The Last Kashmiri Rose (Paperback)
Description
In a land of saffron sunsets and blazing summer heat, an Englishwoman has been found dead, her wrists slit, her body floating in a bathtub of blood and water. But is it suicide or murder? The case falls to Scotland Yard inspector Joe Sandilands, who survived the horror of the Western Front and has endured six sultry months in English-ruled Calcutta. Sandilands is ordered to investigate, and soon discovers that there have been other mysterious deaths, hearkening sinister ties to the present case.Now, as the sovereignty of Britain is in decline and an insurgent India is on the rise, Sandilands must navigate the treacherous corridors of political decorum to bring a cunning killer to justice…knowing the next victim is already marked to die.
About the Author
Barbara Cleverly is the author of five novels of historical suspense, including The Damascened Blade, winner of the CWA Historical Dagger Award, The Last Kashmiri Rose, Ragtime in Simla, The Palace Tiger, and The Bee’s Kiss. She lives in Cambridge, England where she is now at work on the second Laetitia Talbot mystery, which Delta will publish in 2008.
Praise for The Last Kashmiri Rose…
“A spellbinding debut mystery. While classic in design, the whodunit formula is embellished by the vivid colonial setting . . . and enriched by characters too complicated to read at a glance.”—New York Times Book Review
“An impressive debut . . . Cleverly weaves an engrossing tale of serial murder and the impending decline of the British Empire.”—Publishers Weekly
“An accomplished debut novel is a historical mystery that has just about everything: a fresh, beautifully realized exotic setting; a strong, confident protagonist; a poignant love story; and an exquisitely complex plot.”—Denver Post
“A strongly evocative narrative, sensitive characterizations, artful dialog, and masterly plotting make for an excellent first historical.” —Library Journal
“Deftly plotted and filled with unexpected twists, effectively captures the sights and sounds of 1920s India and provides a fascinating look at the social and political climate of the time.”—Booklist
“A clever debut . . . The readers will get a strong sense of life in India for the British in the early part of the last century. At the same time, they will be treated to a puzzling mystery that demands their attention and keeps the pages briskly turning.” —Deadly Pleasures, London
