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Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged [May 01, 2018] Sharma, Bulbul
BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.
280 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 2018
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August 19, 2018The Happy Home for the Aged isn’t your regular, formal old-age home but rather a house where older people, who have no one of their own, are welcome to come and live. It is owned and looked after by Maria, whose grandfather essentially invited older people to come live there when he lost much of his family. Maria now looks after the home and also runs the Tip Top Café in the little village of Trionim in Goa, and Leela does the cooking and general upkeep in the home. There are five residents, Rosie who still likes to look her best, Prema, who is sharp-tongued, fond of food (actually they all are) but won’t admit it, the Russian painter Yuri, a retired civil servant Deven, and Cyrilo, pianist and a local. The residents don’t all always get along but life or whatever is left of it is going on as it does. But one fine morning, a body is found in their garden, hanging from a mango tree, and it isn’t suicide as it seems at first glance, but murder. But they have no idea whodunit nor even who the victim was. The residents are excited by the murder and all ready to help the police but when Inspector Chand neglects to even speak to them, not thinking it worthwhile since “they can’t hear or see anything, so what will they know poor things?” Slighted, Rosie decides that they, the five of them (and Maria for they can’t not tell her) will solve the murder together and show that Inspector what old people can do—Maria and Leela join in. Alongside we have Maria’s story—she has three suitors, the dashing Francis who she prefers but who really isn’t worth her affections, Bobby who has quietly loved her since they were children, and Inspector Chand who dreams of marrying her despite his mother’s opposition.
I enjoyed this book so so much. It was such fun seeing the residents light up and get into action once they decide to solve the mystery—it very much reminded me of Miss Marple whose doctor (Hyadock?) prescribed a good murder mystery as medicine to get her spirits up. That is exactly what it does for the residents of the Happy Home, and for Maria and Leela too, and not only that, it brings the residents closer to each other, getting them to open up more about themselves as well. I really liked the way the author got the message across that old doesn’t mean useless, nor does it mean that you aren’t human anymore—you are still a person, with the same thoughts, desires, beliefs, though may be not always the physical ability to do things as when you were young (though the number of ailments among the ‘younger’ set makes one wonder whether that really is the case). Other people (people in general) are ever ready to stereotype, to disbelieve something the residents claimed they saw just because they are old, or to attribute illness to old age, without considering for a moment that age doesn’t necessary mean those things. And Rosie, Cyrilo, Deven, Prema, and Yuri prove that. I liked all of the characters (except the ones we weren’t supposed to like—the ‘villains’) and their individual personalities came through very well.
And of course, the setting was another stand out in the book for me. A small village in Goa, relatively free of tourists, though not entirely so. Life is peaceful for the most part, close to nature, with the sea, fresh fish, spice farms, and generally quiet pace of life, disturbed every now and then by the wealthy from larger cities like Delhi and Mumbai who arrive at certain times of the year, living in palatial mansions at the edge of the village. There are the small tensions within the village too, between communities (like the Inspector’s mother who will never accept a Christian bride for her son), but nothing that really disturbs the day to day life.
The mystery itself was fairly enjoyable as well, not unpredictable but I wasn’t entirely sure how it would come together. With a bit of drama at the end (and a few unexpected events in the middle), it added a bit of excitement to the whole story. But generally, this does have the ‘feel’ of a ‘feel-good’ book. Really enjoyed this. Four and a half stars.
I enjoyed this book so so much. It was such fun seeing the residents light up and get into action once they decide to solve the mystery—it very much reminded me of Miss Marple whose doctor (Hyadock?) prescribed a good murder mystery as medicine to get her spirits up. That is exactly what it does for the residents of the Happy Home, and for Maria and Leela too, and not only that, it brings the residents closer to each other, getting them to open up more about themselves as well. I really liked the way the author got the message across that old doesn’t mean useless, nor does it mean that you aren’t human anymore—you are still a person, with the same thoughts, desires, beliefs, though may be not always the physical ability to do things as when you were young (though the number of ailments among the ‘younger’ set makes one wonder whether that really is the case). Other people (people in general) are ever ready to stereotype, to disbelieve something the residents claimed they saw just because they are old, or to attribute illness to old age, without considering for a moment that age doesn’t necessary mean those things. And Rosie, Cyrilo, Deven, Prema, and Yuri prove that. I liked all of the characters (except the ones we weren’t supposed to like—the ‘villains’) and their individual personalities came through very well.
