When a classmate goes missing, Jai, the narrator of the novel, and his friends Faiz, a Muslim boy in a predominantly Hindu neighborhood and Pari, probably the smartest and most ambitious girl in Jai’s class, decide to investigate. As more children disappear from their poverty stricken neighborhood and there is no help from the police or political leaders, the trio decides it is up to them to find the victims and the perpetrators.

Deepa Anappara’s debut novel is not an easy read. It vividly describes the dire poverty in Jai’s community. Also, their are many foreign words interspersed throughout the work, but, fortunately, there is a glossary at the end. However, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is worth the effort. Jai and his two young friends are delightful, facing their dilemmas with humor and passion.