His Fic Saturday ~ Passage from Nuala by Harriet Steel

On Hist fic Saturday

 I am delighted to return to ...the Inspector de Silva series

© Harriet Steel
2019
My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

Inspector de Silva and Jane embark on a cruise to Egypt to visit the pyramids, excited at the prospect of two weeks of sun, sea and relaxation. With Nuala, and de Silva’s duties as a police officer, far behind them, what can possibly spoil their plans? Then a writer is found dead in his cabin, suffocated by newspaper thrust down his throat. Once again, de Silva must swing into action.

My thoughts...

In this sixth book in the Inspector de Silva mysteries it's a real pleasure to see Shanti de Silva and his lovely wife, Jane, taken away from their beloved Nuala, and placed into a completely different environment. A leisure cruise, from Ceylon to Cairo, aboard the Blue Star Line's magnificent, Jewel of the East, should be all about the pleasures of being at sea, and of the delicious lunches and dinners that the chefs in Tourist Class can offer, however, with the discovery of a body aboard ship, the intrepid inspector is, once again, inadvertently drawn into a complex murder mystery.

There's so much to enjoy in this series that I am always delighted to spend time in the Inspector's company and, in Passage from Nuala, we are treated to observing how he works alongside a new character. William Petrie, is a high ranking government official who is returning to England with his wife, Lady Caroline, and he and the inspector need to work closely together in order to uncover a whole web of secrets and lies.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is complicated and the author does a great job of weaving together all the different strands, and in doing so brings together a disparate group of individuals who all have rather complex reasons for being suspected of murder. I have so enjoyed trying to keep one step ahead of the investigation and genuinely admire the inspector's rather particular approach to sleuthing.

As always, the history of the time comes alive and the care and attention shown to the detail of life on board ship along with other snippets of historical interest make Passage from Nuala a lively and thought-provoking read. I am sure that there are many more adventures to come for the intrepid Inspector and his lovely wife.

About the Author

You can find out more about Harriet Steel on her blog

Follow on Twitter @harrietsteel1

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