The Star from Calcutta

Perveen Mistry #5

by Sujata Massey

A movie censor murdered, a leading lady vanished—the glamour, romance, and intrigue of the beginnings of Bollywood come to vivid life in the thrilling new installment of the Perveen Mistry historical mystery series.

India, 1922: Perveen Mistry, the only female lawyer in Bombay, has secured her biggest client yet: Champa Films, a movie studio run by director Subhas Ghoshal and his wife, Rochana, the biggest name in Indian cinema. In the public eye, Rochana is notorious for her beauty and her daring stunts—behind the scenes, she has recently left the studio in Calcutta that made her famous, and the studio owner is enraged by what he claims is a breach of contract. Rochana needs Perveen’s legal help to extricate Champa Films from the impending controversy.

To study Rochana’s glamorous world, Perveen attends a special screening and brings her film fanatic best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones. But in the aftermath of the event, one of the guests is found dead, and to make matters worse, Rochana has disappeared.

To protect her clients, Perveen begins to investigate the developing murder case, peeling back the glitz to reveal a salacious web of blackmail, deceit, and romantic affairs. For the first time in their friendship, Alice seems to be keeping a secret from Perveen. Is she hiding key information about the night of the murder? Will Perveen be able to detangle the truth from lies while protecting herself—and her closest friend?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, India, Historical, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller

413 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2026

About the author

Sujata Massey is the author of historical and mystery fiction set in Asia. She is best known for the Perveen Mistry series published in the United States by Soho Press and in India by Penguin Random House India. In June, 2021, THE BOMBAY PRINCE, third book in the series, releases in the US/Canada and Australia/New Zealand; it will be published by Penguin India later the same month.

THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, the first Perveen novel, was named a Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018 and also an Amazon Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018. Additionally, the book won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award, the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Mary Higgins Clark Award, all in 2019.

The second Perveen novel, THE SATAPUR MOONSTONE, won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award in 2020.

Sujata's other works include THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY (2013) and eleven Rei Shimura mysteries published from 1997-2014. For more about Sujata's books and a full events schedule, subscribe to her newsletter, http://sujatamassey.com/newsletter

Sujata lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her family and two dogs. In addition to writing, she loves to travel, read, cook, garden and walk.

Reviews

[Phrynne]

This is the fifth book in the series and the one I have enjoyed the most of all of them.

Set in India in 1922, Perveen Mistry is the only female lawyer in Bombay. She works as a partner in her father's law firm. When a movie studio requires legal representation she takes a leading role although still under her father's supervision. Events begin with a broken contract which leads to a murder, a missing film star, blackmail and danger to Perveen herself.

One of the best things about this series is the background of Bombay and all the information about Indian life as it was at that time. I also enjoy the relationship between Perveen and Colin which is obviously forbidden. They actually take a big step forward in this book but still in total secrecy. I would love to see this end happily but cannot imagine how.

So still lots more to look forward to. I hope the author is already writing the next book.

[Sarah Baenen]

As a fan of this series, I struggled to finish this book. The first few chapters were full of promise as it seemed to focus on the ins and outs of the Indian film industry. However, most of the book was a rehash of the same plot points. The solution to the mystery was anticlimactic; the reveal just happens and Perveen’s investigation doesn’t even seem to matter much.

More importantly, for me, the characters also fell flat. Alice’s personality was grating and Perveen seemed like a device to move the plot forward, though at a glacial pace. The “twist” at the end was not enough to redeem the book because by then I had lost interest in these characters I once loved.

ARC from NetGalley

[Kristen]

Kept reading because I’ve liked this series from the beginning but it was a bit of a slog… All the most interesting and enjoyable parts were jammed into the ending, and the rest was mostly just drawn-out repetitive tension and frustration between Perveen and her dad and Alice.

Hoping the next one will be more engaging all the way through again …

[Beachreader]

I have read all of the Perveen Mistry mystery series and have really enjoyed the glimpses into Indian culture and life. But this latest book is a big disappointment. it was a struggle to finish the book.

