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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.
annarella's review
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.
pvn's review
4.0
A very good mystery with a fun plot, humor, and interesting characters. Recommended for mystery fans. This is very talented author.
I really appreciate the copy for review!
I really appreciate the copy for review!
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