Mystery
![Vaseem Khan - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00XLOQQ8W.jpg)
The Lost Man of Bombay: The thrilling new mystery from the acclaimed author of Midnight at Malabar House
THE THRILLING NEW MYSTERY FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE
'A delightful book, well-researched, complex and hugely entertaining' ANN CLEEVES
'A twisting plot and an intriguing cast of characters, together with vivid glimpses of the vibrant, complex world of post-Independence Bombay - and a narrative that thunders along with the pace and drama of an elephant on the rampage' ANDREW TAYLOR
Bombay, 1950
When the body of a white man is found frozen in the Himalayan foothills near Dehra Dun, he is christened the Ice Man by the national media. Who is he? How long has he been there? Why was he killed?
As Inspector Persis Wadia and Metropolitan Police criminalist Archie Blackfinch investigate the case in Bombay, they uncover a trail left behind by the enigmatic Ice Man - a trail leading directly into the dark heart of conspiracy.
Meanwhile, two new murders grip the city. Is there a serial killer on the loose, targeting Europeans?
Rich in atmosphere, the thrilling third chapter in the CWA Historical Dagger-winning Malabar House series pits Persis against a mystery from beyond the grave, unfolding against the backdrop of a turbulent post-colonial India, a nation struggling to redefine itself in the shadow of the Raj.
'A stunning, richly imagined and downright thrilling mystery. Vaseem Khan has that rare ability to transport you wholly to a bygone time, and he does so with such skill and charm. I loved it' CHRIS WHITAKER
'A compelling historical thriller ... Codes, crime and conspiracies collide in post-colonial India' D.V. BISHOP
'One of my top reads this year. A peerless portrait of early independent India through the eyes of new crime fiction star, India's first police detective, Persis Wadia' BARBARA NADEL
"The brilliant Persis Wadia is one of the most electrifying figures in crime fiction today. Vaseem Khan keeps getting better and better' WILLIAM SHAW
'Outstanding' IMRAN MAHMOOD
'This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'This is historical crime fiction at its sharpest' SUNDAY TIMES
'The Lost Man of Bombay is the latest outstanding entry in the Malabar House series. Persis Wadia is shaping up to be a giant of the scene - a detective as dogged and determined as any out there, with a point to prove and a chip on her shoulder as deep as it is justified. Her latest case is as beautifully written and evocative as you've come to expect from Vaseem Khan, a gripping and engrossing mystery that draws deeply on its setting and time period but nonetheless reads as fresh and original. This is a writer at the top of his game and a series that just keeps getting better' ROD REYNOLDS
'A delightful book, well-researched, complex and hugely entertaining' ANN CLEEVES
'A twisting plot and an intriguing cast of characters, together with vivid glimpses of the vibrant, complex world of post-Independence Bombay - and a narrative that thunders along with the pace and drama of an elephant on the rampage' ANDREW TAYLOR
Bombay, 1950
When the body of a white man is found frozen in the Himalayan foothills near Dehra Dun, he is christened the Ice Man by the national media. Who is he? How long has he been there? Why was he killed?
As Inspector Persis Wadia and Metropolitan Police criminalist Archie Blackfinch investigate the case in Bombay, they uncover a trail left behind by the enigmatic Ice Man - a trail leading directly into the dark heart of conspiracy.
Meanwhile, two new murders grip the city. Is there a serial killer on the loose, targeting Europeans?
Rich in atmosphere, the thrilling third chapter in the CWA Historical Dagger-winning Malabar House series pits Persis against a mystery from beyond the grave, unfolding against the backdrop of a turbulent post-colonial India, a nation struggling to redefine itself in the shadow of the Raj.
'A stunning, richly imagined and downright thrilling mystery. Vaseem Khan has that rare ability to transport you wholly to a bygone time, and he does so with such skill and charm. I loved it' CHRIS WHITAKER
'A compelling historical thriller ... Codes, crime and conspiracies collide in post-colonial India' D.V. BISHOP
'One of my top reads this year. A peerless portrait of early independent India through the eyes of new crime fiction star, India's first police detective, Persis Wadia' BARBARA NADEL
"The brilliant Persis Wadia is one of the most electrifying figures in crime fiction today. Vaseem Khan keeps getting better and better' WILLIAM SHAW
'Outstanding' IMRAN MAHMOOD
'This is historical crime fiction at its best - a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'This is historical crime fiction at its sharpest' SUNDAY TIMES
'The Lost Man of Bombay is the latest outstanding entry in the Malabar House series. Persis Wadia is shaping up to be a giant of the scene - a detective as dogged and determined as any out there, with a point to prove and a chip on her shoulder as deep as it is justified. Her latest case is as beautifully written and evocative as you've come to expect from Vaseem Khan, a gripping and engrossing mystery that draws deeply on its setting and time period but nonetheless reads as fresh and original. This is a writer at the top of his game and a series that just keeps getting better' ROD REYNOLDS
Editorial Reviews
Hard, realistic and fascinatingly hard to decipher. Persis is a terrific character―On Magazine
Vaseem Khan's friction-free ascent to pole position in historical crime is consolidated by The Lost Man of Bombay. Much to relish here―Financial Times
What should you expect from a good historical mystery? Well, a decent mystery, obviously, and interesting characters to guide you through the plot, plus some inside knowledge of a place or period in history you are unfamiliar with. The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan ticks all those boxes, and probably more, with ease―SHOTS
