Bad Day at the Vulture Club

Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation #5

by Vaseem Khan

In the gripping new Baby Ganesh Agency novel, Inspector Chopra and his elephant sidekick investigate the death of one of Mumbai's wealthiest citizens, a murder with ramifications for its poorest.

The Parsees are among the oldest, most secretive and most influential communities in the city: respected, envied and sometimes feared.

When prominent industrialist Cyrus Zorabian is murdered on holy ground, his body dumped inside a Tower of Silence - where the Parsee dead are consumed by vultures - the police dismiss it as a random killing. But his daughter is unconvinced.

Chopra, uneasy at entering this world of power and privilege, is soon plagued by doubts about the case.

But murder is murder. And in Mumbai, wealth and corruption go in hand in hand, inextricably linking the lives of both high and low...

Genres: Mystery, India, Fiction, Crime, Humor, Asia, Mystery Thriller

389 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2019

About the author

Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India and the upcoming Quantum of Menace, the first in a series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise. His debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the CWA Historical Dagger. Vaseem was born in England, but spent a decade working in India. Vaseem is the current Chair of the UK Crime Writers Association.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous crime mystery series set in the vast metropolis that is Mumbai in India, written by Vaseem Khan with its star central protagonists of retired police Inspector Ashwin Chopra and his resourceful and intelligent baby elephant, Ganesha who goes everywhere with him, generating equal levels of consternation and joy in his wake. This latest addition to the series is a stellar read, which begins with Chopra worried about Ganesha feeling the blues. At the magnificent, if crumbling palace, the Sumandra Mahal, Chopra is hired to investigate the 3 month old shocking murder on holy ground of the rich Cyrus Zorabian, one the most respected grandees of the Parsee community, with its Zoroastrian faith. His reputation as a industrialist and philanthropy had made him a force to be reckoned with and much loved in Mumbai. He was estranged from his son, Darius, and it is his daughter, Perizaad, who believes the police investigation was incompetent in dismissing the murder as a random killing.

So begins an intricate and complex investigation that brings Chopra in contact with the hated and corrupt ACP Suresh Rao of the political Central Bureau of Investigation, in charge of the original murder inquiry. Chopra struggles to make headway as he enters the world of power, privilege and corruption, but is intrigued by strange notes in Latin, a piece of paper with what looks like an unbreakable code and the shooting of an unidentified man and woman whose bodies were burnt. Chopra's deputy in his agency, Abbas Rangwalla, is pursuing a separate investigation involving a explosion that killed many and which resulted in the imprisonment of the owner of the building. As Chopra digs deep, he begins to uncover a nest of secrets, political corruption, the involvement of ruthless underground figures, a murder victim that bears little resemblence to his saintly reputation and surprising connections with Rangwalla's case. Poppy, Chopra's idealistic wife has the bit between her teeth as she champions the real Unicef social campaign Poo2loo, and a poisoned and injured vulture, an endangered species, takes up residence in the Chopra home to recuperate.

Khan provides an insightful social and political commentary on the state of India as he vibrantly brings alive Mumbai with its desperate poverty and vast inequalities, the corruption, fraud, injustice, and the criminal underworld. One of the most fascinating aspects of this novel was its coverage of the powerful but well liked Parsees, a sect of which little is known, originally Persian, but who settled in Mumbai after persecution and were historically integral in the growth and prosperity of the city. It is true that the Parsees believed in having their dead disposed of by being eaten by the carrion vultures. This was a brilliantly entertaining read with it's wonderful comic touches, it immerses the reader into the everyday life and culture of Mumbai, and with the winning inclusion of the charismatic Ganesha, a baby elephant you cannot help but fall for. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

[Annet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entertaining book in the inspector Chopra series. Vultures, Take the Poo to the Loo campaign, views on the city of Mumbai, the rich and the slums, and not to forget the charming baby elephant Ganesha, trusted sidekick of Chopra, and his stubborn wife Poppy. Easy, relaxing read, though a bit dark, a great read for me at this point, I'm very busy at work and this book helped me relax a bit in the evening. I'm a fan of Chopra and Baby Ganesha! I would definitely recommend this series to my Goodreads friends.

