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Muzaffar Jang #4
Crimson City
A serial killer is terrorizing Dilli and Mughal nobleman and detective Muzaffar Jang might have finally met his match.
In the spring of 1657, the Mughal armies have reached the Deccan, besieging the Fort of Bidar. Back home in Dilli, there is unrest: the empire seethes and stirs, and its capital reflects this turbulence. Muzaffar Jang, newly married to his beloved Shireen and trying to adjust to life as a husband, stumbles into the investigation of a merchant's murder. Even as another crime - the kidnapping of a wealthy moneylender's infant son - occurs, Muzaffar finds himself at odds with his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the Kotwal of Dilli.
Things get increasingly puzzling as one murder follows another and, soon, it is clear that the streets of Dilli have a serial killer on the loose. Muzaffar, who soon finds himself at odds with the system as well as those closest to him, must follow his gut to unmask this audacious murderer, while trying to obey Khan Sahib's warning: do not get in the way of the law. But has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
In the spring of 1657, the Mughal armies have reached the Deccan, besieging the Fort of Bidar. Back home in Dilli, there is unrest: the empire seethes and stirs, and its capital reflects this turbulence. Muzaffar Jang, newly married to his beloved Shireen and trying to adjust to life as a husband, stumbles into the investigation of a merchant's murder. Even as another crime - the kidnapping of a wealthy moneylender's infant son - occurs, Muzaffar finds himself at odds with his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the Kotwal of Dilli.
Things get increasingly puzzling as one murder follows another and, soon, it is clear that the streets of Dilli have a serial killer on the loose. Muzaffar, who soon finds himself at odds with the system as well as those closest to him, must follow his gut to unmask this audacious murderer, while trying to obey Khan Sahib's warning: do not get in the way of the law. But has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
15 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Madhulika Liddle
22 books547 followersMadhulika Liddle is best known for her books featuring the 17th century Mughal detective Muzaffar Jang, although she is also a prolific writer of short fiction, travel writing, and writing related to classic cinema.
The Muzaffar Jang Series: Madhulika’s best-known series of works are historical whodunnits featuring the 17th century Mughal detective, Muzaffar Jang. Till now, four books in the series have been published:
The Englishman’s Cameo (2009)
The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries (2011),
Engraved in Stone (2012), and
Crimson City (2015).
In October 2021, Madhulika Liddle published The Garden of Heaven, the first novel of a four-novel series called the Delhi Quartet. This is a series of historical novels that will span 800 years of Delhi's history. The Garden of Heaven was long-listed for the Book of the Year (Fiction) Award of the annual Tata Literature Live! literature festival.
In March 2023, Madhulika's The Pledge: Adventures to Sada was released. A fantasy adventure novel, this is the first part of a two-part series called The Mandala Purana, written in collaboration with film-maker Kannan Iyer.
Short stories: Madhulika has written a range of short stories in different genres, including black humour, humour, crime and detection, and social awareness. Several of these have won awards (including the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association’s (CBA) Short Story Competition, for A Morning Swim, in 2003) or have been selected for anthologies. Her story, Poppies in the Snow, was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize.
Short story collections:
My Lawfully Wedded Husband & Other Stories. Black humour shorts, all of which have a twist in the tale.
Woman to Woman: Stories. A collection of twelve women-centric stories.
Madhulika is also known for her travel writing, which has been published in Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller (India), Lounge (Mint), and other periodicals.
In addition, she is a cinema buff and blogs (mostly about classic cinema) at www.madhulikaliddle.com.
Awards and Recognition:
CBA Short Story Competition – Honourable Mention (2002) for Love and the Papaya Man
CBA Short Story Competition – Overall Winner (2003) for A Morning Swim
Winner of Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize (2015) - Longlisted for Poppies in the Snow
Book of the Year Award, Tata Literature Live! (2023) - Longlisted for The Garden of Heaven
Starting 2022, Crimson City (Muzaffar Jang #4) is being taught as an elective to Delhi University students majoring in English
The Muzaffar Jang Series: Madhulika’s best-known series of works are historical whodunnits featuring the 17th century Mughal detective, Muzaffar Jang. Till now, four books in the series have been published:
The Englishman’s Cameo (2009)
The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries (2011),
Engraved in Stone (2012), and
Crimson City (2015).
In October 2021, Madhulika Liddle published The Garden of Heaven, the first novel of a four-novel series called the Delhi Quartet. This is a series of historical novels that will span 800 years of Delhi's history. The Garden of Heaven was long-listed for the Book of the Year (Fiction) Award of the annual Tata Literature Live! literature festival.
In March 2023, Madhulika's The Pledge: Adventures to Sada was released. A fantasy adventure novel, this is the first part of a two-part series called The Mandala Purana, written in collaboration with film-maker Kannan Iyer.
Short stories: Madhulika has written a range of short stories in different genres, including black humour, humour, crime and detection, and social awareness. Several of these have won awards (including the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association’s (CBA) Short Story Competition, for A Morning Swim, in 2003) or have been selected for anthologies. Her story, Poppies in the Snow, was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize.
Short story collections:
My Lawfully Wedded Husband & Other Stories. Black humour shorts, all of which have a twist in the tale.
Woman to Woman: Stories. A collection of twelve women-centric stories.
Madhulika is also known for her travel writing, which has been published in Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller (India), Lounge (Mint), and other periodicals.
In addition, she is a cinema buff and blogs (mostly about classic cinema) at www.madhulikaliddle.com.
Awards and Recognition:
CBA Short Story Competition – Honourable Mention (2002) for Love and the Papaya Man
CBA Short Story Competition – Overall Winner (2003) for A Morning Swim
Winner of Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize (2015) - Longlisted for Poppies in the Snow
Book of the Year Award, Tata Literature Live! (2023) - Longlisted for The Garden of Heaven
Starting 2022, Crimson City (Muzaffar Jang #4) is being taught as an elective to Delhi University students majoring in English
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 18, 2016
“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”
----Arthur Conan Doyle
Madhulika Liddle, an Indian author, pens her fourth book in the Muzaffar Jang series called, Crimson City, that narrates the investigation, done by Muzaffar, of a series of murders occurring in Dilli, along with his brother-in-law, Muzaffar, must try to find and put an end to the killing spree of the serial murderer.
Synopsis:
A serial killer is terrorizing Dilli and Mughal nobleman and detective Muzaffar Jang might have finally met his match.
In the spring of 1657, the Mughal armies have reached the Deccan, besieging the Fort of Bidar. Back home in Dilli, there is unrest: the empire seethes and stirs, and its capital reflects this turbulence. Muzaffar Jang, newly married to his beloved Shireen and trying to adjust to life as a husband, stumbles into the investigation of a merchant's murder. Even as another crime - the kidnapping of a wealthy moneylender's infant son - occurs, Muzaffar finds himself at odds with his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the Kotwal of Dilli.
