Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Spanish Diplomat's Secret is the third book in the Captain Jim and Lady Diana historical mystery series by Nev March. Released 12th Sept 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in Aug 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.
This is a very well written and engaging historical mystery. The titular protagonist, Captain Jim Agnihotri, is a half English, half Indian officer and investigator who leaves India to take up a job in America with his young wife. He deals with racism because of his upbringing and skin color as well as being an Englishman in the US.
The relationship between Jim and his wife Diana is refreshingly honest (and modern). She's intelligent and headstrong, if naive. Both of them have a distinct honesty that's refreshing to read. The mystery is well constructed and the prose is nuanced and enjoyable. The action moves the plot along quickly and the denouement and resolution are satisfying and fair play. There are some sweetly romantic moments as well as inevitable moments of melancholy and misunderstanding between the (married) protagonists, but it's all euphemistically described and effectively described. The author has an impressive command of dialogue and the writing is immersive and full of period verisimilitude.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 12 hours 1 minute and is beautifully narrated by Vikas Adam. He has a classically trained, clear, and well modulated voice and manages a number of accents (including "foreign" accents), and a range of ages, and both sexes, without a hitch. He has a pleasantly neutral voice which made the read seamless and unobtrusive. Sound and production quality were high throughout.
Four stars. Recommended for public library acquisition and home use. With three volumes extant in the series, it would make a good choice for a binge/buddy read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.