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Perveen Mistry #4
The Mistress of Bhatia House
Bombay’s only female solicitor, Perveen Mistry, grapples with class divisions, sexism, and complex family dynamics as she seeks justice for a mistreated young woman in this thrilling fourth installment in Sujata Massey’s award-winning series.
India, 1922: Perveen Mistry is the only female lawyer in Bombay, a city where child mortality is high, birth control is unavailable and very few women have ever seen a doctor.
Perveen is attending a lavish fundraiser for a new women’s hospital specializing in maternal health issues when she witnesses an accident. The grandson of an influential Gujarati businessman catches fire—but a servant, his young ayah, Sunanda, rushes to save him, selflessly putting herself in harm’s way. Later, Perveen learns that Sunanda, who’s still ailing from her burns, has been arrested on trumped-up charges made by a man who doesn’t seem to exist.
Perveen cannot stand by while Sunanda languishes in jail with no hope of justice. She takes Sunanda as a client, even inviting her to live at the Mistry home in Bombay’s Dadar Parsi colony. But the joint family household is already full of tension. Perveen’s father worries about their law firm taking so much personal responsibility for a client, and her brother and sister-in-law are struggling to cope with their new baby. Perveen herself is going through personal turmoil as she navigates a taboo relationship with a handsome former civil service officer.
When the hospital’s chief donor dies suddenly, Miriam Penkar, a Jewish-Indian obstetrician, and Sunanda become suspects. Perveen’s original case spirals into a complex investigation taking her into the Gujarati strongholds of Kalbadevi and Ghatkopar, and up the coast to Juhu Beach, where a decadent nawab lives with his Australian trophy wife. Then a second fire erupts, and Perveen realizes how much is at stake. Has someone powerful framed Sunanda to cover up another crime? Will Perveen be able to prove Sunanda’s innocence without endangering her own family?
India, 1922: Perveen Mistry is the only female lawyer in Bombay, a city where child mortality is high, birth control is unavailable and very few women have ever seen a doctor.
Perveen is attending a lavish fundraiser for a new women’s hospital specializing in maternal health issues when she witnesses an accident. The grandson of an influential Gujarati businessman catches fire—but a servant, his young ayah, Sunanda, rushes to save him, selflessly putting herself in harm’s way. Later, Perveen learns that Sunanda, who’s still ailing from her burns, has been arrested on trumped-up charges made by a man who doesn’t seem to exist.
Perveen cannot stand by while Sunanda languishes in jail with no hope of justice. She takes Sunanda as a client, even inviting her to live at the Mistry home in Bombay’s Dadar Parsi colony. But the joint family household is already full of tension. Perveen’s father worries about their law firm taking so much personal responsibility for a client, and her brother and sister-in-law are struggling to cope with their new baby. Perveen herself is going through personal turmoil as she navigates a taboo relationship with a handsome former civil service officer.
When the hospital’s chief donor dies suddenly, Miriam Penkar, a Jewish-Indian obstetrician, and Sunanda become suspects. Perveen’s original case spirals into a complex investigation taking her into the Gujarati strongholds of Kalbadevi and Ghatkopar, and up the coast to Juhu Beach, where a decadent nawab lives with his Australian trophy wife. Then a second fire erupts, and Perveen realizes how much is at stake. Has someone powerful framed Sunanda to cover up another crime? Will Perveen be able to prove Sunanda’s innocence without endangering her own family?
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2023
About the author
Sujata Massey
31 books2,469 followersSujata Massey is the author of historical and mystery fiction set in Asia. She is best known for the Perveen Mistry series published in the United States by Soho Press and in India by Penguin Random House India. In June, 2021, THE BOMBAY PRINCE, third book in the series, releases in the US/Canada and Australia/New Zealand; it will be published by Penguin India later the same month.
THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, the first Perveen novel, was named a Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018 and also an Amazon Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018. Additionally, the book won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award, the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Mary Higgins Clark Award, all in 2019.
The second Perveen novel, THE SATAPUR MOONSTONE, won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award in 2020.
Sujata's other works include THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY (2013) and eleven Rei Shimura mysteries published from 1997-2014. For more about Sujata's books and a full events schedule, subscribe to her newsletter, http://sujatamassey.com/newsletter
Sujata lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her family and two dogs. In addition to writing, she loves to travel, read, cook, garden and walk.
THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, the first Perveen novel, was named a Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018 and also an Amazon Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018. Additionally, the book won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award, the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Mary Higgins Clark Award, all in 2019.
The second Perveen novel, THE SATAPUR MOONSTONE, won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award in 2020.
Sujata's other works include THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY (2013) and eleven Rei Shimura mysteries published from 1997-2014. For more about Sujata's books and a full events schedule, subscribe to her newsletter, http://sujatamassey.com/newsletter
Sujata lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her family and two dogs. In addition to writing, she loves to travel, read, cook, garden and walk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 555 reviews
April 15, 2024
One of the most captivating books in my collection as the title of the book matches with my title (read surname)! The book was recommended to me by a dear friend, who stumbled upon it while browsing through Amazon. Having said that, ever since it found its way onto my shelf, it has become one of my most cherished possessions.