I have several complaints and the biggest is about the story itself--it is very boring and drawn out. There are too many characters and I didn't care what happened to any of them, other than Perveen.

There is a big shift in some of Perveens relationships, especially the close one she has always had with her father. In this story he is so dismissive of her to the point of being mean.

Her best friend Alice Hobson-Jones is cast in a different role. She is now an atagonist and is very unkind to Perveen.

I don't understand why the author changed these two longstanding relationships. The only person Perveen can count on is herself, although her friend Colin is supportive most of the time.

The plot is too complex and doesn't work well. The author said she had problems delivering this book in her usual timeframe. That is usually a sign that the story is flawed and needs a lot of rewrites. The editor should have nixed this one.

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

I’m so happy to see Perveen Mistry return! She’s the only Parsi woman lawyer in 1920’s Bombay—inspired by the real life Cornelia Sorabji—and the star of this wonderful historical mystery series. This time around we get the exciting early days of Bollywood with a murder mystery + missing person case that involves a movie censor and leading lady! —Jamie Canaves

[Rincey]

This one just didn't quite work for me as well as well as the others in the series. Maybe because Perveen was down in the dumps for most of the story and Alice treated her poorly. I still enjoy this series and am intrigued to see how the next one goes for me though.

Watch me discuss this more in my wrap up: https://youtu.be/-0xKTojtvME

[Cheryl Carey]

In this the 5th book of Sujata Massey's Preveen Mistry Series I feel most moored in the life of the privileged class of 1920s Bombay. Perhaps it is because the story is anchored in the beginnings of Bollywood.

It's fun to follow Preveen as she dresses for the day as to what sari she will choose and what material it is made from. It would be delightful to sit and have tea with Preveen and her clients and family.

It is exciting that Preveen and her best friend Alice are breaking boundaries as she is the first female attorney in Bombay and her friend from Oxford is a college dean and professor.

Oh, and did I mention she has a secret paramour?

In each of the books besides her daily duties as an attorney Preveen seems to get embroiled in solving a murder mystery. In this one you may want to write down each of the characters as the players who battle to get their movies made are quite a few.

Too much fun…make yourself a cup of quality tea dress it up as you like it and sit back and enjoy untangling the murder alongside our heroine Preveen.

[Marianne]

The Star From Calcutta is the fifth book in the Perveen Mistry series by award-winning, best-selling British-born American author, Sujata Massey. As the monsoon rains of September 1922 drench Bombay, the Mistry Law practice is asked to look into a possible breach of contract matter for a film star who has switched studios. Having gathered the information necessary to proceed, they are invited to an advance screening party for the studio, Champa Film’s new movie, Queen of Hearts.

Perveen attends with her best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones who is captivated by that film star, Rochana Ghosal, known for her daring stunts. During the night, Perveen observes some erratic and rather permissive behaviour and, against her better judgement, she agrees to stay overnight, mostly to keep an intoxicated Alice safe.

The next morning, Perveen stumbles upon the body of an uninvited guest. Mancunian Joe Morgan had been drunk and obnoxious the evening before, and claimed to be working for Bombay’s Film Censor Board. She reports the death to the police while trying to keep Alice out of it, knowing her parents will disapprove of the potential damage to their name and her father’s Government position.

Studio head, Subhas Ghosal seems more concerned with sticking to his filming schedule than the dead man. But then it turns out that his wife and star, Rochana is missing.

Before matters are resolved, Perveen has to attend the coroner’s court, deliver a movie to the censor, and conduct covert surveillance from a boat; she breaks an arm, suffers concussion and has a close encounter with a tiger. She sees that the film world is rife with infidelity, bribery and blackmail, becomes aware of an unhealthy fixation leading to stalking, an assault and a resulting defensive attack, friction between crew members, and there’s the ever-present racism that might see the murder pinned on an Indian.