And of course, the setting was another stand out in the book for me. A small village in Goa, relatively free of tourists, though not entirely so. Life is peaceful for the most part, close to nature, with the sea, fresh fish, spice farms, and generally quiet pace of life, disturbed every now and then by the wealthy from larger cities like Delhi and Mumbai who arrive at certain times of the year, living in palatial mansions at the edge of the village. There are the small tensions within the village too, between communities (like the Inspector’s mother who will never accept a Christian bride for her son), but nothing that really disturbs the day to day life.
The mystery itself was fairly enjoyable as well, not unpredictable but I wasn’t entirely sure how it would come together. With a bit of drama at the end (and a few unexpected events in the middle), it added a bit of excitement to the whole story. But generally, this does have the ‘feel’ of a ‘feel-good’ book. Really enjoyed this. Four and a half stars.
April 24, 2021
The beautiful illustration on the cover made me reach for this one! And the intriguing title too.
However, I found it underwhelming. I didn't go in with a lot of expectations in the first place and then few paragraphs in, it just became a matter of finishing what I had started.
The writing is amateurish. I don't know if it's specific to just this book or the general writing style of the author but it failed to spark my imagination. I could have given the writing a pass, if the story had a good depth. But again it failed in that department as well. I generally don't mind cliches but to be hit with them in every second page is a bit too much for me. I also feel that the author didn't use the setting of lustrous Goa to its optimum.
To end with, I wish I could take back the time I spent on the 250-odd pages of this book and put it in a more engaging slice-of-life drama.
However, I found it underwhelming. I didn't go in with a lot of expectations in the first place and then few paragraphs in, it just became a matter of finishing what I had started.
The writing is amateurish. I don't know if it's specific to just this book or the general writing style of the author but it failed to spark my imagination. I could have given the writing a pass, if the story had a good depth. But again it failed in that department as well. I generally don't mind cliches but to be hit with them in every second page is a bit too much for me. I also feel that the author didn't use the setting of lustrous Goa to its optimum.
To end with, I wish I could take back the time I spent on the 250-odd pages of this book and put it in a more engaging slice-of-life drama.
October 21, 2020
Oh wow such a lovely treat from the author Bulbul Sharma. A book based on Goa and a murder mystery. A murder which has got together everyone in the Happy Home for aged people. Maria who is the owner of the happy home. She finds a out a dead body hanging from a mango tree from her garden. Who is the person. How that person got murdered, that was the only topic for everyone in the home. Deven, Cyrilo, Leela, Rosie, Maria and Yuri these are the characters which are penned with different perspectives and etiquette. But they ganged up together to find out who is that person who’s dead body they found and who killed the person. These characters are mixed of witty, funny, kindness, innocence and friendly, foody and interested to know about everything. The most interesting part is the story is set on the ambiance of Goa and goan people. This will attract you more. Captivating and definitely fun to read. Highly recommending everyone, specially those who are going through reading slump. Please pick this book and get a pace. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.5
June 28, 2023
Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged by Bulbul Sharma is a simple fun read. Published in 2018, the story is set in Goa, and is about five old people staying in a home for the aged trying to solve a murder mystery that happens at their place of stay. The characters are interesting and the writing makes the reader invested in them. The setting is beautiful and the descriptions are vivid which makes the read very enjoyable. The language is lucid and there are no heavy or dark themes.
