The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

Tarquin Hall’s debut mystery oozes charm like jalebis (A sweet, fried Indian pastry) ooze sugar. The Case of the Missing Servant introduces private investigator Vish “Chubby” Puri, founder of Most Private Investigators, Ltd. Puri is a lovably idiosyncratic character, getting on in his years but still determined to maintain his reputation as the best detective in India. Unfortunately, the majority of the cases he is offered these days involve tracking the illicit lifestyles of prospective brides- and grooms-to-be for suspicious matchmaking parents. This all changes when a new client gives him something much tougher to chew on: Ajay Kasliwal, an idealistic lawyer, is being framed for the rape and murder of a maidservant, known only as Mary, who disappeared from his household months earlier. With few clues and no help in sight (apart from Puri’s mother, a delightful character who has a good nose for a good mystery), Puri must find out what became of Mary before Kasliwal’s reputation is dragged through the mud, all while juggling the other more trivial cases that keep his business afloat.

Hall does an admirable job of keeping all of these balls in the air and keeping the reader guessing. The great fun in this book, however, is its language and setting. Hall is intimately familiar with the Indianized English spoken in Delhi, and the book is peppered with wonderful turns of phrase. The Case of the Missing Servant turns out to be not only a wonderfully old-fashioned mystery, but a truly educational introduction to modern Indian culture – not too heavy to drag the pace of the mystery down, but just enough to pique your interest.

Check this item out in our catalog

Recommended by Sara D.