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Perveen Mistry #3
Bombayn prinssi
Perveen Mistry elää sydäntään kuunnellen ja raivaa tytöille tietä Intian ainoana naispuolisena asianajajana. Kun nuori nainen pyytää Perveeniltä lakineuvoja ja sitten yllättäen menehtyy yliopiston kampuksella, Perveen kokee velvollisuudekseen auttaa naisen perhettä.
Samaan aikaan Walesin prinssin vierailu aiheuttaa Bombayssa levottomuuksia. Perveen vetäytyy turvaan hotelliin, mutta törmää siellä vanhaan tuttuunsa, sir Colin Sandringhamiin. Kohtaaminen sykähdyttää Perveeniä, mutta hänen on vaikea tunnustaa sitä edes itselleen.
Kun mellakointi jatkuu, Perveen on vaikean valinnan edessä. Voiko hän selvittää kuolleen naisen kohtalon joutumatta itse vaaraan? Ja kuinka paljon hän uskaltaa venyttää 1920-luvun naisille asetettuja rajoja ja uhmata isänsä käskyjä?
Samaan aikaan Walesin prinssin vierailu aiheuttaa Bombayssa levottomuuksia. Perveen vetäytyy turvaan hotelliin, mutta törmää siellä vanhaan tuttuunsa, sir Colin Sandringhamiin. Kohtaaminen sykähdyttää Perveeniä, mutta hänen on vaikea tunnustaa sitä edes itselleen.
Kun mellakointi jatkuu, Perveen on vaikean valinnan edessä. Voiko hän selvittää kuolleen naisen kohtalon joutumatta itse vaaraan? Ja kuinka paljon hän uskaltaa venyttää 1920-luvun naisille asetettuja rajoja ja uhmata isänsä käskyjä?
406 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
551 people are currently reading
12177 people want to read
About the author
Sujata Massey
36 books2,672 followersSujata 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,066 reviews
May 5, 2022
The Bombay Prince by Sujuta Massey is a Soho Crime publication.
I love this series. Perveen is a wonderful character, and I was very much looking forward to this installment, though it took me a while to get it squeezed into my reading schedule.
This third installment is centered around the Prince of Wales’s visit to India. Protests are in the works, planned to coincide with the prince’s arrival in Bombay. Perveen is made aware of the protest when she is approached by a young Parsi university student, Freny Cuttingmaster, for advice about participating in the protest.
When Freny is murdered, Parveen feels responsible and launches an investigation into her death. Her efforts are fraught with danger, more so than usual, as the city has erupted in political unrest...
This installment is a bit of a slow mover, as the author lays out the political unrest of the times, but the tension builds, all the same, as the atmosphere is quite unsettling. Perveen walks a tightrope in pursuit of justice, while also coping with her feelings for a man she will never be able to form a relationship with until the laws change.
Although there were times when the story was a little too wordy, and the momentum suffered as a result, with patience, it becomes clear why it was necessary to include those passages, which didn’t seem all that important, at the time.
The conclusion was definitely a well-crafted surprise and I doubt anyone would have been able to guess the outcome in advance. I was pleased with other developments in the story, too- which could open possibilities for Perveen on both a personal and professional level. I’m curious to see how these threads will proceed and hope to hear from Perveen again soon.
4 stars
I love this series. Perveen is a wonderful character, and I was very much looking forward to this installment, though it took me a while to get it squeezed into my reading schedule.
This third installment is centered around the Prince of Wales’s visit to India. Protests are in the works, planned to coincide with the prince’s arrival in Bombay. Perveen is made aware of the protest when she is approached by a young Parsi university student, Freny Cuttingmaster, for advice about participating in the protest.
When Freny is murdered, Parveen feels responsible and launches an investigation into her death. Her efforts are fraught with danger, more so than usual, as the city has erupted in political unrest...
This installment is a bit of a slow mover, as the author lays out the political unrest of the times, but the tension builds, all the same, as the atmosphere is quite unsettling. Perveen walks a tightrope in pursuit of justice, while also coping with her feelings for a man she will never be able to form a relationship with until the laws change.
Although there were times when the story was a little too wordy, and the momentum suffered as a result, with patience, it becomes clear why it was necessary to include those passages, which didn’t seem all that important, at the time.
The conclusion was definitely a well-crafted surprise and I doubt anyone would have been able to guess the outcome in advance. I was pleased with other developments in the story, too- which could open possibilities for Perveen on both a personal and professional level. I’m curious to see how these threads will proceed and hope to hear from Perveen again soon.
4 stars
June 3, 2021
Complexity.....thy name is Woman.
Sujata Massey presents another outstanding edition to her Perveen Mistry Series. She carves her main female character with high intelligence, craftiness, persistence, and analytical skills that would make ol' Sherlock come up short. The Bombay Prince is a treasure of a read that incorporates the surge of the working class in support of independence from British rule. And, ah, we have the stepping forward of Perveen as the first woman solicitor. The stars are beginning to align.
It's November of 1921 and Bombay is anxiously preparing for the arrival of twenty-seven year old Edward, Prince of Wales. His impending presence will represent a gamut of emotions for the people. Some are supportive while others mirror the unrest of religious and political strife. We'll also experience the impact of Mohandas Gandhi, a freedom fighter working through boycotts. India in 1921 is filled with pockets of violence and the rise of terrorists representing their causes.
Perveen Mistry works alongside her father in a shared law practice. The Bombay High Court refuses to recognize women lawyers as advocates. Without her renowned father, Perveen would be relegated to menial tasks in the practice of law. It is through his support and her own endeavors that she is creating a name for herself.
The lid is lifted off this story when a young eighteen year old college student visits Perveen for advice. Freny Cuttingmaster attends Woolburn College and is an excellent student. She wishes to remain home on the day of Prince Edward's parade as in a silent boycott. But her fear is that the college will retaliate if she doesn't attend. Perhaps she will even be dismissed.
The flame within this story will be lit when young Freny's body is discovered near the parade route by Perveen herself. The police believe that it was an accident from falling from the bleachers. Perveen believes otherwise.
Sujata Massey is royalty when it comes to developing high-tension storylines set in India. She captures the street scenes and sounds like no other as she elevates the emotions and the heightening tensions of the people. Her character of Perveen is a complicated gem who walks within the needs of the people while trying to adhere to the laws. It's through this fictional female character that we come to know the actual historical events and the escalating trauma of the times. And no one does it better than Massey. The Bombay Prince is a must read.
I received a copy of The Bombay Prince through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Soho Press and to Sujata Massey for the opportunity.
Sujata Massey presents another outstanding edition to her Perveen Mistry Series. She carves her main female character with high intelligence, craftiness, persistence, and analytical skills that would make ol' Sherlock come up short. The Bombay Prince is a treasure of a read that incorporates the surge of the working class in support of independence from British rule. And, ah, we have the stepping forward of Perveen as the first woman solicitor. The stars are beginning to align.
It's November of 1921 and Bombay is anxiously preparing for the arrival of twenty-seven year old Edward, Prince of Wales. His impending presence will represent a gamut of emotions for the people. Some are supportive while others mirror the unrest of religious and political strife. We'll also experience the impact of Mohandas Gandhi, a freedom fighter working through boycotts. India in 1921 is filled with pockets of violence and the rise of terrorists representing their causes.
