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2019 will see us starting some new crime series as buddy reads, both for old members and for new ones, who may be entering some of the (many) buddy read series we have started quite a few books in.

As such, one of our Jan/Feb buddy read books is the first in the Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series.

On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra discovers that he has inherited an elephant: an unlikely gift that could not be more inconvenient. For Chopra has one last case to solve...

But as his murder investigation leads him across Mumbai - from its richest mansions to its murky underworld - he quickly discovers that a baby elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs.

So begins the start of a quite unexpected partnership, and an utterly delightful new series.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

This is the start of a new series, we are embarking on. Interested to hear your thoughts.

This seemed to be more like a cosy book. Not unlike the McCall Smith books , but the characters were not so endearing. But the elephant was great!

Yes, quite cosy. I wasn't enthralled, but it was quite sweet. I did like the elephant with a very sensible love of chocolate :)

I’ve started this one but am finding it a little bit slow to get into - I’m also worrying about the elephant!

I'm quite early in, enjoying the cozy feel (I love No. 1 Ladies), but, like Judy, I am worried about the elephant. Not a reasonable responsibility to inflict on someone in an apartment.

I am not keen on cozies, to be honest. However, the setting was interesting.

I was wondering why the author decided to make the inspector retire at the start of the book, as it makes it much harder for him to investigate the case ... but then I remembered this is the first in the 'Baby Ganesh Agency' series!

I read this a while ago as I wanted to read something set now in India - a cosy mystery sounded appealing. It is sort of partly cosy with some humour but then the actual case is quite dark and then of course the fact the couple don’t have children and the unspoken tension that brings to the home life.
I did like the elephant and yes, I was also worried about it as we got further into the book.
Has anyone continued with series?

Just starting now!

Great that you are joining in, Carol! Farrah, that's interesting about the blend of cosy and darker elements. Are you going to carry on with the series?

I'm finding it has a nice atmosphere but is a little slow to get going and a bit repetitive so far, but I'm only about 70 pages in as yet (reading too many books at once.)

Jill wrote: "This seemed to be more like a cosy book. Not unlike the McCall Smith books , but the characters were not so endearing. But the elephant was great!"

Do you like the McCall Smith books, Jill? I saw a TV adaptation of one of them which I remember being underwhelmed by, but I should really try the actual books!

With McCall Smith, I liked the Sunday Philosophy Club, but I only read a few in the series.

Judy wrote: "Jill wrote: "This seemed to be more like a cosy book. Not unlike the McCall Smith books , but the characters were not so endearing. But the elephant was great!"

Do you like the McCall Smith books,..."

I've read 8 of the Detective agency books, mostly over ten years ago. At the time I thought they were great as they were so different , but last year I read number 8 in the series and found it disappointing. There seemed to me to be so much repetition. I have a few more here to read, but doubt if I will buy anymore.

Susan wrote: "With McCall Smith, I liked the Sunday Philosophy Club, but I only read a few in the series."

And I'm just the opposite: read 3-4 Sunday's and stopped. He may have a series for everyone, or at least a subset of everyone. I saw on GR that he will start a Scandinavian detective series this year.

Jill, I agree about the repetition, but its an annual read for me so not a problem.

Thanks all, I had only heard of the Detective Agency books and didn't realise he had done several different series, including one set in Germany, confusingly entitled Portuguese Irregular Verbs! Anyway I will hope to try something by him soon.

I'm getting more into this one now, and listening to some Indian music while I'm reading - I like listening to music that has something to do with a book.

I'm getting more into this one now, and listening to some Indian music while I'm reading - I like listening to music that has something to do with a book.

I’m listening to the audiobook on Scribd - great narrator, and I can’t help but be reminded of the Vish Puri series written by an Englishman, but I really enjoyed them. I’ll be interested to see how I like this one - only in chapter 2 and I’m already worried about the baby elephant, but I like Chopra and the humor with the awful mother-in-law.

Judy wrote: "Thanks all, I had only heard of the Detective Agency books and didn't realise he had done several different series, including one set in Germany, confusingly entitled Portuguese Irregular Verbs! An..."

I’ve read the Portuguese Irregular Verbs books, some of the Scotland Street books, and the first in the Sunday Philosophy Club. I like his quirky humor! Thanks for reminding me of the Sunday books - I’ll have to try those again.