Coming to the book, the plot revolves around a conscientious female solicitor, Perveen Mistry, who's combating with everlasting social issues in Indian society - class divisions and sexism, while struggling to seek justice for a woman wrongly accused. All this in 1922 (British) India, where the social system is far from being able to come to terms with the fact that a female can play the role of a solicitor! In a time when the role of women in the legal profession is heavily questioned, Perveen's struggle against these deeply ingrained prejudices while striving to secure justice is significantly profound!
Although Perveen belongs to the aristocratic society, and has been the privileged one - both in terms of education (Oxford - educated) and living standards, she has a strong will to be accepted and exhibit her merits as a solicitor - something which the then existing system is unable to accept. Her spirit to seek justice for Sunanda (the victim), sometimes even by taking ways outside her gamut (though righteous) is commendable. The theme of feminism (in the positive sense of the word) and woman empowerment is manifested here.
Overall, mixed feelings about the book. Mostly positive, although at certain points, it felt a bit stretched. But taking nothing away from the author, Mistress of Bhatia house was an exemplar blend of history, historical fiction, drama, class divisions, gender equality and off course an interestingly poised mystery.
3.5 stars rounded to 3
Coming to the book, the plot revolves around a conscientious female solicitor, Perveen Mistry, who's combating with everlasting social issues in Indian society - class divisions and sexism, while struggling to seek justice for a woman wrongly accused. All this in 1922 (British) India, where the social system is far from being able to come to terms with the fact that a female can play the role of a solicitor! In a time when the role of women in the legal profession is heavily questioned, Perveen's struggle against these deeply ingrained prejudices while striving to secure justice is significantly profound!
Although Perveen belongs to the aristocratic society, and has been the privileged one - both in terms of education (Oxford - educated) and living standards, she has a strong will to be accepted and exhibit her merits as a solicitor - something which the then existing system is unable to accept. Her spirit to seek justice for Sunanda (the victim), sometimes even by taking ways outside her gamut (though righteous) is commendable. The theme of feminism (in the positive sense of the word) and woman empowerment is manifested here.
Overall, mixed feelings about the book. Mostly positive, although at certain points, it felt a bit stretched. But taking nothing away from the author, Mistress of Bhatia house was an exemplar blend of history, historical fiction, drama, class divisions, gender equality and off course an interestingly poised mystery.
3.5 stars rounded to 3
November 25, 2023
The fourth book in this excellent series and Perveen Mistry is still struggling against great odds to be able to do her work as a solicitor. As a woman in 1920s India she is restricted in many ways, and I feel that she only has the opportunity to try because she works with her father and he tends towards a more liberal attitude.
What a complicated country India was at that time, made even more so by the presence of the British. The author does an excellent job of describing the social issues and other problems of the day. She also has the ability to set a scene really well. I have never been to Bombay but Massey made me feel I was there with Perveen as she battled against all those rules, made by men to keep her in her place.
The Mistress of Bhatia House is largely taken up with family issues and Colin only has a small part to play. I wonder how the author plans to progress his relationship with Perveen as it does not seem to have a future, at least not in Bombay! I look forward to finding out in a future book.
What a complicated country India was at that time, made even more so by the presence of the British. The author does an excellent job of describing the social issues and other problems of the day. She also has the ability to set a scene really well. I have never been to Bombay but Massey made me feel I was there with Perveen as she battled against all those rules, made by men to keep her in her place.
The Mistress of Bhatia House is largely taken up with family issues and Colin only has a small part to play. I wonder how the author plans to progress his relationship with Perveen as it does not seem to have a future, at least not in Bombay! I look forward to finding out in a future book.
July 29, 2023
I was so looking forward to the fourth Perveen Mistry tale as the previous three were enjoyable. While the plight of India’s women at this time was a product of both male chauvinism and colonization, I felt preached to. It was not the entertaining read I expected; I felt misled by the title of the book, that the relationship with Colin was poorly handled and didn’t add to the story arc, and there were too many frivolous efforts to introduce red herrings to a weak plot. Our heroine made mistakes in her decisions that were out of keeping with the strengths she had demonstrated in earlier books. Perhaps this was rushed to print before it was ready.
May 27, 2023
Each new volume in Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistery mystery series leaves me even more eager for the next. This is a series in which the characters are well drawn, true to their times even when questioning them, and interesting as individuals as well as problem solvers. As that description might suggest, if you enjoy series mysteries and don't know about Perveen Mistry, you may want to go back and start with the first volume, but you can absolutely jump into them in any order without feeling on the margins.