[Janet Newport · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery / Private Investigator -- with and elephant sidekick.
An enjoyable read with well-developed characters and complex plotting.
I especially liked the various comments on the human condition.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5* Stars.
This is the 5th book in the Baby Ganesh Agency series, and I have enjoyed them all. I have always found Inspector Chopra’s adventures with the young elephant, Ganesha, to be delightful, and the vibrant contrast of the wealth and squalor of Mumbai provides a vivid sense of place.

This book did not quite live up to the previous ones for me. I am not a big fan of mystery plots dealing with complex, intricate webs of corruption in business and politics. The plot involves the extortion of property owners to sell at below-market rates. If they refuse they are threatened, even killed. A criminal mastermind is at the head of the conspiracy and hides behind associated real estate companies. Fraud results in furthering the enrichment of the wealthy to the detriment of the poor.

Inspector Chopra, a policeman who retired due to ill health, now runs a private detective agency. His young elephant accompanied him on his rounds, to the amusement of many and the consternation of a few. This resourceful little elephant has saved Chopra’s life on occasion.

A wealthy, prominent member of the Parsee community, Cyrus Zorabian, has been found bludgeoned to death. He was a leading industrial magnate renowned for his philanthropy. His body was found in a Tower of Silence, where the Parsees ( members of the Zoroastrian religion) lay out their dead to be consumed by vultures. Chopra has been hired by Cyrus’s daughter, Perizaad, to find his murderer, because she believes the police were incompetent.

As in investigates, Chopra learns that Cyrus was not the upstanding citizen generally believed. Cyrus had many enemies. These included: an estranged son who was left out of the will, a longtime household aide who changed his name and fled England after being in prison, a friend in the Vulture Club who hated him for breaking a promise, an impoverished worker at the Tower Of Silence who despised him for not raising the wages for the workers who helped dispose of the corpses. Also, it is learned that Cyrus was in financial difficulty and on the verge of bankruptcy. He was involved in a plan to sell property to a corrupt company which would put him in disrepute with the Parsee community. Parsees try to live by the ideal of integrity, a strong business sense and philanthropy, and Cyrus seemed to be failing.

Chopra finds some clues among Cyrus’s belongings. They are seemingly threatening letters written in Latin, a difficult code, and a newspaper clipping about two unidentified young people shot and their bodies burnt beyond recognition. With suspects in the family, household, the social Vulture Club, The Tower of Silence, and in the shady real estate world, Chopra has a difficult investigation.

Meanwhile, his deputy, Rangwalla, is following the case of thirteen people killed when a building exploded. The owner of the property is in prison. Will this connect with Chopra’s complicated investigation?
Something has been causing the vultures at the Tower of Silence to be disappearing, and Chopra has taken an injured vulture home for care and rehabilitation by his family. His wife, Poppy is engaged in a UNICEF campaign, Poo2Loo, to educate the people on making Mumbai a more hygienic place.

Recommended for fans of Inspector Chopra and his elephant ward, Ganesha, and those interested in mysteries set in India.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a massive fan of the Inspector Chopra and Ganesh (the Baby elephant he inherited) series and enjoy each one with relish.
It's the insight into Indian culture that really appeals to me, whilst the perfectly balanced cosy mystery alongside a darker tone makes these fun addictive reads.

As I hold this series in such high regard I found that the murder mystery that Chopra is entrusted to solve wasn't quite as strong as the previous books - a prominent Parsee industrialist's murder is brushed off by the police, though his daughter is convinced there's more to his death.

What I found fascinating with this entry was the Parsee community and the beliefs that they hold - including the dead being consumed by vultures.
It also leads on to an intresting topic of the decline in the creatures due to diclofenac poisoning.

Chopra's wife Poppy also has her own campaign with the UNIEF-led initiative of 'Taking the Poo to the Loo'.
Again this is factual correct as a social media campaign aiming to compact open definition that plagues the country.

The two stories parallel each other nicely as what seems like an acceptable way to discard of unwanted items are treated in two vastly different ways and amplifys the massive gap between the rich and the poor.

