Offstage in Nuala (The Inspector de Silva Mysteries)

In this third instalment of The Inspector de Silva Mysteries, we return to the island of Ceylon in the 1930s. The murder scene in this book is the sumptuous Gaiety Theatre, where an Asian tour by a talented group of actors, commences with a production of Hamlet. The whole cast is suspect since no-one else was seen to enter the theatre during rehearsal time and it is soon evident to Inspector da Silva that there are many secrets to uncover. But he is also frustrated by the actions of his superior, Assistant Government Agent, Archie Clutterbuck, who keeps him away from the victim’s wife, Kathleen Darnforth, and from young Emerald Watson, who may have been Mr Darnforth’s mistress.

Shanti de Silva leaves no stone unturned as he explores every nook and cranny of the old theatre and sets his sergeant and constable on thorough investigations. However, their work is interrupted by an amusing interlude involving Mrs Clutterbuck’s pet Shih Tzu dog, Angel, and a large elephant. There are fascinating descriptions of the busy market and of Shanti’s cool fragrant garden where he walks at the end of the day.

“As he turned to go back to the bungalow, something drifted into his hair. He brushed it off and smelt again the sweet, intense fragrance of frangipani. The flower’s pale yellow gleamed against the dark lawn. He remembered his mother saying that if a frangipani flower fell on your head, you would have good luck. He hoped she was right.”

Inspector de Silva will need this good luck as he homes in on the culprit, putting himself in severe danger. In a thrilling conclusion, he discovers a surprising twist which he hadn’t expected.

Once again, the complex social structure of 1930s colonial life is effectively recreated in a story about well-rounded characters in a colourful, exotic location. The guide to the main characters provided at the beginning make it possible to enjoy this novel without needing to have read the first two.

Once more Inspector di Silva finds himself in the midst of a perplexing murder mystery. Hamlet, as acted by Alexander Danforth, has come to little Nuala. The cast includes his wife, Kathleen and several actors, several of whom were friends of his from their service with him in the First World War. Also in the cast is the young ingenue, Emerald Watson, who it seems is romantically involved with Danforth. When several days after the performance attended by the diSilvas, the body of Danforth is found stabbed in the neck with a pair of scissors, the Inspector has many suspects to consider. Yet, on the surface none of them had any motive for killing a man who seems to have been, not only charming and talented, but also generous in helping his friends. To compound the complexity of the situation, Archie Clutterbuck, the British government agent appears to be interfering with the investigation. His primary concern seems to be to keep Kathleen and Emerald from being interviewed about the evening of the murder.
With the insights of his wife, Jane, di Silva twists and turns with the convoluted lines of inquiry that seem to lead nowhere until finally, the culprit is uncovered and arrested. I knew upon the introduction of the guilty character their culpability but the motive and method of carrying out the deed escaped me and kept me interested to the very end. Another satisfying installment of a delightful series set in India. The differences between the Buddhist Sinhalese Inspector and his British Anglican wife are fun to explore. Their similarities and love for each other is comfortable and warm.

Really enjoyed the writing, characters in this series.

I thoroughly enjoy the setting of these Nuala mysteries set in British controlled 1930s Ceylon. The main characters, Inspector Shanti de Silva, his wife Jane and Archie Clutterback, the British agent in charge and his wife Florence are nicely drawn. The weak point is the plot, here a troupe of British actors arrive in town to perform Hamlet. Hamlet is killed. Which of the troupe killed him and why? Shanti doesn't solve the mystery. The perp confesses! These mysteries could also do with a bit more humor. Still I like them for the exotic setting.

I've read books 1 through 4 and found them all to be very enjoyable reads. They are murder mysteries but are still a light read/Summer read in my opinion. They aren't suspenseful or gritty (which I also enjoy), and so I like to read them in between heavier reads.

Very entertaining. A good read and the series is terrific. A must have for avid readers

Great new series! Want more!

I really enjoyed the look into life in colonial ceylon. Well written, a fun read.