The first book in this series finds the main character, Captain Jim, seeking his place in the world after his medical discharge from the military. His love of Sherlock Holmes leads him to pursue a potential career as a reporter. However, his interest in a recent story about 2 women who apparently committed suicide at a local tower leads him into an investigation that may reveal darker secrets.

Pursuing leads sends Jim on various journeys even as he becomes increasingly fond of the Framji for whom he is working, especially daughter Diana. As Jim finds growing evidence of an ongoing plot, he must survive long enough to bring high ranking officials to justice.

A strong opening book though some of the back story and side adventures slowed the overall pacing.

interesting amalgam of kipling's kim, sherlock holmes and a romance. I think the author is most successful when doing the road adventure sections that resemble kim. I found the romance sections a bit cloying. the overall mystery, involving a letter, blackmail, human trafficking and the Indian independence movement was done well ( )

This had the common debut issue of trying to do too much in one book (and it was too long) but I really liked the characters and setting and was invested in the outcome. ( )

I loved the setting and the intricacy of Indian society in the late 19th Century. March has researched this well. It does run a touch too long, especially early on. But it pays off in the end. ( )

4.5⭐

Number One is Walking: My Life in the Movies and Other Diversions marks the second collaboration (the first being A Wealth of Pigeons : A Cartoon Collection ) between the inimitable Steve Martin and renowned The New Yorker illustrator Harry Bliss.

In the first segment of the of the book Martin takes us through his career as a standup comic and his Hollywood career sharing anecdotes from his personal experiences, some behind the scenes stories about some of his movies and his interactions with his co-stars and other celebrities including Paul McCartney and the late Robin Williams. The stories are shared in cartoon format with Harry Bliss’s brilliant illustrations bringing Martin’s memories to life. Martin also shares some hilarious exchanges between himself and his collaborator, with both himself and Harry Bliss appearing as cartoon versions of themselves along with Harry Bliss's pet dog Penny who is absolutely adorable. The latter half of the book features The New Yorker style cartoons illustrated by Harry Bliss in varying themes that are thoroughly entertaining. While I am a huge fan of Harry Bliss and The New Yorker cartoons and truly enjoyed those featured in this book, I absolutely loved Steve Martin’s humorous take on his career and wished that the memoir segment would have been longer than it was.

Overall, this is an entertaining read and a perfect pick-me-up between more serious reads or for just when you need a laugh. I loved getting to know more about Steve Martin and his movies in such a unique format. I’m eager to see what this duo comes up with next! ( )