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A review by usbsticky
The Case of the Reincarnated Client by Tarquin Hall
5.0
I'm a fan of this series and I've read all the books (except for the short story). I like this series because I like the characters and the setting. The setting is chaotic India with its diverse peoples, hectic way of life, the cultures and the food. I like Vish Puri, the private detective who is always entertaining and his supporting case of family and employees. His mummy-ji is always in the plot solving one of the mysteries and there is sure to be some of Vish's old friends. I would highly recommend this series if you like India and mysteries.
Speaking of which, the mystery part is only okay. Up to 5 different mysteries are included in each book, which makes it a bit busy. I have no idea why the author chooses to write it this way. There is also no great suspense, the mysteries are usually solved with plain good old footwork and a sudden revelation at the end. Usually 1-2 of the small ones are woven in and around the main mysteries and then presented with a fait accompli at the end. But I have to admit the detective protocol parts are usually pretty well written.
Summary with real spoilers. I write this main for myself so I can remember what the book is about. Don't read this part unless you want to know all about the book.
1) A disgruntled former client wants to sue Vish because of the prenuptial check up work he did in vetting the groom for his daughter. The problem is that after marriage, the groom was found to snore so loudly that the bride couldn't sleep and is destroying the marriage. Vish finds out that the groom's ex-girlfriend and current wife conspire to taint the groom's toothpaste with cat dander which he is allergic to. Apparently both are pissed at him and want to destroy the marriage.
2) The title mystery: A practitioner of life regression therapy and hypnotist discovers that a client's (Saanvi) past life is that of a woman (Riya Kaur) who was murdered in the Anti-Sikh Riots of 1984. Puri's father was the investigating officer but even though the woman's husband was suspected as the murderer, nothing could be proved. What is strange is that Saanvi has intimate knowledge of Riya Kaur's past life that only she would know.
In the end, with the help of Mummy-ji, they find that both Saanvi and the real Riya Kaur (who did not die in the riots) were residents in the same ashram. Riya more or less adopted Saanvi and told her many incidents in her past life which Saanvi then repeated as her own life during the hypnosis sessions.
3) The Indian government decides to enact a demonetization program to trade in old 500 and 1000 rupee notes for new ones. The purpose is to catch out the black economy and people with under the table transactions because they would have to prove where they got their money from. While at a bank's toilet, he overhears someone in the next stall planning to launder a lot of the old bank notes. With nothing more than a clue of hairy toes, he and Inspector Singh manages to catch the culprit.
4) Not a real mystery but Vish's daughter wishes to marry a Bengali. He is initially against it and gets a colleague to dig up dirt on this man (Bish). Meanwhile Vish's trusty Ambassador car has been damaged during an assassination attempt on him. Pretty much everyone wants him to trade in his old car for a new one except for him. Bish gets to have dinner with Vish's family and initially Vish felt a bit negative towards him, however he finds out that Bish is a car enthusiast and also has a soft spot for Ambassadors.
Overall, a very enjoyable read for me.
Speaking of which, the mystery part is only okay. Up to 5 different mysteries are included in each book, which makes it a bit busy. I have no idea why the author chooses to write it this way. There is also no great suspense, the mysteries are usually solved with plain good old footwork and a sudden revelation at the end. Usually 1-2 of the small ones are woven in and around the main mysteries and then presented with a fait accompli at the end. But I have to admit the detective protocol parts are usually pretty well written.
Summary with real spoilers. I write this main for myself so I can remember what the book is about. Don't read this part unless you want to know all about the book.
1) A disgruntled former client wants to sue Vish because of the prenuptial check up work he did in vetting the groom for his daughter. The problem is that after marriage, the groom was found to snore so loudly that the bride couldn't sleep and is destroying the marriage. Vish finds out that the groom's ex-girlfriend and current wife conspire to taint the groom's toothpaste with cat dander which he is allergic to. Apparently both are pissed at him and want to destroy the marriage.
2) The title mystery: A practitioner of life regression therapy and hypnotist discovers that a client's (Saanvi) past life is that of a woman (Riya Kaur) who was murdered in the Anti-Sikh Riots of 1984. Puri's father was the investigating officer but even though the woman's husband was suspected as the murderer, nothing could be proved. What is strange is that Saanvi has intimate knowledge of Riya Kaur's past life that only she would know.
In the end, with the help of Mummy-ji, they find that both Saanvi and the real Riya Kaur (who did not die in the riots) were residents in the same ashram. Riya more or less adopted Saanvi and told her many incidents in her past life which Saanvi then repeated as her own life during the hypnosis sessions.
3) The Indian government decides to enact a demonetization program to trade in old 500 and 1000 rupee notes for new ones. The purpose is to catch out the black economy and people with under the table transactions because they would have to prove where they got their money from. While at a bank's toilet, he overhears someone in the next stall planning to launder a lot of the old bank notes. With nothing more than a clue of hairy toes, he and Inspector Singh manages to catch the culprit.
4) Not a real mystery but Vish's daughter wishes to marry a Bengali. He is initially against it and gets a colleague to dig up dirt on this man (Bish). Meanwhile Vish's trusty Ambassador car has been damaged during an assassination attempt on him. Pretty much everyone wants him to trade in his old car for a new one except for him. Bish gets to have dinner with Vish's family and initially Vish felt a bit negative towards him, however he finds out that Bish is a car enthusiast and also has a soft spot for Ambassadors.
Overall, a very enjoyable read for me.