Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao

10 reviews

kimikat273's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad medium-paced

4.75

After a promising start to his police career in Hong Kong, Sergeant Akal Singh has been sent to Fiji as punishment for a professional mistake. There, he is given all the menial and unimportant jobs by a superior who clearly resents his presence. But when an indentured Indian woman goes missing from a sugarcane plantation, Akal is sent to investigate, with orders to find out what has happened and wrap it up quickly. As Akal slowly uncovers the truth, it soon becomes apparent that doing the right thing may mean him sacrificing his career.
I really enjoyed this book, and finished it with the knowledge that I had actually learned something I hadn't known about before. Books that open our eyes to something new are really special, aren't they? I liked the two main characters, Akal and the doctor, Robert Holmes. They seemed to bounce nicely off each other, despite their different backgrounds, and many of my favourite pieces of this book involved their quiet moments together. Completing the group is Taviti, a Fijian police officer who delights in teasing Akal. I understand that these three characters will feature in the next book from the author and I'm really looking forward to reading their further adventures!
All in all, this is a great book! My only complaint is that it felt too short - I could have read more and not been bored. Hence my reason for not giving a full five stars. I hope the next book is longer!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rurouni's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark hopeful informative mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rainbowbookworm's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

thech4nclan's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bookfortbuilder's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

coronationcorgi's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bookscatcoffee's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous informative mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this historical procedural murder mystery!  I learned a lot about Fiji and indentured servitude and Indian migration during the racist, white supremacist, British colonization.  I appreciate that the author brought a personal perspective to her research and had a connection through her family to the story.  A bit slow at the start, and I kinda wish the MC’s past came up a bit earlier.  Worth reading!  4 stars

Historical procedural mystery with diverse characters 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

meganpbennett's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

My first 5-star review of the year! A while back, I picked this off a cart full of advanced reader copies, and never found the time to read it. I'm so glad I did. It was a fascinating look at a part of history and culture that I am not even passingly familiar with - colonial Fiji. Like many mysteries with a strong sense of the place, the characters are the reason to read the book. I hope for more adventures with Sergeant Singh. 

Thank you to SOHO Crime for the book. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

crystalisreading's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional informative mysterious
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

daniellekat's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

This was a rather simple debut mystery novel. There were some interesting historical aspects but the mystery was predictable and the writing was annoyingly repetitive (Did Akal need to introduce himself the exact same way to every new character? And did that sentence need to be written out every time??). This falls into the category of "vacation read" for me, it was easy to read and engaging enough but I never had any real investment in the story or characters. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings