The Silversmith's Puzzle
Just finished reading "The Silversmith's Puzzle" by Nev March, released by Minotaur Books.
I'm glad that I decided to take a chance on Nev March's first novel, "Murder in Old Bombay" when I discovered it on the shelves of the Barnes & Noble just down the road from me where I live. Of course, after perusing through a few pages, I ordered it on Amazon.com and once it arrive, I promptly placed on one of my ever growing piles of unread books, as my sister, Selma Franz, and minions Zack and Jeff will attest to, I do have several large stacks of unread books throughout my house.
"Murder in Old Bombay" introduced Captain Jim Agnihotri and Lady Diana Framji, who ultimately married at the end of the mystery novel, and March provided interesting insights in the Parsi Zoroastrianism on a personal, family, and societal level that fascinated me since I am a student of religious studies as well as a practicing Conservative Jew.
Narrated by Capt. Jim, who goes by surname O’Trey for simplicity, the story finds him helping Diana’s brother Adi, whose partner in a silver instrument factory has been killed, with Adi accused of the murder. Jim investigates, with the tenets of Sherlock Holmes always in mind. The plot is wonderfully complex and appealing to this longtime fan of mysteries and Holmes.
What elevates this series is March’s beautifully descriptive prose, providing a great sense of place and historical atmosphere. I felt at times like I was on the streets of 19th Century Bombay. The tone and tenor of the prose is appropriate for the time period, with colloquialisms imbedded in the narrative.
The characters and local customs are also of the times, and, over 100 years later, it is sometimes difficult to see Jim and Diana struggle for respect due to race and/or social custom. Diana strains against the restrictions of caste and society, and ultimately they again realize why they relocated to the western world.
One of the reasons why the Captain Jim and Lady Diana series interests me is that it parallels the own struggles my own family had in the military caste system where we were the outsiders because of being Jewish.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Silversmiths-P...
I'm glad that I decided to take a chance on Nev March's first novel, "Murder in Old Bombay" when I discovered it on the shelves of the Barnes & Noble just down the road from me where I live. Of course, after perusing through a few pages, I ordered it on Amazon.com and once it arrive, I promptly placed on one of my ever growing piles of unread books, as my sister, Selma Franz, and minions Zack and Jeff will attest to, I do have several large stacks of unread books throughout my house.
"Murder in Old Bombay" introduced Captain Jim Agnihotri and Lady Diana Framji, who ultimately married at the end of the mystery novel, and March provided interesting insights in the Parsi Zoroastrianism on a personal, family, and societal level that fascinated me since I am a student of religious studies as well as a practicing Conservative Jew.
Narrated by Capt. Jim, who goes by surname O’Trey for simplicity, the story finds him helping Diana’s brother Adi, whose partner in a silver instrument factory has been killed, with Adi accused of the murder. Jim investigates, with the tenets of Sherlock Holmes always in mind. The plot is wonderfully complex and appealing to this longtime fan of mysteries and Holmes.
What elevates this series is March’s beautifully descriptive prose, providing a great sense of place and historical atmosphere. I felt at times like I was on the streets of 19th Century Bombay. The tone and tenor of the prose is appropriate for the time period, with colloquialisms imbedded in the narrative.
The characters and local customs are also of the times, and, over 100 years later, it is sometimes difficult to see Jim and Diana struggle for respect due to race and/or social custom. Diana strains against the restrictions of caste and society, and ultimately they again realize why they relocated to the western world.
One of the reasons why the Captain Jim and Lady Diana series interests me is that it parallels the own struggles my own family had in the military caste system where we were the outsiders because of being Jewish.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Silversmiths-P...
No comments have been added yet.