Things get increasingly puzzling as one murder follows another and, soon, it is clear that the streets of Dilli have a serial killer on the loose. Muzaffar, who soon finds himself at odds with the system as well as those closest to him, must follow his gut to unmask this audacious murderer, while trying to obey Khan Sahib's warning: do not get in the way of the law. But has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
Muzaffar Jang, the Mughal sleuth, is newly married to his beloved wife, Shireen. Their blissful married life is put on hold when Muzaffar begins the investigation, alongside with Shireen's Kotwal brother, Khan Sahib, of a wealthy merchant's murder and another wealthy merchant's son's kidnapping. Soon the city of Dilli is threatened with a series of murders and Muzaffar must carefully chose his suspect before it is too late to save the city.
This is the first book that I read from Muzaffar Jang series, hence I had not much idea about Muzaffar's past or background. Surprisingly, the author has highlighted the infamous detective's past and present with intricacy for her readers, thus I could easily contemplate with Muzaffar's character all throughout the book.
The author have painted a vivid and extremely captivating picture of a 17th century Dilli (New Delhi, currently knows as) when it was under the rule of Mughal empire. Henceforth, the author has not only captured the major historic events of that century but have also depicted each and every architecture, ally and houses in that fashion. In a nutshell, the 17th century Dilli is not only fascinating and gorgeous but also bit puzzling with so many narrow streets and back alleys. The readers are in for a treat as each and every details are laid out so intricately that it will feel like they are transported to that era. The setting is in perfect sync with that of the story line.
The mystery is absolutely riveting, gripping and mind blowing, that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. The mystery builds up with a fast pace that doesn't even provide a single fleeting moment to the readers to look away and anticipate on their own. Yes there are lots of twists and turns that makes the mystery more deeper with suspense and fear. Away from the world of technology, Muzaffar solves the mystery with logic and intelligence, thus making it interesting to see an old fashioned modus operandi of a detective.
The writing of the author is eloquent and extremely fantastic with an engaging narrative, the book is an absolute page-turner. The main character, Muzaffar Jung, is an energetic man and highly intelligent with a panache for solving crimes better than his Kotwal brother-in-law. Muzaffar is not only a serious and dedicated man, but also quite funny and loving husband. His marital bliss with Shireen is very projected with compassion and with emotions of a newly wed couple. The supporting cast are also quite well-developed, and there are lots of interesting characters making the story lot more enthralling.
In short, this book made me want to read the previous Muzaffar Jang books. I believe the previous books too will be equally addictive like this one.
Verdict: A must read series for detective story lovers.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Madhulika Liddle and her publishers from Hachette India, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Arthur Conan Doyle
Madhulika Liddle, an Indian author, pens her fourth book in the Muzaffar Jang series called, Crimson City, that narrates the investigation, done by Muzaffar, of a series of murders occurring in Dilli, along with his brother-in-law, Muzaffar, must try to find and put an end to the killing spree of the serial murderer.
Synopsis:
A serial killer is terrorizing Dilli and Mughal nobleman and detective Muzaffar Jang might have finally met his match.
In the spring of 1657, the Mughal armies have reached the Deccan, besieging the Fort of Bidar. Back home in Dilli, there is unrest: the empire seethes and stirs, and its capital reflects this turbulence. Muzaffar Jang, newly married to his beloved Shireen and trying to adjust to life as a husband, stumbles into the investigation of a merchant's murder. Even as another crime - the kidnapping of a wealthy moneylender's infant son - occurs, Muzaffar finds himself at odds with his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the Kotwal of Dilli.
Things get increasingly puzzling as one murder follows another and, soon, it is clear that the streets of Dilli have a serial killer on the loose. Muzaffar, who soon finds himself at odds with the system as well as those closest to him, must follow his gut to unmask this audacious murderer, while trying to obey Khan Sahib's warning: do not get in the way of the law. But has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
Muzaffar Jang, the Mughal sleuth, is newly married to his beloved wife, Shireen. Their blissful married life is put on hold when Muzaffar begins the investigation, alongside with Shireen's Kotwal brother, Khan Sahib, of a wealthy merchant's murder and another wealthy merchant's son's kidnapping. Soon the city of Dilli is threatened with a series of murders and Muzaffar must carefully chose his suspect before it is too late to save the city.
This is the first book that I read from Muzaffar Jang series, hence I had not much idea about Muzaffar's past or background. Surprisingly, the author has highlighted the infamous detective's past and present with intricacy for her readers, thus I could easily contemplate with Muzaffar's character all throughout the book.
The author have painted a vivid and extremely captivating picture of a 17th century Dilli (New Delhi, currently knows as) when it was under the rule of Mughal empire. Henceforth, the author has not only captured the major historic events of that century but have also depicted each and every architecture, ally and houses in that fashion. In a nutshell, the 17th century Dilli is not only fascinating and gorgeous but also bit puzzling with so many narrow streets and back alleys. The readers are in for a treat as each and every details are laid out so intricately that it will feel like they are transported to that era. The setting is in perfect sync with that of the story line.
The mystery is absolutely riveting, gripping and mind blowing, that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. The mystery builds up with a fast pace that doesn't even provide a single fleeting moment to the readers to look away and anticipate on their own. Yes there are lots of twists and turns that makes the mystery more deeper with suspense and fear. Away from the world of technology, Muzaffar solves the mystery with logic and intelligence, thus making it interesting to see an old fashioned modus operandi of a detective.
The writing of the author is eloquent and extremely fantastic with an engaging narrative, the book is an absolute page-turner. The main character, Muzaffar Jung, is an energetic man and highly intelligent with a panache for solving crimes better than his Kotwal brother-in-law. Muzaffar is not only a serious and dedicated man, but also quite funny and loving husband. His marital bliss with Shireen is very projected with compassion and with emotions of a newly wed couple. The supporting cast are also quite well-developed, and there are lots of interesting characters making the story lot more enthralling.
In short, this book made me want to read the previous Muzaffar Jang books. I believe the previous books too will be equally addictive like this one.
Verdict: A must read series for detective story lovers.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Madhulika Liddle and her publishers from Hachette India, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
Read
February 7, 2025the last of this series with an amir solving crimes in Mughal India. Love the setting but this one rather felt as if it needed a couple more drafts--one of the big plot drivers is why Khan Sahib orders Muzaffar to stay out of investigations and we never really get a reason; there's also a somewhat janky kidnapping subplot that doesn't really relate to the main plot at all. Basically needed a stronger edit and I regret it didn't get one, because overall Muzaffar is good fun and the historical setting is fascinating.
March 1, 2022
Move aside, basic people reading basic mysteries set in historical Europe and America. This one takes the cake for being an amazing piece of work that everyone should read.
This book is set in Mughal India, specifically in Shah Jahan's reign, in the chaotic, magnificent, slightly overwhelming city that is Dilli (modern-day Delhi isn't any different, to be honest oof). And you guessed it! A murder happens! Then another. And another.
Muzaffar and Shireen as the main leads were adorable and their relationship is honesty goals 😭😭
They have that healthy communication and adoration for each other that I don't find in mainstream media anymore. Like a drink of cool water amid all the hectic days and the plot of the novel. No drama. Only two people who love each other working through a series of murders.
