Tuesday, December 1, 2020

The Women of MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY; a guest post by Nev March

 Julia Spencer-Fleming: As you might guess, I have a soft spot for the winners of the Minotaur Best First Mystery contests. Steve Hamilton, Donna Andrews, Michael Koryta and I all started our careers by winning one of the awards, and now it's Nev March's turn, with Murder in Old Bombay.

Reviews for her debut historical, set in 1890s India, use words like "sumptous," "thrilling," "authentic" and "lyrical." Robin Agnew, of the beloved Aunt Agatha's Books, named Murder in Old Bombay one of the Top Ten Mysteries of 2020. (You'll have a chance to judge for yourself - we're giving away a copy to one lucky commenter!)

 Murder in Old Bombay is an own-voices dive into gender, caste and colonialism, all wrapped in a clever mystery tackled by Anglo-Indian army captain Jim Agnihotri, who loves Sherlock Holmes stories. He's a man accustomed to a man's world, but, as Nev march tells us, he has to immerse himself in the lives of 19th century Indian women to solve his case.



My novel Murder in Old Bombay is a hunt for justice that uncovers both, a secret plot and the not-so-secret ways that women in India were--and sometimes still are--devalued. However, I did not begin with a plan to write about it.

In India, crime against women takes uniquely peculiar forms: dowry deaths of brides burned in so-called kitchen accidents because their father could not pay a larger dowry to greedy in-laws, the honor killing of daughters who had the temerity to run off with a lower caste lover, and more. In recent years the rape and murder of women in India has risen to outrageous levels. Decades ago, while still in college I heard about awful incidents that were never reported; police were ill-prepared to deal with rape victims, and the prevalent notion was that the victim was somehow responsible—she ‘asked for it’ by leading on the perpetrator, dressed provocatively, or put herself at risk by being at an unsafe place. Perhaps the recent rise in numbers is apparent because women now come forward to report crimes that were previously hushed up.

Traditional cultures tend to overvalue males for their ability to earn and support families, so it’s no surprise that attitudes of entitlement over women are more prevalent in India, the largest county of Southeast Asia. The reality is appalling: a World Health Organization study found that whopping 37.7% of women in Southeast Asia were victims of intimate partner violence, the highest percent of any country. If one includes assaults by strangers, 40.2% of Southeast Asian women were victims of violence, second only to Africa. However, when you live in such an environment even this seems ordinary, so I did not plan to write about it, but only wondered whether I could solve a hundred year old mystery, the death of two wealthy young women in Bombay.

In Murder in Old Bombay, young detective Captain Jim searches for the murderers of two young women killed in broad daylight in the middle of a University. Although three men were tried for the crime, they were acquitted for lack of an eyewitness. As Captain Jim hunts through the maze of evidence, he uncovers darker secrets and a plot in plain sight, unremarkable because it’s a culture where women have less worth, less authority over themselves, less substance. 

Girl making roti on a wood fire (Pinterest)

To bring this into focus, I introduced Chutki, a child prostitute. While travelling across the North Indian plains, Captain Jim comes across a tragic waif who’s been bartered from hand to hand yet still maintains an odd sort of self-composure, and he wins her loyalty. The girl Chutki is based on a young woman I saw begging on the road near Bandra Station, Mumbai. Having been trained to avoid eye-contact, I walked past, ignoring her, but as I waited for the bus I could not help watching her. Looking barely fifteen years old, she sat cross-legged before a pillar wearing an old cotton sari whose pullu covered the infant in her lap. Her gaze rose, dull, unseeing, and caught mine--what despair it revealed! Agonizing over the little cash I carried, I felt a kinship with that bedraggled girl. Then her chin rose, and with it, a sense of composure, of dignity. She would not give up on herself yet. The bus arrived while I debated leaving my place in line to hand her some money, and I was jostled up the stairs to cram into a seat. That child-mother passed from my sight but has stayed in my memory to become Chutki, a minor character who became the fulcrum of my novel as she demonstrates the true meaning of courage in a world that does not value her.

