Inspector Ghote, ‘one of the great creations of detective fiction’ (Alexander McCall Smith), is assigned his most baffling case yet: preventing the murder . . . of a flamingo, in this classic mystery – with a brand-new introduction by bestselling author Vaseem Khan.

Inspector Ganesh Ghote of the Bombay CID is taken aback when his boss, the rage-prone Deputy Superintendent Naik, cheerfully summons him with an unusual order: to stop a murder. But his boss’s good mood turns out to be the least bizarre thing about the situation. For the potential murder victim is an expensive flamingo – a gift from the US Consul – and if Ghote doesn’t prevent it meeting the same tragic end as its three companions, it could result in serious embarrassment for the government.

Saddled with the most incompetent sergeant in the history of policing, Ghote investigates with his usual thoroughness, and soon suspects the flamingo-slaying is linked to a whole series of elaborate, unkind pranks. Who would do such a thing, and why? The hard-working inspector doesn’t get the joke. But when the case takes a darker turn, all thoughts of humour are forgotten . . .