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The Page 3 Murders
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here
When Lalli's niece finds herself at Hilla Driver's seaside villa for a foodie weekend, murder is the last thing on her mind. She's too busy falling in love with the cook. Also present are a number of Page 3 regulars: a bestselling novelist, a jazz dancer, a broken-hearted model, a fiery feminist with a dramatic past and a respectable housewife with a sordid one, a doctor with a fashionable practice and an industrialist with a yen for horses. Each has a secret waiting to spill. It should have been a great party. But the cook serves up more than food at the Millennial Banquet. There's murder on the menu and luckily for Hilla, Lalli takes charge. For Lalli is not your ordinary houseguest...
When Lalli's niece finds herself at Hilla Driver's seaside villa for a foodie weekend, murder is the last thing on her mind. She's too busy falling in love with the cook. Also present are a number of Page 3 regulars: a bestselling novelist, a jazz dancer, a broken-hearted model, a fiery feminist with a dramatic past and a respectable housewife with a sordid one, a doctor with a fashionable practice and an industrialist with a yen for horses. Each has a secret waiting to spill. It should have been a great party. But the cook serves up more than food at the Millennial Banquet. There's murder on the menu and luckily for Hilla, Lalli takes charge. For Lalli is not your ordinary houseguest...
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 9, 2018
You have a Christie-esque setting, populated by colourful and mostly unpleasant, even outright nasty characters whose death wouldn't arouse much sympathy.
You have a sprawling mansion, which can allow the people to nurture secrets.
You have hard rain, separating the location from the surroundings.
Alas, the murders begin at page 173 of 289.
Alas, before that murder had happened, quickly followed by two others which we had expected/apprehended, the story had spent itself on pulpy, overwritten mush and melodrama.
Alas, the actual denouement came in only few pages, with revelations that we had predicted long long ago.
Alas, the narrator kept mopping, and so did the story.
Not Recommended.
You have a sprawling mansion, which can allow the people to nurture secrets.
You have hard rain, separating the location from the surroundings.
Alas, the murders begin at page 173 of 289.
Alas, before that murder had happened, quickly followed by two others which we had expected/apprehended, the story had spent itself on pulpy, overwritten mush and melodrama.
Alas, the actual denouement came in only few pages, with revelations that we had predicted long long ago.
Alas, the narrator kept mopping, and so did the story.
Not Recommended.
February 19, 2022
Es una novela que detalla costubres de la India e introduce en las últimas 100 páginas una serie de asesinatos que resuelve muy rápidamente, precisamente porque dedicó 200 páginas a relatar hechos que nada tienen que ver con una novela policial. Muy mala novela en el contexto de un policial clásico.
September 30, 2022
Los crímenes de Ardeshir Villa, Kalpana Swaminatha
La novela trata de la resolución de unos crímenes que ocurren en una mansión donde están pasando un fin de semana varias personas que inicialmente no se conocen y no tienen nada de relación entre ellas pero que la trama más adelante te va conectando con cada uno ellos.
Es relatada en primera persona por la sobrina de Lalli, mujer de sesenta años jubilada del oficio de investigación de crímenes.
En mi opinión, la novela es muy lenta al inicio y enredada, me perdía muy rápido entre los personajes y tenía que re leer algunas veces.
Los crímenes empiezan a ocurrir desde 65% de avance del libro y ya al final, tipo 95% de avance se resuelve quién es el asesino, cómo ocurrieron los hechos y la razón que lo motivó para realizarlos; que es la parte que me mantuvo interesada.
Me gustan mucho los thriller, suspensos y en general este tipo de novelas; pero ésta en particular no me convence mucho. Decidí terminarla para terminar de hacerme una opinión.
La novela trata de la resolución de unos crímenes que ocurren en una mansión donde están pasando un fin de semana varias personas que inicialmente no se conocen y no tienen nada de relación entre ellas pero que la trama más adelante te va conectando con cada uno ellos.
Es relatada en primera persona por la sobrina de Lalli, mujer de sesenta años jubilada del oficio de investigación de crímenes.
En mi opinión, la novela es muy lenta al inicio y enredada, me perdía muy rápido entre los personajes y tenía que re leer algunas veces.
Los crímenes empiezan a ocurrir desde 65% de avance del libro y ya al final, tipo 95% de avance se resuelve quién es el asesino, cómo ocurrieron los hechos y la razón que lo motivó para realizarlos; que es la parte que me mantuvo interesada.
Me gustan mucho los thriller, suspensos y en general este tipo de novelas; pero ésta en particular no me convence mucho. Decidí terminarla para terminar de hacerme una opinión.
June 18, 2024
3,75🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 3, 2019
Lots of food in this book, even a 6 course menu!
However the first murder happens on page 173.
I'm having trouble understanding the Indian expressions and vocabulary but it's a very descriptive book.
