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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a cute cosy crime book featuring a retired police inspector who solves crimes with the help of a baby elephant. This gave me No.1 Ladies Detective Agency vibes. The mystery was engaging and hung together well. The side characters were entertaining and best of all there is a baby elephant.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
On the day Inspector Chopra is set to retire he finds himself the owner of a baby elephant and a murder of a poor boy. Finding himself lost at this new stage in life, he decides to take on the boy's murder and the calf and an intriguing mystery story ensues.
I felt like the mystery side of the story was very well put together, having some great details and twists! And some of the ways the trail dips and leads to into some hilarious, some intense situations was wonderful!
I did myself a bit confused on the setting, really the time when the story takes place. It introduces Chopra on a “mobile phone” yet then talks about Bombay riots which took place between 1992-1993, so at the end I settled on late 90s early 2000s. Personally, I prefer having setting established early on so I don’t have to mentally erase my idea of the setting again and again.
There’s also the problem between Chopra and his wife-often called Poppy. They actually really cute couple-being opposites attract with years of loyalty between the two. However, Chopra decides to keep his investigating a secret, naturally worrying his wife. And there’s plenty of time when he could be honest with what he’s doing, though he’d get in trouble for doing something so dangerous, but decides to not worry her. Which of course, just makes her fear the worst in him. She is also facing a turning point in her life making for more domestic drama to follow which is gripping. This miscommunication often led me to hoping that the baby elephant would make Chopra fall into a cow pie because of how he was treating Poppy.
Speaking of the little calf, his name is Ganesh and he is a delight. At first, Chopra takes the calf with him reluctantly due to no pet rule at his apartment and figuring out how to care for him. Leading to a few shenanigans, yet in time the two become close and leads to a sweet relationship and adds to the mystery as well.
Despite its flaws, I did enjoy this book and the note it ends on makes me want to read of more Inspector Chopra and Ganesh’s investigations. So I recommend this if you want a book that straddles the line of lighthearted and good mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Infertility, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Trafficking, Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Transphobia, Abortion, Pregnancy
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Did not finish
Inspector Chopra doesn't really want to retire, and a murder that everyone wants to ignore isn't helping things any. And then there's the elephant. Great premise and lovable characters becomes more and more absurd toward the end. (Was anyone else disappointed that the plot twist involving his wife and her niece fizzled out?) I've heard that later entries in the series are better, and this was certainly a good enough introduction to the characters that I'm interested in reading more.
The way baby Ganesh wins over Inspector Chopra convinces you that he truly belongs. The hero is a decent man trying to survive a corrupt system, keeping his honour and principles intact. Super first in series!!
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Honestly just really have no desire to pick it up. The bit about Chopra being an Anglophile really irked me for some reason that I can’t explain