A Disappearance in Fiji

By: Nilima Rao

Narrated by: Sid Sagar

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

A charming and atmospheric debut mystery featuring a young Indian police sergeant investigating a missing persons case in colonial Fiji

1914, Fiji: 25-year-old Akal Singh would rather be anywhere but this tropical paradise—or, as he calls it, “this godforsaken island.” After a promising start to his police career in his native India and Hong Kong, Akal has been sent to Fiji as punishment for a humiliating professional mistake. Lonely and grumpy, Akal plods through his work and dreams of getting back to Hong Kong.

When an indentured Indian woman goes missing from a sugarcane plantation and Fiji’s newspapers scream “kidnapping,” the inspector-general reluctantly assigns Akal the case, giving him strict instructions to view this investigation as nothing more than cursory. Akal, eager to achieve redemption, agrees—but soon finds himself far more invested than he ever expected.

Now not only is he investigating a disappearance, but also confronting the brutal realities of the indentured workers’ existence and the racism of the British colonizers in Fiji—along with his own thorny notions of personhood and caste. And early interrogations of the white plantation owners, Indian indentured laborers, and native Fijians yield only one conclusion: there is far more to this case than meets the eye.

Nilima Rao’s debut is full of sparkling wit, vibrant characters, intriguing mystery-solving, and fascinating historical detail, both unflinching in its treatment of the atrocities of colonialism and hopeful for a better future.

Story Locale: 1914 Fiji

©2023 Nilima Rao (P)2023 Recorded Books

Great start to what I hope will be a series

I could not stop listening, finished it in two days. Wonderful narrator. Three more words are required - I wish they would go back to the old way when you could just leave stars.

Delightful

I enjoyed the characters in this story and appreciated the historical setting of the indentured Indians on the plantations in Fiji.

Good historical story

I really enjoyed this book. The plot is good and the historical details are interesting. I have not read too many stories about the Indians in Fiji and this was an entertaining way to learn some history. I liked the authors note and the narrator was very good.

Fun and well researched

The author tells a compelling and historically rich story, and the narrator is great. Hope there are some well-developed female characters who are neither villains nor victims in the next installment!

An Unexpected adventure in culture and the past.

Delightful mystery with a wealth of rich characters, an exotic location and insight into a bygone Era. Our protagonist is a British Poloce office from India and serving in Fiji in 1939. He faces personal and professional demons as he investigates the case of a missing woman. This is a well told story.

Intriguing Story and great narration

I enjoyed the story and the narration. I’m not as smart as others who guessed what happened early on. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and was saddened by the plight of the indentured servants.

Well written well done

Historical fiction that isn't a mushy romance? Sign me up. A lyrical crime procedural that is more, way more, than a whodunit -- this has compelling characters with a smart backdrop of culture, race, politics, and class. Fiction that takes you to another time and place, with messages that resonate today. Good reader, too.

I don't want to write reviews

Only a poor manager makes reviewing mandatory. The kind of short minded person that changes what is working for a lesser option

Historical novel by a Fijian Indian Australian!

Very interesting historical murder mystery that takes place in 1914 Fiji, then a British colony, Indians were indentured laborers on the sugar plantations. Life for them was miserable. But Sargent Singh, an Indian Sikh police officer from Hong Kong, is devoted to the truth and helps achieve justice for those normally deprived of it. The book is just a bit slow moving, but the historical information interwoven throughout is enlightening and keeps it interesting. I wished there had been more development of the 2 policemen (SIngh and his friend) . But perhaps there will be more novels featuring them in the future.

Highly recommend

Having spent some time in Fiji, I was curious to listen to the the Fijian Indian experience. The story did not disappoint. The performance was engaging, the characters intriguing and well developed. Engrossing and memorable storytelling.I look forward to reading more from from this emerging author. Highly recommend!