[BWF] A Disappearance in Fiji (Akal Singh, #1) – Nilima Rao - 4 stars

[Linda C]

Akal Singh is Sikh Indian, a Sergeant in the Fijian Police, who has been transferred from Hong Kong because of a mistake on his last case. He is trying to do well so as to be returned to Hong Kong. However, he looked on much as the local indentured Indian coolies, though he, himself, sees himself above them. The prejudice and colonial attitudes are very evident, and we see Akal being forced to re-examine his personal thinking and grow throughout the book. He is given a case involving a missing Hindi woman with instructions to end it quickly with no negative look at the plantation/indentured system. But after talking to her daughter and a priest who say she didn't run away; he finds himself doing a real investigation.

Well written, interesting historical about an era (1914 British colonialism in Fiji) I knew little about. Will look for more in this series.