I never know what to say about these books. They're cozy, but with an Indiana Jones/Where in the World is Carmen Santiago mash up vibe. All the mysteries in this series are rooted in off the beaten path historical fact, usually, but not always, India's past, and always center on some type of treasure that's been looted, or being searched for in order to be looted. It's this that keeps me coming back to these books if I'm honest. I like the characters well enough, but I'm not as invested in them as I could be.
The Glass Thief is supposed to be an homage to Elizabeth Peters' character Vicky Bliss, but - and admittedly it's been over a decade since I've read them - I didn't see it. The romantic relationship here is similar, but otherwise I'd have to re-read the Vicky Bliss books to see more. The plot twist was obvious from the beginning, so the 'gasp!' moment mid-way was less gasp! and more eye-roll. But overall it was a good story that kept me entertained, which is something of an accomplishment lately, so it deserves merit for that.