Mumbai, murder and a baby elephant combine in a charming, joyful mystery for fans of Alexander McCall Smith and Rachel Joyce.
On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra discovers that he has inherited an elephant: an unlikely gift that could not be more inconvenient. For Chopra has one last case to solve…
But as his murder investigation leads him across Mumbai – from its richest mansions … Mumbai – from its richest mansions to its murky underworld – he quickly discovers that a baby elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs.
So begins the start of a quite unexpected partnership, and an utterly delightful new series.
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Set in Mumbai, this series follows Inspector Chopra, newly retired and unsure what to do with himself. His unexpected inheritance is a baby elephant, sent by his eccentric uncle, who charges Chopra to look after it. Ganesha is a sad case when he first arrives, but as the book progresses, he grows stronger and bonds with Chopra and his wife (thank heavens for Cadbury milk chocolate). Chopra finds himself deep into a case he thought long closed, hunting a seriously dangerous criminal who has used the intervening years to expand his operation. Chopra uses good police work as well as following his gut–with an assist from baby Ganesha–to solve the case. A refreshing and fun detective story, with a realistic view of modern Mumbai.
I L O V E D this book!! OH. MY. GOSH.
What a great trip to Mumbai India this was! I loved learning about Inspector Chopra, his beautiful baby elephant Ganesh and his hilarious wife Poppy!! I cannot even go into details about this book because even one little glimpse will ruin it all for you. Just know that this is a most excellent book, and even BETTER audiobook [I loved every second of this] and you should be reading/listening to this right now. Go on! RUN to your store and buy it now. Go. 😉
Cannot wait for the next one!!
What a wonderfully rich mystery. Set in modern day Mumbai and starting on the day Inspector Chopra retires, Khan takes readers along the streets of the city as Chopra (sen though he’s repeatedly told to leave it be) tries to solve the death of a young boy that he finds strange, but everyone else writes off as a bad accident that the kid deserved.
And joining him on his investigation is a baby elephant he’s inherited from his uncle…an elephant he has no idea what to do with. Adding to the layers of the story is Chopra’s wife who’s coming up with a silly scheme of her own, and a mother-in-law who can’t stand him.
The story overall was excellent, but it did get a little tedious being told over and over by the author how honest and moral Chopra is. Still, a terrific start to a new series that I’ll definitely be continuing.
I love this series so much!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/OyFQpXw0dX4
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-the-unexpected-inheritance-of-inspector-chopra-by-vaseem-khan-a-baby-ganesh-agency-investigation-book-1/
Fun quick read!
An inspector (retired) and an elephant as his sidekick! This cozy mystery series is as charming and delightful as I hoped. Baby Ganesha is a gem.
Inspector Chopra of the Mumbai police is on the point of retiring but he has a last case to solve. He’s also found out that he’s inherited a baby elephant! The tale of murder and mystery that ensues makes for a charming read with a lot of humour. The mad pace of modern life in the teeming city of Mumbai is vividly portrayed. It isn’t always to Chopra’s liking. His reflections about the change in society he’s seen over his lifetime provide a serious underpinning to the comedy that adds a welcome extra dimension to the story.
The characters are memorable, the situations uproarious, and the descriptions of India are marvelous.