Murder at the Mela by Leela Soma
Newly appointed as Glasgow’s first Asian DI, Alok Patel’s first assignment is the investigation of the brutal murder of Nadia, an Asian woman. Her body was discovered in the aftermath of the Mela festival in Kelvingrove Park. During the Mela, a small fight erupted between a BNP group and an Asian gang, but was quickly quelled by police.
When Nadia is accused of having an affair with a local man, even more questions about her death arise. Was her murder a crime of passion, or was it racially motivated? Could it be an honour killing? The deep-rooted tensions within Glasgow’s Asian communities bubble to the surface as DI Patel struggles with his parents, who disapprove of his relationship with his Muslim partner, Usma.
As DI Patel struggles to gain any help from the Asian community, another body is discovered in the West End- the body of a white man. Is this new murder fuelled by revenge? Killed by an Asian gang? As the list of murder suspects grows, DI Patel finds himself grappling with the pressures of his new rank, including the racism of at least one fellow officer.
This novel peels away the layers of Glasgow’s Asian communities, while exploring the complicated relationships between Asian people and the city.
About the author.
Leela Soma was born in Madras, India and now lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She was a Principal Teacher of Modern Studies before deciding to write full time.
Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of anthologies and publications most recently, Issue 5 of Gutter magazine. She won the Margaret Thomson Davis Trophy for Best New Writer 2007 for her then unpublished novel Twice Born which was later published on YouWriteOn.
She is on the Committee of the Milngavie Book & Art Festival and the Scottish Writer's Centre. Her writings reflect her experiences as a first generation Indo-Scot.
Review.
‘Murder at the Mela’ is a great read and introduction to DI Patel. Being set in my home city of Glasgow made it very special for me as I was able to imagine all the settings and people very easily. It encaptured me from the beginning to the end. I read it in one day!
Despite my blog name I am not Asian - Bindu was a nickname at school as I was always going to India with my hippie mother. However, it does mean I have an appreciation of Asian culture and I do live in Pollokshields, so a lot the references and characters were so accurate! I also live with my mother in law - not sure if that was an appreciation too far - I jest!
I did love seeing another side of Glasgow’s diverse population represented in crime fiction. I particularly appreciated the references to trying to build bonds with the police and the asian populations, the recruitment drive for BAME officers etc, as it does reflect what is going on in the community so gives the book an air of authenticity.
For the story itself, DI Patel has been newly promoted, the first asian DI in Scotland. He is called to work his first murder case - a young Asian woman, Nadia, has been found in Kelvingrove Park. The Glasgow Mela is hosted there and finished the night before. Was the woman killed during the Mela? Was it a racially motivated attack or was it even an honour killing? The murder is the talk of the Asian community and highlights the tensions that are present. In his private life Patel is dating a younger Asian police officer, Usma. But both their families are against their union as Patel is Indian and Usma is Muslim.
I liked the character of Patel as he came across as smart and honourable. He considered all aspects of the case carefully and dealt with the investigation competently. It's clear that Leela spent time researching police procedures and how they would apply to the story. Sometimes, I think I have read so much crime fiction that I would do a decent job of running a case! The character of Hanif was a great addition, as I am sure his story is something that the community does worry about.
I hope that this is going to become a series as I would love to read more about Patel and his friends and family. That series would become an automatic read for me! 🤞🤞🤞
