Muzaffar Jang, maverick Mughal nobleman, returns to play detective in ten short mystery stories. It is the year 1656. Muzaffar Jang — that rare creature in Shahjahan’s Dilli, an aristocrat with friends in low places — is recovering from injuries sustained during his recent adventures involving two mysterious Englishmen and some reprehensible activities against the Imperial Exchequer. Muzaffar’s bruised shoulder has yet to heal when he finds himself catapulted into a series of mysteries: An elephant in the Royal Elephant Stables goes berserk and kills its mahout — or does it? A scholarly nobleman — but, oh, such a pompous bore — is left a very puzzling legacy by his father. An artist at the imperial atelier is found murdered next to one of his works. Muzaffar must pit his wits against treacherous noblemen and scheming traders, greedy villagers and lovelorn men — and women. But who knows? Before the year is out, Muzaffar may just meet his match…

A poisoned paan, a non-government issue arrow and the cameo of a mysterious Englishman...Muzaffar Jang is that rare creature in Mughal Emperor Shahjahan’s Dilli – an aristocrat with friends in low places. One of whom, Faisal, stands accused of murder. When the body of Mirza Murad Begh is found stabbed in the chest, lying in a water channel in the Qila, poor Faisal is the only one around. But what of the fact that, minutes before his demise, the victim had stepped out of the haveli of Shahjahanabad’s most ravishing courtesan? Could not the sultry Mehtab Banu and her pale, delicate sister, Gulnar have something to do with the murder? Determined to save his friend, Muzaffar decides to investigate, with only a cup now and then of that new-fangled brew – ‘Allah, so bitter’ – called coffee to help him. A trail of clues leads him from Mehtab’s haveli out into the streets of seventeenth-century Dilli – rife with rumours of Dara Shukoh’s strange leanings and Prince Aurangzeb’s rebelliousness – into a conspiracy far more sinister than he had imagined…