Bombay Monsoon

Description

The last thing Danny wants to see published is his obituary The year is 1975. Danny Jacobs is an ambitious, young American journalist who’s just arrived in Bombay for a new assignment. He’s soon caught up in the chaos of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s domestic “Emergency.”
Willy Smets is Danny’s enigmatic expat neighbor. He’s a charming man, but with suspicious connections. As a monsoon drenches Bombay, Danny falls hard for Sushmita, Smets’s beguiling and clever lover—and the infatuation is mutual.
"The Emergency," a virtual coup by the prime minister, is only the first twist in the high-stakes drama of Danny’s new life in India. The assassination of a police officer by a Marxist extremist, as well as Danny’s obsession with the inscrutable Sushmita, conspire to put his career—and life—in jeopardy. And, of course, the temptations of Willy Smets’s seductive personality sit squarely at the heart of the matter.
Democracy is fragile and the lines of loyalty and betrayal often cross and cannot be untangled.
Perfect for fans of Ken Follett and Steve Berry Praise for James W. Ziskin “[Bombay Monsoon is] intense, atmospheric and intelligent—a superior and rewarding thriller that I'm glad I read.” —Lee Child, #1 New York Times best-selling author
“[Bombay Monsoon is] a terrific, dense, exciting thriller from James W. Ziskin, with a vibe pitched somewhere between Graham Greene's The Quiet American and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance. I loved it.” —Adrian McKinty, New York Times best-selling author
“A stunning novel! Bombay Monsoon, captivating from the very first pages, draws us into an exotic world of intrigue and passion, offering up a whipsawing plot and a truly memorable cast. There’s more than a little Graham Greene here, along with a dash of le Carré, though this story is pure Ziskin, told in his unique and resonant voice.” —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times best-selling author
* “[In No Stone Unturned,] Ziskin’s . . . smart and aggressive protagonist has real personality. The author’s touch for academic politics coupled with his clear observations of the early years of the 1960s is superb. Don’t miss this series.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)
“With vivid detail and spot-on historical accuracy, Bombay Monsoon brings to life the India of the mid-1970s—while at the same time spinning a mysterious, sometimes dark, and always compelling story of courage, love, and betrayal. Danny Jacobs is flawed, complex and, like all great journalists, dedicated to learning the truth no matter what the cost. Written in Ziskin’s elegant, sparkling style, Bombay Monsoon is a triumph.” —Robert Rotstein, New York Times best-selling author
“Ziskin uses the atmosphere of monsoon season and period details to create a lush, vividly imagined world, while the political situation creates palpable tension throughout. Fans of classic political thrillers will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly “Written with a deep affection for and knowledge of India, its people, its past, its politics, and its culture, Ziskin’s latest continuously shocks and excites while also transporting readers to a very specific time and place. The author thoughtfully examines issues of race, color, and class without distracting from the intricate, bombshell-laden plot. This one’s a wild ride from cover to cover.” —Mystery Scene Magazine “Smoothly written and tightly plotted, Bombay Monsoon might be the start of a whole new series for the highly decorated James W. Ziskin.” —New York Journal of Books “A mystery that puts an inventive twist on Boccaccio’s Decameron, Turn to Stone takes the reader on a richly-imagined and entertaining journey to Florence and the Tuscan countryside in 1963. And the engaging, indomitable Ellie Stone, who holds her liquor but never her tongue, is the perfect traveling companion.” —Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author
“Ziskin’s writing displays a remarkable command of words, building them into a complex and convincing set and cast of characters.” —Suspense Magazine James W. Ziskin is the Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries. His novels and short stories have been shortlisted more than twenty times for prestigious industry awards, including for multiple Edgar, Anthony, Barry, Lefty, and Macavity awards. Bombay Monsoon is the first thriller in a new series set in 1975 India. Ziskin lived and worked in India for four years and now lives in Massachusetts. Loyal mystery and thriller fans look for new authors with compelling protagonists and a strong sense of place—Danny Jacobs, in India in the “Emergency” of 1975, will meet that need.