The Widows of Malabar Hill (A Perveen Mistry Novel)

It has received rave reviews from many guests on the "What Should I Read Next?" podcast and from the podcast host Ann Bogel. The setting in 1920s Bombay is rich and well-researched. The author consulted many experts to understand the culture, the daily lives, the customs, and even the foods of that time and place, so the reader has the past brought alive. She uses many terms and references from the era and includes an alphabetical glossary to aid the reader. This was helpful but not at all necessary to enjoy the book. The heroine, Perveen Mistry, is Bombay's first female lawyer, practicing with her father in the well-respected firm of Mistry Law, founded by her grandfather. Her character is based, in part, on a real woman who made history as India's first female attorney. Mistry Law must execute the will of a wealthy Muslim mill owner, Omar Farid. Perveen finds the paperwork suspicious: all three of Farid's wives have signed over their inheritance to a charity, but what would they live on? Do they understand what they're doing...or are they being coerced by an unscrupulous male guardian? The widows live in full purdah—strict seclusion—never leaving the women's quarters or speaking to men face-to-face. As Perveen gains access to the women, her suspicions are confirmed, but when tensions lead to a murder, she and her father find a baffling collection of clues that keep them from knowing whom to trust. Threaded throughout is Perveen's backstory of a disastrous marriage and her own commitment to making sure the widows are protected from antiquated inheritance laws. Excitement builds as some members of the Farid household disappear and Perveen herself becomes a target. This delicious who-done-it is set against the backdrop of the fascinating multicultural city of Bombay, where not only were there rigidly observed separations between British authorities and native Indians, but there were also huge cultural differences between Muslims, Hindus, and Zoroastrians. These all added color and interest to the story, and even though Perveen's family was progressive for the time, they too were shackled by cultural norms, standards, and expectation. This book would make a great movie, and I certainly hope we'll see more of this engaging and impetuous heroine.

THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL by Sujata Massey If you like historical fiction, especially India in early 20th century, and learning about different cultures and ways of life, you will like this book. While it is a murder mystery, it is also an exploration of the various cultures active in India from 1915 to 1922. The heroine is a young woman Parisi (Zoroastrian) who has trained to be a solicitor (lawyer) at Oxford and is working in her father’s firm when three widows, Muslims who live in Purda or complete seclusion from men, need a lawyer. A murder occurs, and Perveen, the untried female lawyer, is the only one who can enter the widows’ seclusion. The situation of women of all faiths becomes integral to the plot, as do marriage customs, inheritance, family practices, the law, the role of the English in India, Indian independence, class strictures and even education and employment for women. While the plot moves slowly, the descriptions of a way of life unknown to most Americans, keeps the reader interested and reading. Besides a murder, there are also two kidnappings, financial shenanigans, jewelry theft, families in crisis, and other plot devices to keep interest high. The noises, smells and flavors of Bombay and Calcutta set the scene. Clearly drawn characters and lively writing add to a tale well worth spending time with tea, curry and Perveen as she navigates the path forward with three widows who are clearly not sisters of the heart. 4 of 5 stars

This novel is #1 in A Perveen Mistry Novel. It takes place in 1920's colonial India. There is a lot of references to Indian customs and food so it's educational as much as a very good story. Perveen is the first female lawyer in Bombay at the time. She has an intelligent and inquiring mind that serves her well in solving the mystery. And she is a very likeable character, as are most of the rest of the characters. It is interesting to read about some of the mores of that period, particularly regarding women. I look forward to the next 2 books in the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The mystery portion was the equivalent of "light reading" or a cozy mystery, and the historical/cultural aspects were interesting enough to deepen the book enough to make it more than just a pleasant read. There were sections where the narrative, the main character, or the plot seemed a bit naive - I'm not sure whether that was due to a new author making her way, or an attempt to portray the women as overly protected and therefor somewhat naive about the world around them. If I could have, I would have given the book 3.5 stars instead of 4, and that naiveté was the main reason for that. All that said, the author did have an interesting plot, made more interesting by placing it in a time and culture that made the book educational as well as fun to read. The characters were believable. The plot had a few twists and turns that made turning to the next page fun. The personal story of the main character, mixed in with the mystery plot, mixed in with the historical and cultural tidbits of time and place, all worked well together and made for a book to enjoy.

Ms Massey writes a poor mystery but and very interesting books on India's women's rights movement.

What a wonderful world to explore in this book. Not only in fictional history but culture that confounds and delights. Characters and backgrounds are visible in my minds eye while indulging my love of a twisted mystery to try and figure out or let it tug me along like an unseen current. I enjoyed this book very much. It makes you wonder throughout, "who done it" with a surprise. I recommend this book to those that enjoy reading and thinking at the same time.

Great author. She takes us back to early 20th century India.

Having lived for a time in Bombay, now known as Mumbai, I was immediately drawn to The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. Not just because I resided on Malabar Hill of all places. What caught my attention was the setting and the storyline about an aspiring female lawyer in 1920's India. Despite such a unique premise, I've found it hard to read at times due to the overlap between past and present. That's why I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Perveen Mistry is a privileged woman. Of Parsi descent, her family is so open-minded to encourage her to study law and pursue a legal career in her father's law firm even though no women have been admitted to the Indian bar. It isn't a problem for Perveen, who dreams of becoming India's first female solicitor and has studied in Oxford after overcoming a wrong personal decision. She's happy to prepare briefs and examine the finer points of rules and regulations until the settlement of an inheritance among three Muslim widows requires her to go on the front line. Since the widows are full purdah—in strict seclusion, they can't talk to any males who aren't related to them. Perveen will have to be her father's eyes and ears, especially when the inheritance renouncement will turn into murder. The criminal twist is just an excuse the author adopts to describe the reality of women's lives back in the 1920s. I like how Mrs. Massey exposes the seclusion and often the abuses perpetrated on the different women portrayed in this book. Whether Muslim, Hindu, Parsi, or even British, they're all under the thumb of a chauvinistic system that allows only men the freedom to choose how to live their lives. The unfairness of it is what has kept me hooked to the last page, along with the realization that in many ways, one hundred years haven't improved women's conditions all that much. Even sadder the awareness that often it's the women themselves who uphold this unjust system and go from victims to executioners in the blink of an eye. On the downside, the narration isn't fluid. The telling of the widows:' troubles is fragmented with Perveen's past experiences. I've also found the dialogue tags a bit repetitive. Too many crisply, soberly, and said for my taste though, fortunately, don't diminish the reader's enjoyment of a tale that has to be told. I definitely recommend this book to all the women readers looking for more than a mystery novel.

Enjoyable, interesting reading with some crime story. Exotic world for a Western reader.

48 pgs are missing in the book

This book was a joy to read. This author appears to have it all: great characters that leap off the page, an intriguing story and the ability to convey a sense of time and place. A beautifully written book that made me eager to read more. I can’t wait for the next installment. A note of caution to Australian readers: This book wasn’t published here for more than a year after its American and English publication during which time it was available via Amazon. In Australia it has been given a slightly different title to make it look like another title in the series. Such blatant attempts to deceive should be outlawed!