Book Review: The Unexpected Inheritance Of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan

Hardback by Mulholland Books, £12.99 (ebook £6.49)

Mumbai-based Inspector Chopra is forced into early retirement due to a minor problem with his heart. On his last day of work, two unexpected things show up.

The first is the mysterious drowning of a boy in a sewer, while the second is the arrival of a gift from a long-lost uncle. As this is a quirky murder mystery in the vein of Alexander McCall Smith, it is the gift – a baby elephant named Ganesh – who really steals the show.

This is a light-hearted read full of colourful characters and insightful details about human motivation. Chopra’s attempts to investigate the death give the author a rich opportunity to explore the stark contrasts between the worlds of slum dwellers and glitterati that characterise the city. But ultimately it is his protagonist’s good heart that wins us over.

Further episodes from the lovable Inspector will surely follow.