 ‘Unidentified Parsi lady’ by Raja Ravi 

Verma-- private collection of Vanita Bhandari

Hired by the Framji family, Captain Jim meets Adi, the widower, and Diana. Adi’s sister Diana epitomizes the educated young woman in the late 1800s, comfortable in her own social position and privilege. To an educated girl, how the restrictions on women must have chafed! Diana wants to use her abilities to help the investigation, but soon runs afoul of her family’s ‘rules’. These rules govern her movements--where she can go and who she can meet--protecting her modesty, marriageability and her safety. But Diana is no weak Victorian miss—her zeal, her inventiveness, and her education in England was inspired by real-life lady lawyer Cornelia Sorabji, who wrote five books including Memories, published in 1934. Diana’s use of her social connections and understanding of state politics are also inspired by Ms. Sorabji’s adventures. Like many young women I grew up with, Diana’s bold actions often land her in hot soup. Must she be rescued like some pale damsel? No, during her time in England, Diana has encountered trouble already, and it has hardened her, with surprising results.

Being a military man, Captain Jim thinks in terms of hierarchy. While Adi ‘reports’ to his father Burjor, what Captain Jim does not realize is that landowner and patriarch Burjor reports to his unassuming wife Mrs. Framji. In many ways the character of Mrs. Framji is based on my mother Silloo.

Decking the Bride: 1893 Painting of Parsi 

ladies by Raja Ravi Verma

When I left India in 1991, my mother wept. Yet she’d been determined that I should go. “Build a new life in the USA, further your education and reach your full potential,” she said.

We were more than mother-daughter. She once said, “When I was little, I had no sisters to talk with. So I asked God for a daughter and he gave me two!” That bond strengthened as I grew up, so that when I migrated, she felt the silence deeply. Yet in those days of preparation she did not mention the loss to herself, only kept up a cheerful face as I went to and fro. Like mum, my character Mrs. Framji runs a large household, managing tradesmen, servants, and her children’s education. But it is her giving nature, in the end, that allowed me to find a neat resolution to the quandary I’d set up in my plot.

Mysteries are about the hunt for justice. We read them to for the ‘aha’ moment, the reveal, the uncovering of villains, the moment his mask drops. But in real life, like in Dame Agatha Christy’s mysteries, the villains are right among us, wearing elegant suits or charming smiles. And they often succeed because of our way of thinking--we look away, blame the victim, or chalk it down to the unfairness of life. Mysteries reveal the how and why about those who harm others, and sometimes, our own biases. In doing so, they might just draw back the curtain on our way of thinking and bare the truths we do not want to see.

JULIA: Why is it some of the most fascinating fictional characters are those with the most straitened lives? Reading about how women navigated the roles allowed to them is one of my favorite things about historical fiction. How about you, dear reader? Who are the historical heroines you love? What questions to you have for Nev March? One lucky commenter will get a free copy of Murder in Old Bombay!

You can find out more about Nev and her writing at her website. You can talk books with her at Goodreads, friend her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter as @nevmarch


 

48 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Nev . . . your book sounds fascinating and I’m looking forward to reading it. Captain Jim sounds like quite a character . . . what prompts him to investigate the deaths of the two women?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Joan, glad you asked. Captain Jim reads a letter in the papers by the widower of one of the victims. The line that haunts him is "They are gone but I remain." That echoes for him because his own comrades were killed. It's the empathy he feels for Adi, that widower, that starts him on this journey. The friendship between the two was the first chapter I wrote, and it propelled me on, as it propels Captain Jim on to find the truth for his friend.

      Delete
  2. Congrats Nev! what an exciting time for you! I love books set in India and this is a must-read. The cover is stunning and I suspect will sell lots of books. I would love to hear something about your publishing journey, and also, what's next?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lucy! Gosh my publishing journey seemed arduous, but I was in fact very lucky! I pitched 90 agents over 6 months, customizing each query letter, and got a host of declines. When 80+ agents tell you something, you start to believe it. However, I decided to continue pitching all 120 agents from the writers digest Directory of Literary Agents, and then consider smaller publishers.

      Luckily, in Jan 2019, Jill Grosjean took a chance on me, and agreed to represent Murder in Old Bombay. A few months later, we learned that I had won the Mystery Writers of America award for Best First Crime novel, which included a publishing contract!
      What's next? I've just written the first draft of the sequel! Now on to revise and edit it.
      Nev

      Delete
  3. This new novel sounds wonderful. I also love reading about India especially set in the past. Looking forward to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! It was a joy to write, and I hope you enjoy every bit of it!