The writing towards the end gets boring and hard to stick with. The story seems to drag and yet the writing tends to also be rushed. Perhaps some of these issues could have been sorted if the story followed one character during the last act instead of abruptly jumping back and forth between various characters (and their actions). The murder mystery by itself is predictable with no twists. This book is enjoyable if read for the characters, the scenic setting, the wonderful descriptions of actions by characters which provides a slice of life feel and relatability.
The writing towards the end gets boring and hard to stick with. The story seems to drag and yet the writing tends to also be rushed. Perhaps some of these issues could have been sorted if the story followed one character during the last act instead of abruptly jumping back and forth between various characters (and their actions). The murder mystery by itself is predictable with no twists. This book is enjoyable if read for the characters, the scenic setting, the wonderful descriptions of actions by characters which provides a slice of life feel and relatability.
June 4, 2018
Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged
Bulbul Sharma
Penguin India
INR 250/
This is a murder set in a rambling old house in Goa, the Indian equivalent of an English country
house. The Happy Home for the Aged is just that, a place with a group of elderly residents
including a Russian artist called Yuri and owned by a pretty girl named Maria who is still
unmarried at the age of 39 plus with the help of Leela who cooks and cleans. The placed lives of
the residents, normally punctuated by food and squabbles, is disrupted by the discovery of a
body hanging from the mango tree in the garden one bright morning. The body is dressed in
male clothes but turns out to be that of a woman whom no one seems to recognise. The fat
Police Inspector Chand is more interested in ogling Maria than solving the murder so the
residents of the Home decide to put their collective wits to work.
Bulbul Sharma’s lighthearted style captures the essence of life in Goa, touches of Portugese
history and culture, life on the beaches and in the spice gardens and the influx of foreigners,
mainly Russian, who are on the take in many cases as well as moneyed folk from Mumbai and
Delhi looking to build luxury homes at throwaway prices. Outside the boundaries of the Happy
Home the Goa she describes has a predilection for party drugs with coke sniffing and
bloodstained shirts and wine stained dresses – much of which hits the national papers from
time to time. Goa is, after all, the place where the golden sand and the good life has a nasty
edge.
Sharma also points out the caste and religious differences that exist – the Hindu policeman for
example has a mother who is against his eyeing a Catholic girl and there is always the clash
between the true Portuguese as compared to those residents with mixed bloodlines. The quest
for the murderer is paralleled by Maria’s quest for love and in the end; she chooses good
heartedness and a loyal Goan boy over gold digging – her first beau Francis is only after the
house that he plans to turn into a heritage hotel after turfing out the geriatric inhabitants.
In an India with an increasingly silver haired population, Sharma makes the point that age has
nothing to do with incapacity. Rosie, the eldest, can pull off an Olympic leap with her
wheelchair when it comes to the point, regardless of the consequences. Deven and Cyrilo can
manage action and even if none of them has Miss Marple’s insightful talents, together they
make a sympathetic team aided and abetted by Maria and her true love Bobby, capable of
fighting off genuine evil with effects borrowed from the film Mirch Masala. They also succeed in
making Inspector Chand look like an idiot, despite being advised by the cops to concentrate on
singing bhajans rather than murder mysteries.
Whether this is the first of a series or a tale complete in itself only time will tell.
Bulbul Sharma
Penguin India
INR 250/
This is a murder set in a rambling old house in Goa, the Indian equivalent of an English country
house. The Happy Home for the Aged is just that, a place with a group of elderly residents
including a Russian artist called Yuri and owned by a pretty girl named Maria who is still
unmarried at the age of 39 plus with the help of Leela who cooks and cleans. The placed lives of
the residents, normally punctuated by food and squabbles, is disrupted by the discovery of a
body hanging from the mango tree in the garden one bright morning. The body is dressed in
male clothes but turns out to be that of a woman whom no one seems to recognise. The fat
Police Inspector Chand is more interested in ogling Maria than solving the murder so the
residents of the Home decide to put their collective wits to work.