It's been described as a gastronomic Cludeo and I agree.
I enjoyed this easy and relaxing read
However the first murder happens on page 173.
I'm having trouble understanding the Indian expressions and vocabulary but it's a very descriptive book.
It's been described as a gastronomic Cludeo and I agree.
I enjoyed this easy and relaxing read
Want to read
March 10, 2009from Indiaclub.com
KALPANA SWAMINATHAN is a surgeon and writer.
Every Homicide file has one last blank page marked LR. That page is meant for Lalli…Sixtyish and silver-haired, she’s officially retired from the force, but she’s still their Last Resort when it comes to solving a murder. When Lalli’s niece finds herself at Hilla Driver’s seaside villa for a foodie weekend, murder is the last thing on her mind. She’s too busy falling in love with the cook. Also present are a number of Page 3 regulars: a best-selling novelist, a jazz dancer, a broken-hearted model, a fiery feminist with a dramatic past and a respectable housewife with a sordid one, a doctor with a fashionable practice and an industrialist with a yen for horses...Each with a secret waiting to spill. It should have been a great party. But the cook serves up more than food at the Millennial Banquet. There’s murder on the menu and luckily for Hilla, Lalli takes charge. For Lalli is not your ordinary houseguest. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KALPANA SWAMINATHAN has lived most of her 48 years in Mumbai. She finds the proximity of twelve million lives an inexhaustible source of enchantment. Her most recent novel is Bougainvillea House. Jaldi’s Friends, an adventure about Mumbai’s vagrant animals, was written in the aftermath of 6 December 1992. Writing with Ishrat Syed as Kalpish Ratna, her articles on books and science appear in many periodicals. Their first book together is a submarine murder mystery, Dr Wrasse of Crystal Rock. They have also authored A Compendium of Family Health.
KALPANA SWAMINATHAN is a surgeon and writer.
Every Homicide file has one last blank page marked LR. That page is meant for Lalli…Sixtyish and silver-haired, she’s officially retired from the force, but she’s still their Last Resort when it comes to solving a murder. When Lalli’s niece finds herself at Hilla Driver’s seaside villa for a foodie weekend, murder is the last thing on her mind. She’s too busy falling in love with the cook. Also present are a number of Page 3 regulars: a best-selling novelist, a jazz dancer, a broken-hearted model, a fiery feminist with a dramatic past and a respectable housewife with a sordid one, a doctor with a fashionable practice and an industrialist with a yen for horses...Each with a secret waiting to spill. It should have been a great party. But the cook serves up more than food at the Millennial Banquet. There’s murder on the menu and luckily for Hilla, Lalli takes charge. For Lalli is not your ordinary houseguest. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KALPANA SWAMINATHAN has lived most of her 48 years in Mumbai. She finds the proximity of twelve million lives an inexhaustible source of enchantment. Her most recent novel is Bougainvillea House. Jaldi’s Friends, an adventure about Mumbai’s vagrant animals, was written in the aftermath of 6 December 1992. Writing with Ishrat Syed as Kalpish Ratna, her articles on books and science appear in many periodicals. Their first book together is a submarine murder mystery, Dr Wrasse of Crystal Rock. They have also authored A Compendium of Family Health.
March 10, 2013
The books assembles together a bunch of people who appear in the Page 3 (read these are some form of society celebrities) of Indian newspapers. Each one has a different background and their lives are interlinked either directly or indirectly. One of them is Lalli who is a retried police detective.
The person in the center is a cook who has led life in the footpath of the cities and has how become a very famous cook. He prefers to be called a cook and not a chef. The challenge is for him to prepare a meal that is to be evaluated by all present and by the food critic who is in their midst.
As the long weekend progresses each one reveals her or his characteristic, their animosities and their friendships come to the fore, naked and unhidden.
Soon enough there are two murders and it is upto Lalli to solve these. She goes about solving it using her wits and her logical mind.
A nice read.
The person in the center is a cook who has led life in the footpath of the cities and has how become a very famous cook. He prefers to be called a cook and not a chef. The challenge is for him to prepare a meal that is to be evaluated by all present and by the food critic who is in their midst.
As the long weekend progresses each one reveals her or his characteristic, their animosities and their friendships come to the fore, naked and unhidden.
Soon enough there are two murders and it is upto Lalli to solve these. She goes about solving it using her wits and her logical mind.
A nice read.
March 19, 2013
Way too many literary flourishes to make this a gripping murder mystery. Was over-descriptive.
April 21, 2017
Demasiado texto dedicado a hablar de comida, recetas, ropa, actuaciones, etc.
Personajes confusos, largas y enrevesadas conversaciones.
A veces demasiado densa.
Personajes confusos, largas y enrevesadas conversaciones.
A veces demasiado densa.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews