Dark Clouds Over Nuala

Inspector de Silva Mystery Series, Book 2

By: Harriet Steel

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

Inspector de Silva's back with a new case to solve when the arrival in the hill town of Nuala of the heir to an English earldom leads to a mysterious death. Throw in a mega-rich Romanian count, his glamorous countess and an enigmatic British army officer and the scene is set for another colourful and entertaining mystery.

©2016 Harriet Steel (P)2018 Tantor

A Very Good Book Indeed

I LOVE these. I’ve listened to all 4 of the audiobooks and they are really really good. I wish all 16 were audiobooks, but still, I’m working my way through the other 12 anyway.
I am a very critical reader. If something isn’t right or doesn’t make sense I’ll find it.
But Harriet Steel gave me nothing to complain about, or get annoyed with.
The stories are completely plausible, believable, credible. The setting is drawn out perfectly. The characters are written so well, I feel like I really know them.
I’ll stop there. As nobody likes a weird “superfan” do they. Just read them, or listen, and if this genre is your “cup of tea” you can’t possibly be disappointed.
Harriett Steel is at the top of her game!

Good Mystery

I like the characters in this book. The story progresses at a good clip. Both the author and the narrator have done an excellent job. The side stories involving the Sargent are cute. The dialogue is humorous. A very enjoyable listen.

Short, simple and entertaining

If you simply want a distraction from a busy life, a light listen told in a marvelous voice, with interesting characters and side stories, not to mention a happy domestic setting, you could not go wrong here. Nothing too gruesome either.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Absolutely delightful mystery very much akin to an Agatha Christie novel which includes wonderful scenic descriptions that are far better than many overly violent and vulgar stories set in current times.

Wonderful book!

Full of the sights and sounds of 1930s Ceylon, this book is not just a murder mystery but, in a way, an adult fantasy. I say this because the loving relationship of Inspector de Silva and his wife is not realistic. But I love to make believe that a relationship like that could exist!

This story has atmosphere, suspense, action, and, most importantly, a happy ending. Even though many of the characters are almost more caricatures than real people, I still enjoy hearing about them via Davies masterful narration, complete with a myriad of accents.

The story brings in some historical realities such as the looming possibility that “the war to end all wars” (WWI) may not end up being the last war, and the colonialism by Great Britain may not last, if the Ceylon people have anything to say about it. But these aspects are not dwelt upon in such a way as to make the story depressing. As I said, it’s a bit like a happy fairy tale for adults.

I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the next book!