Set in 1920s Bombay, this series features Perveen Mistry, India's only female soliciter (as in the British sense, meaning lawyer). Perveen has fought hard to achieve her professional goals and still has to fight. Early on, Perveen speaks out during the bail hearing of a woman of a woman accused of aborting her pregnancy. Technically, this is a crime in India at the time, but it's rarely prosecuted, and prosecutions generally focus on the individual who performs the abortion, not the individual seeking to end a pregnancy. The judge she approaches takes time to mock her in front of all assembled, to question her credentials, to remind her that women are not allowed to represent clients in the courtroom, and to eject her from the court. Despite this painful start, Perveen continues investigating on behalf of this woman, researching case law, and questioning whether an abortion even occurred—as that accusation is revealed as connected to possible financial crimes. That's the mystery part of the plot.
Mistress of Bhatia House also develops plot lines among characters. Perveen lives in an extended household that includes her parents, her brother and her sister-in-law, and live-in staff. When the novel opens, Perveen's sister-in-law has given birth and is leaving the traditional forty-day stay at a lying-in facility. She returns home exhausted and angry, quickly taking anyone's comments as criticism, and providing limited care for her child; in other words, she's wrestling with a vicious case of post-partum depression. Suddenly Perveen finds herself at odds with a woman who was once her dearest childhood friend. The marriage between her brother and sister-in-law has become volatile and fractured. In addition, Perveen is in a very modest, but clandestine relationship with a British mapmaker. They love each other, are eager for time together, but social conventions of the time make that very difficult. And the conventions aren't just "outside." Perveen continuously wrestles with herself because she embraces many of these social conventions and feels bound by them. Perveen also begins to see the different ways household staff are treated, which varies widely from home to home, and she comes to question many of her assumptions about what she'd thought of as an acceptable social hierarchy.
This book is an excellent read, not just for mystery fans, but also for anyone interested in exploring historical and/or India-based novels, and for those who question the powers embedded in social structures, particularly those regarding gender and wealth.
If you're looking for a summer read that carries you along comfortably while also pushing you to examine social norms, you're going to love The Mistress of Bhatia House. I received a free electronic copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
Set in 1920s Bombay, this series features Perveen Mistry, India's only female soliciter (as in the British sense, meaning lawyer). Perveen has fought hard to achieve her professional goals and still has to fight. Early on, Perveen speaks out during the bail hearing of a woman of a woman accused of aborting her pregnancy. Technically, this is a crime in India at the time, but it's rarely prosecuted, and prosecutions generally focus on the individual who performs the abortion, not the individual seeking to end a pregnancy. The judge she approaches takes time to mock her in front of all assembled, to question her credentials, to remind her that women are not allowed to represent clients in the courtroom, and to eject her from the court. Despite this painful start, Perveen continues investigating on behalf of this woman, researching case law, and questioning whether an abortion even occurred—as that accusation is revealed as connected to possible financial crimes. That's the mystery part of the plot.
Mistress of Bhatia House also develops plot lines among characters. Perveen lives in an extended household that includes her parents, her brother and her sister-in-law, and live-in staff. When the novel opens, Perveen's sister-in-law has given birth and is leaving the traditional forty-day stay at a lying-in facility. She returns home exhausted and angry, quickly taking anyone's comments as criticism, and providing limited care for her child; in other words, she's wrestling with a vicious case of post-partum depression. Suddenly Perveen finds herself at odds with a woman who was once her dearest childhood friend. The marriage between her brother and sister-in-law has become volatile and fractured. In addition, Perveen is in a very modest, but clandestine relationship with a British mapmaker. They love each other, are eager for time together, but social conventions of the time make that very difficult. And the conventions aren't just "outside." Perveen continuously wrestles with herself because she embraces many of these social conventions and feels bound by them. Perveen also begins to see the different ways household staff are treated, which varies widely from home to home, and she comes to question many of her assumptions about what she'd thought of as an acceptable social hierarchy.
This book is an excellent read, not just for mystery fans, but also for anyone interested in exploring historical and/or India-based novels, and for those who question the powers embedded in social structures, particularly those regarding gender and wealth.
If you're looking for a summer read that carries you along comfortably while also pushing you to examine social norms, you're going to love The Mistress of Bhatia House. I received a free electronic copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
October 29, 2023
The Mistress of Bhatia House is the fourth book in the Perveen Mistry series by award-winning, best-selling British-born American author, Sujata Massey. At Bhatia House for a fund-raising tea in aid of a proposed hospital for women, Perveen Mistry witnesses a heroic act by the family’s ayah that saves the life of the young heir to wealthy widower and stone merchant, Sir Dwarkanath Bhatia’s fortune. Both the boy and his ayah sustain burns, but Dr Miriam Penkar, the future hospital’s medical director, is on hand to help.
A few days later, having inexplicably fallen out of favour with her sister-in-law Gulnaz and her new baby, Perveen seeks to escape the Mistry home by attending to a chore at the bail court. Her wish to further occupy her afternoon is granted when she spots the ayah in a line of prisoners. Sunanda Chavda has been arrested on what Perveen believes is a trumped-up charge, and she is determined to help the courageous young woman.
