Bad Day at the Vulture Club

Baby Ganesh Agency Book 5

By: Vaseem Khan

Narrated by: Madhav Sharma

In the gripping new Baby Ganesh Agency novel, Inspector Chopra and his elephant sidekick investigate the death of one of Mumbai's wealthiest citizens, a murder with ramifications for its poorest.

The Parsees are among the oldest, most secretive and most influential communities in the city: respected, envied and sometimes feared.

When prominent industrialist Cyrus Zorabian is murdered on holy ground, his body dumped inside a Tower of Silence - where the Parsee dead are consumed by vultures - the police dismiss it as a random killing. But his daughter is unconvinced.

Chopra, uneasy at entering this world of power and privilege, is soon plagued by doubts about the case.

But murder is murder. And in Mumbai, wealth and corruption go in hand in hand, inextricably linking the lives of both high and low...

(P) 2019 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Critic reviews

5 stars. Best of the series so far. (Abir Mukherjee)

Another brilliant chapter in this highly engaging series

Praise for the Baby Ganesh series

A most beguiling series

I can't imagine anybody not enjoying this book... the same winning blend of thrills, charm and local colour as Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Delightful

There have been many insipid imitators of the Alexander McCall Smith formula, grafting a cosy mystery into a depiction of a foreign culture dripping with local colour, but Khan has the quirkiness and hint of grit to make his portrayal of modern Mumbai memorable

Keeps things heart-warming while tackling corruption at the highest levels and violent crime at the lowest. Endearing and gripping, it sets up Inspector Chopra - and the elephant - for a long series.

A sparkling debut with a zippy plot and an endearing set of characters

Enchanting

Chopra, diligent, incorruptible and not entirely at ease with shiny new India, is a delight, as is his redoubtable wife, Poppy - and Ganesha the elephant, once he has cheered up a bit, proves a very useful ally indeed. Utterly charming

A cast of intriguing characters that it will be a joy to see develop. But the greatest strength is the setting in the teeming city of Mumbai, from which the colour and atmosphere flows out of every page in this enjoyable, whimsical tale

A quirky murder mystery... full of colourful characters and insightful details about human motivation

The series continues to provide plenty of action and notwithstanding the humour that pervades every page the reader gets an education about the very real issues facing those living in one of India's largest cities.

This riveting, quirky murder mystery is a wonderful addition to a series that goes from strength to strength

Love the audio

I have always loved this authors books. I cherish all of his characters especially Poppy and Ganesh. This is the first time I’ve listened to a book by this author and I absolutely must applaud whoever chose the reader. He is the perfect vehicle for this story. Bravo!

Best Ever

The narrator is absolutely the BOMB! He does an amazing job distinguishing between the different characters. He reads dramatically, when Ganesh touches something with his trunk you can feel it.

The author excelled in this story with amazing characters, catheter man, Mr. Poop, corpse bearers, and the vultures. One of my favorite scenes was when Chopra wakes up his partner who had fallen asleep on his desk. You just have to read/listen to it . . ,chicken bones flying.

I wish they would make this a tv series.

Great mystery! Great characters!

Loved it!

Best one yet in the series! I have seen the Towers of Silence in Mumbai and remember seeing the vultures circling above it. This story added so much more depth of understanding to that experience and was so intriguing!

entertaining & informative

I have enjoyed the Baby Ganesh series. The mysteries are interesting. But learning about contemporary India keeps me coming back. NHK broadcast a documentary in September 2023 about a photographer protecting Himalayan vultures that migrate to Thailand. And this book presents the similar plight of Indian vultures. Religion, corruption, public health, Mr Khan writes "cozy" mysteries with a real world perspective.

the 5th is the best of this series

Loved it. It is a page-turner and features a vivid description of contemporary India.