Perveen Mistry works alongside her father in a shared law practice. The Bombay High Court refuses to recognize women lawyers as advocates. Without her renowned father, Perveen would be relegated to menial tasks in the practice of law. It is through his support and her own endeavors that she is creating a name for herself.
The lid is lifted off this story when a young eighteen year old college student visits Perveen for advice. Freny Cuttingmaster attends Woolburn College and is an excellent student. She wishes to remain home on the day of Prince Edward's parade as in a silent boycott. But her fear is that the college will retaliate if she doesn't attend. Perhaps she will even be dismissed.
The flame within this story will be lit when young Freny's body is discovered near the parade route by Perveen herself. The police believe that it was an accident from falling from the bleachers. Perveen believes otherwise.
Sujata Massey is royalty when it comes to developing high-tension storylines set in India. She captures the street scenes and sounds like no other as she elevates the emotions and the heightening tensions of the people. Her character of Perveen is a complicated gem who walks within the needs of the people while trying to adhere to the laws. It's through this fictional female character that we come to know the actual historical events and the escalating trauma of the times. And no one does it better than Massey. The Bombay Prince is a must read.
I received a copy of The Bombay Prince through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Soho Press and to Sujata Massey for the opportunity.
March 30, 2024
Bombay in 1921 was mostly against British rule so when the Prince of Wales, Edward VIII was announced as beginning a four month tour of the country in November, the murmurs of unrest escalated. The day of the Prince’s tour through the streets of Bombay ended in violence with rioting and looting, along with many injuries and a few deaths. One such death was an eighteen-year-old Parsi student who had visited Perveen Mistry a few days prior for advice – Freny Cuttingmaster had fallen to her death as the Prince’s entourage had passed by Woodburn College. When Freny’s death was ruled a homicide, Perveen was determined to bring closure to her shattered parents.
As Perveen and her father, Jamshedji Mistry, did their best to assist Mr and Mrs Cuttingmaster, both with the coroner’s inquest and afterwards, Perveen and her best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones, also a teacher at Woodburn College continued to ask questions, trying to define the answers needed. But danger was continuing around Bombay, both from the anti-royal protesters and closer to home. Would Perveen manage to get to the bottom of Freny’s death even while her own life was in peril?
The Bombay Prince is the 3rd in the Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Fast paced, energetic and action packed, I love Perveen’s character. She’s an exceptional young woman; first ever female solicitor in Bombay having been educated in England, she’s determined to do her best for her clients, including taking risks, many of which her father disapproves, after the fact. I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
As Perveen and her father, Jamshedji Mistry, did their best to assist Mr and Mrs Cuttingmaster, both with the coroner’s inquest and afterwards, Perveen and her best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones, also a teacher at Woodburn College continued to ask questions, trying to define the answers needed. But danger was continuing around Bombay, both from the anti-royal protesters and closer to home. Would Perveen manage to get to the bottom of Freny’s death even while her own life was in peril?
The Bombay Prince is the 3rd in the Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Fast paced, energetic and action packed, I love Perveen’s character. She’s an exceptional young woman; first ever female solicitor in Bombay having been educated in England, she’s determined to do her best for her clients, including taking risks, many of which her father disapproves, after the fact. I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2021
I really wanted to like this book. I like the setting, 1920's Bombay, India, a good murder mystery and yet this book just dragged. Reading it was like pulling teeth. I could not connect with the characters, and while there were some good scenes, they were few and far between.
We are dealing with the 3rd book of the Perveen Mistry series and by now I would have thought our heroine, Perveen, who is the first female lawyer in Bombay would have been more worldly. I found most of her thoughts and actions totally unbelievable even for a young lawyer. I also seemed to recognize the plot from other books I have read (maybe I read too much!) which was disappointing. Some may very well enjoy this book, but for me I think this is the last book in the series I will read. Just a disappointing effort in my opinion.
We are dealing with the 3rd book of the Perveen Mistry series and by now I would have thought our heroine, Perveen, who is the first female lawyer in Bombay would have been more worldly. I found most of her thoughts and actions totally unbelievable even for a young lawyer. I also seemed to recognize the plot from other books I have read (maybe I read too much!) which was disappointing. Some may very well enjoy this book, but for me I think this is the last book in the series I will read. Just a disappointing effort in my opinion.
July 3, 2021
In 1921, following India’s assistance in the British war effort during WW1, the Indian movement for independence from British rule was once again building popular support. Mohandas Ghandi’s non-cooperation movement was gaining widespread popularity, promoting the wearing of homespun fabrics, boycotting of British institutions and schools and the refusal to pay taxes. So, when King George V announced that the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward would be visiting India on a fourth month tour to thank the people for their support during the war, his visit became a catalyst for civil demonstrations and unrest leading to outbreaks of rioting and looting.
Sujata Massey’s third mystery featuring female solicitor Perveen Mistry is set in Bombay during the Price’s visit. Herself a supporter of the Independence movement, Perveen is reluctantly watching the parade welcoming the Prince into Bombay with her British friend Alice, at Woodburn College where Alice teaches. During the parade, no one notices a female student missing, a young women called Freny Cuttingmaster, who had visited Perveen at her father’s law practice a few days before. It is only after the procession is over that Freny is found, dead in the gardens, apparently falling from the school building, although Perveen is suspicious that her fall was not an accident.
This is another excellent addition to Massey’s Perveen Mistry series. Bombay during Prince Edward’s visit makes a very atmospheric background to the murder mystery at it centre. The pages are redolent with the sights and sounds of India, as well as details of the racial and religious divides and customs. As a solicitor educated at Oxford and member of a well off Parsi family, working alongside her father in his law practice, Perveen is able to mingle in British as well as Indian society which allows insights into both worlds. However, as a woman in male dominated India she often struggles to be paid the attention she deserves and must always be on her guard when it comes to how she behaves and who she is seen with, especially men.
As well as delivering an intriguing mystery and a fascinating, female protagonist, Massey has captured the culture and political sentiments of the time, bringing to life a vibrant India at the start of its struggle for independence.
With thanks to Allen and Unwin Australia for a copy to read.
Original review published first in Mystery & Suspense Magazine https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
Sujata Massey’s third mystery featuring female solicitor Perveen Mistry is set in Bombay during the Price’s visit. Herself a supporter of the Independence movement, Perveen is reluctantly watching the parade welcoming the Prince into Bombay with her British friend Alice, at Woodburn College where Alice teaches. During the parade, no one notices a female student missing, a young women called Freny Cuttingmaster, who had visited Perveen at her father’s law practice a few days before. It is only after the procession is over that Freny is found, dead in the gardens, apparently falling from the school building, although Perveen is suspicious that her fall was not an accident.
This is another excellent addition to Massey’s Perveen Mistry series. Bombay during Prince Edward’s visit makes a very atmospheric background to the murder mystery at it centre. The pages are redolent with the sights and sounds of India, as well as details of the racial and religious divides and customs. As a solicitor educated at Oxford and member of a well off Parsi family, working alongside her father in his law practice, Perveen is able to mingle in British as well as Indian society which allows insights into both worlds. However, as a woman in male dominated India she often struggles to be paid the attention she deserves and must always be on her guard when it comes to how she behaves and who she is seen with, especially men.
