1920s India: Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s only female lawyer, is investigating a suspicious will on behalf of three Muslim widows living in full purdah when the case takes a turn toward the murderous. The author of the Agatha and Macavity Award–winning Rei Shimura novels brings us an atmospheric new historical mystery with a captivating heroine. This Deluxe Edition features: an interview with the … features: an interview with the author, discussion questions, essays on the real-life inspirations behind the novel, delicious recipes taken from the story, and previews of The Satapur Moonstone (May 2019).
Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father’s law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes women’s legal rights especially important to her.
Mistry Law has been appointed to execute the will of Mr. Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim mill owner who has left three widows behind. But as Perveen examines the paperwork, she notices something strange: all three of the wives have signed over their full inheritance to a charity. What will they live on? Perveen is suspicious, especially since one of the widows has signed her form with an X—meaning she probably couldn’t even read the document. The Farid widows live in full purdah—in strict seclusion, never leaving the women’s quarters or speaking to any men. Are they being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous guardian? Perveen tries to investigate, and realizes her instincts were correct when tensions escalate to murder. Now it is her responsibility to figure out what really happened on Malabar Hill, and to ensure that no innocent women or children are in further danger.
Inspired in part by the woman who made history as India’s first female attorney, The Widows of Malabar Hill is a richly wrought story of multicultural 1920s Bombay as well as the debut of a sharp new sleuth.
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Sujata Massey’s THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, set in India in 1921, just won a Lefty Award at Left Coast Crime in Vancouver, and boy, was it deserved. Massey takes as her protagonist the first woman lawyer in India, called Perveen Mistry in the book, who is restricted to acting as a glorified clerk in her father’s law office until they receive a letter suggesting that the three wives of a recently deceased client fear their inheritance may be in danger. The deceased husband was a devout Muslim and all three women live in Purdah, forbidden to be seen by, or even to talk to, a male. Parveen, unlike any of the men in the office, can interview the women, and it soon becomes apparent that the male “guardian” their late husband appointed to handle their affairs does NOT have their best interests in mind, and there is nothing at all the widows can do about it. Perveen, however, can, and goes to work in their defense, until murder is added to the list of suspected crimes. This book is beautifully written and opens up a world I know nothing whatsoever about. I highly recommend it.
This is the first in a new historical series set in Bombay, beginning in 1920, following Perveen Mistry, the first woman solicitor in India. When the household agent for a recently deceased man who left 3 widows makes a request to Perveen’s father, the decedent’s solicitor, to change the distribution of assets, Perveen realizes that only another woman can probe what the widows, who live in seclusion, really understand and want. She takes over the case, which quickly turns to murder. Perveen’s personal tragedy is woven into the mystery, revealing how she came to be such a passionate advocate for women in a changing society. The history is handled with care — not too little, not too much — and the setting comes alive nicely. I like Perveen and her family, and her friend from university in England, Alice Hobson-Jones, very much, and look forward to the next adventure.
This historical mystery about a pioneering woman solicitor gave me insights into a place and time I knew nothing about, India in the 1920s. The stories of the characters from different cultures and social classes were fascinating, and the mystery was top-notch.
Set in the 1920s in India, the book focuses on a young woman lawyer at a time when women had so few rights she can’t even divorce her abusive husband or present a case in court. Two stories–her marriage and a legal case that involves a murder and her clients–are skillfully woven together into a nearly perfect book. Every word is stunning. Very rich and descriptive and eye-opening. A literary quality mystery, already winning awards and due more.
1920s India’s sole female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, investigates a suspicious will of a husband who left three widows and children behind. Sujata Massey creates a realistic world of 1920s India with luminous descriptions that make you wish you could go back in time to Bombay (and I could just smell and taste the luscious food!), yet also realistically creates discomfort with the way women were treated and the inherent obstacles they face. A truly intriguing and enjoyable read!
A clear voice and vision of the time and place.
Many bothersome events regarding women and their rights. but it’s totally within the historic time-frame.
The main character’s backstory unfolds gradually in flashbacks. For such an intelligent person, she allowed her “heart” to override her brain to her detriment.
