Widows of Malabar Hill, The
Massey, SujataPerveen Mistry, one of India's first female lawyers, knows from personal experience the importance of the legal code in safeguarding women's rights, especially after marriage. Working for her father's law firm, Perveen becomes involved in executing the will of a wealthy Muslim businessman whose three widows live in strict isolation. When there is some doubt that the household's appointed guardian has the widows' best interests at heart, Perveen is drawn into an intriguing mystery, one that will put lives at risk.
Engaging and original, this multifaceted story of 1920s Bombay is rich with period detail and the religious and cultural practices of the day.
Pages
381
381
Year
2018
2018
Reviews
07-03-2024
Very mixed reactions from our group. Some found it very wordy and the "detective" element rather unbelievable. The capture of Parveen and her unlikely escape, added nothing to the story nor to the issues that were clearly addressed - equality, women's rights, class, colonialism etc. No one would be inclined to read another in the series.
04-03-2024
All loved this as a light read in the style of Agatha Christie.
26-02-2024
Our group all enjoyed this book. We found it easy to read, insightful and well researched. The only negative was that it felt modern, perhaps not reflective of the 1920's. Inspiring!
09-11-2023
This book rated high amongst our members. As well as being a good mystery, we all gained an interesting glimpse of life as a young woman lawyer in 1920s Bombay. A well researched novel that entertained as well as educated us on life 'as it was'.
31-10-2023
Enjoyed by all. Included a number of different cultures in India in the early 20th century, concentrating on matters relating to women. Led to lots of talk about so many of the issues covered in the historical novel. Author had obviously done a lot of research.
13-07-2023
We all enjoyed a glimpse into another culture that we knew very little about. All agreed it was a slow start but it definitely picked up towards the end.
11-04-2023
Easy read, good story. We enjoyed the view of India, and the history, and the mystery.
28-03-2023
Interesting, but would have preferred the story to be sequenced in time. Impressive research on legal matters in colonial India. Too long to get to the murder and nothing about how the 3 wives managed after leaving - that would be a good sequel. Legal drama and cultural background well done. Readers frustrated by constant and misplaced flashbacks.
07-03-2023
Most of the group enjoyed this book. It was a good mix of a crime novel plus information on the customs of the different racial and religious factions of the population in 1920s India, particularly Parsi, and the place of women in these factions.
28-11-2022
We loved it, especially those of us who had spent time in India. A mystery - an added bonus. More like this please!
08-11-2022
We all really enjoyed this book. Learnt a lot about India - colonisation, ethnic groups within India and their differences. Well-written.
12-10-2022
All members thought this book to be excellent. Well-written, informative with shockingly accurate details of women's lives in 1920s India. We thought the strands of the plot were woven together seamlessly - the law, the mystery, the lives. Parveen was believable and engaged our sympathies from the start. The contrast between her family and Cyrus's was stark. We wondered if life for strict Parsis has changed much over the years
30-09-2022
The group was impressed with the wealth of information in this book over the various cultures in India, the English colonisation, the situation at the start of the 20th century and, in particular, the matters relating to the situation of women in that world. The writing was excellent and the structure of the novel was interesting and lucid. One of our members said that it was ruined by the murder mystery aspect.
04-09-2022
A well thought out storyline, generally well written, with a good pace and interesting details. Insightful and sensitive descriptions of various religions, especially the Parsis.
06-05-2022
We loved the book!
30-03-2022
An interesting book with cultural insights into Indian life. Some in our group found the beginning hard going - but worth pushing on.
08-02-2022
We all loved the book. Many layered and felt realistic of the time.
20-09-2021
This would be one of the most popular and enjoyable books this year. A story well crafted, with interesting snippets of 1920s India where the British were still ruling, plus a mystery to solve.
14-09-2021
Everyone in the group found this a very interesting read as well as being informative. The book was well written, the storylines were interwoven well and it covered many aspects of different cultures from not such distant times. This is a great book for discussion as it provoked us into issues of gender, race, religion, culture and era.
07-07-2021
All our group enjoyed this book. It was interesting and well-written with a good storyline. We all learned much of the Parsi Indian culture. Best book so far this year. We will look for further books by this author.
09-06-2021
Enjoyed by everyone. Well-written and very interesting to learn about the different Indian cultures and customs. Created extra dimensions to the plot.
31-05-2021
We all loved this book. Apart from the theme of a ripping good murder mystery, we had an interesting glimpse of life as a young woman lawyer in 1920s Bombay. There was an introduction into purdah, and also women's legal rights at that time. The book sparked many interesting topics for discussion, which was spirited and enlightening.
31-05-2021
Mixed views of the book. Cultural details enjoyed - in fact the insights were the interesting aspects. Some of the questions were difficult to answer, with our ignorance of contemporary clashes between cultures.
25-05-2021
Everyone in the group enjoyed this book. Some loved it and immediately read other books by the author, others saw it as a good holiday read but not particularly compelling. Interesting setting and plenty of information about the culture to ensure a good discussion.
07-05-2021
All enjoyed. Learnt interesting facts. Some found writing a bit predictable.
07-05-2021
A nice easy read. It was Rom Com meets Murder Mystery, with an added bonus of an insight into Indian culture and traditions. Some likeable characters - would make a good film!
07-05-2021
Good discussion on Muslim culture and women's oppression according to Western standards. We thought the ending was too abrupt, almost as if the author got tired of the story. Some of us thought the murder made the book more 'tawdry'.
07-05-2021
We thought there was a plethora of events - a narrative 'overkill'. However, we enjoyed the journey into India and the subversive culture for females. Lots of conversation was had regarding the era, and how lucky we are to be a female in NZ in the 21st century.
07-05-2021
Half really liked, others not so much. Some felt the mystery part not needed, and it could have had tighter editing.
24-03-2021
An easy read, incorporating a lot of background information.
22-03-2021
Members enjoyed this novel so much, that we request the Book Discussion Scheme consider having more novels by Sujata Massey on the book list.
17-02-2021
Easy reading. Great holiday read. Well-written and complex enough to hold attention.
11-11-2020
Group really enjoyed this book. Found that most of us were motivated to do research to learn more about the history of India, the Parsi people etc. Characterisation of Parveen was interesting...many layers were revealed throughout the book. We were shocked by many of the cultural practices.
11-11-2020
Loved it! Interesting insights into a unique time and place. well-developed characters, and a likable 'leading lady'.
12-10-2020
Everyone loved the book - the historical content, learning about the Parsi culture and the storyline. One member immediately read Sujata Massey's second book.
18-09-2020
A nice easy read. It was Rom-Com meets Murder Mystery, with an added bonus of an insight into Indian culture and traditions. Some likeable characters - would make a good film!