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City of Destruction

The Malabar House, Book 5

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City of Destruction

By: Vaseem Khan
Narrated by: Maya Saroya
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'Vaseem Khan writes with charm and wit, and an eye for detail that transports the reader entirely. I couldn't love this series more' CHRIS WHITAKER
'Historical fiction at its finest' MAIL ON SUNDAY

From the award-winning author of MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE and THE LOST MAN OF BOMBAY comes a brilliant new mystery featuring the inimitable Persis Wadia.

Bombay, 1951. A political rally ends in tragedy when India's first female police detective, Persis Wadia, kills a lone gunman as he attempts to assassinate the divisive new defence minister, a man calling for war with India's new post-Independence neighbours.

With the Malabar House team tasked to hunt down the assassin's co-conspirators - aided by agents from Britain's MI6 security service - Persis is quickly relegated to the sidelines. But then she is given a second case, the burned body of an unidentified white man found on a Bombay beach. As she pursues both investigations - with and without official sanction - she soon finds herself headed to the country's capital, New Delhi, a city where ancient and modern India openly clash.

Meanwhile, Persis's colleague, Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, lies in a hospital fighting for his life as all around him the country tears itself apart in the prelude to war...©2024 Vaseem Khan Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Police Procedurals Thriller & Suspense World Literature War
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Critic reviews

A book to cancel plans for
The fifth of the Malabar House series is as charming, disarming and engrossing as ever
[an] engaging, thoughtful novel
All stars
Most relevant
I really appreciate a good mystery laced with lots of history, geography, culture and religion. I also enjoy the characters the author creates, especially Persis. I am only sad that I was so keen to get this latest book that I gobbled it all up practically in one go and will now have a long wait for the next. I like the reader too as there was no time that her presentation grated on me as is sometimes the case . It’s great to be taken to a hot steamy Indian city full of colour when it idd Sd cold and miserable here in Europe.

I love this series

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Apart from a few drawn out chapters, excellently performed, great plot, historic insights. Great captivating listen.

Excellent twisting plot.

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Superb characterisation, complex plotting, beautiful pacing, and a wonderful evocation of 1940s and 50s India. In Persis Wadia, Khan has created a compelling hero.

This series gets better and better

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what a brilliant character in Persis another great book in the series. Hope her boss returns for another book though.

Persis again

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I’ve yet to find one of these I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. Intelligently plotted, the characters are complex but enjoyable and they’re good fun.

Consistently great series.

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