Her father’s action in court on her behalf is utterly brilliant!
Not a light read, for sure! But quite fascinating.
It’s been awhile since I read this book, but I found it wonderful and inspiring. A tale of a female lawyer in a country and time that does not support women’s independence. I learned a fair amount about Muslim culture that I had not known. I always enjoy stories about other countries and cultures, because I always learn a lot. I definitely recommend this book. It’s also a wonderful mystery story, which I always enjoy, and I definitely didn’t figure it out before the story ended and the mystery was solved. .
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This book has it all, a strong female main character, a wonderful mystery filled with period details that really give the reader a sense of the times and a vibrant setting. Perveen Mistry is the first female lawyer in Bombay and many are not accepting of her position. She is working with her father and takes on a case that only she can handle that involves women who, because of their beliefs, cannot speak to men except through a screen. The mystery evolves from there and is wonderful, but this book is more than a mystery. It educated me on the history of India during British rule and different religious beliefs and ways of life of people in that country and women’s rights during this time period. I really enjoyed this book I can’t wait to learn more about Perveen and India.
THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL by Sujata Massey is the award winning first book in the series. The story is set in Bombay, India in 1921 with flashbacks to 1916 Calcutta. I loved this book about one of the first female solicitors in India, and the case of three Muslim sister wives. The history of female limitations in society was very eye opening, as were the restrictions of the Muslim widows. The murder mystery was well crafted, with twists and turns. Very enjoyable read!
I enjoy book set in cultures I don’t know. This was a wonderful mystery that took me to Bombay, India. I could see and feel the setting. I felt for Preveen and loved the connections she made with others and how she was strong even in when most would have caved. A delightful read. I’ve already purchased the next book in the series.
A fun murder mystery set in 1921 India, revolving around three widows living in purdah. A bit of Indian history, their legal history, attention to details like food, and early feminism. Also, I couldn’t figure out the culprit ahead of time, which I loved!
I have gotten on a kick reading books set in other countries and cultures. It’s a way to travel now that we’re all stuck at home. This book immerses the reader in a non-Western culture so completely that I felt like I was there. I love mysteries, and this one was fascinating in every respect.
Not just another mystery!
Having lived for a time in Bombay, now known as Mumbai, I was immediately drawn to The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. Not just because I resided on Malabar Hill of all places. What caught my attention was the setting and the storyline about an aspiring female lawyer in 1920’s India. Despite such a unique premise, I’ve found it hard to read at times due to the overlap between past and present. That’s why I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Perveen Mistry is a privileged woman. Of Parsi descent, her family is so open-minded to encourage her to study law and pursue a legal career in her father’s law firm even though no women have been admitted to the Indian bar. It isn’t a problem for Perveen, who dreams of becoming India’s first female solicitor and has studied in Oxford after overcoming a wrong personal decision. She’s happy to prepare briefs and examine the finer points of rules and regulations until the settlement of an inheritance among three Muslim widows requires her to go on the front line. Since the widows are full purdah—in strict seclusion, they can’t talk to any males who aren’t related to them. Perveen will have to be her father’s eyes and ears, especially when the inheritance renouncement will turn into murder.
The criminal twist is just an excuse the author adopts to describe the reality of women’s lives back in the 1920s. I like how Mrs. Massey exposes the seclusion and often the abuses perpetrated on the different women portrayed in this book. Whether Muslim, Hindu, Parsi, or even British, they’re all under the thumb of a chauvinistic system that allows only men the freedom to choose how to live their lives. The unfairness of it is what has kept me hooked to the last page, along with the realization that in many ways, one hundred years haven’t improved women’s conditions all that much. Even sadder the awareness that often it’s the women themselves who uphold this unjust system and go from victims to executioners in the blink of an eye.
On the downside, the narration isn’t fluid. The telling of the widows:’ troubles is fragmented with Perveen’s past experiences. I’ve also found the dialogue tags a bit repetitive. Too many crisply, soberly, and said for my taste though, fortunately, don’t diminish the reader’s enjoyment of a tale that has to be told.