This is mid-1922, and women are not allowed to speak in court, so she almost gets herself into trouble trying to speak for Sunanda, but she can and does pay her bail. As Sunanda is homeless because of the shame the charge will bring on her family, Perveen takes her home to await trial and tend her infected burns in the servant’s cottage and, while her mother is sympathetic, her father foresees complications, both legal and with the extended family.
To give her client the best chance, Perveen will have to engage a barrister, and depose witnesses, but will the Bhatias pay their employee’s legal fees? She is dismayed by their response, and something about the whole situation has her wondering if there’s more to Sunanda’s story than she’s telling. And then, Dwarkanath Bhatia dies of poisoning…
In the background of all this is Perveen’s developing relationship with former ICS agent, Colin Sandringham, now living in Bombay. She wonders if her acquaintance of Dr Penkar might provide the means to allow her to engage more intimately without disgracing her family. She is a little concerned at the political aspect of the work he has been offered, though.
In an action-packed tale that features wrongful imprisonment, arson, unfair dismissal, corruption, a shooting, and fraud, all leading up to a nail-biting climax, Massey deftly demonstrates the powerlessness of women in this era, even as progressive thinkers are striving to make changes to improve their welfare.
Once again, Massey gives the reader a tale filled with rich everyday historical minutiae, making the detail of custom and ritual easy to assimilate, while providing a plot that will keep the reader guessing until the final pages.
While it could be read as a stand-alone, familiarity with the regular characters and their backgrounds certainly enhances the reader’s enjoyment. There are several unresolved situations that promise further instalments, and more of this fascinating historical crime fiction is most definitely welcome.
A few days later, having inexplicably fallen out of favour with her sister-in-law Gulnaz and her new baby, Perveen seeks to escape the Mistry home by attending to a chore at the bail court. Her wish to further occupy her afternoon is granted when she spots the ayah in a line of prisoners. Sunanda Chavda has been arrested on what Perveen believes is a trumped-up charge, and she is determined to help the courageous young woman.
This is mid-1922, and women are not allowed to speak in court, so she almost gets herself into trouble trying to speak for Sunanda, but she can and does pay her bail. As Sunanda is homeless because of the shame the charge will bring on her family, Perveen takes her home to await trial and tend her infected burns in the servant’s cottage and, while her mother is sympathetic, her father foresees complications, both legal and with the extended family.
To give her client the best chance, Perveen will have to engage a barrister, and depose witnesses, but will the Bhatias pay their employee’s legal fees? She is dismayed by their response, and something about the whole situation has her wondering if there’s more to Sunanda’s story than she’s telling. And then, Dwarkanath Bhatia dies of poisoning…
In the background of all this is Perveen’s developing relationship with former ICS agent, Colin Sandringham, now living in Bombay. She wonders if her acquaintance of Dr Penkar might provide the means to allow her to engage more intimately without disgracing her family. She is a little concerned at the political aspect of the work he has been offered, though.
In an action-packed tale that features wrongful imprisonment, arson, unfair dismissal, corruption, a shooting, and fraud, all leading up to a nail-biting climax, Massey deftly demonstrates the powerlessness of women in this era, even as progressive thinkers are striving to make changes to improve their welfare.
Once again, Massey gives the reader a tale filled with rich everyday historical minutiae, making the detail of custom and ritual easy to assimilate, while providing a plot that will keep the reader guessing until the final pages.
While it could be read as a stand-alone, familiarity with the regular characters and their backgrounds certainly enhances the reader’s enjoyment. There are several unresolved situations that promise further instalments, and more of this fascinating historical crime fiction is most definitely welcome.
August 4, 2023
I'm conflicted about this one. It is the longest book in the series, and I felt it. Some of the plot points felt unnecessary. There was less cultural stuff, which is good. Lots of feminist stuff, good. I loved the new doctor character. But it still reads like a modern-day drama forcefully set in the past. Some lawyer-speak was explained, which is good. Excellent red herrings. But listen, I could not figure out what was the main mystery point, and when finally a murder happened, I could not bring myself to care about the murdered person. I definitely wanted more Colin and I want Massey to forget about facts and history and all that nonsense and make this a straight-up steamy romance.
July 24, 2023
DNF- made it to 100 pages but this dragged. Also far too long. Liked the others in the series so too bad this wasn’t as engaging. Also filled with too many unlikable characters.
July 15, 2023
Unfortunately, this 4th mystery in the Perveen Mystry series piles on every possible difficulty a professional woman might encounter in 1920s India. Well-researched, but over-the-top.
July 13, 2023
This 4th Perveen Mistry novel doesn’t disappoint. There’s wheels within wheels moving when Perveen takes on the case of an arrested Ayah. Perveen find herself confronting women’s issues in a complicated country in the 1920’s, along with racial divides. The case reaches into some powerful places. Fantastic read!
