangles a job out of the Duprees (father and son), and heads to Chicago after cashing out her bank account and saying goodbye to the friends she’s made in Boston.

This is very much an immigrant’s story from the inside out, as we follow Diana’s journey. She’s homesick, but longing to know just what it is Jim finds so appealing about America. She’s startled by the racism she encounters. (It’s 1893, but some things don’t seem to have changed all that much.) She takes an African American man with her who works for the agency and encounters a woman on her travels who she hires as a companion, as it seems she knows her way around the city.

The book takes place during the World’s Fair and Chicago is filled with wonders as well as, apparently, unrest. March is excellent at setting the stage and the background of the fair is beautifully rendered and brought to life. So are the lively streets of Chicago. A friend has set her up in a lovely hotel, but the street encounters Diana has as she searches for Jim are a little less lovely.

This is a complex book but it seems that anarchists may be attempting to place a bomb at the fair. Diane has a partial letter translated from German that indicates a serious number of explosives. As the book progresses, so does Diana’s search, and Jim eventually appears. Diana has brought him danger unawares, but the two are an excellent team, balancing each other in many ways. March is a smart writer, and her complicated plot is a clever and satisfying one.

I loved Diana’s bravery and smarts, and the way she and Jim are getting to know one another as husband and wife. The early passion of their romance is carrying through to a seemingly solid relationship. I loved the way March writes about the very new America, still wet behind the ears, full of contradictions, violence, and unexpected kindness to strangers. I loved her inclusion of surprising characters (especially for the time period) and I love the way she tells a mystery combined with romance and adventure. I am very much looking forward to seeing where Diana and Jim end up next.

This is a Captain Jim series, but we get a lot of Diana in this book. I have mixed emotions about this departure from the first book. There are things I like about Diana: she can take care of herself by wielding her parasol sword, shooting off her derringer, and arranging surprisingly smart financial transactions. The lady can take a few knocks and tumbles and still get up and go back for more! However, she is so naïve and puts herself and those around her in danger at every turn.

I liked the mystery elements in the book: where the explosives were hidden and who hid them. Also, there was a traitor in Diana’s inner circle that added much interest to the story.. I didn’t figure out the mystery and I suspected everyone of betraying Diana, so the mystery was a win for me!

I also liked the setting. The Chicago World's Fair has always had a dangerous creepy vibe to me ever since reading The Devil in the White City. This wasn’t as lush and exotic as Bombay, but Chicago in 1893 is the perfect setting for murder and intrigue.

I like this couple together and I was disappointed there was little romance in this book. I know they are married now, but I like a good romance element along with my mysteries.

3.75 rounded up

I enjoyed the second installment of this series as much as the first. A unique set of characters and timelines make this mystery series stand out from myriad others. I enjoyed the backdrop of the world fair, and the perspective of Indian immigrants to the United States in the 1890s. The characters and plotlines sometimes are too much or get too confusing because the author seemingly punches in these points one after another and almost too matter-of-fact like to keep straight. I would appreciate a bit of soak time or character build to slow it down and make it stick. But a good solid series that I will continue to enjoy.

PERIL AT THE EXPOSITION by Nev March is a historical mystery set against the backdrop of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.

When Diana Framji's new husband Captain Jim Agnihotri doesn't return from a detective investigation in Chicago, she leaves Boston for the Windy City to track him down herself. As Jim navigates harsh conditions and social unrest in the city streets, Diana begins to piece together some anarchists' deadly plot targeting the popular World's Fair.

This is a historical tale with incredibly rich detail. Famous figures like inventor Nikola Tesla and actor William Gillette alongside details of the World's Fair make this story totally immersive. I loved March's writing style: clear and descriptive, but easy to read. The dual POVs (mostly Diana, some with Jim) add more depth to the mystery. It also includes appropriate and well-approached discussions of wealth disparity, racism, sexism, gender roles, and prejudice, issues that are key to this time period yet also still prevalent today.

The pacing is good, if not a little slow. The mystery is complex with a lot of characters. I wish there had been a list of characters in the book's front or back matter to help me keep track!

This is a sequel to 2020's MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY, which I haven't (yet!) read, but with this book's adequate summaries of the couple's previous adventures, I didn't feel like I was missing anything significant. Had I read book one, though, I think it would have added some extra richness to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. I've shared my review to Goodreads, and will post it on Instagram on the book's release date.

An atmospheric mystery set during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Captain Jim and his new wife Diana are happily ensconced in Boston after emigrating from Bombay and Jim is working as a detective for the Duprees. When he leaves for an assignment in Chicago and then is still unheard from after 5 weeks, Diana is concerned but then a professor turns up with a translation of a note about bomb making materials which Jim had sent for translation. So of course, Diana, accompanied by Tobias sets off to find him. She leverages connections they made on their travel from Bombay once she gets there to get a hotel suite and invitations various places. Luckily, she met Abagail Martin on the train and together with Tobias and an urchin (for lack of a better word) she meets by chance, they find Jim. The story takes off from there as Diana and Jim plunge into the complicated world of labor unrest and anarchists. This is largely told from Diana's POV, with a few chapters from Jim. It's as complex and complicated as the first book (and this will be fine as a standalone) but to be honest, I liked that one better. Props for Abagail, for Diana's cleverness (some of which is not revealed until the final pages) and for the atmospherics. Somehow I'd missed, by the way, that this married couple which is so in love had not yet.....Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. There's plenty of material here for future installments albeit, I guess (sadly) likely set in the US. Regardless, I'm looking forward to the next outing.

