Stardust in Nuala by Harriet Steel Series: Inspector de Silva Mysteries #12
on November 18, 2022
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 211
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon
A celebrated Indian film company comes to Nuala, sprinkling its stardust over the quiet little town and keeping Inspector de Silva busy. With the end of the visit at last in sight, he looks forward to returning to a more peaceful existence, but a sudden death dashes his hopes. With Jane’s help and that of a new ally, he’s drawn into the turbulent affairs of a warring family. Meanwhile, a mysterious intruder is causing trouble at the Residence.
Returning to 1940’s Ceylon and the fictitious hill town of Nuala, the latest mystery finds Shanti investigating the death of an Indian film star when the deceased’s film company chose to use Nuala for the location of their latest film. Harriet Steel’s historical cozy mystery series has long been a favorite of mine and I slipped easily into the latest and finished with great satisfaction.
Stardust in Nuala is the twelfth in the series of standalone mysteries. The series is versatile and can be read in any order, but there are little details and recurring characters that have deeper meaning when the series is picked up in order.
Inspector Shanti de Silva is a middle-aged Sinhalese detective who left the bustling police work of the city for a mountain town surrounded by tea plantations where he’s in charge of the small police station. He is married to former English governess, Jane, who is calm, no-nonsense and has a pension for mystery books and movies. Shanti and Jane straddle two worlds socially and culturally and do it well as a married pair, but the push and pull of British Colonialism in his country makes him have to sometimes walk a tightrope to work his cases with a bluff, abstracted British boss.
The death isn’t ruled a murder right away, but Shanti has his suspicions after having met the surrounding family and overhearing a curious conversation. He, his sergeant and constable, gather the evidence and track down the facts, but once again, Shanti hits upon the truth when he remembers one little thing and all the pieces fell into place. I was well pleased with myself for figuring out who did it, but I had no idea why until that came out at the reveal.
All in all this well-crafted blend of historical and cultural setting with a good mystery was an easy, entertaining read about characters I have come to really love. Looking forward to the next installment in the Inspector de Silva series and highly recommend the series to historical cozy mystery fans who want an exotic locale.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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You are winning me over to this series Sophia. The combination of police procedural, other cultures and historical politics are interesting.
I stumbled across it on KU years ago and was very taken with it and enjoyed binging those first five. Now, I’m excited still a dozen later. 🙂
I do enjoy historical mysteries with an exotic setting! Happy to hear this series is still going strong, Sophia! I’ll have to check it out!
The exotic setting was what snagged me for the first book and then I got into the characters. 🙂
I haven’t read this one. Good to know to read this series in order.
I was really glad to come across it on KU. Now, I can’t wait for each new one out. 🙂
I love that these are all standalone, but glad you mentioned reading in order. It sounds like a great cozy mystery series.
Yes, she makes it a rather versatile series so new readers can start wherever and then decide if they want to go back and get it from the beginning.
Ooo nice find! This is giving mePoirot-vibes.
Shanti isn’t as quirky, but yes, it brings together plots and characterizations that feel similar.
This sounds like a good series and how neat it takes place in a different setting than most cozies.
It really is, Lola. I do love that its set in colonial era Ceylon. Lots of interesting cultural mentions.