The Marathas 1600–1818 (The New Cambridge History of India)

This is a good book for the educated lay reader. The Maratha period reminds me of fourteenth century Italy, the same rather confusing machinations of warring entities.

This book is less about the "event history" (battles, rulers) than about the structures of the Maratha polity. Lots of talk about landholding, administration, changing military strategies, and the balance of power between Maratha groups.This may be the only recent (1993) book on this subject in English. At least, I wasn't able to find any others.