Death in the Walled City is a moody and engaging mystery set in the winter of 1983 in New Delhi. Seeing the inner workings of Nitya's newspaper was intriguing, as was her working environment and the culture of the early 1980s. She was a woman in a man's world. The old boys' club, the office politics of the time, strategic relationships and alliances among colleagues, and the rumor mill are all on full and glorious display. She's joined the senior ranks and there are those that would be glad to see her fail.
The investigation into what was behind this unusual riot was captivating, and the location and culture of Old Delhi were fascinating. The contrasts among the characters' lives were eye-opening, with two separate, and not equal, Indias apparent. I rooted for the underdogs, Shiv Kumar and Shankar Sen, and was "all-in" on Nitya's success in her quest for answers from the start.
I really enjoyed the subplots involving the characters' personal lives with their families. Nitya's mother's machinations to find her a husband was fun. But her sister's marital situation was left at a pivotal juncture. Also, I felt for Shankar and his struggle to balance his work life and family life. I hope there are future books planned so I can see what becomes of these people.
There is quite a bit of exposition throughout the novel. This had me worried, initially, that the book was going to be a lot of telling and not enough showing. However, I came to believe this information was to catch readers up with what had happened historically, not only with the city and culture but with the two main characters, Nitya and Shankar Sen, who have a prior history together. (There is a previous book in which they meet.) But the bottom line is I loved the plot, the characters, the exotic (to me) setting, and the trip back to the early 80s.
I recommend DEATH IN THE WALLED CITY for mystery readers who enjoy stories featuring investigative reporters, underdog police officers, strong female protagonists, a historical time frame, and a setting in India.