July 14, 2023
I loved being with Perveen again, but The Mistress of Bhatia House was heavy. For most of the book it felt like disappointment after disappointment. Yet, I love seeing the world through Perveen's eyes, and I relate to her observant nature. The family dynamics, particularly with her father, were relatable and interesting in their complexities.
The denouement and resolution were not particularly strong. There are several loose threads that I hope Massey picks up in the next book. I am also a bit confused by the title. While Bhatia House and its mistress play roles in the story, they are not quite so prominent.
This one leaves me eager for the next story and ready to visit with Perveen again.
Content warnings: recollection of rape; violence; post-partum depression
The denouement and resolution were not particularly strong. There are several loose threads that I hope Massey picks up in the next book. I am also a bit confused by the title. While Bhatia House and its mistress play roles in the story, they are not quite so prominent.
This one leaves me eager for the next story and ready to visit with Perveen again.
Content warnings: recollection of rape; violence; post-partum depression
November 16, 2023
In this edition of the series, Perveen has more of a legal mess to navigate rather than a murder mystery to solve. She gets pulled into a murder investigation only because it has a connection to her legal case. The story throws more light faced by its women under the imperialistic and patriarchal society. You feel their frustrations and wish they get their due chance. And as always Bombay is there in the backdrop as a character. Not a quick read by any means but an enjoyable one though.
January 13, 2023
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
I felt like this book was a bit different than the others, focusing more on Perveen's personal life and social issues than the rest of the series has so far. Perveen's standing in her career, as the only woman in a male dominated field where the law works against her, has been a constant battle throughout the series. While we get that here, there's also familial issues, largely surrounding her sister in law, a new mother with postpartum issues, and tensions with her father, who is also her business partner, but doesn't always treat her as such. The case this time is also more personal, focusing on a woman who was wrongfully accused of having an abortion, and how the law does not protect women in these cases. We also see Perveen in a new light as she tries to navigate all of these challenges. Perveen is a strong supporter of women's rights, but is also privileged to come from a well off family who supports her and is surrounding by similarly wealthy and like-minded friends. In her conversations with working class women Perveen comes off as patronizing and hypocritical, though her interactions with them improve over the course of the book. While it did feel like the author was trying to do too much at times, the plot really comes together and we get a satisfying ending that I really enjoyed.
I felt like this book was a bit different than the others, focusing more on Perveen's personal life and social issues than the rest of the series has so far. Perveen's standing in her career, as the only woman in a male dominated field where the law works against her, has been a constant battle throughout the series. While we get that here, there's also familial issues, largely surrounding her sister in law, a new mother with postpartum issues, and tensions with her father, who is also her business partner, but doesn't always treat her as such. The case this time is also more personal, focusing on a woman who was wrongfully accused of having an abortion, and how the law does not protect women in these cases. We also see Perveen in a new light as she tries to navigate all of these challenges. Perveen is a strong supporter of women's rights, but is also privileged to come from a well off family who supports her and is surrounding by similarly wealthy and like-minded friends. In her conversations with working class women Perveen comes off as patronizing and hypocritical, though her interactions with them improve over the course of the book. While it did feel like the author was trying to do too much at times, the plot really comes together and we get a satisfying ending that I really enjoyed.
August 5, 2023
I am a huge Perveen Mistry fan. There is just something about old Bombay and Parsi culture that draws me into @sujatamasseyauthor 's beautifully created fictional world.
This particular one was about a wrongful conviction and how the rich leveraged their privilege to suppress the working class for their own benefit. Perveen Mistry, Bombay's first female solicitor takes on the case and finds her way to the truth bringing justice to the deserved.
Everytime I read books by Massey, I get engrossed in the wonderful depiction of life in the pre-independence era. Massey has an eccentric way of bringing out the Parsi community's finest nuances. What I enjoyed reading most about is the different varieties of food and the architecture described.
I am honestly holding my breath for the next book in the series to be out. I really want to see Colin and Perveen romancing through the book. 😁
This particular one was about a wrongful conviction and how the rich leveraged their privilege to suppress the working class for their own benefit. Perveen Mistry, Bombay's first female solicitor takes on the case and finds her way to the truth bringing justice to the deserved.
Everytime I read books by Massey, I get engrossed in the wonderful depiction of life in the pre-independence era. Massey has an eccentric way of bringing out the Parsi community's finest nuances. What I enjoyed reading most about is the different varieties of food and the architecture described.
I am honestly holding my breath for the next book in the series to be out. I really want to see Colin and Perveen romancing through the book. 😁
August 19, 2023
The mystery is twisty, if a little off kilter; the setting of 1920s upper crust Bombay is beautifully evoked in all its color and awfulness; issues of race, religion, caste, class and gender are woven through the story, if not seamlessly, then certainly with some skill. The proscenium arch of British colonialism contains the whole, and the Britishers when they make an entrance are, on the whole, varying degrees of awful. But the play’s the thing right? We are kept engaged throughout, thanks to the character of Ms. Mistry. Perveen is entirely admirable, without being a plaster saint, and the reader will want her to succeed in the face of what seems like an neverending parade of arseholes she must deal with. And no spoiler really, she does. It’s the how she does wherein the fun lies.
