Book Review

Basic Details:

Book Title: A Greater God

Subtitle: (Superintendent Le Fanu Mystery #4)

Author: Brian Stoddart

Genre: Crime

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 4

Best read after earlier books in series? Yes, but can be read as stand-alone

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42234511-a-greater-god

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This book tells the story of Superintendent Chris Le Fanu and is the fourth book in the series. I have not read the other books in the series yet, but now I have a taste of the books, I’m keen to read the others and the next too.

Chris is forced to swing between his chaotic personal life and his professional life in this book and as a result misses some important clues in his close colleagues and friends. These are made up for in the end. I really enjoyed this book.

What I liked about the book:

I particularly liked the writing style. Although initially it seemed to be rather boring, after the first few pages, I was dragged into the story and found it difficult to put the book down. It was a lovely mixture of culture, history and mystery and ideal for me.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the book.

My favourite bits in the book:

I loved where Chris went against convention and did what he felt was right. He refused to discriminate against any one section of the Indian community and for that he has my respect.

I also enjoyed when ‘The Jockey’ was brought down to size.

My least favourite bits in the book:

I didn’t like it when the book ended and am now desperate to read the other books in the series. Both to find out what happened earlier and to discover what will happen next.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This is the fourth book in the series and the story does not appear to be complete yet. I am now left wanting to find out what happens next. Will Ro and Chris rekindle their relationship or will Jenlin turn up after all? What will be his next adventure and will he stay here or take up any of the other job offers he received?

What books could this be compared to and why?

This book is a detective/mystery novel which stands on its own. The setting is lovely and also gives the reader an insight into a colonial past.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

Children No

Young Adult Possibly

Adult Yes

If you like detective stories and mysteries this book might be the book for you.

I certainly look forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Superintendent Chris Le Fanu returns to Madras from Penang where he leaves his new Straits Chinese love interest, Jenlin Koh, and a tempting new post in police intelligence there. He finds Hindu-Muslim tension on the rise in Madras, and his friends and subordinates Mohammad Habibullah and Jackson Caldicott at loggerheads as a result. A series of Muslim murders around the Presidency adds more tension. Le Fanu's arch enemy, Inspector-General Arthur "The Jockey" Jepson is reacting recklessly to the new conditions, then Le Fanu has to travel to Hyderabad where his former housekeeper and lover Roisin McPhedren is seriously ill. Le Fanu swings between his personal and professional challenges as a gang of revolutionaries and Hindu nationalists from North India travel south to aggravate the troubles. Le Fanu and Jepson clash head-on as the latter causes several policemen to be killed, and Le Fanu is losing support because his main civil service protectors are leaving Madras. Just as he seems close to overcoming all these problems, news arrives that Jenlin Koh is on board a ship reported missing near Ceylon. How will Le Fanu cope?Superintendent Chris Le Fanu returns to Madras from Penang where he leaves his new Straits Chinese love interest, Jenlin Koh, and a tempting new post in police intelligence there. He finds Hindu-Muslim tension on the rise in Madras, and his friends and subordinates Mohammad Habibullah and Jackson Caldicott at loggerheads as a result. A series of Muslim murders around the Presidency adds more tension. Le Fanu's arch enemy, Inspector-General Arthur "The Jockey" Jepson is reacting recklessly to the new conditions, then Le Fanu has to travel to Hyderabad where his former housekeeper and lover Roisin McPhedren is seriously ill. Le Fanu swings between his personal and professional challenges as a gang of revolutionaries and Hindu nationalists from North India travel south to aggravate the troubles. Le Fanu and Jepson clash head-on as the latter causes several policemen to be killed, and Le Fanu is losing support because his main civil service protectors are leaving Madras. Just as he seems close to overcoming all these problems, news arrives that Jenlin Koh is on board a ship reported missing near Ceylon. How will Le Fanu cope?Superintendent Chris Le Fanu returns to Madras from Penang where he leaves his new Straits Chinese love interest, Jenlin Koh, and a tempting new post in police intelligence there. He finds Hindu-Muslim tension on the rise in Madras, and his friends and subordinates Mohammad Habibullah and Jackson Caldicott at loggerheads as a result. A series of Muslim murders around the Presidency adds more tension. Le Fanu's arch enemy, Inspector-General Arthur "The Jockey" Jepson is reacting recklessly to the new conditions, then Le Fanu has to travel to Hyderabad where his former housekeeper and lover Roisin McPhedren is seriously ill. Le Fanu swings between his personal and professional challenges as a gang of revolutionaries and Hindu nationalists from North India travel south to aggravate the troubles. Le Fanu and Jepson clash head-on as the latter causes several policemen to be killed, and Le Fanu is losing support because his main civil service protectors are leaving Madras. Just as he seems close to overcoming all these problems, news arrives that Jenlin Koh is on board a ship reported missing near Ceylon. How will Le Fanu cope?Superintendent Chris Le Fanu returns to Madras from Penang where he leaves his new Straits Chinese love interest, Jenlin Koh, and a tempting new post in police intelligence there. He finds Hindu-Muslim tension on the rise in Madras, and his friends and subordinates Mohammad Habibullah and Jackson Caldicott at loggerheads as a result. A series of Muslim murders around the Presidency adds more tension. Le Fanu's arch enemy, Inspector-General Arthur "The Jockey" Jepson is reacting recklessly to the new conditions, then Le Fanu has to travel to Hyderabad where his former housekeeper and lover Roisin McPhedren is seriously ill. Le Fanu swings between his personal and professional challenges as a gang of revolutionaries and Hindu nationalists from North India travel south to aggravate the troubles. Le Fanu and Jepson clash head-on as the latter causes several policemen to be killed, and Le Fanu is losing support because his main civil service protectors are leaving Madras. Just as he seems close to overcoming all these problems, news arrives that Jenlin Koh is on board a ship reported missing near Ceylon. How will Le Fanu cope?