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Title: Ragtime in Simla

Author: Barbara Cleverly

Narrator: Terry Wale

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-12-10

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 85 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Simla 1922, and the summer capital of the British Raj is fizzing with the energy of the Jazz Age. Simla is where detective Joe Sandilands is heading as the guest of Sir George Jardine, the Governor of Bengal.

But when Joes travelling companion, a Russian opera singer, is shot dead at his side in the governors car, he finds himself plunged into a murder investigation. Confronted by the mystery of an identical unsolved killing a year before, Joe realizes that Sir Georges hospitality comes at a high price.

Members Reviews:

Fascinating Story, Great Setting

Faulty bridge infrastructure derails a train travelling from Paris to Marseilles in 1919. The resulting 300-foot plunge into a rock-strewn ravine leaves only two survivors--or possibly there was a third--and maybe even a fourth? Three years later, Scotland Yard's Joe Sandilands arrives in Simla, India, high in the Himalaya and the summer capital of the British Raj, to investigate the apparent assassination of a prominent English trading executive. On the steep final approach to Simla--at the exact spot of the first murder--Joe's traveling companion is identically shot and killed. We are now at the end of Chapter 2. It is obvious early on that we are seeing the fruits of a case of identity theft. But the repercussions of the earlier events are many, varied, and surprising, and play out in an exotic locale and with a cast of characters that adds panache. Terry Wale's narration, in the rather flat intonations of a British military officer, becomes entirely part of the action and is totally believable. Highly recommended for those who like their mysteries with color, character, and complexity.

Atmospheric, well written classic mystery

This enjoyable mystery set in 1920's British India has all the elements of a good classic mystery plus lots of atmosphere. The intricate plot has some clever turns and twists. If you're fresh out of books by Dorothy Sayers, Patricia Wentworth, Agatha Christie, and Ngaio Marsh, Cleverly is a good choice--you don't get the wit and depth of character perception of a Marsh or a Sayers, but you do get a thoroughly entertaining and engaging story. Narrator is good; excellent characterizations, eloquent delivery.

Good historical mystery

The story was interesting and complex enough to hold my attention even through the sometimes clumsy or lengthy descriptions of the surroundings. I was at first put off by the archaic narrator and although I soon became accustomed to it, I can't help help but think the story would have been improved by a different voice.

WOW

Great characters. Amazing plot lines. Wonderful descriptive prose. A wonderful story. I really loved Ms Masie. The ending of the story was spot on!

Not a "cozy" mystery

If I understand the definition of a cozy - a mystery that has no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex - this book does not qualify. True, the book had no graphic violence, and no explicit sex, but it does contain profanity. Not overwhelming, but enough to annoy, and one F-bomb thrown in for good measure. It is a well-written mystery if you can overlook the moderate amount of profanity. Interesting, complex, engaging, yes. Kept me listening because I wanted to hear the solution. The narrator was quite good - I didn't find him annoying at all.