As well as delivering an intriguing mystery and a fascinating, female protagonist, Massey has captured the culture and political sentiments of the time, bringing to life a vibrant India at the start of its struggle for independence.
With thanks to Allen and Unwin Australia for a copy to read.
Original review published first in Mystery & Suspense Magazine https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
August 17, 2022
This is the third book in the Perveen Mistry series, set in 1920's Bombay during the time of British Colonial rule. Edward, Prince of Wales and therefore the future ruler of India, is visiting the country and the book is set against the unrest of the people who wish for home rule.
Perveen is engaged in legal work with her father and she is visited by a student asking for advice. When later this same student is found to have been murdered during the course of Edward's procession Perveen attempts to find out why it happened and who is responsible.
These books are endlessly interesting with their information about Indian life at that time. Perveen is a great character too and I really enjoyed the gentle blossoming of her relationship with Colin. However I was not as interested in the political unrest and occasionally found myself skimming, a bad habit I have when I feel the main story is losing momentum.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would certainly like to read more about Perveen's struggles to make it as a woman in what is very much a man's world.
Perveen is engaged in legal work with her father and she is visited by a student asking for advice. When later this same student is found to have been murdered during the course of Edward's procession Perveen attempts to find out why it happened and who is responsible.
These books are endlessly interesting with their information about Indian life at that time. Perveen is a great character too and I really enjoyed the gentle blossoming of her relationship with Colin. However I was not as interested in the political unrest and occasionally found myself skimming, a bad habit I have when I feel the main story is losing momentum.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would certainly like to read more about Perveen's struggles to make it as a woman in what is very much a man's world.
March 7, 2022
This series is like a warm, fuzzy blanket for my brain. I also love how Sujata Massey pulls in actual historical events for this one. I can't wait to read more in this series
Check out my full thoughts in this reading vlog: https://youtu.be/a0J7DTAd7xA
Check out my full thoughts in this reading vlog: https://youtu.be/a0J7DTAd7xA
September 13, 2021
This is another enjoyable read about Perveen Mistry, female lawyer in Bombay in the 1920s. As with the previous books there’s lots of Indian history and politics, social customs and interesting characters. This one is set in 1921 around the visit of the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VIII). There is unrest, protest and vandalism. Perveen becomes involved in the murder investigation of a young student, who had visited Perveen before the Prince’s arrival. Tightly plotted, it all comes together well after suspicion falls on a range of characters.
July 5, 2021
⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️
The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey
Perveen Mistry is one of India’s first female lawyers, she works as a solicitor at her father’s law practice, Mistry Law. In this story Perveen uses her expertise to solve a murder mystery.
1921 - It was announced the twenty-seven year old Prince of Wales, Edward VIII was beginning a four month tour of the country in November.
Thousand of loyalists attend to gain a glimpse of the glamorous royal. However the tour parade is disrupted by protesters, the Indians are in the midst of a fight for independence and the Prince’s arrival in Bombay triggers rioting. The civil unrest created in Bombay by the Prince of Wales’s visit also culminates in violence and property damage. During the parade Freny an eighteen year old student falls to her death from her college building.
Freny is known to Perveen as she had visited Perveen for a consult shortly before her death. Freny had strongly believed in Indian independence and may have been involved in a group who protest against British rule.
Perveen is the solicitor advocating for the murder victim’s family at their request. Perveen applies her skills and professional contacts to their best advantage to gather information to assist in her informal investigation into this horrific crime but will she be risking her own life?
I admired the way the story presented many aspects and rituals in Indian culture and the way it showed a woman’s place in Indian society. We see the discrimination in her own career and also in the lives of other women at the time of a male dominated society. A fascinating tale.
For those that love the Miss Phyrne Fisher murder mystery series you’ll love this as it felt to have very similar vibes.
Publication Date 1 June 2021
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book to read and review.
The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey
Perveen Mistry is one of India’s first female lawyers, she works as a solicitor at her father’s law practice, Mistry Law. In this story Perveen uses her expertise to solve a murder mystery.
1921 - It was announced the twenty-seven year old Prince of Wales, Edward VIII was beginning a four month tour of the country in November.
Thousand of loyalists attend to gain a glimpse of the glamorous royal. However the tour parade is disrupted by protesters, the Indians are in the midst of a fight for independence and the Prince’s arrival in Bombay triggers rioting. The civil unrest created in Bombay by the Prince of Wales’s visit also culminates in violence and property damage. During the parade Freny an eighteen year old student falls to her death from her college building.
Freny is known to Perveen as she had visited Perveen for a consult shortly before her death. Freny had strongly believed in Indian independence and may have been involved in a group who protest against British rule.
Perveen is the solicitor advocating for the murder victim’s family at their request. Perveen applies her skills and professional contacts to their best advantage to gather information to assist in her informal investigation into this horrific crime but will she be risking her own life?
I admired the way the story presented many aspects and rituals in Indian culture and the way it showed a woman’s place in Indian society. We see the discrimination in her own career and also in the lives of other women at the time of a male dominated society. A fascinating tale.
For those that love the Miss Phyrne Fisher murder mystery series you’ll love this as it felt to have very similar vibes.
Publication Date 1 June 2021
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book to read and review.
September 5, 2022
Perveen Mistry is simply not that interesting when she stays in Bombay and tries to be Miss Marple. The strength of the previous books was the subject selection: the revealing cultural oppression of women, their defenselessness; and in the second book, the insight into the politics of maharanis in purdah (seclusion from men) and British domination of “independent” Indian princedoms.
The Bombay Prince endeavours to depict the protests during the visit of Edward, the crown prince, to India in 1921. During the riots, a young student girl is killed, and Perveen starts investigating. Unfortunately, the investigation does not carry the story very well, and the weaknesses present in the previous volumes become more noticeable. Massey’s writing is rather pedestrian and pedantic, using language taken from 21st century official documents rather than common contemporary speech. The writing often seems rather naive, clichéd and young adult. She often details mundane, boring office tasks or errands which add nothing to the story. Perveen endangers herself in really stupid ways, even after she should know better. The Prince’s visit is rather glossed over, I did not feel that I got into the history as much as in the previous volumes.
Overall, it was ok but nothing special.
The Bombay Prince endeavours to depict the protests during the visit of Edward, the crown prince, to India in 1921. During the riots, a young student girl is killed, and Perveen starts investigating. Unfortunately, the investigation does not carry the story very well, and the weaknesses present in the previous volumes become more noticeable. Massey’s writing is rather pedestrian and pedantic, using language taken from 21st century official documents rather than common contemporary speech. The writing often seems rather naive, clichéd and young adult. She often details mundane, boring office tasks or errands which add nothing to the story. Perveen endangers herself in really stupid ways, even after she should know better. The Prince’s visit is rather glossed over, I did not feel that I got into the history as much as in the previous volumes.
Overall, it was ok but nothing special.
