Re-reading ”Chasing The Monsoon” by Alexander Frater

There are some books that I re-read every few years, and always with undiminished pleasure. As it so happens, several of them are about India, some of them my ritual pre-monsoon, hot-weather reading. Kim. Heat and Dust. And, of course, “Chasing the Monsoon“, Alexander Frater’s marvellous travelogue about following the …

THE DIARY OF CONNIE SHAKESPEAR: THE NAGA HILLS 1900-1902

Over 120 years ago, an intrepid British woman lived in the hills of north east India, where her husband was a British officer. Connie Shakespear kept a detailed diary of her time in the Naga hills, which has just been published by Highlander Press, giving us a fascinating insight into …

THE NANDA DEVI AFFAIR by BILL AITKEN

Quick aside, before I begin this review. Since the pandemic started, I find myself increasingly drawn to non-fiction and the more adventurous the book, the better. Doesn’t take much deduction to conclude that I am missing travelling and especially being in the mountains, and so am compensating, by reading tales …

MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE by VASEEM KHAN

As though the fabulously creative and loveable Baby Ganesh series were not enough, the talented Vaseem Khan has now given us yet another wonderful Indian detective, and I am already a huge fan. Introducing Inspector Persis Wadia, India’s first woman detective. We are in Bombay, in the tumultuous, heady days …

BAD DAY AT THE VULTURE CLUB by VASEEM KHAN

The latest addition to the smashing Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series “Bad Day at the Vulture Club” is yet another wonderful read from the talented Vaseem Khan. As in the earlier books, the sleuthing of Inspector Chopra (retd) and his unusual sidekick, his baby elephant Ganesh, bring to life the …