A Shipwreck in Fiji

“Combining a tightly plotted mystery with a thoughtful critique of colonialism, A Disappearance in Fiji establishes debut author Rao as a writer to watch.”-Parade “Akal finds himself learning about the harrowing effects of colonialism, indentured servitude and caste. Rao expertly juggles the weighty themes and, in Akal, has the makings of a memorable series detective.” -Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review “Alive with well-drawn characters and deftly plotted with a number of twists.” -The Washington Post “Meet Sergeant Akal Singh, the complex and charming hero of a thoroughly original mystery set in 1914 Fiji. Fans of Golden Age mysteries will relish this debut novel by a compelling new talent, Nilima Rao. More, please!” -Sujata Massey, Agatha Award-winning author of The Widows of Malabar Hill “A poignant and entertaining read … Sergeant Akal Singh is a charmingly imperfect and captivating protagonist. I love Akal and hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of him!” -Ovidia Yu, author of the Aunty Lee Singaporean Mysteries

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, has been published on the topic as part of the SBS Emerging Writers Competition 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 was her first novel.