A Shipwreck in Fiji
Fiji

A Shipwreck in Fiji

by Nilima Rao

Society & Class Historical Fiction Mystery Fiction 2025

Summary

Set in Fiji in 1915, during the First World War, A Shipwreck in Fiji follows Sergeant Akal Singh, an Indian police officer still struggling to establish himself in the British colonial administration. Recently transferred to the Pacific island colony, Akal is sent to Ovalau, a neighbouring island, to investigate reports of German soldiers supposedly hiding thousands of miles from the European front. He is also tasked with accompanying two visiting European women on a sightseeing trip and supervising a young local constable.

What begins as a series of seemingly routine assignments soon becomes complicated when a controversial local shopkeeper is found dead and a group of Norwegian sailors is imprisoned in a Fijian village. Accompanied by his friend and colleague Taviti Tukana, Akal must navigate conflicting accounts, local politics, and the prejudices of colonial society. Meanwhile, the aspiring journalist Katherine has her own reasons for visiting the island.

Blending historical mystery, humour, and social commentary, Rao explores colonial power, racial and class divisions, and the challenges of seeking justice in a society shaped by unequal authority.

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Oceania
About the author
Nilima Rao
Nilima Rao

Nilima Rao is a Fijian Indian Australian writer whose work explores cultural identity, migration, and the complexities of colonial history. With roots in Fiji’s Indo-Fijian community and a life in Australia, Rao draws on her multicultural background to tell stories that illuminate the experiences of people navigating different cultural worlds. Her debut novel, A Disappearance in Fiji (2023), is a historical mystery set in colonial Fiji in 1914. The novel introduces Sergeant Akal Singh, an Indian police officer investigating the disappearance of an indentured woman, and combines a compelling detective story with an examination of colonial racism, caste prejudice, and the exploitation of Indian labourers. The book received widespread critical recognition and was included on several best-of-year lists for crime and historical fiction. Before becoming a published novelist, Rao worked in data-related roles, and she continues to balance writing with her professional career. Through her fiction, she brings attention to lesser-known histories of the Pacific and the enduring effects of colonialism, using engaging mysteries to explore questions of justice, belonging, and social inequality.

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Details
Published
2025
Author
Nilima Rao