      Delete
  4. Congratulations, Nev. I love books set in India. Like Lucy, I would like to hear something of your publishing journey. Is your book available in India, and how has it been received?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Murder in Old Bombay is available as kindle and audiobook, but not yet in hard copy. We are working with an Indian affiliate to publish it there. I was interviewed for a feature in Midday magazine, which is a large paper in Mumbai, and my book has had a great reception so far. Looking forward to making it more widely available.
      Thanks Kait,
      Nev

      Delete
  5. Nev, welcome to JRW and congratulations. I love historical novels. The topic of women's plights in different countries and cultures is fascinating and infuriating. For several years, I was a spokeswoman here in Connecticut for a national women's organization. Back in the mid-1990's, in my very first speech in front of a group gathered to advocate for women's rights here, I began by saying that our grandmothers fought for the right to vote. Now, we have just celebrated the 100th anniversary of the passage of that bill and we find that we still have very far to go. For women in the US, it has been 2 steps forward and one step back.

    I am excited about meeting the characters you've described. Your mother sounds positively inspirational and the fact that you have created a character with some of her traits has to feel wonderful. I do not know much about India but I do know about some of the issues you mention above. It has to be extremely frustrating to try to change a culture where attitudes towards women are so deeply ingrained and also supported by some religious beliefs.

    I agree with Roberta that your cover is luscious. Let us know if there is an upcoming opportunity for us to meet you on Zoom. Wishing you the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Judy (and Roberta!) I love the cover that MacMillan designed. It gives the sense of light and heat, and has an uplifting feel, like the book. It gives me hope to see how far we've come, both in India and in the US.

      Yet there is a LOT of ground yet to cover for real equality, both in our own minds, and in the minds of men. So this is a feminist book that calls to men to become feminists too! Anyone who sees unfairness is impelled to lessen it--but we don't always see it. My book is from the point of view of a young man who comes across a set of women in different strati of life, and sees how each of them is limited and even harmed by social practices and apathy.

      Do join me on December 8th, at 6PM EST at the MWA-NY facebook page! As part of their KGB Readings, I'll read a few pages of Murder in Old Bombay :) Would be lovely to see you there! https://www.facebook.com/mwanewyork

      Delete
  6. Nev, just that little bit you told us has made the story come alive! I have read very little about life in India and I do love historical novels so I want to learn more. Congratulations to you on what must be a fascinating book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Judi, the best part of this career is reading notes like yours!
      I've been so delighted to read the reviews and messages from readers of Murder in Old Bombay. All the months I wrote and revised this book, I hoped it would be well received. That it speaks so closely to readers hearts has been an absolute delight.
      Nev

      Delete
  7. Congratulations on Murder in old Bombay and for winning the Minotaur contest.
    I love historical mysteries and I love to learn more about the cultural differences between women of different countries.
    Best of luck with your book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Danielle,
      We women in North America are extraordinarily blessed in so many ways. Among those are the opportunities for women. Although women in India have gained ground in the last three decades that I've observed, there is still a vast difference in their treatment under law, and the expectations of their families. I love reading about other countries and noticing both the similarities and the differences in norms. It's part of the endless fascination I have with people!

      Delete
  8. Congratulations on Murder in Old Bombay, and on the Minotaur award. How exciting!

    The book sounds great, and I am in love with the cover. I really think it would have made me stop at your book to at least consider it, even if I knew nothing else about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan! My first title was 'The Rajabai Tower Mystery' and the cover was of the gothic Big-Ben like tower with uplit clock-face. Very creepy. If you google Rajabai Tower Mystery, you will get details of the original events--the deaths of Bacha and Pilloo.

      We changed the title to Murder in Old Bombay to broaden the context and retain the colonial feel. The new cover design was superbly done by MacMillan's team which completely ignored my original design. I'm so glad they did, because India is a prominent character in the book, as Captain Jim traverses different terrains to search for clues. Well done, Minotaur Books!

      Delete
  9. Congratulations on your debut and award! I look forward to reading your book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Margaret!
      Do join me on MWA-NY's facebook page on December 8th at 6PM EST. I'm one of the writers at the
      KGB readings, and will read a few pages from Murder in Old Bombay.
      Nev

      Delete
  10. Nev, thanks for the peek behind the curtain, your thought process behind the story and characters of Murder in Old Bombay. The only visits I've made to India were in books and movies, and I'm so drawn to the mad, colorful chaos of that country. It's astonishingly different from my own life experience, and reading vividly drawn stories of the many ways of life there is one of my favorite escapes.

    As for historical characters, Laurie R. King's Mary Russell Holmes books are great. Mary overcomes many social and physical obstacles to navigate her life prior to and after meeting the great Sherlock. King does a great job of describing those challenges.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen, I've heard about this series and can't wait to read them!

