Always a pleasure to read Vaseem Khan. The series is incredible, and it's like revising old friends with Persis and Archie.

The Malabar House series is really starting to come into its own and develop a clear and distinctive voice. Vaseem Khan is very good at finding fascinating little historical tidbits and weaving them into multi-layered plots, and Persis is an increasingly interesting, if flawed, central character.
An assassination attempt plunges Persis into the murky world of Indian politics as tensions increase with Pakistan. Despite being assigned to investigate the burnt remains of a man found by the sea, she cannot step away from chasing up leads in the assassination case. This leads her to Delhi and a run in with MI6, gangsters and agitators.
The plot is exciting and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing to the last few chapters. The political and historical information was fascinating and dealt with a complex period in Indian history that I knew little about. Khan has eased back on the endless slightly dodgy similes and manages a more consistent tone of voice. His descriptions of Bombay and Delhi were rich and vivid and there were some great new characters.
Persis herself is still a difficult character to like. Although she is showing signs of personal growth after the tough lessons from the previous book, she still excludes colleagues, takes stupid risks and fails to understand her own heart. I liked the way she started to confront her feelings for Archie but it's hard to develop a love story when the couple have barely had any time together in the last two books. I would have liked to see a little more of Malabar House - a little more team work and a little less dashing off alone, but I'm also starting to like her flaws and the way she grows as the series progresses.
Can't wait for the next in the series!

Persis Wadia has to shoot dead an assassin before he kills a prominent politician but his bullet manages to hit the man she loves. As Archie lies in hospital in a coma, Persis tries to solve the mystery of the shooting as well as the discovery of a burned man. As the two cases become linked there is help (and interference) from MI6 operatives in Delhi and Persis finds joining the evidence life-threatening.
I haven't read Khan's work before and I'm realising what I've missed out on. There is a real sense of time and place in this book with all that comes with that. 1951 is only a few years after partition and the politics of India and Pakistan were still tense, added to that is the role of the British still unwilling to fully withdraw from the sub-continent. Khan steps easily between the politics and manages to also come up with an intelligent and satisfying procedural as well.

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.
I love this series of books by Vaseem Khan, he has a vast empathy for post colonial India and the chaos which exists as the authorities grapple with a hugely divided populace. Persis is her usual effective but reckless self, assigned complex cases all while pretending not to worry about Archie who lies in a coma, clinging to life. A fabulous story. So good I read the book and listened to the audiobook, the narrator is perfect. Thanks go to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of City of Destruction.

An unusual start as Peris is involved in the case from the very beginning as she shoots the would-be assassin. Such close involvement means that, much to her chagrin, Peris is sidelined from the investigation and is destined to only play a minor role. However, as the young man was dying he passed her an amulet and muttered his final words, which Peris decides to keep to herself for now.

Instead, Peris is given a case of apparent suicide by self-immolation, an act which some protestors been carrying out. Peris quickly establishes that it is a case of murder made to look like suicide.

The backdrop is one of past wars and an impending war that hopefully can be averted. This is immediate post-colonial India, already fragmented following a war of partition that unleashed death and destruction. We will discover that war will suit some, whilst many hope for the status quo to be maintained and for people to make the best of their lives. The sub-continent is now going to be a quasi-battleground as part of the Cold War with geopolitics now having a hand in a volatile region. There are also unexpected links back to WWII which are wonderfully imagined and skilfully introduced into the storyline. There is also a rich symbolism with destruction by fire running throughout the story.

Two cases to test the first female detective, not only will her detective skills be stretched to the limit, but also her sense of morality, self-worth and desires for the future. A story that will end up with her asking as many questions of herself as of witnesses and suspects, as Persis starts the show signs of a new maturity developing.

