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| Inspector de Silva Mysteries Book #14 30 March 2024 My thanks to the author for my copy of this book |
Shanti and Jane de Silva’s peaceful retreat at a mountain monastery rapidly turns into something far more challenging when they become involved in the search for a stolen ancient manuscript that is reputed to have the power to shake Christianity to its foundations.As they investigate their fellow guests and the monks themselves, the mystery seems as impenetrable as mountain mist – until events take a deadly turn. Will they succeed in bringing the truth to light?The Inspector de Silva Mysteries are vintage-style mysteries set on the exotic island of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) in the 1930s and 40s. Perfect for fans of Death in Paradise, Murder in Provence, and Midsomer Murders.
📖 My Review..
This fourteenth book in the long running Inspector de Silva series sees Shanti and his wife Jane heading to coolness of the hills above Nuala to a peaceful retreat in a mountain monastery. The piece and quiet of this Buddhist sanctuary allows Shanti and Jane to spend some quiet time together which is, however, bought to an end with the discovery that an ancient Christian manuscript has gone missing from the monastery’s library. This investigation turns out to be something of a locked room mystery as there have been few visitors to this remote place and with several of the other guests all acting strangely the Inspector is determined to discover more about the manuscript and the reason why it has been stolen.
As always the beauty of Ceylon ( Sri Lanka) is described in such detail that I felt as if I too had travelled into the peace of this beautifully described Buddhist sanctuary and watched, with fascination, as the inspector, ably assisted by Jane, sets about discovering who could have been involved in this particular crime. I love how this series has evolved so calmly, there’s a never a rush to get everything done and dusted and the gentle pace of the narrative really suits these stories to perfection. Shanti and Jane work well together and it’s been a real treat to have Jane feature more strongly in the action, and being away from the bustle of Nuala also gives the author more scope to describe the surrounding countryside.
It’s been a real pleasure to go on Retreat from Nuala in a fascinating story, with clever plot twists, and several red herrings, all of which kept me entertained from first page to last. I look forward to reading more Inspector de Shanti novels in the future.
About the Author
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
Harriet is married with two daughters and lives in Surrey. When Harriet is not writing, she likes reading, long walks and visiting art galleries and museums.
Twitter @harrietsteel1
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