A Murder on Malabar Hills by Sujata Massey Series: Perveen Mistry #1
Published by Penguin on 09/02/2018
Genres: Mystery, Fiction
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
Set in Bombay, India, 1921, A Murder on Malabar Hills is mystery fiction with touches of historical fiction and is written by Sujata Massey. The book follows a female solicitor who has joined her father’s law firm and happens to be the first female lawyer in India.
During that time, women were not allowed to appear in court under British law. One of the touches of history this book provides. Young Perveen Mistry is appointed to execute the will of Omar Farid, a wealthy mill owner and her suspicions are aroused by a curious provision which could disinherit Farid’s three widows and leave them vulnerable. These widows who by the Muslim law follow a strict seclusion and never leave their quarters or speaking to men. Perveen thinks they are being taken advantage by their guardian appointed by the husband on his deathbed.
She decides to investigate the matter and the tension in the Farid’s household starts to escalate. But then, a murder happens at Farid’s home as she discovers the body and soon she realizes that her identity as solicitor changes.
The setting of the plot is something that not many Indian writers have explored. It is an era before the independence of India, just after the world war and full of political tension. There is more than to the plot than a traditional murder mystery. Massey has put a lot of effort in exploring the communities of Parsis majorly. The setting of Perveen’s household, the detailing of Bombay, Parsis’ their religious rituals and marital laws make this book a realistic enough. At that time, the city of Bombay contained a multiplicity of cultures, classes, and languages and Massey has done well in the department of researching it thoroughly. Written in engrossingly in a third person narrative voice, there is a subplot set in 1916-17 that spotlights Perveen’s past and her short marriage and how she came across to be the first solicitor. This backstory is one of the good signs that there will be a second book and pulling skeletons out of the closet of a character is always a delight for a reader, reading the mystery. Not only that, the backstory copes well with the ongoing plot and does not feel at all as a dragging element.
The characterization of in this novel is realistic. The character of Perveen, our protagonist, her family including her father, brother, sister-in-law, and mother. Her British friend and the three widows of Farid household. Even the supporting characters fill well. There is some reflection of a typical Indian household between a child and their parents, especially a girl child, by showcasing Perveen’s relationship with her father.
The major theme of the book is gender equality. It is not only that Perveen’s work as a detective in solving the mystery, though she is not the typical type. A lot of emphases has been put on the theme and I think it is necessary even after almost a hundred years, there is suffering from that all over the world, I am sure. Some might think it is hardcore feminism, but I do not think it that way. I think it is an urgency and an ultimate necessity in such an advanced age to be responsible for it and make a change by eliminating this norm developed by an ancient bunch of men to feel powerful over the infinite. The powerful character of Perveen is 23 years old and in those many years, the author has shown how much she has been through in her span of life.
This book is perfect in many ways. I think I am doing justice to it by writing this review, but to do the justice yourself, you should read this book.
5 out of 5!
Note: I got the invite from the publisher to attend a Blogger’s Meet (including Book signing) with the author herself. Will be posting the recorded session in an upcoming post. Stay tuned.
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Sujuta is a really nice person. I know her from Sisters in Crime. I’ll have to check out this book. Thanks! 🙂
I have to check her other books. I definitely liked this one. Looking forward to read your view on this one. 🙂
As always a nicely done review.
👍