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The case of a man who died laughning
Tarquin Hall – The case of a man who died laughning
India does have a burgeoning sceptic's movement in real life and faithful Hindus have been sending them deah threats. So when outspoken sceptic in this story is killed what appears to be avenging goddess of Kali, the motivation is not invented out of whole cloth.
Enter Hall's detective character Vish Puri with large household and almost as large appetite. He stops to eat in various parts of the story. This particular story does not tell what his caste is but it is probably at least upper level of vaishyas. In the process he has to deal with gurus, sceptics and politicians who fawn on the first.
Various editions seem to compare Puri to Hercule Poirot. However, Poirot only needed his "grey cells" and occasional help from Captain Hastings to solve his cases. Puri effectively has his own private intelligence organization with spies to stake out multiple targets and even ex-Maoist soldier to infiltrate the base of the guru he is investigating.
There is also a side plot of a robbery his wife tries to solve without telling his husband.
Hall is British journalist with Indian wife (which the publicity remembers to emphasize). He does write about India with warts and all but not to the level of making his characters constantly refer to "how corrupt our country is" (compared to Donna Leon's approach to Italy, for one).
India does have a burgeoning sceptic's movement in real life and faithful Hindus have been sending them deah threats. So when outspoken sceptic in this story is killed what appears to be avenging goddess of Kali, the motivation is not invented out of whole cloth.
Enter Hall's detective character Vish Puri with large household and almost as large appetite. He stops to eat in various parts of the story. This particular story does not tell what his caste is but it is probably at least upper level of vaishyas. In the process he has to deal with gurus, sceptics and politicians who fawn on the first.
Various editions seem to compare Puri to Hercule Poirot. However, Poirot only needed his "grey cells" and occasional help from Captain Hastings to solve his cases. Puri effectively has his own private intelligence organization with spies to stake out multiple targets and even ex-Maoist soldier to infiltrate the base of the guru he is investigating.
There is also a side plot of a robbery his wife tries to solve without telling his husband.
Hall is British journalist with Indian wife (which the publicity remembers to emphasize). He does write about India with warts and all but not to the level of making his characters constantly refer to "how corrupt our country is" (compared to Donna Leon's approach to Italy, for one).