I enjoyed this historical mystery set in early 20th century Singapore. The characters ring true to the time period, and I think the non-white characters may suffer lack of detail because of that.

The idea of the Geographical Society was neat- one had to have a landmark named after oneself in order to belong. It seems like just the kind of thing that colonial Englishmen would do. I liked the two protagonist characters- they possessed the British virtues of stiff upper lips and honor, but weren't sticks in the mud. For whatever reason, I love the British stiff-upper lip thing no matter how unhealthy it would be in reality. I also liked the fact that the main characters were cognizant of the fact that not only had a white man been murdered, but his Singaporean servant as well, and they wanted justice for both.

There is a kitten, a stiff-upper lip British child, smuggling (you can probably guess that from the title), villains cold as ice. Because of the villains it's a bit more bloody and serious than a cozy, but it doesn't wallow in gore either. Read this one if you need a bit of an escape (as long as you don't feel guilty going to romantic colonial Singapore) and want the good guys to win in the end. This is not a romance, but there's a hint of a slow burn of something possibly to come.

Excellent historical mystery. Setting descriptions take the reader back to time and place. The two main characters each face compelling inner conflicts and I look forward to their relationship develop further in the next installment.

A well composed mystery that will take you to Singapore during the early 20th century when it was very much a part of the British Empire. The story will transport you to a time and place you can only imagine. I felt as if I could feel the oppressive heat and humidity in addition to smelling the various odors that were described so vividly. The mystery was well defined and easy for the reader to follow.

I have rated the book 4 stars and would recommend to any who enjoys a period tale.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my unbiased review.

An enjoyable start to a new historical mystery series. Harriet Gordon and Robert Curran are our engaging guides to colonial Singapore in 1910. The mystery is intriguing, well paced and the conclusion is satisfying. I look forward to reading more in this series

SINGAPORE SAPPHIRE by A M Stuart
In the mood for a multiple murder/gem smuggling mystery with a bit of romance and family drama and a fair amount of diverse culture? Then this is your book.
Harriet, newly arrived in Singapore in 1910, is the richly nuanced main character. Most characters are well developed, although a couple surprises near the end seem a bit “out of the blue.” The culture of colonial Singapore is clearly drawn. The main characters are mainly upper class British, with the requisite native servants and lower level functionaries.
I read an e-book before publication and there was no glossary – one is sorely needed. The plot is fast moving and well developed. The writing is clear and expressive. The character listing helps keep the many persons straight. There are several murders, but not too much gruesomeness. The sex is merely alluded to. There is no foul language.
4 of 5 stars

This absolutely delightful story takes place in turn of the last century Singapore and features secretary turned sleuth Harriet Gordon. She gets involved with the investigation of the murder of her first client Sir Oswald, when she returns to his house to retrieve his typewriter and finds his body. Inspector Robert Curran is assigned the case and rather than dismiss Harriet and her observations, he enlists her to help solve the murder. Readers can feel the heat and humidity of Singapore and delight in all it’s smells and sights in this engaging mystery