In addition, I really liked the conviction and cunning of the accomplice. Muzaffar acknowledging it made me grin from ear to ear. He's so clearly a man written by a woman. The feminist themes in the novel, as I said before, in addition to drawing real life parallels with the communal divide currently happening in various Indian cities. Other than that, I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed Mughal era Delhi as a living, breathing city. As someone who's lived here all my life, I could still somehow relate to all of it even if the time period has not changed. Even if you don't like much detective fiction much, read this for the atmosphere the author captured of a city so imbursed in revolution, a city of kings and emperors and eventual revolutions. The clamour of people, the classism and extravagance of the nobility, the street food, amazing markets and the storytellers roaming about the city, freaking Chandni Chowk as it was once with the canal reflecting moonlight, the nine Darawazas piercing the city gates. *Chef's kiss*
A note: this was my compulsory read for uni. I don't know why they recommended a book in the middle of the series, but if anyone's interested, I'd suggest reading this in order because there are some events that will seem confusing, as they did to me, if you don't know what happened in the previous books.
This book is set in Mughal India, specifically in Shah Jahan's reign, in the chaotic, magnificent, slightly overwhelming city that is Dilli (modern-day Delhi isn't any different, to be honest oof). And you guessed it! A murder happens! Then another. And another.
Muzaffar and Shireen as the main leads were adorable and their relationship is honesty goals 😭😭
They have that healthy communication and adoration for each other that I don't find in mainstream media anymore. Like a drink of cool water amid all the hectic days and the plot of the novel. No drama. Only two people who love each other working through a series of murders.
In addition, I really liked the conviction and cunning of the accomplice. Muzaffar acknowledging it made me grin from ear to ear. He's so clearly a man written by a woman. The feminist themes in the novel, as I said before, in addition to drawing real life parallels with the communal divide currently happening in various Indian cities. Other than that, I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed Mughal era Delhi as a living, breathing city. As someone who's lived here all my life, I could still somehow relate to all of it even if the time period has not changed. Even if you don't like much detective fiction much, read this for the atmosphere the author captured of a city so imbursed in revolution, a city of kings and emperors and eventual revolutions. The clamour of people, the classism and extravagance of the nobility, the street food, amazing markets and the storytellers roaming about the city, freaking Chandni Chowk as it was once with the canal reflecting moonlight, the nine Darawazas piercing the city gates. *Chef's kiss*
A note: this was my compulsory read for uni. I don't know why they recommended a book in the middle of the series, but if anyone's interested, I'd suggest reading this in order because there are some events that will seem confusing, as they did to me, if you don't know what happened in the previous books.
October 12, 2015
The only final sin is stupidity
Review of ‘Crimson City’ by Madhulika Liddle
Where there is crime there is bound to be stupidity. One slip. One error. One blunder to make a detective work on until he finds or stumbles upon the next. For the writer of crime fiction, the passage from one stumble to another is where characters and periods come in. Madhulika Liddle goes back in time almost three hundred and fifty years back to reconstruct fascinating tales of crime and how Muzaffar Jang, the period detective she has created, solves them.
No, there were no complex cyber codes to decipher then, no emails to interpret or misinterpret, no state-of-the-art forensic labs to delve into micro details, no DNA analysis to lean on, and not even smartphones to record video and audio. The only thing common between then and now is crime. And people who excel in finding motives for these crimes. Even in the past ‘an answer often led to a question that had not even been envisaged till that very moment.’ Even then, motives had to be established before a criminal was indicted.
Crimson City is a historical crime fiction written by Madhulika Liddle and takes us back to the spring of 1657. Delhi was Dilli and the city with its ‘many tiny lanes and alleys that criss-crossed’ was as treacherous as it is now, if I am permitted to say… and was even then ‘a maze into which a man on foot – or a woman, if she were resourceful and unafraid – could easily vanish’. The blurb of the book says that we will go back in time when ‘the Mughal armies under Aurangzeb and Mir Jumla are besieging the Fort of Bidar, and Dilli is full of rumours of what’s happening down in the Deccan.’ And I must admit that as I read the pages I was literally transported into Dilli of the Mughals so effectively that I began to have visions of goblets made of ‘rock crystal, enamelled in red, green, and gold’, Persian carpets, and pearl necklaces around me and almost wished I were Muzaffar Jang who was once gifted ‘a finely painted copy of Razmnama, a Persian translation of the epic Mahabharat, originally commissioned by the Emperor Akbar’ by a wealthy nobleman whom he had helped in finding the killer of his father.
It is terribly difficult not to admire the calm deductive powers of Muzaffar despite his reluctance to cross the line and interfere with the official duties of Khan Sahib, his brother-in-law and the only real father he had ever known but also the Kotwal of Dilli and though he fears being declared a vigilante or clapped into prison or fined, he cannot stay away from following the trails that killing and kidnappings leave behind. The book dives straight into a killing that doesn’t seem to be tagged with a plausible motive… and then come the kidnapping and the murder that is made to look like it is a suicide. The thing that I like best about crime fiction is that it allows the reader to flow with what is happening and nod his or her head in agreement or disagreement when the protagonist on the pages seems to be deducting or debating. If this happens, the book has charmed its way into a reader’s heart… and I must admit that I was a bit like Shireen, Muzaffar’s wife, making my own conclusions and waiting for the right clues to be revealed by the author. And the author does that without unnecessarily camouflaging or delaying their appearance which gives acceleration to the already fluently flowing narrative... (review continued on my blog)
*
Do read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2015/10/the-only-f...
*
Arvind Passey
Written on: 12 October 2015
Blog: http://www.passey.info
Review of ‘Crimson City’ by Madhulika Liddle
Where there is crime there is bound to be stupidity. One slip. One error. One blunder to make a detective work on until he finds or stumbles upon the next. For the writer of crime fiction, the passage from one stumble to another is where characters and periods come in. Madhulika Liddle goes back in time almost three hundred and fifty years back to reconstruct fascinating tales of crime and how Muzaffar Jang, the period detective she has created, solves them.
No, there were no complex cyber codes to decipher then, no emails to interpret or misinterpret, no state-of-the-art forensic labs to delve into micro details, no DNA analysis to lean on, and not even smartphones to record video and audio. The only thing common between then and now is crime. And people who excel in finding motives for these crimes. Even in the past ‘an answer often led to a question that had not even been envisaged till that very moment.’ Even then, motives had to be established before a criminal was indicted.
Crimson City is a historical crime fiction written by Madhulika Liddle and takes us back to the spring of 1657. Delhi was Dilli and the city with its ‘many tiny lanes and alleys that criss-crossed’ was as treacherous as it is now, if I am permitted to say… and was even then ‘a maze into which a man on foot – or a woman, if she were resourceful and unafraid – could easily vanish’. The blurb of the book says that we will go back in time when ‘the Mughal armies under Aurangzeb and Mir Jumla are besieging the Fort of Bidar, and Dilli is full of rumours of what’s happening down in the Deccan.’ And I must admit that as I read the pages I was literally transported into Dilli of the Mughals so effectively that I began to have visions of goblets made of ‘rock crystal, enamelled in red, green, and gold’, Persian carpets, and pearl necklaces around me and almost wished I were Muzaffar Jang who was once gifted ‘a finely painted copy of Razmnama, a Persian translation of the epic Mahabharat, originally commissioned by the Emperor Akbar’ by a wealthy nobleman whom he had helped in finding the killer of his father.
