The Last Kashmiri Rose: Murder and Mystery in the Final Days of the Raj by Barbara Cleverly (Joe Sandilands)

Two things make this particular series particularly enjoyable: 


First, Joe Sandilands, though graced with a dry wit and healthy dose of cynicism, is for the most part a congenial, social and friendly protagonist. A nice twist if you read a lot of series like I do in which the main characters are generally deliciously dark, brooding and haunted. 


Secondly, the lush setting of the British Raj--and the rumblings of its downfall, make a nice combination of classic Victorian mystery meets exotic locale. A well-researched, well-written series that I lPublish Postook forward to continuing.

The Palace Tiger by Barbara Cleverly (Joe Sandilands)

One of the best Sandilands installments to date, featuring Cleverly's usual ability to paint a lush portrait of the British Raj and the accompanying political machinations interspersed with wonderfully vibrant characters.

My only complaint about this series so far would be that Joe Sandilands, our protagonist hero, remains largely static and there is very little in the way of personal development. Although we know who he is, a handsome, intelligent and affable man, we don't really know much about him and nothing seems to change in his personal world. I'm sure, however, that this will not be the case in subsequent books.