Most Private Detective Agency

Picture Mma Ramotswe, except rather than an African woman of traditional build in Botswana, we have a portly Punjabi detective in Delhi with a good heart and a slightly inflated ego.  I LOVED this book!  First of all, because my diminished brain can only retain culture, politics and history if it is wrapped in a jaunty detective story, this book is the perfect learning tool (if only Ali could have started, oh say... Islamic Investigations in No God But God and dug up some dirt on Aisha all the while making pithy comments, who knows... maybe I would have actually learned something).  Anyhow, this is where I learned about the economics of modern India, the plight of the ragpickers, the clash of new Western values vs. traditional Indian ways etc. etc.  But the language is the best part of the book; for example, I learned that many people call their boss the Incharge.  Also, when someone is lounging around, it is referred to as "doing timepass".
Here is a sample passage (hear the lilt in your head):
"The owner was doing reckless driving, bashed up my car and absconded the scene.  Majnu [her driver] gave chase but being a prime duffer, he got caught in a traffic snarl."

Prime Duffer- that's rich!