I always learn so much from these books and that is what partly makes reading them such a joy.

[Abir Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series so far.
Disclaimer - Vaseem is a friend of mine, but the opinion is honest.

[Iona Sharma]

These are definitely getting funnier and better-written as they go along! I really liked this one.

[Sneha Pathak (reader_girl_reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Much more interesting than i had thought it would be, with twist upon twist towards the ending.

However, i was surprised when last evening while watching an episode of the old series Columbo, i discovered that the method/alibi of the murderer was exactly the same! 😂

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the slapstick comedy of the last Baby Ganesh Agency mystery, Murder at the Grand Raj Palace, this latest book has a much more serious tone and is the best and tightest constructed mystery so far in the series. Although the tone is more serious, there are still scenes that gave me fits of the giggles, so those of you who prefer light-hearted mysteries, take note. I think one of my favorite chuckles was Khan's homage to Edgar Allan Poe with an injured vulture glaring at people from atop Chopra's bookcase.

The mystery in Bad Day at the Vulture Club kept me guessing, and Chopra, with all his years of police work, is an excellent investigator-- even if his baby elephant sidekick does get into mischief occasionally. In fact, Chopra has such a good reputation with many in the Mumbai police force that his contacts and goodwill there stand him in good stead.

One of the things I enjoy most about this series is the way the character of Chopra's wife, Poppy, has grown. Chopra has a one-track mind and focuses on his investigations while Poppy adds her social issues and causes to the mix. This makes Poppy a very important part of the series because what she's involved in really give readers a true feel for Mumbai-- armchair travel at its best. She and her mother are also gifted with some of Khan's wonderful sense of humor.

After reading Sujata Massey's two Perveen Mistry historical mysteries and now Bad Day at the Vulture Club, I feel that I'm getting to know the Parsees, a group that continues to play such an important part in Mumbai's past, present, and future. In addition, my appreciation of vultures has grown (they may be ugly but they are an important part of life on our planet), and my learning about the Poo2Loo movement (pun intended) has enriched my knowledge of one of the most fascinating countries in the world.

Yes, I highly recommend Vaseem Khan's Baby Ganesh Agency mysteries. Read them and you'll enjoy, learn, and laugh. It doesn't get much better than that.

[G.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant enough story, but to me nothing like as good as the first and second in the series. A pity really, but this story just seemed a bit boring in places, Poppy & Ganesha didn’t feature in it as much as I would have liked.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

In uncertain times, such as these, I think that the benefits of reading are immeasurable to aid an escape and distraction from global events. Looking for more of a comfort read, I turned to Vaseem Khan’s excellent Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series of which I have read a few now, and this is the latest in the series.

As much as I love the colourful and whimsical covers on these books, I always worry that readers may avoid them, lumping them in with the more cosy elements of crime fiction. What Khan actually achieves is a skilful balance of the cosy, encapsulated by the home life of Inspector Chopra and his intuitive charge, Ganesha the baby elephant and sharply observed social commentary that really taps into the grinding poverty and political corruption of India as a whole, and Mumbai more specifically. As we are equally amused by some of Chopra’s associates and Ganesha’s uncanny ability to keep Chopra safe from harm, and some truly laugh out loud moments, the true character of Mumbai and its inhabitants is referenced throughout the book. In keeping with the best crime writers who specialise in urban crime, there is a feeling of affection on the author’s part for the city, in all its grime and glory, and a reticence to look away from the darker aspects of it too, giving him a great canvas to create these taxing cases for the indomitable and always focussed Chopra.

I like the way that Khan shines a light on the city both through Chopra’s cases and the social missions that his wife Poppy embarks upon, much to the chagrin of the wrongdoers and their neighbours respectively. In this way, Khan can cover many different issues in the course of one book, keeping the stories realistic and, most importantly, engaging, as we as readers discover so much about this uniquely vibrant, yet sharply contrasting city. I found the background to this particular case incredibly interesting, as I was not familiar at all with the finer details of the Parsee religion, its ceremonies, traditions and how modern practices are beginning to encroach on these traditional rites. I thought that this gave an incredibly solid grounding to the case Chopra becomes inveigled in, and again reflects the prowess of Khan’s writing, both here and in other books in the series, to utterly engage us in a particular aspect of Mumbai society, underscored by a no doubt fascinating research process, and to carefully balance this with a compelling crime plot.

