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! ( )

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read and review this intriguing mystery. It was a bit different from what I've read lately and was a nice change. I enjoyed reading this historical mystery set in British India quite a bit.
I loved how I felt more immersed in this novel and story. I felt like I was very much there in the British India setting and it reminded me a bit of part of The Secret Garden with the setting. It was a mystery that kept me and my mind engaged trying to figure out and keep up with what was going on. You were kept guessing for a lot of the novel as to who killed the two Framj women and what the exact motive was behind their murders. The motive behind the murders opened up a lot more of the story as well and brought in more aspects and information about the time and place they were living in.
This story is about Captain Jim and how he comes across a very notable case in the newspapers that he's reading while recovering in the hospital after a battle. The case is about two women who fall to their death from a clock tower in broad daylight at the university and Captain Jim finds himself wanting to help the widower of one of the women, who believes his wife and sister didn't commit suicide. So, Captain Jim approaches the Framj family to help them investigate and discover what happened.
As Captain Jim becomes involved and gets to know the Framj family even more while investigating the case, many things happen that illustrate and show the divided loyalties among the people and ends up putting himself and the Framj family in danger while investigating and asking questions.
There are also topics addressed and discussed throughout such as PTSD from his being in a war, prejudice because he is part Indian/Parsee, and part White - not a full Parsee, which causes problems with the woman he loves and her family that have to be addressed. There are also characters and parts of the story dealing with slavery, human trafficking, child prostitution, and the like that happened with the war and in these kinds of times. Some parts are hard to read not because they are explicit, vulgar, or violent, but simply because it's hard to hear and read about these types of things that happened to human beings during wars and situations such as these.
It was heart-wrenching at parts reading in this book and made me wish more people were loving and accepting of others instead of prejudiced and selfish. I also was joyful during other parts where things worked out despite the hardships. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but then, in that way, it was similar to real life and in the end, things ended up on more of a positive note.
This is worth checking out and reading especially if you like historical mysteries, but also because it makes you stop, think, and reflect on a lot. It causes some self-reflection and thinking through things to see what you can learn from this and how you and others might improve.
I would recommend keeping this on your list, make sure to take a look and read it! ( )

It is 1892, and Captain Jim Agnihotri awakens in a Poona military hospital. As he recovers, there is little to do except read daily newspapers and re-read mysteries solved by Sherlock Holmes, his favorite detective. The story of two women was reported as suicides from the clock tower, but the words written by Adi Framji haunt Captain Agnihotri's thoughts. After discharge, he takes an opportunity to introduce himself to Adi, husband to Bacha, and brother to Pilloo, and the visit changes the course of his life.

The well-written novel of mystery, adventures, and romance provides immersion in another time and place by evoking the atmosphere, culture, landscape, sights, and sounds. One of many descriptions I enjoyed was

"Quick and graceful, she set the table, each step soothing like cool sherbet in summertime."

The characters and their dialogue opened a window to history, of which I had no prior knowledge but not with the dryness of a textbook but sharing daily life, relationships, emotions, expectations of self, family, and society, personal wishes and desires, and coping with restraints.

I encourage readers to enjoy The Author's Note to learn the inspiration for the novel and historical notes. A Glossary and Discussion Questions are also available at the novel's end.

If you have a Pinterest account, please don't miss the author's "Cast of Murder in Old Bombay" with pins described as "Old Bombay, locations from the book, actors with the look of characters from Murder in old Bombay (was The Rajabai Tower Mystery)." https://www.pinterest.com/NevMarchAuthor/cast-of-murder-in-old-bombay/ ( )

This novel really has it all - it’s a work of history, romance, suspense, and mystery all wrapped up in a fascinating tale. Taking place in 19th century Bombay, Captain Jim is recovering from injuries he sustained while in the army. Now channeling his idol, Sherlock Holmes, he embarks on a new career. He has been hired to find out why two young women leaped to their death from a clock tower. Ruled a suicide, the widowed husband believes it was murder. The quest for answers and the truth leads Jim on a merry chase. He has many encounters, mostly dangerous ones, but at least one is a bit humorous. He falls in love along the way, but that way is fraught with negativity. It’s an exciting adventure for Captain Jim and for the readers who are lucky enough to have picked up this novel to enjoy. Well written, filled with compelling characters, and set in a country rich with a vibrant history, this intriguing tale captivated me from the very beginning. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction as well as mystery. ( )

A great whodunnit set in the 1890's in India with a touch of romance. This was based on a true story. 400 pages ( )