Simla Mist (The Colonials)
In a mansion in Calcutta in 1908, a pretty young Indian girl, Binita, is getting married to Frederick Hunt, a British Civil Service officer. Only his best friend, Wilfred Chatsworth, stands beside him. The bride’s family and primarily other Indian guests are unusually silent, showing their disapproval.
In 1932, best friends Lilian Hunt and Daisy Chatsworth are in Simla, the summer capital of British India. They are there, from Delhi, with their parents and looking forward to a glorious summer. Ambitious Frederick Hunt wishes Lilian to marry Eric Stanford, the son of his superior. Eric is drawn more to Daisy, but his father disapproves of their friendship for unknown reasons. However, Lilian plays Cupid to help Daisy win the man she loves. Meanwhile, Frederick is threatened by a mysterious person, and the mystery of his past unravels.
While this is the fourth book in Liz Harris’s The Colonials series, it can be read as a standalone. The settings are superbly presented to transport readers to Shimla (formerly Simla). This is undoubtedly due to the extensive research and Harris’ “magical trip to India,” with its views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains and mist-covered valleys. Although the multi-character plot has the feel of a soap opera, this is an appealing historical romance. Lives of the British in the Shimla hills unfold nicely with all their opulent norms. The love triangle and mystery grab our attention. Much of the story takes place in 1932 and in Simla, rather than Delhi, and therefore the complexities of the Indian Independence Movement only get a passing reference in drawing-room conversations. An interesting holiday read.