It is terribly difficult not to admire the calm deductive powers of Muzaffar despite his reluctance to cross the line and interfere with the official duties of Khan Sahib, his brother-in-law and the only real father he had ever known but also the Kotwal of Dilli and though he fears being declared a vigilante or clapped into prison or fined, he cannot stay away from following the trails that killing and kidnappings leave behind. The book dives straight into a killing that doesn’t seem to be tagged with a plausible motive… and then come the kidnapping and the murder that is made to look like it is a suicide. The thing that I like best about crime fiction is that it allows the reader to flow with what is happening and nod his or her head in agreement or disagreement when the protagonist on the pages seems to be deducting or debating. If this happens, the book has charmed its way into a reader’s heart… and I must admit that I was a bit like Shireen, Muzaffar’s wife, making my own conclusions and waiting for the right clues to be revealed by the author. And the author does that without unnecessarily camouflaging or delaying their appearance which gives acceleration to the already fluently flowing narrative... (review continued on my blog)
*
Do read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2015/10/the-only-f...
*
Arvind Passey
Written on: 12 October 2015
Blog: http://www.passey.info
November 3, 2015
A lovely book which not only stays true to the period in which it is set in but is also authentic to the genre it belongs to.
Detailed review put up at https://mahabore.wordpress.com/2015/1...
Detailed review put up at https://mahabore.wordpress.com/2015/1...
November 12, 2021
There are many reasons to love this series.
The cast of characters is engaging. Muzaffar Jang is likable detective- a minor nobleman who is not obsessed with position and counts among his friends people as diverse as a boatman and a foppish nobleman. His brother in law who's like a father figure is also the kotwal of Dilli. His sister is a strong willed woman who doesn't tolerate nonsense and who helps him in his quest. His beautiful wife who's intellect and compassion matches his.
The setting is Dilli of Shah Jahan's time- the descriptions literally transport you back to Shahjahanabad and you get to experience the time and place. The stately mahals with their dalans, the tombs built by nobels during their lifetime, and the meaner dwellings of the regular folk. As an added bonus, you also get an overview of the geopolitics of the time.
But why these books really work for me is because of the strong plotting. You have enough clues to make a few intelligent guesses, yet, there are twist that keep you engaged.
If I had to pick my favourite out of the four books in the series, this would be the one, because of the presence of Shireen, and the tension between Jang and Khan Saheb.
Definitely a must read.
The cast of characters is engaging. Muzaffar Jang is likable detective- a minor nobleman who is not obsessed with position and counts among his friends people as diverse as a boatman and a foppish nobleman. His brother in law who's like a father figure is also the kotwal of Dilli. His sister is a strong willed woman who doesn't tolerate nonsense and who helps him in his quest. His beautiful wife who's intellect and compassion matches his.
The setting is Dilli of Shah Jahan's time- the descriptions literally transport you back to Shahjahanabad and you get to experience the time and place. The stately mahals with their dalans, the tombs built by nobels during their lifetime, and the meaner dwellings of the regular folk. As an added bonus, you also get an overview of the geopolitics of the time.
But why these books really work for me is because of the strong plotting. You have enough clues to make a few intelligent guesses, yet, there are twist that keep you engaged.
If I had to pick my favourite out of the four books in the series, this would be the one, because of the presence of Shireen, and the tension between Jang and Khan Saheb.
Definitely a must read.
December 23, 2025
listen LISTEN this was not a bad book by any means quite a fun light read actually and also considering it has been written like ten years back good job honestly
but this book lacked serious depth- it could be so much more than what it was. so much telling, not enough showing. not enough exploration. not enough rule breaking from my 'liberal' protagonist. stunted, distinct cases that did not occur in a flow.
mainly I'm spiteful because this book took me WAY TOO LONG to finish like two- three months and it was not worth that much time but everytime I picked up this book I could not read beyond like two pages and the only reason I finished it now is because I have to for my course work and since I couldn't finish it before I couldn't pick up any other book either since this was like a pressure on my head and so my reading goals of 2025 are absolutely shot to ground so yeah :(( average read overall
but this book lacked serious depth- it could be so much more than what it was. so much telling, not enough showing. not enough exploration. not enough rule breaking from my 'liberal' protagonist. stunted, distinct cases that did not occur in a flow.
mainly I'm spiteful because this book took me WAY TOO LONG to finish like two- three months and it was not worth that much time but everytime I picked up this book I could not read beyond like two pages and the only reason I finished it now is because I have to for my course work and since I couldn't finish it before I couldn't pick up any other book either since this was like a pressure on my head and so my reading goals of 2025 are absolutely shot to ground so yeah :(( average read overall
December 25, 2025
muzaffar is written to be not like other girls and it's pretty annoying but the book makes up for it by understanding one of the basic human joys of seeing places they know represented in art (audible gasps were heard when daryaganj was name dropped)
October 5, 2016
Unpredictable and twisted, Crimson City by Madhulika Liddle is the 3rd book that I read as a part of my September #TBR. And what a brilliant read I must say! From the beginning, the story is like a maze. And such a complicated maze that even the best of crime fiction readers won't be able to bust the climax of the story. And out of the three books by Liddle that I have read in September, Crimson City turns out to be the best one of the lot.
It is 1657, Shahjahanabad, and Mughal Empire is brimming with tension. Mughal armies are fighting in Deccan and are not doing so well. On the other end, city Kowtali is trying their best to keep the criminals at bay since they have found new levels of audacity to commit a crime. On one such assignment, Muzaffar Jang, newly married and settling down with Shireen, accompanies his brother in law and Chief of Kotwali Khan Sahib to a crime scene. A regular merchant, Aadil has been murdered, stabbed with a knife but nobody is able to understand the motive since nothing has been missing from his inventory or other valuable items. However, some papers have been moved here and there as if the killer was trying to find something in them.
A few days later, a local moneylender is threatened that his son will be kidnapped if he doesn't arrange ransom. And soon, the child is taken away. Jang, as always solves the crime with his devil lies in details attitude and manages to get back the child. But the outcome of this success is something which Jang never expected. Instead of a pat on the back, Khan Sahib asks Jang to step away and stop interfering in Kotwali's business.
But crime always attracts Muzaffar, and even if he tries to stop himself, his wife Shireen convinces him to get into it on humanitarian grounds. And coincidentally, next crime takes place where Muzaffar and his friend Akram, go for Hamaam. The owner of the Hamaam Abdul Jabaar Khan commits suicide, which Muzaffar conclude has only been staged as a suicide, but in real is cold blooded murder. And before Muzaffar could work on Abdul Jabaar Khan's case, another one bites the dust. The previous victim Aadil's neighbor, Basharat is also found murdered the same way Aadil was killed . And then, when Muzaffar tries to team up with Basharat's brother Parvez to solve this complicated web of crime, Parvez becomes the third victim of the serial killer.