August 18, 2025
This was a fun mystery but it felt very slow. I read it as my book swap with habibah !!! It reminds me of the Gilded Age, but Indian edition. I might look into the first two books just to get a backstory on perveen and Colin’s history bc they were really cute - even though perveen was kinda pissing me off at her trying to block his advances. But really Mr. Singer has my whole heart i love him
3.5/5
3.5/5
June 1, 2021
This is the 3rd installment in this outstanding serious. It is 1921 colonial Bombay, and Perveen Mistry is the cities only female solicitor. Freny Cuttingmaster, a student at Woodburn College, comes to seek advice from Perveen about attending the parade to honor The Prince of Wales as he visits India. Freny represents a student group that want to sit out the parade in protest of Great Britain’s colonial rule of India. During the parade Freny is found dead at the bottom of a tower on the campus and Perveen is caught up in the mystery surrounding the young woman’s death. With a growing list of suspects, Perveen’s investigation is hampered by the myriad of complexities of India’s different religions and caste system.
This is a wonderful series, showcasing the sights and sounds of 1920’s India, and the struggle for independence of the population as well as the difficulties faced by women due to religious and cultural restrictions. Perveen is a wonderfully written and complex character, and her relationships with the series secondary characters are continued and enhanced in this latest novel. Richly detailed, with an intriguing mystery and authentic dialogue, I can highly recommend this latest historical mystery from Massey. It will enrich, enlighten, and entertain readers.
Thank you to Soho Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
This is a wonderful series, showcasing the sights and sounds of 1920’s India, and the struggle for independence of the population as well as the difficulties faced by women due to religious and cultural restrictions. Perveen is a wonderfully written and complex character, and her relationships with the series secondary characters are continued and enhanced in this latest novel. Richly detailed, with an intriguing mystery and authentic dialogue, I can highly recommend this latest historical mystery from Massey. It will enrich, enlighten, and entertain readers.
Thank you to Soho Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
August 12, 2021
3.5 stars
I really loved the previous two novels in this series, but this one was just okay for me. The plot was quite slow. It felt like most of the story was Perveen thinking about what to do next and asking permission to go out and talk to people. It seemed like her strong will and gumption that were on display in the previous novel were diminished in this one. Also, the supporting characters did not seem as developed as in the last novel, so I wasn’t really invested in solving the mystery. I do look forward to the next novel to see what happens with her personal relationships.
ARC from NetGalley
I really loved the previous two novels in this series, but this one was just okay for me. The plot was quite slow. It felt like most of the story was Perveen thinking about what to do next and asking permission to go out and talk to people. It seemed like her strong will and gumption that were on display in the previous novel were diminished in this one. Also, the supporting characters did not seem as developed as in the last novel, so I wasn’t really invested in solving the mystery. I do look forward to the next novel to see what happens with her personal relationships.
ARC from NetGalley
June 13, 2021
Sujata Massey constructs a well crafted mystery that adds new shadings to the character of Perveen Mistry, the first woman solicitor in Bombay.Additionally, the novel examines the tensions and cultural divides within the Raj and the Indian social order.The author captures the rhythms and sounds of Bombay and its people and transports the reader into the maelstrom of emotions in 1921 India.
The plot unfolds as Edward, Prince of Wales begins his four month tour of India in November of 1921. Opposition to British rule is mounting and Edward’s visit unleashes passionate reactions across all levels of Indian society.Gandhi’s non cooperation movement has been gaining momentum and the British have responded by imposing restrictive ordinances. Opponents and defenders of British rule have come into conflict, sometimes leading to riots and violence.Religious hatreds are exacerbated.Bombay is a cauldron of passion boiling close to the brink of conflagration.
Prior to an upcoming celebratory parade for Edward,Perveen is visited by Freny Cuttingmaster, a young female student at Woolburn College.She wishes to boycott Prince Edward’s parade but fears that her actions might result in her dismissal from college.Sadly, the day of the parade Freny’s body is discovered near the parade route.The authorities think it is a tragic accident.Perveen,wracked with remorse, is determined to give Freny’s death a more comprehensive examination.
Perveen’s efforts to give a voice to this tragic event reveal both the complexities of her character and the strictures of her stratified world.She must cope with sexual stereotypes and religious biases.In a male dominated society, her professional successes are often best advanced by inference and subtlety.She must be sensitive to innuendo and alert at all times to a highly codified set of social cues, where ambition is not a dirty word for men but a condemnation for women.
Sujata Massey has created a multilayered protagonist.Perveen Mistry is a symbol of nascent women’s empowerment in the early decades of twentieth century India.Her journeys illuminate an important time in the movement for Indian independence foreshadowing the events of 1947 and beyond . We are treated to a novel that informs without being pedantic and is engaging as we travel through a pivotal historical period.
The plot unfolds as Edward, Prince of Wales begins his four month tour of India in November of 1921. Opposition to British rule is mounting and Edward’s visit unleashes passionate reactions across all levels of Indian society.Gandhi’s non cooperation movement has been gaining momentum and the British have responded by imposing restrictive ordinances. Opponents and defenders of British rule have come into conflict, sometimes leading to riots and violence.Religious hatreds are exacerbated.Bombay is a cauldron of passion boiling close to the brink of conflagration.
Prior to an upcoming celebratory parade for Edward,Perveen is visited by Freny Cuttingmaster, a young female student at Woolburn College.She wishes to boycott Prince Edward’s parade but fears that her actions might result in her dismissal from college.Sadly, the day of the parade Freny’s body is discovered near the parade route.The authorities think it is a tragic accident.Perveen,wracked with remorse, is determined to give Freny’s death a more comprehensive examination.
Perveen’s efforts to give a voice to this tragic event reveal both the complexities of her character and the strictures of her stratified world.She must cope with sexual stereotypes and religious biases.In a male dominated society, her professional successes are often best advanced by inference and subtlety.She must be sensitive to innuendo and alert at all times to a highly codified set of social cues, where ambition is not a dirty word for men but a condemnation for women.
Sujata Massey has created a multilayered protagonist.Perveen Mistry is a symbol of nascent women’s empowerment in the early decades of twentieth century India.Her journeys illuminate an important time in the movement for Indian independence foreshadowing the events of 1947 and beyond . We are treated to a novel that informs without being pedantic and is engaging as we travel through a pivotal historical period.
June 19, 2021
This 3rd in the series was an okay read.
I found the pacing to be choppy. This choppiness was exacerbated by the abundance of explaining, e.g., a section that describes a recipe for chai. These explanations occur frequently and broke the flow of the reading experience.
I also thought that she created too many strawmen.
Of the 4 Perveen books, this one was the most perplexing because it wasn't as engaging or interesting.
I found the pacing to be choppy. This choppiness was exacerbated by the abundance of explaining, e.g., a section that describes a recipe for chai. These explanations occur frequently and broke the flow of the reading experience.
I also thought that she created too many strawmen.
Of the 4 Perveen books, this one was the most perplexing because it wasn't as engaging or interesting.
June 26, 2021
The Bombay Prince is the third book in the Perveen Mistry series by award-winning British-born American author, Sujata Massey. It’s November 1921, Edward, Prince of Wales is on a state visit to India, and the citizens of Bombay are expected to line the streets in welcome. Some are happy to; others protest their colonial status by boycotting the welcome parade; and pro-Independence activists mount overt protests.
