The second book in the historical series featuring Sergeant Akai Singh, A SHIPWRECK IN FIJI follows on from A DISAPPEARANCE IN FIJI. This series makes for particularly interesting reading if you're aware of the motivation behind the books, which Rao spells out in her author's notes. In this book she comments:

"The short answer to 'why set a book in Fiji' is to explore my heritage. But who wants a short answer? .... I was born in Fiji of Indian descent, and my family moved to Australia when I was three. Growing up in North Queensland in the 1980s, I was focused on fitting in and didn't want to know anything about my heritage. ..."

It's really worth knowing that aspect of the author's approach, as there is a really strong sense of the central character in these novels, Sergeant Singh, trying to work out his place in the world. Sent to Fiji as "punishment" for an indiscretion in Hong Kong, he's of Indian descent, with strong family connections there, as well as the connection back to Hong Kong. Arriving in Fiji, where the Indian diaspora's backstory is made up of indentured labourer's who are often poorly treated, and those that could have returned to India but didn't for various reasons. This sense of different people in a new place, there because they want, and more frequently because they can't leave, strikes a chord with him. It also has considerable resonance with current day refugee and immigrant experiences. In A SHIPWRECK IN FIJI Rao really sets out to understand the reasons for the Indian diaspora remaining in Fiji, but she also does not neglect the local Fijian First Nation's people. Again referring to the Author's Note:

"In this book, I've taken a risk I wasn't brave enough to take in the first book. I've added a lot more about indigenous Fijian culture, the culture of the iTaukei (literally meaning 'owner') people. I avoided this in the first book because I was concerned about writing about a culture that I didn't feel like I was authentically in a position to talk about. "

Looking back at the reading experience of A SHIPWRECK after finishing the Author's Note you can see that respect. The book doesn't ever move away from the core fundamental's of a police investigation - and a pretty confrontational one at that, as two Indian men are found dead on a tropical paradise, where Singh is ostensibly escorting a couple of English women back to the home of their brother and uncle. On the other hand, he's also searching for a small party of German's supposedly hiding out on the island, this being 1915 and wartime tensions having reached even this far. Whilst it's easy and obvious to want to blame the lurking Germans for the murders on the island, there's something else going on, with tensions within the Indian diaspora revealing themselves, and a complicated scenario of connections and pasts colliding.

Meanwhile there is tension between that party of shipwrecked Germans, trying to pass themselves off as Norwegian, and the village of Singh's sidekick Taviti Tukana, and the clash of traditional law and colonial overreach. All of which is delivered in a charming, readable, historical novel that's populated by wonderfully strong characters and a tremendous sense of place and time. It's a privilege to be taken along on the ride that is Nilima Rao's exploration of her own family background and history in such an engaging manner.

A Shipwreck in Fiji is the second entry in Nilima Rao's historical mystery series featuring Sergeant Akal Singh (following A Disappearance in Fiji). I am enjoying learning about the culture and history of this area at the turn of the twentieth century.

Most readers would assume that the islands of Fiji were much too remote to be affected by World War I, but that's not true. There was a definite shortage of men on the islands, since most of them were off fighting in Europe. That's why Sergeant Akal Singh finds himself mentoring a young and extremely nervous constable when he and Taviti arrive on Ovalau.

Taviti was a welcome addition to this book, as he introduced both Singh and readers to tribal traditions, and the breaking of some of them had serious repercussions. Another aspect of Fijian life at the time was the practice of bringing indentured Indians to the islands to work for a period of five years. (Don't miss the Author's Note about this.)

The mysteries concerning the death of the local, the Norwegian sailors, and the European women's real reasons for being on the island were intriguing and certainly kept my interest; however, if one thing made me roll my eyes, it was Akal Singh's propensity to be enthralled by every pretty face he comes in contact with. This is what got him sent to Fiji in disgrace, and-- if he doesn't mend his ways soon-- it's going to get him in even hotter water in Fiji. We'll have to see what happens in the next book.

Another enjoyable installment in the Sergeant Akal Singh series, this time set primarily on the island of Ovalau. I preferred this book to the first in the series, as we were able to learn more about some of the recurring characters and see a bit more depth to them. Overall though, the main character is really Fiji. The author did a great job blending the mystery with information and glimpses of Fiji and its culture, enticing readers to look up more on their own. Not quite cozy due to the violence involved in the crimes but still a gentle read, this is a solid pick for historical mystery readers who are tired of reading about the same time periods and settings. Fans of Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry series would be well-paired with this series.