Matters are complicated by the presence of a rival film-maker; Perveen manages to extract useful information from the studio’s zoo staff, the actors, the cinematographers, the censor, an attractive milliner, and financial backers, leading her to conclude there are multiple potential suspects for the murder, all with plausible motives.

Perveen is a caring and loyal friend to Alice, but the reverse is not quite true: disappointingly, Alice’s priorities lean towards self-interest and protection her own reputation. And the close friend Perveen always believed her to be is keeping secrets and telling her lies. With her secret beau, Colin Sandringham, there are clandestine meetings in which she does manage to have some very intimate moments, but can their relationship go anywhere?

The final pages see a confession that Perveen precipitated through her clever detective work, and a shocking revelation about her friend. This is fascinating historical crime fiction, and more of this cast is eagerly anticipated.

[Bill Silva]

I’ve enjoyed most of the books in this series…this one much less so. The writing, the plot, and the characterization all are lacking. I’m glad Perveen and Colin are finding their way together as a couple…otherwise, this barely held my interest to finish it.

[Sneha Pathak (reader_girl_reader)]

I became a fan of this series after reading the first novel. The second was somewhat disappointing but the third seemed to have given the series backmits mojo. I dnf-ed the fourth entry and while I found The Star from Calcutta - the fifth book in the series - much easier to finish, I feel that it's time the series come to a graceful end. The recent books seem to have a much more stronger historical side than the central mystery which seemed slow, ponderous and lost in the multiple threads of the narrative.

The angle of Colin and Perveen, their will they won't they, has become somewhat tiresome and while I appreciated the focus on Alice's personal life in this title, I felt that it was dragged too much and much too obvious to everyone except Perveen. I find it interesting how two writers writing broadly in the same genre can hit upon similar themes and plot points at the same time. The Star From Calcutta is set in the background of the world of early Indian cinema, as was The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee published in November 2025. And - spoiler alert - the relationship between the star and her closest caretaker as well as their backgrounds were quite similar.

[Eilonwy]

Perveen Mistry, a pioneer as a woman lawyer in Bombay in 1921, is hired by one of the early film studios to help with a contract dispute between its biggest star and her previous company. When Perveen attends a film-showing party with her best friend Alice, a movie-crazy professor at a local women's college, someone ends up dead. As Perveen tries to solve the murder, she's also dealing with some extremely unusual behavior from Alice. And trying to stay dry, because it's monsoon season. Can she navigate all the challenges presented to her, while staying within the constraints of what's allowed for a young woman in a conservative society under a colonial government??blockquote>

I really enjoyed this! It's complex and layered, and completely immersed me in the setting without overdoing the details. I really felt like I lived in rainy-season Mumbai a century ago as I was reading this. The murderer could have been anyone who attended that party, so I was guessing at the why's and hows the whole way through right along with Perveen. And worrying about Alice right along with her, although from a modern perspective, it was quite obvious what was up with Alice. Her relationship with Rochana was a surprise twist, at least.

The resolutions to both problems were sobering and satisfying. Now I need to go back and read this series from the beginning.

[Melody Schwarting]

This series is my favorite currently-being-written mystery series right now, and I really enjoyed this installment. Indian filmmaking, the rainy season, Perveen's complications in love and friendship--plus a twist at the end I did not see coming! Whew! I love how vividly Massey evoked the world and her characters. I have a yen to read through the rest of the books again, but I also have her short fiction to enjoy about Perveen's time at Oxford!

[Ming]

I am disappointed by #5. The writing is clunky and stilted. Did she write like this before?

I had enjoyed #0.5 and #1, and then liked #2 & #3 less in decreasing rank (I somehow skipped #4).

Here the style of writing and storytelling is simplistic and did not conjure up an atmosphere or vibe. The sex scenes were awkward AF. Eww.

If anything, I should have DNFd this title. The precipitating "event" doesn't occur till almost 25% into the book. My 2-star rating is generous and I may come back and change that.