Perveen Mistry joins her friend, Alice on a stand in front of Woodburn College to watch the parade. She notes the absence of a second-year Parsi student, Freny Cuttingmaster, who had been to see her at Mistry Law some days earlier.
Then, in rapid succession, Perveen witnesses the violent arrest of a student who tries to disrupt the parade with a vociferous protest against imperial rule, and is prevented from offering him legal assistance; she is called to where the body of Freny Cuttingmaster, lies in the college garden; she is quite rudely ordered about on five separate occasions by college staff, police and a military attaché; she has to intervene on behalf of grieving parents with an officious municipal employee; and she has a narrow escape when she unwisely confronts a trio of looters alone.
From the scene, Perveen believes that Freny must have fallen from the college balcony, but was it an accident (possible), suicide (unlikely), or murder? If the latter, the killer might be found amongst the staff or students o the college, or pro-independence rioters, or even a member of her family. Freny was known to be a member of Student Union with pro-independence sympathies: might this be a factor in her death?
Over the next days, Perveen is kept busy, not just with matters generated by damage to various businesses by looters, but is allowed to speak for Freny’s parents at the inquest, visits a prison cell, and spends a night at a fancy hotel, where she bumps into ICE political agent, Colin Sandringham. And while her focus must always be on her career and advancing the cause of women in India’s legal profession, she does find his presence distracting…
Once again, Massey gives the reader a tale filled with rich everyday historical minutiae, making the detail of custom and ritual easy to assimilate, while providing a plot that will keep the reader guessing until the final pages. And while it could be read as a stand-alone, familiarity with the regular characters and their backgrounds certainly enhances the reader’s enjoyment. Fascinating historical crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
Perveen Mistry joins her friend, Alice on a stand in front of Woodburn College to watch the parade. She notes the absence of a second-year Parsi student, Freny Cuttingmaster, who had been to see her at Mistry Law some days earlier.
Then, in rapid succession, Perveen witnesses the violent arrest of a student who tries to disrupt the parade with a vociferous protest against imperial rule, and is prevented from offering him legal assistance; she is called to where the body of Freny Cuttingmaster, lies in the college garden; she is quite rudely ordered about on five separate occasions by college staff, police and a military attaché; she has to intervene on behalf of grieving parents with an officious municipal employee; and she has a narrow escape when she unwisely confronts a trio of looters alone.
From the scene, Perveen believes that Freny must have fallen from the college balcony, but was it an accident (possible), suicide (unlikely), or murder? If the latter, the killer might be found amongst the staff or students o the college, or pro-independence rioters, or even a member of her family. Freny was known to be a member of Student Union with pro-independence sympathies: might this be a factor in her death?
Over the next days, Perveen is kept busy, not just with matters generated by damage to various businesses by looters, but is allowed to speak for Freny’s parents at the inquest, visits a prison cell, and spends a night at a fancy hotel, where she bumps into ICE political agent, Colin Sandringham. And while her focus must always be on her career and advancing the cause of women in India’s legal profession, she does find his presence distracting…
Once again, Massey gives the reader a tale filled with rich everyday historical minutiae, making the detail of custom and ritual easy to assimilate, while providing a plot that will keep the reader guessing until the final pages. And while it could be read as a stand-alone, familiarity with the regular characters and their backgrounds certainly enhances the reader’s enjoyment. Fascinating historical crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
June 27, 2021
I love Preveen mysteries! Atmospheric and complex!
As always Preveen Mistry, a Parsi separated woman (unheard of), is an energising force as she quietly, yet forcefully, undertakes the various cases she’s given as a solicitor in her father’s law firm.
The time in history is interesting. It’s 1921 and Edward, the Prince of Wales is visiting Bombay as part of an extended royal visit.
Unrest is in the air. The Independence Activists want changes. The British authorities are concerned about possible attacks on the Prince and his entourage.
Preveen has been consulted by a young female student, Ferny Cuttingmaster, from the prestigious Woodburn College where her friend Alice Hobson-Jones teaches. Freny seeks legal advice for the College’s Student Union around activism.
What she doesn’t foresee is that Freny will be involved in a fatal accident, and the more Preveen delves into the aspects of that, the more likely it appears that it might have been deliberately caused.
Edward’s visit sparks off riots. Livings are destroyed, and many jailed.
Preveen has her time cut out pursuing the truth behind Freny’s accident, and handling the many cases that come post the riots—from wrongly imprisoned people, to those seeking damages and representation.
Into this comes a friend from previous times, Colin Wythe Sandringham, an Indian Civil Service political officer with the British government. Someone Preveen greatly admires but with whom there can never be anything more. Customs, religious factors and honor will not allow that.
A very up close and personal look at India at this time, giving this mystery depth the political grounding of the time.
Massey is a whiz at combining these historical times with a captivating mystery, peppered with a variety of fascinating characters.
A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley
As always Preveen Mistry, a Parsi separated woman (unheard of), is an energising force as she quietly, yet forcefully, undertakes the various cases she’s given as a solicitor in her father’s law firm.
The time in history is interesting. It’s 1921 and Edward, the Prince of Wales is visiting Bombay as part of an extended royal visit.
Unrest is in the air. The Independence Activists want changes. The British authorities are concerned about possible attacks on the Prince and his entourage.
Preveen has been consulted by a young female student, Ferny Cuttingmaster, from the prestigious Woodburn College where her friend Alice Hobson-Jones teaches. Freny seeks legal advice for the College’s Student Union around activism.
What she doesn’t foresee is that Freny will be involved in a fatal accident, and the more Preveen delves into the aspects of that, the more likely it appears that it might have been deliberately caused.
Edward’s visit sparks off riots. Livings are destroyed, and many jailed.
Preveen has her time cut out pursuing the truth behind Freny’s accident, and handling the many cases that come post the riots—from wrongly imprisoned people, to those seeking damages and representation.
Into this comes a friend from previous times, Colin Wythe Sandringham, an Indian Civil Service political officer with the British government. Someone Preveen greatly admires but with whom there can never be anything more. Customs, religious factors and honor will not allow that.
A very up close and personal look at India at this time, giving this mystery depth the political grounding of the time.
Massey is a whiz at combining these historical times with a captivating mystery, peppered with a variety of fascinating characters.
A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley
June 4, 2021
Enthralling
The novel hurtles forward, combining emotion with historical detail. Purveen finds herself in the center of a political storm in this tense time in Bombay's history. Excellent writing.
The novel hurtles forward, combining emotion with historical detail. Purveen finds herself in the center of a political storm in this tense time in Bombay's history. Excellent writing.
September 5, 2022
This was a slower read for me. Wasn’t holding my attention as well with the actual story but as usual the historical details, food etc very interesting.
September 25, 2022
This was a disappointing and tedious read. I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series, and the second was a good read. This one, however, seems to drag from the word go, and did not engage in the way of its predecessors.
Three stars for the disappointment. Would I read it again? No!
Three stars for the disappointment. Would I read it again? No!