This is the second in this terrific historical mystery series set during WW1 in Fiji. The main character is Sergeant Akal Singh, a Sikh from India who entered into the British colonial constabulary in Hong Kong….at the time, like Fiji….under british colonial control. Prior the the first book, we find out the Akal was reassigned to Fiji from Hong Kong because of a mistake he made in becoming casual friends with a young British woman who also happened to be part of a burglary gang. Akal was “guilty” of daring to be an Indian man who was friends with a white woman but also inadvertently giving information to a criminal robbing wealthy British homes in Hong Kong. He’s now in Fiji with a mark against him and, it seems that no matter what he does, he’s always going to be in the dog house….even when is superior cricket skills help his coworkers win games. This book involves Akal traveling to a smaller island in Fiji to escort 2 British women there to visit the old house of a relative but really to investigate the report that Germans have been seen there…remember this is during WW1. Once there, Akal must deal with murder, local indigenous customs, his bosses back the Suvu (the Fijian capital), possible German POWs, and the attraction between him and one of the women he’s be sent to escort and protect. Given his history plus the existing expectations of conduct between white and nonwhite people, Akal is very nervous. However, he’s a very good policeman and smart but is this enough to navigate all throw in his path???

Rao's sophomore mystery serves up colonial intrigue with a delicious side of Fijian wit—imagine Hercule Poirot sweating profusely in the tropics while wrestling with his starched collar. Our perpetually exasperated Sergeant Akal Singh finds himself island-hopping to Ovalau, where investigating Germans supposedly lurking in paradise feels about as necessary as bringing sand to the beach.
The true star here is Fiji itself—a lush, complex character simmering with cultural tensions. Rao masterfully navigates the social hierarchy of 1915 island life, from the imposing village chief (Taviti's uncle, who commands respect faster than you can say "bula vinaka") to the imprisoned Norwegian sailors who discover that paradise comes with fine print. The author's meticulous research delivers a Fiji beyond the postcard—one where colonial policies clash with indigenous traditions and where the war in Europe casts long shadows across azure waters.
When Katherine, our aspiring journalist with more ambition than a politician on election day, starts stirring the pot, Akal must solve a murder while preventing his own career from washing out to sea. Clever, atmospheric, and sharper than a freshly macheted coconut, this tropical whodunit proves Rao knows her way around both a mystery plot and the fascinating cultural tapestry of early 20th century Fiji.

I'm a huge fan of Soho Crime's output, and Nilima Rao's Akal Singh mysteries are no exception.

The Fiji setting is absolutely the highlight of A Shipwreck in Fiji—I learned so much about the unique location—and the characters and story are charming, just like in the first book, A Disappearance in Fiji. The mystery here does get off to a slightly slow start, and is a bit cozier/lighter than I normally read, but my overall enjoyment of the series outweighs those quibbles.

Highly recommended to fans of A Disappearance in Fiji, who will greatly enjoy this well-crafted sequel.

I couldn't wait this one to be out. After the first book, I knew that I would love the upcoming novels in the series - and I did.

We get to know more not only about Akal's background but Taviti's too, and our education on the Fijian traditions is continuing. Here, in Europe, we have our memories and history of the First World War and we hardly think of what happened at other parts of the globe during those years. It's an interesting journey to see what life was like in Fiji, India or Australia.

Beyond an entertaining whodunnit story, this book is packed with culture and history.

This is book two in the Akal Singh series and it was nothing short of fun, easy to read, and transports you to 1915 Fiji.
I enjoy the detective duo so much. Especially Taviti. He is reminiscent of native Fijians I know in real life and it was so cool to read. The author did an amazing job structuring the mystery and plot points. I didn’t know who did what until the end, which I loved.
I can’t wait to see how life unfolds for Akal and what mysteries he stumbles into.

In this second mystery in the series, our hero Akal Singh, a Sikh police officer who has been demoted to the remote backwater of Fiji after a security lapse (that was also a racial lapse - a non-white fraternizing with a white woman, shock!) is assigned to accompany a couple of Australian women to a smaller town where a relative has died. While they organize a household, Akal and his jocular Fijian sidekick look into rumors of Germans spying on the colony. Though the Great War is raging in Europe, it seems unlikely that Germans would bother with such a distant colony, yet as they investigate they encounter the body of an unpopular shopkeeper. Clearly something is afoot, and the younger of the Australians (who has ambitions to be a journalist) wants to be involved.

