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| Independently Published October 2020 Inspector de Silva Mysteries #9 My thanks to the author for my copy of this book |
Much to the delight of the locals, a colourful Russian circus rolls into Nuala, but the fun ends abruptly when, on the opening night, a tragic accident takes place. Shanti de Silva and his wife, Jane are among the crowd to witness the accident. Or was it an accident? Inspector de Silva senses murder, and soon, he’s juggling with the evidence. Will the trail lead to the circus’s dashing stunt rider and master of horse, Alexei Goncharov, or to Alexei’s brother Boris, its boisterous ringmaster? Throw a string of jewel thefts and some deadly snakes into the mix and the list of suspects grows.
De Silva will need to keep his wits about him to unravel yet another absorbing puzzle in this charming and addictive mystery series set in the 1930s in exotic Ceylon.
My thoughts..
When an exotic Russian circus arrives in Nuala it is cause for much excitement that is, until a tragic accident occurs which leads Inspector Shanti de Silva to suspect foul play. The circus people are naturally reticent about the accident and don't give up their secrets easily but, as always, the intrepid inspector is determined to uncover all the clues even if it means upsetting a few people along the way.
The author brings the colourful world of 1930s Nuala alive and treats us to another well considered murder mystery that has all the trademarks of delicate writing which we have come to expect from this talented writer. The story rolls out gently, and the mystery is allowed to unfold at entirely its own pace, nothing ever feel rushed or hurried in Nuala, there's always time to stop for tea or a lovely dinner, however, with Inspector de Silva at the helm every investigation comes to a satisfactory conclusion.
I've loved this series of cosy crime novels from the beginning and have enjoyed getting to know Inspector de Silva and his wife, Jane, so that every return to Nuala feels like a meeting up with old and treasured friends. Whilst the colonial rule seems set to continue there's a definite hint in this novel that times are changing with the threat of a possible war in Europe looming on the horizon.
High Wire in Nuala is now the ninth book in the series and it is every bit as good as the previous books, and whilst it can be read quite comfortably as a stand alone story it really is better to appreciate this crime series from the start.
Harriet Steel wrote four historical novels before turning to crime with the Inspector de Silva mysteries, inspired by time spent in Sri Lanka (the former Ceylon)). Her work has also appeared in national newspapers and magazines. Visit her blog to sign up to her monthly newsletter for news of new releases and great offers, Blog
She’s married with two daughters and lives in Surrey. When she’s not writing, she likes reading, long walks and visiting art galleries and museums.
Twitter @harrietsteel1
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