1951, India, and Persis Wadia, India’s first female police detective has crossed one line too many and finds herself exiled to the Naga Hills District, miles from Bombay and everything she knows and – in the case of Archie Blackfinch who is languishing in a coma – possibly loves. But soon she finds herself up against the most challenging case of her career to date.

Persis is staying in the Hotel Victoria, a run-down relic of colonial times, as is Mohan Sinha, the local governor. Well, he was until he is found locked inside his room. Well, technically, most of him – his headless corpse is found in the bath, while the door is locked with the chain on. Sinha has many secrets hidden in his past and anyone in the hotel might have a motive… or maybe the insurgents massing in the wilds have something to do with it…

The sixth book in the Malabar House series – not that we’re anywhere near Malabar House in this one – and if you’ve missed what’s gone before, this is a pretty good jumping on place. Well, actually a better jumping on point would be the first book and then read the whole series, because it is rather fabulous. Persis is such a great creation and her relationship with Archie is one of my favourite in the genre – the obstacles feel so genuine given the setting and the characters – and even though he’s absent for this book in person, he’s still there in spirit. And can I be the first person to go on record as telling James to do one? I like the character a lot, but he’s most definitely the Jacob to Persis and Archie’s Bella and Edward? Wow, I guess being dragged to those blasted movies had a use after all!

Sorry, you wanted to hear about the non-romantic aspects of the book (i.e. most of it)? Well, the description is correct – this is a proper locked-room mystery. I’m not sure how well clued it is – although the method is something that could be worked out. It’s hardly revolutionary, but I didn’t spot it. But there’s so much more here than just a hotel full of suspects being interviewed over and over again. There’s a healthy dose of adventure, a unique setting casting some light on some history that I knew nothing about, and plenty of twists and turns along the way. The characters all add something to the narrative and the various strands of the story wind around each other to form a very satisfying whole.

It’s been a while since I was hooked by a book like this one – carrying it around, squeezing in a chapter whenever possible – and that’s probably the highest praise I can give it. Obviously Vaseem is my new best buddy after Stockport Noir, but rest assured, this has nothing to do with me loving this book. It’s a damn good historical novel, a damn good thriller and a damn good mystery. The sixth out of six such books, in fact.

The Edge Of Darkness is out now in hardback and ebook.