While the stakes seem lower in this series entry than in the first, which vividly depicted the injustices of a system that was imposed once slavery was made illegal (slavery lite?) the story moves quickly and the characters and setting are well depicted. The biggest twist for me was in reading the afterword, which described how much of the story is based on the historical record. I love learning from fiction, and the author does a a nice job of drawing on history to develop interesting stories.

I wanted to read Shipwreck because I read the first in the series, and I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, this second installment didn't live up to expectations. It seemed to drag, and there was a lot of going back and forth between the locations without a lot of action.

This is the second outing for disgraced police officer Sergeant Akal Singh set in the colonial-era South Pacific. Singh is an engaging character, wrestling with racism, classism, and xenophobia from his superiors and settlers, at the same time navigating a new culture after his transfer from Hong Kong. Singh's perspective as an outsider and observer of all that is happening around him makes the mystery more compelling as you learn how he adeptly finds ways around the colonial systems in place to keep him in his place.

A Norwegian crew has washed ashore on the island Tuvalo -- or are they German? -- leads Sgt. Singh on to investigate. While WWI is raging in Europe has it now reached this faraway island? Singh must balance locating the crew with his additional responsibility of escorting two women to the island. The purpose of their visit is unclear and threatens to interfere with identifying who killed a local merchant. Sgt. Singh's intellect and his deep shame for previous actions that landed him in Fiji are important threads to be further explored as this series hopefully continues for many more installments.

I am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this title because I loved Nijima Rao's first book, A Disappearance in Fiji!

#AShipwreckinFiji #NetGalley #SohoPress

A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao continues the saga of Akal Singh, an East Indian police officer sent to Fiji in 1915. When he is sent to the neighboring island of Ovalau to escort two white ladies and also to see if there is any truth to the rumors of Germans hiding in the jungle. Rao writes a very good story while teaching about Fijian history and her characters make one really care about what happens next. I hope there are many more books to come.

In her second book in the Akal Singh series, Nilima Rao has matched or exceeded the excellent impression of her first mystery, Disappearance in Fiji. In A Shipwreck in Fiji, Akal Singh is sent to the island of Ovalou to accompany two British ladies, Mary and Katherine in order to help them clear the house of an uncle who has died. They have also assigned themselves to look for the grave of the uncle's wife who died from an early childbirth. Mary, and Katherine, in particular, seem unruffled by the small community of Ovalau. Katherine is full of curiosity and excitement about being on the island since they are residents of Suva, the capitol, and the environment of a small village, once the capitol of Fiji, presents an antidote to the bigger and busier town. Eventually, Dr. Holmes travels from Suva to examine the Indian victims of two brutal murders as Akal and Taviti try to identify the culprit.

The story, which takes place at the beginning of WWI, has a rich cast of characters, and Rao does an excellent job of including cultural and cross-cultural locations in the village of Levuka. Taviti, a native of the village and the nephew of the chief, shows Akal and the ladies local places of interest. Rao also explains the process of indentured servitude that eventually brought tens of thousands of Indians to work in the cane fields for five years or more. Other, more educated Indians also come to teach children or assist in other ways.

Most of the characters in the book are fictional, but two, Apolosi Nawai, a political prisoner, and Count von Luckner, a German who is masquerading as a friendly Norwegian. The friendship between Akal and Taviti mirrors the present day mix of Indians and Melanesians in Fiji, and it presages the somewhat complicated history of Fiji.

The environment of Fiji, the landscape of the island of Ovalau, and the geography of the various islands in the country is finely drawn. The mystery of the deaths that take place is cleverly explained, and the reader is kept engaged by the plot and secrets of the various characters. The book is fast-paced and compelling. I look forward to the next book featuring Akal Singh.

I was so excited when I was able to request a prepublication eARC through NetGalley. I enjoyed the first book about Sergeant Akal Singh, and in my opinion, this second series entry, set in Fiji during World War I, was even better, in part because the focus was more on the mystery and less on Rao's backstory, although needed details were effortlessly woven into the story, as were historical and cultural details. I am already waiting for the next series entry.

After thoroughly enjoying "A Disappearance in Fiji," I was extremely pleased to find that Nilima Rao is expanding into a full series. And "A Shipwreck in Fiji" immediately proved to be an absolutely wonderful follow-up that possesses the exact same charm of its predecessor. Simply put, I found it to be a wonderful blend of cozy mystery, and my personal favorite kind of historical fiction - one that takes me to a particular time and more specifically, a place that I've yet to travel to before, and allows me to experience it at a depth I never would have previously imagined. I'm already greatly looking forward to the third book in the series (and hopefully, more in the wake after that).