I picked up M.M. Kaye's The Far Pavilions awhile ago. The only work I'd read by her previously was The Ordinary Princess, which I was re-reading when I noticed in the back it said she was actually famous for her historical novels. The local library had The Far Pavilions, so I grabbed it.
It's about a boy born to English parents in India in the mid-19th century, except thanks to events he's quickly orphaned and raised by his nurse as an Indian, and then a lot of stuff happens. It's one of those sweeping epics that just follows this guy through his life and gives you an extensive portrait of India and the people living in it during the time period.
I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit. It's much more tell than show, but the author does it well, and all the characters feel real. I can't speak for the historical accuracy, but it feels like it was the product of a lot of research. So far it's worth a read if you have any interest in India during the time period.