With 4 murders and a brother in law who doesn't want Jang to interfere in Kotwali's business, will Muzaffar be able to solve the mystery behind this serial killer without pissing off Khan Sahib? Will he able to stop the serial killer who is on a rampage to finish anyone who comes in his way?
From the very first page, Crimson City will grasp your attention. And this time, Liddle has also struck a cord with readers on the issues of communities & religion, Hindu vs Muslim that prevailed during Mughal era as well. Muzaffar being the liberal one doesn't believe in boundaries created by religion. His faith in community and harmony is challenged a few times in the story which is something that we still face these days. His response to such situations is pretty insightful.
Another new thing about Crimson City is Muzaffar's marriage to Shireen. And when you meet Shireen, you realize that he made a right choice. In Crimson City, Shireen also shows some intellect towards breaking down bits and pieces of information that Muzaffar shares with her and coming to conclusions logically. She is the one who pushes Muzaffar to get into the cases even when Khan Sahib has strictly asked him to stay away. It's like she's Muzaffar's new motivation, a companion with whom he can share his cases and expect logical reasoning.
Also, Crimson City is the most complicated story out of the three novels by Liddle I read in September. And by complicated, I mean it in a good way. As soon as you think that the crime is about to be solved, another complication or detail comes your way that you can't just shrug off. Crimson City has such an aura that it keeps you hooked till the end. From getting the Mughal era facts straight to mixing it up with a delicious twist, Liddle has managed to make me fall in love with her writing again. Hardly anything went wrong with the Crimson City and I simply enjoyed it.
All in all, if you are looking for some really good crime fiction with a Mughal twist, I will highly recommend Jang series. The series has everything that a good crime fiction requires. And by the end of it, you will fall in love with Liddle and our home grown Sherlock, Muzaffar Jang.
Looking forward to next Muzaffar Jang adventure now.
It is 1657, Shahjahanabad, and Mughal Empire is brimming with tension. Mughal armies are fighting in Deccan and are not doing so well. On the other end, city Kowtali is trying their best to keep the criminals at bay since they have found new levels of audacity to commit a crime. On one such assignment, Muzaffar Jang, newly married and settling down with Shireen, accompanies his brother in law and Chief of Kotwali Khan Sahib to a crime scene. A regular merchant, Aadil has been murdered, stabbed with a knife but nobody is able to understand the motive since nothing has been missing from his inventory or other valuable items. However, some papers have been moved here and there as if the killer was trying to find something in them.
A few days later, a local moneylender is threatened that his son will be kidnapped if he doesn't arrange ransom. And soon, the child is taken away. Jang, as always solves the crime with his devil lies in details attitude and manages to get back the child. But the outcome of this success is something which Jang never expected. Instead of a pat on the back, Khan Sahib asks Jang to step away and stop interfering in Kotwali's business.
But crime always attracts Muzaffar, and even if he tries to stop himself, his wife Shireen convinces him to get into it on humanitarian grounds. And coincidentally, next crime takes place where Muzaffar and his friend Akram, go for Hamaam. The owner of the Hamaam Abdul Jabaar Khan commits suicide, which Muzaffar conclude has only been staged as a suicide, but in real is cold blooded murder. And before Muzaffar could work on Abdul Jabaar Khan's case, another one bites the dust. The previous victim Aadil's neighbor, Basharat is also found murdered the same way Aadil was killed . And then, when Muzaffar tries to team up with Basharat's brother Parvez to solve this complicated web of crime, Parvez becomes the third victim of the serial killer.
With 4 murders and a brother in law who doesn't want Jang to interfere in Kotwali's business, will Muzaffar be able to solve the mystery behind this serial killer without pissing off Khan Sahib? Will he able to stop the serial killer who is on a rampage to finish anyone who comes in his way?
From the very first page, Crimson City will grasp your attention. And this time, Liddle has also struck a cord with readers on the issues of communities & religion, Hindu vs Muslim that prevailed during Mughal era as well. Muzaffar being the liberal one doesn't believe in boundaries created by religion. His faith in community and harmony is challenged a few times in the story which is something that we still face these days. His response to such situations is pretty insightful.
Another new thing about Crimson City is Muzaffar's marriage to Shireen. And when you meet Shireen, you realize that he made a right choice. In Crimson City, Shireen also shows some intellect towards breaking down bits and pieces of information that Muzaffar shares with her and coming to conclusions logically. She is the one who pushes Muzaffar to get into the cases even when Khan Sahib has strictly asked him to stay away. It's like she's Muzaffar's new motivation, a companion with whom he can share his cases and expect logical reasoning.
Also, Crimson City is the most complicated story out of the three novels by Liddle I read in September. And by complicated, I mean it in a good way. As soon as you think that the crime is about to be solved, another complication or detail comes your way that you can't just shrug off. Crimson City has such an aura that it keeps you hooked till the end. From getting the Mughal era facts straight to mixing it up with a delicious twist, Liddle has managed to make me fall in love with her writing again. Hardly anything went wrong with the Crimson City and I simply enjoyed it.
All in all, if you are looking for some really good crime fiction with a Mughal twist, I will highly recommend Jang series. The series has everything that a good crime fiction requires. And by the end of it, you will fall in love with Liddle and our home grown Sherlock, Muzaffar Jang.
Looking forward to next Muzaffar Jang adventure now.
November 11, 2015
Crimson City is the fourth book in a series featuring Muzaffer Jung. Normally I try to read books in a sequence so that I get the subtleties in the characters as they emerge in the various books. However, I have no regrets, whatsoever, at having bought this book and have read it. Indeed, now I am determined to buy the rest of the books in the series and read them!
The series is set in the 17th century mughal empire involving the detective Mazaffer Jung. This particular book is set in Delhi, the then capital of Shah Jahan as the empire goes through several crises - expensive, ostentatious spending, a bleeding war in the Deccan, the rise of Aurangzeb, and all that.
The novel begins with a peculiar situation. Muzaffer Jung has been expressly ordered not to engage in any detective work by Khan Sahib, his brother-in-law (a father figure) and the Kotwal. But the innate curiosity of Muzaffer Jung cannot be denied. A business man is stabbed to death, and a small-time money lender is threatened with the kidnapping of his son. These are enough to suck Muzaffer Jung. He solves the case of the kidnapping of the little boy. But yet another murder occurs (a powerful nobleman) that appears to threaten the position of Khan Sahib himself unless the crime is solved and the perpetrators apprehended.
Muzaffer Jung goes through an agonizing decision - should he try to solve the crime thereby protecting his brother-in-law's position as Kotwal, or stay away minding his own business? What follows is the unfolding of a lovely whudunit. Pure and simple detection and logical deduction.
No fancy CSI processes, DNA analysis, lie detector tests, emails, cyber detection, etc. Plain and simple human ingenuity! That is what I love about the book. The added bonus comes by way of the vignettes we learn from the historical period. Simply awesome.
Madhulika Liddle's writing is direct and unpretentious. Holds your attention until you reach the very end!