Bulbul Sharma’s lighthearted style captures the essence of life in Goa, touches of Portugese
history and culture, life on the beaches and in the spice gardens and the influx of foreigners,
mainly Russian, who are on the take in many cases as well as moneyed folk from Mumbai and
Delhi looking to build luxury homes at throwaway prices. Outside the boundaries of the Happy
Home the Goa she describes has a predilection for party drugs with coke sniffing and
bloodstained shirts and wine stained dresses – much of which hits the national papers from
time to time. Goa is, after all, the place where the golden sand and the good life has a nasty
edge.
Sharma also points out the caste and religious differences that exist – the Hindu policeman for
example has a mother who is against his eyeing a Catholic girl and there is always the clash
between the true Portuguese as compared to those residents with mixed bloodlines. The quest
for the murderer is paralleled by Maria’s quest for love and in the end; she chooses good
heartedness and a loyal Goan boy over gold digging – her first beau Francis is only after the
house that he plans to turn into a heritage hotel after turfing out the geriatric inhabitants.
In an India with an increasingly silver haired population, Sharma makes the point that age has
nothing to do with incapacity. Rosie, the eldest, can pull off an Olympic leap with her
wheelchair when it comes to the point, regardless of the consequences. Deven and Cyrilo can
manage action and even if none of them has Miss Marple’s insightful talents, together they
make a sympathetic team aided and abetted by Maria and her true love Bobby, capable of
fighting off genuine evil with effects borrowed from the film Mirch Masala. They also succeed in
making Inspector Chand look like an idiot, despite being advised by the cops to concentrate on
singing bhajans rather than murder mysteries.
Whether this is the first of a series or a tale complete in itself only time will tell.
August 28, 2018
A delightful whodunit set in verdant Goa, and more unexpectedly, with an unusual set of detectives, who are inmates of an old age home. The story has no single protagonist, but centres on Maria, a pretty young woman, with a flock of admirers including her childhood friend, Bobby, the dashing, ambitious Francis, and Police Inspector Chand. Maria, who inherited a large bungalow from her grandfather, is following in his footsteps, by opening her doors to the old, who have no home to call their own. She is also known for her baking skills and runs her own cafe in the little village of Trionim. The generally peaceful villagers are quite averse to the luxury villas being built for rich holiday makers from Delhi and Bombay, not without a tinge of envy, who together with the drug taking foreigner visitors, especially the Russians, are upsetting the tranquility of their existence. Then one morning, the inmates of the Happy Home wake up to find a body hanging from a mango tree in the garden. Appalled yet excited, they look forward to assisting the police, only to find their views totally disregarded because of their advanced age, and disability. Vowing to solve the mystery themselves, and show the Inspector what they are made off, they set off on the adventure, in their new role as detectives, with a renewed lease on life. The search takes them to the homes of the rich, their fabulous parties, the abundance of alcohol and drugs, the endless lust for wealth, and finally the solution to the murder. A light-hearted murder mystery with a simple, but plausible solution; the village setting, the vintage homes, the smell of baking, the greenery, the beaches and fish markets are so real that the reader is wafted off to rural Goa for a few delicious hours.
August 31, 2023
Quite entertaining but not up to the mark. Read it if you want to enjoy Goa (although it is from the point of view of tourists and retired)
But in the end, it's beautifully written
But in the end, it's beautifully written
September 2, 2019
'Life changes. The sea brings in new sand and changes colour every hour of the day.'
Oh boy. The quintessential whodunit tale intertwined with the simple pleasures and livelihoods of a motley group of elderly residents at the Happy Home for the Aged.
You'd think that this would be about a peculiar band of self-pronounced elderly detectives snooping around trying to figure out the mayhaps of a bizarre murder in their sanctuary; a bubbly, fun-times-abound story of the old rejoicing with the new and rediscovering their youth. You'd be right. This is exactly that.
