Home » Fiction Book Reviews » A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao : a review

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao : a review

We’re delighted to be sharing Laura’s thoughts about A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao.

Jera’s Jamboree receives payments for affiliate advertising. This is at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Cratejoy affiliate I earn if you click on a link and shop from my link. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

book cover for A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao.  A woman in traditional dress is walking through flowers

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao

  • Category : Historical Mysteries
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BX3GG44R
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zaffre (6 Jun. 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2644 KB
  • Amazon UK | Amazon US

A Disappearance in Fiji Summary

1914, Fiji: Sergeant Akal Singh would rather be anywhere than this tropical paradise – or, as he calls it, ‘this godforsaken island’. After a promising start to his police career in Hong Kong, Akal has been sent to the far-flung colony of Fiji as punishment for a humiliating professional mistake. Lonely and embarrassed, he dreams of solving a big case, thereby redeeming himself and gaining permission to leave. Otherwise, he fears he will be stuck in Fiji for ever.

When an indentured Indian woman goes missing from a sugarcane plantation and Fiji’s newspapers scream ‘kidnapping’, the inspector-general reluctantly assigns Akal the case, giving him strict instructions to view this investigation as nothing more than cursory. But as soon as Akal arrives on the plantation, he identifies several troubling inconsistencies in the plantation owners’ stories, and it seems there is more to this disappearance than meets the eye . . .

A Disappearance in Fiji Review

A wonderfully written historical police procedural set in Fiji. I found this book to be well researched of the time, place and details of a country in the British colony.

Police sergeant Akal Singh is sent in disgrace to Fiji from Hong Kong to work on a case about the Night Stalker, a character who preys on small children. Akal with the support of a local priest David Hughes becomes intrigued by the disappearance of a plantation worker called Kunti.

I enjoyed reading about the system employed to hire people from India to work in sugar cane plantations as it is a subject I have little knowledge of. Kunti along with others were employed to work 5 years but sadly many found it was long hours, for little pay and to live in poor living conditions. As part of the British colony racism towards Indian workers was sadly common place among richer white people. Akal fought for Kunti and the other coolie workers who were treated unfairly and disregarded by their bosses.

Disappearance in Fiji is an interesting crime fiction set during the time of the First World War.

Free Self Care Resources

Helping you to take better care of yourself.

  • Planners/journals – self-care, mindfulness, meditation, gratitude
  • Mindfulness Challenge Calendar
  • Worksheet, trackers, checklists
  • 30 Card Deck Positive Affirmations (and blank cards to write your own)
vector of a woman laying back on a bean bag

Download the directory

No email address needed!

About the Author

Nilima Rao is a Fijian Indian Australian who has always referred to herself as ‘culturally confused’. She has since learned that we are all confused in some way and now feels better about the whole thing. When she isn’t writing, Nilima can be found wrangling data (the dreaded day job) or wandering around Melbourne laneways in search of the next new wine bar. A Disappearance in Fiji is her first novel and she is currently working on a second.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nilimaraowriter/

Publisher: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zaffrebooks/ Twitter @ZaffreBooks

Leave a comment