Chopra is a beautifully drawn character, as a former police officer turned private investigator of some repute. He is an incredibly moral man, with a defined code of justice, that instils a trust and respect in him by those who know him best, and those that come to seek his help. He is always completely focussed on the victims he encounters, and no matter how trying or dangerous an investigation gets, he retains a dogged determination to expose the perpetrators and gain justice or clarity for the victims. As Chopra says himself, “For me, each and every case is a personal matter. It is the only way we can be sure to see things through.” This sense of dogged determination seems to carry over to his personal life too, as the logistics of caring for his unusual young charge, Ganesha, and the particular challenges that his tenacious and headstrong wife presents, keep Chopra well and truly on his toes. It can never be said that Chopra is not a practical and pragmatic man though, which stands him in good stead for all the challenges that his life presents. Khan’s characterisation in general is always spot on, with a wonderful supporting cast for Chopra himself, and an innate ability by the author to focus so perfectly on people’s visual characteristics, and quirks of appearance. He does this is in such a way that every character is vividly drawn in the reader’s mind, and compounded by the sharp and perfectly pitched dialogue adds another layer of enjoyment to these excellent books.

Love them! Highly recommended.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of Bad Day at the Vulture Club, the fifth novel to feature the Mumbai based Baby Ganesh Detective Agency.

Former police inspector Chopra, proprietor of the Baby Ganesh Detective Agency, has built a solid reputation as an investigator since his forced retirement from the police force on health grounds, in fact he has more requests than he can handle but there is something about the murder of rich Parsee, Cyrus Zorabian, that intrigues him.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Day at the Vulture Club which is a charming mix of mystery and social commentary. The plot, told in the third person from Chopra’s point of view, held my interest from start to finish with its gradual unravelling of Cyrus Zorabian’s character and the resulting emergence of suspects and motives. It is well done with regular reveals at strategic moments but not enough to give the reader a sporting chance of an early guess.

For me, as good as the plot is, the main attraction of these novels is the light they throw on Indian life which is something I know little about. It could be argued that as the novels are on the cozy side there is no grit to the social commentary but surely any light is better than darkness? Without preaching Mr Khan makes it abundantly clear that poverty and corruption go hand in hand at the expense of the poor. It’s an interesting approach which I like and in the case of Chopra’s wife Poppy’s Pooh2loo campaign, a humorous take on a serious issue.

I also enjoyed the insight into the Parsee culture. This is a secretive sect with Persian origins which has, over the centuries, cultivated a reputation for wealth and philanthropy. Every day is a school day with these novels.

Characterisation is another strength of the novel. Chopra is a thoughtful, almost idealistic man with a thirst for justice. Accompanied by his “ward”, a two year old elephant cub called Ganesha he pursues his investigations diligently and persistently across Mumbai. He is a serious, literal man so Ganesha produces the light humour, along with Poppy who is the underestimated star of the novel. Childless, Poppy throws her energies into social campaigning with the Poo2loo being the latest (NB this is a real UNESCO sponsored initiative). Her campaign style in unorthodox with frequent, amusing mishaps but she is bright, enterprising and imaginative and gives Mr Khan another vehicle for commentary.

Bad Day at the Vulture Club is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a charming book. It was a good mystery, with a lot of suspects and a plot that brought in cultural aspects of India as well as just plain human jealousy and greed. Inspector Chopra and Ganesh the baby elephant investigate the murder of a prominent rich man, and find all is not as it seems (of course). I learned a lot about different cultural norms, and I loved how they were so important in the story. I also loved the whole quest of Chopra's wife Poppy, who is a proponent of "Poo2Loo" which the author notes is a real thing. It was a fun book!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent, well written and plotted Inspector Chopra and Baby Ganesha mystery; amusing and quirky at times too. Highly recommended.

