When Edward, Prince of Wales, begins a tour of a number of Indian cities in 1921, he encounters passionate crowds demanding independence from Britain, with rioting on the streets of Bombay in November.
The mood of the prince’s subsequent trip to Bangalore and Mysore in January 1922 appears, at first glance, very different and is made to large, welcoming crowds.
But perhaps all is not what it seems to be.
While exploring another (seemingly unrelated) crime scene, Kaveri and Ramu become tangled in a complex web of intrigue, getting pulled into a potentially dangerous plan that could endanger the life of the visiting prince.
They also enter the world of jadoo — Indian street magic — with sleight-of-hand magicians, snake charmers, and rope tricks.
Kaveri and Ramu continue their sleuthing, with help from the Bangalore Detectives Club, amidst the growing rumblings of Indian independence and the backdrop of female emancipation.
A Nest of Vipers by Harini Nagendra is published on 2 May, 2024.
Harini’s written about the street magicians who were such an inspiration to her in Magic versus jadoo in 1920s British Colonial India.
If you enjoy historical fiction you’ll find much more in our round-up of over 160 books coming out this year.