May 12, 2021
I find historical mysteries fascinating: it's that magic of recreating a particular, often pivotal, moment in time, then building a narrative on top of it that illuminates that moment. In the last year or so, I've found myself reading several mysteries set in India during the struggle for independence and the sectarian violence during and after that period. The Perveen Mistry novels are a solid addition to that genre, particularly because the "detective" figure is India's (fictional, as far as I know) first female solicitor. Mistry studied law at Oxford after completing her education in India, though she couldn't receive a degree, as Oxford had not yet begun granting degrees to women at the time she attended. She then returned home to share a law practice with her father.
As with many historical mysteries, the heart of the novel isn't the mystery itself. Mistry is trying to track down the killer of a young Indian woman who was murdered on the day Prince Edward began his royal tour of the country. The author gives readers a reasonable number of suspects, but the plotting isn't all that complex. What's fascinating is the way Mistry navigates the currents of a society in the middle of intense transition: women entering professions, British rule being challenged, many types of new of relationships being built among Indians and Brits, Hindu/Parsi tensions (Mistry is Parsi), the narrow codes for acceptable female behavior, and class difference both across and within nationalities.
Read this book knowing that, while the mystery is competent, it's meeting Mistry and sharing the complexity of her thinking and life that are the real reward.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGally. The opinions are my own.
As with many historical mysteries, the heart of the novel isn't the mystery itself. Mistry is trying to track down the killer of a young Indian woman who was murdered on the day Prince Edward began his royal tour of the country. The author gives readers a reasonable number of suspects, but the plotting isn't all that complex. What's fascinating is the way Mistry navigates the currents of a society in the middle of intense transition: women entering professions, British rule being challenged, many types of new of relationships being built among Indians and Brits, Hindu/Parsi tensions (Mistry is Parsi), the narrow codes for acceptable female behavior, and class difference both across and within nationalities.
Read this book knowing that, while the mystery is competent, it's meeting Mistry and sharing the complexity of her thinking and life that are the real reward.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGally. The opinions are my own.
June 9, 2021
I have enjoyed each of the three books in this series and look forward to the next. Writing, plotting, characterizations, historical events, populace descriptions, Bombay of the 1920's, trip to Bombay made by Prince Edward III, Ghandi in the background...so much rich detail to enjoy in these books! Perveen has many challenges as she is the first female solicitor of Bombay and there are many examples in this book of the complicated dance she must execute to stay within her given role.
A young female student comes to visit her with a political problem and before Preveen has much time to investigate conditions at the school the young woman is found dead. This investigation consumes a major part of the book but there are many other interesting cases and problems for Preveen to solve.
There are also some interesting developments in Preveen's personal life.
Great read, great series!
A young female student comes to visit her with a political problem and before Preveen has much time to investigate conditions at the school the young woman is found dead. This investigation consumes a major part of the book but there are many other interesting cases and problems for Preveen to solve.
There are also some interesting developments in Preveen's personal life.
Great read, great series!
June 20, 2021
The Bombay Prince is the third book by Sujata Massey to feature Perveen Massey, India’s first female solicitor, working alongside her father, a respected lawyer. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the previous novels, A Murder on Malabar Hill and The Satapur Moonstone, to enjoy this though I believe the experience is better for it.
Taking place in November of 1921, Massey sets the story of The Bombay Prince against the unrest in India between British loyalists and those agitating for India’s independence as Edward VIII, Prince of Wales arrives to tour the sub-continent.
Perveen meets with a young university student worried that if she refuses the school principal’s directive to attend the parade welcoming Prince Edward that she could be expelled. Freny Cuttingmaster is anxious that she not disappoint her parents by jeopardising her education but staunchly opposes British Rule and wants Perveen’s assurance that her future will not be compromised by taking a stand. Perveen isn’t able to provide Freny with a definitive answer, suggesting she return with her college handbook, but she doesn’t see the young woman again until, on the day of the parade, Freny’s body is found in the courtyard of the school.
The Bombay Prince offers a well crafted mystery that plays out against the backdrop of protests which divides the city of Bombay along political and religious lines. Perveen is deeply distressed by the young woman’s death, especially when it becomes clear that Freny didn’t simply fall from the gallery as the scene was staged to suggest. Not able to trust that the death will be properly investigated for a number of reasons, including the college’s wish to avoid scandal, general dismissive attitudes towards women, and the escalating violence related to Prince Edward’s visit, Purveen insinuates herself into the case to ensure the killer is brought to justice. The challenge Purveen faces in navigating these issues is fascinating, probably more so than the mystery itself at times, especially when she is noticed by the men looking for collaborators in a plot to assassinate Prince Edward.
Purveen is a complex character, presenting an uneasy mix of progressive and conservative traits. Though she has defied societal expectations by becoming a solicitor, and in separating from her abusive husband, she is very conscious of the need to behave in ways that protect both her and her family’s reputation, and tends to be braver when acting on behalf of her clients than she is in than her defence of herself. This is particularly evident in her interactions with men, which makes her continued connection with Colin Sandringham, who was her government liaison in The Satapur Moonstone, an intriguing element of the story.
Rich in historical detail and cultural interest, offering a discerning mystery and a hint of romance, The Bombay Prince is an engaging novel, and I hope the series will continue.
Taking place in November of 1921, Massey sets the story of The Bombay Prince against the unrest in India between British loyalists and those agitating for India’s independence as Edward VIII, Prince of Wales arrives to tour the sub-continent.
Perveen meets with a young university student worried that if she refuses the school principal’s directive to attend the parade welcoming Prince Edward that she could be expelled. Freny Cuttingmaster is anxious that she not disappoint her parents by jeopardising her education but staunchly opposes British Rule and wants Perveen’s assurance that her future will not be compromised by taking a stand. Perveen isn’t able to provide Freny with a definitive answer, suggesting she return with her college handbook, but she doesn’t see the young woman again until, on the day of the parade, Freny’s body is found in the courtyard of the school.
The Bombay Prince offers a well crafted mystery that plays out against the backdrop of protests which divides the city of Bombay along political and religious lines. Perveen is deeply distressed by the young woman’s death, especially when it becomes clear that Freny didn’t simply fall from the gallery as the scene was staged to suggest. Not able to trust that the death will be properly investigated for a number of reasons, including the college’s wish to avoid scandal, general dismissive attitudes towards women, and the escalating violence related to Prince Edward’s visit, Purveen insinuates herself into the case to ensure the killer is brought to justice. The challenge Purveen faces in navigating these issues is fascinating, probably more so than the mystery itself at times, especially when she is noticed by the men looking for collaborators in a plot to assassinate Prince Edward.
Purveen is a complex character, presenting an uneasy mix of progressive and conservative traits. Though she has defied societal expectations by becoming a solicitor, and in separating from her abusive husband, she is very conscious of the need to behave in ways that protect both her and her family’s reputation, and tends to be braver when acting on behalf of her clients than she is in than her defence of herself. This is particularly evident in her interactions with men, which makes her continued connection with Colin Sandringham, who was her government liaison in The Satapur Moonstone, an intriguing element of the story.
Rich in historical detail and cultural interest, offering a discerning mystery and a hint of romance, The Bombay Prince is an engaging novel, and I hope the series will continue.