Some novels, however, are so self-contained within the sparkling premises they promise that yes, they fill the expected space left behind by a blurb, but no, they do not end up doing it to the utmost of their potential. What I mean is that yes, Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged delivers what it promises, but somehow it muddles everything up, too.
Not much is particularly bad about it, after all. The characters are all unique and archetypal, tropey. The plot is what everyone says it is, with little extra pizzazz. And the writing isn't bad, by any means: it is plain, unadorned, and unspectacular, as probably expected.
Overall, though, it dragged, somehow. I kept putting it off and putting it down whenever I tried to read again, because I don't know why, but I simply couldn't get through it. I was just confused and not very delighted while reading it, in its entirety.
Maybe it's not as bad as I made it out to be, but would I revisit it to give it a chance at redemption? Sorry, but I'll pass.
July 7, 2022
“As you grow old, your memories are your best friends and you want to hold onto them as long as you came.”
Five old and odd people have nothing much to do except last their monotonous life. They are brought close together when they discover a dead body in the garden of their happy home.
The five weirdos are -
Has bad temper and gets irritated for random things.
The next one is a drunk but is also a painter when sober.
Another one was a headmaster and now finds it difficult to let go the mannerism of such profession.
The next one cannot walk and is fixed to a wheelchair.
The last one is Cyril and he wants action.
These five strange people come forward to solve the mystery behind the murder and reach out to police only to get rebuked
The police thinks their a old or peculiar lot who had gone senile and keeps ignoring their findings.
Can these residents of happy home solve the crime or end up being the next victim?
P.S. A decent weekend read. Can also help in your reading slump between thicker books.
#bookishlysane #bookstagram #bookworm #bookstagrammer #reading #bookaddict #booknerd #bibliophile #instabook #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #read #bookaholic #bookphotography #bookshelf #booklove #bookreview #bookcommunity #bookblogger #instabooks #booklovers #reader #igreads #bookrecommendations #currentlyreading #bookhoarder #bookhaul #booknerd #bookishfeatures #readingtime #readmorebooks
Five old and odd people have nothing much to do except last their monotonous life. They are brought close together when they discover a dead body in the garden of their happy home.
The five weirdos are -
Has bad temper and gets irritated for random things.
The next one is a drunk but is also a painter when sober.
Another one was a headmaster and now finds it difficult to let go the mannerism of such profession.
The next one cannot walk and is fixed to a wheelchair.
The last one is Cyril and he wants action.
These five strange people come forward to solve the mystery behind the murder and reach out to police only to get rebuked
The police thinks their a old or peculiar lot who had gone senile and keeps ignoring their findings.
Can these residents of happy home solve the crime or end up being the next victim?
P.S. A decent weekend read. Can also help in your reading slump between thicker books.
#bookishlysane #bookstagram #bookworm #bookstagrammer #reading #bookaddict #booknerd #bibliophile #instabook #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #read #bookaholic #bookphotography #bookshelf #booklove #bookreview #bookcommunity #bookblogger #instabooks #booklovers #reader #igreads #bookrecommendations #currentlyreading #bookhoarder #bookhaul #booknerd #bookishfeatures #readingtime #readmorebooks
February 13, 2021
Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged surprised me because it's so charming and funny! I remember my conversations with my Lola; she has no filter at all 😂
I also appreciate the prose! It managed to give the reader information about Goa (history and myth) without it becoming like a Wikipedia article.
If you're planning to read this book, do take note that it's more character-driven. It voices the hurt that our Lolos and Lolas encounter on a daily basis. Their perspective about death, the past, and the loss of youth. (I hate the Inspector for disrespecting and underestimating them 😤)
The murder mystery is very obvious. The novel presents the double-edged sword of tourism.
Even if these foreigners/ tourists do give money to the community, is this financial gain really experienced by the locals?
How about the environmental repercussions due to the construction of countless hotels & condominiums for the rich and by the rich?
Overall, Happy Home for the Aged is a place I both want to and don't want to visit, out of respect for these characters.