November 5, 2023
This one was a fairly quiet book--lots of Mistry family domestic drama interspersed with the legal mystery.
Well, there is a murder, and some boundary shenanigans, as well as an innocent young woman that Perveen is trying to protect (and represent, legally). Perveen does manage to have a meeting or two with Colin (her would-be beau), and Colin does play a part in revealing the boundary illegalities but otherwise he doesn't have much to do in this book until the very end. Nor do we see much of her friend Alice before the big ending.
And the big ending is a doozy-- we get an exciting confrontation with the murderer.
I really enjoy these books for featuring a good look at colonial India from the perspective of some of the natives.
Well, there is a murder, and some boundary shenanigans, as well as an innocent young woman that Perveen is trying to protect (and represent, legally). Perveen does manage to have a meeting or two with Colin (her would-be beau), and Colin does play a part in revealing the boundary illegalities but otherwise he doesn't have much to do in this book until the very end. Nor do we see much of her friend Alice before the big ending.
And the big ending is a doozy-- we get an exciting confrontation with the murderer.
I really enjoy these books for featuring a good look at colonial India from the perspective of some of the natives.
August 8, 2023
3.5 rounded up. Sneha Mathan is one of my favorite audio narrators. She breathes life into every book she reads and this is no exception. I love the setting, the timeline and Perveen Mistry, the first female solicitor in Bombay. In book #4 the focus is strongly on women's rights and the justice system that makes navigating the fair impartial treatment of women almost impossible. The theme is interesting, reproductive rights and Margaret Sanger are just coming to attention in the world. Female doctors and lawyers are new to India and have to fight for the respect they clearly deserve. For all of those reasons I enjoyed this installment.
What slowed me down was the mystery itself. Complicated land issues and an unwieldy number of minor characters diffused the original plot. There were times I lost the thread and couldn't quite place the characters, wondering what they had to do with the case. I think the book could have been more focused with fewer character distractions. A few questions were left unanswered around Perveen's sister in law. The book is ambitious and even for it's unevenness I look forward to the next book.
What slowed me down was the mystery itself. Complicated land issues and an unwieldy number of minor characters diffused the original plot. There were times I lost the thread and couldn't quite place the characters, wondering what they had to do with the case. I think the book could have been more focused with fewer character distractions. A few questions were left unanswered around Perveen's sister in law. The book is ambitious and even for it's unevenness I look forward to the next book.
July 20, 2023
This series only gets better!
August 15, 2023
A bit too drawn out and slow for my taste (in mysteries), but the historical setting is well-developed. I’m curious to see where the story goes, even if I don’t care for the romance.
August 6, 2023
The parts of this story that took place at home were so wonderful. Perveen goes from being a nervous aunt to eagerly doting on her new niece while improving her relationships with her brother, father, and Gita. (Poor Gita’s been with her through it all!)
All the family time takes away from spending time with people like Alice and Colin. They appear, but not for significant portions of the story. I missed them!
Now, to the main event. Sujata Massey has quite a mind to have plotted this one out. I honestly had no idea about why the crimes were happening and who was responsible. The big reveal comes in an action scene and it’s bananas. In a good way. I do kind of wish Perveen had a little time with Colin after her life was threatened twice in the span of a few minutes, though. Darn propriety for robbing us of a sweet moment.
All the family time takes away from spending time with people like Alice and Colin. They appear, but not for significant portions of the story. I missed them!
Now, to the main event. Sujata Massey has quite a mind to have plotted this one out. I honestly had no idea about why the crimes were happening and who was responsible. The big reveal comes in an action scene and it’s bananas. In a good way. I do kind of wish Perveen had a little time with Colin after her life was threatened twice in the span of a few minutes, though. Darn propriety for robbing us of a sweet moment.
July 18, 2023
I just love this series and was so happy to see the newest book is now available! We continue to follow Perveen Mistry, the first female solicitor in Bombay, as she works with her father to advocate for their clients and inevitably solve a new crime/mystery. This one didn't disappoint as we meet the Bhatia family and their servants, one of whom is arrested for an illegal abortion. This arrest leads Perveen to uncovering much darker family secrets, corruption, and chaos across different families and Bombay society at large.
The book did a really great job of illustrating the complicated family relations, especially between women in extended families, in India during this time period. It also effectively demonstrates the various challenges that women in this society faced in terms of accessing adequate health care, education, and justice in a system that while designed to provide protections for women, also created dangerous and oppressive conditions for them. One reason I love these books is that learning these lessons through Massey's writing never feels preachy or unnatural. I don't specifically seek out fiction that covers these topics. I just like a good story and it's a bonus when I get to learn more about societies I may or may not know about. That is what Massey does and I thank her for it. These are stories about the lives that women could have lived and the characters feel like real women with real happiness, sadness, challenges, and accomplishments. Massey does an amazing job of crafting a story and characters that you care about and want to know more about.