November 11, 2024
The third book in the Perveen Mistry series, The Bombay Prince, did not disappoint. I liked it less than the others but it is still a brilliant book. The setting is Bombay, 1921. The Prince of Wales, Edward VII, is set to visit the country and the Gateway of India was being built in his honour. But the independence movement is in full swing, and Gandhi has called for a boycott of the Prince's visit.
It is in this background that Perveen receives a client in the form of Freny Cuttingmaster. She wants to know if it would be possible for her to boycott the Prince's visit without getting expelled from university, since she was secretly in an independence club. On the day of the Prince's arrival, Freny falls from the college building and dies. It is up to Perveen to unravel the threads that led to this tragedy.
The history part is impeccable, and I am really surprised at how well it was done. The independence movement and the violence sometimes connected to it was very well depicted. In addition, it was clearly shown how the British controlled everything, even very harmless things, like club memberships. The place of Parsis in Indian society at this time was also vulnerable. The British would soon be on their way out but many Parsis benefitted from their rule and did not support independence. This led to Parsis being a target of the rioters. Including Perveen.
As in the previous books, Parsi customs are again described in great detail. I don't know how accurate the depiction is, but it was very interesting. For a community that today is considered very modern, they certainly had their baggage in the 1920s.
Perveen's personal story moves forward a little but not enough for my taste. She makes contact again with Colin Sandringham, the British civil servant from the previous book. A romance is definitely brewing there but I wish she would hurry up with it. The confident Perveen of the previous books is now suddenly obedient to her parents and defers to her father all the time, which was a big let-down. She also becomes very officious with her sister in law and then whines when the latter is annoyed. Her father also is depicted as an autocrat, creating situations where other family members suffer, which was not the case in the previous books.
As for the mystery itself, I thought it was a bit bland. The killer did not make much sense and did not sufficiently tie together with the rest of the story at all. It felt like Massey just decided to pull a killer out of thin air and tried to make it work.
Despite the shortcomings, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!
It is in this background that Perveen receives a client in the form of Freny Cuttingmaster. She wants to know if it would be possible for her to boycott the Prince's visit without getting expelled from university, since she was secretly in an independence club. On the day of the Prince's arrival, Freny falls from the college building and dies. It is up to Perveen to unravel the threads that led to this tragedy.
The history part is impeccable, and I am really surprised at how well it was done. The independence movement and the violence sometimes connected to it was very well depicted. In addition, it was clearly shown how the British controlled everything, even very harmless things, like club memberships. The place of Parsis in Indian society at this time was also vulnerable. The British would soon be on their way out but many Parsis benefitted from their rule and did not support independence. This led to Parsis being a target of the rioters. Including Perveen.
As in the previous books, Parsi customs are again described in great detail. I don't know how accurate the depiction is, but it was very interesting. For a community that today is considered very modern, they certainly had their baggage in the 1920s.
Perveen's personal story moves forward a little but not enough for my taste. She makes contact again with Colin Sandringham, the British civil servant from the previous book. A romance is definitely brewing there but I wish she would hurry up with it. The confident Perveen of the previous books is now suddenly obedient to her parents and defers to her father all the time, which was a big let-down. She also becomes very officious with her sister in law and then whines when the latter is annoyed. Her father also is depicted as an autocrat, creating situations where other family members suffer, which was not the case in the previous books.
As for the mystery itself, I thought it was a bit bland. The killer did not make much sense and did not sufficiently tie together with the rest of the story at all. It felt like Massey just decided to pull a killer out of thin air and tried to make it work.
Despite the shortcomings, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!
May 26, 2022
A great addition to this richly historical series, loosely based on the first female solicitor in India.
July 30, 2021
This is the third in Sujata Massey's series about 1920s Bombay, featuring heroine Perveen Mistry, solicitor at a time the profession was resistant to equal opportunities for women. She's Oxford educated, yet lacking a degree since women were not granted one at the time, and works in her father's law firm, mostly behind the scenes, doing as much as she can within the limits of her gender.
Luckily for us and for her, there is always a mystery for her to solve, even if she is forced to do low-key work in the law firm and isn't allowed to practice as a barrister in the courts. Our mystery this time is the death of Freny Cuttingmaster, 18-year-old student who falls to her death just when the procession with visiting Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, passes by her school. Accidental death or homicide? Perveen wants to know, since Freny had come to her office just days before for a consultation, and was obviously not a fan of British rule.
There are lots of characters to meet and suspect. British colonialists, various Indian citizens of varying ethnicities and religions. Perveen and her family, for example, are Parsis, a minority group which practices zoroastrianism and had migrated to India from Iran centuries ago. In addition, of course, there are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc., making up a diverse and not always unified country. Add to that British colonialism and you have unrest just waiting to happen.
Problems do boil up and over during this visit of the Prince of Wales. This visit and the ensuing trouble serve as a backdrop to Freny's murder. And it's up to Perveen to find out just what happened. Along the way, author Massey educates the reader a bit about Indian culture and history. In the case of this particular story, I found the mystery to run a poor second to the general very broad lessons about life in 1920s India.
For those who enjoy a bit of romance mixed with their mysteries, Perveen meets up again with Colin Sandringham, a British citizen she worked with in the previous book who, as a classmate of Edward years ago, has been chosen to accompany the Prince of Wales during his visit. This is perhaps a star-crossed love since Perveen's family and their religion are against such a relationship. Poor Perveen. Can she overcome the limitations put on her in both her professional and her personal life? To be continued.
Luckily for us and for her, there is always a mystery for her to solve, even if she is forced to do low-key work in the law firm and isn't allowed to practice as a barrister in the courts. Our mystery this time is the death of Freny Cuttingmaster, 18-year-old student who falls to her death just when the procession with visiting Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, passes by her school. Accidental death or homicide? Perveen wants to know, since Freny had come to her office just days before for a consultation, and was obviously not a fan of British rule.
There are lots of characters to meet and suspect. British colonialists, various Indian citizens of varying ethnicities and religions. Perveen and her family, for example, are Parsis, a minority group which practices zoroastrianism and had migrated to India from Iran centuries ago. In addition, of course, there are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc., making up a diverse and not always unified country. Add to that British colonialism and you have unrest just waiting to happen.
Problems do boil up and over during this visit of the Prince of Wales. This visit and the ensuing trouble serve as a backdrop to Freny's murder. And it's up to Perveen to find out just what happened. Along the way, author Massey educates the reader a bit about Indian culture and history. In the case of this particular story, I found the mystery to run a poor second to the general very broad lessons about life in 1920s India.
For those who enjoy a bit of romance mixed with their mysteries, Perveen meets up again with Colin Sandringham, a British citizen she worked with in the previous book who, as a classmate of Edward years ago, has been chosen to accompany the Prince of Wales during his visit. This is perhaps a star-crossed love since Perveen's family and their religion are against such a relationship. Poor Perveen. Can she overcome the limitations put on her in both her professional and her personal life? To be continued.
July 4, 2021
CW: attempted assault
It’s nice sometimes to take a break from fantasy, but I’m still not ready to tackle the real world so historical fiction it is. And it’s always fun to come back to a series I enjoy and meet familiar characters. This is another interesting installment in the series and one I’m glad to continue further.
