I finished reading this a few weeks ago, and am having a lot of trouble remembering the plot. So I can safely say this is not particularly memorable. However the portrait of Delhi and its surroundings is evocative. It is the setting of this book that redeems it. The abject poverty, the entrenched love of red tape which ‘could be traced back centuries before the British’, the ‘crass stupidity’ of the local police force, and the importance of keeping a strong chain of command. As Puri would say ‘You can’t have every Johnny thinking he’s a Nelson, no?’

Where I struggled with this book is in its similarity to several far superior crime series, in particularly Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Puri’s character is a potpourri mix of Precious Ramotswe, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. I do not think he compares well with any of these original characters. In my humble opinion it is way too derivative, and lacks originality. But, that being said, The Case of the Missing Servant is an undemanding read and is not an unpleasant way to spend an afternoon, preferable with a cup of English Breakfast tea!