A Very Pukka Murder: A Maharaja Mystery

You have no idea how much I wanted to like this book. A fascinating premise and an interesting mystery with a host of colorful suspects? Sign me up. But the pacing was off, that characters were either cardboard cut outs, unlikeable, or both and the mystery itself fell flat. I nearly gave up multiple times (especially since the narrative never took issue with the homophobia and sexism— you can write your main character being a period-appropriate bigot without the narrative taking it at face value).

It gets two stars because the conclusion of the story was satisfactory, but I can't bring myself to give it any more than that.