I also appreciate the prose! It managed to give the reader information about Goa (history and myth) without it becoming like a Wikipedia article.
If you're planning to read this book, do take note that it's more character-driven. It voices the hurt that our Lolos and Lolas encounter on a daily basis. Their perspective about death, the past, and the loss of youth. (I hate the Inspector for disrespecting and underestimating them 😤)
The murder mystery is very obvious. The novel presents the double-edged sword of tourism.
Even if these foreigners/ tourists do give money to the community, is this financial gain really experienced by the locals?
How about the environmental repercussions due to the construction of countless hotels & condominiums for the rich and by the rich?
Overall, Happy Home for the Aged is a place I both want to and don't want to visit, out of respect for these characters.
November 11, 2018
When you read this book you tend to think of this as a murder mystery. It is indeed so, but mystery isn't what drives you to read on because it isn't engrossing enough. But what is engrossing and purely delightful is the warm dosage of subtle humour which springs from the interaction and relationship that the old members of the happy home share.
I loved the banter and varied dimensions of the characters which really melted my heart. They were crafted beautifully.
So I would suggest to read this one just for the characters. Mystery and thriller element is not bad but not very good too. Though overall the book is worth it completely.
I loved the banter and varied dimensions of the characters which really melted my heart. They were crafted beautifully.
So I would suggest to read this one just for the characters. Mystery and thriller element is not bad but not very good too. Though overall the book is worth it completely.
January 17, 2023
I knew the killer all along and guess what? It was the same person. Then why did I read 230+ pages? I don't know.
I appreciate the effort the author put into this book. It isn't easy to write such a long book set in a different place (old-age home). But the story isn't good and I am sad to say this. It doesn't have any suspense whatsoever.
Give it a try if you find the premise very interesting.
I appreciate the effort the author put into this book. It isn't easy to write such a long book set in a different place (old-age home). But the story isn't good and I am sad to say this. It doesn't have any suspense whatsoever.
Give it a try if you find the premise very interesting.
September 8, 2018
Promising plot but lukewarm narration. Old age home and it's residents are interesting read. Goa is always nice to read about. However the second half of the book about murder and it's investigation becomes repetitive, slow and even unbelievable.
An average book at best.
An average book at best.
February 25, 2019
Liked the fact it was set it Goa (always good to have anything connected with Goa!). Murder mystery was simple. Protagonists were unlikely and sweet. All in all a cute lil book to read on a rainy day. Suited for older adults or children.
September 1, 2022
Badly written and badly edited book. There are errors about the characters lives; the narrative is unnecessarily long and pointless; it seems like an unsuccessful attempt to recreate The Thursday Murder Club.
December 13, 2023
It is about an unexpected deadbody appearing at happy home, which is a place where some old people are living.Their journey of solving the murder mystery is the overall story portrayed here.
I loved reading this book and highly recommend this to anyone interested in murder mysteries
I loved reading this book and highly recommend this to anyone interested in murder mysteries
January 12, 2019
For a murder mystery, the narrative is frustratingly slow and the ending predictable and disappointing.
July 13, 2019
The murder mystery is mediocre but it being set in a different background and the characters make up for it by amusing you most of the times.
January 19, 2020
Good interesting background on the Goan history and culture of the locals. Plot wasn't very intriguing and quite obvious.
March 18, 2020
One time readable
Prediction twist - can be guessed at character introduction time itself
Slow narration
Prediction twist - can be guessed at character introduction time itself
Slow narration
March 18, 2021
Short , little no challenge murder mystery. Slightly irritating at times, a bit Death in Paradise like but an easy read.
January 29, 2023
Wooow. What a wonderful book. It made me fall in love with Goa once again. And all the characters in this book are lovable. Enjoyed a lot while reading. ❤️❤️❤️
March 24, 2024
Picked it up solely because of the cover, cause it looked really aesthetic. The plot could have been better, it was really predictable and got a little boring towards the end.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews