First published 2019
Captain Sam Wyndham watches in horror as Prince Adhir, heir to the throne of Sambalpore, falls to an assassin's bullet. The wealthy kingdom boasts tigers roaming its forests, elephants in its courtyards, diamond mines beneath its soil, and the magnificent Palace of the Sun crowning its capital. But beneath this splendor lies deep unrest. Prince Adhir championed modern ideas and pursued romantic entanglements that angered conservative religious factions in his realm. Now his brother stands next in line for power, though he appears more interested in pleasure than governance. Wyndham and his partner Sergeant Banerjee must navigate the treacherous currents of palace intrigue and religious tension. They uncover a kingdom where progress clashes with tradition, where love affairs become political weapons, and where murder serves as the ultimate veto against change. The investigation forces Wyndham to confront not just a killer, but the violent contradictions tearing Sambalpore apart.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, crime, 19th-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, political-corruption
Setting: Sambalpore
Period: 19th-century
487 pages · Library Binding · Center Point Pub