Shrabani Basu's narrative about how Arthur Conan Doyle tried to secure a pardon for Edalji is, in itself, an extraordinary process of detection. In the village of Great Wyrley near Birmingham, someone is abusing horses and sending threatening letters to the priest, Shahpur Edalji, who is Parsi and has become a Christian, as well as the first Indian to have a parish in England. His son, George, grows up to be a successful lawyer but is inevitably connected to and prosecuted for the aforementioned crimes, in a case that leaves many believing that justice has not been served.
After being released early, his conviction still weighs heavily on him. With no faith in the police and the legal system, George Edalji turns to the one man he believes can clear his name—the creator of the greatest detective in the world. He sends a letter to Arthur Conan Doyle asking to meet him, and Conan Doyle agrees. From the author of Victoria and Abdul, comes a revealing look at racism and an unexpected friendship in the early twentieth century, as well as the dangers of being a foreigner in a country built on empire.
Pages: 320, Year of Publication: 0531, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm
