On January 1, 1909, in Rajpore, India, His Highness Maharaja Sikander Singh is woken at noon in his ostentatious palace, following the overnight revelries. Sikander is only the titular king of the princely state, which is governed by the British Resident. Sikander is informed of the Resident’s mysterious death, and he immediately dashes off in his Rolls to the Residency. Educated in Europe, Sikander considers himself an amateur sleuth and wants to get in early in the investigation. The British authorities deem the demise a suicide, but Sikander has reasons to believe it to be poisoning. He perseveres, much like Sherlock Holmes, to identify the perpetrator by investigating a list of suspects.

The novel is a British-style murder mystery but written by a non-Brit. Arjun Gaind has not only captured that era’s details remarkably well but also describes English and native mannerisms perfectly. Bachelor Sikandar is a complex character, which makes him appealing. While he’s a classic playboy maharaja living a lavish lifestyle, Sikander is intelligent and athletic, despite his excesses. The detailed narrative might bore those readers already familiar with that period, but it’s an entertaining read nonetheless. A mature maharaja who’s still unmarried is surprising, but Sikander might find a soulmate in the sequels to follow.

This review first appeared in the Historical Novels Review Issue 79 (February 2017)