Death in the Air

Reeling from a traumatic work experience, Ro Krishna needs time to rest and rekindle an interest in life. An Indian American now living in London, he never felt called to explore India, but when he learns of an exclusive spa in the foothills of the Himalayas, he decides this might be exactly what he needs. Then, when first one and then more guests die under strange circumstances, Ro digs into the investigation himself. Narrator Fajer Al-Kaisi expertly portrays the large ensemble of characters, seamlessly incorporating various accents and shifts in tone. Al-Kaisi allows the mystery to spool out in its own time, giving away nothing until the appropriate time. Though the plot has the trappings of an Agatha Christie–style closed-circle mystery—a group of eccentric characters, an opulent location, red herrings, a seemingly inept police authority, and a major twist at the end—listeners will find that this work diverges significantly. Notably, the protagonist is neither particularly observant nor insightful despite other characters describing him as such; indeed, many of the revelations come about through uncanny happenings unrelated to his deductive skills.