'Both a voyage of discovery and one of cultural wonder, these volumes unveil unknown territory to even us experts in the history of crime and mystery fiction. Further proof of what we suspected that the genre has roots in all cultures, diversities and thrives through the ages, enlightening and delighting readers, regardless of geography and origins. A major and indispensable contribution to the universality of detective fiction.' – Maxim Jakubowski

'An eclectic collection of some of the best detective stories from the subcontinent, from classic to contemporary, carefully handpicked and beautifully put together in two remarkable volumes that must, must, must adorn the shelves of any mystery fiction enthusiast.' – Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

'The Hachette Book of Indian Detective Fiction is a long-needed treasure that delights with its diversity of characters and setting. This anthology shares golden-age and contemporary stories written by bestselling writers and strong stories by emerging authors who are destined to become tomorrow's literary stars. A necessary addition for every mystery lovers' shelf.' – Sujata Massey

'These two volumes offer an introduction to the diversity and skill of writers from the Indian subcontinent. Tarun K. Saint has carefully selected classic and contemporary stories written originally in English, or translated from Bangla and Tamil, from masters like Tagore, Ray and Bandyopadhyay, and placed them alongside the very best contemporary authors like Vikram Chandra, Ambai and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. Arranged around five themes – amateur detectives, genre-bending and parody, genre-blurring, police procedurals and historical detective fiction – these stories will delight fans of classic detective fiction everywhere. If you want to learn something about Indian mysteries and the burning issues from colonial times to the present, you need go no further than this outstanding collection.' – Stewart King

'These skilfully edited volumes make an invaluable contribution to the universe of detective stories, presenting a wide range of translated or newly written works from the Indian subcontinent. The history and features of this distinctive but flexible genre are brilliantly introduced in the first volume, in an accessible manner without compromising scholarly rigour. That serves to highlight the nuances with which it has been exploited by Indian authors. Together, the collection registers numerous aspects of the bewildering cultural and linguistic diversity of India – in English. Conventional as well as adventurous takes on the genre's main branches are covered, and in some instances different genres are merged and metanarratives played with. Representative instances from past periods and a tasty range of recent stories are found here. Detec