The Satapur Moonstone (A Perveen Mistry Novel)

THE SATAPUR MOONSTONE by Sujata MasseyThis the second mystery starring Purveen Mistry, a female Indian lawyer practicing in Bombay in 1921. (If you have not read the first, you might want to check it out first, so you know the backstory.) Purveen has been asked to determine if the children of a deceased Maharajah in princely India are being properly cared for and educated, and the royal succession maintained while the two remaining maharanis remain in purdah (seclusion).Several mysterious incidents come to light as Purveen and an agent for the British Empire join forces to untangle the intricacies of Satapur’s royal aristocracy. Several deaths and more than several possible culprits appear along the way. Massey’s care with the cultural differences observed by the various religions, political entities, and Indian versus British desires become part of the mystery. A bit of romance may even be hinted at if this entertaining series continues – and I hope it does.Well written with strong characters and intricate plotting make this novel a great addition to the genre.4 of 5 stars

This is a many layered tale about the mysterious death of a young Majarahja and the threat to his younger brother, but it is also about women's rights, the struggle for an independent India, and a subtle Romance between the Parsi heroine and the English agent. The characters are good and the plot is clever. I found it hard to put down.

Once again Sujata takes us to the India in the days of the British Empire. We see the times, traditions, and everyday life and culture of that time in India via a very interesting mystery. There are a few plot holes in the road, such as the one posed by the moonstone necklace. Which should have opened Paraveen's eyes to her 'friend' who had given it to her to gift to the most ranking woman in the palace. The receiver's reaction to the gift should have told Parveen something about that 'friend', something which should have resulted in some insights and plot twists. Some things which are NOT easy to have happen anywhere at that time, but would be complicated by the jungle location, seemed to just appear, such as a local railroad line. The plot was interesting, the setting and culture were well presented, and supported the mystery's plot very well. I enjoyed going back to that time in India through Mrs. Massey's personal knowledge of the history and life of the time.

This is the second volume of the mystery series starring Perveen Mistry, a fictional version of India’s first woman lawyer. Set in India in the 1920s, it paints a picture of the uneasy social and political relationships among and within the different groups in the country, including the British (technically in control of most of the subcontinent), the Hindus, the Parsis (descendants of long-ago immigrants from Persia/Iran, the group to which Perveen belongs), and the Muslims. It also sets up a good mystery, in which Perveen, called on to settle a dispute between the mother and grandmother of the underage heir to a princely state about the boy’s education, finds that the problem extends much deeper—to the possible murder of the young prince’s older brother and a threat to the boy and his little sister as well.This book is at least as good as the first one in the series (which is to say, very) or maybe even better. It focuses less on Perveen’s personal story than the first one, though it offers an intriguing direction in which that story may develop. It is particularly strong in providing views of the forest landscape of Satapur, the fictional princely state in western India in which it is set; the picture of life inside the grand but rather run-down royal palaces is also interesting. The personalities and relationships of the characters not only contributed to the mystery but shed light on the complex and conflicted state of Indian society at the time. I will look forward eagerly to Perveen’s next outing.

As I read this book I marvel how Ms. Massey's story absorbs me. I'm not thinking about the writing, as I tend to do (a terrible trait), but I'm entirely inside the story. Even her use of language seems to lend authenticity and a poetic beauty to this period in Indian life (to me, anyway!) I would suggest to others to first read the initial Perveen Mistry book, THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, a brilliant story that also lays the foundation of her protagonist's life in explicit detail. Perveen Mistry seems (to me) to be a valuable asset for helping us better understand the feelings and difficulties for this period in British occupied India when Ghandi has begun his peaceful rebellion. I recommend both books as a brilliant addition to anyone's library! I've been gifting these books to everyone I know!

