The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra

By: Vaseem Khan

Narrated by: Sartaj Garewal

Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra inherits two unexpected mysteries.

The first is the case of a drowned boy whose suspicious death no one seems to want solved. And the second is a baby elephant.

As his search for clues takes him across the teeming city of Mumbai, from its grand high-rises to its sprawling slums and deep into its murky underworld, Chopra begins to suspect that there may be a great deal more to both his last case and his new ward than he thought.

And he soon learns that when the going gets tough, a determined elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs....

©2015 Vaseem Khan (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"Garewal is a versatile narrator. He distinguishes between the wide cast of characters with a range of vocals including high pitches for annoying relatives, like Chopra's mother-in-law, and a singsong cadence for bumbling police officers. For this tale of mayhem, mystery, and corruption, Garewal weaves a spell that entrances the listener." (AudioFile)

Tells, Doesn't Show

The performance is great, but the novel insists on telling us everything in long bouts of expisition instead of showing. Throw in long asides that are added instead of meaningful foreshadowing and it's painful.

And for a story involving a baby elephant, said elephant feels randomly tacked on to the story and is just the occasional prop.

A Mumbai Mystery

This new series has shown up on several lists for "best new books" and "must read books" so I gave it a try. It paints a multilayered and engaging picture of India. It is at once funny, quirky, and eccentric. It offers a cross section look at life in the teeming city of Mumbai where crime, corruption, poverty and excess all live shoulder to shoulder. Technically it is a cozy but with serious under tones. I loved the cast of characters right down to Ganesha the baby elephant. I thought it was just the right blend of crime solving, atmosphere and quirkiness. I really enjoyed it. Book two comes out in May.

Delightful!

Any additional comments?

This delightful debut for the "Baby Ganesh Investigation" series is a captivating and quirky listen.
Inspector Chopra is retiring at the insistence of his wife Poppy, following a heart attack. At least, he is trying to retire. But a murder case that seems highly suspicious arrives at the station on his last day. He finds he cannot let it go and decides to conduct an unofficial investigation.
Also, on his last day, he is presented with an additional problem when he receives an unusual inheritance from his uncle: a baby elephant named Ganesh. As he conducts his investigation that leads him into dangerous waters, he ponders what to do with his new gift. As the story delightfully unfolds, Inspector Chopra not only solves the case, he acquires a new partner and a new direction for his life.
The author writes with skill, moving the story along with snappy dialogue and humor.
Sartaj Garewal's accent adds just the right note of authenticity as he skillfully narrates the book.

I'm on to book two!

Pure entertainment & a welcome distraction!

This book was just plain fun. Light, entertaining and held my interest throughout. The main character & his fretful but feisty wife were lovable & the elephant added a delightful twist . The reader was engaging. Will definitely look forward to listening to more by the reader & author.

very entertaining

interesting and funny. good moral to the story. lots of facts about India. great audible.

A pleasant read/listen.

Pretty good character development for an introduction, but only because it doesn't pretend to be realistic. Interesting and likable, but sort of comic-bookish. The narrator did a good job, and the book seems to give some insight into life in India's largest city.

Light hearted detective story

Pleasantly surprised by the new author's book and enjoyed it. Found the narrator over emphasizing Indian accents in many places which was a bit distracting but the story was good fun with touch of comedy in parts

Lovely new detective series

Great story and lovely description of life in India. Can't wait to hear detective chopra's next case!

The Mumbai Detective and his Elephant

I was very taken with the setting and the main character. Not a suspenseful story or great mystery but a main character & his sidekick elephant to root for. Good narrator. I hope the author makes the wife less insipid as the books continue.

Delightful!

What a great listen, now I have a new series to enjoy. Love the baby Ganesh and Chopra is a hoot.