MURDER in MADRAS (The Ralph Chalmers Mysteries Book 18)

In this 18th book in the series, Ralph and Katie arrive at the port of Madras in India. There they meet up with some of the local officials, who, at one time, had been Ralph’s students at Kingston University. From them, Ralph and Katie learn about the wave of gold and diamond smuggling that is sweeping the Indian subcontinent. The dynamic duo explore the ancient city and take a train journey to a Tea Plantation set in the cool of the Shevaroy Hills where they unearth a family secret whose resolution leads to betrayal and ruin. Meanwhile, Colonel Stigart of MI6 enlists Ralph’s help in an investigation into sources of funding for the terrorist groups Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab which he believes is coming from Saudi Arabia via India. Our protagonists find themselves involved in some daring does in their attempts to unravel the Mastermind behind the smuggling ring as the action moves rapidly from Madras to Mumbai then Colombo in Sri Lanka, and on to London and Petworth, in the peaceful English countryside. The reader will find many twists and turns as new characters arrive on the scene, some of whom, perhaps not surprisingly, fail to make the final count. As always, Thurbin’s well researched book places fictitious action against a backdrop of historical and contemporary events in this fast paced adventure-filled novel.