The politics, culture, and history of 1927 India intersect in Homicide in the Indian Hills, an entertaining mystery by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Murder at the Mena House) that features the winsome Jane Wunderly.
Jane and her new husband, Redvers Dibble, are spending their honeymoon in southern India, at the Ootacamund hill station. As the movement for Indian independence grows, Redvers, a spy for the Crown, has been sent on a mission to promote a British commission to reform Indian law. Redvers, who supports Indian independent, admits that for the first time he doesn't agree with his assignment, and he arranges secret meetings with resistance leaders. The couple becomes friendly with British expat Gretchen Beetner, a former member of the Indian National Congress, until she is killed, supposedly by a tiger, although the condition of her body calls this into question. The couple suspects that Gretchen's vehement opposition to British rule led to her murder. As they investigate the case themselves (they don't trust the corrupt local police), a second death supports the couple's suspicions.
Jane and Redvers's close relationship elevates the plot, showing the love and respect they hold for each other. As a married couple and insightful investigators, they make a solid team. Neubauer's series has demonstrated that Jane is a curious traveler who is eager to experience local cultures. Early on, Jane is interested in trying Indian food but is served British cuisine instead, illustrating the disregard the British have for the Indian population. Evocative scenery, such as fragrant tea plantations, and politics "with too many currents flowing beneath the dark waters" showcase India's beauty and history. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer