MURDER IN MOONLIT SQUARE – Death In The Streets Of Old Delhi By PAUL WATERS

Chandni Chowk isn’t a backdrop; it’s the beating heart of Murder in Moonlit Square. In Paul Waters’ propulsive, witty mystery Murder in Moonlit Square, a body is discovered inside a lovingly restored Chandni Chowk haveli‑hotel, all marigolds, marble, and Downton‑style bell banks—the kind of heritage space that begs to host fashion shows and rooftop sundowners. Enter Sister Agatha Murphy, an Irish nun and beloved teacher whose girls’ school sits at the beating heart of the neighbourhood. Navigating paratha lanes, gurudwaras, boutique trousseau stops and jalebi stalls, she teams up with the hotel’s charming manager to protect his staff, his dream and the neighbourhood’s reputation—only to find the maze of Chandni Chowk hides a sharper, modern danger. It’s Old Delhi glamour meets a very current conversation about women’s safety and power—and it’s irresistible.

‘A pacy, charming thriller that mixes the romance of old Delhi with the energy of the modern megacity it has become. Can’t wait for the next one.’

AMISH TRIPATHI

When a high‑profile guest turns up dead, the hotel’s future—and the neighbourhood’s reputation—hang by a thread. Sister Agatha Murphy, an Irish nun and long‑time teacher at the Amazing Grace Girls’ College, refuses to look away. She knows Chandni Chowk’s lanes, from HC Sen Road by Sis Ganj Sahib to the paratha gullies, and she knows its people: receptionists who spot a Gucci‑shawled guest at twenty paces, parents who worry, girls who dance and play hockey like warriors. Alongside hotel manager Avtar Mehta, she threads through food carts, bridal stores, jalebi vats and phone‑repair kiosks, hunting answers in a maze where everyone knows a “Khan” and every corner smells of ghee and spice.

There’s the buzz of a gala fundraiser in the courtyard; a school procession cutting a swath through the market; and the constant hum of a city that—festival or not—never stops negotiating. Waters captures Old Delhi’s contradictions with affection and bite: heritage luxury and street hustle, couture and khadi, ritual and reinvention, all while giving media a motherlode of lifestyle hooks that leap off the page and onto a layout.

Murder in Moonlit Square B form…

Perfect coverage fits: “Walk Chandni Chowk with the book,” “Inside a real Delhi haveli,” “Old Delhi’s winter style & bridal bustle,” “Girls, grit and games,” “Street‑food safari: the paratha edition.” This is place‑lust + page‑turner—a glossy editor’s sweet spot.

Praise for Murder in Moonlit Square:

‘Takes us to the colour and crowds of modern Delhi, in pursuit of a killer. A charming start to a vibrant new mystery series’ Vaseem Khan, author of the Q and Malabar House series

‘Never cross a nun! Offbeat detecting duo Sister Agatha from Ireland and Avtar from India bring a fresh twist to cosy crime amidst the glamour and grime of deadly Delhi. I loved it!’ Robert Thorogood

‘Rich, layered and multi-faceted, this is Paul Waters at his best. Murder in Moonlit Square has everything you could hope for in cosy crime: unforgettable characters, a compelling mystery and a wicked sense of humour. Waters has established himself a masterful voice in crime fiction.’ Awais Khan, author of No Honour and Someone Like Her

About the author

An award-winning BBC producer who reported from global hotspots (9/11 live coverage, undercover in Zimbabwe, Cuba broadcasts), now channeling that frontline authenticity into storytelling. Co-host of the We’d Like A Word podcast, spotlighting books and authors, while using personal anecdotes (like hosting Pelé for dinner) to engage audiences with warmth and wit.