      Thanks for sharing your interest in India. I've loved books set in exotic locations like those of Mary Stewart--Nine Coaches Waiting, and The Ivy Tree, My Brother Michael, each set in different European countries. Sujata Massey has an entire series in Japan! Absolutely riveting. Of course, Pearl S Buck introduced me to Chinese society, and I wept buckets over each of her fascinating books.

      Hope my book introduces American readers to the scale of Indian vistas as well as the fascinating different sub-cultures of India and the amazing generosity of the Indian people.
      Nev

      Delete
    2. I have read Sujata Massey's Indian-set series, but had no idea about the ones set in Japan.

      Armchair travel is our only option right now, so being an avid reader is a bonus.

      Delete
  11. Congratulations on the new book, Nev. I love books set in India, and I just tossed this on the top of my TBR pile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ann! Would love to see your review when you've read it!
      Do post it to goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49127434-murder-in-old-bombay

      Also do join the MWA-NY facebook page on Dec 8th at 6 PM. I'll join a group of great crime writers at the KGB Readings! https://www.facebook.com/mwanewyork
      Nev

      Delete
  12. I was lucky enough to read this book through Netgalley a while back. I absolutely fell in love with Captain Jim and the Parsee family he tries to help. Will there be more books about them, Nev?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Pat, oh yes!
      After revising and editing Murder in Old Bombay, I expected that gradually Captain Jim's voice would fade from my mind. It didn't.

      In addition, I kept hearing Diana, who took on a more insistent tone. So in Feb 2019 I asked her to write a letter and tell me what the problem was. She did. Captain Jim was missing for five weeks! She'd panicked, and was determined to go after him. It took me 15 months to figure out what was going on and write an outline. I've just completed the draft a month ago :) MORE TO COME!

      Delete
  13. This is completely fascinating. Thanks for sharing your fictional and person story with us, Nev. My question: Have you watched Indian Matchmaking and what's your take on it in terms of the modern male/female power dynamic?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Hallie, first I feel so honored to hear from you! I've been a long time admirer and fan!

      I have indeed watched the series Indian Matchmaking. My husband and I cringed through parts of it, laughed through others and yelled encouragement at still other episodes. It is Reality TV that will shock some, but Indians will find it quite natural. Arranged marriages are still common, although both the bride and groom these days have a lot of say. I think most American audiences will be shocked at how much the parents and families control the decision. That's part of the culture, the understanding that marriage is a social compact, not just between two people. Even in India, women are gaining both rights and more control over their lives, although both are still far behind what we in North America take for granted. We're on the same road toward equalness, just further ahead.

      Sadly, the enormous number of crimes against women shows that much of the Indian male psyche is far behind. My book is from a male point of view, to point out that strength in men comes not when they subjugate women, but when they empower women.
      Nev

      Delete
  14. Hank, when is the next Back Room event? I keep missing them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen, I am attending the one this coming Sunday.

      Delete
    2. Excellent news! I just got an email about it, so I plan to be there, too. My mother is going into hospice, though, so nothing in my life is set in concrete right now.

      Delete
  15. Your post was so interesting and informative, and I love the vibrant cover of Murder in Old Bombay. I am saddened by the devaluation and poverty of many women in India and the fact that they will often be blamed for crimes committed against them including horrific and terrifying acid attacks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Celia,
      Indeed! Those crimes, like the recent Hathras murder of a Dalit (untouchable caste) nineteen year old, are horrendous. Sadly, women too subscribe to this attitude of blaming the victim. A number of soap operas on Indian TV are focused on the domestic mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law dynamic, instead of confronting the appalling lack of justice for victims. Writers and artists have the duty to hold up a mirror, to try to change this.
      While many crime novels focus on the brutality of the crime itself, I chose to have Captain Jim traverse Indian society and uncover clues while meeting different women, each limited and restricted in some way. This opens his eyes to the endemic unfairness in an entertaining, engaging narrative. I hope that empathy will achieve what exhortation cannot!
      Nev

      Delete
  16. Murder in Old Bombay sounds incredibly fascinating and memorable. The cover is exceptional artwork. I enjoyed this background information and look forward to reading this amazing novel. Historicals set in India are always profound and unique. Historical heroines who have the strength, tenacity and courage to face obstacles and triumph over all are to be admired. Women in business, women with careers and women whose ideas are ahead of their time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Petite!
      My high-school Avabai Petit Girls HS was founded by a young lady Hamabai Framji Petit in 1913. She is said to have sold her heirloom jewelry to buy the land for the school. I was inspired by her and other amazing women, like Cornelia Sorabji, (India's first lady lawyer) and Madame Bhikaji Cama (who designed India's national flag).

