The Case of the Missing Servant: A Vish Puri Mystery
Vish Puri, proprietor of Delhi’s Most Private Investigators Ltd, is the premier detective and most esteemed investigator on all of India – at least in his own mind.
Puri (known as “Boss” to his employees and “Chubby to his friends and family) actually spends most of his time investigating potential marriage partners for the children of worried parents. Things heat up for Puri when he is hired to investigate the murder of a servant girl.
Tarquin Hall’s debut book in this series has charm in its cohort of quirky characters – self-satisfied and confident Puri, his ingenious and dogged staff (Face cream, Tubelight, Handbrake, DoorStop … you get the idea) and his meddeling ‘Mummy”. The Delhi setting and liberal use of native words adds interest.
The plot lacks complexity and the mystery is easy to solve, but it is still an enjoyable read and a good start to a series that promises to grow on readers as the characters develop.
Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries such as the #1 Ladies Detective Agency (although not in the same league as this great series) and Detective Kubu series.