[Celia Morse]

Set in 1920s India, this series offers an interesting look into the ethnic and cultural groups making up India's native population under British colonial rule. Perveen Mistry is Oxford educated and India's first female lawyer. In this installment she and her father are hired by one of India's first film production studios to defend a possible breach of contract but what should be an interesting look at the early days of Bollywood turns into an interminably slow read.

Perveen attends a party at the studio with her starstruck friend Alice and the next morning a film vendor is found dead and the star of the latest production and ride of the studio owner has vanished. Perveen's investigation turns into a murder investigation but it moves along haphazardly and slowly.

The story takes place during monsoon season and perhaps the endless rain and mud drag the story down. This is a disappointing series entry.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue]

Weakest entry in the series. A lot of missed opportunities and Perveen was whinier and not as strong about pursuing leads and ideas. Worst of all was the ending, which was simply crazy lucky.

[Martha]

This was a disappointing outing for this author. The plot is overly complicated, implausible and frankly, not compelling.

[Nolina]

An absolute banger.

[Alex]

I love this series, so I'm bummed that this one was such a slog to get through. The mystery was muddled and no one seemed to really care about it, especially me. The story itself was very anticlimactic. Here's hoping the next one is better.

[Tiffany E-P]

The writing is stilted and the characters are so two dimensional. I’m not sure why I keep reading the new books in the series.

[Theresa]

Mistry Law is hired by a newly formed Bombay film company which has received legal breach of contract demands from an established Calcutta film company that Rochana, co-owner, lead actress, and co-producer, had previously worked for. Due to Perveen's general knowledge about and liking for films and the burgeoning Bollywood industry, she takes the lead on the case which includes attending a party and private screening of the Bombay company's first film. Perveen takes her British friend Alice to the film, who is a huge fan of Rochana, having met her at a horse race in Poona at some earlier point. Much happens during this event, including the death of a guest that is believed to be murder. Also Rochana herself disappears.

One of the gifts this author provides the reader in this series is weaving in India's historical, social, cultural, and political - here relating to the developing Bollywood film industry as well as for women in particular - within colonial British rule. It's central to the plots themselves as well as to Perveen herself. For Perveen there is a constant internal battle against the conservative Parsi traditions and expectations and her own ambitions and desires. These mirror India's chafing under British rule and yearning for independence while respecting even honoring Indian culture. But also the colonial British and an Anglo Indian aspects of life in India are portrayed equally. Bollywood in 1922 turns out to be a fertile setting to show the pressures brought on all by colonialism.

Another gift is Massey's attention to setting, apparel especially descriptions of saris, and food.

[Christine]

This book is the fifth book in the Perveen Mistry series, and I've read most of the prior books. I love Massey's writing and this historical mystery series in particular. I think most work well as standalones, too, although it would be nice to read the first book in the series, The Widows of Malabar Hill, to get more detailed background about Perveen.

The series is set in the 1920s in India and the main character, Perveen, is the only female lawyer in Bombay. The books I've already read do a great job of mixing history and entertainment. This book involves the movie industry in India. A film star has disappeared, and a movie censor is killed. What starts as a breach of contract case becomes something much more complex with Perveen and her friend Alice right in the middle of it. Many people seem to be hiding things and it's up to Perveen to get to the truth.

I love this author and this series, and this book has an intriguing premise. The Indian film angle of the book is fun, and the story also tackles a few serious issues. I always learn a lot about this time in history in India and still recommend this excellent series even though this one seemed to move more slowly than the prior books I've read.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from Soho Press and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased. .

[Christine Hall]

The Star from Calcutta (Perveen Mistry #5)

I came to this book almost by accident—thanks to a reviewer I trust—and discovered an entire series I hadn’t known existed. Sujata Massey has created a distinctive series in the Perveen Mistry novels. Perveen is a pioneering woman lawyer in 1920s Bombay, and through her Massey explores the intersection of law, gender, and colonial politics.