I recommend both of her books, Widows of Malabar Hill and the Satapur Moonstone. They are well plotted mysteries but so much more. They convey the India of the 1920s - the racism of the British, the negative impact of India’s caste system, the status of females as second class citizens, the extreme contrast of wealth and poverty, etc. While much has changed in the past 100 years, much has remained the same and yesterday’s history helps explain today’s situation.Despite the socio-economic environment, there are numerous positive elements in the book such as Purveen’s drive to become India’s first female lawyer, her basic decency and kindness, her creative approach toward overcoming any and all obstacles while operating within the mores and law. Plus, her family who are always there to provide sound advice personally and professionally. And the introduction in Satapur Moonstone to a new romantic interest who is both attractive and seemingly her intellectual soul mate.The books were delightful. They made me smile. And they passed my personal good book test: I was sorry when I reached the last page. I look forward to visiting these special “friends” in their next adventure.

As compared to Perveen's first outing, this was pretty meh. The mystery was weak and the buildup took too long. There were multiple characters yet none of them was worth remembering. Even Perveen couldn't save this mystery from dragging. Not an ideal place to begin with this series.

After going gaga over the previous book in the Perveen Mistry (maybe I went overboard for just having a relatable Indian whodunnit series) , I picked up the next one without further ado. There is no nice way to say this though, this was a massive disappointment.**Mild spoilers ahead**This felt more like Nancy Drew than the nuanced and realistic first work in the series. Part of it is the problem with the setting - putting a young woman in the middle of the jungle in the early 1920's necessistates a certain suspension of disbelief e.g. going back into the jungle on a 3 hour horse ride when it's been established it's dangerous and she doesn't ride horses very well or searching through abandoned rooms or having the authority to go on a ride with a kid etc.But also the general plot was terrible in comparison to the first one. I thought for one it had too many characters - who weren't fleshed out well enough, and whom we don't even necessarily get closure upon - what happened to Roderick Ames, Yazad or the maids? Perveen seems way too smart and perceptive for a normal human being and her hunches are almost always right (the number of times someone in the backgrounds' reaction tells her something is fishy made me roll my eyes), with an ability to have people open up to her and provide information which they give no one else despite her gender and religious handicaps (including with children). She also in no way behaves like she is a rookie lawyer - spouting wisdom and opinions far beyond what her experience would suggest and having liberties which no one would. The crux of the plot also devolved into a stereotypical saas-bahu drama with multiple motivations and contradictions - which don't quite align or make sense, almost giving a feeling of red herrings being thrown in for the sake of it. The plot holes I found particularly unforgivable (stolen camera? broken palanquin? corruption in the ICS? Hello?)All the story-line calisthenics apart - and I know it seems like a verry negative review - it's still an imminently readable work, so still the three stars - one of them for still managing the right amount of wokeness and a decent picture of social dynamics and mores in that period and part of the world. Well researched in terms of food, clothing and household objects too. It's just unfortunately - a masala whodunnit series now. Which is a pity when it seemed like it could be something far more intelligent and nuanced....

This is a book set in the early 20th century India and it deals with a woman lawyer and investigator who goes to the kingdom of Satapur on the behest of the British to resolve a seemingly simple predicament of the royal family but ends up uncovering something far more sinister than she could’ve ever imagined.It was quite a gripping story but Perveen Mistry (the protagonist of the novel) wasn’t as likeable as I had imagined her to be in my head. Having said that, I did enjoy all the strong, female characters that were written with gumption to a large extent, be it that of the Rajmata, the Choti Rani or even Perveen herself.The story set the tone of that time well and it isn’t an out and out negative charge at the British which was refreshing to read. But apart from these things, this book wasn’t very memorable for me. The scenes were good in theory, if only they could’ve been fleshed out better they would’ve added to the mysterious element of the novel.

Since I was absorbed by Massey's first book in the Perveen Mistry duo, I just had to read The Satapur Moonstone. While initially I was disappointed, thinking that the story would be a parallel, I soon became convinced it was not. While the young female lawyer set out to solve a mystery, including a suspected murder, the plot was different than Book 1. In this case in a remote mountainous area of India, the characters and sequence of events were quite different. Massey's ability to describe places and events as if the reader was 'there' is quite astounding. And exciting. A great read.

There was little to like in this book. I felt it was a constant lesson on the customs of the royal Indian familiesin 1920. Plot was weak. Characters many and confusing. Some characters had more than one name.Because of the first book A murder at Malabar Hill , I persevered , thinking the story would improve.Alas, no. Conclusion predictable. A murder at Malabar Hill , is worth reading.Margaret