I definitely recommend this book to all the women readers looking for more than a mystery novel.
Liked it
Takes you into a slice of life that most of us will never experience. A good read.
Where to start with this engaging read…
When I saw a library article mention that this book was a must-read, I was intrigued by the back blurb. I’ve been in a reading lull lately, and it’s been years since I’ve been swept up in a good mystery, so I ordered a copy, hoping it would be the cure to my reading woes. I loved it! And here is why:
1. The plot centers around a young, female lawyer in 1921 Bombay named Perveen Mistry, who Massey was inspired to write after reading about India’s first (real-life) female lawyer, Cornelia Sorobji. Perveen, born into a well-to-do Parsi family, is encouraged to go to law school abroad at Oxford, and returns to India years later to begin practicing as a solicitor in her father, Jamshedji Mistry’s, law firm. Perveen is reviewing the inheritances of three Muslim widows living in purdah (seclusion), who’s husband was Jamshedji’s client, when inconsistencies in the records prompt Perveen to investigate more deeply. As these inconsistencies unravel, the women, as well as Perveen, become imperiled. Sadly, Perveen’s privilege and in many ways, her forward thinking father, aren’t able to shield her from the harsh realities women, especially women attempting to rise upon their socioeconomic disadvantages, faced 100 years ago in India and elsewhere. Watching Perveen battle against these institutionalized mechanisms of oppression sparked both frustration and hope within me as the reader (in the best way, because I was rooting for her to overcome them).
2. At first, I was jarred when I hit a flashback that took me back to 1916. But the flashback, her whirlwind romance as a teen to a beautiful man with hazel eyes, itself was intriguing, and as the book progressed, the backstory, the mystery plot, and a side relationship Perveen has with her British schoolmate and the daughter of a ranking British official, Alice, began to come together weaving depth of character that eventually gave Perveen confidence in her role as a solicitor. Slowly, the reader is introduced to the various experiences that have shaped this young woman, why she reacts as she does to the mystery of the three widows’ inheritances, an ensuing murder, and how Alice becomes a solid side-kick.
3. I loved the sounds, the tastes, the visuals I gained from Massey’s descriptions of Bombay. She made the world accessible to all through her artful way of creating setting in every scene. How casually these devices were used in the course of the storytelling made for a seamless flow, and the context in which foods were mentioned, monsoon rains afflicted India, familial relationships between family members were portrayed through dialogue, etc., seemed so normal to read, even though much about the lifestyle was foreign to me.
4. I loved how Perveen’s family rallied around her in her times of need. I won’t divulge much about this, so as not to spoil the story. But Perveen has a wonderful relationship with her caring and intelligent mother, a typical relationship with her pesky older brother as they fondly rib each other, and her father, who so often conducts himself as a lawyer even in casual settings, he seems impersonal. But when Perveen needs him most, he becomes a calculating, determined, and stalwart protector of his daughter, which proved to me the lengths he would go to, to protect his children.
Overall, I recommend this book. If you’re like me, you’ll read it in sittings as opposed to binge-reading. I found with each flash back and flash forward, I wanted a day or two to reflect on what had happened and what it might mean for the developing plot. Lacking the intensity of a high-action thriller, the author manages to craft suspense that kept me turning pages, and kept me questioning what might happen next–which is what I realize has been missing lately with the books I’ve recently tried to read. The sensory descriptions of the sights, sounds, tastes, smells transported me back in time to India and helped me shape vivid imagery as I read.
Five stars!
Informative. Not familiar with the history of these people.
I was interested because I did not know there was a Zoroastrian community in south India and I was intrigued.
Sujata Massey’s sumptuous tale set in 1920s India transports you to an exotic place and time with an empowering female protagonist and an intriguing cast of characters. Best read with sweet Indian treats, a cup of chai, and a bowl of dal. Or better yet, prepare one of the many Parsi recipes the author provides at the end of the deluxe edition book. Either way, be forewarned: THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL is a delicious and immersive reading experience!