Persis is still her headstrong self, regularly placing herself in harms way but managing to extricate herself largely unharmed. Will she ever listen to advice? So, there is plenty of risk and jeopardy throughout, with one outstanding set piece for readers to enjoy. Her unique position has played a part, with those wishing her to fail, almost to the point of her quitting, but as her father Sam says then they will have won. She irritates colleagues who point out that she is not a team player, advice she should take, but as Persis sees it most don’t want her on the team. As it is the amulet provides her with the link to solve the case and the dying words ‘City of Destruction’ expose the motivations with a quote she recognises from literature. She has been brought up in a bookshop so only she would likely pick up this link to an English Literature classic, which is cleverly inserted.

It proves to be an emotionally testing time for Persis as Archie is in a coma fighting for his life. They have gradually been getting closer, moving beyond mere friendship into courtship, as one of those mismatched odd couples who seem to be made for each other. However, as she sees it, any relationship is doomed due to racial and class differences, white colonists may have Indian mistresses but never wives. Archie being incapacitated throws her into emotional turmoil at precisely the wrong time, something exasperated by the arrival of his family. Here a lovely bit of conflict is introduced and Peris takes the bait. As the cases develop Persis sees her position being mirrored in others, in people whose prospects are much worse that hers, such that if he recovers, they may be able to forge a life together.

What I love about the series is the easy wit and humour that runs, seemingly effortlessly, throughout the story. There is word play, hilarious comparisons, elements of slapstick and a boss creating his own distillery in his office. The descriptions of the essence Indian street life capture the sights and sounds convincingly and certainly are far from sanitised.

Intelligent, insightful, humorous and written with great warmth, everything one could want from historical crime fiction.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for making this available in exchange for a fair review.

The best so far. Whenever a Malabar House book is available, I end up reading the whole thing rather than pacing myself and savouring the story. It doesn’t really matter because I know I will reread at least a couple of times before the next one comes out. I love the descriptions of Indian life but more importantly the way Vaseem Khan is able to shine clarity on the complexity and nuances of Indian politics at the time. Many thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Persis Wadia, India's first female detective, attend a political rally where the defence minister is calling for war against Pakistan. When a young man attempts to assassinate the minister Persis shoots him. Unfortunately the bullet intended for the minister hits Archie Blackfinch.
At Malabar House Persis is sidelined from the case, much to her annoyance, and two British MI6 agents are sent to help.
Persis is given another case when a badly burnt body is found in the edge of the beach but is soon working both cases, although without official permission.
Her tenacity and stubbornness put her in danger as she delves into both cases and, as Blackfinch lies in a hospital bed in a coma, Persis must face her feelings for him.

Have read all of the series and I think this is the best so far , very well written with great wit and brilliant characters, I cannot recommend this enough.

Book Five of the Malabar House series, and it’s really good to revisit Persis and company. Well, most of the company as my favourite character (no spoilers) is sidelined for almost the entire book. Their presence resonates through the whole story, but I did miss them. Which is kind of the point, and a sign of superb writing, so I should be praising Vaseem Khan for this. While this new… situation has a lot going for it, I did rather like the old one.
Anyway, what about the rest of the book? If you’re a fan of the series, then I’ll say that you won’t be disappointed. If not, then what to expect? A vivid description of recent history – the partition of India and Pakistan – that is never mentioned in schools these days, despite the repercussions still being felt today, the world of 1950s Bombay is brought vividly to life, along with its attitudes and tensions.
The plot, which I can probably most closely describe as a political thriller – i.e. a thriller without elongated chase scenes and explosions – and the mystery builds slowly with questions being revealed along the way, rather than being presented at the start. What begins as “Why did someone try and kill the minister?” and “Who killed the burned man?” into something far more complex. I hestitate to call it a whodunnit as it’s far more complex than that, but there is a good twist late in the day.
Vaseem Khan does a brilliant job of taking historical events and weaving a gripping fictional tale that mirrors the actual facts. This is a superb series of books and this one does not disappoint. Let’s just hope that… something… happens next time…

City of Destruction is the fifth book featuring India's first woman police detective, Persis Wadia, and it's a doozy.