The hugely entertaining result is not unlike an India(na) Jones adventure: history and mystery mixed with brutal slapstick, thwarted romance and sly humour . . . Malabar House is a subcontinental version of Mick Herron's Slough House . . . If only all period procedurals were as good as this―The Times
Khan writes with a charming formality and brings his characters and their dilemmas to life in this intelligent and intriguing series―Literary Review
British writer Vaseem Khan has shown quite comprehensively that he can write historical crime fiction well―Asian Media Group
The latest of Khan's excellent thrillers set in post-war Bombay is a vivid portrait of a society remaking itself in the new era of independence―Mail on Sunday
A brilliant whodunnit mingling fascinating history, the flavours of India and a Himalayan blizzard of clues―The Sun
Vaseem Khan doesn't only spin a fast-moving, well-plotted story; he deftly illuminates the religious rivalries that beset post-colonial India. Think Mick Herron in Bombay: inventive characterisation made laugh-aloud funny by Maya Saroya's pacey, often caustic narration―
Vaseem Khan's friction-free ascent to pole position in historical crime is consolidated by The Lost Man of Bombay. Much to relish here―Financial Times
What should you expect from a good historical mystery? Well, a decent mystery, obviously, and interesting characters to guide you through the plot, plus some inside knowledge of a place or period in history you are unfamiliar with. The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan ticks all those boxes, and probably more, with ease―SHOTS
The hugely entertaining result is not unlike an India(na) Jones adventure: history and mystery mixed with brutal slapstick, thwarted romance and sly humour . . . Malabar House is a subcontinental version of Mick Herron's Slough House . . . If only all period procedurals were as good as this―The Times
Khan writes with a charming formality and brings his characters and their dilemmas to life in this intelligent and intriguing series―Literary Review
British writer Vaseem Khan has shown quite comprehensively that he can write historical crime fiction well―Asian Media Group
The latest of Khan's excellent thrillers set in post-war Bombay is a vivid portrait of a society remaking itself in the new era of independence―Mail on Sunday
A brilliant whodunnit mingling fascinating history, the flavours of India and a Himalayan blizzard of clues―The Sun
Vaseem Khan doesn't only spin a fast-moving, well-plotted story; he deftly illuminates the religious rivalries that beset post-colonial India. Think Mick Herron in Bombay: inventive characterisation made laugh-aloud funny by Maya Saroya's pacey, often caustic narration―
Readers Top Reviews
Kindle JemsaDr.
This series has won me over without trying. It's so beautifully written, the prose just captures your imagination. The storyline is fantastic, with Persis defying odds and showing ingenuity. Ive read and reread this book, and will continue to enjoy it for years to come.
RubyKindle Jemsa
Enjoyable suspense and mystery with believable events perhaps based on historical facts, definitely a page turner Why on Earth did he name a sleazy journalist " Alam Channa" a man listed in Guiness Book of records as the tallest man on Earth ??
L. YoungKRMRubyKi
Persis Wadia, Bombay's first female police officer becomes more and more irritating as this series goes on. She is prickly, rude, childish and reckless. Her treatment of her father in this book is awful. I will say no more so as not to ruin anything. Moreover her treatment of Archie Blackfinch is abominable. If I were Archie I would tell her to get lost. Forever. Still the mystery she solves here is quite enjoyable involving WW 2 POWs and a Hindu temple. A word of advice to the author, humanize Persis and resolve her relationship with Blackfinch soon.
ERMB.G.Juliabeads
Perris’s inability to learn from her past behavior and mistakes is unbelievable. I agree with the other reviewer she is irritating, rude and just plain mean. The author needs to have her develop a little empathy- The mysteries are fun but she is not a likable character -He needs input on his writing from a woman’s point of view. I understand she has to be tough in a man’s world but I am losing interest in an Indian “Wonder Woman” she needs to be more human.
M. MoohaERMB.G.Ju
Review – The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan This book is another episode in the Malabar House series that teeters between being a historical novel and a crime/mystery. I thought I had the whole thing figured out by the third chapter, but I must admit that I was totally wrong! The solution to the mystery was much more convoluted and steeped in a history that I knew nothing about. That made it all the more fun to read. Of course, I am totally sympathetic to the main character, Persis Wadia, who is making her way as an independent woman in post-independence India. Having to be twice as good at her job than any man, she struggles against not only the view of women from society at large, but also by some of her colleagues, all of whom have been exiled to Malabar House for some indiscretion or other. It is the dumping ground for misfits and cases no one else wants to touch, but Persis persists… and succeeds. There is a thread of romance running through the books as well, and in this incarnation, we finally get some movement in the relationship between Archie and Persis. I must admit I’m rooting for Archie, but anything serious between them is fraught on so many levels, not the least of which is the idea that Persis would have to give up her hard-won position on the police force if she was ever to marry… and an Englishman? Much sturm und drang in this relationship. And her father adds to the emotional upheaval in a totally unexpected way. This is a story of the unexpected. Mr. Khan is also a master of metaphor. It lends so much to the story, the setting, the atmosphere of the book. A good writer immerses the reader in the world of the story, and this author is a master at it. If you’ve read any other books in this series, do not miss this one. If not, start at the beginning and read all of them. You will not be disappointed.