The Star from Calcutta takes Perveen into the glamorous yet precarious world of India’s silent film industry. A contract dispute spirals into scandal, a party ends in murder, and a leading actress disappears. Massey succeeds in weaving suspense with cultural history: the reader is immersed not only in the mystery but in the texture of Calcutta at a time of rapid change.

I admired the research and the feminist lens, and the setting was irresistible given my fascination with India and Bollywood. Still, the story felt more interesting than gripping. I can see why the series has earned a devoted following, but this installment didn’t fully win me over.

[Maria Almaguer]

The fifth book in a unique mystery series, featuring a female attorney in 1920s India (based on a real person), continues the story of Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a Parsi attorney. You must read the books in order as each book builds on developing stories about all the characters. This story explores India's early film and motion picture industry, with Perveen and her father representing a famous actress and her husband's film company in a contract dispute. When a murder complicates things, Perveen investigates. What's fascinating about this series is also the Indian cultural and historical facets of the period, including the different religious sects and expected protocols, things I know nothing about. Massey has also written many other books; this series is her newest and I look forward to reading more.

[Mugdha Mahajan]

Set in 1920s Bombay, lawyer Perveen Mistry gets dragged into a murder investigation when a film censor dies on a studio set and silent film star Rochana vanishes. Between contract disputes and family drama, Perveen has to unravel the mystery before it is too late.

I really wanted to love this, but it fell completely flat for me. The plot dragged on forever and felt way too long. While a few small twists kept me going, there were just too many subplots and side characters to track. Alice and Rochana felt super bland, making it hard to stay invested. It ended up being a mediocre read.

[Jeannine]

Perveen and her father’s law firm take on a film studio as a client. The behind-the-scenes look at the early years of Indian cinema is fascinating.

The developments in the romantic storyline between Perveen and Colin are fantastic. Finally!

Perveen’s best friend Alice has a bigger role, too.

An all-around wonderful addition to the series!

[David Lucero]

Sujata Massey ups the stakes for Perveen Mistry in the 5th book following with Bombay's first female lawyer in 1920s India. I absolutely love this series. The characters are genuine, the culture well-researched, and a fun read.

[Sue-Ellen]

Perveen Mistry is a fascinating character. She is a partner in her father’s law firm and the first and only female lawyer admitted to the bar in Mumbai.

The earlier books in this series were well-written. Perveen lives according to many of the traditions of her people yet her best friend is a member of the British aristocracy and the man she loves is also English. She cannot have an open relationship with him because she is married and formally separated from her husband, a man who abused her physically and emotionally.

In this novel. Perveen and her father are hired to contest a lawsuit. An Indian filmmaker is asserting that his company’s most famous female star, Rochanna Gochsl, has left his company and broken her contractual obligations. Rochanna’s husband has started a new film company and finished a new film starring Rochanna. He invites Perveen to a pre-release party where a British police officer, a film censor, is murdered.

The historical setting and characters are well-researched and fascinating. The book seems scattered and the mystery is subpar. Unlike the earlier books, the story doesn’t build up much suspense. The earlier books in the series were much better.

[Cari Zuckerman]

In this 5th installment of the Perveen Mistry series, Perveen and her father are hired as lawyers by the Champa Film Company. Its star, Rochana, who is married to its producer Subhas Ghoshal may be in trouble with a previous employer over a contract. What seems like a straightforward case turns deadly when a film censor is found dead on the film studio’s property following a viewing party. That same night, Rochana goes missing.

I found this book to be a bit disjointed. I wasn’t always sure of why things were happening and how they tied into the story. The mystery sort of solved itself instead of Perveen doing the solving. I do really enjoy the characters of Perveen, Alice, and Colin in the series and I love the setting of 1920s India so I will likely continue to read future installments. As always with the series, the historical context was interesting. This one was just a bit slow and meandering for me and I would have thought the focus on making films in 1920s India would have been a little more interesting.

