The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

THE BOMBAY PRINCE by skilled author Sujata Massey is the third mystery in the Perveen Mistry series, set in 1920s India and featuring a female solicitor based in Bombay. Other titles are The Widows of Malabar Hill and The Satapur Moonstone. As ever, Perveen Mistry’s heart is touched by others in need and this story starts with a visit from a young college student, Freny Cuttingmaster, hoping to avoid showing respect at an upcoming visit by the British royal family. That young girl is killed the same day as the parade honoring the visit and Perveen Mistry struggles to solve the crime while dealing with numerous constraints because of her gender and religion. The strength of this series is based not only on the complex “whodunit” aspects, but also on the detailed background provided about the political situation, historical societal practices, and religious beliefs. THE BOMBAY PRINCE received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Other mysteries set in India include those by Abir Mukherjee and Nev March.

The Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Massey

THE MISTRESS OF BHATIA HOUSE by Sujata Massey (The Bombay Prince) is the latest in the historical mystery series featuring Perveen Mistry, a female solicitor in India. Massey masterfully evokes 1920s Bombay and the rampant prejudice and discrimination faced by women, whether poor servants, like Sunanda, or highly educated and professional, like Perveen. Accused of Garbhapaat, knowingly causing an abortion, Sunanda is jailed until, by chance, Perveen intervenes and offers respite at Mistry House. It is difficult to find a male barrister willing to represent Sunanda and tensions escalate between Perveen and her father, who is also a lawyer and her business partner. The mystery becomes more complicated when a rich donor to a women’s hospital dies and multiple suspects turn to Perveen for guidance. The story is slow in places, but the echoes of today’s debates over women’s rights to make decisions about their own bodies cannot be ignored. Kirkus sums up THE MISTRESS OF BHATIA HOUSE  well: “A complex whodunit that also provides a fascinating immersion in a bygone era.”

The Star from Calcutta by Sujata Massey

THE STAR FROM CALCUTTA by Sujata Massey is the fifth mystery in the series  (see The Widows of Malabar Hill and others) featuring Perveen Mistry in 1920s India. Once again, the first female lawyer in Bombay is working a unique case, this time involving the moviemaking industry. Her client, Rochana, is a famous star originally from Calcutta and now in some danger as she and her new husband may lose their film company. Even Perveen and her friend Alice Hobson-Jones may fall under suspicion when a film censor is found dead after a screening they all attended. Massey offers suspense in an intriguing setting with likeable characters. THE STAR FROM CALCUTTA received a starred review from Booklist (“wonderful history-mystery read, filled with fascinating details both of the complexity of life in British India and of the workings of the 1920s film world”).   

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

DETECTIVE AUNTY by Uzma Jalaluddin (Ayesha at Last) is the first book in a new series featuring Kauser Khan, recently widowed older woman who returns to Toronto to help her daughter and the family. Called “Jack Reacher in a dupatta,” Khan’s heritage is South Asian and Muslim and there are frequent references to desi culture, including the numerous proverbial cups of chai as Kauser interviews suspects and attempts to solve a murder. Kauser is an appealing, sympathetic character although others (Kauser’s children, her friends, the dead real estate owner, his family, various business competitors) could have been more fully developed. No doubt that will occur (especially with the potential romance with a handsome solicitor) in future mysteries in this series. Jalaluddin writes that “Kauser Khan is my homage to community and second chances. May we all be involved by the former and gifted with the latter.” DETECTIVE AUNTY, although a bit repetitive in spots, received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus and is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May. Library Journal says, “Recommended for fans of Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry books and Robert Thorogood's 'Marlow Murder Club' series."