The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra: A Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation

A faulty heart has forced the early retirement of Mumbai’s Insp. Ashwin Chopra, the hero of Khan’s winning debut, but the discovery of a young man drowned in a puddle of water upsets the policeman’s last day on the job. Neither Chopra’s superior nor successor has any interest in investigating, though an autopsy later reveals that the victim had alcohol and barbiturates in his blood. Retired or not, Chopra decides he has to get to the bottom of the man’s suspicious death. Meanwhile, Chopra has inherited a baby elephant, soon named Ganesh, from his favorite uncle. Initially listless, Ganesh perks up once he begins to accompany Chopra around the city in what becomes a murder inquiry. Khan’s affection for Mumbai and its residents adds to the novel’s charm, though one hopes he’ll be more careful with the details in the sequel (e.g., women would never wear lotus blossoms in their hair; they’re too heavy). (Sept.)