This mystery book had some clever and amusing parts, but overall, it was just an okay book for me. I enjoyed the setting and the main characters, as well as the idea of a retired police officer becoming a detective with the aid of a baby elephant. The murder mystery was probably the weakest part for me. I was not that invested in trying to figure it out. This is the first book in a series and I don’t think that I will be reading any more of them.
The book is set in Mumbai, India. Inspector Ashwin Chopra has been a successful police officer with strong morals and values. He is forced into retirement due to a heart attack. However, on his last day at work a boy is found dead. His superior rules it a suicide by drowning and will not allow an investigation. Chopra cannot tolerate injustice and investigates secretly on his own. At the time of his retirement, he is gifted a “special” baby elephant by his uncle. The elephant will not eat and appears depressed. Chopra is trying to learn about elephants while he is investigating the boy’s death. Chopra lives in an apartment with his wife Poppy and his interfering mother-in-law. There are some interesting characters in the apartment complex who either aid or frustrate Chopra.
In addition to the mystery, this is also a comedy of errors. Chopra is investigating the death in secret, even from his wife. He is also planning a surprise for her. As a result, she believes that he is having and affair. She hatches a plan to win back her husband. Of course, everything is sorted out in the end and Chopra and Poppy start a new life in retirement. This is a pleasant, easy, and quick read. I enjoyed Mumbai as a setting and it is nice to see a detective of color. I did not find the writing or the mystery very compelling. This is a decent book if you want something light and uncomplicated.
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