The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra (Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation #1)

by Vaseem Khan

Overview

On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra inherits two unexpected mysteries.

The first is the case of a drowned boy, whose suspicious death no one seems to want solved. And the second is a baby elephant.

As his search for clues takes him across the teeming city of Mumbai, from its grand high rises to its sprawling slums and deep into its murky underworld, Chopra begins to suspect that there may be a great deal more to both his last case and his new ward than he thought.

And he soon learns that when the going gets tough, a determined elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs. . .

A Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation
The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra
The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown
The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star
Murder at the Grand Raj Palace
Bad Day at the Vulture Club

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316386821
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	09/15/2015
Series:	Baby Ganesh Agency Investigations , #1
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	164,693
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Vaseem Khan first saw an elephant lumbering down the middle of the road in 1997 when he arrived in India to work as a consultant. It was the most unusual thing he'd ever encountered and served as the inspiration behind his series of crime novels.

He returned to the UK in 2006 and now works at University College London for the Department of Security and Crime Science where he is astonished daily by the way modern science is being employed to tackle crime.

Editorial Reviews

08/03/2015
A faulty heart has forced the early retirement of Mumbai’s Insp. Ashwin Chopra, the hero of Khan’s winning debut, but the discovery of a young man drowned in a puddle of water upsets the policeman’s last day on the job. Neither Chopra’s superior nor successor has any interest in investigating, though an autopsy later reveals that the victim had alcohol and barbiturates in his blood. Retired or not, Chopra decides he has to get to the bottom of the man’s suspicious death. Meanwhile, Chopra has inherited a baby elephant, soon named Ganesh, from his favorite uncle. Initially listless, Ganesh perks up once he begins to accompany Chopra around the city in what becomes a murder inquiry. Khan’s affection for Mumbai and its residents adds to the novel’s charm, though one hopes he’ll be more careful with the details in the sequel (e.g., women would never wear lotus blossoms in their hair; they’re too heavy). (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Smoothly combines an affable lead, a seemingly impossible crime, and an endearing and highly unusual sidekick-a baby elephant named Ganesha.... Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will find a lot to like."—Publishers Weekly on The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown

"Thought-provoking mystery... promising debut."—Booklist

"A winning debut...Khan's affection for Mumbai and its residents adds to the novel's charm."—Publishers Weekly

"An enchanting start to a new series."—Woman & Home

"Debut Mumbai-based 'cosy' - complete with baby elephant - keeps things heart-warming while tackling corruption at the highest levels and violent crime at the lowest. Endearing and gripping, it sets up Inspector Chopra - and the elephant - for a long series."—Sunday Times

"The deep love for Mumbai and its people - warts and all - that Inspector Chopra shares with his creator infuses the novel from the beginning. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra is certainly a delightful and uplifting crime caper, but it also comes with an edifying dose of serious social comment, with many of Chopra's preoccupations mirroring those of his creator."—The Bookseller

"A fantastic and heartwarming read... I can't wait to see what happens next!"—First for Women

"An entertaining feel-good read in the tradition of Alexander McCall Smith.... Utterly charming."—Guardian

From the Publisher

This Indian version of a cozy mystery is set in hectic Mumbai and features retired Inspector Chopra as the lovable main character and detective. Narrator Sartaj Garewal's characterization makes the most of the humor in this story of Mumbai's underbelly. When Chopra inherits a baby elephant and an unsolved mystery in the same day, the contrast gives the listener alternating moments of humor and drama. Garewal is a versatile narrator. He distinguishes between the wide cast of characters with a range of vocals including high pitches for annoying relatives, like Chopra's mother-in-law, and a singsong cadence for bumbling police officers. For this tale of mayhem, mystery, and corruption, Garewal weaves a spell that entrances the listener. M.R. Winner of AudioFIle Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2015 - AudioFile

This Indian version of a cozy mystery is set in hectic Mumbai and features retired Inspector Chopra as the lovable main character and detective. Narrator Sartaj Garewal's characterization makes the most of the humor in this story of Mumbai's underbelly. When Chopra inherits a baby elephant and an unsolved mystery in the same day, the contrast gives the listener alternating moments of humor and drama. Garewal is a versatile narrator. He distinguishes between the wide cast of characters with a range of vocals including high pitches for annoying relatives, like Chopra's mother-in-law, and a singsong cadence for bumbling police officers. For this tale of mayhem, mystery, and corruption, Garewal weaves a spell that entrances the listener. M.R. Winner of AudioFIle Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2015 - AudioFile