The mysteries (there are several in this one, all tied to the main case) were good, but almost secondary to everything else...you want to know how Perveen will progress, what's going to happen with Gulnaz, who's going to take care of Kushy, will the hospital succeed, etc. There's also a bittersweet romance and I am always wondering how it is going to end and if these characters will eventually find happy lives together.
The whole series is highly recommended if you are interested in historical fiction, India in the 1920s, women in India who are seeking their own level of independence within the larger independence movement, interesting mysteries, and just really good stories. You don't need to read the whole series to enjoy this book, but it will be so much better if you do. I love Perveen and am always eager to learn more about her journey.
The book did a really great job of illustrating the complicated family relations, especially between women in extended families, in India during this time period. It also effectively demonstrates the various challenges that women in this society faced in terms of accessing adequate health care, education, and justice in a system that while designed to provide protections for women, also created dangerous and oppressive conditions for them. One reason I love these books is that learning these lessons through Massey's writing never feels preachy or unnatural. I don't specifically seek out fiction that covers these topics. I just like a good story and it's a bonus when I get to learn more about societies I may or may not know about. That is what Massey does and I thank her for it. These are stories about the lives that women could have lived and the characters feel like real women with real happiness, sadness, challenges, and accomplishments. Massey does an amazing job of crafting a story and characters that you care about and want to know more about.
The mysteries (there are several in this one, all tied to the main case) were good, but almost secondary to everything else...you want to know how Perveen will progress, what's going to happen with Gulnaz, who's going to take care of Kushy, will the hospital succeed, etc. There's also a bittersweet romance and I am always wondering how it is going to end and if these characters will eventually find happy lives together.
The whole series is highly recommended if you are interested in historical fiction, India in the 1920s, women in India who are seeking their own level of independence within the larger independence movement, interesting mysteries, and just really good stories. You don't need to read the whole series to enjoy this book, but it will be so much better if you do. I love Perveen and am always eager to learn more about her journey.
August 17, 2023
The fourth and latest book in the series has left me feeling very lukewarm. Of course, I still enjoy Massey’s writing style, her cleverness of including a lot of cultural and political references from a pre-independent India era and certain delightful charms of her characters. Although this one is another well researched book by her, the entire concept of the book being a murder mystery was sidelined. This book is the lengthiest amongst her other titles but somehow I found it better paced than The Bombay Prince. It also happens to be a lot more bolder than her previous titles.
When Perveen attends a fundraising party on behalf of her sister-in-law, she somehow ends up getting a very unlikely client. A woman is wronged by the powerful and Perveen is instinctively alert to save her client. The story gets tangled as we proceed where secrets and threats fill the pregnant air. Perveen’s own family is under duress as she struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with her sister-in-law. Massey has once again painted a picture of how tough life was for women before independence, but she also manages to introduce some strong female characters in the story.
But somewhere along the lines, the murder mystery took a backseat and it became more of a historical fiction. Certain aspects of the story seemed a little exaggerated but surprisingly this didn’t affect my reading pace. I was expecting to see a lot more of Colin but their time was very limited in the novel. Gulnaz’s character arch too felt too over the top. Nevertheless, Massey has still managed to build Perveen’s character really well. Although this one didn’t impress me much, I do look forward to reading the next books in the series.
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia ✨
When Perveen attends a fundraising party on behalf of her sister-in-law, she somehow ends up getting a very unlikely client. A woman is wronged by the powerful and Perveen is instinctively alert to save her client. The story gets tangled as we proceed where secrets and threats fill the pregnant air. Perveen’s own family is under duress as she struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with her sister-in-law. Massey has once again painted a picture of how tough life was for women before independence, but she also manages to introduce some strong female characters in the story.
But somewhere along the lines, the murder mystery took a backseat and it became more of a historical fiction. Certain aspects of the story seemed a little exaggerated but surprisingly this didn’t affect my reading pace. I was expecting to see a lot more of Colin but their time was very limited in the novel. Gulnaz’s character arch too felt too over the top. Nevertheless, Massey has still managed to build Perveen’s character really well. Although this one didn’t impress me much, I do look forward to reading the next books in the series.
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia ✨
October 22, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this one. This is the fourth installment of the Perveen Mistry series and, as always, I enjoyed the historical richness and cultural nuances (at this point these are almost a given with Massey’s work — she does her research and it shows). In the Mistress of Bhatia house, Massey captures the political tensions of the time while exploring the diverse communities in 1920s Bombay.
However, the plot moved at a snail’s pace and elements of the story felt contrived. Massey tries to tackle issues of race, gender, caste and religion all within 400 pages — but without any great depth. The handling of Gulnaz’s postpartum depression in particular felt clumsy, and the reader’s interactions with Gulnaz were too brief for it to have any real impact. The mystery itself felt drawn out and the conclusion quite rushed, leaving more than a few loose ends.
