Ragtime in Simla

By: Barbara Cleverly

Narrated by: Terry Wale

Simla 1922, and the summer capital of the British Raj is fizzing with the energy of the Jazz Age. Simla is where detective Joe Sandilands is heading as the guest of Sir George Jardine, the Governor of Bengal.

But when Joe’s travelling companion, a Russian opera singer, is shot dead at his side in the governor’s car, he finds himself plunged into a murder investigation. Confronted by the mystery of an identical unsolved killing a year before, Joe realizes that Sir George’s hospitality comes at a high price.

©2002 Barbara Cleverly (P)2003 Soundings

Atmospheric, well written classic mystery

This enjoyable mystery set in 1920's British India has all the elements of a good classic mystery plus lots of atmosphere. The intricate plot has some clever turns and twists. If you're fresh out of books by Dorothy Sayers, Patricia Wentworth, Agatha Christie, and Ngaio Marsh, Cleverly is a good choice--you don't get the wit and depth of character perception of a Marsh or a Sayers, but you do get a thoroughly entertaining and engaging story. Narrator is good; excellent characterizations, eloquent delivery.

Exotic Locale and Murder

What did you love best about Ragtime in Simla?

twisty plot with unexpected diversions

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ragtime in Simla?

Joe and Alice in the garden

What about Terry Wale’s performance did you like?

nice solid no-frills reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Intrigue and Murder

Not a "cozy" mystery

If I understand the definition of a cozy - a mystery that has no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex - this book does not qualify. True, the book had no graphic violence, and no explicit sex, but it does contain profanity. Not overwhelming, but enough to annoy, and one F-bomb thrown in for good measure. It is a well-written mystery if you can overlook the moderate amount of profanity. Interesting, complex, engaging, yes. Kept me listening because I wanted to hear the solution. The narrator was quite good - I didn't find him annoying at all. However, I don't think I'd listen to another in this series.

Narrator's smokers voice is disturbing.

A more neutral voice is my preference. it is very apparent that the narrator is a smoker and I focused more on that than the story. I kept losing the thread.

WOW

Great characters. Amazing plot lines. Wonderful descriptive prose. A wonderful story. I really loved Ms Masie. The ending of the story was spot on!