Murder on the Sacred River by Tasha Alexander

 1908: Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves, along with an eccentric group of English tourists, are vacationing in India at Ahilya Fort, the old home to the Maharaja’s family, when a man is found shot along the Narmada River. Emily and Colin jump into action, but their suspect list is large, including a wonderful spinster and her not-so-wonderful companion; a local doctor; a widow who lives nearby; an English explorer; and an Englishman who now runs a tea plantation near Darjeeling.

1740: Fifteen-year-old Ahilyabai has been married to the son of Malharrao Holkar, the Lord of the Malwa territory, for seven years. Now the time has finally come to produce an heir. But though Ahilya’s in-laws have shown her nothing but kindness, her notoriously-drunken husband remains a mystery to her, having rarely spoken to Ahilya since their wedding as children. Faced with this tortured and distant man, Ahilya’s sense of loyalty is tested as she attempts to balance fulfilling her duty with forging her own destiny. Her decisions will have ripple effects across time—including Lady Emily’s investigation almost two hundred years later.

Lady Emily’s case takes a dramatic turn when a shocking new person arrives at the fort—and when the killer strikes again shortly afterwards, she and Colin must race to uncover the villain’s identity before it’s too late. 

I really enjoyed Murder on the Sacred River by Tasha Alexander. One of my favorite things about this book was how thoroughly the author brought India to life. The descriptions were so detailed that I felt transported to the setting and time period. She doesn’t just describe the scenery; she weaves in the region’s culture, history, traditions, and stories, which made the experience even more interesting. I felt like I was learning about the place while enjoying a good mystery.

The mystery itself kept me interested, with plenty of twists and turns that made me reconsider what I thought I knew. Just when I thought I might have figured things out, another development came along to change my perspective. There was even a surprise revelation that I was a bit taken aback by.

I really really want another Lady Emily story with her sons! Please, Tasha Alexander, make this happen!

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.