[Vijay Krishnamoorthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well written - book 5 in the baby ganesh detective series set in Mumbai. Does a brilliant job of illuminating the Parasee community, the land mafia as well as human foibles. I really enjoyed this one and it’s quite the whodunit too

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do believe that these books have gotten better with each installment - as you learn more about Chopra and how he works and ticks and how he interacts with people, you start to get a feeling of what truly drives him and makes you wish there was a real life version of him working for the "lesser" people of India. His love of country, even with all of its flaws, or in spite of them, is what really drives him and these books. He just wants justice for those who have been wronged, no matter what they may or may not have done. Such is the case with this book - murder is always wrong, even when, in the end, it looks right. Chopra is able to take all of that and show you just how wrong it truly is.

This book was...a lot. There are two stories here [along with Poppy's campaign, that will bring much laughter, but also much enlightenment to a problem in India that they all know about, but until recently, rarely talked about] and they are not happy stories. Murder rarely is, but these are particularly heinous. Vaseem Khan does a very good job in writing this so that you see the absolute seriousness of what is going on, while injecting some humor [that never, ever crosses the line] that will have you absolutely laughing out loud.

The best of the series in my opinion - I will be waiting with baited breath for the next installment. Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all of the Baby Ganesh books and believe that this one is stronger than the previous installment. Khan draws his characters well, and they're truly unique. The baby elephant is an interesting device, and Khan continues to add to the stories in ways that deepend his characters. I enjoy reading about India—one of the few countries I haven't visited, although I won't be going there any time soon. I'd like to see Khan take the Inspector and his family out of Mumbai for a book or two.

I have only two complaints about Bad Day at the Vulture Club. First, the "take the poo to the loo" campaign isn't necessary and is a little grotesque, although I realize that public defecation is a problem in India's overcrowded cities. Secondly, Khan is including a little too much detail that, in my opinion, bogs his plot. I skipped a bit in places.

Recommended.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undoubtedly it's not the smartest move to start a book series by reading the 5th book. That said, I didn't have the impression that I'd missed out on any assumed fore-knowledge, nor that I'd accidentally 'spoiled' the plot of any earlier books.

Retired Inspector Chopra is yet another slightly 'cosy' Indian sleuth not unlike Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri but based in Mumbai rather than Delhi. Whilst all good sleuths need a sidekick (Puri's are his oddly named assistants) but I'm pretty sure that Chopra is the first to have a one-year-old elephant called Ganesha as his Dr Watson.

I can't help thinking that a small elephant doesn't stay small for long. Even at a year old, Ganesha is getting rather big to be dragging around the city in the back of a van. He's also getting a bit big to be trotting into clubs and houses like a pet dog. Isn't it going to soon get very limiting on how many adventures Chopra can have as Ganesha grows to a size that goes beyond cute and becomes way too big?

Anyway, enough of the elephant.

Chopra is hired to investigate the death of one of Mumbai's most influential Parsee grandees whose battered body was found in one of the Towers of Silence.

I'm fascinated by the Parsees of Mumbai and by Zoroastrians in the wider sense. I've visited the ancient Towers of Silence in Yazd, Iran, and passed many of the Parsee fire temples when walking around Mumbai (I believe they are not open to non Parsees). Their role as refugees of Islam and their part in building major industrial groups like Tata are well documented and often very interesting.

The investigation is pretty logical and well-structured. It relies on thorough investigation and not merely on lucky breaks (as too many such whodunnits seem to do these days) and at the end the reader can conclude that all the clues were there and we might well have found the baddies on our own.

It's a good, solid, join the dots, follow the money, follow the egos investigative procedure. I love Mumbai, am interested in Parsees, adore baby elephants but somehow the book in its entirety felt like a couple of stars less than the sum of its parts.

[Yunalesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has all the elements I want to see in a book!!! 🥺

FIRST, it’s my first time reading a book dedicated to UNICEF!!! This definitely made me curious and was satisfied to read how the author included UNICEF in the storyline 🥺 It was noble of the author to mention the NGO’s work in his country. ✨

Some people may find the fillers about India’s culture to be dragging BUT I ENJOYED ALL OF IT!!!! Vaseem Khan gave me a tour of India: its beauty, its reality, its culture, the Parsees and their tenacity to preserve their heritage, the police and the similarities of how their government is to the Philippines, Mahatma Ghandi and his wisdom, and so much more!

