Paul Mann had had a rather undistinquished career as a writer
prior to 1993. Four books, run of the mill adventure
stuff:
The Libyan Contract (1988) The Beirut Contract (1991) The
Traitor's Contract (1991) The Britannia Contract (1993)
The last was "okay", the others best forgotten, and easily
done.
Then he hit paydirt with George Santie, a half-Indian,
half-Anglo detective in Bombay. Santie first appeared in
SEASON OF THE MONSOON in 1993 and that became a NYT "Notable
Book" of the same year. It was followed by The Ganja Coast in
1995 and The Burning Ghats in 1996. This was later
republished as The Burning Tide. All are enjoyable and the
insight into India (notwithstanding a few nasty comments by
Amazon critics) is wonderful.
I tried to track Mann down, as the first book says he is in
the Ottawa area. Then he moves to Maine. A British ex-pat, he
coudl be anwyere, but wherever he is, he has not published
since the thrid Santie novel and posts to his publisher go
unanswered.
Anyone heard of where Mann might be, or if he is still
alive?
As to Bombay, a further very long detective story is out by
Vikram Chardra. As thick as a summer blockpuster or War &
Peace, this really does take you to Bombay, but is a heavy
plod with many Indian words which fail to get noticed even on
a computer dictionary.
Willow
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