Long Odds in Nuala by Harriet Steel Series: Inspector de Silva Mysteries #13
on June 30, 2023
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 214
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon
When Nuala’s premier race meeting ends in controversy and a tragic death, Inspector Shanti de Silva and his wife Jane must turn their minds to unravelling a new mystery. With evidence elusive and a hostile British establishment to deal with, it looks like it won’t be easy to uncover the truth, but when did long odds ever deter Shanti and Jane?
Continuing my delightful binge through the Inspector de Silva series, I’ve arrived at a case set against the world of horse racing when Nuala hosts a prestigious race only to have the race course shrouded in a possible doping scandal and a murder. Shanti de Silva must tread carefully as he investigates the rich and powerful in Harriet Steel’s latest.
Long Odds in Nuala is the thirteenth installment in the Inspector de Silva series of standalone historical cozy mysteries set in 1930’s and 40’s Ceylon. Tea is the thriving industry of the hill country that is still under British Colonial Rule at this point. Shanti is a second generation Sinhalese police detective and since his marriage with Jane has moved from the faster pace and city crimes for the slower lifestyle of Nuala’s Chief Inspector and head of the small police station.
I do enjoy just how much history Harriet Steel pulls in to make her series fascinating and colorful from the period, to the setting, the characters, and the scenes of the crimes- in this case, horse racing. Shanti and Jane along with the other regulars know little about horse racing, but they’ve gotten pretty good about crime solving.
This book was interesting because for a few brief scenes, Shanti’s usual sole narrative gives way to a Nancy Drew-type young lady, Miss Appleby, who is from the area, recently took a job for the newspaper and is an avid horse rider and in the first ever ladies cup race. She does a bit of amateur sleuthing to help Shanti.
This was an engaging mystery with a handful of suspects with motive for the horse doping and for the murder. I had my eye on the culprit from the beginning, but I wasn’t entirely sure what his motive was for part of it. Still, this one got my blood-pumping near the end as I hoped Shanti would get to the truth before Miss Appleby got caught in the killer’s crosshairs.
All in all, this latest was a fabulous and fast read and I can’t wait to pick up the next. Historical mystery fans who lean more toward the cozy end of the spectrum should pick this series up.
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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I feel like there isn’t enough Historical mysteries!!
I am always looking for more historical mystery series to read b/c I love them so much.
I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.
Thanks, Mary! I really have a good time with these.
Sounds very well written and I like the sound of how much history is in this series. The addition of the young Nancy Drew type character sounds well done too. Glad to hear you enjoyed this one.
Yes, this is a fun and light historical mystery.