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thain's review against another edition
4.0
India’s Most Private Investigator, assisted by his Mummy, takes on a variety of cases including a snoring bridegroom and woman claiming to be the reincarnation of a murder victim. A welcome return for this humorous mystery series.
veereadstoomuch's review
5.0
This is an interesting book! Puri's mom wants him to help her new friend who may be a reincarnated victim of one of Puri's dad's old cases. Puri's mom is very involved in this case. It's a mystery, is this new woman a reincarnation of the victim? How does she know so much when she's so young? The story travels around different areas and it goes into what hypnosis, reincarnation, and the past.
I could NOT figure out how or what was happening. The ending was satisfying and I liked it.
I could NOT figure out how or what was happening. The ending was satisfying and I liked it.
ofloveandlayovers's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
bookworm_baggins's review against another edition
4.0
I’m so sad to have come to the end of this series. It’s just a delightful mix of Indian culture and politics, so immersive and real feeling. The mysteries are always a little quirky but they fully fit with the detective - I love him and his supporting cast of characters so much. Books 3 and 4 were probably the strongest in the series, but I love that each one ends up being deeper than expected. Such a great series.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
A delightful and fun story, an interesting description of India and a great cast of characters make this story a very interesting read.
I loved the well thought cast, the vivid and fascinating setting and solid mystery, and the humour.
It was a great read and I am getting the previous books in this great cozy mystery story as it can become one of my favorite.
It was an excellent and fun read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I loved the well thought cast, the vivid and fascinating setting and solid mystery, and the humour.
It was a great read and I am getting the previous books in this great cozy mystery story as it can become one of my favorite.
It was an excellent and fun read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
abookandaspotoftea's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
kimmerp's review against another edition
3.0
Another solid book by Tarquin Hall. I like that there were three different "investigations" going on in the book. I also liked the addition of Muumy-ji!
emjrey's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this read. The main character, Puri, was not so likeable. So that was an interesting thing to have- I warmed up very slightly towards him in the end. His mother and other characters were a bit more charming. He felt a bit cantankerous/arrogant.
Before reading I didnt know that this was the 5th book in the series (free book) so perhaps I would have understood the protagonist better having read the previous ones. Not to say that you cant read this as a stand alone book though.
There is a lot of talk and description of what he eats which was a little tiring at times but also made me hungry.
Ultimately I enjoyed this read and would read more of the author, perhaps starting at the beginning.
Before reading I didnt know that this was the 5th book in the series (free book) so perhaps I would have understood the protagonist better having read the previous ones. Not to say that you cant read this as a stand alone book though.
There is a lot of talk and description of what he eats which was a little tiring at times but also made me hungry.
Ultimately I enjoyed this read and would read more of the author, perhaps starting at the beginning.
pennyriley's review against another edition
5.0
I think this series just gets better and better! The fifth entry to the Vish Puri mysteries is the best yet with Vish Puri and his Mummy up to their usual magic in solving some of Delhi's darkest mysteries. Written agains the background of India's 2016 demonetisation when RS 500 and 2000 notes were declared non grata overnight, every aspect is totally authentic, down to the names of the restaurants our food l loving detective haunts. Knowing the city where these books are set adds a layer of satisfaction to the stories, but even without that they would prove most enjoyable.
ksmarsden's review against another edition
2.0
Vish Puri finds himself in the middle of an unbelievable case of a murdered woman being reborn. Is she telling the truth, or is there something more sinister at play?
I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I have read in the Vish Puri series. It kinda reads as a stand-alone, but I would have benefited knowing more of the history.
Puri - aka "Chubby" - is a middle-aged, overweight private detective. His company is busy with several small cases, when something a little more personal drops into his lap. The murder of Riya Kaur nearly forty years ago, is one of Puri's late-father's unsolved cases.
Driven by the relentlessly-well-meaning Mummy-ji, new evidence comes to light. A young woman believes that she is the reincarnated Riya.
Puri has to uncover the truth behind the young woman's visions, to get to the bottom of this case.
It was interesting to read of this story set in India, getting a feel for the daily life, and the corruption that Puri is aware of all around him.
I like how it wove together the languages, making it feel very authentic.
The not-so-good
I did not like Puri. Our main character has all the arrogance of a big fish in a small pond. He's dismissive of all the work his colleagues and employees do. He treats women like second-class citizens. His wife is only appreciated as far as she's providing food; and Puri cares more about food than anything else.
This could be a cookbook, as Puri salivates over his various meals, replaying them in his mind in such detail; compared to the rushed "plot".
It would be OK if Puri being unlikeable was the point, but everyone treats him with deference.
There was a lot of posturing over previous cases. If I'd read the rest of the series, I might have appreciated these little nods. As I've come in at this point, it felt pretentious.
There were loads of annotations, linking to explanations at the back of the book. A few of these explained phrases, but they mostly echoed back to Puri's previous successes, with a similar smugness.
The book was not for me, and I'm not in a rush to read other books by this author.
I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I have read in the Vish Puri series. It kinda reads as a stand-alone, but I would have benefited knowing more of the history.
Puri - aka "Chubby" - is a middle-aged, overweight private detective. His company is busy with several small cases, when something a little more personal drops into his lap. The murder of Riya Kaur nearly forty years ago, is one of Puri's late-father's unsolved cases.
Driven by the relentlessly-well-meaning Mummy-ji, new evidence comes to light. A young woman believes that she is the reincarnated Riya.
Puri has to uncover the truth behind the young woman's visions, to get to the bottom of this case.
It was interesting to read of this story set in India, getting a feel for the daily life, and the corruption that Puri is aware of all around him.
I like how it wove together the languages, making it feel very authentic.
The not-so-good
I did not like Puri. Our main character has all the arrogance of a big fish in a small pond. He's dismissive of all the work his colleagues and employees do. He treats women like second-class citizens. His wife is only appreciated as far as she's providing food; and Puri cares more about food than anything else.
This could be a cookbook, as Puri salivates over his various meals, replaying them in his mind in such detail; compared to the rushed "plot".
It would be OK if Puri being unlikeable was the point, but everyone treats him with deference.
There was a lot of posturing over previous cases. If I'd read the rest of the series, I might have appreciated these little nods. As I've come in at this point, it felt pretentious.
There were loads of annotations, linking to explanations at the back of the book. A few of these explained phrases, but they mostly echoed back to Puri's previous successes, with a similar smugness.
The book was not for me, and I'm not in a rush to read other books by this author.