[Maneesha]

This book had so much potential to be a great one(at-least a good one), but it ended being too shallow at times, too broad at times, almost like a kid mixing up all flavors of ice cream, instead of choosing one. Ugh!

Good, bad and the ugly!

The Good
• This is my first book read of the series, but I liked Perveen’s character, being this first female lawyer, and her relationship with her father.
• It was set in a highly patriarchal time period, 1920s where permission was required for doing everything, but their relationship was anything but. Even with her brother or her mother.
• The topics of queerness, colorism, silent talkies, German-British tension even after WWII, Bombay vs Calcutta film industry rivalry, sarees and their heritage.
• The atmospheric setting and how it ties to the situation of the story.

The Bad
• Alice’s feelings towards Perveen were anything but friendly, it felt she was using her as a reason to meet with Kitty, and doing whatever she likes.
• On the other hand Perveen really seems like she’s invested in the relationship. As soon as Alice meets Rochana, it’s almost like they never knew each other. And the story ends without any explanation as to why she acted horribly.
• Treatment of Alice’s parents towards Perveen. Forbidding Perveen to meet with Alice

The Ugly
70% of the book was just building the atmosphere and characters. And the last pages were just written in a haste, giving little to no explanation about all the loose ends, that could’ve been explained much better.

• Why did Rochana reappear out of nowhere?
• Who tripped Perveen down the stairs? Was her saree really stuck?
• Why did Hans commit suicide? Was that note ever compared to the one he handed to Perveen?
• What happened to ABC? Was Bubbles death nothing? Why did he come to the party on the night of the murder??
• Why does Rochana’s mother need to be a servant? I understand the ploy of keeping her identity as an Egyptian-British was working more for revenue. But still, it doesn’t make sense.
• Why did Subash so indifferent and kept making cinemas even when his wife went missing?
• What happened to Marissa and Subash’s love affair?
• Why did Arjun betray Champa Films? Was it really just earn a few extra bucks??
• And Perveen did little to nothing in finding the truth. If Hans didn’t come forward to confess, it could’ve easily been buried.
• Why was Rochana’s character built out to be this fierce woman, who plays around with her tigers, and does fencing, runs away to an island??
• What was that whole scene mean where Rochana takes Perveen to pet Tora, the tiger?
• Why was Joe Morgan’s body turned around when Hans left him in a supine position?

[Roger]

After a three-year absence Perveen Mistry returns in THE STAR FROM CALCUTTA. She is now a partner in her father's law firm and becoming something of a known quantity in her native Bombey. But while a few take her seriously as a lawyer, she still has to maneuver amongst those who treat her as unserious or a curiosity. Regardless of how others see her, readers will welcome back one of the most intriguing characters in a current mystery series.

The scene-setting is typically one of the strongest attributes of author Sujata Massey's work and 1920s India is fertile ground for her work. THE STAR FROM CALCUTTA introduces India's nascent movie industry, with all its drama and over-the-top characters. After a new motion picture company engages the Mistry law firm, Perveen becomes immersed in the industry's excesses and secrets.

A murder at a party Perveen would have done well to avoid is centerstage for this story. There are at least two strong parallel plotlines in this novel, however. First, Perveen's ongoing romance with Colin. It is progressing, but at a glacial pace. Second, there is the tale of Perveen's friend Alice, the daughter of a top British official and a young woman with a secret (that really isn't much of a secret). Alice's life has complications upon complications. She is Perveen's friend, but one of the few weaknesses in this book is how acquiescent Perveen is in the face of multiple ill-considered demands made by Alice throughout. It is obvious to Perveen, and us, that Alice is usually only making more trouble for herself, but Alice barges forward. It is not unusual for Perveen to pay the price for these random expectations.

In the end, the crime at the center of this novel comes to a suitable conclusion, thanks to Perveen, and Alice seems to be on the path to finding peace. Don't know what's going to happen with Colin but that's what future books are for.