      Murder in Old Bombay is a first person point of view novel told by a somewhat haunted, beat-up soldier who is puzzled by the unexplained deaths of two young women. He reads a letter to the editor, written by Adi, one of the widowers and empathizes with the words, "they are gone but I remain." This sets him on a journey to find the truth behind the women's deaths.

      Adi's sister, spunky Miss Diana Framji is the wild-card in this story. I won't tell you more, just know that Captain Jim, like everyone else ever, underestimates women. So now you have it. Enjoy!
      Nev

      Delete
  17. Your book sounds interesting and the cover should cause one to stop and pick it up and flip to the back cover for more information. I haven't read many books based in India or the Indian culture and to be honest it has been a while. This was asked earlier, but I'll ask again, are you doing any Zoom events? Julia: I think Masie Dobbs is a person working a field that was not usual for the time the stories are based in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Deana, So glad you liked the cover.
      Yes, thanks for asking about appearances: On Dec 8th at 6 pm I'm reading with a group of fantastic writers at https://www.facebook.com/mwanewyork

      Later on the same day, I'll be interviewed by famous Indian film maker Sooni Taraporevala
      on Dec 8th at 8:30 PM EST - Watch LIVE on
      www.facebook.com/iaac.us and www.youtube.com/user/IAACEvent

      Do join these, would be lovely to hear from you.
      Nev

      Delete
  18. Nev, the book sounds fascinating. One forgets that cultures that treat others as second (or even third) class citizens are still quite prevalent in 2020.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Liz, each time I travelled to India was disorienting. I'd carry my Indian clothes with me, but found the heat unbearable in so many layers. I was no longer acclimated! More than that, I'd feel the censure of people's looks when I wore shorts (although I was cooler in them) and have to determine what to wear based on where I was going.
      There are so many subtle cues one must follow for safety, or even just to get a civil response: mind one's eyes--don't stare, as it's rude. Mind where one's standing, mind what one says and how one says it. Stepping back and forth into those rules was exhausting.

      On the other hand, sitting on the steps outside the hospital ICU (the waiting area), I made friends with simple people from different walks of life. People share their burdens quite openly. It's endearing and heart warming. On the train, I often made friends with women seated (or squashed) beside me. The innate nature of Indians is generous, friendly and helpful, especially if one abides by conventions.
      Since we can't safely travel by air right now, it might be nice to travel by book!
      Enjoy your journey--would love to read your review when you're done.
      Nev

      Delete
  19. Hi Nev, and welcome to JRW! Congratulations on the Minotaur award, too! I love books set in India and yours sounds fascinating--and the cover is absolutely luscious! I can't wait to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello Deborah, I'm in awe of your impressive writing career--from 1993! I know I have a great deal I could learn from you.
    So glad you liked the cover and the book premise. Do review the book when you've had time to read it. Thanks again for your comments.
    Nev

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congrats on the Minotaur award, Nev! Your book sounds heartwrenching and compelling and fascinating. I love reading about foreign settings and can't wait to read it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks Jenn! So glad you are interested in the story.
    There are a number of Indian words in the book so I've added a glossary. There's something about the way the words sound that has an ambiance and power of its own. Among the different layers of the book you will find the universal search for belonging that goes across cultures and nations.
    Enjoy your journey!
    Nev

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love historical mysteries and romances. My parents and I read historical fiction years ago. Most of the ones I read are set in the United States or Great Britain but I read some books by Ellis Peters set in India. They might have been modern times, though. Stay safe and well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sally! Historical fiction allows us to understand people's stories intertwined in history. I wish I'd learned history this way! I've always been fascinated by the sequence where one event causes another and the people who drove them.

      I love Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series--it was a BBC production years ago, with actor Derek Jacobi who does a fabulous job. Love the sense of time and place in those novels and the Series on TV.
      Stay safe and well,
      Nev

      Delete
  24. Congratulations Nev on the Minotaur award! Your novel sounds great and I can't wait to sink into it. Historical fiction has always been a top favorite of mine, especially when there is a mystery in it. And, even better knowing that there is a second novel coming up behind it!
    Best,
    Melanie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Melanie! It's been great to see the warm reception this novel has received!
      So glad you're interested and keen to read it.
      Would love to read your review!
      Stay safe,
      Nev

      Delete
  25. Thanks very much JR Writers! It's been such a pleasure to chat with you and your readers! Thank you for the warm welcome. Stay safe and well!

    ReplyDelete