I really enjoyed this adventure. As Jim and Diana are settling into their home in a new country, Jim is asked to go to Chicago to find out what happened to one of his colleagues. He is gone a long time and Diana just knows that something is wrong. When a man shows up at her home to talk to Jim about a letter, she knows that she must go to Chicago. Once there, there are so many people of all walks of life who seem to be in on a conspiracy. Will she be helping Jim or hindering him?

3.5

While I didn't love Murder in Old Bombay as much as I hoped I would, my biggest issue was that it didn't feel like it knew what it wanted to be and I hoped that in this sequel March would be able to tell a more concise story. Unfortunately, I think this sequel fell flat in a different way.

My favorite part of the first book in this series was the way March was able to create such a vivid picture of Bombay, which is something I think she continues to do here though the setting is Chicago rather than Bombay. It was clear that she did her research about the major players in society, specifically regarding the Columbian Exposition and the behind the scenes politics of hosting the Worlds Fair in Chicago.

I felt the plot was tighter in this sequel as we didn't have as many side plots and the side plots that were present ended up tying back to the central mystery more often than not. I still have still have some complaints. Like in the previous book, some of the detective work felt rather sloppy and some aspects of the mystery didn't fully come together well enough for me. I also question how easily Diana was able to move through Chicago society as a woman of color.

That being said, as a whole I found the book compulsively readable and that is really all I want in a mystery novel. If March chooses to continue in this series, I would be interested in seeing where these characters go next.

If you enjoy Historical Mysteries, you need to check out the Captain Jim and Lady Diana Mysteries! Peril at the Exposition is the second book in this series by Nev March, and it’s as good as the first one, Murder in Old Bombay, which was excellent.

The way March is able to combine history, mystery and British and Indian culture makes for a fantastic story. She blends them in such a way that when I come across something new, it doesn’t take me out of the story, and actually makes me want to learn more about the events I’m reading about… which to me is a sign of a very good writer.

In Peril at the Exposition we hear more of Diana’s voice, which I really enjoyed. March doesn’t have Diana be a perfect character, instead having her make mistakes in a new world that she is not familiar with. These mis-steps enhance the way March incorporates history into the story, helping to show the way the world really was… and unfortunately, still is.

Besides learning more about the World Fair in Chicago, labor conditions during that time, and a bit more of Indian culture, the reader is treated to a very intriguing and well thought out mystery. There are lots of twists and suspects, combine that with March’s fast paced writing and shorter chapters and it makes for a real page turner.

I was also very happy that March included a GLBTQ character in the story and hope we see more of them in future books!

Treachery and anarchy!

1893. Zoroastrian Lady Diana Framji and her Hindu husband Captain James Agnihotri have left behind the strictures of English society of Bombay and started a new life in Boston. Using the last part of Jim’s name they have styled themselves the O’Trey’s. Jim is working for an investigation bureau, the Dupree Detective Agency. He has been sent to Chicago. A seasoned detective is missing. Now Jim has been away for six weeks with no communication except recently part of a letter in German. Diana persuades Alfred Dupree, the founder of the agency to fund her journey to Chicago as an operative to look for Jim. (That interaction shows us some of Diana’s steely resolve.) It seems Jim might be in deep cover and the Dupree’s have lost contact with him. Whatever the reason Diana fears for him. Along the way Diana acquires a maid, the very fascinating Abigail Martin and learns of the hazards for people of color.
Chicago’s abuzz with the World Fair opening, and an anarchist group is advocating for workers’ rights and work for the unemployed.
Diana finds herself circling around the very top of Chicago Society, when not witness to the depths of that city’s poverty stricken. Threats of explosives being unleashed on an unsuspecting population has her searching for leads. Her quick and determined mind has her linking pieces of the puzzle. All of which becomes painstakingly clearer as she finally tracks down her beloved husband. What a team they make. I do so enjoy them. I think they are now in firmly placed in my top historical mystery personalities.
I was a tad disappointed that the couple had left Bombay but they are finding a new togetherness in a place where they can be. And the skills they each have, their ability to mingle in a variety of social levels makes them even more potent as a team.
For Jim, “This new country—it’s true and precious. Not perfect, sure, but here one has a chance to make something, to live free of snide glances and sneers.”
We are introduced to an interesting cast of support characters which I hope we’ll continue to see.
It seems the couple are busy making a new place for themselves and I’m happy for them. A fascinating follow up from where we first met Lady Diana and Captain Jim, in Old Bombay.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley. Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I had read the first book by Nev March and had been eagerly waiting for the new one. So I was quite excited when I got the opportunity to read the next one thanks to Minotaur books.

This book is set entirely in Chicago contrary to my expectations of another in British ruled India. Captain Jim And his wife, the very resourceful and spunky Diana have moved to the US and Captain Jim is now Detective Jim. He is an ardent fan of Sherlock Holmes and loves teaching his wife the methods that the literary character employed to get to the bottom of problems.

The book is set in 1893, a momentous year as we see various illustrious historical characters throughout the course of the mystery. They are both embroiled in figuring out a terrorist plot at the Chicago World Exhibition. There is a lot of talk of new scientific discoveries and ideas being showcased at this exposition. There is opposition to some of the new ideas by people deeply invested in the older way of doing things. There are so many twists and turns that it was a little difficult to keep pace. But the author has got the atmosphere of Chicago taking a leap ionto the new world beautifully.

There are places where I was forced to take Diana’s capabilities, specially being a colored woman in 1893, with disbelief. That coupled with the sheer number of famous achievers from the time along with Swami Vivekananda, is what made me give this a four star rating instead of five. That said, I will still be waiting for the next Nev March reveal of this duo working together passionately to solve another crime.