Persis is investigating two crimes: the attempted assassination of the defence minister and the murder of an unknown burned man found on a beach. But she has to do it without her sidekick Archie who spends the novel incapacitated in hospital. There's lots of intrigue in this novel with the interference of British intelligence and Persis finds herself in mortal danger.

A highly recommended read for lovers of historical detective fiction, but start at book one to get the full character arcs.

The indomitable Persis Wadia returns! After the Partition of India and creation of the new Pakistan - and the resultant violence, Rafi Azad Indian Defence Minister holds a provocatice rally in Bombay to stir up fervour. Persis and her partner Archie Blackfinch from Bombay's smallest police station, Malabar House are on duty monitoring the rally when she spies a suspiciously quiet and solitary man. Losing sight of him, she later sees him aiming a gun at Azad! She takes aim and kills him but his gun also goes off, severely wounding Archie.
Persis and Archie are viewed as heroes, but Persis wants to know more about the young man that committed the crime, who she has caused the death of. Things are not straightforward and her two fellow Police Inspectors are put onto the case. She is appointed a different case - that of a burned body found near the coast. Not that, that's ever stopped our Persis from pursuing her own path.
The wonderfully feisty, bolshy Persis goes her own way a bit too often for her own safety. Mr Khan delivers the story, situation and violence with his dark humour ('Dad jokes' apart - it's a lovely vintage humour!), which makes you laugh out loud as you read. You get totally swept along in the story and the outcome and finding out about other interested parties in the region is again, very sobering. Reading about Partition and the wars and death caused by this 'solution' is horrifying; finding out about England's further meddling in the region, shameful.
The 'Acknowledgements' section at the back refers to the author's love of exploring India's history and finding obscure facts to turn into plots. It is precisely these odd facts that make Vaseem Khan's stories and plots so fascinating. Please don't stop with this series (and your jokes) - and I need the next instalment SOON!

Another great novel in this series. I love reading novels that teach you things almost subliminally, and this book has taught me a lot about life in India after independence in 1947. As my father and grandparents lived through this period, I find it absolutely fascinating to hear about it from the Indians’ side. I also enjoyed the development of the characters through the series. Im definitely looking forward to the next instalment of Persia’s police work.

The Malabar House series is so good I read it twice. Once in audiobook, because Maya Soraya’s narration is just fabulous and it is her voice I hear when I read Persis Wadia in print. I read the books again in print because there is so much richness to them, such a strong sense of India and Pakistan’s independence struggles and the sense of history in the making that I find two readings are more rewarding to take in the level of rich detail that Vaseem Khan gives us in this stunning series.

It is, though, the character of Persis that keeps me on tenterhooks awaiting the next in the series. Persis has tenacity in spades – though some would call it stubbornness. She is very conscious of the trailblazing role she plays as India’s first woman detective and of the role model she has become for other young women. She also understands all too clearly why so many men resent her progress and are more than happy to impede her and even work to obstruct her efforts. Misogyny and jealousy sit side by side in the newly independent Indian Police force.

City of Destruction is set after partition, though some are still railing against partition. One proponent of reunification was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Azad had been a fierce proponent of independence, but his passion was to see Hindus and Muslims working together, side by side. It’s a controversial view and as a minister in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet, he often attracts controversy when he speaks at rallies.

Persis is contemplating her future when she is present at a protest at which Azad is speaking. As she looks over the crowd, she sees a young man reaching for a gun and realises he is about to attempt an assassination. Calling out for him to stop, he whirls around, lifts the gun and fires. Persis has no choice but to fire back. The young man dies, but before he does so he whispers a few words into Persis ear and slides an amulet into her hand.

When she stands up from the body, she realises that although the bullet missed her, it hit Archie Blackfinch, the Scotland Yard criminalist, with whom she has a personal relationship that is itself the cause of turmoil.

