the Case of Love Commandos

In one of the ten best mysteries of the year (Seattle Times), private investigator Vish Puri becomes embroiled in a high-stakes mystery involving one of India&;s most controversial commodities: love.When Ram and Tulsi fall in love, the young woman&;s parents are dead set against the union. She&;s from a high-caste family; he&;s from the lowest strata of Indian society. Young Tulsi&;s father locks her up and promises to hunt down the &;loverboy dog.&; Fortunately, India&;s Love Commandos, a real-life group of volunteers dedicated to helping mixed-caste couples, come to the rescue. But just after they liberate Tulsi, Ram is mysteriously snatched from his hiding place. The task of finding him falls to India&;s &;Most Private Investigator.&; Unfortunately, Vish Puri is not having a good month. He&;s failed to recover a cache of stolen jewels. His wallet has been stolen, and he&;s having to rely on his infuriating Mummy-ji to get it back. And to top it all, his archrival, investigator Hari Kumar, is also trying to locate Ram. To reunite the star-crossed lovers and reclaim his rightful place as India&;s unchallenged &;Most Private Investigator,&; Puri and his team of operatives must infiltrate Ram&;s village and navigate the caste politics shaped by millennia-old prejudices. Critics hailed The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken, the last installment in the Vish Puri mystery series, as Tarquin Hall&;s best yet, saying that each book has &;raised the stakes subtly&; (The Huffington Post). Now, &;once again, India&;s Most Private Investigator solves his case with panache&; (Kirkus Reviews).