I love historical fiction, and I love whodunits. Here we have a "historical whodunit"! And I loved this book and the characters. Now time for me to check out the other books by Madhulika Liddle, get Kindle versions if available (I travel quite a bit these days and Kindle helps hoarding books) and enjoy the books.
The series is set in the 17th century mughal empire involving the detective Mazaffer Jung. This particular book is set in Delhi, the then capital of Shah Jahan as the empire goes through several crises - expensive, ostentatious spending, a bleeding war in the Deccan, the rise of Aurangzeb, and all that.
The novel begins with a peculiar situation. Muzaffer Jung has been expressly ordered not to engage in any detective work by Khan Sahib, his brother-in-law (a father figure) and the Kotwal. But the innate curiosity of Muzaffer Jung cannot be denied. A business man is stabbed to death, and a small-time money lender is threatened with the kidnapping of his son. These are enough to suck Muzaffer Jung. He solves the case of the kidnapping of the little boy. But yet another murder occurs (a powerful nobleman) that appears to threaten the position of Khan Sahib himself unless the crime is solved and the perpetrators apprehended.
Muzaffer Jung goes through an agonizing decision - should he try to solve the crime thereby protecting his brother-in-law's position as Kotwal, or stay away minding his own business? What follows is the unfolding of a lovely whudunit. Pure and simple detection and logical deduction.
No fancy CSI processes, DNA analysis, lie detector tests, emails, cyber detection, etc. Plain and simple human ingenuity! That is what I love about the book. The added bonus comes by way of the vignettes we learn from the historical period. Simply awesome.
Madhulika Liddle's writing is direct and unpretentious. Holds your attention until you reach the very end!
I love historical fiction, and I love whodunits. Here we have a "historical whodunit"! And I loved this book and the characters. Now time for me to check out the other books by Madhulika Liddle, get Kindle versions if available (I travel quite a bit these days and Kindle helps hoarding books) and enjoy the books.
February 3, 2016
Another very captivating whodunit from Madhulika Liddle, fourth one in the Jung series. This one goes bolder, the crimes go deeper and more complex, making for a compelling read. Madhulika's deep knowledge of the Mughal era lends authenticity to the narrative. She confidently escorts you through the city, that was Shahjahanabad once, drawing your attention to the finer aspects of the architecture and general mood of the people given the nature of events (both historical and fictional) unfolding around them.
I finished reading this one in a record time as I just could not put it down! Already waiting for the next one to come up.
I finished reading this one in a record time as I just could not put it down! Already waiting for the next one to come up.
December 4, 2015
Achieves the enviable target of outstripping the earlier installments... it is here that our hero really hits his stride and fortuitously acquires an unexpected aide in his endeavours, not to mention that the long series of crimes in this are really fiendishly difficult and require quite a bit of background checks to solve .. this one really fleshes out Muzaffar Jang and the last scene outside the Jama Masjid indicates that more turbulence is in store. Will anxiously wait for the next one
December 26, 2015
My favorite Muzaffar Jang novel so far. Madhulika Liddle has really figured out how to balance her talent for short stories, mysteries which are quicker in resolution, with the longer form of the novel.
Read
February 3, 2021It’s been around four years since I was invited to a walk in Old Delhi with the famous historian Swapna Liddle and her sister Madhulika Liddle. I wasn’t aware Madhulika was a crime fiction writer. For me, Old Delhi stands for my roots as I was born in Kasturba Gandhi Hospital and lived in Chawri Bazaar for the first three years of my life. And being gifted this signed copy by the author was an added pleasure. But when I got down to reading the Muzaffar Jang story, I simply couldn’t put it down without completing it. And that took me two days. This is not a book you rush through; you read it word by word. The rich language, the detailed information on the era and the way people lived and behaved in the days of the Mughals, the book is such a pleasure. Madhulika reminds me of my favourite Sherlock Holmes. The perfect description of clothing, dialogue and areas is so refreshing. The relationships and the intricacies of greed and revenge are so deeply interwoven in our daily lives that we don’t even pay attention until a crime rings the alarm bell. I loved the sensitive detective as he pays heed to his young wife’s words, the compassion he holds for the trodden and the deep love he has for his foster father. The book brings alive the city of Shahjahanbad with it’s canals and horse carts long before I was born.
January 15, 2021
Actually 3.5/5
What makes a book 3.5 instead of 3? The incredible effort involved in writing it, the vividness of scenes and characters and the accurate description of a bygone era.
What made it lose out on the 1.5 stars for me? The multiple stories within the story, each of which was easy to predict beforehand, and none of which had me invested in the outcome.
This is the second Muzaffar Jang I’ve read, the first being a collection of short stories. Though I immensely appreciate Liddle’s writing and historical accuracy, I simply don’t enjoy the detection portion of the stories (which is the reason I read them in the first place).
The book is good and worth a read, but slightly disappointing.
What makes a book 3.5 instead of 3? The incredible effort involved in writing it, the vividness of scenes and characters and the accurate description of a bygone era.
What made it lose out on the 1.5 stars for me? The multiple stories within the story, each of which was easy to predict beforehand, and none of which had me invested in the outcome.
This is the second Muzaffar Jang I’ve read, the first being a collection of short stories. Though I immensely appreciate Liddle’s writing and historical accuracy, I simply don’t enjoy the detection portion of the stories (which is the reason I read them in the first place).
The book is good and worth a read, but slightly disappointing.
November 1, 2017
3.5/5
The only reason that this book didn't work for me is that it didn't grip me and want me to turn the pages to know whodunnit. And while that's madhulika's general style that her historical fiction and descriptions of life back then work better than the mystery itself, this one left me a wee bit disappointed because it said it's about a serial killer on the loose while, well, there were multiple cases ongoing. So it's not what you expect from a serial killer type of novel.
That said she still weaves historical fiction beautifully and there is no doubt that I would not pick up the next in the series- so that I can live those times through her tales and not so much for the mystery.
The only reason that this book didn't work for me is that it didn't grip me and want me to turn the pages to know whodunnit. And while that's madhulika's general style that her historical fiction and descriptions of life back then work better than the mystery itself, this one left me a wee bit disappointed because it said it's about a serial killer on the loose while, well, there were multiple cases ongoing. So it's not what you expect from a serial killer type of novel.
That said she still weaves historical fiction beautifully and there is no doubt that I would not pick up the next in the series- so that I can live those times through her tales and not so much for the mystery.
September 17, 2017
Crimson City continues Muzaffar Jang's exploits as a detective and in a departure from the earlier books has multiple murders. While the murder mysteries might not appear complex to some, no one can dispute the remarkable portrayal of life in the Mughal times. I wish Madhulika would continue writing more books on Muzaffar Jang.
December 18, 2022
Fun murder mystery set very convincingly in Mughal era Dilli. Absolutely love the setting, but the characters are pretty great too
January 19, 2025
One of the best indian historical fiction books I've read in the longest time
January 10, 2016
This review was first published in The Hans India newspaper.
A stage of political unrest is set as the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan’s troops led by Aurangazeb and Mir Jumla are besieging the Fort of Bidar and rumours of taking on the Golconda Fort in Deccan are rampant. Muzaffar Jang returns in his third story, ‘Crimson City’; this time there are murders committed in his neighbourhood.