Persis can make nothing of the words this man uttered; they make no sense. As this is a high profile assassination attempt, Persis is of course immediately sidelined, despite being the one who shot the perpetrator. As her superiors frantically seek to gather information about who this shooter was and who is behind the attempt, Persis is asked to look elsewhere; into the case of a man whose burned body has been found at a beach. Though the authorities are pretty sure this is a case of self-immolation, Persis, upon examining the scene, has her doubts. This is a man who had no reason to take his own life nor did his actions suggest that as a possibility. It’s also clear upon further investigation that he has suffered a blow to the head.

And though she pursues this case, she is not prepared to sit back and watch others deal with what should by rights, also be her case. Keeping to herself the small details she has from this young would-be assassin; she sets out to follow her own trail. Devastated by Archie’s comatose state and further complicated by a new visitor to his bedside, she finds herself strangely alone in her endeavours this time. As Persis strives to find out more about these cases, she misses having the redoubtable Archie as a stable presence by her side.

Following her instincts she travels to Delhi to identify the would-be assassin. There she is intercepted by two British Intelligence agents, Julius Barnes and David Astor. They are working with the Indian Intelligence Office in Delhi on the assassination attempt and Persis is keen to find out what information they may have, so gets close to them.

Vaseem Khan weaves a spell-binding tale which operates beautifully on one level as a complex but fascinating dual murder-mystery, taut with suspense, high on adrenalin and full of intrigue. On another level it is a fascinating glimpse of India in a state of turbulence and change. Persis is the embodiment of this new India, young, eager and in a hurry to achieve equality, but not immune from making mistakes.

The characterisation in this historical murder mystery is really good and the prose is so readable. Vaseem Khan wields his pen lightly so that although the history, culture and turbulence of India is all there, it is infused with a prose that immerses you in the time and can still delight and amuse the reader with wonderful characters, warmth and humour. Persis’ colleagues in Malabar House prove to be more than interesting and Persis’ love for her father is tempered only be her frustration with him – usually for having a more interesting social life!

Verdict: City of Destruction is a first class read. It has depth, richness and the most glorious technicolour characters. Vaseem Khan’s creation of a fantastic puzzle as the key to solving his mysteries is clever and ingenious. I loved this book as I love the series and it is on my list as one of my books of the year.

A crime story with a historical setting, when India was partitioned soon after independence. That resulted in massacres and riots that ended into an instability, with those seeking to regain unity and those who wanted peace. When an assassination of the defence minister who advocated war was fouled by DI Persis that ended with her partner shot. The assassin is so young, she is convinced that he was not a lone wolf but was manipulated by vested interests. The hierarchy though otherwise and she was reassigned to investigate a burnt body left near the sea. Being a tenacious and a fearless independent young woman she just does as she wants in secret and so crosses the path of those that were behind it all. Amost intriguing and interesting story with an engaging character in Persis fighting to get herself accepted against male prejudice

Overall 4.5*

This story runs the whole gamut of emotions from love to hate be it personal, political or racial. Persis yet again becomes caught up in a case which she is told to leave as she feels a responsibility to the dead man and then also has to trace who a charred body may belong to. What I love about this book and the others in the series, is the historical aspects of what was happening throughout India after partition and the role which the British government was still playing there, albeit covertly. Vaseem has great descriptive writing placing the reader on the streets of Bombay and Dehli with all of the noise, smells and sights of busy cities. Very enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley/ Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC to review.

Another fantastic outing for Persis and the team at Malabar House. City of Destruction is a timely read and unputdownable. Vaseem Khan has a talent of making the reader believe they are right there in 1950's Bombay. I hope there are many more to come in this series. 4 stars

