3 Review(s)

The black soil of central India hides more than the bones of long-dead giants.1829. William Bentincks British officials want to pull India into the modern world. William Henry Sleeman, war veteran and administrator, would rather dig the hills of Jabalpur for fossils than take part in this project. Tasked with enforcing the law, he comes across the Phansigars, who deceive and strangle travellers.Are they merely robbers? Are they a cult? Are they among the many mysteries of India that the children of the Enlightenment cant hope to explain? As Sleemans investigations become more than just about crime and justice, he will have to grapple with the many layers of truth that hide in the Indian countryside. And the realisation that darkness comes in many forms.And behind it all, or perhaps beyond, is a beautiful man who may hold the keys to the mystery. And he, unlike Sleeman, is not burdened with doubt or remorse Read the account of the hunt for the Phansigars, through the eyes of the remarkable man who led it.