However, the plot moved at a snail’s pace and elements of the story felt contrived. Massey tries to tackle issues of race, gender, caste and religion all within 400 pages — but without any great depth. The handling of Gulnaz’s postpartum depression in particular felt clumsy, and the reader’s interactions with Gulnaz were too brief for it to have any real impact. The mystery itself felt drawn out and the conclusion quite rushed, leaving more than a few loose ends.
Read
August 1, 2023[Hid my review, but just in case: Spoilers Below!]
There are two entwined mysteries here... but I was much more interested in Sunanda's case.
The solutions to these mysteries can sometimes be a bit convoluted... I'm sure we'd complain if the solution tied everything up too neatly as well! I did enjoy the focus on abortion and women's health, although I'd probably like an even greater focus. It was interesting seeing Gulnaz postpartum but I do wish we had had more interactions of her before this point, because we don't have much to compare to.
Obviously loved the Colin scenes (duh), and the implication that Perveen learned how to have sex without getting pregnant.
And honestly, love that the villain is the white woman who wore a sari and then complained about India. Ha!
There are two entwined mysteries here... but I was much more interested in Sunanda's case.
The solutions to these mysteries can sometimes be a bit convoluted... I'm sure we'd complain if the solution tied everything up too neatly as well! I did enjoy the focus on abortion and women's health, although I'd probably like an even greater focus. It was interesting seeing Gulnaz postpartum but I do wish we had had more interactions of her before this point, because we don't have much to compare to.
Obviously loved the Colin scenes (duh), and the implication that Perveen learned how to have sex without getting pregnant.
And honestly, love that the villain is the white woman who wore a sari and then complained about India. Ha!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2023
I'm really disappointed that the character of Perveen who is so admirable is in this story raptly reading a book by Margaret Sanger, a known eugenicist and racist. The story focuses on fighting for woman's rights but abortion is shown as the answer to Indian women having so many children rather than addressing the main issue of child marriage and child mothers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2024
I'm giving this three stars just as I have to all of the other books in this series...but those were solid 3s and this feels like a generous one.
Yeah, I don't know. This could have been really good if the author hadn't let herself get distracted by side plots that were not germane to the main one. I did really appreciate the nuanced exploration of how complicated criminal cases could be at this time and place, because of societal issues around caste and class and race and gender. And as always, I liked Perveen and how she carefully navigates the world she lives in. She knows her worth and abilities, but she also understands the way things are in India at that time and never behaves anachronistically in that regard. And I will say that I was surprised by the reveal, though I thought it was a little...overwrought.
Plus...it just took too long to get there! This is almost 450 pages and I admit I got bored a number of times while reading. It's very slow-going, and the whole in-depth side story around Perveen's sister-in-law and new baby felt way overdone. I get that it's part of Perveen's life and thus part of her character work, but I felt like it took up too much of the story and always just wanted to get back to the main plot, even though I also thought the main plot was somewhat convoluted. I will also say that while I appreciate having a discussion around reproductive rights in a time and place where there basically were none, that did sometimes come across heavy-handedly. It's clear the author wanted to convey a message, and that's fine, but with this kind of thing, you need to be a little less obvious about it.
I'll keep reading the series, but I'm still hoping that one day, one of them will crack the 3-star glass ceiling.
Yeah, I don't know. This could have been really good if the author hadn't let herself get distracted by side plots that were not germane to the main one. I did really appreciate the nuanced exploration of how complicated criminal cases could be at this time and place, because of societal issues around caste and class and race and gender. And as always, I liked Perveen and how she carefully navigates the world she lives in. She knows her worth and abilities, but she also understands the way things are in India at that time and never behaves anachronistically in that regard. And I will say that I was surprised by the reveal, though I thought it was a little...overwrought.
Plus...it just took too long to get there! This is almost 450 pages and I admit I got bored a number of times while reading. It's very slow-going, and the whole in-depth side story around Perveen's sister-in-law and new baby felt way overdone. I get that it's part of Perveen's life and thus part of her character work, but I felt like it took up too much of the story and always just wanted to get back to the main plot, even though I also thought the main plot was somewhat convoluted. I will also say that while I appreciate having a discussion around reproductive rights in a time and place where there basically were none, that did sometimes come across heavy-handedly. It's clear the author wanted to convey a message, and that's fine, but with this kind of thing, you need to be a little less obvious about it.
I'll keep reading the series, but I'm still hoping that one day, one of them will crack the 3-star glass ceiling.
February 13, 2024
I enjoyed this book for the history of the people and the customs especially pertaining to women’s roles in family and society. The mystery was a trifle weak but still interesting because of the family members and servants. Not sure about Colin and Perveen.
July 16, 2024
My fave of the series so far, included a lot of political history with indian nationalism at that time that was very interesting. Am loving how the protag feels like a real person and grows and evolves throughout the series (lots of mystery protags are the blankest slate people) and I can't wait for the next book to come out
June 27, 2024
4.5⭐️s
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