Crimson City is set in the spring of 1657. There is a serial killer in Dilli and Jung, 26, newly married to Shireen, is not allowed to investigate the crimes by order of his brother-in-law cum guardian, the Kotwal of Dilli, Khan Sahab. Mysterious that, meanwhile other crimes are committed—a money lender’s infant son kidnapped; a prosperous and influential nobleman found dead; and yet another man killed in Jung’s mohallah, the turmoil is evident owing to the Mughal Empire’s state of agitation at the time.
Crimson City uses the serial killer theme along with weaving in other shorter episodes. The interesting part about the setting is the good old-fashioned detective work. There are no advanced technologies like DNA Analysis or fingerprint scanning or facial recognition or even basic chemical tox-screening. Muzaffar and the Kotwal rely solely on observation, deduction and tedious detective work. While the investigation comes across as tedious, it gives the readers the opportunity to solve crimes along with Jung; especially the kidnapping episode of the infant in which the reader can guess the culprit before Jung’s announcement of the same.
It’s a slow read. Not your typical mystery novel. In spite of having a serial killer, the second murder comes in after a good 150 pages of the 318 pages book. It takes a lot of time for readers to build interest and involve themselves in the story. Much of what is written is Muzaffar’s long-winded thinking on trying to figure out why Khan Sahab has banned him from investigating (to no avail) and dealing with his urges to comply with the order; again to no avail.
The last 100 pages are gripping as Muzaffar disguises himself and comes back in full swing, much like his earlier adventures, and does some hard core investigation using his charm and arrogance for good. The bits involving his wife, Shireen are awe-inspiring as it not only establishes credit for the story, but a point of character development; the couple could become a crime solving duo.
The biggest win for the book would be its historical accuracy. Lengthy descriptions of Delhi in Mughal era; the Chandni Chowk, the Jama Masjid, the hammams, the sarais and more give a vivid idea on the daily lives of the people during that time. However, that his no feat for Liddle who has always been a history buff and has extensive knowledge of Mughal India.
The high point of the book is the second murder as Liddle creates a scene like the quiet before a storm; Jung sensing the unrest in peace… his wife, the beautiful Shireen has been gone for long while he was in his siesta, and just as he heads out of his home there are screams and chaos everywhere. Intriguing parts such as these are intermittent throughout the book leaving the reader with inconsistent involvement in the story.
‘Crimson City’ is historical crime fiction. Obviously, one cannot expect crimes to be solved in a jiff with hi-tech equipments. Liddle’s creation, Muzaffar Jung, is slowly becoming a regular in her books and she is shaping him up with each book. He had started off in ‘The Englishman’s Cameo’, her first novel featuring him as a man, who is forced by circumstances to investigate a case. Since then, his innate curiosity and love for justice has spurred him on.
Not all mysteries are solved at the end though. The reader still doesn’t know the exact reason as to why the Kotwal had banned Jung; although they end up solving the serial killings together towards the end of the story. The chemistry between Jung and Khan Sahab has taken a new turn and surely, there are more Muzaffar Jung books in the future for fans of this character to enjoy.
A stage of political unrest is set as the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan’s troops led by Aurangazeb and Mir Jumla are besieging the Fort of Bidar and rumours of taking on the Golconda Fort in Deccan are rampant. Muzaffar Jang returns in his third story, ‘Crimson City’; this time there are murders committed in his neighbourhood.
Crimson City is set in the spring of 1657. There is a serial killer in Dilli and Jung, 26, newly married to Shireen, is not allowed to investigate the crimes by order of his brother-in-law cum guardian, the Kotwal of Dilli, Khan Sahab. Mysterious that, meanwhile other crimes are committed—a money lender’s infant son kidnapped; a prosperous and influential nobleman found dead; and yet another man killed in Jung’s mohallah, the turmoil is evident owing to the Mughal Empire’s state of agitation at the time.
Crimson City uses the serial killer theme along with weaving in other shorter episodes. The interesting part about the setting is the good old-fashioned detective work. There are no advanced technologies like DNA Analysis or fingerprint scanning or facial recognition or even basic chemical tox-screening. Muzaffar and the Kotwal rely solely on observation, deduction and tedious detective work. While the investigation comes across as tedious, it gives the readers the opportunity to solve crimes along with Jung; especially the kidnapping episode of the infant in which the reader can guess the culprit before Jung’s announcement of the same.
It’s a slow read. Not your typical mystery novel. In spite of having a serial killer, the second murder comes in after a good 150 pages of the 318 pages book. It takes a lot of time for readers to build interest and involve themselves in the story. Much of what is written is Muzaffar’s long-winded thinking on trying to figure out why Khan Sahab has banned him from investigating (to no avail) and dealing with his urges to comply with the order; again to no avail.
The last 100 pages are gripping as Muzaffar disguises himself and comes back in full swing, much like his earlier adventures, and does some hard core investigation using his charm and arrogance for good. The bits involving his wife, Shireen are awe-inspiring as it not only establishes credit for the story, but a point of character development; the couple could become a crime solving duo.
The biggest win for the book would be its historical accuracy. Lengthy descriptions of Delhi in Mughal era; the Chandni Chowk, the Jama Masjid, the hammams, the sarais and more give a vivid idea on the daily lives of the people during that time. However, that his no feat for Liddle who has always been a history buff and has extensive knowledge of Mughal India.
The high point of the book is the second murder as Liddle creates a scene like the quiet before a storm; Jung sensing the unrest in peace… his wife, the beautiful Shireen has been gone for long while he was in his siesta, and just as he heads out of his home there are screams and chaos everywhere. Intriguing parts such as these are intermittent throughout the book leaving the reader with inconsistent involvement in the story.
‘Crimson City’ is historical crime fiction. Obviously, one cannot expect crimes to be solved in a jiff with hi-tech equipments. Liddle’s creation, Muzaffar Jung, is slowly becoming a regular in her books and she is shaping him up with each book. He had started off in ‘The Englishman’s Cameo’, her first novel featuring him as a man, who is forced by circumstances to investigate a case. Since then, his innate curiosity and love for justice has spurred him on.
Not all mysteries are solved at the end though. The reader still doesn’t know the exact reason as to why the Kotwal had banned Jung; although they end up solving the serial killings together towards the end of the story. The chemistry between Jung and Khan Sahab has taken a new turn and surely, there are more Muzaffar Jung books in the future for fans of this character to enjoy.
December 31, 2025
A cool blend of historical fiction and whodunit mystery. Loved the author's strong understanding of Mughal times and the way she gets into the skin of the characters! Surprised the book is not more popular
October 15, 2015
Historical fiction is a difficult genre for an author to attempt; after all it is an imaginary narrative that has to be set in the remote past, while depicting the chosen time period and its cultures with accuracy, believability and depth. It requires extensive research and intensive and imaginative reconstruction. The author has to know the period, and then imagine it and create a believable world in that world.