City of Destruction is the fifth book in the Malabar House Series and Persis is back dealing with two cases that are testing both her detective skills and what she believes and feels. At the end of the last book Persis had wondered if her career in the police had come to an end but thankfully for fans of the series, she decided against it when she is caught up in the middle of an assassination attempt of a high ranking official. During the confusion that follows her close friend Archie is wounded and Persis must confront his family and her true feelings for him.
Persis is removed from the investigation that follows and is assigned a case of a man who is found burned to death in a remote location. If you have read the previous books, you will know that this does not sit well with her, and it is not long before she is doing her own investigations, and it may be a decision she comes to regret. Her actions put her in the path of British officials that are still operating in India and only time will tell if they are there to assist or hinder her investigations. The more digging that Persis does it becomes clear that the cases are linked and there is a lot more in play than first believed. What is less clear as who is behind it all and why. When everything is finally revealed it comes as quite a surprise, and you realise just how clever Vaseem Kahn is when it comes to planting both clues and red herrings in equal measure.
I have really come to admire the determination Persis has to get to the truth and fight against every prejudice that is put in her path, but I also wonder if that same determination is adding to the problems she faces. It is clear she does not always rate her colleague’s professionalism but at the same time she does not always come across as a team player, something that even her own father has come to notice. Her personal life is also weighing heavily on her mind as she comes face to face with Archie’s wife and even though she knows any kind of relationship with him should he survive his injuries is both unwise and unlikely this new development hits her hard. How their relationship moves forward from here is something I cant wait to see.

Vaseem Khan is back with another Persis Wadia novel. This time, it is 1951 and post-partition in India and religious tensions are evident with an attempted assassination attempt of a politician. Persis kills the gunman but not before he injures Archie and then the lone gunman whispers his dying declaration to Persis. Wadia is now side-lined as her colleagues and British intelligence try to identify the would-be assassin and who was he working with. Wadia is sent to solve a separate murder of another unidentified male whose badly burnt body was found in an isolated spot. Coud these two events be related? Khan weaves the tale beautifully as Archie lies unconscious in the hospital and Wadia needs to solve the murder and work through her emotions about Archie. A great insight into Indian history and the political machinations in 1951. Always a great read.

Book 5 in the Malabar House Series set in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1951 and featuring Persis Wadia, India’s first female police detective. Persis is a complicated woman, brilliant at her job but struggles with rules and regulations and really isn’t a people person. I like her and do feel her personality a bit of a defence mechanism but you do see a softer side around former Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch. I love their relationship and that part of the story this time nearly broke me!

Briefly, at a political rally Persis notices a young man acting strangely. As he draws a gun to shoot the defence minister Persis shoots the assassin but not before he fires back at her, hitting her associate. Due to the political nature and Persis’s involvement the case is taken over by MI6 and other colleagues in Malabar House. Persis is handed another case - a badly burned body found near a beach. But Persis being Persis isn’t going to let her interest in the assassination attempt drop.

I love this series and I think this is my favourite so far. I’m fascinated by India and relish the historical aspect and have certainly learned a lot about Partition and Indian culture. There is something excellent misdirection and both cases are well paced and brilliantly intertwined with suspicion heavily leaning towards the criminal faction. An exciting and entertaining read. I loved it.

4.5* City of Destruction - Vaseem Khan. A welcome return for Persis, India’s first female police officer in 1950s Bombay as the aftershocks of Partition continue.

At a political rally, a divisive minister is almost assassinated and Persis is right at the heart of the action. Quickly moved to one side, to allow colleagues and liaison from MI6 to investigate, Persis is given another murder to look into but it doesn’t prove any less complex.

This is a welcome return to a fantastic cast of characters. Persis is superb, along with her dad Sam and colleagues in Malabar House. Vaseem Khan’s plotting is intricate, interesting and full of interesting historical nuggets. The prose is perhaps a little too heavy with quips and similes but it doesn’t detract from a hugely enjoyable read.

For me this series is a must read. Each of the books would be a fine standalone but it’s such a great story arc and I’d firmly recommend reading all five in order.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading Vaseem Khan’s amazing forthcoming standalone, The Girl In Cell A, which is 5* brilliance and I’m hugely looking forward to his James Bond books featuring Q.

Thanks to the Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I was thrilled to receive it and loved every page.