Murder at the Grand Raj Palace - Baby Ganesh Agency - By Vaseem Khan

If a reader is a fan of fast pace novels and if he still loves a medium or slow placed story then mark my word such tales are worth reading. Same is my experience with Vaseem Khan. He is my favorite detective genre author. His stories and concept are unique. "The Baby Ganesh Detective Agency" concept is just awesome. This is my 3rd read in series after "The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra" and "The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown", though I have missed "The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star", I was able to cope up this part very easily. I bet you guys can easily start with any part without feeling lost.

Book Blurb

In the enchanting new Baby Ganesh Agency novel, Inspector Chopra and his elephant sidekick go undercover to investigate a murder at Mumbai's grandest hotel.

For a century the iconic Grand Raj Palace Hotel has welcomed the world's elite. From film stars to foreign dignitaries, anyone who is anyone stays at the Grand Raj.

The last thing the venerable old hotel needs is a murder...

When American billionaire Hollis Burbank is found dead - the day after buying India's most expensive painting - the authorities are keen to label it a suicide. But the man in charge of the investigation is not so sure. Chopra is called in - and discovers a hotel full of people with a reason to want Burbank dead.

Accompanied by his sidekick, baby elephant Ganesha, Chopra navigates his way through the palatial building, a journey that leads him steadily to a killer, and into the heart of darkness

Coming to the story part, "Murder at the Grand Raj Palace" revolves around a high profile murder at a high profile event at a high profile location. Fun apart, an American Billionaire was found dead after he bought a multi-million dollar painting at India's grand Art Exhibition in India's most notable hotel. Just like his earlier cases, inspector (I would say Detective) Chopra entered in the case by his ex-colleague from the force. But seniors in the force didn't want to mess things up and were trying to close the case on the name of suicide. The moment Chopra visited the crime scene he was sure that things were not to be taken at face value. With his potent case solving style and fieldwork, he started revealing dark chapters of the victim. As usual, apart from this case, one thing or another kept happening in Chopra's life. In this part, he was just a few days from his marriage anniversary when he took the case. Poppy (his wife) was expecting a grand celebration, landed in the hotel with Irfan and Ganesh. Her entry had also encouraged another incident and Poppy took charge to solve the case (not murder one). Read the book to know more,.

While reading the book whole setup and scenes came into my mind as if watching a movie or series. I wish rights for the same would be sold or series starts soon. So the next time I read I can visualize Chopra and Poppy.

Coming to my personal observations

• Awesome narration style
• Easy language
• Funfilled incidents and nail-biting suspense
• Single-themed multiple cases

Talking about ratings

1. Cover - 5/5/
2. Characters - 4.5/5
3. Concept - 4.5//5
4. Overall - 4.5/5

The book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart

Reviews from other readers can be found at GoodReads

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra - Baby Ganesh Agency

Four months back while window-shopping I found an interesting cover of "The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star". It is the latest book by Vaseem Khan in series of A Baby Ganesh Agency. I instantly liked the book and checked more about the author and his work. My efforts led two more books in the same series released earlier. We also got the chance to interview Vaseem on our blog. I got my hands on the first part of the series "The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra" around a month back. I should be punished for not taking the book with priority, but I am glad that I have broken the queue and taken book earlier than my planner prompted me.

Book Blurb

In this Indian-set mystery, Inspector Chopra inherits an elephant and an unsolved murder on his last day at work. 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 inherits two unexpected mysteries. The first is the case of a drowned boy, whose suspicious death no one seems to want solved. And the second is a baby elephant. As his search for clues takes him across the teeming city of Mumbai, from its grand high rises to its sprawling slums and deep into its murky underworld, Chopra begins to suspect that there may be a great deal more to both his last case and his new ward than he thought. And he soon learns that when the going gets tough, a determined elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs.

"The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra" is the first book in series and has its importance to take readers into the world of "Baby Ganesh Investigation Agency" sequels. The story started with the retirement of Inspector Ashwin Chopra. Ashwin Chopra had to take earlier retirement under medical conditions. But taking an early retirement for a person like Chopra was not easy to accept. On top of that, on his retirement, he inherited a baby elephant from his uncle. He was asked to take good care of the elephant. Chopra was promised that elephant was not a normal animal. If that was not enough, on last day of the job, he found out a case of a drowned boy. Police found boy's dead body from a sewer, and boy was drunk. Boy belonged to a poor family, and boy's mother wanted justice for her son's death. Chopra assured justice to the lady but it was his last day at the job and he was not able to do anything for the boy.

Police wanted to close the case as accidental death due to alcohol consumption. Being an expert in the field of crime cases, Chopra smelled something fishy in the behavior of his superior and inspector appointed in his place. He started investigating the case independently; and started finding shocking revelation one after another. The story became interesting as little elephant came handy to Chopra at multiple instances. 

The story is gripping yet light. You don't have to give extra effort to understand what is happening. Flow is flawless. I finished the book in 3 sittings. The book is written with an audience in mind. Every detailing, character and scene were portrayed with a proper thought process. It shows efforts applied behind the work. Author has nicely placed comic, thrill and drama in story keeping overall tempo. The book can be easily adopted as movie or series. Talking about rating:

1. Cover - 4.5 / 5 (Conveys book in one picture)
2. Characters - 4 / 5 
3. Storyline - 4.5 / 5
4. Concept - 4 / 5 
5. Overall - 4.25 / 5

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads