WW2 crime mystery set in Canterbury, Kent (and London)
Novel set at turn of the 21st Century BOMBAY
12th February 2026
The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay by Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, novel set in turn of the 21st Century BOMBAY (Mumbai)
Rooting around in a hotel library, I came across this rather interesting gem, a tremendous find because it really brings Bombay to life. It is written by an author unknown to me, although I discover this title was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2008. It’s a relatively old copy and you can see that it now has a much more modern cover (see below), the sultry black-clad woman hinting at some kind of erotic overlay (which, indeed, at times there is and you will, in fact, discover what a Bombay Fornicator is!).
I guess Bombay in the title caught my eye, and I have to say I was transported to the city (a particularly excellent find because I read the novel in India). Karan Seth works as a photographer for The India Chronicle and one of his personal missions is to document various aspects of the city, creating images that would “reveal its most sublime, secret stories..”, endeavouring to capture aspects such as “the dusty, sublime balustrades of falling-down mansions in Kala Rhoda” Of course, describing sights through a camera lens is a wonderful device to hone in on the city. First, though, he is off to capture Samar in his home, an eccentric pianist with a dog called Mr Ward-Davies, and once there he discovers Samar’s friend Zaira, who is a Bollywood star (don’t fall into the trap that this dumbs down the story). The three forge a connection and their encounters and backgrounds add a richness to the unfolding storyline.
Karan meets Rhea by chance in Chor Bazaar and they start a relationship, even though she is married. As the days
and months pass, the characters all get to know each other and share intimacies about their backgrounds, their thinking and current lives. Then, an unexpected and devastating event happens and everything changes.
This novel is a thoughtful trawl through Bombay, its streets, homes and bazaars. A trip to the scenic Sewri mudflats, to record the unique flamingoes in the area, gives the book its title and is lyrically described. Other aspects of the city prove really transportive:
“He zoomed in on the bald, blind beggar in a ragged black suit… he strode closer to the Medusa-maned monkey peddler parked beside a trio of scruffy singing vagrants”….
A dramatic intervention by a parliamentary minister stokes the fires of corruption, whilst the story highlights the oftentimes depressing attitudes towards women and the gay community, highlighting political and cultural aspects, and a real loneliness of some of the city’s inhabitants. A tremendous read to get under the skin of the city.
Tina for the TripFiction Team
Join team TripFiction on Social Media:
Twitter (@TripFiction), Facebook (@TripFiction.Literarywanderlust), YouTube (TripFiction #Literarywanderlust), Instagram (@TripFiction) and Pinterest (@TripFiction) and BlueSky(tripfiction.bsky.social) and Threads (@tripfiction)
Please wait...