And it is in this aspect that Madhulika Liddle’s writing shines. Her Muzaffar Jang series stand out as examples of brilliant historical fiction. We are led into the Delhi/ Dilli/ Shahjahanabad, as it was known, of the 17th century, as the hero, the nobleman Muzaffar Jang solves various crimes – some petty and some not so.
Her latest book, Crimson City is no exception. Dilli comes vividly alive as we meet a mellowed and restrained Muzaffar Jang. He has been married to the lovely Shireen for three months now and is slowly getting used to her presence in his life. They are turbulent times and the larger macrocosmic events were creating ripples and unrest in the lives of the common Dilli-walas. Dilli is rocked by a series of unconnected murders and a couple of disappearances; but are they really unconnected? Muzaffar Jang is intrigued by the murders around him and is itching to get into the thick of it; but he is also reluctant to proceed freely with his investigation due to the simmering tension between him and his father figure like brother-in-law, Khan Sahib.
The stories are simple and it is through sheer deduction and intellect that Muzaffar Jang solves them. We get a glimpse into the mind of the detective and its working through his interesting discussions with Shireen and friend Akram wherein the author drops many a clue. If the character of Muzaffar Jang has undergone some transformation between the previous book and this, Shireen too has more of a role in Crimson City. She nudges him, prods him, talks to him and is spunky enough to go out and do a bit of investigation herself.
There is a tautness to the narrative; even in the descriptive passages in which the city as it goes about its humdrum existence is recreated. The language and syntax are brilliant and pithy phrases conveying much are in plenty. For a long time, after I finished reading this book, I found myself still lost in Muzaffar Jang’s Dilli.
Vivid, colourful, and engaging, Crimson City is highly recommended for readers of historical fiction / historical detective fiction.
And it is in this aspect that Madhulika Liddle’s writing shines. Her Muzaffar Jang series stand out as examples of brilliant historical fiction. We are led into the Delhi/ Dilli/ Shahjahanabad, as it was known, of the 17th century, as the hero, the nobleman Muzaffar Jang solves various crimes – some petty and some not so.
Her latest book, Crimson City is no exception. Dilli comes vividly alive as we meet a mellowed and restrained Muzaffar Jang. He has been married to the lovely Shireen for three months now and is slowly getting used to her presence in his life. They are turbulent times and the larger macrocosmic events were creating ripples and unrest in the lives of the common Dilli-walas. Dilli is rocked by a series of unconnected murders and a couple of disappearances; but are they really unconnected? Muzaffar Jang is intrigued by the murders around him and is itching to get into the thick of it; but he is also reluctant to proceed freely with his investigation due to the simmering tension between him and his father figure like brother-in-law, Khan Sahib.
The stories are simple and it is through sheer deduction and intellect that Muzaffar Jang solves them. We get a glimpse into the mind of the detective and its working through his interesting discussions with Shireen and friend Akram wherein the author drops many a clue. If the character of Muzaffar Jang has undergone some transformation between the previous book and this, Shireen too has more of a role in Crimson City. She nudges him, prods him, talks to him and is spunky enough to go out and do a bit of investigation herself.
There is a tautness to the narrative; even in the descriptive passages in which the city as it goes about its humdrum existence is recreated. The language and syntax are brilliant and pithy phrases conveying much are in plenty. For a long time, after I finished reading this book, I found myself still lost in Muzaffar Jang’s Dilli.
Vivid, colourful, and engaging, Crimson City is highly recommended for readers of historical fiction / historical detective fiction.
October 23, 2015
Delhi has turned into a Sin City. First, a cloth merchant, Aadil, has been brutally murdered for no apparent reason. He had no enmity with anyone. His stock of expensive cloth has been mauled but not stolen. His clerk, Suraj Bhan, is puzzled over the sudden murder of his boss. Then, the family next door to Aadil suffers a similar misfortune.
As usual, Muzaffar is intrigued by the murders and rushes in to help. He is brought up short by his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the kotwal of Delhi. He is asked not to interfere in no uncertain terms. Muzaffar is pained by this edict and he tries not to meddle with the course of law. But things keep happening right in his path and he cannot just look away.
Our beloved Muzaffar is now happily married to Shireen. A partner more perfect than Shireen would be hard to find. He should be enjoying domestic bliss in peace. But he cannot help being in the eye of the storm. Far from resenting his preoccupation with crime, Shireen encourages him and even helps him.
Will Muzaffar be able to figure out who is committing the spate of crimes? Will he be able to mend fences with Khan Saheb?
The new Muzaffar Jang mystery is engrossing. What makes it all the more interesting is the era it is set in. This is Shah Jahan's Dilli. We are led through bazaars and darwazas that are still familiar to us. Little bits of historical information is slipped in to make the book rich in detail.
I was glad to see all the old characters here, Akram is my favorite. He is Muzaffar's cousin. He is a dandy nawab and utterly lovable. There were plenty of new characters who are equally interesting. Suraj Bhan, Aadil's clerk is one. Ameena bibi, the servant of the family that lives next door to Aadil, is another. Then there is Nilofer Begum. Is she just the wife of a merchant or something more?
There were just two little bumps in the story. The author pauses a couple of times to put in a historical detail. When the story is trotting along at a quick pace, a pause for a historical detail trips up the narrative.
The story moves at a brisk pace. The detailing is magnificent. I just love Muzaffar Jang and cannot have enough of him. I am already waiting eagerly for the next.
As usual, Muzaffar is intrigued by the murders and rushes in to help. He is brought up short by his brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, the kotwal of Delhi. He is asked not to interfere in no uncertain terms. Muzaffar is pained by this edict and he tries not to meddle with the course of law. But things keep happening right in his path and he cannot just look away.
Our beloved Muzaffar is now happily married to Shireen. A partner more perfect than Shireen would be hard to find. He should be enjoying domestic bliss in peace. But he cannot help being in the eye of the storm. Far from resenting his preoccupation with crime, Shireen encourages him and even helps him.
Will Muzaffar be able to figure out who is committing the spate of crimes? Will he be able to mend fences with Khan Saheb?
The new Muzaffar Jang mystery is engrossing. What makes it all the more interesting is the era it is set in. This is Shah Jahan's Dilli. We are led through bazaars and darwazas that are still familiar to us. Little bits of historical information is slipped in to make the book rich in detail.
I was glad to see all the old characters here, Akram is my favorite. He is Muzaffar's cousin. He is a dandy nawab and utterly lovable. There were plenty of new characters who are equally interesting. Suraj Bhan, Aadil's clerk is one. Ameena bibi, the servant of the family that lives next door to Aadil, is another. Then there is Nilofer Begum. Is she just the wife of a merchant or something more?
There were just two little bumps in the story. The author pauses a couple of times to put in a historical detail. When the story is trotting along at a quick pace, a pause for a historical detail trips up the narrative.
The story moves at a brisk pace. The detailing is magnificent. I just love Muzaffar Jang and cannot have enough of him. I am already waiting eagerly for the next.
December 20, 2016
Beautiful depiction of old delhi
May 14, 2018
Brilliant, as usual. Ms. Liddle did not disappoint at all! Muzaffar Jang, may we read more about you...
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