Sunday, December 18, 2022

On My Radar: Sujata Massey's The Mistress of Bhatia House!

 


In the past few years, more and more crime fiction has been written that is set in India, and I enjoy learning more about that country-- especially its history-- so it's no surprise that I was thrilled to see that Sujata Massey has a new Perveen Mistry historical mystery being released next year.  Let me tell you more about it!
 
 
Available July 11, 2023!

 
 
Synopsis:
 
"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?


The Mistress of Bhatia House sounds like another absorbing read, doesn't it? I'm really looking forward to it and to learning more about that time period in India. I'm sure that many of you will agree that people who think crime fiction reading is akin to eating junk food don't know what they're talking about. These authors work hard on their research to get things right in the mysteries they write, and I've learned a lot more than mere methods of murder when I read them.

Have you made Perveen Mistry's acquaintance yet? If you enjoy well-written historical mysteries, I urge you to give this series a try!

20 comments:

  1. Yippee. Another Perveen Mistry book. How good to see that. And there's even a Jewish-Indian ob-gyn in it. How interesting. I had never thought of Jewish people living in India 100 years ago. And I'll be looking at maps and photos of the region, while enjoying reading about the legal wrangling and characters. Can't wait.

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  2. I'm very happy to hear this, Cathy! Massey really is such a skilled writer, and I do like her ability to place the reader in setting and time. This one sounds as though it's got several fascinating layers to it, too, which makes it all the more appealing.

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    1. I really like the way she weaves her research into her stories.

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  3. This does sound like it'll be a very interesting read.

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  4. I've added this to my (very long) list.

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    1. Something tells me that our lists are of comparable size, Dorothy. ;-)

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  5. I agree with you, I have learned much more than methods of murder in crime fiction. I just finished a book that took place in India in the late 1940's. What a fascinating country it is! This does sound like an absorbing read!

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    1. Now you've got me curious about the book you just read. I'll have to keep an eye peeled for your review.

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  6. Can I as Gretchen what book she read?

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    1. Unless she's signed up to follow comments on this post, she's not going to answer, but you can do what I'll do and keep an eye out for her review on her Clearwater Daybook blog.

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    2. You can certainly keep your eye on my blog for my review (and I hope that you do🙂), but I will relieve your suspense by telling you the book I read was Death in Kashmir by M.M. Kaye.

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    3. Kate, Kathy, and I thank you!

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  7. I keep meaning to start this series, and getting sidetracked. The good thing about well-written books is that they'll still be good when their turn comes to be read.

    And I am also curious about the book that Gretchen referred to in her comment.

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  8. Can't wait! This is a wonderful series!

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!