Also I think this is best to read on a Kindle because the author is fond of using deep and complex words. I felt irritated that its coming out as highfalutin and pompous at times but thankfully, I have a dictionary on my thumb care of my Kindle 😅

I’m so excited to read more of Vaseem Khan!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired Mumbai police detective Inspector Chopra finds his private investigation business quite busy, but he can't say no when he's asked to investigate the death of a prominent Parsee businessman and philanthropist. With the help of his faithful young elephant Ganesha, he finds things that the unsuccessful police investigation overlooked, and unwittingly angers a major criminal. There are a number of people who had motives to kill the man, whose body was found in the Towers of Silence, a Parsee site for the disposal of dead bodies--not the kind of place most people would want to linger in. Meanwhile, Chopra's wife Poppy is concerned with another civic betterment scheme, and his assistant is working on a case that has strange connections to the Parsee's death. I really like this series, but I wish Khan would drop the mother-in-law jokes.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be my favorite modern mystery series. Chopra and his elephant ward Ganesha are a delightful team and I found myself so interested in the themes of this installment that I had to force myself to draw out the process of reading it so I wouldn't finish it too fast without another one ready to read next. Here, Chopra gets involved with a murder within the local community of Parsees and, as such, I learned more about them than I ever knew before and appreciated every minute of it. In the name of solving the crime, the book engages with the fight of tradition against modernity, a plethora of family struggles, business entanglements, and community gate keeping but it was the Parsees that were the highlight for me. Reading about Chopra and crew continues to get better and better and I look forward to seeing where they go next.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am sad that the series ends with this book - I have really enjoyed Baby Ganesh and retired police inspector Ashwin Chopra. This time we have a shocking murder on holy ground. Cyrus Zorabian is a respected member of the Parsee community who was killed inside the Tower of Silence where the Parsee dead are consumed by vultures. Random killing or did someone want Cyrus gone? Along with solving the murder, Khan offers up insightful social and political commentary on India, wonderful glimpses into the lesser known Zoroastrian tradition, and comic touches that truly made this entire series fun to read. And please remember to Take the Poo to the Loo:)

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What better sidekick can a Mumbai, India detective have than an intelligent, inquisitive and resourceful baby elephant? This detective also has a wife who is active in social causes, most recently the Poo2Loo campaign (which is a real thing, but I’ll let you read the book for the details, lol). In addition, we have The Towers of Silence and the vultures, one of which Inspector Chopra takes under his wing. Pun definitely intended! And, oh yes, there’s a murder to be solved. A delightful and enlightening read. I feel like I’ve enjoyed a week in Mumbai!

[Clare Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. The characters are so well drawn I feel I know them; reading each new book is like visiting old friends. Meanwhile, the descriptions of Mumbai conjure up the city vividly, as well as conveying what makes the place tick. The mysteries are always involving too – I think Bad Day at the Vulture Club is my favourite yet (and it’s up against some stiff competition)!

[Teabea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Chopra is back in the best way! I was left a little disappointed with the previous installment 'Murder at the Grand Raj Palace' so wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one but I can happily say I enjoyed this one so much more! I felt like there was a genuine mystery and trying to connect the dots through the fog which entice you to keep on reading until it all unravels.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new baby ganash murder mystery book that is both fun, funny, serious and gripping. Great book. I have loved this series and this is a great addition

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The writing, the comical scenes, the reminders of when I visited Mumbai, the characters, the storyline crime, the ending ... Brilliant!

[Sim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining and interesting!! A really enjoyable read. Also, I learned so much about the Parsee community from reading this.

[Jan Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prominent Parsee industrialist is murdered, and it is dismissed by the police as a random killing. The man’s daughter hires inspector Chopra to discover who murdered her father.

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable sortie with Mr Chopra and his small elephant, Ganesh. This time they’re investigating a body found at the Towers of Silence, where vultures wait to dispose of the deceased Parsees, for whom this is a religious rite. Lots of interesting background, and a complex portrait of corruption in Mumbai. The evocation of todays India is excellent.