The Palace Tiger (Joe Sandilands Murder Mysteries)
by Barbara Cleverly
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barbara CleverlyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-07-25
ISBN: 0385340095
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Delta
Book Reviews of The Palace Tiger (Joe Sandilands Murder Mysteries)
Book Review: "This Whole Place is an Anthill! It's all Murmurings and Gossip and Plotting..."
Summary: 5 Stars
A man-eating tiger (not as melodramatic in context as it sounds in this review) is terrorizing villagers in the state of Ranipur, India. The Maharaja Udai Singh has sent for his old friend, the big-game hunter Edgar Troop to organise a hunt, who jumps at the chance to by of assistance - taking Joe Sandilands (our detective/protagonist) along with him for the ride.
But once Joe arrives in the province, he realizes that there are more than vicious tigers endangering the people; as another character tells him: "there are man-eaters about in Ranipur, certainly one with stripes and four legs, but quite possibly another prowling the corridors on two legs." It is not long before Joe is investigating the seemingly-accidental deaths of the Maharaja's first two sons, killed by a panther and in an airplane accident respectively. With the Maharaja swiftly succumbing to cancer, it seems that the line of inheritance now falls to his bright and confident (and illegitimate son) Bahadur.
Joe finds himself trapped in court intrigue, in which the Maharajah's three wives vye for power, white officials manipulate Britain's agenda behind-the-scenes and two people find themselves in very grave danger: the twelve-year old heir to the throne, and the last prince's widowed wife - a young American woman who is now stranded in a hostile environment.
Joe discreetly begins his investigations, meeting and interviewing a wide range of interesting and colourful characters (so interesting in fact, that I wish the book had a bit more padding in order for us to get to know them better) and uncovering a viper's nest of intrigue and ambition. As usual, the setting and atmosphere is spot-on - I could almost feel the heat of India wafting off the pages of the book, along with all the sounds and smells and sights that Cleverly describes so vividly. For the time it took me to read this book (which wasn't very long, considering I raced through the pages), I was in India. Out of all her novels, this one is quite reminiscent of M.M. Kaye's The Far Pavilions, particularly in the portrayal of life in the Indian court.
Likewise, I appreciated the grey-areas of characterization and motivation in the wide cast of characters: everyone has their own secrets and agendas, which can make several bump heads with each other, whilst still being perfectly amiable toward Joe. Behind every smile and polite word seems to be a cunning mind, all bent on their own ambition and desires. Consequently, for the first time Joe is entirely on his own, separated from a trustworthy companion or "sidekick" that he can turn to for advice. His isolation is palpable, and the sense that he's wading in dangerous waters is clear throughout.
Perhaps "The Palace Tiger" not the most successful of her stories in terms of resolution: Joe goes through several "solutions" as to who the culprit is, some of the earlier ones being more likely than the final resolution. However, Cleverly once again delivers exactly what I've come to expect: vivid atmosphere, twists and turns, fascinating characters, an intelligent and sympathetic protagonist, and an altogether rewarding read.
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