I’m always impressed by the author’s descriptions of 1920s Bombay because I’m unfamiliar even with the current incarnation of the city, and historical one feels even more fantastical in my head. But the author makes it feel like a living breathing place, one that forms the soul of the story. The tensions in the city, the emergence of a freedom movement that is both nonviolent as well as reactionary, and the rising of the religious divide forms an important backdrop of this story and as always, I’m glad to get to know more about my own country’s history. The writing is evocative and full of emotional depth, making us experience the turbulent atmosphere of the times. The mystery itself was not too predictable, but not too tension inducing either and the resolution was pretty unexpected.
I fall in love with Perveen’s character even more as the series go on and it’s due to her resilience and strength in unfavorable circumstances. But I thought the author showed a much more vulnerable side of her this time, encountering situations where is pretty helpless and also in the matters of the heart. However, it’s nice to see that she has the support of her family, especially her father in professional settings and her best friend Alice who is so sweet. But the author lets us see the complex relationship these characters have with colonial India, the British empire and the Indian freedom movement. There is also a hint of romantic entanglements in this one, which is both endearing and bittersweet, and I hope we’ll get to see much more of the couple as the story continues.
To conclude, this book was a refreshing respite in the middle of all my intense fantasies, but it was no less interesting and emotional. If you enjoy books set in pre-independence India and would love to see a young woman try to overcome the patriarchal sexist rules in both her personal and professional life, then you can’t go wrong with this series.
It’s nice sometimes to take a break from fantasy, but I’m still not ready to tackle the real world so historical fiction it is. And it’s always fun to come back to a series I enjoy and meet familiar characters. This is another interesting installment in the series and one I’m glad to continue further.
I’m always impressed by the author’s descriptions of 1920s Bombay because I’m unfamiliar even with the current incarnation of the city, and historical one feels even more fantastical in my head. But the author makes it feel like a living breathing place, one that forms the soul of the story. The tensions in the city, the emergence of a freedom movement that is both nonviolent as well as reactionary, and the rising of the religious divide forms an important backdrop of this story and as always, I’m glad to get to know more about my own country’s history. The writing is evocative and full of emotional depth, making us experience the turbulent atmosphere of the times. The mystery itself was not too predictable, but not too tension inducing either and the resolution was pretty unexpected.
I fall in love with Perveen’s character even more as the series go on and it’s due to her resilience and strength in unfavorable circumstances. But I thought the author showed a much more vulnerable side of her this time, encountering situations where is pretty helpless and also in the matters of the heart. However, it’s nice to see that she has the support of her family, especially her father in professional settings and her best friend Alice who is so sweet. But the author lets us see the complex relationship these characters have with colonial India, the British empire and the Indian freedom movement. There is also a hint of romantic entanglements in this one, which is both endearing and bittersweet, and I hope we’ll get to see much more of the couple as the story continues.
To conclude, this book was a refreshing respite in the middle of all my intense fantasies, but it was no less interesting and emotional. If you enjoy books set in pre-independence India and would love to see a young woman try to overcome the patriarchal sexist rules in both her personal and professional life, then you can’t go wrong with this series.
June 24, 2021
The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey is the third novel in the Perveen Mistry series, and every bit as delightful as the first. Set in pre-independent Bombay, this series features Mistry, who is India's first woman solicitor as she tries to uncover clues and solve cases related to her clients.
In The Bombay Prince, a young girl Freny who had visited Perveen a few days back, dies after falling from her college balcony. This happens on the day of Prince Edward's visit to India, which has already become the cause of much anger for the people associated with the swadeshi movement. Amidst all this, Perveen tries her best to find the truth of Freny's death.
All the books in this series are like a well-made, beautiful braid. One part of the books deals with the mystery at hand, another with Perveen's personal and social life, while the third gives historical perspective. And all of them come together in a well balanced way, so that the result is sheer delight. Massey creates the Bombay of the past, the social scene of the time and the political unrest and the looting that goes on by elements using the unrest as a cover in a nuanced, balanced way. I have fallen in love with Perveen, and I am sure you will too. She and Su-Lin from the Crown Colony Mystery Series are two of my favorite female protagonists. They both belong to different places and circumstances, but I can never get enough of either.
In The Bombay Prince, a young girl Freny who had visited Perveen a few days back, dies after falling from her college balcony. This happens on the day of Prince Edward's visit to India, which has already become the cause of much anger for the people associated with the swadeshi movement. Amidst all this, Perveen tries her best to find the truth of Freny's death.
All the books in this series are like a well-made, beautiful braid. One part of the books deals with the mystery at hand, another with Perveen's personal and social life, while the third gives historical perspective. And all of them come together in a well balanced way, so that the result is sheer delight. Massey creates the Bombay of the past, the social scene of the time and the political unrest and the looting that goes on by elements using the unrest as a cover in a nuanced, balanced way. I have fallen in love with Perveen, and I am sure you will too. She and Su-Lin from the Crown Colony Mystery Series are two of my favorite female protagonists. They both belong to different places and circumstances, but I can never get enough of either.
July 3, 2021
The blurb gives a good idea of the big picture.
This was a solid entry in this series. I really felt for Perveen: her confidence shaken by the riots; her guilt over not helping Freny (but what, actually, could she have done differently?); her mixed feelings over involving her family in her troubles. To top things off, Colin Sandringham (from The Satapur Moonstone) is in Bombay because he's been asked to join the Prince's entourage.
Perveen is torn between her growing affection for Colin and her need to appear above reproach to her father (and society in general). A romance with an Englishman just will not do at all!
The mystery has some nice twists, the baddie was not really a surprise. I was happy with the resolution of that part of the story.
I appreciated the glimpse into the political troubles brewing between the British Empire and its 'jewel' from the Indian POV.
I am looking forward to the next entry. I expect another strong mystery and hope for some peace of mind for Perveen.
This was a solid entry in this series. I really felt for Perveen: her confidence shaken by the riots; her guilt over not helping Freny (but what, actually, could she have done differently?); her mixed feelings over involving her family in her troubles. To top things off, Colin Sandringham (from The Satapur Moonstone) is in Bombay because he's been asked to join the Prince's entourage.
Perveen is torn between her growing affection for Colin and her need to appear above reproach to her father (and society in general). A romance with an Englishman just will not do at all!
The mystery has some nice twists, the baddie was not really a surprise. I was happy with the resolution of that part of the story.
I appreciated the glimpse into the political troubles brewing between the British Empire and its 'jewel' from the Indian POV.
I am looking forward to the next entry. I expect another strong mystery and hope for some peace of mind for Perveen.
June 6, 2021
Beautifully, yet simply written, this book reads as though it was written when it takes place….1921. Highly evocative, the author paints a vivid picture of time and place and I loved the luscious description of the clothing. I almost felt as though unraveling the mystery was secondary to learning about Bombay society in this era as an independence movement burgeons.
Purveen Mistry, the first woman solicitor in Bombay, is a strong, independent character
I didn’t realize that this was the third in a series; it is, then, the first I have read. It was a delightful introduction this author and her characters.
Purveen Mistry, the first woman solicitor in Bombay, is a strong, independent character
I didn’t realize that this was the third in a series; it is, then, the first I have read. It was a delightful introduction this author and her characters.
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